Friday 15 December 2017


Can A VPN Bypass Net Neutrality Rollback And Throttling? — Here Are 3 Top Services To Help You


Defying the advice from security and technology experts, the Federal Communications Commission has repealed the net neutrality rules by a 3-2 vote. This move is expected to cement the positions of larger ISPs, thanks to FCC chairman Ajit Pai, who was also a former Verizon employee.
Apart from encouraging paid prioritization and numerous data security/privacy concerns, this move might also mean a serious blow to smaller ISPs and internet-based technology companies. Now, your existing ISP has got the power to sell your data to the highest bidders.
This brings us to the imminent question — What next? While lawsuits, protests, and debates need to take place with greater gravity to reclaim your access to the open web in the upcoming months, what else can you do? This is where VPN and Net neutrality relationship comes into play.

Using a VPN can help you — here’s how

In , a VPN service like NordVPN can act as your trusted privacy companion by allowing you to access the web with the protection of encryption.
VPN SERVER SETUP WORKING
As a result, a service provider won’t be able to see your data and can’t know which websites you visit. All your traffic gets routed through VPN servers and the ISP can only know that you’re connected to some VPN server. As a result, an ISP won’t be able to block a particular website for you or slow it down (Note: Don’t forget to see VPN blocking possibilities below).
So, what VPNs should one choose to fight against Net neutrality? Are they really useful?
In our previous articles on the importance of using a VPN service, we’ve recommended services like Private Internet Access, Express VPN, and NordVPN from time to time. You can read their detailed reviews as well — Express VPN review and NordVPN review. These services are known to operate in the US and provide high-quality support. While ExpressVPN is known for its 24×7 support and Netflix streaming, PIA is for cost-effectiveness and reliability.

VPN and Net neutrality: Can VPNs be blocked by ISPs?

While a VPN will restrict an ISP from blocking individual websites, there are some scenarios that could be troublesome. Here, I’m talking about throttling VPN traffic altogether.
While slowing down VPN traffic is theoretically possible, it has a lot of technical and business challenges. There are tons of corporate customers who use VPNs for work, and ISPs would need to come up with something newer to block VPN traffic (and not displease them).
VPN companies too have some options to circumvent this challenge by changing the IPs frequently and forcing ISPs to maintain a vast list of updated servers.
Similar sentiments on VPN and Net neutrality were also expressed by leading VPN provider PIA: “We won’t let you get throttled or let your ISP choose what you have or don’t have access to. If it comes to cat and mouse, then so be it. There’s 4.2 billion IPv4 IPs and basically a lot of IPv6 IPs that we can use.”

                  REST IN PEACE Neutrality 

T he past one year’s effort made by American citizens has been rejected by the Federal Communications Committee, headed by Ajit Pai, which has just voted to repeal the net neutrality rules established under the Obama administration. It looks like Christmas came pretty early for ISP giants.

In this process of killing net neutrality, the vote was 3 to 2. Along the party lines, Republican Commissioners voted in favor of the order; Democratic Commissions voted against the same. While Pai titled his order as “Restoring Internet Freedom,” Democrat Mignon Clyburn said it should be called “Destroying Internet Freedom.”
Now, broadband won’t be classified as a Title II service. As a result of this change, FFC won’t be acting as an active regulator of the broadband industry, allowing the companies to throttled or block websites/content as per their wish. The rich technology players would be able to avail services like paid prioritization. However, ISPs will need to disclose such practices.
That’s not all. Now, American states won’t be able to override the new order with their own legislation.
“The Internet is the greatest free market innovation in history. What is responsible for the phenomenal development of the Internet? It certainly wasn’t heavy-handed government regulation,” Pai said before vote, according to Ars Technica. “Following today’s vote, American consumers will still be able to access the websites they want to visit,” he added.
“As a result of today’s misguided action, our broadband providers will get extraordinary new power from this agency. They will have the power to block websites, throttle services, and censor online content,” Democrat Jessica Rosenworcel said.
“They will have the right to discriminate and favor the internet traffic of those companies with whom they have pay-for-play arrangements and the right to consign all others to a slow and bumpy road,” she added.
“Maybe several providers will quietly roll out paid prioritization packages that enable deep-pocketed players to cut the queue. Maybe a vertically integrated broadband provider decides that it will favor its own apps and services. Or some high-value Internet-of-things traffic will be subject to an additional fee. Maybe some of these actions will be cloaked under non-disclosure agreements and wrapped up in mandatory arbitration clauses so that it will be a breach of contract to disclose these publicly or take the provider to court over any wrongdoing. Some may say, “Of course, this will never happen.” After today’s vote, what will be in place to stop them?” Clyburn continued.
This development means that a new and bigger fight has just started. But, not everything’s lost. You can expect different lawsuits heading to courts in near future. Also, Congress has the power to pass a law and make things right.
What are your views on this Net neutrality vote? What should be the future course of action? Share your views and become a part of the discussion.

