Earn an Accredited Online College Degree Today.
With today's technology you can earn a college degree no matter where you live, what hours you work, your family situation or how much you travel. More than 12,000 students take advantage of our online college classes every year.
Select from 19 different online college degree programs. You can earn an accredited online college degree through our online education programs in less time than you ever imagined.
U.S.News Best CollegesIt makes no difference whether you are interested in finishing a college degree you began years ago, or are thinking about taking college classes for the very first time, at Columbia College our online education programs make earning a college degree as convenient and affordable as it has ever been.
The online college degrees currently offered through our online education programs feature:
* Online associate, bachelor's or master's degree
* 500 online classes and 19 online degrees
* Eight-week online education courses
* Academic sessions start in January, March, June, August and October
* Affordable tuition with no surprise student fees
* Accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association
* Serving nearly 25,000 students each year
* Founded in 1851
You too can earn your college degree online from Columbia College. Apply now or request additional information about online education and distance learning at Columbia College.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Boston University
Boston University Online seeks to meet the needs of students just like you.
We’ve taken great care to assure that you can get the education you want. No matter where you live, no matter what your job, no matter how hectic your schedule is.
At Boston University Online, you can earn your degree during the hours and in the location that work best for you—without settling for anything less than the resources and distinction of a great university.
As a Boston University Online student, you’ll:
* Learn from world-class faculty
* Join a respected alumni network of over 250,000 students worldwide
* Interact with other motivated students
* Engage in simulations, discussions, and multimedia presentations
* Gain the knowledge and credentials you need to achieve your goals
Boston University Online currently offers over 20 distinguished degrees, certificates, and courses. And we’re adding more all the time.
* Our Graduate Degrees—such as the Master of Criminal Justice, the largest and most successful program of its kind—are renowned for their high academic standards
* Undergraduate Programs like our Undergraduate Degree Completion Program are earning regard for their creative approach to subjects like biology, philosophy, and economics
* Our Graduate Certificates provide a timely and intensive focus on cutting-edge topics relevant to today’s professional—including emergency management, clinical investigation, and project management
We invite you to spend some time exploring our website—you’ll discover that at Boston University Online you have access to excellence, from any distance.
We’ve taken great care to assure that you can get the education you want. No matter where you live, no matter what your job, no matter how hectic your schedule is.
At Boston University Online, you can earn your degree during the hours and in the location that work best for you—without settling for anything less than the resources and distinction of a great university.
As a Boston University Online student, you’ll:
* Learn from world-class faculty
* Join a respected alumni network of over 250,000 students worldwide
* Interact with other motivated students
* Engage in simulations, discussions, and multimedia presentations
* Gain the knowledge and credentials you need to achieve your goals
Boston University Online currently offers over 20 distinguished degrees, certificates, and courses. And we’re adding more all the time.
* Our Graduate Degrees—such as the Master of Criminal Justice, the largest and most successful program of its kind—are renowned for their high academic standards
* Undergraduate Programs like our Undergraduate Degree Completion Program are earning regard for their creative approach to subjects like biology, philosophy, and economics
* Our Graduate Certificates provide a timely and intensive focus on cutting-edge topics relevant to today’s professional—including emergency management, clinical investigation, and project management
We invite you to spend some time exploring our website—you’ll discover that at Boston University Online you have access to excellence, from any distance.
Post University Online
Accelerated Online Degree Programs
Now you can earn an online degree from an accredited, traditional four-year university in as little as 18 months. Post University's online degree programs – master's degrees, bachelor's degrees, associate's degrees and certificate programs – offer the same accredited curricula as their on-campus equivalents.
Post University offers accelerated online degree programs and professional certificates designed specially for adults looking to resume or advance their careers while juggling work, family, or other commitments.
How does it work? You just log on and take classes whenever it's convenient. It's always a good time to begin your studies, because Post University has six scheduled eight-week modules throughout the year.
Take advantage of our special offer to receive free textbooks. To find out how, just submit the "request information" form. An admissions advisor will contact you to discuss your educational goals.
Post University is:
* Accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE) of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC);
* Licensed by the State of Connecticut, through the Department of Higher Education (DHE).
Now you can earn an online degree from an accredited, traditional four-year university in as little as 18 months. Post University's online degree programs – master's degrees, bachelor's degrees, associate's degrees and certificate programs – offer the same accredited curricula as their on-campus equivalents.
Post University offers accelerated online degree programs and professional certificates designed specially for adults looking to resume or advance their careers while juggling work, family, or other commitments.
How does it work? You just log on and take classes whenever it's convenient. It's always a good time to begin your studies, because Post University has six scheduled eight-week modules throughout the year.
Take advantage of our special offer to receive free textbooks. To find out how, just submit the "request information" form. An admissions advisor will contact you to discuss your educational goals.
Post University is:
* Accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE) of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC);
* Licensed by the State of Connecticut, through the Department of Higher Education (DHE).
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Financial Modelling programme
Financial Modelling is a tool widely used in businesses to define and compare the impact of specific business initiatives and alternative scenarios on a company's financial position. It is a vital task, and experienced professionals are highly appreciated. The technique requires the building of a financial representation of the business on a spreadsheet, and the identification and manipulation of key performance drivers to explore the impact of different operational and financial options.
Objectives of the course
This course will empower you with the skills to use Microsoft Excel, making you capable of executing complex actions and work more efficiently as a financial professional.
Who is it for?
The course is designed for any accounting or finance professional, with or without experience in financial modelling, wishing to become more confident and dynamic in the Excel skills that are highly sought after by investment banks, top accountancy firms and blue-chip financial organisations.
Objectives of the course
This course will empower you with the skills to use Microsoft Excel, making you capable of executing complex actions and work more efficiently as a financial professional.
Who is it for?
The course is designed for any accounting or finance professional, with or without experience in financial modelling, wishing to become more confident and dynamic in the Excel skills that are highly sought after by investment banks, top accountancy firms and blue-chip financial organisations.
Master of Business Administration (Entrepreneurial Management)
Maritime Greenwich College, with the Entrepreneurship Institute Australia (EIA), offers students from all around the world the opportunity to come to London to study the EIA MBA specialising in entrepreneurial management.
EIA is based in Adelaide, South Australia and is accredited by the South Australian Government under the Australian Qualifications Framework to award undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
COURSE OVERVIEW
Apply Online
Download
Prospectus
Help/FAQs
The MBA (ie Master of Business Administration) is one of the world’s best known and most widely recognised postgraduate degrees. In recent years the MBA has become the foremost academic qualification for managers.
The EIA MBA (Entrepreneurial Management) provides a good understanding of the language and structure of entrepreneurial management. The subjects in this course are designed to provide a sophisticated body of knowledge by integrating critical strategies and techniques with the principles of entrepreneurial management. The EIA MBA (Entrepreneurial Management) specialisation will prepare students for entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial challenges in both the national and international arena. The course covers 12 subjects integrating management, business and entrepreneurial knowledge.
There are three main benefits to students on completion of the EIA MBA (Entrepreneurial Management):
bullet Successful MBA graduates contribute constructive and creative input through their ability to implement decisions based on their improved understanding of business and entrepreneurial strategies.
bullet The integrated nature of the course allows a holistic appreciation that is critical to the achievement of a sustainable competitive position in today’s changing business and entrepreneurial environment.
bullet Through the MBA (Entrepreneurial Management), students will gain a valuable piece of research that can be tailored to students’ specific entrepreneurial and business career goals and objectives.
Furthermore, upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
bullet Critically appraise a range of relevant practical entrepreneurial management knowledge, and apply it to entrepreneurial and management problems.
bullet Demonstrate proficiency in the analysis and interpretation of a wide range of business data.
bullet Synthesize knowledge from across a range of business disciplines, and apply it to the analysis of complex entrepreneurial management issues.
bullet Demonstrate the key personal and inter-personal skills required for effective management and implementation of solutions at all levels inside and outside the students’ organisations.
bullet Demonstrate clarity of problem definition and scope.
Mode: Full-Time (12-18 months) 15-21 hrs a week
Commencement: September, January and July of every year
COURSE FEE
UK Residing Students £4,900
Overseas Students £5,900
The fee covers tuition and assessments.
COURSE CONTENT
The current subjects for the EIA MBA (Entrepreneurial Management) are as follows:
bullet Entrepreneurship
bullet Leadership
bullet Strategic Management
bullet Strategic Marketing
bullet Strategic Human Resource Management
bullet Strategic Legal and Social Issues
bullet Strategic Operations Issues
bullet Strategic Finance Issues
bullet New Venture Creation
bullet Entrepreneurship and Globalisation
bullet Franchising
bullet Entrepreneurial Management Project
SUBJECT DESCRIPTIONS
Entrepreneurship
The objective of the module is to provide participants with an in-depth knowledge of the concept of entrepreneurship in the context of entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial organisations and entrepreneurial countries.
Leadership
This module will provide the participants with a systematic study of how individuals and groups behave within an organisational setting and the impact of leadership on this behaviour.
Strategic Management
The aim of this module is to provide the participant with an in-depth knowledge of the principles and practice of corporate strategy formulation built around a systematic approach to strategic management.
Strategic Marketing
This module is designed to provide participants with an in-depth knowledge of the marketing concept and the major principles, techniques and theories relating to the strategic practice of marketing, including the development and implementation of competitive marketing strategies.
Strategic Human Resource Management
This module provides an understanding of the formal relationship between the employer and employee and the techniques and methods aimed at making the relationship more effective.
Strategic Legal and Social Issues
The objective of this module is to provide the participants with an awareness and understanding of the critical legal issues that relate to an organisation, thus enhancing the formulation and implementation of strategies for the organisation.
Strategic Operations Issues
The aim of this module is to provide participants with an in-depth knowledge of strategic operations issues that are critical for the operations of an organisation, to the end that the operations may become more efficient and effective.
Strategic Finance Issues
The module is designed to prepare participants for effective and efficient planning and management of financial and resource requirements and targets. The module is adapted for specific requirements of government, non-profit and entrepreneurial organisations.
Entrepreneurship and Globalisation
This module is designed to expand the participant’s understanding of the role of entrepreneurs in global business development. The module will also examine issues in operating across international borders in a global context.
New Venture Creation
This module features the process of creating successful new ventures, including evaluating opportunities, designing strategies, forming the entrepreneurial team and developing strategies for financing.
Franchising
The objective of this module is to provide participants with the concepts, dimensions and processes of franchising and licensing.
Entrepreneurial Management Project
The objective of this module is to enable participants to undertake a major entrepreneurial project. They will use their knowledge of action research as a method of implementing the project and record the process.
ASSESSMENT
For each module (except the Entrepreneurial Management Project, for which the students will be required to undertake a major assignment), students will be required to complete an assignment and an examination. The assignment is worth 20% and the exam is worth 80% of the overall grade for the subject. The students must pass the examination to pass the subject.
ENTRY CRITERIA
Any applicant who wishes to undertake the MBA Course must satisfy all of the following entry criteria:
English Requirements
Where the applicant's medium of instruction (at a tertiary level) was not in English, the applicant must have obtained:
§ a score of 550 or better on the TOEFL;
§ a score 6.0 or better on the IELTS;
§ a credit or better in English in the GCE "O" or "A" levels or equivalent; or
§ any other evidence of proficiency in English acceptable to EIA’s Registrar.
Applicants Must Satisfy Either (a) or (b)
(a) For Direct Entry
The applicant must have:
1.
an acceptable bachelors degree or a relevant professional qualification conducted at a standard equivalent to a bachelors degree under the Australian Qualifications Framework; and
2.
relevant work experience.
Applicants who do not satisfy the above entry criteria will still be eligible to undertake the MBA Course but on a stage-by-stage basis. Each of these applicants may enrol in the Graduate Certificate in Management course (the first stage of the MBA Course) provided each applicant satisfies all of the below criteria.
(b) For Stage by Stage Entry
The applicant must have either:
1.
a qualification deemed equivalent to an Advanced Diploma under the Australian Qualifications Framework;
2.
relevant specialised professional or technical qualifications deemed acceptable to TIA’s Registrar; or
3.
a minimum of 3 years verifiable experience and learning deemed relevant to course by TIA’s s Registrar.
