Mission

Tuesday, 30 August 2016

THE DISADVANTAGES OF CONNECTING TO PUBLIC WIFI. BEWARE!!!

In a worrying demonstration that is sure to frighten frequent Wi-Fi users, former infamous hacker Kevin Mitnick shows how easy it is to steal your details in a public area.

Kevin Mitnick was arrested in the US in 1995 for hacking into 40 major companies, including IBM, Nokia and Motorola, but is now working as a leading security consultant for some of the largest companies in the world.

Mr Mitnick walked through the steps to how a hacker would obtain your details in public.

Cyber criminals will set up a fake Wi-Fi network, the example he used is a common one, 'Telstra Air'.

Three steps outlining how hackers access your personal information

  1. Hackers set up a fake Wi-Fi network in a public space
  2. Once you are using a fake access point all your keystrokes are recorded, which can reveal your personal information if you have used any log-in details
  3. Hackers will steal your passwords and send you fake updates for the user to install. If installed, the hacker will have complete access to your system without you knowing
Once logged on the hacker can record all your keystrokes, which will identify your usernames and passwords if you access any personal information. 
This allows the hacker to send you fake updates, and once installed, 'We gain full control of his computer system and he will never know the better,' he said. 
Mr Mitnick said the tools on the internet are so accessible that school students can download hacking systems.
'Fast forward to today, and you have tonnes of tools that a high school, a junior school [student] can download and exploit systems,' he said.


In the same Four Corners report, Jetstar and Suzuki were named among a suspected group of companies to have suffered a cyber attack with their computer system log-in details up for sale on the dark web. 
Computer details from a government research network, a national sporting body, a school and a local council were also revealed to be hacked.
Security firm Kaspersky released a list in June this year, revealing 70,000 computers that had their usernames and passwords hacked and put up for sale on the dark web.
Only five days later, another list was revealed by the firm containing 170,000 computers that were suspected of being breached and both Jetstar and Suzuki were among the systems listed, however both companies have denied any breach.  
        

Friday, 26 August 2016

HOW TO CONTROL YOUR MOBILE DATA USAGE FROM APPS




The app makes it look like you’ve no choice but to give up your data to Facebook – but there is a way around it.
Facebook is going to start hoovering up your WhatsApp data and using it for ads. Unless you tell it not to.


WhatsApp has provoked ire by announcing that it is to start sharing its user data with parent company Facebook, despite assurances at the time that it was bought that everyone’s data would remain entirely private. The company says that the information will be used for ads on Facebook and WhatsApp, as well as helping to improve the messaging platform.

But many people are angry that some of their most personal information – their chats – could potentially be compromised as part of the deal with Facebook.
Now it has emerged that there is a hidden way of opting out of the terms, and ensuring that no data is sent over to Facebook. But it has to be done quickly.

There are two main ways of opting out of the new terms, one of them fairly simply and the other ever so slightly more complicated.

The first way can only be done if you haven’t accepted the new terms, using the pop-up that will emerge when you open up WhatsApp. If you haven’t, wait until that happens but don’t click “agree” – instead navigate to the smaller “read more” option, and untick the box that says “Share my WhatsApp account information with Facebook”.

If you’ve already accepted those new terms, you can still opt out – as long as it’s within 30 days. You can do that by heading to the settings menu in the app, and pressing on the account tab – there you’ll find a “share my account info” button that you can undress and revoke your permission.
It isn’t clear that opting out of the new terms will change the experience at all, either when compared with people who are still having their data shared with Facebook, or with before WhatsApp introduced the change. WhatsApp say that the new change is meant only to help improve the ads on Facebook, so the only possible consequence is that what you see on the network might be slightly less relevant.

Update for Skype app for Android devices



Microsoft today released an update for Skype app for Android devices. This update adds support for new Bots and various other minor fixes and improvements. With new bots, you can also bring in cards with detailed information and images—from travel destinations to ticket orders— directly into your Skype chats. New features like cards and groups allow Skype Bots to be more engaging and interactive in your daily chats.
Here’s what’s new in this update:
— New Skype Bots available to make your life easier, more productive, and fun
— Various other fixes and improvements
How to use Skype Bots on Android?




  • Update to the latest version of Skype app from Play Store.
  • Open Skype app and go to Contacts page.
  • Select the floating action button on contacts page.
  • You will see the pink bots button, tap it.
  • You will be presented with the Bot directory UI as above from where you can add the bots you are interested in.  