Tuesday 12 September 2017


9 Ways Hackers Hack Your Facebook Account and How to prevent it

Facebook
https://codingsec.net/2016/06/9-ways-hackers-hack-facebook-account/
Hackers use various methods for hacking a facebook account password of victim. Today I tell you what type of methods hackers are using for hacking a facebook account and how can you prevent yourself from these hacks.
1. Facebook Phishing
Phishing is one of the most popular ways for hacking a facebook account. In Phishing, the hacker creates a fake login page or create a clone of facebook login page that looks like the real facebook page. In the next step facebook, hacker asks the victim to log in through the fake phishing web page, victim username and password stored in a hacker computer.
phishing-facebook-768x426
How to Protect yourself from Facebook Phishing
  • Never login your facebook account on another computer.
  • Always avoid emails that ask you to log in your facebook account in the new tab.
  • Never open any spammy links that give by your friend in the message box or by SMS.
  • Always use Chrome browser, chrome identifies the phishing page.
  • Use Antivirus in your computer.
  • Make sure you are on facebook.com and double-check the web address.
2. Keylogging
Keylogging is one of the easiest ways to hack a password of the facebook account. Keylogger is a small software or program which installed in a victim computer and this program record everything which victim type in his computer.
How to Protect yourself from Keyloggers
  • Install a good antivirus in your computer.
  • Never open your facebook account on another computer.
  • Always download free software from trusted websites
  • Never download or get a software from untrusted sources.
  • Always scan a pen drive for virus
3. View Saved Password from Browser
Like you know whenever we login new account in our browser, the browser asks to save this username and password in the computer. Anyone can hack your facebook account from view your facebook password in your browser.
Just go this URL and you see username and password in your chrome browser.
chrome://settings/passwords
How to Protect yourself from this Hack
  • Never save your login password in your web browser.
  • Secure your chrome browser with the password.
  • Always use the strong password in your Computer.
4. Mobile Phone Hacking
Generally, we reset our facebook password from our mobile phone. What if someone install monitor apps in our phone. With monitor apps, hackers can access and read your all sms and he can easily reset your facebook password in just seconds.
How to Protect yourself from Facebook Mobile Phone Hacking
  • Always install a good antivirus in your mobile phone.
  • Never install unknown apps in your phone.
  • Always check your phone for suspicous apps
5. Social Engineering
Social Engineering is simple attack made by hacker, in this method hacker can collect information about victim as much as he can from various methods. If victim uses simple password like his birthday date, mobile number, school name, girlfriend name and bike number , a good hacker can easily guess your password and hack your facebook account.
How to Protect Yourself from Social Engineering Attack
  • Never use any simple password in your facebook account.
  • Never ever write you facebook account in any paper.
  • Many people use the same password in different websites, my advice is never to use same password for many websites.
  • Make strong password from this website Random Password Generator
6. From Hacking your Email Account
Mainly the first hacker hacks your email account then hack your facebook account from password resetting.
How to Protect yourself from Email Hacking
  • Enable 2 Step authentication in your email account. When you enable this security in your Gmail account, no one accesses your Gmail account without your mobile OTP.
  • Use strong password in your email.
7. Source Code
At facebook website login pages, you can view masked passwords (******)by changing the password input type as text from inspect element in your browser. This method works in all modern browser. Never leave your PC on with signup page. Anyone can know your facebook password from this method.

Save yourself from this Attack
  • Never save your facebook password in your web browser.
8. Tabnapping
Nowdays you can see ,you can signup and make your id on any website from your facebook account. Many websites are create a fake login page and asks you to enter your facebook username and password. In this hack a hacker creates a fake website and asks user to sign up from you facebook accou

WhatsApp set to start charging businesses

WhatsApp set to start charging

Facebook finally looks set to start making money from its $19 billion acquisition WhatsApp. While Facebook’s other messaging platform Messenger makes it revenue through advertisements, WhatsApp will apparently be generating revenue by offering businesses a way to communicate and engage with their customers. To help its users to differentiate between normal users and businesses, WhatsApp also seems to be planning a roll out of verification badges on its platform.
Not Charging users yet
According to reports, companies in Europe, Brazil, India and Indonesia are already said to be trying out this new feature. One of the first major corporation said to be trying out the feature is said to be KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. This news ties in to earlier reports that Facebook has been looking for ways to monetize WhatsApp after it abolished the platform’s $0.99 sign-up fee and made it free for everyone.
“We want to put a basic foundation in place to allow people to message businesses and for them to get the responses that they want,”  WhatsApp COO Matt Idema said. “We do intend on charging businesses in the future.”
The good thing about this story, is that there seem to be no plans to start charging users for accessing WhatsApp as many reports feared when the company was bought by Facebook. A spokesperson for the company has also mentioned that companies will first need to gain approval from a user before they can contact them therefore, the feature will work via an opt-in.

Thursday 31 August 2017

Apple Is Killing iPhone 8’s “Home Button”, But What’s Coming Is More Virtual

The news about Apple removing the Home Button from the upcoming iPhone 8 might have arrived as bit of a shock for many users. But a more important thing is how Apple going to fill that gap.
According to a report by Bloomberg, whose sources have seen the images, the thing which is going to replace the home button is a thin software bar placed at the bottom of the screen, coupled with gesture controls.
Image result for iphone 8 imagesImage result for iphone 8 images
The bar can be dragged up to the middle of the screen to wake the device from sleep. When used inside an app, it could be used to explore more features, like the redesigned multitasking for the new iPhone. The user can drag it up to the top of the screen to reach the home screen.

