Antivirus prevention isn't anywhere near as necessary for Android devices as it is for Windows computers just yet. As Android's market share grows, though, so will the attacks. More importantly for the here and now, Lookout Mobile Security provides key security options that are unique to the mobile market. Along with the antivirus and anti-malware tech, there's a lost and stolen phone locator service, an application privacy adviser, and a backup service.
Lookout's broad range of effective mobile device-specific security features are coupled with a minimal performance hit, making it a must-have app.
Download from:
https://www.mylookout.com/ or
http://download.cnet.com/Lookout-Mobile-Security-for-Android/3000-2239_4-75157534.html
Friday, December 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Ancestral Quest is genealogical research freeware
Ancestral Quest is genealogical research freeware that can search over 1 billion entries freely at FamilySearch as well as 500 million names, though that feature requires a free log-in ID. You can also upgrade to the paid version for access to more search options. However, the free tool offers a lot.
Ancestral Quest's installer let us opt for free or paid searches, something that happened frequently while using the freeware version, though that's why it's free. The setup also gave us the option to search Ancestry.com (though a subscription may be required) and make other choices. AQ's interface, charts, diagrams, and data fields all use nice, large fonts by default, which makes the data easy to see, but the look and behavior are just a few of the many options we could change. To start using the program, we could choose to create a new database, import an existing AQ database, import GEDCOM data, set up collaborations, and much more. AQ lets users open multiple database instances. We started a new family database, which involves entering a name in the family tree template on the Pedigree tab. This called up an extensive wizard for entering and saving biographical data like birth and death dates. The program suggests adding yourself as the first person (skip the death date for now) though you can use an ancestor. Our saved data appeared in the Family tab, where we could add Spouse, Children, Mother, Father, Other Relatives, and more. The Names List tab resembles a spreadsheet. The Individual tab is inactive in the freeware; it requires an upgrade to the premium product to access the dathttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifa. The free search options are extensive, though. We could access the Search Center as well as perform Individual, Relationship, and Marriage searches on the Search menu. The Tools menu includes a Research Manager, Relationship Examiner, Calculators, and more. The help menu is one of the most extensive we've seen, which is just as well because there's a lot to this free application.
Despite the freeware's limitations and the need to access online accounts to search some databases, Ancestral Quest offers an excellent introduction to Internet-based genealogical research, and a great way to learn how to use the tools and resources efficiently, if you do decide to take your research to the next level.
http://www.ancquest.com/index.htm
Ancestral Quest's installer let us opt for free or paid searches, something that happened frequently while using the freeware version, though that's why it's free. The setup also gave us the option to search Ancestry.com (though a subscription may be required) and make other choices. AQ's interface, charts, diagrams, and data fields all use nice, large fonts by default, which makes the data easy to see, but the look and behavior are just a few of the many options we could change. To start using the program, we could choose to create a new database, import an existing AQ database, import GEDCOM data, set up collaborations, and much more. AQ lets users open multiple database instances. We started a new family database, which involves entering a name in the family tree template on the Pedigree tab. This called up an extensive wizard for entering and saving biographical data like birth and death dates. The program suggests adding yourself as the first person (skip the death date for now) though you can use an ancestor. Our saved data appeared in the Family tab, where we could add Spouse, Children, Mother, Father, Other Relatives, and more. The Names List tab resembles a spreadsheet. The Individual tab is inactive in the freeware; it requires an upgrade to the premium product to access the dathttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifa. The free search options are extensive, though. We could access the Search Center as well as perform Individual, Relationship, and Marriage searches on the Search menu. The Tools menu includes a Research Manager, Relationship Examiner, Calculators, and more. The help menu is one of the most extensive we've seen, which is just as well because there's a lot to this free application.
Despite the freeware's limitations and the need to access online accounts to search some databases, Ancestral Quest offers an excellent introduction to Internet-based genealogical research, and a great way to learn how to use the tools and resources efficiently, if you do decide to take your research to the next level.
http://www.ancquest.com/index.htm
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Thousands fleeced in 'Microsoft' scam
Thousands of Australians have been taken for hundreds of dollars each by cold call scammers pretending to be Microsoft but police, regulators and the software company are powerless to fight the growing problem.
