Fingerprinting to track viruses

Eighty large Internet service firms have switched on software to spot and stop Net attacks automatically, reports BBC.

The system creates digital fingerprints of ongoing incidents that are sent to every network affected. Firms involved in the smart sensing system believe it will help trace attacks back to their source.

Data gathered will then be passed to police to help build up intelligence about who is behind worm outbreaks and denial-of-service attacks.

The technology works by building up a detailed history of traffic on a network. It identifies which computers or groups of users regularly 'talk` to each other and what types of traffic pass between machines or workgroups.

Any anomaly to this pattern is spotted and flagged to network administrators who can take action if the traffic is due to a Net-based attack of some kind.

Toshiba has developed a new lithium-ion battery that drastically cuts recharging time thanks to the use of nanotechnology.

The new battery requires only one minute to recharge 80% of its capacity - around 60 times faster than standard lithium-ion batteries - but will only be commercially available sometime next year.

According to CIO Today, the quick recharging is made possible through the use of nanoparticles that absorb a vast amount of lithium-ions into negative electrodes and prevent organic liquid electrolytes from reducing during battery recharging.

The battery also has a long life since it loses only 1% of its capacity for every 1 000 times it is recharged.

Toshiba says the product is designed for use in hybrid vehicles and portable electronic equipment, as well as a range of other applications.

Samsung Electronics has developed its first two "file viewer" phones that allow users to view document and image files over the mobile phone.

According to PhysOrg, the SPH-V6500 and SCH-V650 models are designed to enhance productivity of businesspeople that are constantly on the go but need to view business-critical information, such as PDF files.

Data can be downloaded on the phone in its original file format through a PC connection, similar to an external storage device. Files that are readable on the phone include Microsoft Word and Excel, as well as PDF, JPG and TXT files.

The 1.3-megapixel camera phone also features a 16 million-colour LCD and remote control functionality that provides universal control of home appliances, including the air-conditioner, PC, game console, TV, DVD and navigation in automobiles.