From my experience, for a Flash application to access your webcam it has to ask permission using exactly the same dialogue as Agent420 is showing, they cannot do so without permission.
I searched for s.ytimg.com and there are some people trying to make a lot out of it, one suggests that there is no need for flash to get access to the webcam "that's what skype is for", well actually there are some seriously cool flash apps that do use your webcam (after you allow them) you can show symbols held in your hand to your camera and a 3D object then seems to appear in your hand on the screen of your PC, you can tip and tilt it etc, really neat.
As far as I can tell there is nothing sinister about s.ytimg.com it is just part of what makes flash work and it cannot spy on you with the webcam.
I'm not one that vents very often, but there is no such thing as a Blue Screen Of Death in the Toyota's, and I personally find it offensive that you would relate it, seriously. I am a Microsoft employee, and have been for more than a decade. We actually pride ourselves in the software we write... sometimes a little too much, but our software isn't the cause of people dying, as you assert.
I might add, Virand, that Toyota's accelerator problems are a hardware failure, not software. Their brake problem in the Prius is a software problem, but one that Microsoft has nothing to do with it. It is specific to Toyota's custom electronics. (Remember, the Prius is a hybrid electric vehicle, so they had to customize it heavily for their use.) The only Microsoft software in vehicles today is confined to the entertainment system, not engine or powertrain controls. Those systems are designed by their respective manufactures for their specific vehicles.
The problems you are experiencing and attributing to Microsoft, YouTube, Google, Linux do not appear to be the fault of the respective companies. It sounds like you might not be able to identify the true cause, so it might be worth starting over. There were several suggestions to do a clean install of your OS, which I would recommend, however, I'd go a step further and do it on a known clean hard drive. (New ones are cheap!) As for the Zip files, it's possible your version of the zip utility is at fault, as none of the zip files you mentioned are actually protected. Some zip utilities will blindly prompt for a password if they recognize that the file is not a valid zip file... which might indicate compression/encryption, when in reality, the file might just be corrupt. One possible way to corrupt it is a virus, which attaches itself to those zip files, causing the unzip tool to not recongize the CRC correctly.
In Windows and OSX, you don't have to unzip a file, you can simply use File Explorer (or Finder) to drill down into that file and copy/paste the files out. There are several options for Linux, but they normally act the same way.
I'd also highly recommend blocking inbound ports on your router/firewall. You might also consider blocking outbound ports, except the you actually use like 25, 80, 443, etc. If you use Windows, make sure you turn on the Windows Firewall, which does an excellent job of filtering bad packets. Also consider "Microsoft Security Essentials" and turn on Automatic Updates, which will keep your machine up to date from known (and unknown) exploits.
The one thing to remember, no matter the OS, is that exploits are not technically bugs, but rather "new ways" people find of using the software. Think of it this way... if you have a car, you normally drive it on the roads... but what if someone decided to drive the car in a manner not consistant with the rules of the road. What if they drove it backwards with the doors open through a crowded sidewalk. They'd hurt a bunch of people, wouldn't they. But, is the car manufacture at fault for those actions? No. But attributing these sames kinds of actions to the manufacturer of the software is? No... these malicious programmers are exploiting good software for bad purposes... it will always happen on any OS. The best we can do is to keep our systems up to date and not do things that would allow exploitations, like visiting bad sites or accepting e-mail attachments or invites from unkown addresses, etc.
One more thing to try... do you happen to use a thumb drive or portable drive? It's posible IT is infected with an "Autorun virus." Windows 7 won't automatically launch autorun files anymore, but it is common for previous Windows versions to do that.
I have to say I'm getting a good chuckle out of this thread. My brother leaves his computer's LAN line (maybe he only has dial up, so phone line) disconnected from the wall while the computer is off to prevent "Hackers" from getting his bank info on his computer. Not to say attacks don't happen, but sheesh....
@bmb! - Nope this is a real fear of isolated attacks against him.
And to keep it on topic, I have no problems downloading attachments, and I'm going through a DoD firewall (at work)
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ Shawn Lowe
When all else fails.....procrastinate!