The scammers, typically based in Indian call centres, cold call people claiming to be Microsoft staff informing them that their computer has a virus on it. They provide bogus evidence of a virus infection and after winning over the victim, convince them to allow the scammer remote access to their computer through an internet website.
The scammers then pretend to fix the machine and ask for a fee that is up to $400. They use a combination of high pressure sales tactics and social engineering to scare the victim into paying the fee and because victims willingly hand over their credit card details, there is little legal recourse.
But the head of the NSW Police fraud squad, Detective Superintendent Col Dyson, said in a phone interview that in addition to taking payment the scammers also stole money and planted viruses on the victims' computers.
"We've had quite a few people report this to us and it's increasing all the time ... you're basically opening the door to your bank accounts to a criminal," he said.
"We have strong indications that they're looking at activity logs so they can pick up things like passwords and bank account details; some people's computers have also been infected with viruses and keyloggers.
The easiest way to get rid of them was to tell them that you do not have a computer.
The scammers, typically based in Indian call centres, cold call people claiming to be Microsoft staff informing them that their computer has a virus on it. They provide bogus evidence of a virus infection and after winning over the victim, convince them to allow the scammer remote access to their computer through an internet website.
The scammers then pretend to fix the machine and ask for a fee that is up to $400. They use a combination of high pressure sales tactics and social engineering to scare the victim into paying the fee and because victims willingly hand over their credit card details, there is little legal recourse.
But the head of the NSW Police fraud squad, Detective Superintendent Col Dyson, said in a phone interview that in addition to taking payment the scammers also stole money and planted viruses on the victims' computers.
"We've had quite a few people report this to us and it's increasing all the time ... you're basically opening the door to your bank accounts to a criminal," he said.
"We have strong indications that they're looking at activity logs so they can pick up things like passwords and bank account details; some people's computers have also been infected with viruses and keyloggers.
The easiest way to get rid of them was to tell them that you do not have a computer.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
What to do when USB flash drives refuse to mount in Windows
USB flash drives come in handy for ferrying files to other systems, carrying bootable ISO images and even serving as cat toys (well, those on my desk get used for that, whether I like it or not).
One constant frustration I have with USB drives -- apart from the cat toy thing -- is how, when I sometimes plug one into a Windows machine, it will not mount. I know the drive works because it mounts just fine in another machine, and it might even have worked fine in this one before. But for some reason, in this particular machine, right now, it absolutely refuses to come up.
Over time, I've found a few consistent reasons why this happens and developed some troubleshooting strategies to work around this problem. It happens to me even with the newest drives and late-model PCs, so I can safely assume the problem isn't going away anytime soon.
Solution 1: A misinteraction between the hub and the device
All USB hubs are not created equal. I have learned this the hard way. I'm not just talking about the fact that one has "Belkin" on the front and another has "Rosewill." Different USB hubs, even from the same manufacturers, have profound differences in how they work under the hood that aren't apparent to the end user until something goes wrong.
A classic example of this happened to me recently. I have a tiny USB dongle -- barely bigger than the socket itself -- which accepts a MicroSD card. Plug the card into the dongle, plug the dongle into your PC, and the contents of the card come up as a removable drive (in theory, anyway). When I plugged this dongle into my eight-port desktop USB hub, however, strange things happened. The contents of the card would appear for all of about five seconds, and then the drive would show up as blank.
After some experiments with another machine -- and backing up the card's contents there -- I ruled out that the drive itself was defective. It mounted fine elsewhere. Swapping in another MicroSD card didn't change anything. Finally, I tried plugging the dongle directly into the PC's front USB port. No prizes for guessing what happened: It mounted perfectly and hasn't given me a lick of trouble since.
So what happened here? My assumption is that there's a bug in the firmware for the hub related to certain classes of devices -- specifically, removable drives. Similar things have happened when I've connected digital , for instance, to the system via the same hub. In those cases, I worked around the problem entirely by simply loading the 's memory card into my PC's card reader, which is probably what I should have done in the first place.
Because there are so many USB devices out there and so many possible combinations of device plus hub, a full list of compatible devices is probably nigh-impossible to assemble. But this is worth keeping in mind as an initial strategy. If you're not getting any luck with the port you're using, try not only a different port, but also an entirely different USB connection -- a direct connection to the PC instead of a hub, or the back vs. the front.