Upon successful completion of the 4 subject Graduate Certificate in Management, each applicant may proceed to the 4 subject Graduate Diploma in Management, Upon successful completion of the 4 subject Graduate Diploma in Management, each applicant may proceed to the final 4 subjects of the MBA.
EIA is based in Adelaide, South Australia and is accredited by the South Australian Government under the Australian Qualifications Framework to award undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
COURSE OVERVIEW
Apply Online
Download
Prospectus
Help/FAQs
The MBA (ie Master of Business Administration) is one of the world’s best known and most widely recognised postgraduate degrees. In recent years the MBA has become the foremost academic qualification for managers.
The EIA MBA (Entrepreneurial Management) provides a good understanding of the language and structure of entrepreneurial management. The subjects in this course are designed to provide a sophisticated body of knowledge by integrating critical strategies and techniques with the principles of entrepreneurial management. The EIA MBA (Entrepreneurial Management) specialisation will prepare students for entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial challenges in both the national and international arena. The course covers 12 subjects integrating management, business and entrepreneurial knowledge.
There are three main benefits to students on completion of the EIA MBA (Entrepreneurial Management):
bullet Successful MBA graduates contribute constructive and creative input through their ability to implement decisions based on their improved understanding of business and entrepreneurial strategies.
bullet The integrated nature of the course allows a holistic appreciation that is critical to the achievement of a sustainable competitive position in today’s changing business and entrepreneurial environment.
bullet Through the MBA (Entrepreneurial Management), students will gain a valuable piece of research that can be tailored to students’ specific entrepreneurial and business career goals and objectives.
Furthermore, upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
bullet Critically appraise a range of relevant practical entrepreneurial management knowledge, and apply it to entrepreneurial and management problems.
bullet Demonstrate proficiency in the analysis and interpretation of a wide range of business data.
bullet Synthesize knowledge from across a range of business disciplines, and apply it to the analysis of complex entrepreneurial management issues.
bullet Demonstrate the key personal and inter-personal skills required for effective management and implementation of solutions at all levels inside and outside the students’ organisations.
bullet Demonstrate clarity of problem definition and scope.
Mode: Full-Time (12-18 months) 15-21 hrs a week
Commencement: September, January and July of every year
COURSE FEE
UK Residing Students £4,900
Overseas Students £5,900
The fee covers tuition and assessments.
COURSE CONTENT
The current subjects for the EIA MBA (Entrepreneurial Management) are as follows:
bullet Entrepreneurship
bullet Leadership
bullet Strategic Management
bullet Strategic Marketing
bullet Strategic Human Resource Management
bullet Strategic Legal and Social Issues
bullet Strategic Operations Issues
bullet Strategic Finance Issues
bullet New Venture Creation
bullet Entrepreneurship and Globalisation
bullet Franchising
bullet Entrepreneurial Management Project
SUBJECT DESCRIPTIONS
Entrepreneurship
The objective of the module is to provide participants with an in-depth knowledge of the concept of entrepreneurship in the context of entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial organisations and entrepreneurial countries.
Leadership
This module will provide the participants with a systematic study of how individuals and groups behave within an organisational setting and the impact of leadership on this behaviour.
Strategic Management
The aim of this module is to provide the participant with an in-depth knowledge of the principles and practice of corporate strategy formulation built around a systematic approach to strategic management.
Strategic Marketing
This module is designed to provide participants with an in-depth knowledge of the marketing concept and the major principles, techniques and theories relating to the strategic practice of marketing, including the development and implementation of competitive marketing strategies.
Strategic Human Resource Management
This module provides an understanding of the formal relationship between the employer and employee and the techniques and methods aimed at making the relationship more effective.
Strategic Legal and Social Issues
The objective of this module is to provide the participants with an awareness and understanding of the critical legal issues that relate to an organisation, thus enhancing the formulation and implementation of strategies for the organisation.
Strategic Operations Issues
The aim of this module is to provide participants with an in-depth knowledge of strategic operations issues that are critical for the operations of an organisation, to the end that the operations may become more efficient and effective.
Strategic Finance Issues
The module is designed to prepare participants for effective and efficient planning and management of financial and resource requirements and targets. The module is adapted for specific requirements of government, non-profit and entrepreneurial organisations.
Entrepreneurship and Globalisation
This module is designed to expand the participant’s understanding of the role of entrepreneurs in global business development. The module will also examine issues in operating across international borders in a global context.
New Venture Creation
This module features the process of creating successful new ventures, including evaluating opportunities, designing strategies, forming the entrepreneurial team and developing strategies for financing.
Franchising
The objective of this module is to provide participants with the concepts, dimensions and processes of franchising and licensing.
Entrepreneurial Management Project
The objective of this module is to enable participants to undertake a major entrepreneurial project. They will use their knowledge of action research as a method of implementing the project and record the process.
ASSESSMENT
For each module (except the Entrepreneurial Management Project, for which the students will be required to undertake a major assignment), students will be required to complete an assignment and an examination. The assignment is worth 20% and the exam is worth 80% of the overall grade for the subject. The students must pass the examination to pass the subject.
ENTRY CRITERIA
Any applicant who wishes to undertake the MBA Course must satisfy all of the following entry criteria:
English Requirements
Where the applicant's medium of instruction (at a tertiary level) was not in English, the applicant must have obtained:
§ a score of 550 or better on the TOEFL;
§ a score 6.0 or better on the IELTS;
§ a credit or better in English in the GCE "O" or "A" levels or equivalent; or
§ any other evidence of proficiency in English acceptable to EIA’s Registrar.
Applicants Must Satisfy Either (a) or (b)
(a) For Direct Entry
The applicant must have:
1.
an acceptable bachelors degree or a relevant professional qualification conducted at a standard equivalent to a bachelors degree under the Australian Qualifications Framework; and
2.
relevant work experience.
Applicants who do not satisfy the above entry criteria will still be eligible to undertake the MBA Course but on a stage-by-stage basis. Each of these applicants may enrol in the Graduate Certificate in Management course (the first stage of the MBA Course) provided each applicant satisfies all of the below criteria.
(b) For Stage by Stage Entry
The applicant must have either:
1.
a qualification deemed equivalent to an Advanced Diploma under the Australian Qualifications Framework;
2.
relevant specialised professional or technical qualifications deemed acceptable to TIA’s Registrar; or
3.
a minimum of 3 years verifiable experience and learning deemed relevant to course by TIA’s s Registrar.
Upon successful completion of the 4 subject Graduate Certificate in Management, each applicant may proceed to the 4 subject Graduate Diploma in Management, Upon successful completion of the 4 subject Graduate Diploma in Management, each applicant may proceed to the final 4 subjects of the MBA.
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
The aim of the Association is to provide a qualification which is closely linked to the needs of the accountant in the modern business world and which prepares members for work in any sector of the economy. The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) is the most recognised International Accounting and Auditing Body in the world.
Apply Online
Download
Prospectus
Help/FAQs
The course consists of 14 papers. After passing all modules and 3 years of relevant practical experience students can achieve ACCA and practice accounting and audit.
Commencement: January, July & September of each year.
Study Mode: Full-Time (15-21hrs/week)
Duration:
Fundamentals - 2 Academic Years
Professional - 1 Academic Year
The course syllabus is divided into 2 different parts:
You will need to complete 14 papers in total. A maximum of nine papers in the Fundamentals level are available for exemption.
FUNDAMENTALS (nine papers in total)
Knowledge
bullet
F1 Accountant in Business
bullet
F2 Management Accounting
bullet
F3 Financial Accounting
Skills
bullet
F4 Corporate and Business Law
bullet
F5 Performance Management
bullet
F6 Taxation
bullet
F7 Financial Reporting
bullet
F8 Audit and Assurance
bullet
F9 Financial Management
Course Fee:
UK Residing Students £325.00 per paper
Overseas Students Total £3150
PROFESSIONAL (five papers in total)
Essentials
bullet
P1 Professional Accountant
bullet
P2 Corporate Reporting
bullet
P3 Business Analysis
Options (two to be completed)
bullet
P4 Advanced Financial Management
bullet
P5 Advanced Performance Management
bullet
P6 Advanced Taxation
bullet
P7 Advanced Audit and Assurance
Course Fee:
UK Residing Students £350.00 per paper
Overseas Students Total £2250
Minimum Entry Requirements
The minimum entry requirements to register are 2 A level GCE plus three GCSE/GCE Ordinary level passes in five different subjects (including Maths and English) or equivalent overseas qualifications.
Mature Students Entry Route (MSER)
Individuals over 21 years who do not meet the minimum entry requirements may register through the Mature Student Entry Route (MSER). This is designed for students who have the maturity and skills to deal with the ACCA Qualification instead of first undertaking the Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) qualification. MSER students must pass the equivalent of Paper F2, Management Accounting and Paper F3, Financial Accounting within two years of registering.
Exemptions
Holders of Higher qualifications, i.e. MBA, MSc Finance or similar higher qualifications are considered for exemptions from some or all of the Fundamentals Level.
Important Information
The current deadlines for registration, exemption claims and examination entries are as follows:
Registration by: 31 January; 15 August
Exemptions by: 31 January; 31 July
Examination entry by: 15 April; 15 October
Exams: June; December
Apply Online
Download
Prospectus
Help/FAQs
The course consists of 14 papers. After passing all modules and 3 years of relevant practical experience students can achieve ACCA and practice accounting and audit.
Commencement: January, July & September of each year.
Study Mode: Full-Time (15-21hrs/week)
Duration:
Fundamentals - 2 Academic Years
Professional - 1 Academic Year
The course syllabus is divided into 2 different parts:
You will need to complete 14 papers in total. A maximum of nine papers in the Fundamentals level are available for exemption.
FUNDAMENTALS (nine papers in total)
Knowledge
bullet
F1 Accountant in Business
bullet
F2 Management Accounting
bullet
F3 Financial Accounting
Skills
bullet
F4 Corporate and Business Law
bullet
F5 Performance Management
bullet
F6 Taxation
bullet
F7 Financial Reporting
bullet
F8 Audit and Assurance
bullet
F9 Financial Management
Course Fee:
UK Residing Students £325.00 per paper
Overseas Students Total £3150
PROFESSIONAL (five papers in total)
Essentials
bullet
P1 Professional Accountant
bullet
P2 Corporate Reporting
bullet
P3 Business Analysis
Options (two to be completed)
bullet
P4 Advanced Financial Management
bullet
P5 Advanced Performance Management
bullet
P6 Advanced Taxation
bullet
P7 Advanced Audit and Assurance
Course Fee:
UK Residing Students £350.00 per paper
Overseas Students Total £2250
Minimum Entry Requirements
The minimum entry requirements to register are 2 A level GCE plus three GCSE/GCE Ordinary level passes in five different subjects (including Maths and English) or equivalent overseas qualifications.
Mature Students Entry Route (MSER)
Individuals over 21 years who do not meet the minimum entry requirements may register through the Mature Student Entry Route (MSER). This is designed for students who have the maturity and skills to deal with the ACCA Qualification instead of first undertaking the Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) qualification. MSER students must pass the equivalent of Paper F2, Management Accounting and Paper F3, Financial Accounting within two years of registering.
Exemptions
Holders of Higher qualifications, i.e. MBA, MSc Finance or similar higher qualifications are considered for exemptions from some or all of the Fundamentals Level.
Important Information
The current deadlines for registration, exemption claims and examination entries are as follows:
Registration by: 31 January; 15 August
Exemptions by: 31 January; 31 July
Examination entry by: 15 April; 15 October
Exams: June; December
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
International students
Would you like to study in Queensland? Our programs offer high quality education in a safe and modern environment.
It's all here for you to discover: available programs, accommodation advice - even how to buy a school uniform! Check out the FAQs for practical info and handy hints.
For immigration requirements and other important information, browse the study in Australia section.
