Cyberwar Spam Down But "Zombie" Armies Growing: McAfee / Zombie Computer Army Targets Bank Account Passwords

Cyberwar Spam Down But "Zombie" Armies Growing: McAfee / Zombie Computer Army Targets Bank Account Passwords

(NSI News Source Info) SAN FRANCISCO - May 11, 2009: Hackers appear to be beefing up armies of "zombie" computers to recover from a major hit scored in the battle against spam email, according to software security firm McAfee. A McAfee report said that during the first three months of this year, nearly 12 million new computers were added to the ranks of machines infected with "malware" that lets cybercriminals use them to spew spam. The United States unseated China as the country with the most "botnet-infected" computers, accounting for 18 percent of the world's "zombie machines" as compared with China's 13.4 percent, according to McAfee. Australia "rocketed" to third place on the list with 6.3 percent of the world's zombie computers after not even being it into the Top 10 list at the end of last year. The ominous news came with word that the amount of spam dropped 20 percent during the same period, evidently as a result of the elimination of a "McColo" spam-generating operation late last year. The rate of spam email dropped from an average 153 billion daily last year to 100 billion a day in March, according to the McAfee report released Tuesday. "Seems the bad guys are attempting to recover from last November's takedown of a central spam-hosting ISP by rebuilding their army," researchers said in a McAfee Threats Report for the first quarter of 2009. The United States unseated China as the country with the most "botnet-infected" computers, accounting for 18 percent of the world's "zombie machines" as compared with China's 13.4 percent, according to McAfee. Australia "rocketed" to third place on the list with 6.3 percent of the world's zombie computers after not even being it into the Top 10 list at the end of last year. "The Land Down Under is proving to be fertile ground for zombie recruiting," McAfee researchers wrote. Despite the international nature of botnets, spammers seem to prefer sending the unwanted email from the United States, which McAfee said was the source of 35 percent of the messages as compared to 7.3 percent from second-place Brazil. Cybercriminals are also increasingly rigging legitimate websites to sneak viruses onto visitors' computers, according to McAfee. Threat researchers reported discovering in March more than 800 new versions of a Koobface virus tailored to attack users of hot social-networking website Facebook. "Servers hosting legitimate content have increased in popularity with malware writers as a means for distributing malicious and illegal content," McAfee reported. Cybercrooks have "deeply compromised" computers at key Russian and Eastern European corporations and government agencies, according to McAfee. "The Internet knows no geographical boundaries," researchers said in the report. "It is now apparent that cybercriminals will attack any target of opportunity they can find." Spam levels are the lowest the world has seen in two years, but are expected to rise. "The question is not whether spam will return to previous levels, but rather when it will return," McAfee said. "There is data regarding new zombie and botnet creation that suggest the time may not be too far in the future."

The Russian Miracle And Magnificent Doctor Is Absolutely Stunning, Who Cures Every Disease With Own Formula: Part #3 (Leisure Class)

The Russian Miracle And Magnificent Doctor Is Absolutely Stunning, Who Cures Every Disease With Own Formula: Part #3 (Leisure Class) *DTN News will up-date on weekly basis info on the Russian miracle and magnificent doctor respectively. This is an exclusive story of DTN Defense-Technology News (NSI News Source Info) SINGAPORE - May 11, 2009: The miracle doctor is Ashot Khachatryan Papikovicha, he is very kind, gentle and humble also known as 'Professor K' or 'Professor DaDa' (In Russian Da means Yes) . The Professor K is very confident on his formula curing every possible human disease and repeats Da....Da! At recent leisure class, seen Dr. Ashot Khachatryan with the Seth's bros. From Left to Right are Bilu, Dr. Ashot Khachatryan, KV and Bob Founder and President of the Academy-KHACHATRYAN Ashot PAPIKOVICH - Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Honored Inventor of Russia, Laureate of the Prize Goskomizobreteny USSR, academician of the Russian Academy of Medical and Technical Sciences, Academician of European Academy of Natural Sciences, academician of the New York Academy of Sciences, a member of the Union of Journalists of Russia.

