Tech Talk

Dara Kerr wrote:   http://asset2.cbsistatic.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim2/2013/10/17/Screen_Shot_2013-10-17_at_6.43.39_PM_610x289.png   After weeks of rumors about the specs, price, and release date of the upcoming Nexus 5, it appears that Google's new Nexus Android smartphone is being listed on the Google Play store.   The device appears next to the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 along with the caption "Capture the everyday and the epic in fresh new ways." Google lists the price as "starting at $349." However, when the link to the smartphone is clicked on -- the new page doesn't load. And not long after the phone appeared, it was replaced by the older Nexus 4 again.    Read here.

One sometimes-overlooked security measure, that everyone should be using (particularly if you're using services from the likes of Google and/or Microsoft) is two-factor authentication. Below is a quick overview of how to setup two factor authentication for your Google and Microsoft accounts:   1. Google After signing into your Google account, click 'Account'. Click 'Security' on the left tan and then click 'Edit' under '2-Step Verification'. This will take you to the '2 Step Verification' settings page. Follow the step-by-step guide as you go through the setup process.For more details (including how to easily setup two-factor authentication on your Android device, check out this Google support page)   2. Microsoft You have a Microsoft account if you use services like Skydrive, Outlook.com, Xbox Live, etc...and two-factor authentication is a great aid in helping this account not get compromised. Here is how to set up two-factor authentication for your Microsoft a

It's important that you safeguard your Personal Identification Number (PIN).   Don't use your birth date or year Don't use sequential numbers and do not repeat the same number (1234, 1111) Don't use the last four of your SSN Don't use your phone number or address (no relatives either!) DO use a random phrase using the letters associated with numbers   (Source: aarp.org, cba.ca)

THE UNITED STATES government shutting down filesharing websites might be a blunt tool that harms individuals more than it helps industry. A report from Northeastern University in Boston first noticed by Torrentfreak found that while there was some copyrighted material on the filesharing websites, there were also a lot of legitimate files. The report found that while there is only what looks like a small amount of legitimate material, it all adds up, and that becomes a particularly bad thing when other content is whipped away by the authorities and perhaps lost forever. The study looked at six websites - Filefactory, Easy-share, Filesonic, Wupload, Megaupload and Undeadlink - and found a mix of content. "In our most conservative scenario, around 4.3 percent of the ?les hosted on Megaupload were detected as legitimate," it said. "We estimate that when Megaupload was forced to shut down, more than 10 million legitimate ?les were taken offline."   Full Story

Victoria Woollaston wrote:   Facebook may be to blame for turning the word Like into a verb, but Google is set to take this a step further. According to a new patent filed by the internet giant, Google wants its Glass wearers to like brands, products and locations simply by making a heart shape with their hands. A camera on the headmounted device scans and recognises the item being liked and stores its details in a list of favourites, which can then be shared.    http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/18/article-2465705-18D1721700000578-175_634x286.jpg A patent filed in the U.S. shows Google's plans to let its Glass users generate a like by creating a heart shape with their hands in front of real-life objects, pictured. The headmounted device would then scan the item to record that the wearer likes that particular brand, product or location   The patent is called 'Hand gestures to signify what is important' and was made public on Wednesday.  Read here.

Students have a wide array of devices that they take on and off of campus and connect to unsecure Wi-Fi networks and hotspots.   OpenDNS found that college networks were 300 percent more likely to contain malware than government organizations or business entities due to the student mobility and their engagement in risky online activities.    "It's not that they are a target per se, but they are probably more infected because the students don't have proper protection when they are off the campus."   Protect your devices with Webroot   Full Story   (Source: scmagazine.com)

iOS   Enable data protection by creating a passcode for your iOS device:   Tap Settings > General > Passcode Follow the prompts to create your passcode Once your code is set, scroll to the bottom of the screen and verify that "Data protection is enabled" is visibleApple Support   Android   Android encryption can take hours to complete and will need to be done with a full battery. Keep in mind that you can only reverse encryption by performing a factory reset on your phone.   Enable your lock screen PIN or password: Open Settings > tap Security > tap Screen Lock > Tap PIN or Password Plug in your phone and do not unplug/interrupt the encryption process (you will lose data from your phone) Open Settings > tap Security > tap Encrypt phone/tablet under EncryptionAndroid Support  

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/70513000.jpg/_70513085_70513080.jpgThe team dropped two 40lb (18kg) sensors into a lake near Buffalo Researchers have tested an "underwater wi-fi" network in a lake in an attempt to make a "deep-sea internet". The team, from the University of Buffalo, New York, said the technology could help detect tsunamis, offering more reliable warning systems. They aim to create an agreed standard for underwater communications, to make interaction and data-sharing easier. Unlike normal wi-fi, which uses radio waves, the submerged network technology utilises sound waves. Radio waves are able to penetrate water, but with severely limited range and stability. Sound waves provide a better option - as demonstrated by many aquatic species such as whales and dolphins. Wireless communication underwater has been possible for some time, but the problem lies in getting separate systems used by different organisations to communicate with each other.   Read here.