Solution 2: A corrupt device reference
If you can't get the device to mount no matter where it's plugged in -- and you know it worked before! -- then another possible explanation is that the reference in the system's USB device database needs to be deleted and recreated.
There are a couple of ways to do this. The first, and possibly the most familiar, is to uninstall the device. If you can find the device in the Device Manager tree, all you need do is right-click on it (while it's still plugged in) and select Uninstall.
Another method involves a utility named USBDeview, which lets you see the entire USB device database regardless of whether or not the devices are plugged in. This is actually my preferred method -- if only because I can see a bit more information about the device I'm removing. Once you find it, you can uninstall it using the tool and see if that helps.
Run the USBDeview tool as administrator, and you'll be able to sort USB devices by a whole slew of parameters. (When I was debugging with the above-mentioned dongle, I sorted by drive letter.) Right-click on a device, and you can detach it, uninstall it and perform a host of other information-gathering operations on it.
Note that whichever method you choose, you'll need to reboot afterwards to make sure everything is set.
Go to Article
Serdar Yegulalp,
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Serdar Yegulalp has been writing about personal computing and IT for more than 15 years for a variety of publications, including (among others) Windows Magazine, InformationWeek and the TechTarget family of sites.
One constant frustration I have with USB drives -- apart from the cat toy thing -- is how, when I sometimes plug one into a Windows machine, it will not mount. I know the drive works because it mounts just fine in another machine, and it might even have worked fine in this one before. But for some reason, in this particular machine, right now, it absolutely refuses to come up.
Over time, I've found a few consistent reasons why this happens and developed some troubleshooting strategies to work around this problem. It happens to me even with the newest drives and late-model PCs, so I can safely assume the problem isn't going away anytime soon.
Solution 1: A misinteraction between the hub and the device
All USB hubs are not created equal. I have learned this the hard way. I'm not just talking about the fact that one has "Belkin" on the front and another has "Rosewill." Different USB hubs, even from the same manufacturers, have profound differences in how they work under the hood that aren't apparent to the end user until something goes wrong.
A classic example of this happened to me recently. I have a tiny USB dongle -- barely bigger than the socket itself -- which accepts a MicroSD card. Plug the card into the dongle, plug the dongle into your PC, and the contents of the card come up as a removable drive (in theory, anyway). When I plugged this dongle into my eight-port desktop USB hub, however, strange things happened. The contents of the card would appear for all of about five seconds, and then the drive would show up as blank.
After some experiments with another machine -- and backing up the card's contents there -- I ruled out that the drive itself was defective. It mounted fine elsewhere. Swapping in another MicroSD card didn't change anything. Finally, I tried plugging the dongle directly into the PC's front USB port. No prizes for guessing what happened: It mounted perfectly and hasn't given me a lick of trouble since.
So what happened here? My assumption is that there's a bug in the firmware for the hub related to certain classes of devices -- specifically, removable drives. Similar things have happened when I've connected digital , for instance, to the system via the same hub. In those cases, I worked around the problem entirely by simply loading the 's memory card into my PC's card reader, which is probably what I should have done in the first place.
Because there are so many USB devices out there and so many possible combinations of device plus hub, a full list of compatible devices is probably nigh-impossible to assemble. But this is worth keeping in mind as an initial strategy. If you're not getting any luck with the port you're using, try not only a different port, but also an entirely different USB connection -- a direct connection to the PC instead of a hub, or the back vs. the front.
Solution 2: A corrupt device reference
If you can't get the device to mount no matter where it's plugged in -- and you know it worked before! -- then another possible explanation is that the reference in the system's USB device database needs to be deleted and recreated.
There are a couple of ways to do this. The first, and possibly the most familiar, is to uninstall the device. If you can find the device in the Device Manager tree, all you need do is right-click on it (while it's still plugged in) and select Uninstall.
Another method involves a utility named USBDeview, which lets you see the entire USB device database regardless of whether or not the devices are plugged in. This is actually my preferred method -- if only because I can see a bit more information about the device I'm removing. Once you find it, you can uninstall it using the tool and see if that helps.
Run the USBDeview tool as administrator, and you'll be able to sort USB devices by a whole slew of parameters. (When I was debugging with the above-mentioned dongle, I sorted by drive letter.) Right-click on a device, and you can detach it, uninstall it and perform a host of other information-gathering operations on it.