Wednesday 21 June 2017

    THE BEST WAY TO DOWNLOAD TORRENTS FASTER OR ANY OTHER HEAVY FILES
 I came a cross a service called offcloud as i was suching for ways to download torrent files faster through my download manager and securely and i landed on that awesome serivce called offcloud
when you sign up your given a free trail of 3 links which you can use to upload content from an site
in  my case it was torrent sites and these links with the instant download option where u upload it and download it instantly and the cloud option where u can upload your files to their cloud and for futre download and The last option remote upload this option allows you to upload your files through
offcloud to your favority cloud storage service eg google drive,mega,dropdox.Follow this link and check them out it maybe the service you have been looking for
https://offcloud.com/?=7357fd48

Chris Putnam : The First Facebook Hacker

If you’ve been a long time user of Facebook, you are sure to come across an emoticon of a man’s face facing upward to the right . If you have asked your friends or googled how to do it, you know that all you need to type is :putnam: for the emoticon to show. Have you wondered what putnam means ? Its not a word in the English language, so what could it signify ? That emoticon is the last name of a man named Chris Putnam and this is his story.
  • :putnam: doesn’t works any longer to show up as an emoji
Hack Away
The short answer – the one you will most likely find on the internet – is that Chris Putnam is an engineer at Facebook.  The full story however, is a little more entertaining. At the end of this article, you will also realize that it wasn’t Putnam who added his emoticon to Facebook chat, it was his friends that did it.
Around the end of 2005, Putnam carried out a series of pranks on Facebook alongside his friends Marcel Laverdet and Kyle Stoneman. One of these, was an XSS based worm that spread through Facbook profiles by means of an un-sanitized profile field.
Our worm code would rapidly and silently copy itself from profile to profile, spreading virally through friends viewing one another’s profiles. The code itself was run off of an off-site server under my control, so at any time I could change the script that was running on everyone’s profiles, says Putnam on his blog.
Before seeding the worm Putnam and Marcel had co-written a JS library that could replicate some of Facebook’s functionalities including adding a friend, poking, messaging, wall posts, among others. This allowed them to modify the master script to carry out actions through the infected accounts. The first version of this worm would include this library and would also send a friend request to his test account thus, allowing him to easily track the number of infected users as the outstanding friend request number ticked up on his homepage.
During this time, his friends were working on a CSS stylesheet that would re-style a Facebook profile to look like a Myspace account ( as it looked in 2005). It would modify every single field on the profile and make it look exactly like a Myspace account including the colour scheme. Thus the first version of this worm would do 3 things
  • It friended his test account
  • It re-styled the profile to look like MySpace
  • It copied itself to your own profile.
Facebook gets Involved
The modified profiles however, would barely last a day before the user complained to Facebook about the problem. This also led to a number of Facebook employees having their accounts infected including internal test accounts known simply as ” The Creator ” leading them to infer that they might have possibly infected the account of the Facebook founder ( since he was technically the creator ).
He states, that in hindsight, he should have tried to spread the worm as much as he could without having the infected profile showing any changes but he was confident that the company would identify the XSS vector before they could’e had an opportunity to do anything with it. He says his friends are still annoyed at this fact. Putnam and friends didn’t stop there though, they released a second worm shortly thereafter that was controlled by Marcel and allowed him to post random messages to random friends’ walls (e.g., “Hey, nice shoes.” or “This wall is now about trains.”).
As fixes started rolling out for the worm, I got a message in my personal Facebook inbox from co-founder Dustin Moskovitz. His knowledge of my identity didn’t come as much of a surprise since the worm’s interaction with my account was a dead giveaway and we even went out of our way to provide contact information in the source code and CSS file. I’m having a hard time finding the exact text of his message right now, but it was along the lines of “Hey, this was funny but it looks like you are deleting contact information from users’ profiles when you go to replicate the worm again. That’s not so cool.”
This led to a string of messages being exchanged between him and Dustin where he explained the worm in details along with other loop holes that he had discovered. In the meantime, Putnam was looking to get a job and move to Silicon Valley. In 2006, about a year later, he managed to get a job interview from a company based in Silicon Valley through a friend. When he mentioned this to Dustin, he was called for an interview at Facebook.
“Now, this seemed pretty nice and all, but this was a period in tech history where MySpace had just gone through something extremely similar–guy makes harmless XSS worm, company offers to hire him–but in their case, they had him arrested as he arrived at LAX and turned him into a convicted felon.”
The Interview
With apprehensions in mind, he still went for the interview. He brought a friend along and stocked up on cash just in case things took a wrong turn. Until the moment when he entered Facebook’s offices and found Dustin waiting for him without cops, that he breathed a sigh of relief. The interview went off well and just a few days later, Putnam found himself employed at Facebook.
We end this piece with Putnam’s own words, ” I will be forever grateful that the company was so sympathetic toward people like myself. It’s one of the things that really sets Facebook apart with its passion for scrappy, hacker-type engineers”

Saturday 10 June 2017


How To Use RAM As Hard Drive? How To Create RAMDisk?