We work with universities and other government agencies to promote Queensland internationally as a provider of high quality education. For detailed information for international students on Queensland study opportunities, universities, courses, visa procedures, costs, lifestyle and Australian education contacts worldwide, find out about Queensland universities.
We also provide enriching group study tours and offer consultancies in international projects.
Explore your options. Start planning your Queensland experience.
It's all here for you to discover: available programs, accommodation advice - even how to buy a school uniform! Check out the FAQs for practical info and handy hints.
For immigration requirements and other important information, browse the study in Australia section.
We work with universities and other government agencies to promote Queensland internationally as a provider of high quality education. For detailed information for international students on Queensland study opportunities, universities, courses, visa procedures, costs, lifestyle and Australian education contacts worldwide, find out about Queensland universities.
We also provide enriching group study tours and offer consultancies in international projects.
Explore your options. Start planning your Queensland experience.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Freeman-Asia Award Lets UK Senior Finish What He Started
Unlike most college seniors, Patrick Conlon was confident about where he wanted to go. He arrived in Dalian, China in March.
Conlon, a linguistics and political science major, has been passionate about language and culture since he arrived at UK. Immediately following his freshman year, he traveled to Shanghai to study Mandarin. Unfortunately, his trip was cut short when he had to return to the United States for minor surgery. He was able to return to China thanks to the Freeman-Asia Award.
A 2004 graduate of Tates Creek High School, Conlon has been fascinated with language since childhood. He was reading Shakespeare as a sixth grader, but he did not discover his gift for learning foreign languages until he was homebound with an illness during his freshman year of high school.
Motivated largely by boredom, he watched international news programs and was particularly fascinated by French. After merely four months of independent study, he returned to school and tested as a fluent French speaker. Today, Conlon speaks more than 20 languages at various levels.
He is also quick to share his gift with others. His former Education Abroad Advisor, Melinda Miller, saw that firsthand. Conlon tutored her in Dutch before she relocated to Holland. “Patrick’s patience and effectiveness as a language teacher are testament to his desire to promote communication with people from other cultures,” she said.
One of Conlon’s objectives is to show UK students that Education Abroad is open to anyone and everyone. Since enrolling at UK Conlon, who frequently uses a wheelchair, has visited several countries where handicapped and elderly residents stay home because of limited accessibility to public places. These include France and Russia. “I think it does teach people in those countries a bit about how the system might not be as fair to other people,” he reflected.
What about the communication barriers that American students face abroad? Conlon said no one should feel pressured to be fluent in another language before traveling abroad. “Learn the everyday things first off,” he advised. “Think ‘How do I get from the airport to my dormitory? How do I say the things I need to say to do that?’ Or begin by asking ‘How do I introduce myself to people and speak with them?’ Those are the most important things. The rest will come later.”
Finances are another obstacle that Conlon believes most students can overcome. He has learned to rely on the Education Abroad staff at the Office of International Affairs (OIA) for financial advice. “They can help you make a budget and learn to stick to it,” he said. OIA can also assist students in applying for various scholarships.
The Freeman-Asia Award, a $5,000 prize given to students who want to learn more about Asia, allowed Conlon to spend approximately ten weeks at the Dalian University of Foreign Languages, where he had an opportunity to perfect his Mandarin and took additional courses in Chinese politics and international government.
Now that he has returned, he will fulfill the requirements of the scholarship by educating students, faculty and staff on Asian culture. “The project I’ll be doing with the Freeman Foundation is really a continuation of a project that I’ve been doing since I went abroad for the first time -- educating people about why studying abroad is important and why language study is important,” he said.
And he is thrilled to have been given the opportunity to return to China to complete the intensive Mandarin studies he began four years ago.
Conlon, a linguistics and political science major, has been passionate about language and culture since he arrived at UK. Immediately following his freshman year, he traveled to Shanghai to study Mandarin. Unfortunately, his trip was cut short when he had to return to the United States for minor surgery. He was able to return to China thanks to the Freeman-Asia Award.
A 2004 graduate of Tates Creek High School, Conlon has been fascinated with language since childhood. He was reading Shakespeare as a sixth grader, but he did not discover his gift for learning foreign languages until he was homebound with an illness during his freshman year of high school.
Motivated largely by boredom, he watched international news programs and was particularly fascinated by French. After merely four months of independent study, he returned to school and tested as a fluent French speaker. Today, Conlon speaks more than 20 languages at various levels.
He is also quick to share his gift with others. His former Education Abroad Advisor, Melinda Miller, saw that firsthand. Conlon tutored her in Dutch before she relocated to Holland. “Patrick’s patience and effectiveness as a language teacher are testament to his desire to promote communication with people from other cultures,” she said.
One of Conlon’s objectives is to show UK students that Education Abroad is open to anyone and everyone. Since enrolling at UK Conlon, who frequently uses a wheelchair, has visited several countries where handicapped and elderly residents stay home because of limited accessibility to public places. These include France and Russia. “I think it does teach people in those countries a bit about how the system might not be as fair to other people,” he reflected.
What about the communication barriers that American students face abroad? Conlon said no one should feel pressured to be fluent in another language before traveling abroad. “Learn the everyday things first off,” he advised. “Think ‘How do I get from the airport to my dormitory? How do I say the things I need to say to do that?’ Or begin by asking ‘How do I introduce myself to people and speak with them?’ Those are the most important things. The rest will come later.”
Finances are another obstacle that Conlon believes most students can overcome. He has learned to rely on the Education Abroad staff at the Office of International Affairs (OIA) for financial advice. “They can help you make a budget and learn to stick to it,” he said. OIA can also assist students in applying for various scholarships.
The Freeman-Asia Award, a $5,000 prize given to students who want to learn more about Asia, allowed Conlon to spend approximately ten weeks at the Dalian University of Foreign Languages, where he had an opportunity to perfect his Mandarin and took additional courses in Chinese politics and international government.
Now that he has returned, he will fulfill the requirements of the scholarship by educating students, faculty and staff on Asian culture. “The project I’ll be doing with the Freeman Foundation is really a continuation of a project that I’ve been doing since I went abroad for the first time -- educating people about why studying abroad is important and why language study is important,” he said.
And he is thrilled to have been given the opportunity to return to China to complete the intensive Mandarin studies he began four years ago.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
List of Colleges and Universities
Harvard Graduate School of Education http://www.hgse.harvard.edu International Education Policy program http://www.gse.harvard.edu/academics/masters/iep/index.html
The George Washington University http://www.gwu.edu Graduate School of Education and Human Development http://gsehd.gwu.edu Program: International Education
American University http://www.american.edu School of Education, Teaching, and Health http://www.american.edu/cas/seth Program: International Training and Education
NYU Steinhardt http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/humsocsci/international/ Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development Program: International Education
Penn State http://www.ed.psu.edu/cied/ College of Education Program: Comparative and International Education
University of Massachusetts http://www.umass.edu Graduate School of Education http://www.umass.edu/education/ Program: International Education http://www.umass.edu/education/academics/epra/ed_intl.shtml Center for International Education (CIE) http://www.umass.edu/cie/
University of California, Irvine http://internationalstudies.ss.uci.edu/
The George Washington University http://www.gwu.edu Graduate School of Education and Human Development http://gsehd.gwu.edu Program: International Education
American University http://www.american.edu School of Education, Teaching, and Health http://www.american.edu/cas/seth Program: International Training and Education
NYU Steinhardt http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/humsocsci/international/ Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development Program: International Education
Penn State http://www.ed.psu.edu/cied/ College of Education Program: Comparative and International Education
University of Massachusetts http://www.umass.edu Graduate School of Education http://www.umass.edu/education/ Program: International Education http://www.umass.edu/education/academics/epra/ed_intl.shtml Center for International Education (CIE) http://www.umass.edu/cie/
University of California, Irvine http://internationalstudies.ss.uci.edu/
International education
The term international education can mean many different things and its definition is debated. Some have defined two general meanings to the concept of international education in regard to students. The first refers to education that transcends national borders through the exchange of people, as in study abroad. The second, explored in depth here, is a comprehensive approach to education that intentionally prepares students to be active and engaged participants in an interconnected world.
Understanding of a broad array of phenomena is enhanced and deepened through examination of the cultures, languages, environmental situations, governments, political relations, religions, geography, and history of the world. While definitions vary in the precise language used, international education is generally taken to include:
1. Knowledge of other world regions & cultures;
2. Familiarity with international and global issues;
3. Skills in working effectively in global or cross-cultural environments, and using information from different sources around the world;
4. Ability to communicate in multiple languages; and
5. Dispositions towards respect and concern for other cultures and peoples.
International Education is also a major part of international development. Professionals and students wishing to be a part of international education development are able to learn through organizations and university and college programs. Organizations around the world use education as a means to development. The United Nations Millennium Development Goals include to education specific goals:
Millennium Development Goals http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/reports/index.htm
achieve universal primary education in all countries by 2015 and eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education by 2005
Other mention of education in regard to international development:
Education For All (EFA): www.unesco.org/education/efa/wef_2000 An international stategy to operazionalize the Dakar Framework for Action; The World Education Forum (Dakar 2000) agreed to reach 6 goals by 2015: o expand early childhood care and education o improve access to complete, free schooling of good quality for all primary school-age children o greatly increase learning opportunities for youth and adults o improve adult literacy rates by 50% o eliminate gender disparities in schooling o improve all aspects of education quality.
Dakar Framework for Action (http://www.unesco.org/education/efa/ed_for_all/dakfram_eng.shtml)
UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005–2014) -highlight the central role of education in the pursuit of sustainable development. www.unesco.org/education/desd
See also comparative education; and Liberalism, Realism, Power Transition Theory,International Development, as focus areas that provide insight into international phenomena relevant to "International Education."
International Education both as a field of study focusing on study abroad and preparing students for international occupations as well as as an active part of international development is taught in many colleges and universities around the world.
Understanding of a broad array of phenomena is enhanced and deepened through examination of the cultures, languages, environmental situations, governments, political relations, religions, geography, and history of the world. While definitions vary in the precise language used, international education is generally taken to include:
1. Knowledge of other world regions & cultures;
2. Familiarity with international and global issues;
3. Skills in working effectively in global or cross-cultural environments, and using information from different sources around the world;
4. Ability to communicate in multiple languages; and
5. Dispositions towards respect and concern for other cultures and peoples.
International Education is also a major part of international development. Professionals and students wishing to be a part of international education development are able to learn through organizations and university and college programs. Organizations around the world use education as a means to development. The United Nations Millennium Development Goals include to education specific goals:
Millennium Development Goals http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/reports/index.htm
achieve universal primary education in all countries by 2015 and eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education by 2005
Other mention of education in regard to international development:
Education For All (EFA): www.unesco.org/education/efa/wef_2000 An international stategy to operazionalize the Dakar Framework for Action; The World Education Forum (Dakar 2000) agreed to reach 6 goals by 2015: o expand early childhood care and education o improve access to complete, free schooling of good quality for all primary school-age children o greatly increase learning opportunities for youth and adults o improve adult literacy rates by 50% o eliminate gender disparities in schooling o improve all aspects of education quality.
Dakar Framework for Action (http://www.unesco.org/education/efa/ed_for_all/dakfram_eng.shtml)
UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005–2014) -highlight the central role of education in the pursuit of sustainable development. www.unesco.org/education/desd
See also comparative education; and Liberalism, Realism, Power Transition Theory,International Development, as focus areas that provide insight into international phenomena relevant to "International Education."
International Education both as a field of study focusing on study abroad and preparing students for international occupations as well as as an active part of international development is taught in many colleges and universities around the world.
