Researchers at Symantec are questioning whether security modifications added to the kernel of Microsoft’s Vista operating system could prevent the anti-virus company, and other third-party software makers, from enjoying the same level of integration they’ve enjoyed with previous Windows operating systems. As part of a research effort examining the next-generation operating system’s kernel, the software’s very core, Symantec’s analysts have been led to believe that Microsoft’s work to better protect the product may impede innovation by other security applications vendors.

A network worm attack exploiting a critical Microsoft Windows vulnerability appears inevitable, security experts warned Aug. 10. Just days after the Redmond software maker issued the MS06-040 bulletin with patches for a "critical" Server Service flaw, Microsoft’s security response unit is bracing for the worst after exploit code that offers a blueprint for attacks began circulating on the Internet. Even before the release of Microsoft’s patch, the US-CERT (Computer Emergency Readiness Team) warned that the flaw was being used in targeted attacks and that the appearance of public exploits is a sure sign that a worm attack is imminent.

A job listing like this only comes around once in a very long while, so we feel it’s our responsibility to pass it on. Royal Caribbean International, one of the world’s largest travel brands and parent company of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and Celebrity Cruises, has announced it will be hiring for a broad range of information technology positions located at what they report is a state-of-the-art facility.

The company is seeking IT professionals ranging from WebSphere Engineers and Oracle Database Administrators to Shipboard Communications Engineers. Most hires will work from the company’s corporate headquarters in Miami, Florida with other positions destined for its Kansas and Oregon offices. Applicants wishing to apply should visit the employment area of Royal Caribbean’s website. And if you get the job, remember to invite your favorite editors on your next big cruise outing!

The spyware problem has gotten so bad, experts say, that it is unlikely it can ever be solved on a technical level. Instead, the solution will have to come from regulators and law enforcement agencies. In a number of recent surveys involving spyware, administrators have listed it as their top security concern. Trojans, keyloggers, and other stealthy malicious programs have replaced mail-borne viruses and worms as the weapons of choice for attackers looking to plant their wares on thousands or millions of machines.

Niall Kennedy, a high-profile hire from Technorati who joined Microsoft in April 2006 as Program Manager for syndication with the Windows Live team, has quit. And quit with a bang. From Kennedy’s "Leaving Microsoft" post: "Windows Live is under some heavy change, reorganization, pullback, and general paralysis and unfortunately my ability to perform, hire, and execute was completely frozen as well." Kennedy is off to do a startup, according to his blog, as of August 18.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said on Wednesday it was giving $500 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria, by far its biggest grant to the fund, which says it sorely lacks cash. The money, to be given over five years, is the largest private donation to the fund, founded nearly five years ago to serve as the primary financing vehicle for efforts to fight the HIV pandemic, tuberculosis and malaria. The fund has always struggled to persuade rich nations to contribute.

Anti-virus market leader Symantec has published its third and final report in a series of studies meant to examine the security improvements being made by Microsoft in early versions of its Vista operating system; while lauding the software maker’s efforts to lock down the kernel of the next-generation Windows OS, the security company did find several shortcomings.

Microsoft released a dozen security bulletins on Aug. 8 in an effort to patch a variety of security issues affecting Windows and Office, including nine critical vulnerabilities present in popular applications such as Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, and PowerPoint. Ten of the dozen security bulletins addressed issued by the Redmond software maker include patches for its flagship Windows operating system, including the seven labeled as critical, Microsoft’s highest severity rating. For the third successive month, the company also issued patches for critical vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office.

Microsoft is working on a phased approach to enhancing its support for dynamic languages on the company’s .Net platform. Jim Hugunin, creator of the IronPython language and a development leader on Microsoft’s CLR (Common Language Runtime) team, told eWEEK that Microsoft is working to help usher in support for dynamic languages on top of the CLR in a variety of levels or phases.

From Sept. 11 to Hurricane Katrina, businesses have wrangled with the nuts and bolts of recovering from catastrophes. Data replication software, which copies corporate information to an offsite location, is one of the key components of any disaster recovery plan. The market for tools that help companies replicate mission-critical applications and records is consolidating, with players like EMC, Network Appliance, and Symantec having gobbled up smaller competitors. And while many customers have found success with these vendors, some say the industry consolidation has led to problems with product development and customer support.