Mobile Payment Industry News: 10/14/09

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

CHARGE Anywhere NFC Enabled by Nokia

South Plainfield, N.J., Oct. 13, 2009 -- CHARGE Anywhere® LLC, a leading provider of secure payment gateway and mobile payment solutions, and a Forum Nokia® member has enabled NFC (Near Field Communications) for credit and debit card processing on its PA DSS validated mobile payment software, CHARGE Anywhere v 2.0.0. Merchants with CHARGE Anywhere software can now accept payment from a NFC card with their mobile phones by simply tapping their customer's NFC enabled card against their Nokia phone!

Dr. Thami Smires, Chief Technology Officer at CHARGE Anywhere, will introduce the solution in a joint presentation with Nokia at the Electronic Transaction Association Strategic Leadership Forum in New York City on October 13, 2009. "With the completed integration and implementation of NFC card payment acceptance into our validated payment applications we have further enhanced the security and capability of mobile card processing for acquirers and merchants. With this technology a merchant can accept PayPass® and Paywave® NFC contactless card payments with their Nokia phone," said Dr. Smires.

"CHARGE Anywhere has distinguished itself by PA DSS validating and enabling mobile payments on a wide variety of innovative platforms: from BlackBerry®, Windows Mobile® and J2ME™ smart phones, POS terminals, Netbooks and PCs. This latest NFC implementation is a valuable addition to our technology portfolio giving merchants the choice to process any kind of payment, from any location, while utilizing PCI secure technology that is readily available," said Paul Sabella, President and CEO of CHARGE Anywhere.

CHARGE Anywhere's solutions are the winner of the 2009 Best of Interop - PCI Security Solution and 2009 ETA Technology Innovation Awards

About CHARGE Anywhere

CHARGE Anywhere is a leading provider of secure Point of Sale (POS) solutions and electronic payment services. Our proprietary Payment Card Industry (PCI) PA DSS Certified CHARGE Anywhere v2.0.0 Mobile Payment and POS software solution designed for QuickBooks®, Smartphones and e-commerce environments, and the Web Terminal Payment Solution - ensures PCI Level 1 compliance via ComsGate® Payment Gateway. CHARGE Anywhere offers business partners and customers the most secure and robust selection of industry specific and customized POS solutions and services, including; IP/Wireless Payment Gateway, POS software, Encryption and Data Security Services, Custom Card Issuance, and Merchant Billing Services. For more information contact them at www.chargeanywheredirect.com , or (800) 404 2014.

Source: Company press release.

MagTek MagneSafe Press Release

Seal Beach, Calif., Oct. 14, 2009 -- MagTek Inc., a global leader in secure electronic payment technology, today announced that its MagneSafe technology, the industry’s standard for Secure Card Reader Authenticators (SCRAs), meets and exceeds Visa’s recently published best practices for data field encryption, also referred to as "end-to-end encryption" and is the only technology to combine all five of the "emerging technologies" identified by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) in its report to PCI entitled: Emerging Technology Research.

PWC conducted 150 interviews with payment community participants and ultimately identified the following 5 emerging technologies: The first was Dynamic Payment Card Data. The second, Magnetic Stripe Imaging was described as an "Innovative solution…used for fraud reduction." The third was End-to-End encryption. The fourth, Tokenization, was described by PWC as a "robust technology" …of substituting sensitive cardholder data with a unique, non-PCI relevant surrogate value." And fifth, Virtual terminals: an "online service that allows merchants to accept payment cards without a dedicated hardware terminal or point of sale system."

MagTek’s MagneSafe is the only technology solution, which combines the best of all the noteworthy emerging technologies offering a complete solution not only to protect cardholder data, but also to stop the use of counterfeit cards.

The first of two powerful features of MagneSafe technology is strong encryption of magnetic stripe data for tracks 1, 2 and 3 using Triple DES encryption with DUKPT key management. This powerful encryption, based on open standards, along with its hassle-free yet highly secure key management process, protects cardholder data right from the moment of swipe such that the card data is never in the clear.

This encryption scheme and its process for key management removes all need for merchants to manage keys, and it meets all of the 14 requirements recently cited by Visa providing merchants with an easy to implement and cost-effective alternative to other more proprietary products.

The second and possibly more important feature is MagneSafe’s ability to use the existing magnetic stripe card, issued around the world, to generate Dynamic Payment Card Data with every swipe. This dynamic data is generated with no change to the card, the consumer and merchant’s use of the card, and fits neatly in an ISO 8583 message packet.

