An AppleInsider news item reports that Apple, along with fellow tech heavyweights Google and Microsoft, are accused in a new lawsuit of patent infringement for their use of icons that include a graphical representation of a file’s contents.

The 4-page complaint filed this month by Arizon-based Cygnus Systems, Inc charges all three companies with infringing on its March 2008 US patent No. 7,346,850, titled “System and Method for Iconic Software Environment Management.”

“The [patent] generally relates to methods of and systems for accessing one or more computer files via a graphical icon, wherein the graphical icon includes an image of a selected portion or portions of the one or more computer files,” the suit says.

In particular, Cygnus takes issue with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard’s use of icon previews in traditional Finder windows, as well as more detailed views presented by QuickLook icons that are accessible when viewing Finder windows in Cover Flow mode.

“Apple has further infringed one or more claims of [the patent] at least by making, using, selling, and offering for sale its iPhone and iPhone’s accompanying iconic file preview and access functionality, including but not limit to the iconic file preview and access functionality of iPhone’s main menu and Safari Internet browser applications,” the complaint adds.

Similarly, Microsoft is charged for its use of iconic file previews in Vista and Internet Explorer, while Google is accused of treading on the patented concept via iconic file previews present in its relatively new Chrome web browser.

Cygnus, which bills itself as a provider of “unique computing, networking and application needs of small to midsized businesses” in the state of Michigan, is seeking a damages in addition to an injunction prohibiting the three companies from further infringement.

Among the problems are three in particular that, when combined, allow password thieves to take passwords without the user’s knowledge.

1. The destination where passwords are sent is not checked.
2. The location where passwords are requested is not checked.
3. Invisible form elements can trigger password management.

A technique described and demonstrated by CIS two years ago leveraged such vulnerabilities without using client-side scripting. The implication was that an attacker need not have full control over a target server or a victim’s computer to obtain a password from their web browser.

These three problems, combined with seventeen others so far identified in Chrome’s password manager, form a toxic soup of potential vulnerabilities that can coalesce into broad insecurity. Currently, the password manager that is closest to solving the first three problems is built into Opera 9.62. With invisble form elements deactivated, options to limit saved passwords to a single page, and partial destination checking, this is certainly one of the more worry-free products.

In 2009, the BSI (British Standards Institute) will publish a new British Standard on web accessibility, building upon its 2006 publicly available specification ‘Guide to Good Practice in Commissioning Accessible Websites’ (PAS 78). BS 8878 will suggest a practical process for ensuring that the private and public sectors successfully produce digital design that is inclusive of as many of the user population as possible. While disabled people are intended to be the key beneficiaries of the new approach, people whose first language is not English and everyone who reads web content over a mobile device stand to benefit from an approach that encourages the development of ‘accessible user experiences’.

The new standard, BS 8878, will point to the following guidance, published by The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI):

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
• Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG)
• User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG)

and the guidance of software developers such as Microsoft, Adobe, Apple and IBM.

Telnic, the registry operator of the new .tel top level domain, began accepting applications for trademarks from businesses and organisations worldwide yesterday. From 3rd December 2008 until February 2nd 2008, trademark owners can register .tel domains for their brands and company names, providing them with a ‘live’ comprehensive listing in the first global, mobile-optimised online directory.

Commenting on the commencement on the Sunrise period, Khashayar Mahdavi, CEO of Telnic said “The launch of .tel represents the most significant innovation in the domain name system since the
advent of .com. Essentially, the .tel offers businesses of all sizes a fast, efficient, adaptable and intelligent service that will let customers interact with them in any way they want. Anyone that wants to communicate better with their customers should purchase a .tel.”

Trademark holders can register a .tel domain through a network of ICANN-accredited registrars on a first-come, first-served basis over 29 countries worldwide in all major territories. Over 120 registrars worldwide spanning 29 countries have already signed up to work with Telnic and new registrars are becoming active on a daily basis.