BOSTON: A team of top hackers working for Intel Corp's security division toil away in a West Coast garage

searching for electronic bugs that could make automobiles vulnerable to lethal computer viruses. Intel's McAfee unit, which is best known for software that fights PC viruses, is one of a handful of firms that are looking to protect the dozens of tiny computers and electronic communications systems that are built into every modern car. It's scary business. Security experts say that automakers have so far failed to adequately protect these systems, leaving them vulnerable to hacks by attackers looking to steal cars, eavesdrop on conversations, or even harm passengers by causing vehicles to crash. You can definitely kill people, said John Bumgarner, chief technology officer of the U.S. Cyber Consequences Unit, a non-profit organization that helps companies analyze the potential for targeted computer attacks on their networks and products. To date there have been no reports of violent attacks on automobiles using a computer virus, according to SAE International, an association of more than 128,000 technical professionals working in the aerospace and the auto industries. Yet, Ford spokesman Alan Hall said his company had tasked its security engineers with making its Sync invehicle communications and entertainment system as resistant as possible to attack. Ford is taking the threat very seriously and investing in security solutions that are built into the product from the outset, he said. And a group of U.S. computer scientists shook the industry in 2010 with a landmark study that showed viruses could damage cars when they were moving at high speeds. Their tests were done at a decommissioned airport. SAE International charged a committee of more than 40 industry experts with advising manufacturers on preventing, detecting and mitigating cyber attacks. Any cyber security breach carries certain risk, said Jack Pokrzywa, SAE's manager of ground vehicle standards. SAE Vehicle Electrical System Security Committee is

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Adapting to US culture tough for refugees

Washington: Many refugees to the U.S., who travel thousands of miles to a safe harbour, find that adjusting to linguistic and cultural differences is equally difficult than other immigrants, a new research carried out by two University of Dayton sociologists has revealed. In one or two weeks, some refugees find themselves going from a place like a Burundian refugee camp to a Midwestern city like Dayton, sociology professor Theo Majka said. The journey from a rural environment in a developing country to a post-modern urban world causes all sorts of crises, Majka added. Theo Majka, with co-author, fellow sociology professor and spouse Linda Majka, researched the experiences of refugees from six ethnic or cultural groups who have resettled in Dayton over the past 20 years. In the new study, we wanted to see how the experiences of refugees differed from those of people who came here by choice, Linda Majka said, adding: We weren't sure what we would find. They found that while both groups face many similar challenges, refugees, who often come directly to the U.S. from traumatic environments with vast cultural differences, experience significant mental health issues and need more education about Western cultural norms and expectations. We found that this is a

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working hard to develop specifications which will reduce that risk in the vehicle area. The group of U.S. computer scientists from California and Washington state issued a second report last year that identified ways in which computer worms and Trojans could be delivered to automobiles -- via onboard diagnostics systems, wireless connections and even tainted CDs played on radios systems. They did not say which company manufactured the cars they examined, but did say they believed the issues affected the entire industry, noting that many automakers use common suppliers and development processes. The three big U.S. automakers declined to say if they knew of any instances in which their vehicles had been attacked with malicious software or if they had recalled cars to fix

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security vulnerabilities. Toyota Motor Corp, the world's biggest automaker, said it was not aware of any hacking incidents on its cars. They're basically designed to change coding constantly. I won't say it's impossible to hack, but it's pretty close, said Toyota spokesman John Hanson. Officials with Hyundai Motor Co, Nissan Motor Co and Volkswagen AG said they could not immediately comment on the issue. A spokesman for Honda Motor Co said that the Japanese automaker was studying the security of on-vehicle computer systems, but declined to discuss those efforts. A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security declined to comment when asked how seriously the agency considers the risk that hackers could launch attacks on vehicles or say whether DHS had learned of any such incidents. The department helps businesses in the manufacturing and transportation industries secure the technology inside their products and investigates reports of vulnerabilities that could allow attacks. Bruce Snell, a McAfee executive who oversees his company's research on car security at the Beaverton, Oregon garage, said automakers are fairly concerned about the potential cyber attacks because of the frightening repercussions. If your laptop crashes you'll have a bad day, but if your car crashes that could be life threatening, he said. I don't think people need to panic now. But the future is really scary. A McAfee spokeswoman said that among those hackers working on pulling apart cars was Barnaby Jack, a well-known researcher who has previously figured out ways that criminals could force ATMs to spit out cash. Reuters

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major difference from immigrant groups. Many refugees may be suffering from post-traumatic stress stemming from experiences in their home countries, Linda Majka said, adding: They have seen violence, massacres, and even watched family members killed in front of their eyes. Linda found that while the refugees said the quality of English as a Second Language classes offered in the area is generally good, they encountered major obstacles in trying to take the classes, Linda Majka said. The researchers found that finding jobs that pay living wages for their families is also a major source of stress and worry. The researchers found that refugees praised the churches, mosques, and faith-based organizations such as Catholic Social Services that offer help and support and said they had few problems with police and emergency services. ANI