  • Friday, 19 August 2016

    10GB 4G Data Offer for Samsung Galaxy J Series Smartphones on AIRTEL NETWORK



    Highlights

    • The offer is for buyers of new Galaxy J series smartphones
    • It is valid in both 3G and 4G Airtel circles
    • The offer is yet to be listed on Airtel's website

    Airtel on Friday announced 10GB 4G data offer for buyers of Samsung Galaxy J Series smartphones. The offer is available to both existing and new Airtel prepaid users, who can avail 10GB of 4G data for Rs. 250.
    To note, the offer only applies to select Samsung Galaxy J Series smartphones, but neither Samsung nor Airtel has detailed exactly which devices - at the time of writing, the telecom operator had yet to update the handset offer page on its website.
    To avail the offer, new Galaxy J series smartphone owners can either visit their nearly Airtel Retail outlet and ask for the offer to be activated, or, log onto www.offers.airtel.com from their smartphones using Airtel mobile Internet (not Wi-Fi), and follow the instructions.
    For non-4G markets, Airtel has specified users can avail 10GB of 3G data, which is broken down into 1GB of day-time 3G data plus 9GB night-time 3G data.


    ADVERTISEMENT
    x

    The telecom operator has in the past launched 'Double Data' offers for devices across brands, with the Samsung Galaxy J series smartphones getting the promotion.




















    How to reduce Twitter exchange of threats, abusive words and scam notifications

    Twitter has a solution for stopping the hate on its social network: put trolls in cones of silence.


    Twitter iOS App
    Twitter has finally come up with a solution to muzzle trolls.
    The company published a blog post on Thursday announcing two new controls for filtering your notifications. Twitter notifications are the primary method through which trolls can contact and harass users.
    The first new setting reduces the noise in your notifications stream. By default, anyone who mentions your Twitter username with the “@” symbol shows up in your Twitter notifications. It doesn’t matter if they’re asking a simple question, offering constructive criticism, or threatening to cut your head off. Everyone shows up.
    The new setting filters your notification down to solely people you follow. The new filter works on Twitter’s apps and the website. It’s not clear if third-party Twitter apps can also apply it.
    Why this matters: Many perhaps most—Twitter users don’t really have a need for this kind of filtering. But for people such as celebrities, politicians, or outspoken feminists, Twitter notifications can be a very dark place. For these people personal threats and other objectionable comments from random Twitter users are commonplace. The new notifications filters will make Twitter a more hospitable place for anyone who wants to speak their mind without having to sort through a deluge of hate.
    The unfortunate side effect of this, however, is that people who are being targeted for online harassment are effectively putting themselves in a bubble. In other words, the long-held idea of using Twitter as an “online water cooler” to chat and share ideas with strangers will be over—if it ever truly existed in the first place.

    It’s all about quality

    twitterqualityfilters2016
    Twitter’s two new notifications filters.
    The second new setting is called a quality filter. This setting, which was turned on by default for my account, removes what Twitter calls “lower-quality content.” This low-brow stuff can be things like duplicate tweets or bot-generated content. The quality filter affects your notifications and “other parts of your Twitter experience.” Presumably, that means your primary timeline. The low-quality filter never restricts people you follow or those whom you’ve recently interacted with—don’t feed the trolls, folks.

    How to turn on the new settings

    notificationssettings
    Click the Settings link in your Notifications tab on Twitter.com to get started.
    Getting to the new settings is easy on Twitter’s website. First login to the service and then click on the Notifications tab. To the right of your mentions, click the new Settings link.
    Alternatively, you can navigate directly to twitter.com/settings/notifications_timeline.
    This settings area has two check boxes for filtering your tweets by people you follow as well as applying the quality filter. Check or uncheck whichever box you’d like, select Save changes, and you’re done. Accessing these settings via Twitter’s mobile apps is similar. Mobile users should also tap on Notifications and then tap the settings cog in that area, which takes you directly to the two new filters.
    If you don’t see the new settings they may not yet be available for your account. Try updating your mobile apps or logging in to the website. If that doesn’t work sit tight; the new features should show up for you in the coming days.
    If you apply the filter to only allow mentions from people you follow it’s also advisable to make sure your account restricts who can send you direct messages. You can double check this setting on Twitter.com by going to Settings > Security and privacy.
    Now let the haters keep on hating, because you’ll never know one way or the other.

    Apple iPhone 7 get OIS upgrade

    Leaked images of the Apple iPhone 7 camera sensor includes four small cutouts surrounding the single lens housing, similar to the iPhone 6/6S Plus

     

    Apple might bring OIS to its new 4.7-inch iPhone 7, a feature that was earlier restricted to only the Plus versions.