In its presentation, PricewaterhouseCoopers stated that Dynamic Payment Card Data "has potential to eliminate the need for PCI DSS."

By introducing dynamic data to the transaction, MagneSafe arms merchants and processors with the ultimate fraud-fighting tool. It is static data that is so valuable to the criminals attacking our payment systems and it is this data MagTek is working so hard to protect. Dynamic data removes the future redemption value of stolen information and eliminates the criminal’s incentive to steal it in the first place.

Furthermore, the dynamic data can be used to identify the authenticity of a card in real-time, thereby stopping sniffed or skimmed cards from being accepted. "We have delivered tens of thousands of MagneSafe SCRAs to leading merchants in need of PCI compliance", said Annmarie D. (Mimi) Hart President/CEO of MagTek, "but the heart of our work is consumer protection and fraud elimination. That’s the ultimate remedy. It will negate the need for compliance and give us back exceptional payment card security and convenience."

MagneSafe SCRAs are characterized by their ability to read and encrypt cardholder data at the earliest possible point, using industry standard algorithms and a distinct key per swipe, to mutually authenticate the reader and a legitimate host, to manage time bound sessions, to capture and transmit the dynamic digital identifiers of the card and the cardholder data, and to leave behind a unique token of the transaction. Look for the MagneSafe logo at the point of swipe. There is no stronger, more practical solution available today for consumer protection.

More information about MagTek’s SCRAs can be found by visiting: http://www.magtek.com/products/card_readers/magnesafe.asp .

About MagTek

Since 1972, MagTek has been a leading manufacturer of electronic devices and systems for the reliable issuance, reading, transmission and security of cards, checks, PINs and other identification documents. Leading with innovation and engineering excellence, MagTek is known for quality and dependability. Its products include secure card readers, check scanners, PIN Pads and distributed credential issuing systems. These products are used worldwide by financial institutions, retailers, hotels, law enforcement agencies and other organizations to provide secure and efficient electronic payment and identification transactions.

Today, MagTek continues to innovate with the development of a new generation of security centric products secured by MagneSafe™. By leveraging strong encryption, secure tokenization and real time authentication, MagneSafe products enable users to assess and validate the trustworthiness of credentials used for online identification, payment processing, and other high-value electronic transactions.

MagTek is based in Seal Beach, California and has sales offices throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia, with independent distributors in over 40 countries. For more information, please visit www.magtek.com .Source: Company press release

TowerGroup Acquired

ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Corporate Executive Board (NASDAQ: EXBD - News) today announced the acquisition of TowerGroup, a leading financial services industry research and advisory firm. The combined organization will deepen the Corporate Executive Board’s financial services footprint in several of its target domain areas – most notably in technology and sales and marketing.

“Our firm’s heritage springs from understanding the unique needs of sales and marketing executives in the financial services industry,” said Thomas L. Monahan III, Chairman and CEO of the Corporate Executive Board. “Combining two complementary product sets on a common business platform enhances our ability to cover a wider set of executive workflows and strengthens our ability to meet client needs.”

“The combined organization will provide a wealth of intellectual capital to operating executives within and serving the financial services industry,” said Karen T. Cone, departing CEO of TowerGroup. Bob Egan, Global Head of Research for TowerGroup, added, “We are excited to join the Corporate Executive Board and leverage its infrastructure along with our combined research methodologies, experience and market influence to serve the world’s top financial services companies.”

TowerGroup delivers an analyst-driven research model with in-depth expertise and first-hand experience to advise on the business and technological issues that impact the financial services industry. The firm was founded in 1993, is headquartered in Needham, Massachusetts and serves clients in the securities and investments, banking, payments and insurance financial business sectors.

About The Corporate Executive Board Company

The Corporate Executive Board drives faster, more effective decision making among the world’s leading executives and business professionals. As the premier, network-based knowledge resource, The Corporate Executive Board provides them with the authoritative and timely guidance needed to excel in their roles, take decisive action and improve company performance. Powered by an executive network that spans more than 50 countries and represents more than 80% of the world’s Fortune 500 companies, The Corporate Executive Board offers the unique research insights along with an integrated suite of exclusive tools and resources that enable the world’s most successful organizations to deliver superior business outcomes. For more information, visit www.exbd.com .

About TowerGroup

TowerGroup is the leading research and advisory services firm focused exclusively on the financial services industry. A respected source for trusted information and advice, TowerGroup brings many of the world’s leading financial institutions, technology companies, and professional services firms a deeper understanding of the business and technology issues impacting their organizations. Headquartered near Boston in Needham, Massachusetts, and with offices in North America and Europe, TowerGroup serves a global client base. Visit www.towergroup.com for more information.