If you’re having an excess amount of RAM on your system, mostly unused, you can use it to create a RAM Drive or RAM Disk. You can take its advantage to reduce application load times, improve performance while playing games, or store 4K movies for better playback. There are various RAMDisk software available, both free and paid, which can be used to create and temporary or persistent RAMDisks. Getting a faster storage is every computer user’s dream. Most of the people now have the choice of using SSDs, but they are considerably costlier than the magnetic hard drives. However, if you have like loads of RAM sitting idle inside your PC, it can be a great source to construct some lightening fast storage media, even faster than the SSD.

What is a RAMDisk or RAM Drive?

RAMDisk is a term given to a virtual drive created on the system which uses the blocks on your physical RAM to store data. Early attempts to make storage media using RAM date back to 1980s. The development followed, and we actually have RAM-based hard drives. But these couldn’t go as viral as magnetic hard drives and later, SSDs, because of the high cost of the RAM storage and a continuous need to a power supply.

Why use RAMDisk?

The reason why RAM is a separate piece of memory on your computer is because of its speed. Creating a RAMDisk would allow you save data on the fastest possible storage on your computer. It’s no denying the fact that you’ll notice a substantial reduction in the load times for programs you’ve have installed on a RAM drive. That’s because there is no need of transferring the files from your hard drive to the RAM.
One of the important aspects of maintaining the RAM Disk is retaining data after you turn off your computer. RAM is volatile memory, and it can’t remember anything after the power goes off. So, all of the software and files you store on the RAM Disk are gone.
Now, here we find the need of RAMDisk software which in addition to creating the RAM Disk also stores the data onto your hard drive every time you shut down your PC and reloads it on the RAM Disk when you turn it back on. You can choose from a variety of RAM Disk software, and some of them have been benchmarked by Raymond.
In order to create a RAMDisk, make sure your computer has enough amount of RAM. This is because Windows OS needs around 2GB memory to function properly. And you have to leave a spare 1GB memory for other software. So, to create a 1GB RAMDisk you should have at least 4GB RAM on your computer.
Also, if you’re a running a 32-bit Windows, the maximum RAM it supports is 4GB. So, you don’t have a considerable window while setting up a RAMDisk. There is no such limit in the case of 64-bit Windows. So, if you have like 8GB or 16GB chip, then it’s easy to blow an 8GB RAMDisk inside your memory.
Also Read: 32-Bit Vs 64-Bit Windows OS: What Is The Difference? How To Choose?

How To Use RAM As Hard Drive In Windows 10? | Create RAM Disk

There is a number of paid and free RAMDisk software for Windows 10 and older versions. You might have heard about Dataram RAMDisk which is available in free and paid options. Here is how you can set up a RAMDisk using this software:
  1. Install Dataram RAMDisk after downloading it using this link (scroll to the bottom of the web page).
  2. The default view is somewhat confusing. So, you can switch to View>Advanced if you want.
  3. Now, under the Settings tab, select the size of the RAMDisk. It can only go up to 1023MB in the free version. However, the paid version supports up to 64GB.
    Create RAMDrive1
  4. Under the Load/Save tab, make sure Load Disk Image at Startup and Save Disk Image at Shutdown are ticked. This will make sure your files don’t evaporate when you shutdown the PC.
    Create RAMDrive2
  5. Now you can explore the Options tab or click Start RAMDisk to get your virtual disk into action.
The RAMDisk you have created will appear in your My Computer as a regular local disk. This way you can use your RAM as hard drive, not literally though. You can stop the RAMDisk using the software anytime. Also, you can close the Dataram window, it will work in the background.
Create RAMDrive
Dataram is easy but its 1GB limit is a serious drawback. AMD Radeon RAMDisk is an official variant of Dataram optimized for AMD-branded memory. But it still works with regular memory and increases the size up to 4GB (with 8GB RAM) for the free version. You can download AMD Radeon RAMDisk using this link. The user interface is almost the same.
Create RAMDrive4
If you plan to uninstall Dataram RAMDisk, delete the image file located in root folder of your system drive, mostly C.
For those who want to go with a free and open source RAMDisk software, Imdisk is the answer. ImDisk promotes itself as a virtual disk driver instead. You can download ImDisk using this link.
After installation, ImDisk can be controlled using the CMD and it also appears as an applet in the Control Panel where you can access the application. Also, there is a modified version called ImDisk Toolkit which is more user-friendly.
There is no limit on the size of the RAMDisk but it comes at the cost of a tougher RAM Disk setup process. A sense of relief is you can create more than one RAMDisks on your computer.
Creating a RAMDisk using ImDisk’s GUI isn’t a rocket science, but the storage so created isn’t persistent. The moment you restart your machine, your RAMDisk is nowhere to be seen. You can follow the CMD-method detailed by a Guru3D forum user if you want to create a RAMDisk that can survive restarts and shutdowns.
Similarly, you can use some other RAMDisk software to take advantage of your extra RAM. You can install programs, games, or store any type of content you want to access quickly. However, one thing to note here is keeping a RAMDisk on a daily basis can slow down your shutdown and boot times. That’s because your machine will update the image file on the hard drive with the latest data present on the RAMDisk and the same will be loaded during startup. Most paid RAMDisk software update the image file in the real time so the problem is the case of the users shelling out cash from their pocket.
This was a brief overview of What are RAMDisks? Why do you need RAMDisks? And how can you create a RAMDisk and use ram as hard drive? If you found this helpful, drop your thoughts and feedback.