Links to UK basic skills resources
Adult Basic Skills Resource Centre
Adult Basic Skills Resource Centre for students and tutors is a website used for classes at Abingdon and Witney College. It includes interactive exercises and downloadable resources as well as numerous useful links to other basic skills sites.
www.members.aol.com/skillsworkshop/
Avanti Books
This company specialises in supplying basic skills materials from over 70 publishers for post-16 and adult students.
www.avantibooks.com/epages/avantibooks.storefront
BBC Learning for Adults
Offers a web guide for adult learning including Skillswise which aims to improve adults' reading, writing and maths skills.
www.bbc.co.uk/learning/subjects/adult_learning.shtml
Becta
Becta's ESOL pages contain materials, case studies and other resources produced in adult and community centres.
www.becta.org.uk/
DfES's Learning Resources
The Department for Education and Skills' Way to Learn links to online resources and to sites for those with special needs and for those who are non-English speakers.
www.waytolearn.co.uk
FE Resources for Learning (FERL)
The FERL website contains information about resources for teaching and learning.
ferl.becta.org.uk/
Financial Literacy
Financial Literacy is a programme managed by the BSA. Schemes of work, lesson plans, online activities and taster modules are included under Learning Activities.
www.money-bsa.org.uk/index.php
London Language and Literacy Unit (LLU+)
The LLU+ Resource Centre at London South Bank University is a part of the Central London Skills for Life Professional Development Centre. The collection of teaching aids, for loan and for reference, caters for teachers, trainees and students of adult education.
www.lsbu.ac.uk/lluplus/
Mathsnet
An education website incorporating maths learning and games.
www.mathsnet.net/
National Institute for Adult Continuing Education (NIACE)
NIACE has an online catalogue of NIACE publications.
www.niace.org.uk/
Skillswise (BBC)
Skillswise is an online resource for students and tutors offering resources, online lesson plans, training and a messageboard.
www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/
Adult Basic Skills Resource Centre for students and tutors is a website used for classes at Abingdon and Witney College. It includes interactive exercises and downloadable resources as well as numerous useful links to other basic skills sites.
www.members.aol.com/skillsworkshop/
Avanti Books
This company specialises in supplying basic skills materials from over 70 publishers for post-16 and adult students.
www.avantibooks.com/epages/avantibooks.storefront
BBC Learning for Adults
Offers a web guide for adult learning including Skillswise which aims to improve adults' reading, writing and maths skills.
www.bbc.co.uk/learning/subjects/adult_learning.shtml
Becta
Becta's ESOL pages contain materials, case studies and other resources produced in adult and community centres.
www.becta.org.uk/
DfES's Learning Resources
The Department for Education and Skills' Way to Learn links to online resources and to sites for those with special needs and for those who are non-English speakers.
www.waytolearn.co.uk
FE Resources for Learning (FERL)
The FERL website contains information about resources for teaching and learning.
ferl.becta.org.uk/
Financial Literacy
Financial Literacy is a programme managed by the BSA. Schemes of work, lesson plans, online activities and taster modules are included under Learning Activities.
www.money-bsa.org.uk/index.php
London Language and Literacy Unit (LLU+)
The LLU+ Resource Centre at London South Bank University is a part of the Central London Skills for Life Professional Development Centre. The collection of teaching aids, for loan and for reference, caters for teachers, trainees and students of adult education.
www.lsbu.ac.uk/lluplus/
Mathsnet
An education website incorporating maths learning and games.
www.mathsnet.net/
National Institute for Adult Continuing Education (NIACE)
NIACE has an online catalogue of NIACE publications.
www.niace.org.uk/
Skillswise (BBC)
Skillswise is an online resource for students and tutors offering resources, online lesson plans, training and a messageboard.
www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/
Education In Hampshire
Transforming the education system
"We are committed to developing a system of education matching the best anywhere; a system where all young people have opportunities to learn in ways which motivate and engage them and through hard work to qualify themselves for success in life."
Department for Education and Skills, 2005
Welcome to the pages for Education in Hampshire. From here you can:
* find out about the Agenda
* link to the Prospectus website
* find out about the Consortia
* link directly to Reference Documents
* find answers to Frequently Asked Questions or ask a question yourself.
"We are committed to developing a system of education matching the best anywhere; a system where all young people have opportunities to learn in ways which motivate and engage them and through hard work to qualify themselves for success in life."
Department for Education and Skills, 2005
Welcome to the pages for Education in Hampshire. From here you can:
* find out about the Agenda
* link to the Prospectus website
* find out about the Consortia
* link directly to Reference Documents
* find answers to Frequently Asked Questions or ask a question yourself.
What’s your Idea of an Ideal Teacher?
Walking down memory lane on the path that leads to my school days, I’m reminiscing about the teachers who remain evergreen in my thoughts even today. Each was as different as the flowers in a garden, but as a collective whole, they added value to my life in more ways than one.
A firm disciplinarian but an excellent teacher of mathematics, a kind and bubbly soul who even took delight in our childish pranks, a genius in the subject who infused enthusiasm by his very presence in the class – these were just a few who added to the potpourri of instructors who’ve been in and out of my life. What makes these particular teachers special? Why do I remember them fondly even after so many years? Probably because they lent that unique touch to a profession that touches lives; whatever the reason, they qualify as good teachers in my book. And opening the books of other students, I found that I was not alone in qualifying the best and worst of teachers. So here goes, a list of characteristics that every child wants in the ideal teacher:
· A thorough knowledge of and love for the subject.
· A love of and a tolerance for children.
· A tireless attitude when it comes to helping children who are at the bottom of the class.
· A good sense of humor that helps to take the occasional prank in his/her stride and the ability to turn a blind eye to minor infractions.
· Hands that offer help when needed, envelop in a hug in times of distress and guide when decisions are to be made.
· Supportive strength when children are going through a rough patch and need some time to get back on track academically.
· Sensitivity that tells him/her not to embarrass students in front of their peers.
· The ability to encourage when the going is touch, to push when that extra nudge is needed and to correct when on the wrong path.
· Forgiveness and kindness – qualities that rate higher than strictness in enforcing discipline.
· The ability to treat all students equally without showing favoritism.
· The ability to bring out hidden talents in students and encourage them to pursue their dreams.
· The ability to care for opinions even if they come from students who do not perform well academically.
· The ability to keep students’ secrets.
· Perseverance – even when the children are filled with self-doubts as to their own abilities.
· The ability to offer constructive criticism and honest feedback in a positive manner.
· The ability to correct without seeming to point out mistakes.
· The ability to get involved in student activities as an active participant.
A good teacher is not just one who’s well-versed in the subject; he/she should be able to adapt according to the environment and needs of the children in the picture. After all, teaching is much more than just mentoring young minds.
A firm disciplinarian but an excellent teacher of mathematics, a kind and bubbly soul who even took delight in our childish pranks, a genius in the subject who infused enthusiasm by his very presence in the class – these were just a few who added to the potpourri of instructors who’ve been in and out of my life. What makes these particular teachers special? Why do I remember them fondly even after so many years? Probably because they lent that unique touch to a profession that touches lives; whatever the reason, they qualify as good teachers in my book. And opening the books of other students, I found that I was not alone in qualifying the best and worst of teachers. So here goes, a list of characteristics that every child wants in the ideal teacher:
· A thorough knowledge of and love for the subject.
· A love of and a tolerance for children.
· A tireless attitude when it comes to helping children who are at the bottom of the class.
· A good sense of humor that helps to take the occasional prank in his/her stride and the ability to turn a blind eye to minor infractions.
· Hands that offer help when needed, envelop in a hug in times of distress and guide when decisions are to be made.
· Supportive strength when children are going through a rough patch and need some time to get back on track academically.
· Sensitivity that tells him/her not to embarrass students in front of their peers.
· The ability to encourage when the going is touch, to push when that extra nudge is needed and to correct when on the wrong path.
· Forgiveness and kindness – qualities that rate higher than strictness in enforcing discipline.
· The ability to treat all students equally without showing favoritism.
· The ability to bring out hidden talents in students and encourage them to pursue their dreams.
· The ability to care for opinions even if they come from students who do not perform well academically.
· The ability to keep students’ secrets.
· Perseverance – even when the children are filled with self-doubts as to their own abilities.
· The ability to offer constructive criticism and honest feedback in a positive manner.
· The ability to correct without seeming to point out mistakes.
· The ability to get involved in student activities as an active participant.
A good teacher is not just one who’s well-versed in the subject; he/she should be able to adapt according to the environment and needs of the children in the picture. After all, teaching is much more than just mentoring young minds.
100 Videos to Learn New Teaching Techniques
Whether you’re a new teacher or a veteran, you probably find yourself honing your skills and reflecting on how you want to improve the learning of your students. I know for myself I was really frustrated by all of the conversation in grad school about cooperative learning, yet never had the opportunity to see any first-hand. Well, here is an article about that will help, “100 Awesome Classroom Videos to Learn New Teaching Techniques.”
* Home * Rebecca Newburn * Contact * Resources Making Educated Changes to Further Education
There is a no greater gift that we can give our children than quality education. Education knocks down the barriers erected between the rich and the poor, it’s the catalyst that’s needed for the reaction that combines hard work and determination and converts it to success, and it’s wealth that we can never lose once we’ve gained it. With over 90 percent of American children being educated at public schools, improving the quality of education a student receives translates to improving the quality of these schools. To do this, city administrative officials must focus on:
· Hiring and retaining qualified teachers who are dedicated to the profession.
· Improving the standards at preschools so that kids enter K12 schools ready to learn. The potential in each child must be developed.
· Improving safety at schools, especially those in poor neighborhoods where the crime rate is high.
· Involving parents in the education process, with teachers providing regular feedback on how their children are performing at school and opening up channels of communication between parents, teachers and the school authorities.
· Improving facilities and infrastructure at schools.
· Putting funds to good use to further the development of the school, and hence its students.
· Holding quality after-school programs to help weaker kids with homework, assignments and lessons.
· Decreasing the number of drop outs.
· Taking a career-oriented approach with seniors or providing guidance and counseling to choose the right colleges and majors.
· Performance-based incentives for teachers to motivate them. An amount of accountability must also be factored in to ensure that they don’t help students cheat by leaking test papers or helping them with answers.
· Improving not just academic test scores at schools, but providing students with an all-round educational experience that will prepare them to face the life ahead.
· Hiring and retaining qualified teachers who are dedicated to the profession.
· Improving the standards at preschools so that kids enter K12 schools ready to learn. The potential in each child must be developed.
· Improving safety at schools, especially those in poor neighborhoods where the crime rate is high.
· Involving parents in the education process, with teachers providing regular feedback on how their children are performing at school and opening up channels of communication between parents, teachers and the school authorities.
· Improving facilities and infrastructure at schools.
· Putting funds to good use to further the development of the school, and hence its students.
· Holding quality after-school programs to help weaker kids with homework, assignments and lessons.
· Decreasing the number of drop outs.
· Taking a career-oriented approach with seniors or providing guidance and counseling to choose the right colleges and majors.
· Performance-based incentives for teachers to motivate them. An amount of accountability must also be factored in to ensure that they don’t help students cheat by leaking test papers or helping them with answers.
· Improving not just academic test scores at schools, but providing students with an all-round educational experience that will prepare them to face the life ahead.
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Book and Entertainment Reviews
Calculators and Formulas
Calendars and Schedules
Computer Information
Consumer Information
Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
English Usage and Citation Guide
Everyday Life
Finding People and Organizations
General Reference Sources
Image Finder and All-Purpose Picture Files
Journal List of St. Ambrose University Library
Maps and Travel Information
Medical Information
Quotations
Rankings and Awards
Statistics
Monday, September 15, 2008
Marketing Code for Student Lenders
Resolving an investigation into whether they misled consumers, seven student loan companies have agreed to follow a code of conduct for their marketing, the New York attorney general’s office said on Tuesday.
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The companies also agreed to put a total of $1.4 million into a fund to help educate students and their families about financial aid, Andrew M. Cuomo, the attorney general, said in a statement on Tuesday.
Those companies are Campus Door, EduCap, GMAC Bank, Graduate Loan Associates, Nelnet, NextStudent and Xanthus Financial Services.
An eighth lender, My Rich Uncle, has agreed to the marketing code voluntarily even though the attorney general’s office did not find fault with its marketing.
Some of the companies sent solicitations to students that looked as if they had come from the federal government, according to the attorney general’s office.
Others advertised interest rates not available to most borrowers. Some offered prizes and ran contests to lure student borrowers.