Source: Company press release.

Transactiv Secures $1.2 Million Series A Investment

Cincinnati, Ohio, Oct. 14, 2009 -- Transactiv, an Ohio-based startup that is developing a new transactional platform for online commerce, today announced that it has closed a $1.2 million Series A round of financing with Blue Chip Venture Capital, CincyTech, Neyer Holdings, Queen City Angels, and supporting participation from Cincinnati's most prominent private investors. The capital will be used to fund the company's development of its next-generation commerce platform, intellectual property portfolio, and technology leadership.

"Transactiv is a highly innovative organization, poised for tremendous growth,"

said Stephen Boord, Managing Director, at Neyer Holdings. "Transactiv's

combination of ground-breaking technology, a highly experienced management team,

and its unique and compelling value proposition creates the opportunity for it

to be one of Cincinnati's most promising startups."

"We are pleased by this vote of confidence from our investors and share their

enthusiasm for building successful new technology startups in Ohio," said Karl

Perron, Transactiv President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our investors have an

impressive track record of funding the region's most successful companies, and

we look forward to joining their ranks when we launch our innovative platform in

2010."

About Transactiv

Transactiv is a new Cincinnati-based startup dedicated to enabling online

commerce for businesses of all sizes. Founded by a team of experienced

professionals from SAP, Microsoft, and i2, Transactiv addresses a fundamental

need in online commerce to effectively connect millions of products and

businesses online. For more information please visit www.transactiv.com .

Source: Company press release.

93% of Internet Users Shoud Ditch Online Banking

Looks like the Sun is starting to set on online banking...will it go completely dark? No...because HomeATM provides the light (weight) SLIM!

DON'T USE MICROSOFT WINDOWS for Internet banking, according to two security experts.

No biggie. How many people use Windows anyway? Let me check...Whoops! Biggie!

As of July 2009, Windows had approximately 93% of the market share of the client operating systems for usage on the Internet.

Source: Wikipedia

93%. So I guess it would be fair to translate the title into the following: Online Banking Dangerous for 93% of Internet Users. That fair? If so, then...as predicted...it's getting worse before it got better.

Let me forewarn you. The story by "The Inquirer" below targets Windows., but Windows isn't the real problem. The real problem is/are the online banking Trojans. Windows was targeted by the bad guys (and now the media) because they have a 93% market share.

At the end of the day...(see graphic above left) it is simply: "Cause and Effect and Affect and Infect."

The "Cause" is TYPING/Entering data on a keyboard.

The "Effect" is online banking Trojans (which steal what you type)

The "Affect" is the Windows Operating System

The "Infect" is PC's (almost 60% infected in U.S. - PandaLabs

Let's "Reflect" for a moment. If consumers were provided with the means to swipe vs. type we would eliminate the "cause" and the effect would be that consumers would be doing the swiping instead of the bad guys.

HomeATM has stated this case since day one. But...it's a new day and at least we've reached the point whereby there is an admission that there is a problem...even if it's only 93% of the marketplace that is affected.

Industry experts started warning us about two months ago that we need two separate machines for online banking...

"The best strategy to defend against Online Banking Trojans is to use separate machines for Web surfing and funds transfer" "Using Windows, it's too dangerous to do transactions on the same machine you do for Web surfing," he says. "You can't have any crossover between them." SecureWorks Joe Stewart, one of the world's foremost authorities on botnets and targeted attacks

Again, HomeATM was aware of that from day one. Which is why HomeATM created a separate machine for online banking...it's called the SLIM and it plugs into the USB port.

It's PCI 2.x Certified. It's TG-3 Certified. It uses existing bank rails. It uses existing cards. It uses existing PINs. It uses existing PC's.

It is impervious to malware, eliminates phishing and doesn't care which operating system you use, nor does it matter what browser you use.

Why? Because our SLIM authenticates the user "outside the browser" by having them Swipe their Card and Enter their PIN.

Sound familiar? Yup. Same way you access an ATM. So there would be no learning curve and a seamless transition. The only difference between ATM access and Online Banking Access is that it is done inside the safety and privacy of the consumer's "own home" instead of a public place.

Benefit? There is no threat from shoulder surfers, skimming devices or hidden camera's designed to record your PIN number. Again...