Note that whichever method you choose, you'll need to reboot afterwards to make sure everything is set.
Go to Article
Serdar Yegulalp,
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Serdar Yegulalp has been writing about personal computing and IT for more than 15 years for a variety of publications, including (among others) Windows Magazine, InformationWeek and the TechTarget family of sites.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
CCleaner 3.09
After installing and removing software, then browsing the Internet for a few months, all sorts of temporary information is left strewn across your hard drive. Worse, the Registry, which is a database of information about your computer, is left with erroneous entries that point to long-deleted directories, link file types to applications that don’t exist and even attempt to launch start up applications that were removed from your machine.
The answer is a system cleanser and there are few better tools than the free CCleaner. This tool will remove unwanted information, temporary files, your browsing history, huge log files and even the settings left behind by previously installed software. It also includes a Registry cleaner and optimiser, which will find and remove entries and streamline the database.
CCleaner doesn’t stop there. It includes some security tools such as a data eraser so you can make sure files and information is completely removed from your PC.
New features include a 64-bit native exe, brand new UI graphics and icons, much-improved internal scanning architecture, a Drive Wiper tool and a Intelligent cookie-keeping functionality.
CCleaner 3.09 ships with these new/improved features.
- Added Firefox 6.0 beta support.
Firefox: Temporary files, history, cookies, download history, form history.
- Added Google Chrome: Temporary files, history, cookies, download history, form history.
- Added Opera: Temporary files, history, cookies.
- Added Safari: Temporary files, history, cookies, form history.
- Added HTML5 Offline cache cleaning and management for Firefox.
- Added wildcard support to folders. (i.e. "Include1=PATH|%AppData%\*\|*.txt|RECURSE" or FileKey1=%AppData%\?*e|*.txt|RECURSE)
- Added convertion of custom file entry to folder when using wildcard.
- Added cleaning for Zune, BreezeBrowser Pro, FastStone Image Viewer, Notepad++ and NoteXpad.
- Improved cleaning for Real Player.
- Improved Chrome Saved Form Information and Saved Passwords cleaning.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
- Improved Enabling/Disabling Start Up items.
- Improved icons detection for Uninstall screen.
- Improved drag-and-drop functionality for Include/Exclude screen.
- Improved localization support.
- Improved Start Up items discovery.
- Improved memory handling and garbage collection.
- Minor UI tweaks.
Verdict:
You can't get much better than this free optimization tool, that will give your system a boost
Download from here: http://www.scanwith.com/download/CCleaner.htm
The answer is a system cleanser and there are few better tools than the free CCleaner. This tool will remove unwanted information, temporary files, your browsing history, huge log files and even the settings left behind by previously installed software. It also includes a Registry cleaner and optimiser, which will find and remove entries and streamline the database.
CCleaner doesn’t stop there. It includes some security tools such as a data eraser so you can make sure files and information is completely removed from your PC.
New features include a 64-bit native exe, brand new UI graphics and icons, much-improved internal scanning architecture, a Drive Wiper tool and a Intelligent cookie-keeping functionality.
CCleaner 3.09 ships with these new/improved features.
- Added Firefox 6.0 beta support.
Firefox: Temporary files, history, cookies, download history, form history.
- Added Google Chrome: Temporary files, history, cookies, download history, form history.
- Added Opera: Temporary files, history, cookies.
- Added Safari: Temporary files, history, cookies, form history.
- Added HTML5 Offline cache cleaning and management for Firefox.
- Added wildcard support to folders. (i.e. "Include1=PATH|%AppData%\*\|*.txt|RECURSE" or FileKey1=%AppData%\?*e|*.txt|RECURSE)
- Added convertion of custom file entry to folder when using wildcard.
- Added cleaning for Zune, BreezeBrowser Pro, FastStone Image Viewer, Notepad++ and NoteXpad.
- Improved cleaning for Real Player.
- Improved Chrome Saved Form Information and Saved Passwords cleaning.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
- Improved Enabling/Disabling Start Up items.
- Improved icons detection for Uninstall screen.
- Improved drag-and-drop functionality for Include/Exclude screen.
- Improved localization support.
- Improved Start Up items discovery.