“These settlements are a major step forward in cleaning up an industry where false and misleading advertising practices have been all too rampant,” Mr. Cuomo said.
He added, “It is unconscionable for lenders to entice students into loans that are not best for them.”
Representatives of EduCap, Nelnet and GMAC Bank denied any wrongdoing but each said they welcomed the new code.
Raza Khan, president and co-founder of My Rich Uncle, said that the company was not part of the investigation but “wholeheartedly supported the code of conduct and voluntarily agreed to abide by it.”
Mr. Khan added, “This agreement did not require us to change how we market.”
The code of conduct, which Mr. Cuomo said he hoped other lenders would adopt, would ban using logos and return addresses that resemble those used by the federal government; sending false checks or rebate offers; offering free iPods or other gifts to lure borrowers; making misleading statements about loan terms and benefits, and providing examples of loan costs that are available to a small percentage of borrowers.
Democratic lawmakers in Washington have raised concerns about lenders’ marketing practices. In a statement on Tuesday, George Miller, the California Democrat who is chairman of the House education committee, said, “I am glad that attorney general Cuomo has continued to diligently pursue lenders involved with shady marketing schemes.”
In developing the code and persuading lenders to adopt it, Mr. Cuomo’s office is pursuing a similar strategy to one followed in addressing questionable ties between college financial aid offices and student loan companies uncovered in investigations last year. Benjamin Lawsky, special assistant to the attorney general, said the office’s investigation was continuing and expanding to include other potential conflicts of interest on college campuses.
“Numerous vendors do millions of dollars of business on college campuses, and we have found that they often pay to play,” Mr. Lawsky said. “The question then becomes, are students getting the best deals or, as we found in the student loan industry, are universities entering into financial arrangements that benefit them at the expense of students?”
Skip to next paragraph
Related
Statement from the Office of the Attorney General
Add to Portfolio
* GMAC Llc
* Nelnet, Inc
Go to your Portfolio »
The companies also agreed to put a total of $1.4 million into a fund to help educate students and their families about financial aid, Andrew M. Cuomo, the attorney general, said in a statement on Tuesday.
Those companies are Campus Door, EduCap, GMAC Bank, Graduate Loan Associates, Nelnet, NextStudent and Xanthus Financial Services.
An eighth lender, My Rich Uncle, has agreed to the marketing code voluntarily even though the attorney general’s office did not find fault with its marketing.
Some of the companies sent solicitations to students that looked as if they had come from the federal government, according to the attorney general’s office.
Others advertised interest rates not available to most borrowers. Some offered prizes and ran contests to lure student borrowers.
“These settlements are a major step forward in cleaning up an industry where false and misleading advertising practices have been all too rampant,” Mr. Cuomo said.
He added, “It is unconscionable for lenders to entice students into loans that are not best for them.”
Representatives of EduCap, Nelnet and GMAC Bank denied any wrongdoing but each said they welcomed the new code.
Raza Khan, president and co-founder of My Rich Uncle, said that the company was not part of the investigation but “wholeheartedly supported the code of conduct and voluntarily agreed to abide by it.”
Mr. Khan added, “This agreement did not require us to change how we market.”
The code of conduct, which Mr. Cuomo said he hoped other lenders would adopt, would ban using logos and return addresses that resemble those used by the federal government; sending false checks or rebate offers; offering free iPods or other gifts to lure borrowers; making misleading statements about loan terms and benefits, and providing examples of loan costs that are available to a small percentage of borrowers.
Democratic lawmakers in Washington have raised concerns about lenders’ marketing practices. In a statement on Tuesday, George Miller, the California Democrat who is chairman of the House education committee, said, “I am glad that attorney general Cuomo has continued to diligently pursue lenders involved with shady marketing schemes.”
In developing the code and persuading lenders to adopt it, Mr. Cuomo’s office is pursuing a similar strategy to one followed in addressing questionable ties between college financial aid offices and student loan companies uncovered in investigations last year. Benjamin Lawsky, special assistant to the attorney general, said the office’s investigation was continuing and expanding to include other potential conflicts of interest on college campuses.
“Numerous vendors do millions of dollars of business on college campuses, and we have found that they often pay to play,” Mr. Lawsky said. “The question then becomes, are students getting the best deals or, as we found in the student loan industry, are universities entering into financial arrangements that benefit them at the expense of students?”
Don’t Buy That Textbook, Download It Free
SQUINT hard, and textbook publishers can look a lot like drug makers. They both make money from doing obvious good — healing, educating — and they both have customers who may be willing to sacrifice their last pennies to buy what these companies are selling.
It is that fact that can suddenly turn the good guys into bad guys, especially when the prices they charge are compared with generic drugs or ordinary books. A final similarity, in the words of R. Preston McAfee, an economics professor at Cal Tech, is that both textbook publishers and drug makers benefit from the problem of “moral hazards” — that is, the doctor who prescribes medication and the professor who requires a textbook don’t have to bear the cost and thus usually don’t think twice about it.
“The person who pays for the book, the parent or the student, doesn’t choose it,” he said. “There is this sort of creep. It’s always O.K. to add $5.”
In protest of what he says are textbooks’ intolerably high prices — and the dumbing down of their content to appeal to the widest possible market — Professor McAfee has put his introductory economics textbook online free. He says he most likely could have earned a $100,000 advance on the book had he gone the traditional publishing route, and it would have had a list price approaching $200.
“This market is not working very well — except for the shareholders in the textbook publishers,” he said. “We have lots of knowledge, but we are not getting it out.”
•
While still on the periphery of the academic world, his volume, “Introduction to Economic Analysis,” is being used at some colleges, including Harvard and Claremont-McKenna, a private liberal arts college in Claremont, Calif..
And that, in a nutshell, is a big difference between textbook publishers and the drug makers. Sure, there have been scientists with Professor McAfee’s attitude — Jonas Salk was asked who owned the patent to the polio vaccine and scoffed: “Could you patent the sun?”
For the textbook makers, however, it is a different story. Professor McAfee allows anyone to download a Word file or PDF of his book, while also taking advantage of the growing marketplace for print on demand.
In true economist fashion, he has allowed two companies, Lulu and Flat World Knowledge, to sell print versions of his textbook, with Lulu charging $11 and Flat World anywhere from $19.95 to $59.95. As he said on his Web site, he is keeping the multiple options to “further constrain their ability to engage in monopoly pricing.”
A broader effort to publish free textbooks is called Connexions, which was the brainchild of Richard G. Baraniuk, an engineering professor at Rice University, which has received $6 million from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. In addition to being a repository for textbooks covering a wide range of subjects and educational levels, its ethic is taken from the digital music world, he said — rip, burn and mash.
Unlike other projects that share course materials, notably OpenCourseWare at M.I.T., Connexions uses broader Creative Commons license allowing students and teachers to rewrite and edit material as long as the originator is credited. Teachers put up material, called “modules,” and then mix and match their work with others’ to create a collection of material for students. “We are changing textbook publishing from a pipeline to an ecosystem,” he said.
Like Professor McAfee, Professor Baraniuk says he decided to share his material while writing a textbook.
“If I had finished my own book, I would have finished a couple years ago,” he said. “It would have taken five years. It would have spent five years in print and sold 2,000 copies.” Instead, he said, he posted it on the Web site and there have been 2.8 million page views of his textbook, “Signals and Systems,” including a translation into Spanish.
Connexions is strongest in statistics and electrical engineering — areas with technologically advanced students and a greater need to update material than, say, works on medieval history. He said there were 850,000 unique users a month, with more than 50 percent of the traffic originating from outside the United States.
“It’s anyone’s guess as to when we will break through,” he said.
It is that fact that can suddenly turn the good guys into bad guys, especially when the prices they charge are compared with generic drugs or ordinary books. A final similarity, in the words of R. Preston McAfee, an economics professor at Cal Tech, is that both textbook publishers and drug makers benefit from the problem of “moral hazards” — that is, the doctor who prescribes medication and the professor who requires a textbook don’t have to bear the cost and thus usually don’t think twice about it.
“The person who pays for the book, the parent or the student, doesn’t choose it,” he said. “There is this sort of creep. It’s always O.K. to add $5.”
In protest of what he says are textbooks’ intolerably high prices — and the dumbing down of their content to appeal to the widest possible market — Professor McAfee has put his introductory economics textbook online free. He says he most likely could have earned a $100,000 advance on the book had he gone the traditional publishing route, and it would have had a list price approaching $200.
“This market is not working very well — except for the shareholders in the textbook publishers,” he said. “We have lots of knowledge, but we are not getting it out.”
•
While still on the periphery of the academic world, his volume, “Introduction to Economic Analysis,” is being used at some colleges, including Harvard and Claremont-McKenna, a private liberal arts college in Claremont, Calif..
And that, in a nutshell, is a big difference between textbook publishers and the drug makers. Sure, there have been scientists with Professor McAfee’s attitude — Jonas Salk was asked who owned the patent to the polio vaccine and scoffed: “Could you patent the sun?”
For the textbook makers, however, it is a different story. Professor McAfee allows anyone to download a Word file or PDF of his book, while also taking advantage of the growing marketplace for print on demand.
In true economist fashion, he has allowed two companies, Lulu and Flat World Knowledge, to sell print versions of his textbook, with Lulu charging $11 and Flat World anywhere from $19.95 to $59.95. As he said on his Web site, he is keeping the multiple options to “further constrain their ability to engage in monopoly pricing.”
A broader effort to publish free textbooks is called Connexions, which was the brainchild of Richard G. Baraniuk, an engineering professor at Rice University, which has received $6 million from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. In addition to being a repository for textbooks covering a wide range of subjects and educational levels, its ethic is taken from the digital music world, he said — rip, burn and mash.
Unlike other projects that share course materials, notably OpenCourseWare at M.I.T., Connexions uses broader Creative Commons license allowing students and teachers to rewrite and edit material as long as the originator is credited. Teachers put up material, called “modules,” and then mix and match their work with others’ to create a collection of material for students. “We are changing textbook publishing from a pipeline to an ecosystem,” he said.
Like Professor McAfee, Professor Baraniuk says he decided to share his material while writing a textbook.
“If I had finished my own book, I would have finished a couple years ago,” he said. “It would have taken five years. It would have spent five years in print and sold 2,000 copies.” Instead, he said, he posted it on the Web site and there have been 2.8 million page views of his textbook, “Signals and Systems,” including a translation into Spanish.
Connexions is strongest in statistics and electrical engineering — areas with technologically advanced students and a greater need to update material than, say, works on medieval history. He said there were 850,000 unique users a month, with more than 50 percent of the traffic originating from outside the United States.
“It’s anyone’s guess as to when we will break through,” he said.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Google Patches Security Vulnerabilities in Chrome
Google has issued an update for its Chrome browser to address four security issues. Chrome, still in beta, has attracted attention as Google looks to challenge Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla's Firefox and other browsers.
Google has updated its Chrome browser to address some of the security vulnerabilities uncovered in the week-old beta.
The update patches a buffer overflow vulnerability that exists in the handling of long file names that display in the ‘SaveAs’ dialog. The update also fixes a second buffer overflow vulnerability in the handling link targets displayed in the status area when the user hovers over a link. In its advisory, Google classified both vulnerabilities as critical, stating they could allow hackers to execute code.
The update also fixes an out-of-bounds memory read when parsing URLs ending with :%. According to the advisory, the situation could cause the browser to crash. In addition, the update changes the default Downloads directory if it is set to Desktop to limit the risk of malicious cluttering of the desktop with unwanted downloads.
Though only in beta, Chrome has generated a significant amount of interest from the security community, and has become a target for anyone looking to test its security chops against rival browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Apple’s Safari. For example, security researcher Aviv Raff last week demonstrated a proof of concept for an attack taking advantage of a Java bug and Google’s use of an old version of WebKit. Thus far, the issue has not been fixed.
In addition to hammering out some of the beta’s security dents, the update fixes a JavaScript bug affecting Facebook.com as well as some data transfer issues with the Safe Browsing service causing unnecessary traffic.
Google has updated its Chrome browser to address some of the security vulnerabilities uncovered in the week-old beta.