Editor's Advice: If the "only way to defend" against online Trojans is to use separate machines, I suppose banks could give away free computers in order to make consumers feel safe about online banking. Nah...I think giving away our Device is the better move.

Three Words, Don't Type, Swipe.
Three Issues (two are done) Bank Issues Card, Bank Issues PIN, Bank Issues Separate Machine (HomeATM SLIM)
Three Simple Steps (two are done for you)...Swipe, Encrypt, Transmit (via Internet not browser)

DON'T USE MICROSOFT WINDOWS for Internet banking,

according to two security experts.

Australia's Computer Crime Investigation Unit and the Washington Post have both warned against using Windows when accessing your bank account online. They say this is because cyber criminals build malware to attack Windows systems, which will simply fail to run on non-Windows computers.

Speaking on behalf of the New South Wales Government at the public hearing into cybercrime in Sydney, detective inspector Bruce van der Graaf urged listeners to avoid Microsoft Windows. "Use a Linux boot up disk - such as Ubuntu or some of the other flavours. Puppylinux is a nice small distribution that boots up fairly quickly," he advised.

Writing at the Washington Post, Brian Krebs "Interviewed dozens of victim companies that lost anywhere from $10,000 to $500,000 dollars because of a single malware infection. They succeeded because the bad guys were able to plant malicious software that gave them complete control over the victim's Windows computer.

Krebs also advocates using a different operating system instead of Windows, and suggests using a Linux Live CD. He believes that most of the malware in circulation today is built to attack Windows and will simply not work when it tries to run on non-Windows computers.

Krebs also pointed out that banks often can't tell the difference between legitimate bank transactions and funds transfers from hijacked Windows PCs.

Audio Recordings of Card Numbers Stored by Call Centers

UK call centers putting customer card details at risk - survey

The overwhelming majority of UK contact centres are storing audio recordings of calls that contain customer credit card details - in direct breach of PCI DSS guidelines, according to a poll from Veritape.

The call recording vendor, which polled 133 contact center managers, says the centers are creating a vast reservoir of sensitive data that could be exploited by hackers.

More than nineteen in twenty of the centers which store recordings of transactional conversations with their customers do not delete or mask the credit card details.

Continue Reading at Finextra

Brussels Airlines Accepts Cash-Ticket as Payment Method

Belgium’s leading airline group Brussels Airlines and the online payment method provider paysafecard group have teamed up to offer travelers a safe and easy way to pay for their flights on the Internet. Using paysafcard’s online prepaid voucher “Cash-Ticket”, Brussels Airlines’ customers no longer have to give away credit card or bank account details to fly to a destination of their choice.

Belgium’s number one airline group enables its customers to purchase air tickets online without a credit or debit card

New customers will be won through prepaid voucher Cash-Ticket

London/Vienna 14th October 2009 – PIN Payments News Blog - Brussels Airlines, Belgium’s leading airline group, and online payment provider paysafecard group have teamed up to offer travelers a safe and easy way to pay for their flights on the Internet. Using the prepaid voucher Cash-Ticket, customers no longer have to give away credit card or bank account details to fly to a destination of their choice.

As a result of the partnership, everyone can now benefit from the airlines’ online offers. “By offering Cash-Ticket as an additional payment method, we are improving the service for our existing customers whilst reaching out to completely new target groups,” Rudy Maex, VP Channel Development & Service Delivery of Brussels Airlines, explains the benefits for his company and its customers.

According to Michael Mueller, CEO of paysafecard group, the implementation of the new payment method will help Brussels Airlines to reduce the number of customers who cancel their ticket order as soon as they have to enter credit card or bank account details online: “Statistics show that a high number of online shoppers ‘drop off’ at the merchants’ check-out pages before making a transaction”, he says. “Due to its safety and ease of use, Cash-Ticket helps reducing this number.”

The Cash-Ticket voucher can be purchased at about 50.000 outlets all over Europe and provides a 16 digit pin code. By simply entering the code on websites that accept Cash-Ticket as a payment method such as Brussels Airlines, customers can buy their goods quickly and securely within seconds. Users can also keep track of their balance and transactions online. The vouchers are available in denominations of € 10, € 20, € 50, € 100 and € 150 and up to ten Cash-Tickets can be used at once for larger payments, at a maximum of € 1.000 per payment.

Brussels Airlines, founded in 2006, offers flights to more than 120 destinations all over the world. By accepting Cash-Ticket as a payment method on their website www.brusselsairlines.com, the next business trip or holiday is now only a 16 digit pin code away.