Binge drinking students happier than their peers

Washington: Binge drinkers are happier with their college experience than their peers who prefer to drink in moderation, according to a new study. The study, based on analysis of nearly 1,600 undergraduates at a liberal arts college in 2009, found that students from higher status groups are more likely to binge drink than their peers from lower social bands. The researchers also found that binge drinking raises the social satisfaction of students in lower status groups, and expressed the view that most students start binge drinking just to fit into their college. However, the study did not find that unhappy students drink to alleviate their depression. Students in the sample with the deepest stress and anxiety, and worst experiences of discrimination or sexual abuse, were found to be the least likely to drink. Binge drinking is a symbolic proxy for high status in college, said Carolyn L. Hsu, co-author of the study and an associate professor of sociology at Colgate University. Its what the most powerful, wealthy, and

cooling off

happy students on campus do. This may explain why its such a desirable activity. When lower status students binge drink, they may be trying to tap into the benefits and the social satisfaction that those kids from high status groups enjoy. And, our findings seem to indicate that, to some extent, they succeed, Hsu said. According to the authors, despite binge drinking's potential positive social effects, binge drinking students were not exempt from the negative interpersonal and health outcomes associated with heavy alcohol consumption. Its not that binge drinking is the solution to complex social problems, Hsu said. Rather, it is our hope that when universities and public health professionals design alcohol related programs for students, they take into account the full range and important social motivations underlying student binge drinking, she added. The study will be presented at the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association. ANI

People cool off in the water of the Trocaderos fountains on Sunday in Paris, as the city sweltered under a summer heatwave. French authorities have issued a health alert for several regions this weekend after forecasters predicted unusually high temperatures in the southwest and centre of the country. An unexpected and sustained heatwave in the first two weeks of August 2003 left an estimated 15,000 mostly elderly people dead AFP

DIPeNDRA MANochAS MISSIoN IS To helP The blIND ReAD AND wRITe; he juggleS beTweeN MANAgINg ThRee oRgANISATIoNS ThAT helP The blIND ReAD

He fought darkness to give reading solutions for blind

New Delhi: Over two decades back, visually impaired student Dipendra Manocha stood outside Delhi University's Hindu College waiting to get an application written. After the life-altering struggle of finding a writer, Manocha set himself on a mission - helping the blind read and write. Manocha, 45, introduced reading aids and support mechanisms for the visually challenged. India has over 15 million blind. Today Manocha juggles between managing three such organisations that help the blind read. I was a research student at Hindu College at that time searching for someone who could write a simple application for me. It was baffling because I was literate and the dependency made me feel handicapped, Manocha recalled. The bitter experience kicked off a journey on innovation that Mano-

cha had never thought of. That very moment I decided there has to be a solution to this. A blind needs to be empowered to be able to read and write on his own, Manocha said. Even after losing his vision at the age of 12 due to a genetic disorder, Manocha completed his research in Indian classical music. Throughout his education, the dependence on a reader and writer was hard-hitting, he says. There are provisions for special students. But during higher education, being visually challenged could mean waiting for someone to write your exams and that person would never turn up at times, said Manocha, who lives with his father in central Delhi. There were times when the Delhi-based entrepreneur sat surrounded by bookshelves at the Arts faculty library - with the hope of

being able to read them some day. It was in 1993 that Manocha left his full-time career in music and gave up a government job to plunge into the dark world of the visually impaired. Manocha still feels it was the toughest call of his life. It was really tough as I was leaving a PhD fellowship and had to be

financially dependent on my parents for long, he says. Why do we confine disabled in cliches? Is it fair to ask a blind engineer to stop thinking of technology and indulge in candle making, Manocha questioned. The thought of empowering the blind clicked in his mind. In 2005, Manocha received the national award for his contributions in the area of disability. I saw this computer with voice commands at NAB after which I said to myself - this is exactly what I need! So we started a journey on coming up with more such technology-based solutions for reading, writing, he explained. In 1993, when he started working at the National Association for Blind (NAB), a voluntary organisation, he came across a computer with speech synthesiser and screenreading software.

The idea at that time was not just rehabilitation, but to bring the blind into the mainstream, Manocha, the former director, information-technology services at NAB, said. He also took the first printout from a sophisticated braille printing machine at NAB. He now has to his credit over 80 technological solutions for the blind. The aids and appliances range from a talking mobile phone to digital talking books at lowest possible cost. Interestingly, Manocha fondly remembers the first novel he was able to read on this talking computer. Oh! It was Dracula. It was a phenomenal feeling, the former musician breaks into a laugh. He quit his PhD in classical music in 2003 to set up the Saksham Trust for empowering the blind.

Over the last two decades, Manocha and his team have helped provide publications in accessible formats to those who cannot read normal print, easy-computer operating tools and unique online braille library with 19,000 downloadable books in digital format. The avid reader also heads the Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) For All -- part of an international organisation that provides digital talking books for the blind. Manocha feels the tools are a way of liberating the blind, We have capsuled each and every solution to suit Indian needs. There is Hindi language in softwares, text reader and cost-effectiveness. Some of the recent developments in Manochas organisation includes a talking thermometer for Rs 250, a talking qwerty phone and a digital handi-cam among others. IANS