The update patches a buffer overflow vulnerability that exists in the handling of long file names that display in the ‘SaveAs’ dialog. The update also fixes a second buffer overflow vulnerability in the handling link targets displayed in the status area when the user hovers over a link. In its advisory, Google classified both vulnerabilities as critical, stating they could allow hackers to execute code.
The update also fixes an out-of-bounds memory read when parsing URLs ending with :%. According to the advisory, the situation could cause the browser to crash. In addition, the update changes the default Downloads directory if it is set to Desktop to limit the risk of malicious cluttering of the desktop with unwanted downloads.
Though only in beta, Chrome has generated a significant amount of interest from the security community, and has become a target for anyone looking to test its security chops against rival browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Apple’s Safari. For example, security researcher Aviv Raff last week demonstrated a proof of concept for an attack taking advantage of a Java bug and Google’s use of an old version of WebKit. Thus far, the issue has not been fixed.
In addition to hammering out some of the beta’s security dents, the update fixes a JavaScript bug affecting Facebook.com as well as some data transfer issues with the Safe Browsing service causing unnecessary traffic.
Keep Ahead of the Hackers
Stay Ahead of Vulnerabilities and Mitigate the Risk of Breaches
The following are best-practices tips for staying ahead of database vulnerabilities and for mitigating the risk of an enterprise breach.
Stay patched. Intruders seek out known vulnerabilities and will exploit them when possible. A crucial element of securing the database is to ensure that patches are implemented in a timely manner and known vulnerabilities are monitored in real time.
Automate security tasks as a regular part of database maintenance. So much of security relies on regular assessments and validation; the day-to-day work can quickly decline into tedium and get overlooked. Through automation of security processes, security professionals can schedule routine tasks and reports. Today's database security solutions enable users to schedule tasks, manage tasks concurrently, and issue notifications and alerts. Automated report generation and delivery further simplifies the process of keeping stakeholders (auditors, regulators and security staff) informed.
Keep protections current. Utilizing software that provides regular security updates for patches, new threats and known vulnerabilities is essential to protecting the database and containing risk.
Concentrate on providing multiple layers of security. Protecting data at its source, the database, is essential to preventing breaches and data loss. Even with traditional perimeter security measures in place, the best way to defend against data harvesting (where attackers remove or damage large amounts of data) is to rely on a layered defense model that necessarily includes the database.
Audit systems regularly and address issues as they arise. Conducting regular audits will ensure that security policies are on track and will help to identify irregularities or potential breaches before it's too late. Utilizing security auditing tools will assist in monitoring and recording what is happening within the database and provide alerts when suspicious or abnormal activity occurs. These best practices help to secure an organization's databases from internal as well as external threats.
Encrypt data as appropriate. Encryption is an important last line of defense and a requirement of many compliance recommendations. Encryption is particularly important for data in transit, backup files and data stored outside of the database or on mobile devices such as laptops, tapes and memory sticks.
Continuously monitor and maintain systems. Database security is an ongoing process. Security professionals must continually monitor systems to ensure compliance while they evaluate and respond to the changing threat environment. Adhering to a recognized system, like the Database Security Vulnerability Management Lifecycle, can optimize an organization's ability to understand and mitigate risk, according to Julian.
Implement database intrusion detection and auditing, especially to manage the gap of time between patch release and deployment on your systems. Audits and vulnerability assessments serve to provide an excellent starting point to address security risks. This baseline should be augmented with real-time detection policies. Implementing an alert system that delivers intrusion detection warnings in real time ensures up-to-the-minute security awareness.
The following are best-practices tips for staying ahead of database vulnerabilities and for mitigating the risk of an enterprise breach.
Stay patched. Intruders seek out known vulnerabilities and will exploit them when possible. A crucial element of securing the database is to ensure that patches are implemented in a timely manner and known vulnerabilities are monitored in real time.
Automate security tasks as a regular part of database maintenance. So much of security relies on regular assessments and validation; the day-to-day work can quickly decline into tedium and get overlooked. Through automation of security processes, security professionals can schedule routine tasks and reports. Today's database security solutions enable users to schedule tasks, manage tasks concurrently, and issue notifications and alerts. Automated report generation and delivery further simplifies the process of keeping stakeholders (auditors, regulators and security staff) informed.
Keep protections current. Utilizing software that provides regular security updates for patches, new threats and known vulnerabilities is essential to protecting the database and containing risk.
Concentrate on providing multiple layers of security. Protecting data at its source, the database, is essential to preventing breaches and data loss. Even with traditional perimeter security measures in place, the best way to defend against data harvesting (where attackers remove or damage large amounts of data) is to rely on a layered defense model that necessarily includes the database.
Audit systems regularly and address issues as they arise. Conducting regular audits will ensure that security policies are on track and will help to identify irregularities or potential breaches before it's too late. Utilizing security auditing tools will assist in monitoring and recording what is happening within the database and provide alerts when suspicious or abnormal activity occurs. These best practices help to secure an organization's databases from internal as well as external threats.
Encrypt data as appropriate. Encryption is an important last line of defense and a requirement of many compliance recommendations. Encryption is particularly important for data in transit, backup files and data stored outside of the database or on mobile devices such as laptops, tapes and memory sticks.
Continuously monitor and maintain systems. Database security is an ongoing process. Security professionals must continually monitor systems to ensure compliance while they evaluate and respond to the changing threat environment. Adhering to a recognized system, like the Database Security Vulnerability Management Lifecycle, can optimize an organization's ability to understand and mitigate risk, according to Julian.
Implement database intrusion detection and auditing, especially to manage the gap of time between patch release and deployment on your systems. Audits and vulnerability assessments serve to provide an excellent starting point to address security risks. This baseline should be augmented with real-time detection policies. Implementing an alert system that delivers intrusion detection warnings in real time ensures up-to-the-minute security awareness.
Database Security
Here are some basic database security steps enterprises can take that will improve their database security postures in just one day.
Change your default passwords. Every database Oracle has ever shipped has come with a set of default accounts and passwords. These user names and passwords are well known and documented.
"Default passwords are problematic, because they leave the front door to your database wide open," Julian said.
There are currently over 600 known default user name and password combinations and probably a dozen free tools to scan for them, Julian said.
There are also several other free scripts and tools available:
—Checkpwd from Red Database Security
—DPS (Default Password Scanner) from Oracle
—Oracle Security Probe from Pete Finnigan (written by Marcel-Jan Krijgsman)
By the way, Oracle11g includes a built-in DBA view to list default passwords (DBA_USERS_WITH_DEFPWD).
Eliminate easily guessed passwords. One of the most common attack vectors to this day is access via passwords that can be easily guessed. Attackers are aware that people use test/test or other password the same as the user name—even on production databases. There are even password dictionaries that provide common passwords.
Many hackers take advantage of wordlists. These are intended primarily for use with password crackers to gain access to systems.
Require strong passwords. Using and enforcing strong passwords can significantly enhance database security. There are a few keys to developing strong passwords:
Consider the length. Each character that a password includes increases the security of that password. Passwords should be eight or more characters in length; 14 characters or longer is ideal. A 15-character password composed only of random letters and numbers is about 33,000 times stronger than an eight-character password that uses characters from the entire keyboard.
Incorporate complexity. Combine letters, numbers and symbols to increase the variety of characters used in the password. Many systems also support use of the space bar in passwords, so you can create a phrase made of many words (a "pass phrase"). A pass phrase is often easier to remember than a simple password, as well as longer and harder to guess. Avoid sequences, repeated characters and look-alike substitutions.
Additionally, for Oracle passwords specifically, passwords must begin with an ASCII letter. From there, ASCII letters a-z, _, #, $, and digits 0-9 are eligible. The space bar is not supported in passwords. Oracle 11g also supports case-sensitive passwords; other versions convert any password into uppercase letters.
Use variety. Use more than one password in your environment; the more you are using, the more difficult it is for malicious users to break them.
Additional steps to take include:
· Set a listener password
· Install the latest service pack
· Lock out accounts that are not in use
· Revoke permissions to PUBLIC that are not explicitly required
While implementing database security takes time and effort, by addressing these items organizations can significantly improve their security posture by eliminating these common areas of risk.
Change your default passwords. Every database Oracle has ever shipped has come with a set of default accounts and passwords. These user names and passwords are well known and documented.
"Default passwords are problematic, because they leave the front door to your database wide open," Julian said.
There are currently over 600 known default user name and password combinations and probably a dozen free tools to scan for them, Julian said.
There are also several other free scripts and tools available:
—Checkpwd from Red Database Security
—DPS (Default Password Scanner) from Oracle
—Oracle Security Probe from Pete Finnigan (written by Marcel-Jan Krijgsman)
By the way, Oracle11g includes a built-in DBA view to list default passwords (DBA_USERS_WITH_DEFPWD).
Eliminate easily guessed passwords. One of the most common attack vectors to this day is access via passwords that can be easily guessed. Attackers are aware that people use test/test or other password the same as the user name—even on production databases. There are even password dictionaries that provide common passwords.
Many hackers take advantage of wordlists. These are intended primarily for use with password crackers to gain access to systems.
Require strong passwords. Using and enforcing strong passwords can significantly enhance database security. There are a few keys to developing strong passwords:
Consider the length. Each character that a password includes increases the security of that password. Passwords should be eight or more characters in length; 14 characters or longer is ideal. A 15-character password composed only of random letters and numbers is about 33,000 times stronger than an eight-character password that uses characters from the entire keyboard.
Incorporate complexity. Combine letters, numbers and symbols to increase the variety of characters used in the password. Many systems also support use of the space bar in passwords, so you can create a phrase made of many words (a "pass phrase"). A pass phrase is often easier to remember than a simple password, as well as longer and harder to guess. Avoid sequences, repeated characters and look-alike substitutions.
Additionally, for Oracle passwords specifically, passwords must begin with an ASCII letter. From there, ASCII letters a-z, _, #, $, and digits 0-9 are eligible. The space bar is not supported in passwords. Oracle 11g also supports case-sensitive passwords; other versions convert any password into uppercase letters.
Use variety. Use more than one password in your environment; the more you are using, the more difficult it is for malicious users to break them.
Additional steps to take include:
· Set a listener password
· Install the latest service pack
· Lock out accounts that are not in use
· Revoke permissions to PUBLIC that are not explicitly required
While implementing database security takes time and effort, by addressing these items organizations can significantly improve their security posture by eliminating these common areas of risk.
Keys to Locking Down Storage Security on a Database
Enterprises most often keep their most valued data in structured storage inside a database of some kind, and hackers know it. Security consultant Ted Julian of Application Security offers a detailed look in several steps at how he believes database security should be implemented, starting with data discovery and moving all the way through the implementation of intrusion detection.
All storage, structured or unstructured, requires security of some kind, even if it's simply flipping an on/off switch or pulling the USB plug on a direct-attached external disk.
Database storage security, the subject of this article, can be slightly more complicated than that.
I talked recently with Ted Julian, vice president of consultancy Application Security, about the often-thorny security issues surrounding structured content in databases. Julian drew up a detailed look, in several steps, at what he sees as important in database security, starting with data discovery and moving all the way through how to implement intrusion detection.
The Starting Point: Data Discovery
First of all, you need to know exactly what you are securing.
"This is perhaps one of the easiest, yet most critical, steps in getting started in protecting your data—knowing where it is," Julian said. "The point being that, if you are looking to shore up protection against attacks on your data, if you aren't sure where that data resides, chances are that it's not currently protected. Once you can establish where your databases are residing within your environment, you can get started on assessing your overall environment and taking an inventory of your data assets."
Julian said database administrators need to inventory all databases, identify the vulnerabilities that are present and create a baseline of current security assets for ongoing comparison.
The ability to track and monitor progress is an important component of most compliance initiatives. This process will help organizations identify common flaws, including unpatched systems, weak or default passwords, excessive privileges and a lack of system monitoring. The task can be streamlined by utilizing technological solutions to assist with discovery, to establish a security posture baseline and to generate fix scripts to speed along remediation.