About Cash-Ticket:

Cash-Ticket is the second product from paysafecard group. The prepaid voucher allows consumers to purchase flights, ticket orders and online-shopping without having to provide personal bank details. When paying at a web-shop all that is required is the 16 digit pin code. paysafecard group already operate in more than 20 countries worldwide with offices in Vienna, London and Buenos Aires. Founded in 2000, the company is one of the leading providers of alternative payment solutions and in March 2009 was awarded by Paybefore for being the ‘Best Prepaid Company Outside the USA’.

Press contact: Ludger Voetz| ludger@braun-pr.com| +44 20 7866 54 54

About Brussels Airlines:

Brussels Airlines is the Belgian airline that offers the widest choice of flights to and from its base in Brussels Airport. The group’s 3000 employees and 51 aircraft operate some 300 punctual flights daily, connecting the Capital of Europe to some 70 premium European and African airports.

On its European routes, operated with AVRO, Airbus A319 and Boeing 737, Brussels Airlines offers the choice of a genuine business class product (b.business), a flexible travel formula offering timesaving and comfort (b.flex economy+) and a low cost product (b.light economy). On medium- and long-haul flights, the airline operates traditional business or economy class.

In addition to 20 destinations on the African continent, Brussels Airlines and its intercontinental partners also offer long-haul service to the United Arab Emirates, China, Thailand, India, Toronto and 33 North American destinations via New York or Chicago.

Brussels Airlines is owned by SN Airholding and is backed up by more than 80 years of aviation experience in Belgium. On September 15th 2008, Lufthansa Group announced an equity investment in the Belgian airline. On December 11th 2008, Brussels Airlines received an official invitation to join Star Alliance.

Press contact: Brussels Airlines Corporate Communication Department| +32 2 723 84 00

Lloyd Constantine's Book Party for "Priceless" October 20th

The New York Post's Cindy Adams writes about Lloyd Constantine, whose book party for "Priceless: The Case That Brought Down the Visa/MasterCard Bank Cartel." is October 20th.

Tuesday, October 20 at 6:30 PM

Talk/Signing at Barnes and Noble

555 12th Street NW

Washington, DC 20004

Contact: Angela Corpus

202-347-0176

Lloyd Constantine, in whose office young law school grad Eliot Spitzer interned and who became mentor/ adviser/consigliere throughout the man's historic leap into and out of New York's governorship, has a book party tonight. His vivisection of Spitzer's downfall comes out shortly. The one he's partying tonight, also about a downfall, is "Priceless: The Case That Brought Down the Visa/MasterCard Bank Cartel." It's also the landmark class action suit his law firm won, which made him personally such a bunch of millions that he need never never ever work again.

"This seminal Visa/Mastercard case was a David and Goliath battle, and this country's largest antitrust case ever," he told me. "Competition is the heart of America, and our win protected America's economic system by ending a giant anti-consumer conspiracy.

"In 2003 dollars, the settlement was $3.4 billion. The court estimated in 10 years alone this would save stores and shoppers $87 billion." Full Article

News on the book

Priceless: The Case That Brought Down The Visa/MasterCard Bank Cartel

In Priceless, author and lead counsel Lloyd Constantine relates the dramatic account of backroom strategizing and courtroom conniving during the high-stakes litigation. Constantine, who led the team representing the plaintiffs, vividly describes how the case pitted retailers against credit card companies, and pries the lid off dodgy debit card practices. The plaintiffs, including Wal-Mart, Sears Roebuck, The Limited, Safeway, and a class of five million stores, pitted their financial futures against Visa and Mastercard in this war between giants.

In the vein of breakout bestsellers like A Civil Action and A Confederacy of Fools, this fast-paced narrative, peppered with larger-than-life characters, tears open the case and shows readers how the more than $3-billion-dollar settlement came about. The riveting story features cameos by lawyers, judges, and businessmen, including then University of Arkansas law professor Bill Clinton and New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. The triumph is also a David and Goliath tale, in which a small boutique law firm beats four of the largest law firms in the world, including London-based law firm Clifford Chance.

What they're saying about Priceless...

"Constantine's brilliant but easy to read book is a David and Goliath story about his own career and the seminal Visa/MasterCard case that broke the back of a giant anticonsumer conspiracy and that reaffirmed the core pro-competition concept that lies at the heart of America and its economic system. Priceless is the story of Lloyd Constantine's grit, determination, courage, and commitment to do battle against seemingly insurmountable odds on behalf of the fundamental American concept of a free enterprise system."