8 Best Anti Ransomware Tools You Must Be Using In 2017


In the recent past, ransomware has emerged as one of the most challenging cyber security threats. This has demanded the need for anti ransomware tools that one needs to use. Some of the notable tools like Bitdefender, Malwarebytes, Kaspersky, etc. use advanced methods to take preventive measures and block such attacks. Many ransomware removal and decryptor tools are also available for getting back your files. Over the course of past year, we kept telling you about different ransomware attacks, including the likes of Locky, Cerber, Jigsaw, KeRanger, etc. Many security experts also called ransomware the biggest threat we would see in upcoming months. This prediction came true with the arrival of WannaCry ransomware.
WannaCry ransomware, which used 2 NSA hacking tools leaked by ShadowBrokers, was able to infect hundreds of thousands of computers running unpatched Windows systems. It has been predicted that such threats are only going to increase in upcoming months. So, apart from following the basic internet security practices, what should you do? If you wish to save you Windows PC from threats like ransomware in future, it would be a good idea to take a look at our list of the best anti ransomware tools for 2017:

Top anti-ransomware tools in 2017

1. Bitdefender anti-ransomware and antivirus

In our article of top antivirus software of 2017, Bitdefender topped the list. The multidevice license of Bitdefender lets you select the preferred platform and enjoy advanced features like malicious URL blocking, on-demand scan, etc. But, what about ransomware protection?
Talking about Bitdefender Antivirus Plus, it’s a complete suite that kills most types of Trojans, ransomware, and malware. Its ransomware protection in Bitdefender allows you to choose folders that one wants to be protected. This anti ransomware tool of Bitdefender comes with a flexible configuration as compared to other solutions. You can also use Bitdefender’s free anti ransomware tool that runs silently in the background provides protection against ransomware like WannaCry, Locky, TeslaCrypt, Petya, etc.

2. Malwarebytes anti-ransomware tool

In the recent times, while talking about best anti ransomware tools and anti-malware solutions, Malwarebytes appears towards the top of the lists. Due to the sophisticated nature of ransomware, many basic security software fail to prevent you. To save yourself from such threats, you need solutions like Malwarebytes.
Malwarebytes 3, which promises to deliver all-round protection like Bitdefender, comes with a great anti ransomware tool that protects your files. Apart from ransomware threats, Malwarebytes also protects you from fake websites and links. It wraps the programs and browser into 4 defense layers and stops attacks that exploit different vulnerabilities. Last year, the company also launched Malwarebytes Anti-ransomware Beta.

3. Kaspersky anti ransomware tool

The reputed cyber security firm Kaspersky offers a dedicated tool to numb the ransomware infections. Created for keeping businesses and small organizations safe from ransomware, this tool is available as a free download. Just like most of the security suites, you don’t need Kaspersky Lab security suite to be installed on your computer. You can download this great anti ransomware software by visiting this link and add an extra layer of protection.
Just like Bitdefender and Malwarebytes, the primary product of the company, Kaspersky Internet Security, comes loaded with anti-ransomware functionality. It also tells you about notorious websites and links to make your internet browsing experience even better.

4. Trend Micro Security

Trend Micro Security is another antivirus suite that comes with a great anti ransomware tool that minimizes the risk of infection. The latest release of Trend Micro antivirus comes with a strong focus on ransomware removal software and protects you from WannaCry ransomware.
It comes with a Folder Field feature that adds an extra defense layer to files inside a protected folder. It prevents notorious ransomware from encrypting your files. The Folder Field feature prevents every process or service from accessing the file inside that particular folder. The company also ships Ransomware Screen Unlocker tool for ransomware removal from infected PCs.

5. Avast Antivirus

Ransomware malware are known for holding your important files in ransom and demanding money in return for access. So, one must use a reputed software to recognize, remove, and prevent ransomware. Consistently rated excellent by experts, Avast 2017 deals with prevalent threats like ransomware in an efficient manner.
In Avast 2017, the company integrated AVG’s behavior analysis technology named Behaviour Shield. It sniffs the software for suspicious behavior and exposes the sample of ransomware by analyzing the code behavior. The company claims that Avast Behaviour Shield is capable of stopping new ransomware variants, which makes it one of the top anti-ransomware software around. Avast also provides multiple ransomware decryptors for removing ransomware and decrypting your files.