- Improved memory handling and garbage collection.
- Minor UI tweaks.
Verdict:
You can't get much better than this free optimization tool, that will give your system a boost
Download from here: http://www.scanwith.com/download/CCleaner.htm
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Facebook Scam Promises Google+ Invitation
Facebook Scam Promises Google+ InvitationTrying to get a Google+ invitation has been a hot conversation of the Internet, while people try their best to obtain an invite to the newest social network. Even though Google has loosened the reins and invites have started to flow, some Facebook users have received bogus invitations. These bogus invitations are scams deliberately designed to attack your Facebook account and steal your identifying information.
So how do the scammers know that Facebook users will fall for the bait? The scammers use an age old ploy and that is people’s weakness for greed. The announcement promises a user an invitation for themselves, plus additional invitations for 50 of your friends. However, once the user with the Facebook account takes the bait, the scammers can control their Facebook account.
The scammers’ next job is to attack the accounts of the Facebook user’s friends and family. So the attacks are not just limited to the greedy user, but can also have an effect on others who know the person whose account has been hacked. The scammers can then send more spam to other Facebook users making it look like you are the bad guy, when in fact you have no knowledge of what is being sent out by those using your Facebook account.
Last week someone on my friends and family list took the bait for a porn scam video. The video was an advertisement for a porn site and unfortunately, my achttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifcount was used to make it look like I had sent out the message. After being notified by a friend of the receipt of the porn, I was able to find the offending post, remove it, and it now sits in my list of blocked junk Web sites and applications.
For what it’s worth, I received a Google+ invitation and I am currently testing the new social networking Web site. My circle of friends, acquaintances, and family is currently very small while I test out Google+ and I have only sent out one invitation thus far.
Posted by Ron Schenone on Jul 14, 2011
See post here
So how do the scammers know that Facebook users will fall for the bait? The scammers use an age old ploy and that is people’s weakness for greed. The announcement promises a user an invitation for themselves, plus additional invitations for 50 of your friends. However, once the user with the Facebook account takes the bait, the scammers can control their Facebook account.
The scammers’ next job is to attack the accounts of the Facebook user’s friends and family. So the attacks are not just limited to the greedy user, but can also have an effect on others who know the person whose account has been hacked. The scammers can then send more spam to other Facebook users making it look like you are the bad guy, when in fact you have no knowledge of what is being sent out by those using your Facebook account.
Last week someone on my friends and family list took the bait for a porn scam video. The video was an advertisement for a porn site and unfortunately, my achttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifcount was used to make it look like I had sent out the message. After being notified by a friend of the receipt of the porn, I was able to find the offending post, remove it, and it now sits in my list of blocked junk Web sites and applications.
For what it’s worth, I received a Google+ invitation and I am currently testing the new social networking Web site. My circle of friends, acquaintances, and family is currently very small while I test out Google+ and I have only sent out one invitation thus far.
Posted by Ron Schenone on Jul 14, 2011
See post here
Thursday, July 7, 2011
10 Rules of Public WiFi Etiquette
by admin on July 6, 2011
Public WiFi hotspots are becoming more and more prevalent and are being used as a value-added feature by many businesses. While the offer of free internet access is sure to attract customers, there are some limits to its cost-effectiveness. This has caused some retailers and coffee shops to institute policies or charges for the service. For customers who want to to continue frequenting that bistro with laptop in tow – and still be welcome to so – the following are 10 rules of public WiFi etiquette you may want to keep in mind.
Pay Your Way – Remember that the goal for retail venues is sales, and that WiFi is a perk they are providing toward achieving end. Make sure you order something from the menu. For longer stays, make a purchase about once every hour.
Sit at a smaller table and use one chair. Leave the larger tables for parties of more than one. Use one chair and make the rest available to other tables and patrons, or consider sharing one if no smaller tables are available.
Charge up before taking your portable device to a public hotspot, thereby minimizing your need for external power. This is a hefty overhead cost for the WiFi host. An extra battery is also a good idea.
Be a good tipper. Remember, if you’ve got a server, he or she is likely to be subsisting on tips, which are normally based on a percentage of the check. So if you’ve been nursing a latte for over an hour, guess who pays for your visit, Mr. Skinflint?