    It’s only a few weeks to the launch of the new Apple iPhone, and the rumors just refuse to die down. The latest one suggests one of the significant additions to Apple iPhone 7 this year could be the new camera design with optical image stabilization. According to new leaks, Apple will bring Optical Image Stabilization to its new 4.7-inch iPhone 7, a feature that was earlier restricted to only the Plus versions.

    Apple introduced OIS with the iPhone 6 Plus in 2014, and re-imagined it with the iPhone 6S Plus in 2015. However, the feature remained absent in the smaller 4.7-inch devices each year. The presence of OIS in the Plus devices, was one of its selling points – apart from the larger display and the bigger battery life. But new images leaked by Nowhere Else show the new camera sensor for the iPhone 7, which looks remarkably close to the camera sensors of the iPhone 6/6S Plus that feature OIS.

    The leaked image of the iPhone 7 camera sensor includes four small cutouts surrounding the single lens housing, the same cutouts that are present in the camera modules of the iPhone 6/6S Plus. The additional cut outs in the housing are supposedly present to provide the lens room to float slightly. These cut outs are however missing from the iPhone 6/6S.

    Apple iPhone 7 Pro is rumored to feature a dual rear camera setup. Apple’s strategy with the dual camera setup is still unclear, and is proposed to be for better dynamic range and color representation, or to create a background blur.
    A recent rumor pointed at Apple introducing a new black color for the iPhone. Leaked rendered images of a blue variant had also surfaced last month

     

     

    Distinguish between original/real and fake/scam apps on Google Play

    Android security is a serious problem, and the Play store is a hotbed of malware. Here are a few simple tips for avoiding the wrong apps when you go looking for new ones



    Google has a notoriously lax app approval process. There are some positives to allowing easy access to the Play store, but Google's attitude has also left their app store full of dangerous, device-hijacking software.

    Malicious Android apps usually try to pass themselves off as other legitimate apps, which can leave the average user unable to tell the difference between the two. Here are some tips to help you distinguish the good from the bad.

    1. Who's the developer?

    Every app's page features the developer in plain view directly beneath the name of the app. You might not know offhand who the legitimate developer of an app is, but if the name sounds fishy, is spelled wrong, or isn't capitalized properly you need to investigate further.
    To check into a developer scroll all the way to the bottom of an app's page on the Play store. Down at the bottom is a link to the developer's website—give it a click to make sure it goes to a legitimate site.
    SEE: Android Security Bulletin August 2016: What you need to know (TechRepublic)
    A little above the website link you'll see more apps the developer has published. Those other apps are a good indicator of who you're dealing with—be sure it's not just a bunch of copies of other apps or other junk.
    Popular apps are some of the most frequently scammed and copied. If you're planning to install one of those keep an eye out for the Google Top Developer icon next to the app developer's name. It appears like a small blue diamond, and it lets you know you're dealing with the right people.

    2. Check permissions

    You can see what permissions an app will need right at the bottom of the screen near the link to the developer's website. All apps need at least some permissions in order to run, and while some need more than others, the permissions an app is asking for should match its function.
    If you're installing a game it might need to access the internet to pull down data, but there's no good reason for it to attach to your social media, or access your dialer or contacts. It also shouldn't be asking for control over network connections, or to be given access to install other apps.
    When in doubt trust an app that asks for the least amount of permissions possible. The more it wants the more it's going to worm its way into your phone.

    3. What are other users saying?

    Check the ratings on an app: if it only has a couple stars it probably isn't worth your time, so just pass it up.
    SEE: Why haven't we seen the smartphone security apocalypse in iPhone and Android yet? (TechRepublic)
    Make sure you read the comments too—users will report on bad apps, so scan through what people are saying about it. That's not to say that malware developers don't spam the Play store with fake reviews—keep an eye out for five star review after five star review that describe nothing and read in similar ways.

    Other things you can do

    Inspecting an app on the Play store can generally distinguish the good from the bad, but there are other things you can do to keep your device safe.
    Be sure that you disable app installations from unknown sources. Casual Android users probably won't ever have a reason to sideload an APK, so turning it off can protect you from apps outside the Play store. Open Settings, tap on Lock Screen And Security, and look for Unknown Sources. Toggle that off and you'll be all set.
    Also be sure to install an Android antivirus app. They can detect bad apps and help you get rid of them, as well as protect you from malicious websites and other things that can harm you and your device.

    The 3 big takeaways for TechRepublic readers

    1. Investigate every app you want to install. Be sure the developer is legitimate, the comments are positive, and the app isn't asking for atypical permissions.
    2. Disable unknown app sources to prevent a website from secretly installing apps.
    3. Make sure you have an Android security app installed on your phone. They do work and can save you a lot of trouble over one simple mistake.
     

