OpenSSH is a set of FREE computer programs providing encrypted communication sessions over a computer network using the ssh protocol. OpenSSH allows telnet, rlogin and FTP users to encrypt all traffic (including passwords) to effectively eliminate eavesdropping, connection hijacking, and other attacks.

OpenSSH server and client version 5.1 has just been released and available for download.

Some notable features are:

• Introduce experimental SSH Fingerprint ASCII Visualisation to ssh(1) and ssh-keygen(1).
• sshd now support CIDR address/masklen matching.
• Added an extended test mode (-T) to sshd(8) to request that it write its effective configuration to stdout and exit.
• ssh(1) now prints the number of bytes transferred and the overall connection throughput for SSH protocol 2 sessions when in verbose mode.
• Added a MaxSessions option to sshd_config(5) to allow control of the number of multiplexed sessions supported over a single TCP connection.

See the complete list of features here

Plumble is offering free two-and-a-half-minute calls to US and Canada after listening to two 22-seconds ads.  The service will be extended to ten minutes and the service area beyond the 818 area code after the current beta test is complete.

While companies like Jajah and Skype have been offering “Free” phone service but only after collecting your credit card number and charge you for your calls outside their networks, Plumble offersfree phone calls without collecting your credit card number.

To use Plumble, you need to dial their 818-742-0110 access number, listen to a 22-second ad before you can  make your call, then listen to another 22-second ad again after you dial the number you wish to call. If you dial the number by mistake, you will need to listen to their ads again. The service gives you a warning that your call is about to end after 2 minutes and then dumps the call after 2 minutes and 30 seconds.

Fujitsu claims that their latest 2.5-inch HandyDrive, an external hard disk drive is the World’s highest capacity. This 220 grams, 500GB monster, with password lock tool security and the ability to save 35% of power in standby mode is  approximately £181.

The drive has a distinctive internal shock-endurance mechanism that helps reduce the effect of impact and lends increased data protection.

Fujitsu will also release 160GB, 250GB, 320GB and 400GB versions of their HandyDrive.

Fring is  a peer-to-peer Mobile VoIP based internet telephony network, which allows users to call their social network contacts for free using their handset’s internet connection.

Fring has opened its service to phones running  Java ME software and Linux handsets, allowing Nokia and Sony Ericsson phone owners to become part of fring network.

Fring has created a ‘minifring’ version for phones that don’t yet support voice over IP calling. With minifring, you can now use some of the most popular bits of fring to keep in touch with fringsters, Skype, GoogleTalk, MSN, AIM, Yahoo, ICQ, and Twitter buddies  for free anywhere you go.

Previously fring runs on Symbian 60 devices like Sony Ericsson UIQ Smartphones, Windows Mobile and iPhone handsets, butit is now supporting more than 1000 different handsets.

Super Talent Technology, a leading manufacturer of Flash storage solutions and DRAM memory modules unveiled their PICO-C Gold USB drive.

Weighing only 4.7 grams, Super Talent claims that the 24-carat gold-plated, water resistant and shock resistant USB drive with a profile smaller than the traditional SD memory card is the world’s smallest.

The card uses chip-on-board (COB) technology to squeeze 8GB of Flash  in an area that is less than 1.2 inches wide and less than half an inch long (31.3mm x 12.4mm x 3.4mm).The transfer speed of the PICO-C Gold is 30MB/sec.

“Is it the speed, the ruggedness, the water resistance, the incredibly tiny size or the pure elegance that people like most in our Pico-C drive? Who knows? But, this combination of features and style is not offered in any other terrestrial storage device, which makes it a real craze”, commented Super Talent Marketing Director, Joe James.

The  PICO-C Gold 8GB USB drive is backed with a lifetime warranty and is now available under $40.

Debian has released bug fixes for lighttpd and gaim packages.

Gaim, a multi-protocol instant messaging client, was discovered to be vulnerable to several integer overflows in its MSN protocol handlers, allowing remote attackers to execute arbitrary code.

Lighttpd, a fast webserver with minimal memory footprint was discovered to have several local and remote vulnerabilities listed below:

1. lighttpd 1.4.18 and other versions before 1.5.0 do not properly calculate the size of a file descriptor array. This allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service by using large number of connections that will lead to a system crash.

2. connections.c in lighttpd before 1.4.16 might accept connections greater than the configured maximum. This allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service with a large number of connection attempts.

The updates fix the multiple Denial of Service (DOS)  issue in lighttpd and the execution of arbitrary code and buffer overflow problems in gaim.