A complete database security solution will also include policies to monitor for threats and vulnerabilities in real time, Julian said.
DBAs need to prioritize their most pressing issues up front.
"Comprehensive database security efforts are based on vulnerability and threat data, including vulnerability severity and the criticality of the database information," Julian said. "Once priorities are documented, an organization should to enact a formal security plan, report on progress and demonstrate ongoing improvement."
All storage, structured or unstructured, requires security of some kind, even if it's simply flipping an on/off switch or pulling the USB plug on a direct-attached external disk.
Database storage security, the subject of this article, can be slightly more complicated than that.
I talked recently with Ted Julian, vice president of consultancy Application Security, about the often-thorny security issues surrounding structured content in databases. Julian drew up a detailed look, in several steps, at what he sees as important in database security, starting with data discovery and moving all the way through how to implement intrusion detection.
The Starting Point: Data Discovery
First of all, you need to know exactly what you are securing.
"This is perhaps one of the easiest, yet most critical, steps in getting started in protecting your data—knowing where it is," Julian said. "The point being that, if you are looking to shore up protection against attacks on your data, if you aren't sure where that data resides, chances are that it's not currently protected. Once you can establish where your databases are residing within your environment, you can get started on assessing your overall environment and taking an inventory of your data assets."
Julian said database administrators need to inventory all databases, identify the vulnerabilities that are present and create a baseline of current security assets for ongoing comparison.
The ability to track and monitor progress is an important component of most compliance initiatives. This process will help organizations identify common flaws, including unpatched systems, weak or default passwords, excessive privileges and a lack of system monitoring. The task can be streamlined by utilizing technological solutions to assist with discovery, to establish a security posture baseline and to generate fix scripts to speed along remediation.
A complete database security solution will also include policies to monitor for threats and vulnerabilities in real time, Julian said.
DBAs need to prioritize their most pressing issues up front.
"Comprehensive database security efforts are based on vulnerability and threat data, including vulnerability severity and the criticality of the database information," Julian said. "Once priorities are documented, an organization should to enact a formal security plan, report on progress and demonstrate ongoing improvement."
HTTPS Cookie-Hijacking Tool CookieMonster Gobbles Personal Data
Web browsing on SSL sites may not be as secure as you think. Security researcher Mike Perry has released additional details about his CookieMonster tool, which can be used to steal private data via HTTPS cookies. Mike Perry spoke about the issue at the Defcon security conference.
Talk of HTTPS cookie hijacking is pushing its way toward the front of the line of security concerns with the release of details regarding an automated tool dubbed the CookieMonster.
The Python-based tool is the brainchild of reverse engineer Mike Perry, who spoke about HTTPS cookie hijacking at the Defcon 16 security conference in Las Vegas in August. Though Perry has put off making the tool available to the general public, he recently posted more details explaining how the tool works on his blog, which prompted the SANS Institute to give a heads-up.
With HTTPS cookies in their metaphorical jar, cyber-crooks could potentially access online accounts. In an overview, Perry described CookieMonster as an automated tool that can be configured to steal the cookies for a specific list of domains for every client IP on the local network. The tool is also able to compromise arbitrary insecure SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) sites without the need to provide such a target list.
"Basically, [the issue] revolves around the fact that cookies have two modes: secure and insecure," Perry wrote in a blog post. "If a cookie is insecure, a browser will transmit it for plain old HTTP connections, and an active attacker can then inject a set of HTTP images for sites that they want cookies for, and the browser will happily transmit cookies for these sites unencrypted, allowing their capture."
In addition to insecure HTTPS cookies, CookieMonster also steals URL-based session ID details, which are used to prevent cross-site request forgery.
According to Perry, the injection mechanism is the airpwn-style TCP race condition attack. Currently, only open and WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) wireless injection is supported.
"Since CookieMonster is local, it is able to respond to arbitrary Web requests considerably faster than the actual Web server," he wrote in a separate overview of the tool. "This allows us to hijack any connections we wish."
To check whether a Web site is vulnerable using Firefox, users can go to the Privacy tab in the Preferences window and select Show Cookies.
"For a given site, inspect the individual cookies for the top-level name of the site, and any subdomain names, and if any have 'Send For: Encrypted connections only,' delete them," Perry explained on his blog. "Then try to visit your site again. If it still allows you in, the site is insecure and your session can be stolen. You should report this to the site maintainer."
Talk of HTTPS cookie hijacking is pushing its way toward the front of the line of security concerns with the release of details regarding an automated tool dubbed the CookieMonster.
The Python-based tool is the brainchild of reverse engineer Mike Perry, who spoke about HTTPS cookie hijacking at the Defcon 16 security conference in Las Vegas in August. Though Perry has put off making the tool available to the general public, he recently posted more details explaining how the tool works on his blog, which prompted the SANS Institute to give a heads-up.
With HTTPS cookies in their metaphorical jar, cyber-crooks could potentially access online accounts. In an overview, Perry described CookieMonster as an automated tool that can be configured to steal the cookies for a specific list of domains for every client IP on the local network. The tool is also able to compromise arbitrary insecure SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) sites without the need to provide such a target list.
"Basically, [the issue] revolves around the fact that cookies have two modes: secure and insecure," Perry wrote in a blog post. "If a cookie is insecure, a browser will transmit it for plain old HTTP connections, and an active attacker can then inject a set of HTTP images for sites that they want cookies for, and the browser will happily transmit cookies for these sites unencrypted, allowing their capture."
In addition to insecure HTTPS cookies, CookieMonster also steals URL-based session ID details, which are used to prevent cross-site request forgery.
According to Perry, the injection mechanism is the airpwn-style TCP race condition attack. Currently, only open and WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) wireless injection is supported.
"Since CookieMonster is local, it is able to respond to arbitrary Web requests considerably faster than the actual Web server," he wrote in a separate overview of the tool. "This allows us to hijack any connections we wish."
To check whether a Web site is vulnerable using Firefox, users can go to the Privacy tab in the Preferences window and select Show Cookies.
"For a given site, inspect the individual cookies for the top-level name of the site, and any subdomain names, and if any have 'Send For: Encrypted connections only,' delete them," Perry explained on his blog. "Then try to visit your site again. If it still allows you in, the site is insecure and your session can be stolen. You should report this to the site maintainer."
Former Intel Employee Accused of Stealing Corporate Data Points Up Insider Threat
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A former Intel employee stands accused of stealing data from Intel after secretly beginning to work for rival chip maker AMD. The incident, described in a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Boston, underscores the importance of controlling and monitoring access to corporate data.
The alleged theft of trade secrets from Intel by a former employee offers yet another reminder of the importance of monitoring and controlling access to corporate data.
According to reports, ex-Intel engineer Biswamohan Pani has been accused by the FBI of stealing trade secrets from Intel while he secretly worked for the company's chief rival, Advanced Micro Devices. The allegations were made in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Boston in late August.
In an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Timothy Russell of the bureau's Boston computer crime squad, it is stated that Pani told officials at Intel in May he was resigning to work for a hedge fund and would utilize accrued vacation time until his final official day June 11. However, allegedly, Pani began working for AMD June 2 and soon after accessed and downloaded 13 secret documents from an encrypted system at Intel.
When rumors that Pani was working for both companies began to circulate, Intel reportedly checked to see if Pani was accessing confidential documents and then called the FBI. A July 1 search of Pani's home turned up eight Intel documents classified as confidential, secret or top secret, according to the affidavit.
Pani no longer works for AMD, and has denied any wrongdoing. But regardless, the accusations provide another clear example of the importance of keeping track of user access to confidential data.
Brian Cleary, vice president of products and marketing at enterprise access governance company Aveksa, argued that any user in that role with access to that type of information should have had those access rights immediately revoked after giving notice of resignation. However, as SailPoint Technologies CEO Mark McClain pointed out, as long as employees are in good standing it is common practice to allow them continued access while they are still employed.
"However, it makes sense to take mitigating steps because employees that have given notice should be considered higher than average risk," McClain said. "For instance, it probably makes sense to monitor the activity of these employees, how they are using access."
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A former Intel employee stands accused of stealing data from Intel after secretly beginning to work for rival chip maker AMD. The incident, described in a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Boston, underscores the importance of controlling and monitoring access to corporate data.
The alleged theft of trade secrets from Intel by a former employee offers yet another reminder of the importance of monitoring and controlling access to corporate data.
According to reports, ex-Intel engineer Biswamohan Pani has been accused by the FBI of stealing trade secrets from Intel while he secretly worked for the company's chief rival, Advanced Micro Devices. The allegations were made in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Boston in late August.
In an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Timothy Russell of the bureau's Boston computer crime squad, it is stated that Pani told officials at Intel in May he was resigning to work for a hedge fund and would utilize accrued vacation time until his final official day June 11. However, allegedly, Pani began working for AMD June 2 and soon after accessed and downloaded 13 secret documents from an encrypted system at Intel.
When rumors that Pani was working for both companies began to circulate, Intel reportedly checked to see if Pani was accessing confidential documents and then called the FBI. A July 1 search of Pani's home turned up eight Intel documents classified as confidential, secret or top secret, according to the affidavit.
Pani no longer works for AMD, and has denied any wrongdoing. But regardless, the accusations provide another clear example of the importance of keeping track of user access to confidential data.
Brian Cleary, vice president of products and marketing at enterprise access governance company Aveksa, argued that any user in that role with access to that type of information should have had those access rights immediately revoked after giving notice of resignation. However, as SailPoint Technologies CEO Mark McClain pointed out, as long as employees are in good standing it is common practice to allow them continued access while they are still employed.
"However, it makes sense to take mitigating steps because employees that have given notice should be considered higher than average risk," McClain said. "For instance, it probably makes sense to monitor the activity of these employees, how they are using access."
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Miscellaneous
The Google toolbar
If you have the Google toolbar installed in your browser, you will be used to seeing each page's PageRank as you browse the web. But all isn't always as it seems. Many pages that Google displays the PageRank for haven't been indexed in Google and certainly don't have any PageRank in their own right. What is happening is that one or more pages on the site have been indexed and a PageRank has been calculated. The PageRank figure for the site's pages that haven't been indexed is allocated on the fly - just for your toolbar. The PageRank itself doesn't exist.
It's important to know this so that you can avoid exchanging links with pages that really don't have any PageRank of their own. Before making exchanges, search for the page on Google to make sure that it is indexed.
Sub-directories
Some people believe that Google drops a page's PageRank by a value of 1 for each sub-directory level below the root directory. E.g. if the value of pages in the root directory is generally around 4, then pages in the next directory level down will be generally around 3, and so on down the levels. Other people (including me) don't accept that at all. Either way, because some spiders tend to avoid deep sub-directories, it is generally considered to be beneficial to keep directory structures shallow (directories one or two levels below the root).
ODP and Yahoo!
It used to be thought that Google gave a Pagerank boost to sites that are listed in the Yahoo! and ODP (a.k.a. DMOZ) directories, but these days general opinion is that they don't. There is certainly a PageRank gain for sites that are listed in those directories, but the reason for it is now thought to be this:-
Google spiders the directories just like any other site and their pages have decent PageRank and so they are good inbound links to have. In the case of the ODP, Google's directory is a copy of the ODP directory. Each time that sites are added and dropped from the ODP, they are added and dropped from Google's directory when they next update it. The entry in Google's directory is yet another good, PageRank boosting, inbound link. Also, the ODP data is used for searches on a myriad of websites - more inbound links!
Listings in the ODP are free but, because sites are reviewed by hand, it can take quite a long time to get in. The sooner a working site is submitted, the better. For tips on submitting to DMOZ, see this this DMOZ article.
Comments and suggestions
Comments and suggestions are welcomed. Please post in the forum if you have any.
Further information and resources
# Another PageRank Explained article (by Ian Rogers): here
# Internet marketing articles, tips, tricks and secrets: here
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If you have the Google toolbar installed in your browser, you will be used to seeing each page's PageRank as you browse the web. But all isn't always as it seems. Many pages that Google displays the PageRank for haven't been indexed in Google and certainly don't have any PageRank in their own right. What is happening is that one or more pages on the site have been indexed and a PageRank has been calculated. The PageRank figure for the site's pages that haven't been indexed is allocated on the fly - just for your toolbar. The PageRank itself doesn't exist.