    Nokia branded Android smartphones and tablets has been launched

    Nokia is planning to launch Android based smartphones and tablets manufactured by HMD Global in fourth quarter of 2016.


     

    Nokia is all set to make a comeback to the world of smartphones and feature phones, an area it once dominated across the world. While we saw renders of what Nokia’s next Android device might look like, the latest report originating from China hints at launch of Nokia branded smartphones, feature phones and tablets.

    It seems Nokia branded phones and tablets will finally hit market in the fourth quarter of 2016. Nokia currently has a non-compete deal with Microsoft, which limits the company from announcing its own hardware products. Microsoft acquired Nokia’s mobile division in 2014 before writing it off completely. Post that write off, Microsoft also reorganised the feature phone business by selling the business division to Foxconn.
    Microsoft and Nokia’s non-competent deal expires at the end of this year and Nokia China’s Mike Wang says Nokia will stage a comeback in the ever competent smartphone business. Nokia’s comeback devices will be manufactured by HMD Global, a Finnish company started by former Nokia employees.
    HMD Global currently has exclusive license to sell Nokia branded devices post the deal for next 10 years. Nokia is also establishing its network business to further strengthen its device portfolio. Nokia recently acquired Alcatel-Lucent for $16.6 billion in an all-stock deal.
     

    Fingerprint Sensors Increases reviews on Smartphones In 2017


    touchid-not-working

    Remember back in the day of features phones where securing a phone was basically a combination of button presses (more of an unlock protection than security feature)? Then later we got passcodes, and with Android phones, we also got other security features like a pattern unlock.

    But fast forward to today and it is clear that biometric security is becoming the standard, which is why it isn’t surprising to learn that in 2017, there is a good chance that more than half of the smartphones out there will be sporting fingerprint sensors. This is according to a report from DigiTimes who cites industry observers as saying that fingerprint sensors on smartphones could see more than 50% market penetration in 2016.

    This is versus the current situation which sees about 40% in 2016, which is actually a whole sight better than 2015 in which it was estimated to be around 20%. While fingerprint sensors on smartphones has been done before by Motorola several years ago, it was only when Apple introduced Touch ID on their iPhones that the technology became mainstream again.
    Samsung has recently tried to introduce iris scanning technology with the Galaxy Note 7, but given that there are certain limitations to the feature, we reckon it might not necessarily be adopted as quickly, but we guess we’ll have to wait and see

    Huawei released Honor 8 Model to attract US Tech Sales



    The latest handset released by Huawei Technologies Co Ltd in the United States highlights the Chinese tech group's determination to attract US consumers, who it must win over to reach its goal of becoming the world's biggest smartphone seller, analysts said on Thursday. 

    The Shenzhen-based company released the new phone, Honor 8, in San Francisco this week and aimed to use the mid-end handset to take on Apple Inc in the latter's home turf where consumers are picky about consumer electronic products.

    Honor 8 will target young consumers, said George Zhao, head of Huawei's Honor operations.

    Huawei is the world's third-largest smartphone manufacturer-behind Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Apple-and its products are available in more than 170 countries and regions.

    By the end of June, Huawei had clinched a 9.4 percent global smartphone market share, according to online research statistics portal Statista.

    But Huawei has less than 1 percent of the US smartphone market and is dwarfed by major players, including its Chinese peer ZTE Corp, according to Kantar Worldpanel ComTech.

    "We focus on the international market," said Zhao, "but for us the US market is the most important one."
    However, Huawei lags behind US competitors in terms of cellphone bundle sales with carriers. Currently, it has not signed any contracts with major carriers in the US market.
    Honor 8 comes with two 12-megapixel cameras that can capture two photos simultaneously in color and monochrome and then process the two together.
    The system is able to capture three-times more light than a single lens camera.



    The sixth phone in the Note series: SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 7 REVIEW

    Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review: The sixth phone in the Note series





    Four years ago, Samsung – commercially successful but at the time often criticized for copying the iPhone – promised the world that “one day”, the company would produce iconic products as Apple had done.
    Since then, it has tried out what seems like countless attempts at innovation, some more successful than others. Large screens, bendy glass, styluses, and a smorgasbord of different designs often made it seem like the company had little idea of what the perfect phone was.
    But even as we have heard that phone innovation has petered out, with devices converging on homogeneity, Samsung has kept experimenting. And occasionally, the stars align in a way that works.
    The Galaxy Note 7, Samsung’s latest tablet, is one of those instances. The sixth phone in the Note series (confusingly, Samsung skipped the Note 6 to bring the line up to date with the Galaxy S7), the Note 7 is undoubtedly one of the best phones of 2016. I’d go so far as to call it the best-made smartphone money can buy.