Keep it Clean #1 – Be mindful of the websites you visit, and files you may open while in a public place. Avoid any potentially offensive material.
Keep it Clean #2 – Police your area and minimize the work required to prepare your table for the next visitor. Bus your own table between orders.
Don’t Hog Bandwidth – Keep the downloads to a minimum. Large file downloads when there’s a large group of users sharing bandwidth is a no-no.
Keep it Down – Not everyone wants to hear your music or your videos or whatever other kind of audio you’re listening to. Use earphones or a discreetly low volume setting and give those around you a break.
Mind the Traffic – If it’s none too crowded, then an extended stay to worhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifk from your laptop is probably OK. Once things start getting more crowded, though, it may be time to pack it up for the day.
Obey House Rules – Some establishments have policies regarding internet access, like restricting use during peak business hours, or maximum usage durations. If the AC outlets are covered up, take the hint.
If you have any interest in WiFi then you will want to read further articles at Wireless Internet Reviews, I found this to be a site to list in my bookmarks. Jeff.
http://wirelessinternetreviews.com/
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Mozilla Thunderbird
Thunderbird is an email client from Mozilla, the organization better known for the Firefox web browser which has a great deal to offer. In addition to handling multiple email accounts, the program can also be used to subscribe to RSS feeds and access online newsgroups and a new tabbed interface makes it easy to jump between individual emails or different aspects of the program.
There are new tools available to make it easier to manage a burgeoning inbox Email archival makes it possible to remove messages from your main inbox while retaining them for future reference, and the advanced search facility takes the hard works out of tracking down messages using a keyword filtering and timeline system.
As is the case with Firefox, Thunderbird supports add-ons can be used to customize and extend the features of the program. Getting started with the email client has been greatly simplified thanks to automatic account setting detection and nice touches such as the appearance of a warning if an email is written which includes the word 'attached' but no attachment is added make Thunderbird a joy to use.
With advanced security, phishing protection and automatic updating, coupled with countless other features which are simply not found in other email clients, Thunderbird is the ideal program to handle your email correspondence and much more.
Verdict:
Thunderbird is a highly adaptable email client, feed reader and newsgroup tool and support for add-ons means it is endlessly extendable
http://downloads.pcauthority.com.au/article/2273-mozilla-thunderbird-3111
Friday, July 1, 2011
Is your WiFi secure.
Someone may be using your WiFi connection, they may well not be doing so
maliciously or even knowingly. Sometimes people can't tell which is
their own connection and they may honestly believe that they are using
their Wi-Fi router rather than yours. The best way to deal with this is
to set up your own security.
The optimal solution is to set up a strong password using WPA and change
it regularly. Once your network is functioning, you can switch off the
SSID broadcast [which prevents it from advertising the name of your
network] so it would effectively disappear as far as your neighbours are
concerned.
Firstly you need to determine the ip address of your
modem/router/gateway by finding the Gateway address [try the bookwork
that came with your modem] and putting that ip in the Address line of
your favorite Internet browser [You may not be able to do this via the
wireless (a security feature) so you may need to connect via an ethernet
cable] The address will be something like 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.2.1 or
10.1.1.1 or 192.138.1.254 etc.
At this point you will need to know the default username and password to
login to your device. Login is usually something like administrator or
admin, with a blank or admin password or just a blank username field
with the word password for the login credentials [try the bookwork that
came with your modem for this too].
After you login to the device look for a tab or link that simply says
"Wireless" or "Wireless Security" where you can select the type of
security [use WPA-PSK as it is the strongest of the encryption methods,
or WPA2 if your computer will support it, it is the optimal security
method] that you would like to use for wireless access by computers
connecting to your network. You will need to add a shared-key, to
protect against an attack, a random passphrase of 8 to 63 printable
ASCII [Letters/numbers/symbols]characters is sufficient.
This key will basically be the PASSWORD to your Network [other
computers on your network will also need to use this same key], so only
people who know it will be able to log on to your network. The name of
your network will still appear for people in range, but they will have
to know your shared-key key.
Anyone now trying to access your network will be asked to log in with
your shared-key key. With them not knowing it your network is secure.
maliciously or even knowingly. Sometimes people can't tell which is
their own connection and they may honestly believe that they are using
their Wi-Fi router rather than yours. The best way to deal with this is
to set up your own security.