Daniel Terdiman wrote:   http://asset1.cbsistatic.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim2/2013/10/15/iPhone_Email_270x522.png   Square launched a free service Tuesday that lets anyone send money via email to anyone else. The service, known as Square Cash, was previously available only in an invite-only beta. For now, at least, it is only available in the United States.   Square Cash doesn't require either person in a transaction to have a Square account, and there are no fees, said product manager Brian Grassadonia. In order to send money, all that's required is for the sender to address an e-mail to the recipient, with a CC: to cash@square.com, and the amount in the e-mail's subject line. The body of the email can contain any information the sender wants.  Read here.

Lance Whitney wrote:   http://asset3.cbsistatic.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim2/2013/10/16/google-chrome.jpg   Microsoft will cut off support for Windows XP in April 2014, but Google will keep the XP version of Chrome updated for another year. In a blog posted Wednesday, Mark Larson, director of engineering and superintendent of public safety for Google Chrome, said that Chrome support for XP users won't end until April 2015. That means Chrome XP users will continue to receive updates and patches to keep the browser secure. As Larson said, malware often sneaks its way onto computers through holes in unpatched browsers.    Read here.

In the console, there is a section to manage keycodes. You can add a keycode, and upgrade/renew an existing one.   I don't see an option to remove a keycode, especially an expired one. Yes, one could upgrade/renew that, but what if you have other keycodes listed? It would be nice to be able to tidy it up a bit in those circumstances.

SOFTWARE REDEVELOPER Microsoft has started paying out bug bounties to third parties and has rewarded one chap with $100,000. That's over £60,000 in UK money, and it isn't the only payout made by the firm. James Forshaw from Content Information Security got the $100,000 prize for finding a new exploit called a "mitigation bypass technique". Forshaw also picked up cash for discovering some other software vulnerabilities and was awarded a $5,000 bonus for "finding cool IE design vulnerabilities," giving him a total payout of $109,400.     Full Article

I read a lot of articles about yesterday's Apple keynote and have stumbled upon this great roundup. Therein are two sections, iPhone and iOS & apps, the both containing links to the main news.   BTW, what are your thoughts about the new hardware things in 5S and what do you think about the new 5C?   As for myself, 5S - except new A7 chip, M7 motion-sensing chip, iOS7 and Touch ID nothing new. It continues in the footsteps of previous "S" models. 5C - this model is in fact iPhone 5 dressed up in another body, everything would be fine with this model except price - everybody expected a low cost model thus being able to fight with the middle-priced Android phones but it turned out that it wasn't the case. Time will tell ... iOS7 - I like it, cute and smart, a real improvement

Over the past four years, cybercrime costs have climbed by an average of 78%, while the time required to recover from a breach has increased 130%. Those findings come from the fourth annual Cost of Cyber Crime Study, conducted by Ponemon Institute and sponsored by HP. Ponemon's researchers studied 234 businesses around the world, located in the United States, Australia, France, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom. In the United States, the annual cybercrime cost seen by the 60 businesses studied ranged from $1.3 million to more than $58 million and averaged $11.6 million per company -- an increase of $2.6 million from 2012. Meanwhile, the average cost of cleaning up after a single successful -- and serious -- attack was $1 million. "What we call a 'serious attack' is one that doesn't bounce off the firewall," said Larry Ponemon, chairman of the Ponemon Institute, speaking by phone. That's a reference to the fact that businesses are typically hit with numerous attempted -- or nuisa

Previously when I have had a problem my PC completely froze. In order to contact Webroot for help I do have an iPad. what email or site can I use on the iPad fro help.

I have a Epson Workforce 630 printer which  use online.  I need to turn the webroot web shield for it to work.  Hoiw do fix this.