DTN News: Medical TODAY May 11, 2009 - Home Light Therapy Psoriasis Hope

DTN News: Medical TODAY May 11, 2009 - Home Light Therapy Psoriasis Hope

(NSI News Source Info) LONDON - May 11, 2009: A specialist light treatment for psoriasis is just as effective and safe when given at home as in hospital, say Dutch researchers. Phototherapy using UVB light is rarely used in the UK because of limited availability and the number of hospital visits required. But a study of 200 patients found the same results with home treatment. One UK expert said the British Medical Journal study highlighted an important treatment gap in psoriasis care. Psoriasis is a common disorder caused by too rapid production of new skin cells, causing red scaly patches. In my area there are very large numbers of people who don't have access to phototherapy which is a shame as it's a very effective and safe treatment Professor Alex Anstey, Royal Gwent Hospital, Wales Up to 3% of the UK population is affected by the non-contagious condition which can cause significant disability. For those who have access to UVB treatment at their local dermatology unit, a course usually entails three visits each week for between eight to 10 weeks. It works by dampening down the immune overreaction in the skin. One reason that the treatment is usually done in hospital is because most dermatologists believe that home phototherapy is inferior and that it carries more risks. In the latest study, patients with psoriasis from 14 hospital dermatology departments were randomly assigned to receive either home UVB phototherapy or hospital-based treatment. Home treatment was equivalent to hospital therapy both in terms of safety and the effectiveness of clearing the condition. And those treated at home reported a significantly lower burden of treatment and were more satisfied. Equal treatments Study leader Dr Mayke Koek, from Utrecht University Medical Centre, said: "We knew a lot of dermatologists are not convinced of the safety and effectiveness of UVB phototherapy but our theory was they should be equally safe." "One of the most important findings was a lot of patients treated at home were more satisfied." Professor Alex Anstey from the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport, Wales, said with the exception of Scotland, phototherapy in the UK was limited to people who lived near a big hospital. "In my area there are very large numbers of people who don't have access to phototherapy which is a shame as it's a very effective and safe treatment." He said that the equipment - similar to a tanning bed, but a different type of light - costs between £5,000 and £10,000 but was very cheap compared with some of the new biological therapies in use and could be lent to patients for the duration of their treatment. Gladys Edwards, chief executive of the Psoriasis Association, said the guidelines on treating psoriasis should be reviewed in light of the new research. "Patient choice is important and for some patients managing their UV treatment at home would clearly be preferable. "It is crucial, however, that there is absolutely clear guidance and information on when this is appropriate and how it should be managed for patients and clinicians."

DTN News: Pakistan TODAY May 11, 2009 - Chaos In Swat Valley Tens Of Thousands Of Pakistanis Are Fleeing Clashes Between Taliban Militants And Army

DTN News: Pakistan TODAY May 11, 2009 - Chaos In Swat Valley Tens Of Thousands Of Pakistanis Are Fleeing Due To Clashes Between Taliban Militants And The Army

(NSI News Source Info) ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - May 11, 2009: Fleeing civilians pull over for a passing convoy of military vehicles on the border of Malakand and Mardan districts of Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, about 150 km (85 miles) north west of Pakistan's capital Islamabad May 10, 2009. Pakistan's military ordered people out of parts of the Swat valley on Sunday, temporarily relaxing a curfew to enable civilians to flee an intensifying offensive against Taliban militants.

DTN News: Afghanistan TODAY May 11, 2009 - Remote Controlled Bomb Exploded In Dah Bala Of Nangarhar Province, East of Kabul

DTN News: Afghanistan TODAY May 11, 2009 - Remote Controlled Bomb Exploded In Dah Bala Of Nangarhar Province, East of Kabul

(NSI News Source Info) KABUL, Afghanistan - May 11, 2009: Afghan border policemen stand around a vehicle after it was hit by a remote controlled bomb in Dah Bala of Nangarhar province, east of Kabul, Afghanistan on Sunday, May 10, 2009. Eight Afghan civilians were killed by a remote controlled bomb explosion, said police officials in Nangarhar province.