The optimal solution is to set up a strong password using WPA and change
it regularly. Once your network is functioning, you can switch off the
SSID broadcast [which prevents it from advertising the name of your
network] so it would effectively disappear as far as your neighbours are
concerned.
Firstly you need to determine the ip address of your
modem/router/gateway by finding the Gateway address [try the bookwork
that came with your modem] and putting that ip in the Address line of
your favorite Internet browser [You may not be able to do this via the
wireless (a security feature) so you may need to connect via an ethernet
cable] The address will be something like 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.2.1 or
10.1.1.1 or 192.138.1.254 etc.
At this point you will need to know the default username and password to
login to your device. Login is usually something like administrator or
admin, with a blank or admin password or just a blank username field
with the word password for the login credentials [try the bookwork that
came with your modem for this too].
After you login to the device look for a tab or link that simply says
"Wireless" or "Wireless Security" where you can select the type of
security [use WPA-PSK as it is the strongest of the encryption methods,
or WPA2 if your computer will support it, it is the optimal security
method] that you would like to use for wireless access by computers
connecting to your network. You will need to add a shared-key, to
protect against an attack, a random passphrase of 8 to 63 printable
ASCII [Letters/numbers/symbols]characters is sufficient.
This key will basically be the PASSWORD to your Network [other
computers on your network will also need to use this same key], so only
people who know it will be able to log on to your network. The name of
your network will still appear for people in range, but they will have
to know your shared-key key.
Anyone now trying to access your network will be asked to log in with
your shared-key key. With them not knowing it your network is secure.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Nitro PDF Reader 2.0
Create, view, edit and convert PDFs with this powerful “no strings attached” software. Get the free download here.
Nitro PDF Reader 2.0, which offers PDF conversion, creation and editing tools in addition to its basic viewing capabilities, is marketed by Nitro as “no strings attached” software because of its extended functionality and lack of registration nags or ad-supported components.
Nitro PDF Reader is bursting with additional features, some of which you won’t find elsewhere. There’s QuickSign, for converting your handwritten signature into a stamp for placing on PDFs. Nitro will also allow you to view web-hosted PDFs from inside your browser (assuming it’s IE, Firefox or Chrome). There’s collaboratiohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifn and review tools in the form of virtual sticky notes, a typing tool for adding text to the page, and options for filling in forms electronically.
Despite all these features, the program is simple to use thanks in part to its ribbon interface, ensuring all the main features are accessible with a simple click. It’s fast too.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
How to know if LulzSec hacked your email
By Darren Pauli [ passed on because of its importance to you ].
So easy, even your mum could use it.
A Sydney-based security researcher has developed a web portal that allows administrators to check if work email accounts have been compromised.
The portal, (https://shouldichangemypassword.com) allows users to search through databases of email addresses stolen during recent attacks by the likes of LulzSec.
The databases were collated by researcher Daniel Grzelak.
Grzelak intended the web site as a means by which an IT administrator could check whether staff have reused work passwords and email addresses on other web sites which have subsequently been compromised in the recent spate of hacking incidents.
Such concerns are not without warrant: Dozens of government agencies were included in LulzSec's recent publication of 62,000 emails and passwords, and the group's followers boasted that they had reused the details to gain access to user accounts on other web sites including PayPal and Amazon.
Grzelak has thus far integrated some 800,000 email addresses into the portal database, lifted from 13 databases exposed by LulzSec.
He told SC Magazine Australia that he intends to expand the list and would consider building a batch processing facility that would allow businesses to check an entire staff email directory.
"There is an information asymmetry in the security industry, where attackers know everything and users know nothing," Grzelak, a former penetration tester of seven years said. "This is about changing the balance."
Without it, administrators would have to download stolen databases and search them manually for affected email addresses.
The PHP portal requires an email address to search the list. If it returns a hit, it displays details about the email address was last compromised and how many times it has been included in stolen databases.
Grzelak has removed passwords and other sensitive information from the portal database that are often coupled with stolen emails addresses.
All of the emails are publicly available on sites like The Pirate Bay, which reduces the benefit from hacking Grzelak's portal.