6. Zemana Antimalware

Based in Turkey, Zemana specializes in security for business and home users. They claim to make security programs with an easy-to-use interface for general users. After the initial launch of Zemana AntiLogger, the company launched Zemana AntiMalware which was designed to scan and clear a computer from malware. It also provides real-time protection and browser cleanup functions.
Zemana Antimalware is based on its own signature database that removes the known and yet-to-be-born malware threats. One of the plus points of Zemana Antimalware is its lightweight and highly optimized nature that stores the virus definitions in the cloud to avoid cluttering the PC. In many independent security tests, including MRG Effitas, Zemana Antimalware was judged the best anti ransomware tool that one can use. It’s available in two versions. While the one with limited features is free, the commercialized version comes with a 14-day free trial.

7. McAfee Ransomware Interceptor

In the times like these where ransomware threats like WannaCry lock down people’s computers and demand ransomware, the need for an efficient anti ransomware software isn’t disputed. McAfee is a renowned name in the realm of cybersecurity. So, it would make sense for a McAfee product to make an appearance on this list of the best anti ransomware tools.
Here, I’m going to tell you about McAfee Ransomware Interceptor (MRI). It’s an early detection tool that prevents the file encryption attempts made by a malware. By utilizing, machine learning and heuristics, this anti ransomware tool monitors and terminates the processes that resemble the characteristics of ransomware. Currently, this product is available for Windows 7 and later.

8. Tools to remove ransomware and decrypt files

In the points mentioned ahead, I’ll list some of the popular means to remove ransomware from your computer and decrypt files. These ransomware removal tools are useful when your computer is infected with ransomware and you need to get rid of them —
  • Nomoreransom.org website is backed by top security and tech giants. Here, you can upload encrypted files and find a free decrypting solution.
  • Noransom.kaspersky.com is another online source that provides ransomware decryptor and removal tools.
  • Avast, Trend Micro, AVG, and McAfee too provide tools to get rid of ransomware.

Saturday 3 June 2017


Judy Malware Attacks 36.5 Million Phones — One Of The Largest Malware Campaigns on Google Play


A notorious adware named Judy had managed to break Google Play Store’s security mechanism, affecting about 36.5 million users. Judy malware spread via 41 popular apps created by a Korean company and tricked users into clicking banner ads to generate illegal revenue. After Check Point had reached out to Google, the company removed the apps from Play Store. Last week, Check Point researchers uncovered a widespread malware campaign on Google’s official app store. The notorious malware, called Judy, was found on 41 popular apps developed by a fishy Korean company.
The malware is an adware that uses tons of fake clicks on the advertisements for generating revenue. As the agent apps became massively popular, the number of affected users might have reached as much as 36.5 million customers.
The security researchers also found many apps other than Judy family that contained malware. The connection between the two campaigns is unclear. It’s possible that one campaign got the code from other.
Some affected apps had existed on Play Store for several years, but they were recently updated. The oldest app of the second campaign was updated in April 2016. As per Check Point’s report, it’s unclear how long the rogue code existed in the app.

How does Judy Malware operate?

judy malware android
Image: Check Point
For bypassing Google Play’s protection, Bouncer, the coders of Judy malware created an app that looked innocent. After arriving on a user’s smartphones, the malware established a connection with the C&C server and downloaded the malicious payload, which included JS code, user-agent string, and URLs controlled by malware author.
After this, Judy opened the malicious URL that imitated a PC browser in a hidden web page. It was followed by another redirection that loaded Google Ads and generated illegitimate clicks.
You can find the complete list of Judy malware apps on Check Point blog. If you’re having any of these apps installed on your Android phone due to some reason, uninstall it and use some security solution to clean your phone

Tuesday 30 May 2017


WannaCry Ransomware Hackers Are Most Likely From China


Since the arrival of WannaCry ransomware, the researchers have been unable to find the exact forces behind the attack. A new analysis by Flashpoint highlights the possibility of WannaCry’s affiliation to Chinese hackers. The firm performed a linguistic analysis of ransom notes in WannaCry samples and arrived at this conclusion. There are some things we know about WannaCry ransomware for sure. It was created by cyber criminals using an exploit that was the part of NSA’s exploit leaked by a group named The Shadow Brokers. The ransomware went on to affect hundreds of thousands of computers running Windows 7, Vista, and XP.
It’s possible that we may never know about the exact creators of this ransomware who locked the PCs of innocent users and demanded ransom. But, a recent research from the security firm Flashpoint points a finger towards a Chinese connection.
In a blog post, Flashpoint has listed the results of its linguistic analysis of WannaCry ransomware messages. The team analyzed the ransom notes individually for content, accuracy, and style.
Flashpoint found that WannaCry samples had language configuration files with translated message in different languages. It was found that almost all notes were translated using Google Translate. Only one English and two Chinese notes were likely to have been written by a human. It was also found that the English note was used as the source text for other translation and its writer could’ve been non-native.WANNACRY RANSOMWARE CHINA
Coming back to the two Chinese notes, they were different from each other in format, content, and tone. Google Translate also fails in Chinese-English and English-Chinese conversion tests.
The analysis revealed certain unique characteristics that indicate that a Chinese expert wrote it. A specific typo made it clear that the note was written using a Chinese-input system. The Chinese note also used proper grammar, punctuation, and syntax.
The text has certain terms that narrow things down to Southern China. A compelling indicator was the lengthiness of the Chinese note.
While Flashpoint underlines the possibility of a China-based force, they don’t forget to mention that such hints were intentionally included to mislead. You can read about the research in detail here.
  