British And U.S. Have JRTC Set For Their Armed Forces Prior Troops Are Dispatched For Action In Afghanistan or Iraq

British And U.S. Have JRTC Set For Their Armed Forces Prior Troops Are Dispatched For Action In Afghanistan or Iraq

(NSI News Source Info) May 11, 2009: Britain has spent $20 million to build a replica of two Afghan towns, and staffed it with Afghans and retired Gurkhas who respond to soldiers as Afghans would. British soldiers headed for Afghanistan will undergo realistic training in this portion of the Stanford Training Area. The U.S. pioneered this type of training, and several training centers like this. Soldiers from the U.S. Army First Battalion, 26th Infantry work on their base Camp Restrepo in the Korengal Valley in Afghanistan's Kunar Province on Friday May 8, 2009. For example, the U.S. Army's JRTC (Joint Readiness Training Center) at Fort Polk, Louisiana can put a brigade through a month of realistic conventional warfare training at JRTC for about $2 million. But it costs $9 million to run the same brigade through a month of peacekeeping training (for Iraq or Afghanistan.) The major additional cost is payroll.

Over 800 civilians, including either Afghan or Iraqi-Americans, are brought in and trained how to act as civilians, aid workers, reporters and so on. In effect, the troops get to play parts in a very realistic simulation of what the trainees are going to face, for real, in a few months. About two hundred veterans of those battle zones dress, and play, the part of the various bad guys. All this is supervised by troops and civilians who run the JRTC.

Thousands of man hours go into setting the scene and writing the script. Unlike a movie, however, there can be many endings to this adventure. The trainees have many, very realistic, opportunities, to make mistakes. Thus the debriefings are one of the most important parts of the exercise. The trainee commanders are given a blunt assessment of their performance. If they didn't make some mistakes, they are reminded of that, and asked if this was just luck, or that they knew what they were doing. For mistakes, the correct solutions are provided. For the troops, the JRTC experience is more revealing, and educational, than anything else they have done to get ready for action. Perhaps the biggest lesson is the need for some cultural awareness. The U.S. Army Special Forces has long appreciated this, but the rest of the army has always been playing catch up.

Thus, while the troops are given cards or booklets containing useful phrases in the local language, when they confront "actors" on the "set" who are actually Afghans or Iraqis, and won't speak to them in English (representing the fact that few people in these countries can), the troops either have to remember and use those phrases they were supposed to have memorized, or try and get along without.

It's much easier if you can say a few words in the local language, and this way they learn why at Fort Polk, instead of overseas, where such problems can get them killed. The troops will later get to talk to the Afghan-American or Iraqi-American actors, and get the lessons repeated in English, with assurances that, "over there," bad manners can have very serious consequences. All of this reinforces what veterans in the trainee units have been telling the non-veteran troops. It's all about repeating realistic experiences without getting killed for making a mistake. This kind of training works, as the troops themselves testify. The trainees are polled after they have come back from overseas, and are solicited for additional items the JRTC training should cover. So successful has this kind of training been that the army's largest, and most effective (for conventional war training) center, at Fort Irwin, California (the NTC, or National Training Area) is now covered with nearly twenty "villages", and a $50 million dollar "town" is to be built as well. In addition, the army is buying lots of special effects technology, and consulting, from the same firms that supply movie makers. The realistic training areas also provide a suitable venue for trying out new tactics and equipment. This has especially been the case with roadside bombs. This involves simulating what goes on with the enemy, to get a bomb in place. It's actually a complicated process, and new tactics make it more difficult for the bad guys. But effective new tactics only get developed if you have a realistic way to test them. This involves not just the combat troops, but also the intelligence people, and even some types of support troops. All of this is costing the army several hundred million dollars, which puts the British effort in context. But the army has ways of measuring the impact of the new training, and the result is fewer American casualties, and more, and faster, success in the combat zone. It was the success of these training areas that led the British to build their own, to give infantry battalions some realistic experience before they show up in Afghanistan and face real bullets and bombs.

