Monthly round-up: December

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The biggest news story in IT this month was the Internet Explorer attacks, and we had comprehensive coverage. We were one of the first to spot the threat, there to see it grow, and then to see it explode into the big mainstream story as it finally got a cure.

There was also an analysis of the whole episode, questioning whether Internet Explorer was actually any worse than its competitors when it came to security.

The other security story which caught the attention of IT PRO readers was that of Apple and whether the Mac OS X platform required anti-virus protection. I’m still confused about it, and there will be constant arguments between Mac and PC owners about whether there is a need now and in the future.

However, as Apple’s market share grows in laptops and desktops, then these problems will be more of an issue as their systems become more of a target. And we haven’t even mentioned the security problems that smartphones like the iPhone may have, as the malware threats of 2009 beckon.

Censorship is often very difficult to police. This month highlighted an incident which showed just how hard it is for one organisation to be a self-appointed judge of what you should and what you should not see on the internet.

There will be occasions when an obscene image will be shown on the net that some people will find funny, some would find disgusting, and some who would just not care. But unless it’s illegal, who has the right to take the image offline?

So there you have it. That’s the last review of the year, although there will be various round-ups over the Christmas period, starting with features on Christmas gadgets,our top 10 business phones, and our top 10 security stories.

And if you’re feeling especially generous, here are some tech charities which you might want to give bit of cash to.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all the IT PRO readers.

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