–Robert Abrams, Former Attorney General of New York

* * * "At a time when class actions and plaintiffs' attorneys are under attack, this book is an essential corrective. It demonstrates that private enforcement can work-but only when dedicated counsel are willing to bet their careers on a David-versus-Goliath battle with the industry. Lloyd Constantine and his colleagues broke a cartel that robbed consumers and restrained competition-and did it with virtually no help from the Government. But they almost lost on many occasions. Big case litigation is a marathon, not a sprint, and this behind-the-scenes account paints a provocative picture of the tactics-fair and foul-that defendants can use to crush their opponents. Credit must also go to the judges, including John Gleeson and Sonia Sotomayor, who kept this class action alive in the face of endless attempts to derail it. Many will not like how they are portrayed in this "tell-all" account that is opinionated, acerbic, and pulls no punches. But, much like A Civil Action, it provides a blunt, 'warts and all,' unflattering perspective on the real world of mega-litigation."

–John Coffee, Adolf A. Berle Professor of Law, Columbia University Law School

* * * "Priceless lifts 'crusading lawyer' from the dustbin of clichés and gives the term new meaning. Lloyd Constantine tells the story of the nation's largest (by far) antitrust case with candor, clarity, and wit. Every consumer with a debit card should be grateful to him for the outcome, and every consumer advocate should read Priceless for its many reminders of how things really work."

–Nick Taylor, Award-winning Author of American Made: The Enduring Legacy of the WPA: When FDR Put the Nation to Work

* * *

"Aspiring litigators, fans of Court TV and everyone holding a VISA or MasterCard will be fascinated by this candid, often bare-knuckled account of one of the largest antitrust cases in recent years."

–ShelfTalker

* * * "Lloyd Constantine represented Wal-Mart, the Limited, Sears and others in a federal antitrust lawsuit against VISA and MasterCard filed in 1996. Dubbed the Merchants' Case for short (the matter evolved into a class action involving five million merchants), it alleged that VISA and MasterCard, a joint venture owned by U.S. banks, 'operated as a bank cartel that had monopoly power in the credit card market . . . [and] used their monopoly power to dominate the newer debit card market.' Constantine's highly informative book covers the long, tumultuous history of that landmark case with passion.

"Constantine starts with the nitty-gritty, discussing a decisive event for initiating the lawsuit. When Wal-Mart discovered it had no negotiating room with VISA and MasterCard, it was not happy that its status as the Biggest Customer cut no bargaining ice and went in search of legal counsel. Constantine, with experience in lawsuits against VISA and MasterCard for related collusive practices, developed an elegant strategy for the case and was hired. As he makes clear, once you land the clients, then you hunker down to the daily legal grind to win the case–in this instance, defending 350 depositions, analyzing 54 expert reports and attending so many hearings that judges become more familiar to you than your own family.

"Constantine is especially adept at showing that factors beyond anybody's control affect the way a case plays out. Assembled in one courtroom are a huge number of very-big egos; various parties with vastly different goals; judges making sometimes curious rulings; and expert witnesses introducing odd spins into the case. With so many unpredictable players and so much at stake, anything can happen. One moment of high drama occurs when a witness for the defense blurts out an unexpected piece of information that supports the plaintiff's claim of collusion and signals the judge that central facts have been purposely misrepresented to the court. Another bombshell drops when an expert witness admits that he didn't write the report he signed and, in fact, disagrees with many of the assertions made in it.

"As soon as a jury is seated in 2003, another surprise happens: the parties settle the case. Constantine's team prevailed in most of its claims; the settlement agreement broke up the cartel, committed a $3.05 billion cash payment to merchants and required redesign of debit and credit cards. Yet Constantine is frank about what he hoped for but didn't get. And in his eloquent argument on the importance of antitrust law, it turns out it's not always about the money."

–John McFarland

Patch Tuesday is Microsoft's Biggest Ever

Thirteen security bulletins address 34 vulnerabilities -- 22 of them critical

Oct 13, 2009 | 05:38 PM By Tim Wilson

DarkReading

Microsoft today put security professionals on overtime with its largest-ever release of security patches -- 13 new updates that address some 34 vulnerabilities in Windows applications.

In its October security bulletin, Microsoft disclosed 22 critical vulnerabilities and 12 that were rated less threatening. The previous record was 31, which was set in June, researchers said.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/bb986181.aspx

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Tuesday, October 20 at 6:30 PM

News on the book

What they're saying about Priceless...

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