Father Of Android Launches “Essential Phone” — See Pictures And Detailed Specifications

 


Andy Rubin, the father of Android, has finally unveiled his much-anticipated smartphone — Essential Phone. Loaded with top-notch specifications like Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB RAM, and 128 GB storage, Essential Phone also features a dual camera and a 360-degree camera accessory. This almost bezel-less phone will cost $699 and first launch in the US. We’ve been reading different rumors about an upcoming smartphone from the father of Android, Andy Rubin. This device, called the Essential Phone, has now been finally unveiled.
Essential Phone is powered by Android and comes with a hint of modularity. If you look at the phone, the first thing that strikes you is its magnificent edge-to-edge screen, which leaves little space for the bezel. The Verge points out that there isn’t even a logo on the phone exterior, so chances are that there won’t be much bloatware to slow down your phone.
Essential Phone, which costs $699, will be launching first in the US. The other top-end specifications of this phone are Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB RAM, and 128 GB storage.
Essential has stressed heavily on accessories. It’ll ship with a 360-degree camera that’ll stick to the top of the phone. You’ll get a magnetic connector and wireless data transfer. It also comes with a phone dock with a unique click cordless connector. The phone has a 12MP dual camera at the back which records 360° UHD (3840 x 1920) videos at 30fps.
Just like iPhone 7, Essential Phone doesn’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack and it ships with a dongle in the box. We can hope that audio accessories will be connected using the magnetic connector.
Talking about the phone’s body, it’s made of titanium and ceramic. The company claims that the phone is able to withstand a concrete drop test.

Essential Phone Specifications:

Model Name

  • Essential PH-1

Materials

  • Titanium body
  • Ceramic back
  • Corning Gorilla Glass 5 cover glass

Dimensions

  • Height: 141.5mm
  • Width: 71.1mm
  • Thickness: 7.8mm
  • Weight: < 185 grams

Display

  • Resolution: 2560 x 1312 QHD
  • Aspect Ratio: 19:10
  • Diagonal Size: 5.71” with radiused corners
  • Brightness: 500 nits (typical)
  • Contrast Ratio: > 1:1000 (typical)
  • Technology: CGS / LTPS

Human Input + Sensors

  • 10 finger multitouch; palm and water-error rejection
  • Fingerprint reader: fastest available technology
  • Proximity / Ambient light sensor
  • Volume buttons, Power button
  • Environmental pressure sensor (barometer)
  • Accelerometer, Magnetometer and Gyroscope

Audio

  • Microphone: 4x microphones with noise cancellation and beam forming
  • Low Audio (earpiece)
  • High Audio: (loudspeaker)

Rear Camera

  • 13MP Dual RGB + Mono camera with image fusion technology
  • 13MP True Monochrome mode
  • f/1.85 lens
  • Hybrid Auto Focus combing Contrast, Phase Detect and IR Laser Assist Focus
  • Video at 4K 30fps, 1080p 60fps or 720p 120fps

Front Camera

  • 8MP resolution with 16:9 aspect ratio
  • f/2.20 fixed hyperfocal lens
  • Video at 4K 30fps, 1080p 60fps or 720p 120fps

Battery

  • 3040mAh.
  • Fast charging via USB

Memory & Storage

  • RAM: 4GB
  • Storage: 128GB UFS 2.1

Connectivity

  • Bluetooth: 5.0 LE
  • WiFi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac with MIMO
  • NFC: yes
  • Positioning: GPS and GLONASS

System Architecture / OS

  • Android
  • Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 835
  • CPU: Kryo 280 Octa-core (2.45GHz Quad + 1.9GHz Quad), 64 bit, 10nm processor
  • GPU: Adreno 540, 710MHz, 64bit

Ports

  • USB Type-C
  • 60GHz, 6 Gbps Wireless Accessory Connector
  • 2x accessory power pins
  • NanoSIM tray with pin eject

