Ars Technica runs through some of the rumored things that would be shown, introduced at Apple’s October 22 event scheduled for 1pm (local time in Trinidad and Tobago)

Prepare your wallets: What to expect from Apple’s October 22 event | Ars Technica.

Apple has announced a special event to be held next week on October 22 2013. Apple says only in the invite to the press “We still have a lot to cover”. See Apple’s October 22 iPad And Mac Event Now Official As Press Receive Invites | TechCrunch.

Oracle has released Java 7 Update 45. The Oracle blog post about the release of Java 7 Update 45 mentions security updates and according to the Oracle Critical Patch Update Advisory  for October 2013 mentions up to 51 security fixes.

So, if you’re using Java, you should probably update. ASAP.

You can download Java at http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp or if you want to manually download Java for Windows, Mac, Linux, see
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jre7-downloads-1880261.html

If you have older versions of Java, you should remove them as soon as possible. The http://www.java.com/en/download/faq/remove_olderversions.xml page has more information and tools on how to remove older versions of Java.

As a additional security precaution, you can disable the execution of Java content in your browser.

Read the bulletin in full at
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/bulletin/ms13-oct

Listed in the bulletin are

• critical security update to Internet Explorer versions 6 to 10
• critical and important updates to .NET framework
• critical updates to 64 bit versions of Windows
• important updates to Microsoft Office 2003, 2007 and 2010

Adobe is reporting that attackers compromised Adobe’s servers and accessed Adobe customer IDs, encrypted passwords, encrypted credit/debit card information and source code for several of its software.

From http://blogs.adobe.com/conversations/2013/10/important-customer-security-announcement.html

“…Very recently, Adobe’s security team discovered sophisticated attacks on our network, involving the illegal access of customer information as well as source code for numerous Adobe products. We believe these attacks may be related.

Our investigation currently indicates that the attackers accessed Adobe customer IDs and encrypted passwords on our systems. We also believe the attackers removed from our systems certain information relating to 2.9 million Adobe customers, including customer names, encrypted credit or debit card numbers, expiration dates, and other information relating to customer orders. At this time, we do not believe the attackers removed decrypted credit or debit card numbers from our systems. We deeply regret that this incident occurred. We’re working diligently internally, as well as with external partners and law enforcement, to address the incident. “

Read the full post at http://blogs.adobe.com/conversations/2013/10/important-customer-security-announcement.html and Adobe customer advisory at
http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/customer-alert.html for further details.

Ars Technica reports on the arrest by the FBI of the 19 year old sextortionist who snapped nude pictures of Miss Teen USA.  “19-year old Jared James Abrahams, a California computer science student who went by the online handle “cutefuzzypuppy,” had as many as 150 “slave” computers under his control during the height of his webcam spying in 2012.”

You might also want to read these other Ars Technica articles:

• Webcam spying goes mainstream as Miss Teen USA describes hack
• Meet the men who spy on women through their webcams

Essentially Remote administration tools (RATs) are a form of malware  surreptitiously installed on person’s computers by tricking users to open an attachment or visit a website that takes advantage of unpatched vulnerabilities in the operating system, browser or browser plugins on the persons’ computer. Once installed, RAT operators have control over the laptop and can scan and copy files, monitor keystrokes for passwords to online accounts and also the ability to control the hardware, including the webcams. Apparently several webcams can be  surreptitiously turned on WITHOUT the light going on.

Sobering read.

BlackBerry announced it will be releasing a desktop BBM app at BlackBerry Jam Asia 2013 this week, Read the TechCrunch article BlackBerry Will Release A Painful-To-Use BBM App For Desktops | TechCrunch for more details.