It's important to know this so that you can avoid exchanging links with pages that really don't have any PageRank of their own. Before making exchanges, search for the page on Google to make sure that it is indexed.
Sub-directories
Some people believe that Google drops a page's PageRank by a value of 1 for each sub-directory level below the root directory. E.g. if the value of pages in the root directory is generally around 4, then pages in the next directory level down will be generally around 3, and so on down the levels. Other people (including me) don't accept that at all. Either way, because some spiders tend to avoid deep sub-directories, it is generally considered to be beneficial to keep directory structures shallow (directories one or two levels below the root).
ODP and Yahoo!
It used to be thought that Google gave a Pagerank boost to sites that are listed in the Yahoo! and ODP (a.k.a. DMOZ) directories, but these days general opinion is that they don't. There is certainly a PageRank gain for sites that are listed in those directories, but the reason for it is now thought to be this:-
Google spiders the directories just like any other site and their pages have decent PageRank and so they are good inbound links to have. In the case of the ODP, Google's directory is a copy of the ODP directory. Each time that sites are added and dropped from the ODP, they are added and dropped from Google's directory when they next update it. The entry in Google's directory is yet another good, PageRank boosting, inbound link. Also, the ODP data is used for searches on a myriad of websites - more inbound links!
Listings in the ODP are free but, because sites are reviewed by hand, it can take quite a long time to get in. The sooner a working site is submitted, the better. For tips on submitting to DMOZ, see this this DMOZ article.
Comments and suggestions
Comments and suggestions are welcomed. Please post in the forum if you have any.
Further information and resources
# Another PageRank Explained article (by Ian Rogers): here
# Internet marketing articles, tips, tricks and secrets: here
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So how much additional PageRank do we need to move up the toolbar?
First, let me explain in more detail why the values shown in the Google toolbar are not the actual PageRank figures. According to the equation, and to the creators of Google, the billions of pages on the web average out to a PageRank of 1.0 per page. So the total PageRank on the web is equal to the number of pages on the web * 1, which equals a lot of PageRank spread around the web.
The Google toolbar range is from 1 to 10. (They sometimes show 0, but that figure isn't believed to be a PageRank calculation result). What Google does is divide the full range of actual PageRanks on the web into 10 parts - each part is represented by a value as shown in the toolbar. So the toolbar values only show what part of the overall range a page's PageRank is in, and not the actual PageRank itself. The numbers in the toolbar are just labels.
Whether or not the overall range is divided into 10 equal parts is a matter for debate - Google aren't saying. But because it is much harder to move up a toolbar point at the higher end than it is at the lower end, many people (including me) believe that the divisions are based on a logarithmic scale, or something very similar, rather than the equal divisions of a linear scale.
Let's assume that it is a logarithmic, base 10 scale, and that it takes 10 properly linked new pages to move a site's important page up 1 toolbar point. It will take 100 new pages to move it up another point, 1000 new pages to move it up one more, 10,000 to the next, and so on. That's why moving up at the lower end is much easier that at the higher end.
In reality, the base is unlikely to be 10. Some people think it is around the 5 or 6 mark, and maybe even less. Even so, it still gets progressively harder to move up a toolbar point at the higher end of the scale.
Note that as the number of pages on the web increases, so does the total PageRank on the web, and as the total PageRank increases, the positions of the divisions in the overall scale must change. As a result, some pages drop a toolbar point for no 'apparent' reason. If the page's actual PageRank was only just above a division in the scale, the addition of new pages to the web would cause the division to move up slightly and the page would end up just below the division. Google's index is always increasing and they re-evaluate each of the pages on more or less a monthly basis. It's known as the "Google dance". When the dance is over, some pages will have dropped a toolbar point. A number of new pages might be all that is needed to get the point back after the next dance.
The toolbar value is a good indicator of a page's PageRank but it only indicates that a page is in a certain range of the overall scale. One PR5 page could be just above the PR5 division and another PR5 page could be just below the PR6 division - almost a whole division (toolbar point) between them.
The Google toolbar range is from 1 to 10. (They sometimes show 0, but that figure isn't believed to be a PageRank calculation result). What Google does is divide the full range of actual PageRanks on the web into 10 parts - each part is represented by a value as shown in the toolbar. So the toolbar values only show what part of the overall range a page's PageRank is in, and not the actual PageRank itself. The numbers in the toolbar are just labels.
Whether or not the overall range is divided into 10 equal parts is a matter for debate - Google aren't saying. But because it is much harder to move up a toolbar point at the higher end than it is at the lower end, many people (including me) believe that the divisions are based on a logarithmic scale, or something very similar, rather than the equal divisions of a linear scale.
Let's assume that it is a logarithmic, base 10 scale, and that it takes 10 properly linked new pages to move a site's important page up 1 toolbar point. It will take 100 new pages to move it up another point, 1000 new pages to move it up one more, 10,000 to the next, and so on. That's why moving up at the lower end is much easier that at the higher end.
In reality, the base is unlikely to be 10. Some people think it is around the 5 or 6 mark, and maybe even less. Even so, it still gets progressively harder to move up a toolbar point at the higher end of the scale.
Note that as the number of pages on the web increases, so does the total PageRank on the web, and as the total PageRank increases, the positions of the divisions in the overall scale must change. As a result, some pages drop a toolbar point for no 'apparent' reason. If the page's actual PageRank was only just above a division in the scale, the addition of new pages to the web would cause the division to move up slightly and the page would end up just below the division. Google's index is always increasing and they re-evaluate each of the pages on more or less a monthly basis. It's known as the "Google dance". When the dance is over, some pages will have dropped a toolbar point. A number of new pages might be all that is needed to get the point back after the next dance.
The toolbar value is a good indicator of a page's PageRank but it only indicates that a page is in a certain range of the overall scale. One PR5 page could be just above the PR5 division and another PR5 page could be just below the PR6 division - almost a whole division (toolbar point) between them.
Inbound links
The linking page's PageRank is important, but so is the number of links going from that page. For instance, if you are the only link from a page that has a lowly PR2, you will receive an injection of 0.15 + 0.85(2/1) = 1.85 into your site, whereas a link from a PR8 page that has another 99 links from it will increase your site's PageRank by 0.15 + 0.85(7/100) = 0.2095. Clearly, the PR2 link is much better - or is it? See here for a probable reason why this is not the case.
Once the PageRank is injected into your site, the calculations are done again and each page's PageRank is changed. Depending on the internal link structure, some pages' PageRank is increased, some are unchanged but no pages lose any PageRank.
It is beneficial to have the inbound links coming to the pages to which you are channeling your PageRank. A PageRank injection to any other page will be spread around the site through the internal links. The important pages will receive an increase, but not as much of an increase as when they are linked to directly. The page that receives the inbound link, makes the biggest gain.
It is easy to think of our site as being a small, self-contained network of pages. When we do the PageRank calculations we are dealing with our small network. If we make a link to another site, we lose some of our network's PageRank, and if we receive a link, our network's PageRank is added to. But it isn't like that. For the PageRank calculations, there is only one network - every page that Google has in its index. Each iteration of the calculation is done on the entire network and not on individual websites.
Because the entire network is interlinked, and every link and every page plays its part in each iteration of the calculations, it is impossible for us to calculate the effect of inbound links to our site with any realistic accuracy.
Dangling links
"Dangling links are simply links that point to any page with no outgoing links. They affect the model because it is not clear where their weight should be distributed, and there are a large number of them. Often these dangling links are simply pages that we have not downloaded yet..........Because dangling links do not affect the ranking of any other page directly, we simply remove them from the system until all the PageRanks are calculated. After all the PageRanks are calculated they can be added back in without affecting things significantly." - extract from the original PageRank paper by Google’s founders, Sergey Brin and Lawrence Page.
It may suit site functionality to link to pages that have no links going from them without losing any PageRank from the other pages but it would be waste of potential PageRank. Take a look at this example. The site's potential is 5 because it has 5 pages, but without page E linked in, the site only has 4.15.
Link page A to page E and click Calculate. Notice that the site's total has gone down very significantly. But, because the new link is dangling and would be removed from the calculations, we can ignore the new total and assume the previous 4.15 to be true. That's the effect of functionally useful, dangling links in the site. There's no overall PageRank loss.
However, some of the site's potential total is still being wasted, so link Page E back to Page A and click Calculate. Now we have the maximum PageRank that is possible with 5 pages. Nothing is being wasted.
Although it may be functionally good to link to pages within the site without those pages linking out again, it is bad for PageRank. It is pointless wasting PageRank unnecessarily, so always make sure that every page in the site links out to at least one other page in the site.
Internal linking
What can we do with this 'overall' PageRank?
For the examples, we are going to ignore that fact, mainly because other 'Pagerank Explained' type documents ignore it in the calculations, and it might be confusing when comparing documents. The calculator operates in two modes:- Simple and Real. In Simple mode, the calculations assume that all pages are in the Google index, whether or not any other pages link to them. In Real mode the calculations disregard unlinked-to pages. These examples show the results as calculated in Simple mode. 
Let's consider a 3 page site (pages A, B and C) with no links coming in from the outside. We will allocate each page an initial PageRank of 1, although it makes no difference whether we start each page with 1, 0 or 99. Apart from a few millionths of a PageRank point, after many iterations the end result is always the same. Starting with 1 requires fewer iterations for the PageRanks to converge to a suitable result than when starting with 0 or any other number. You may want to use a pencil and paper to follow this or you can follow it with the calculator.
The site's maximum PageRank is the amount of PageRank in the site. In this case, we have 3 pages so the site's maximum is 3.
At the moment, none of the pages link to any other pages and none link to them. If you make the calculation once for each page, you'll find that each of them ends up with a PageRank of 0.15. No matter how many iterations you run, each page's PageRank remains at 0.15. The total PageRank in the site = 0.45, whereas it could be 3. The site is seriously wasting most of its potential PageRank.
How is PageRank calculated?
PR(A) = (1-d) + d(PR(t1)/C(t1) + ... + PR(tn)/C(tn))
We can think of it in a simpler way:-
a page's PageRank = 0.15 + 0.85 * (a "share" of the PageRank of every page that links to it)
"share" = the linking page's PageRank divided by the number of outbound links on the page.
Ok so far? Good. Now we'll look at how the calculations are actually done.
Step 1: Calculate page A's PageRank from the value of its inbound links
Step 2: Calculate page B's PageRank from the value of its inbound links
1. They quote the same, published equation - but then change it
from PR(A) = (1-d) + d(......) to PR(A) = PR(A) + (1-d) + d(......)
Politics & Government
- Daily Kos Markos Moulitsas Zuniga. One of the best-known liberal blogs.
- Talking Points Memo Joshua Micah Marshall. Widely read liberal blog from a contributor to Washington Monthly and The Hill.
- MyDD Jerome Armstrong and Chris Bowers.
- Eschaton Atrios, aka Duncan Black. "Proud member of the reality-based community."
- AmericaBlog John Aravosis. Politics from the left; one of the key sources of info in the Gannon/Guckert affair.
- Crooks and Liars and politics, with a liberal slant. And a great collection of video clips.
- Daily Dish Andrew Sullivan on conservative, religious and gay issues. (He tried to stop but couldn't.)
- InstaPundit Glenn Reynolds. One of the best-known conservative blogs.
- Kausfiles Mickey Kaus's mostly political blog on Slate
- Little Green Footballs
- Power Line One of the more widely read blogs from the right.
- Iraqi Bloggers Central Good collection of links to Iraqi bloggers.
- Mystery Pollster Mark Blumenthal's intelligent analysis of polls and polling.
- Wonkette Washington gossip (also from the Gawker empire).
- Global Voices gathers some interesting views from blogs around the world.
- ScotusBlog and the related Supreme Court Nomination Blog are keeping a close watch on the proceedings in the court.
- Also see Traditional Media, below
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