MS acknowledges Office 2008 flaw, promises fix

Microsoft has acknowledged a security flaw in its recently released Office 2008 suite and has promised an update to fix the issue. The installer flaw, reported earlier this week, incorrectly grants ownership of the files to a particular local user as it installs them, allowing a second local user -- without administrative access -- to modify the Office 2008 install. According to the company, the issue, however, does not expose the Office 2008 install to modifications by any networked user account or to any local account other than the second one created on your Mac. The Mac BU says that it is working on an update to Office 2008 that will automatically fix the file ownership (will be made available via Microsoft's AutoUpdate tool and via a web download), but offered a set of terminal commands users can run to repair the issue if the suite has already been installed.

Red warns users of Quicktime 7.4 upgrade...

Digital video specialist Red is alerting its users to an incompatibility with QuickTime 7.4 when using Red Alert, as well as issues with Final Cut Pro and Red One footage. Users will experience decreased system stability, so Red advises users to avoid upgrading to QuickTime 7.4 until either itself or Apple has issued a fix. Neither Red nor Apple has commented on what is causing the issue, and it is unknown if any of Red's other products are affected by the bug.

DoS attack on iPhone causes memory leak, freeze...

iPhone owners should be on guard against a new threat, which fortunately doesn't harm the device, but still induces a freeze by taking all available system memory. According to security firm SecurityFocus, the vulnerability is exposed by a Denial of Service attack, when a maliciously crafted webpage is viewed. The page will insert code into the iPhone, which continually eats up available system memory before causing a kernel panic.

Rogers to offer unlimited data, prep for iPhone?...

Canadian cell provider Rogers Wireless is set to institute a series of changes to its cellular data plans that should pave the way for devices such as the iPhone, according to increasingly corroborated reports. A tip indicates that the carrier will begin offering a reworking of the company's $20 monthly Communicate Package that allows both unlimited Internet access from a given phone as well as up to 2500 SMS text messages, 1000 MMS picture or video messages, and calling extras such as voicemail and caller ID. A separate $7 plan will offer just the Internet use and 50 minutes of video calling with Rogers' VISION service, while a $5 plan will offer just the data alone.