I mean applications which are not included/bundled in Android OS, it means only those you have installed yourself.   OK, I will kick off with mine.   Booking.com - since I am travelling quite a lot it's an inevitable application for hotel booking Clean Master - cleans cache, remnant files etc. something like CCleaner for PC K-9 Mail - the famous mail client MX Player - video and stream player Opera - alternative browser, yeah many users hate it but as I use Opera on my PC, it is a logical choice RssDeamon - RSS feeds reader, BTW, it works flawlessly with our Webroot Community WSA Complete - yeah, you would not believe but it is the best security solution under the sun :D Select Other Map for HTC - application designed for HTC devices enabling you to choose other map (Google) than Locations when you click on a map link in messages and/or applications. Warning - this may not work on all HTC phones TeamViewer - needs no introduction ... remote access to your PC from an Andr

The FBI has arrested the founder of Silk Road, perhaps the most notorious online marketplace for illegal products and services. Ross William Ulbricht, 29, was arrested in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday. Also known as Dread Pirate Roberts, Ulbricht is charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics, computer hacking and money laundering, according to court documents posted by security writer Brian Krebs. During the more than two years that the online black market is said to have operated, authorities estimate that Silk Road generated over $1.2 billion in sales and $80 million in commissions, paid in the cryptographic currency of Bitcoins. Silk Road, according to the complaint, offered a variety of illicit goods, including a wide variety of narcotics, hacking tools, forged documents, services for hacking accounts at social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and resources for obtaining stolen account data and for getting in touch with arms dealers and assassins.   F

Detailed Video Showing iPad 5 Physical Changes   As shown in the video, the iPad 5 will adopt a similar design to the currently shipping iPad mini. The new iPad is expected to debut in October.

  Andrew Hoyle wrote:   With all the top smartphones in the world boasting their quad-core processors and Full HD displays, it's harder and harder for an individual to really stand out. With the Xperia Z, Sony made a brave attempt at differentiating by waterproofing the phone so you can spill beer on it without it giving up the ghost. The Xperia Z1 keeps its liquid-repelling credentials, along with sexy glass design and Full HD screen. Its quad-core processor has been supercharged to 2.2GHz, and its camera now boasts an impressive 20.7 megapixels. There's no word yet on exactly how much Sony will demand for this high-spec beast, but it's safe to assume that it'll be roughly on a par with the Xperia Z. Don't expect to pick it up for any less than £500 when it goes on sale in the UK in the coming few weeks.  Read here.

More than two in three IT professionals would consider ex-hackers for security roles, providing they have the right skills to do the job, a survey has found. In addition, 40 per cent of respondents to CWJobs' survey of 352 IT bods reckoned there aren't enough skilled security professionals in the UK technology industry.  As if that news wasn't unsurprising enough, two thirds of the 352 tech professionals surveyed by website CWJobs stated that they would consider re-training in order to take on a role in IT security. Most respondents also believed that recruiting security professionals should be a priority in IT recruitment programmes. Richard Nott, website director at CWJobs.co.uk, commented: “These findings present an interesting tactic for those keen to find new ways to meet the demand for security professionals within their organisations – though perhaps one that should be treated with some caution.”   Full Article

The UK is to create a new cyber unit to help defend national security, the defence secretary has announced. The Ministry of Defence is set to recruit hundreds of reservists as computer experts to work alongside regular forces in the creation of the new Joint Cyber Reserve Unit. The new unit will also, if necessary, launch strikes in cyber space, Mr Hammond said. Recruiting for reservists to join the unit will start next month. The role of the unit is to protect computer networks and safeguard vital data. In a statement, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the "creation of the "Joint Cyber Unit (Reserve) will allow it to draw on individuals' talent, skills and expertise gained from their civilian experience to meet these threats".   Full Article

It is time to start thinking of our hearts as random number generators. That's so they can serve as passwords to secure medical devices that are vulnerable to hacking, researchers at Rice University have proposed. In their paper on the authentication technique - called Heart-to-Heart (H2H) - the researchers note that the use of implantable medical devices (IMDs) is growing in the US: for example, each year, over 100,000 patients receive implantable cardioverter defibrillators that detect dangerous heart rhythms and administer electric shocks to restore normal activity. Other IMDs - a category that includes devices either partially or fully implanted into patients' bodies - include pacemakers, neurostimulators, and insulin or other drug pumps.   Full Article   This topic has come up in other discussions and it is great to see that action is being taken.

I just got a Galaxy Nexus and it's pretty cool.   What do you have?

Are you wondering how the new iPhones look inside including step-by-step dismantling procedure and shots? If so, you cannot miss the below linked articles from iFixit specialists.   iPhone 5s Teardown iPhone 5c Teardown   These technically erudite articles catch me always. Hope you enjoy them too.