U.S. - No Surprises As DoD’s $664 Billion FY10 Budget Request Cuts Programs / DoD Releases Fiscal 2010 Budget Proposal

U.S. - No Surprises As DoD’s $664 Billion FY10 Budget Request Cuts Programs / DoD Releases Fiscal 2010 Budget Proposal

(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - May 11, 2009: President Barack Obama today sent to Congress a proposed defense budget of $663.8 billion for fiscal 2010.

The budget request for the Department of Defense (DoD) includes $533.8 billion in discretionary budget authority to fund base defense programs and $130 billion to support overseas contingency operations, primarily in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Super Hornet is the only combat jet to emerge unscathed from the FY10 budget, which includes $2.9 billion to buy 31 F-18E and EA-18Gs. (US Navy photo)

The proposed DoD base budget represents an increase of $20.5 billion over the $513.3 billion enacted for fiscal 2009. This is an increase of 4 percent, or 2.1 percent real growth after adjusting for inflation.

The fiscal 2010 budget proposal will end the planned use of supplemental requests to fund overseas operations, including Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

The inclusion of these expenses as a separate category in the department’s annual budget request will ensure greater transparency and accountability to Congress and the American people.

The budget will also request funds in the base that were previously in supplementals for programs such as those supporting our military families and providing long-term medical care to injured service members.

“This budget provides the balance necessary to institutionalize and finance our capabilities to fight the wars we are in today and the scenarios we are most likely to face in the years ahead, while at the same time providing a hedge against other risks and contingencies,” said Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Sri Lankan 'Shelling Kills 378' / Sri Lankan Army Kills 50 Tigers

Sri Lankan 'Shelling Kills 378' / Sri Lankan Army Kills 50 Tigers

*Analysis: There can be no military solution to the problems of Tamils in Sri Lanka. The legitimate aspirations of the Tamil-speaking minority must be fulfilled within the framework of a united and federal Sri Lanka through a negotiated and peaceful settlement. It is not easy to send Army to a sovereign country (DTN Defense-Technology News)

(NSI News Source Info) May 10, 2009: At least 378 people have been killed by continuing shelling from the Sri Lankan army in the past 24 hours, a health official has told the BBC. The official, working in the northern conflict zone, said 1,122 others had been injured - and more bodies were on beaches and by the sides of roads. But the Sri Lankan military denies it has shelled the "safety zone". Tamil Tiger rebels and the military regularly accuse each other of atrocities in the civil conflict. But the claims are impossible to verify because independent reporters are banned from the war zone. The pro-rebel Tamilnet website reported that heavy shelling had started late on Saturday and continued into Sunday. The site said as many as 2,000 civilians had been killed, but health officials said they could not confirm the figure. The BBC's Charles Haviland, in Colombo, said an official in the war zone confirmed his hospital had taken in 378 bodies so far. 'Propaganda' claims Earlier, doctors said two hospitals were struggling to cope with the casualties, and that people were hiding in bunkers and many makeshift tents had been burnt. They added that among those killed was a government nursing officer. But the military denied the allegations. Sri Lankan defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella told the BBC the accounts were "propaganda" of the Tamil Tigers and that there had been neither shelling nor air attacks on the civilian zone. "That is a fact," he said. He said the guerrillas were "holding people to ransom" in their area, and accused the rebels of killing nine civilians who were trying to escape their zone on Saturday. The UN estimates that about 50,000 civilians are trapped by the conflict. The Tamil Tigers have fought for an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority since 1983. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the war.

