New and Noteworthy: Cisco security hole; Microsoft misses earnings mark; You could be a felon if you swap files

Cisco security hole eWeek reports that less than a day after Cisco Systems Inc. disclosed the existence of a serious vulnerability in its routers and switches, someone posted a working exploit for the issue to a security mailing list. "Using the pseudonym 'Marion Barry,' the poster published his exploit to the Full Disclosure list early Friday morning. Sources have confirmed to eWEEK that the compiled code does in fact effectively kill a vulnerable device. The exploit has the effect of filling the device's receive buffer and preventing it from processing any further packets." More.

Microsoft misses earnings mark Hampered by the settlement with America Online, Microsoft missed its expected earnings mark. Despite beating sales targets, Microsoft reported lower fourth-quarter earnings than expected on Thursday, hit by the costs of a legal settlement with AOL Time Warner. For the three months ended June 30, the software giant earned $1.92 billion, or 18 cents a share, on revenue of $8.07 billion. Those results compare with earnings of $1.53 billion, or 14 cents per share, on revenue of $7.25 billion for the same quarter a year ago. More.

In related news, Massachusetts is the only state left in Microsoft's way before the firm has no more anti-trust worries. More.

You could be a felon if you swap files The Washington Post reports on a bill introduced by senior Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee that would make it easier for federal prosecutors to bring felony charges against people who offer at least one song, movie or other digital file on Kazaa or other public computer networks. More.

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