IDG News Service — While some parts of the world are enjoying summer, a season usually marked by a lack of major news, this week offered some interesting developments nevertheless. Twitter spent the back end of the week fighting off a DOS (denial of service) attack that also targeted fellow social-media site Facebook. Apple and Google realized that they are becoming competitors, leading Google's CEO to resign from Apple's board. And in security news, the Defcon hacker meeting produced stories that belong in a James Bond movie.

1. Twitter taken down by denial-of-service attack, Facebook confirms DOS attack same day as Twitter and Twitter Still Struggling to Recover From DOS Attack·: Social media sites Facebook and Twitter took a beating this week after both were subjected to a DOS attack. Twitter was down for two hours on Thursday and still suffered from the attacks on Friday. Facebook reported that people had trouble accessing the site on Thursday, but resolved the situation late that morning Pacific Time. A blogger from Georgia claimed that the Russian government sponsored the attacks in an effort to silence him for speaking out against the country's handling of Georgia. While Twitter was mum on the attacks' motivation, a Facebook spokeswoman said they were directed at an "activist blogger" -- possibly the Georgia advocate -- rather than the sites themselves.

2. Google CEO steps down from Apple board: Google and Apple experienced a parting of ways Monday when Google CEO Eric Schmidt resigned from Apple's board. Schmidt and Apple executive Steve Jobs reached the decision mutually, Apple said. Google's advances into the OS and mobile-phone spaces move it closer to Apple's main businesses, decreasing Schmidt's effectiveness on the board, Jobs said. Schmidt had been on the Apple board since August 2006.

3. Yahoo filing reveals more details of Microsoft deal: A filing from Yahoo revealed information on its recent search deal with Microsoft. Yahoo will receive US$50 million a year from Microsoft for three years, according to a document submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Other interesting bits from the filing include how Microsoft and Yahoo can opt out of the deal. In one such exit move, Yahoo can pull out if average revenue per search flounders compared to Google's average revenue per search.

4. Microsoft acknowledges Linux threat to Windows: Another SEC filing confirmed that Microsoft sees Linux as a threat to its Windows OS, something Microsoft executives had made pretty clear already through various public proclamations. Microsoft obliquely referenced the use of Linux in netbooks as a cause for concern. Manufacturers are looking to lower costs in emerging markets where "new, lower-price PC form-factors" are becoming popular, and Linux has gained some traction as a viable OS for these machines, Microsoft said in the filing.

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