U.S. Military Deal For 8 More Boeing C-17s Announced

U.S. Military Deal For 8 More Boeing C-17s Announced

*Analysis: If U.S. need to project power any place in the world and have the backup U.S. need, the C-17 is essential ... It's not a cliche. This would be a big issue if this plane was (built) someplace else. (DTN Defense-Technology News)

(NSI News Source Info) May 10, 2009: Boeing workers in Long Beach received a flurry of positive news Tuesday as word came down that Congress had tentatively approved an order for eight additional C-17 cargo planes for the U.S. military. The C-17 is operated by the US Air Force, the British Royal Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, and the Canadian Forces, while NATO and Qatar have placed orders for the airlifter. The $2.2-billion deal, which was slipped into a larger war spending bill and needs final approval by the full House and Senate, comes as Boeing officials confirm they are in talks with the United Arab Emirates to purchase as many as four C-17s for humanitarian purposes in the Middle East. Together, the orders could extend the C-17 production line well into 2011 - protecting as many as 5,000 jobs in Long Beach and preventing the closure of California's last major aircraft production facility. Boeing has said it would shut down the C-17 plant on Lakewood Boulevard by late 2010 if no new orders were made. "Interest in the C-17 has always been strong in the U.S., but now we're seeing a lot of interest from other areas of the world where they've seen how well the plane holds up," said Boeing C-17 spokesman Jerry Drelling. "It's by far proven itself as the world's best heavy-lift aircraft." Also Tuesday, the Department of Defense formalized a previously announced $400 million deal for two C-17s bound for use by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Strategic Airlift Command. Those aircraft are being produced by Boeing's 5,000-member work force in Long Beach, with delivery of the planes scheduled for July and September. NATO may purchase a third aircraft this year as well, Drelling said. Congressional approval is required for such purposes. As for the potential eight new planes, the House Appropriations Committee is set to review the proposal on Thursday as part of its examination of the Fiscal Year 2009 budget. The order comes despite Defense Secretary Robert Gates' insistence on ending orders for more C-17s beyond the 205 already ordered through 2010. The potential UAE purchase would be Boeing's second delivery to a Middle East nation following Qatar's purchase of three C-17s in the past year. Australia, Canada and Great Britain have also combined for an additional 10 C-17 orders in recent years. The massive, $200-million cargo planes are used primarily to transport troops and heavy equipment like tanks and trucks, but have been used extensively in relief missions and rescue operations in the aftermath of natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina and the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami. The plane is capable of flying intercontinental distances and landing on short dirt runways - making it ideal for flying into and out of remote and war-torn regions. Staff Writer Kristopher Hanson and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

DTN News: Military TODAY May 10, 2009 - In The Korengal Valley In Afghanistan's Kunar Province

DTN News: Military TODAY May 10, 2009 - In The Korengal Valley In Afghanistan's Kunar Province

(NSI News Source Info) May 10, 2009: Spc Kevin Fite, from Pamona, Calif. , from the U.S. Army First Battalion, 26th Infantry, rushes across a trail as they patrol in the Korengal Valley in Afghanistan's Kunar Province Saturday, May 9, 2009.

Swat Operation A Fight For Survival Of Pakistan: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani / Asif Ali Zardari Vows Swat Offensive Will Not Be Withdrawn

Swat Operation A Fight For Survival Of Pakistan: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani / President Asif Ali Zardari Vows Swat Offensive Will Not Be Withdrawn