Post Edited (Shawn Lowe) : 2/5/2010 5:40:42 PM GMT
There is nothing Propeller specific in this thread. Ok, VIRAND is having a problem with zip files, including some from the Parallax web server, but this forum is specific to the Propeller chip, not the Parallax web server.
Can someone PLEASE push this thread to the sandbox?
Ross.
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Catalina - a FREE C compiler for the Propeller - see Catalina
wjsteele said...
I'm not one that vents very often, but there is no such thing as a Blue Screen Of Death in the Toyota's, and I personally find it offensive that you would relate it, seriously. I am a Microsoft employee, and have been for more than a decade. We actually pride ourselves in the software we write... sometimes a little too much, but our software isn't the cause of people dying, as you assert.
Applause.
VIRAND has obviously misdiagnosed his problem. I suppose it's kinda fun to believe that the world is conspiring against you, but it's not a productive way to live. I'm not sure why·people are so eager to spend their time with that kind of thing. ·
wjsteele <edit2: (concise angry words deleted)
I cannot use Windows because I strongly disagree with the EULA and it "doesn't work" for me.
I have pre-Windows MS products that have been working well for me since the years 1979 through 1994.>
edit:I won't apologize to MS, but I appreciate and will try to find use for what help you did try to provide.
I also 'vented". Peace to wjsteele. Apology to Parallax. I am frustrated by weeks of very bizarre internet problems.
Personal name calling and, to some extent, even corporate or product name calling really has no place on these forums. It's one thing to point out shortcomings of a product or describe how you feel about something in a relative neutral way, but this is not right.
We all have our personal opinions about various products, but that's no excuse for blaming individuals who may work hard at something they think is right or at least reasonable. If you disagree, then make a reasoned case for why they should do something different or work to support someone who is doing something constructively different.
Sorry. Except for the frustrated implied cuss, I did not know that that could be taken literally and personally,
and I thought it was a cleverly concise expression of my own true experience instead of a long off topic rant.
I removed it because I have no idea how far out of line it was according to your policy. PM me if I need to be
more careful for your sake; such as if expressing my opinions creates trouble for you, or in other words if
"paranoia" is more appropriate.
Append: REALLY SORRY. I must be very sleep deprived to have been set off by wjsteele's help to have
implied that cuss with the high number. In fact I am sleep deprived. His post looks different than it did
before and <...deleted...> what platform is Toyota ElectronicThrottleControlSystem (ECSI-i) running on??
...I seem to have been "driven up a wall" by the computers and insomnia.
I'll take notes on these threads and something like a vacation.
There is a warm beach somewhere now, and a virtual paradise at the finish line of my code.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
I should be typing in Spin now.
Comments
I searched for s.ytimg.com and there are some people trying to make a lot out of it, one suggests that there is no need for flash to get access to the webcam "that's what skype is for", well actually there are some seriously cool flash apps that do use your webcam (after you allow them) you can show symbols held in your hand to your camera and a 3D object then seems to appear in your hand on the screen of your PC, you can tip and tilt it etc, really neat.
As far as I can tell there is nothing sinister about s.ytimg.com it is just part of what makes flash work and it cannot spy on you with the webcam.
Graham
I might add, Virand, that Toyota's accelerator problems are a hardware failure, not software. Their brake problem in the Prius is a software problem, but one that Microsoft has nothing to do with it. It is specific to Toyota's custom electronics. (Remember, the Prius is a hybrid electric vehicle, so they had to customize it heavily for their use.) The only Microsoft software in vehicles today is confined to the entertainment system, not engine or powertrain controls. Those systems are designed by their respective manufactures for their specific vehicles.
The problems you are experiencing and attributing to Microsoft, YouTube, Google, Linux do not appear to be the fault of the respective companies. It sounds like you might not be able to identify the true cause, so it might be worth starting over. There were several suggestions to do a clean install of your OS, which I would recommend, however, I'd go a step further and do it on a known clean hard drive. (New ones are cheap!) As for the Zip files, it's possible your version of the zip utility is at fault, as none of the zip files you mentioned are actually protected. Some zip utilities will blindly prompt for a password if they recognize that the file is not a valid zip file... which might indicate compression/encryption, when in reality, the file might just be corrupt. One possible way to corrupt it is a virus, which attaches itself to those zip files, causing the unzip tool to not recongize the CRC correctly.