    Design and screen

    The first thing to say about the Note 7 is that, for a big-screened phone, it is remarkably svelte. The Note borrows the Edge screen from the Galaxy S7 Edge that curves onto the sides of the phone, which has allowed it to pack a 5.7-inch screen into a device that is notably dinkier than both the previous Note and my iPhone 6s Plus.
    While the smaller-handed may still struggle with it, it’s certainly easier to hold than most of the larger-screen phones out there. This is helped by the shape of the phone: the curves of the front are mirrored on the back, giving it a pleasant symmetry and making the Note 7 easy to wrap a hand around (although the Gorilla Glass back gets covered in fingerprints)
    The super AMOLED screen, meanwhile, is glorious, but you don’t have to take my word for it: The experts at Display Mate reckon it’s the best they have ever tested. Samsung has also taken the “always on” screen from the S7 that shows the time, date battery, and any notifications when the phone is in standby.

    Iris scanning

    One of the key selling points of the Note 7 is the introduction of an iris scanner, which Samsung says is actually more secure than a fingerprint reader (nobody can use it to unlock your phone while you sleep, for example).
    Setting it up is certainly easier than with a fingerprint: you simply hold the phone up to your eyes and it will scan them once, rather than having to repeatedly put your thumb or finger on the sensor. The iris scanner can be used to unlock your phone as well as a new “Secure folder” where you can store apps or photos you don’t want to be accessible on the home screen.





     
    The Note 7's iris scanner
     
    Practically, though, the scanner is not perfect. For me, it worked around 90 per cent of the time, but it tells me fairly often that the sensor may be dirty, hindering it. Since you have to point the phone at your face for the scanner to work, that 10 per cent when it’s wrong can be irritating: you feel a little foolish failing at it on public transport. There are also some occasions where you might not want to peer at your phone to unlock it, such as quick check at the cinema or in a meeting.
    That said, you can also use the Note 7’s fingerprint scanner, so think of the iris unlock as an added bonus. It’s also Samsung’s first go at this, so the technology is likely to improve. After four days of using the phone, I haven’t deactivated it.

    Stylus

    A dividing feature of the Note series has been the “S-Pen” stylus. It’s apparently a key selling point of the phone, but the last Note model wasn’t even released in Europe, reportedly because consumers here don’t engage with the stylus.
    The S-Pen and notes system has had a big upgrade for the Note 7, which does give it some neat new functions.  For one thing, the pen – as well as the phone itself – is now waterproof, so if you really need to use it underwater, you can.
    When the phone is on standby, you can now just click the S-Pen out and scribble on the screen to take a quick note, such as jotting down a phone number, which you can save for later or pin to the home screen. Samsung’s various note-taking and drawing apps have also been neatly packaged together in a new “Samsung Notes” app.
     
    By far the most fun new feature related to the S-Pen is the ability to create GIFs on the fly. When you have the S-Pen out, with a few taps you can record what’s on the screen – say a video or your own camera feed – and create a GIF which you can then doodle on.
    Overall, the S-Pen still feels like an add-on rather than the integral part of the device that Samsung claims. The bottom line is any smartphone screen is probably too small to make proper notes on, and while the handwriting recognition is good, it is slower than just typing on a touchscreen keyboard. The best thing about a stylus is still that it’s better than a finger for annotating photos or Snapchats: Fun, rather than real work.

    Everything else

    On many fronts, the Note 7 shares a lot with the also-excellent S7 and S7 Edge. The 12MP camera is truly best-in-class and speedy, and the battery life is good enough to last a day (although no longer).
    There have been a few welcome software tweaks too: The camera app’s controls are simpler – for example you simply swipe up or down to switch between selfie mode and the main camera, and left and right for filters and camera modes respectively, which makes it effortless to use.
    Samsung’s TouchWiz Android interface has been cleaned up a little, so icons look better and it’s a little easier to navigate menus. The minimum storage is also 64GB, compared to the 32GB of the S7.

    Verdict

    The Note 7 is a truly excellent phone. As with the S7 and S7 Edge, its camera quality and screen are among the best you can get, while the few tweaks to software and the novelty of the iris scanner are reasonable improvements.
    The design, though, is what clinches it: the Note 7 is beautiful to look at and effortless to hold despite its huge screen. In terms of pure hardware design, I would go as far as to call it the best you can buy. Whether you should choose it over the iPhone 6s Plus (or hold on for the iPhone 7) depends on what side of the Android/iOS line you sit on.