(NSI News Source Info) ISLAMABAD - May 10, 2009: The Federal Cabinet on Saturday endorsed military action in Swat observing that there was no option left after failure of the peace accord. Speaking at a press conference after an emergency meeting of the Cabinet, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said it was the battle for survival of Pakistan and was the question of future of the people. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani (R) chairing the emergency cabinet meeting in Islamabad.—APP He said the militants’ refusal to accept judiciary, parliament and democracy was nothing short of rebellion. He said they were involved in inhuman acts of abductions, killings, loot and destruction. He said the cabinet observed that the militants carrying out un-Islamic activities in the name of Islam were ‘anti-state elements.’ He said the National Assembly has been convened to meet on Monday (May 11) to discuss the situation in Swat. He said it had not been possible to take the Cabinet and the Parliament into confidence before launching of the operation as it would have provided an opportunity for the militants to go underground. He said the national leadership had been taken into confidence, however, and thanked them for extending the much needed support. He said the meeting decided that a group of cabinet ministers will meet the political leadership to gather support for the cause. In that connection, it was learnt, Makhdoom Amin Fahim will shortly be meeting JUI Chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman. Gilani said it was not possible to give any time frame for the completion of the operation as it was guerrilla war and not a normal war. He said that the cabinet expressed the resolve that there should be minimum collateral damage and should be over as soon as possible. Brushing aside the impression that army action had been launched under international pressure at a time when President Asif Ali Zardari was on a visit to the United States, he pointed out that the government had rejected all pressures to go ahead with the peace deal. About the Nizam-e-Adl regulation, he said the government respected the mandate of the provincial government and the parliament approved it in national interest. The Prime Minister said the cabinet created a special fund for the victims of terrorism and contributed Rs200 million from their own pockets, besides a month’s salary. The cabinet directed all the foreign missions of the country to get activated to help generate funds for reconstruction of area and capacity building of law enforcing agencies. It also directed the provincial government to be vigilant to any reaction in the wake of army operation and said he had directed the law enforcement agencies and the intelligence agencies to share reports on the issue with provincial governments. The Cabinet also asked the Chairperson of Benazir Income Support Program to provide full cover to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). It was decided to provide special attention to Balochistan, carry forward the ongoing dialogue and work for removing the province’s sense of deprivation. The cabinet was of the view that all political forces and civil society groups should hold peace march against terrorists and militants across the country. The Prime Minister said the government would soon be constituting cabinet committees to carry out day-to day monitoring of IDPs and to ensure transparency in funds management. The cabinet observed that the terrorists and militants had no religion and were not bothered about any boundaries. ‘Therefore we have decided to contact the ulema to present a true perception of Islam,’ he said. He announced that Imam-e-Kaaba was being invited to visit Pakistan to play a role in removing misperceptions about the religion. The cabinet also decided to approach the media to realize the gravity of the situation, and seek their help. About convening of the All Parties Conference, Gilani said he had held consultations with other political leaders and would decide the date soon. Asked whether the government has given up the path of dialogue, Gilani said the government always pursued the policy of dialogue, development and deterrence. ‘We preferred dialogue at first, but when it did not achieve any results we had to look for other option,’ he said, adding that development could not be achieved unless peace was restored. People displaced by fighting in Pakistan�s northwestern Swat valley take part in a protest demanding better living facilities in Islamabad May 9, 2009. The struggle in the scenic northwestern Swat Valley, which has caused an exodus of refugees fleeing the violence, has become a test of Pakistan's resolve to fight a growing Taliban insurgency that has alarmed the United States. About the Charter of Democracy and possibility of PML-N induction into the federal cabinet, he said he had very good relations with PML-N leadership and appreciated the support extended by them in difficult times on issues of national security. ‘We would be in a better position to offer them to join the cabinet when we fulfil the pledge of implementing Charter of Democracy including the abolition of 17th amendment.’ Gilani said the government was fully cognizant of the issues of IDPs. ‘This time we made sure that militants were taken by surprise,’ he said defending the government’s policy of not asking the people to leave the area before the launch of the operation. He also directed the ministers to visit the camps and to ensure that IDPS are being looked after well. Gilani also made an impassioned appeal to the nation to support the armed forces as they were doing a job for the country’s future. He also asked the locals to ask the ‘the black sheep’ to leave their area. He said the government will also strengthen the capabilities of its law enforcement agencies and would build bomb proof police stations. Besides the government will also be sending delegation of parliamentarians and the ministers to different parts of the world to apprise them about the real situation. The Prime Minister denied rollback or capping of nuclear programme and said, ‘there is no such thing.’ Regarding the memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on transit trade with Afghanistan he said all stakeholders were taken on board in vetting the deal. ‘There is no need for any concern. We have taken care of everything,’ he said. Answering a question he said the provincial government had been asked to be vigilant in view of a possible backlash in reaction to the operation. Answering another question, he said the salaries of law enforcing agencies in the troubled areas would be increased and bomb-proof police stations would be built.