In Windows and OSX, you don't have to unzip a file, you can simply use File Explorer (or Finder) to drill down into that file and copy/paste the files out. There are several options for Linux, but they normally act the same way.
I'd also highly recommend blocking inbound ports on your router/firewall. You might also consider blocking outbound ports, except the you actually use like 25, 80, 443, etc. If you use Windows, make sure you turn on the Windows Firewall, which does an excellent job of filtering bad packets. Also consider "Microsoft Security Essentials" and turn on Automatic Updates, which will keep your machine up to date from known (and unknown) exploits.
The one thing to remember, no matter the OS, is that exploits are not technically bugs, but rather "new ways" people find of using the software. Think of it this way... if you have a car, you normally drive it on the roads... but what if someone decided to drive the car in a manner not consistant with the rules of the road. What if they drove it backwards with the doors open through a crowded sidewalk. They'd hurt a bunch of people, wouldn't they. But, is the car manufacture at fault for those actions? No. But attributing these sames kinds of actions to the manufacturer of the software is? No... these malicious programmers are exploiting good software for bad purposes... it will always happen on any OS. The best we can do is to keep our systems up to date and not do things that would allow exploitations, like visiting bad sites or accepting e-mail attachments or invites from unkown addresses, etc.
Bill
Bill
@bmb! - Nope this is a real fear of isolated attacks against him.
And to keep it on topic, I have no problems downloading attachments, and I'm going through a DoD firewall (at work)
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Shawn Lowe
When all else fails.....procrastinate!
Post Edited (Shawn Lowe) : 2/5/2010 5:40:42 PM GMT
Can someone PLEASE push this thread to the sandbox?
Ross.
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Catalina - a FREE C compiler for the Propeller - see Catalina
VIRAND has obviously misdiagnosed his problem. I suppose it's kinda fun to believe that the world is conspiring against you, but it's not a productive way to live. I'm not sure why·people are so eager to spend their time with that kind of thing. ·
Due to the number of requests, this thread is now being moved from the Propeller Chip to the Sandbox.
Thanks!
-- Jessica
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Jessica Uelmen
Education Department
Parallax Inc.
I cannot use Windows because I strongly disagree with the EULA and it "doesn't work" for me.
I have pre-Windows MS products that have been working well for me since the years 1979 through 1994.>
edit:I won't apologize to MS, but I appreciate and will try to find use for what help you did try to provide.
I also 'vented". Peace to wjsteele. Apology to Parallax. I am frustrated by weeks of very bizarre internet problems.
appended:
Thanks for all the help everyone.
Post Edited (VIRAND) : 2/6/2010 6:21:15 AM GMT
Good luck figuring out your own problems.
Bill
Post Edited (wjsteele) : 2/6/2010 2:38:00 AM GMT
We all have our personal opinions about various products, but that's no excuse for blaming individuals who may work hard at something they think is right or at least reasonable. If you disagree, then make a reasoned case for why they should do something different or work to support someone who is doing something constructively different.
and I thought it was a cleverly concise expression of my own true experience instead of a long off topic rant.
I removed it because I have no idea how far out of line it was according to your policy. PM me if I need to be
more careful for your sake; such as if expressing my opinions creates trouble for you, or in other words if
"paranoia" is more appropriate.
Append: REALLY SORRY. I must be very sleep deprived to have been set off by wjsteele's help to have
implied that cuss with the high number. In fact I am sleep deprived. His post looks different than it did
before and <...deleted...> what platform is Toyota ElectronicThrottleControlSystem (ECSI-i) running on??
...I seem to have been "driven up a wall" by the computers and insomnia.
I'll take notes on these threads and something like a vacation.
There is a warm beach somewhere now, and a virtual paradise at the finish line of my code.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
I should be typing in Spin now.
Post Edited (VIRAND) : 2/6/2010 6:03:34 PM GMT