Stacy Cowley

A vulnerability in the Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) encryption protocol could let a snooper trick recipients of encoded messages into deciphering them and sending them back to the would-be spy, researchers warned Monday as they released a paper documenting tests of such an attack.

Microsoft Corp. is poised for an onslaught into the security software market that could displace many of the sector's leading vendors, IDC analyst Chris Christiansen forecast.

IBM Corp. has agreed to buy PwC Consulting for US$3.5 billion in cash and stock, the companies announced Tuesday. The move will separate PwC Consulting from Big Five accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a separation previously intended to occur through an initial public offering (IPO) in August.

Those awaiting a rebound in the IT market found little comfort in this week's earnings announcements from many of the industry's biggest vendors, suggesting that spending on large IT projects at many corporations is still on hold.

A Windows-compatible version of Apple Computer Inc.'s popular iPod digital music player will be available in late August, Apple Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Steve Jobs announced Wednesday in his opening keynote here at the Macworld conference.

Computer Associates International Inc. (CA) has added four new members to its board of directors, replacing four directors who intend to step down at CA's annual meeting in August.

Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) confirmed Monday that it is discontinuing several middleware products and will instead address that market segment though partnerships with other vendors, including Microsoft Corp. and BEA Systems Inc.

The biggest challenge facing Java is a marketing one, agreed panellists pondering the issue of "Supercharging Java with Web Services" at a keynote at the Web Services Edge conference, which was held alongside TechXNY/PC Expo at New York's Javits Convention Center last month.