The portal, originally developed for Grzelak's mother and friends, could have the batch processing facility ready within days, he said.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
He doesn't condone LulzSec's hacking spree, but recognized the paradoxical argument that the group is highlighting security flaws that would otherwise remain unnoticed.
"If they weren't publishing this stuff, others may be silently using the details for financial gain, and I would not be able to build the database."
Check your email address here. https://shouldichangemypassword.com/
So easy, even your mum could use it.
A Sydney-based security researcher has developed a web portal that allows administrators to check if work email accounts have been compromised.
The portal, (https://shouldichangemypassword.com) allows users to search through databases of email addresses stolen during recent attacks by the likes of LulzSec.
The databases were collated by researcher Daniel Grzelak.
Grzelak intended the web site as a means by which an IT administrator could check whether staff have reused work passwords and email addresses on other web sites which have subsequently been compromised in the recent spate of hacking incidents.
Such concerns are not without warrant: Dozens of government agencies were included in LulzSec's recent publication of 62,000 emails and passwords, and the group's followers boasted that they had reused the details to gain access to user accounts on other web sites including PayPal and Amazon.
Grzelak has thus far integrated some 800,000 email addresses into the portal database, lifted from 13 databases exposed by LulzSec.
He told SC Magazine Australia that he intends to expand the list and would consider building a batch processing facility that would allow businesses to check an entire staff email directory.
"There is an information asymmetry in the security industry, where attackers know everything and users know nothing," Grzelak, a former penetration tester of seven years said. "This is about changing the balance."
Without it, administrators would have to download stolen databases and search them manually for affected email addresses.
The PHP portal requires an email address to search the list. If it returns a hit, it displays details about the email address was last compromised and how many times it has been included in stolen databases.
Grzelak has removed passwords and other sensitive information from the portal database that are often coupled with stolen emails addresses.
All of the emails are publicly available on sites like The Pirate Bay, which reduces the benefit from hacking Grzelak's portal.
The portal, originally developed for Grzelak's mother and friends, could have the batch processing facility ready within days, he said.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
He doesn't condone LulzSec's hacking spree, but recognized the paradoxical argument that the group is highlighting security flaws that would otherwise remain unnoticed.
"If they weren't publishing this stuff, others may be silently using the details for financial gain, and I would not be able to build the database."
Check your email address here. https://shouldichangemypassword.com/
Monday, June 20, 2011
Free PDF to Word Converter 1.5 [Windows]
Free PDF to Word Converter - easy and free pdf to word freeware, convert pdf file to word doc file. Totally Free PDF to Word Converter.Easy and free pdf to whttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giford freeware, convert pdf file to word doc file. The world's best Freeware to convert pdf to word! Convert your PDF to Word right now! Free PDF to Word Converter can help you convert PDF file to Word doc easily to edit and reuse.
From:
http://downloads.zdnet.com/abstract.aspx?docid=1019315&promo=100200&tag=zd-left;tab1
From:
http://downloads.zdnet.com/abstract.aspx?docid=1019315&promo=100200&tag=zd-left;tab1
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Panda Cloud Antivirus Free
The first free antivirus from the cloud
Panda Cloud Antivirus Free connects to the Collective Intelligence servers in the cloud to protect your computer, without requiring traditional updates or penalizing the performance of your system. Now all knowledge is in the cloud, and thanks to Panda Cloud Antivirus, you can benefit from this.
Panda Cloud Antivirus detects all types of viruses, Trojans, worms, spyware, dialers, hacking tools, jokes and security risks, whether they are active or latent on your PC.
Panda Cloud Antivirus protects your computer permanently, monitoring files that you open or run at any time (including those that execute automatically), and blocking any that could be dangerous for your computer.
http://www.cloudantivirus.com/en/
Panda Cloud Antivirus Free connects to the Collective Intelligence servers in the cloud to protect your computer, without requiring traditional updates or penalizing the performance of your system. Now all knowledge is in the cloud, and thanks to Panda Cloud Antivirus, you can benefit from this.
Panda Cloud Antivirus detects all types of viruses, Trojans, worms, spyware, dialers, hacking tools, jokes and security risks, whether they are active or latent on your PC.
Panda Cloud Antivirus protects your computer permanently, monitoring files that you open or run at any time (including those that execute automatically), and blocking any that could be dangerous for your computer.
http://www.cloudantivirus.com/en/
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