Saturday 13 May 2017


99 Countries Affected By Massive WanaCrypt0r Ransomware Attack

The hackers have used the leaked NSA tools to infect computers with WanaCrypt0r 2.0 ransomware. This malware exploits EternalBlue vulnerability and uses phishing emails to infect computers. Till now, Avast has recorded more than 75,000 infections in 99 countries. While WanaCrypt0r is most affecting Russian and European countries, the possibility of its arrival in the US can’t be denied.  Earlier this year, hacking group Shadow Brokers claimed that it had stolen cyber weapons from the America’s NSA, which can be used to get unfettered access to the computers running Microsoft Windows and other operating systems. Now, the malicious software WanaCrypt0r 2.0 (aka WCry) is being used to carry out one of the biggest ransomware attacks of its kind.
Dozens of countries have been hit with this cyberextortion attack that locks up computers and holds user’s files for ransom. Multiple companies, government agencies, and hospitals have become a target of this attack. Security firm Avast has recorded more than 75,000 detections of WanaCrypt0r 2.0 in 99 countries.
As a result of the attack, sixteen National Health Service (NHS) organizations in the UK have been hit. Many of them have canceled patient appointments. Spanish telco Telefónica has also been hit.
After the attack, the ransom being demanded is $300 worth of bitcoins. The ransom message also has instructions on how to pay the ransom, explanation of the attack, and a timer:Wanadecrypt0r
More technical details can be found on Avast’s blog.
While the ransomware attack is mainly targeted to Russia, Taiwan, and Ukrain, the attack is showing its impact all around the world. Below is a map that shows the countries being targeted by WanaCrypt0r 2.0:wanadecrypt0r countries
Today, WanaCrypt0r is available in 28 different languages, ranging from Bulgarian to Vietnamese. This malware is spreading by exploiting a vulnerability called EternalBlue.
This scam, most probably, has spread using a wave of phishing emails with malicious attachments that infect computers when users click on them. The official government advice is not to pay criminals behind such attacks.

Thursday 4 May 2017

                  

Microsoft Launches Surface Laptop — A Chromebook Killer and MAC killer

 
Microsoft has launched Surface Laptop, a Chromebook competitor focused on the education sector. It’s a lightweight laptop that’ll run Windows 10 S. Featuring a 13.5” PixelSense display, this device comes in 4 colors and has 14.5 hours battery life. It’ll cost $999. At its May 2 event, Microsoft launched Windows 10 S–a lighter version of Windows 10. The company announced that it’ll partner with OEMs like Acer, Asus, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Samsung, and Toshiba to launch cheaper notebooks starting from $189. The company also used the opportunity to launch a new member of the Surface family, i.e., Surface Laptop.
Surface Laptop is Microsoft’s answer to Chromebook, which are dominating the schools all across the United States. It’s a lightweight Windows laptop that’ll run Windows 10 S.
It’s a lightweight laptop that features a 13.5” PixelSense display, with 1080p resolution and 3:2 aspect ratio, and 3.4 million pixels. It features thinnest LCD touch module ever created. It comes in 4 different colors and 14.5 hours long battery life.
The other specifications are conventional USB port, SD card slot, mini DisplayPort, and a Surface power connector. It weighs 2.76 pounds and runs Intel Core i5 CPU, 4GB RAM, and 128GB SSD storage.
It’ll cost $999. Surface Laptop will become available from June 15, with pre-orders starting on May 2, i.e., today.
 Image result for Surface Laptop.Image result for Surface Laptop.

Friday 28 April 2017

The best way to use free movie Apps on a Windows PC

The market is saturated with so many movie apps, making it difficult to know which one to use. Some are payable while others are free. However, the hardest task is when you have apps and you can’t use them on your PC due to a few issues that may stand in between. You don’t have to wait until it gets to that point.
Here are a few tips on how you can use your app like a pro.

Compatibility

Before you install Showbox for PC, you have to ensure that the app you select is compatible with the Windows you are using. Although most of the apps that can operate on Windows 7, 8, and 10 respectively, there are those that don’t accept Windows 7. Therefore, you must be careful and see that the instructions indicate you can use the Windows you have on your PC.

Connectivity

You will be doing de-service to your app of choice if you will install it and you don’t have good internet connection. For you to stream live a movie, you need fast internet. It does not matter the type of app you install, if you don’t have quality internet, it’s all in vain. You will never get your movie fantasies where they should be if your connection is questionable. To stream a movie you need the internet that will load faster and easy.

Space

Another important way of using your movie app is by ensuring that your PC has good space. This is because there are times when you will want to download movies and TV shows. You cannot fully enjoy the downloaded movies if you don’t have the space to store them. In some cases, you may need to delete some of your favorite movies to get in a new collection.  Therefore, when you are planning on getting an app for your PC, ensure to find an extra storage space just in case your PC is small. Getting a separate hard disk would come in handy.

Quality

Quality is also very critical. You don’t want to waste time downloading a movie that is of poor quality. Therefore, before you installing a movie app on your device, view the quality options that it supports. Noting the difference will help you find the best app for your PC. Also, having a high-quality app helps you stream even movies with low resolution and still appear as the best standard.

Conclusion

Movie apps are meant to entertain you. When you get the right one for your PC, automatically you will enjoy the pleasure that comes with the entertainment industry.  Feel as if you are part of the family by ensuring you find the best movies in the market. With the help of the app, it’s possible to stay ahead of the crowd and become the movie teller. If your app gives you the privilege of streaming, ensure you use it to the max. Look for movies and TV Series that will keep you entertained for a long time.

Friday 21 April 2017

                       What is bitcoin? How does it work?

In the simplest form, Bitcoins can be described as a “Peer to Peer Electronic cash system.” Bitcoins can be used as a method of payment for numerous goods and services and for simple transactions like purchasing vouchers, paying bills, etc. In different jurisdictions, Bitcoins are treated as a property, currency, virtual asset, good, security or commodity for the purpose of trading on a stock exchange or commodity exchange.
Essentially Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency, i.e., it operates on the principles of cryptography to manage the creation of Bitcoins and securing the transactions. Cryptocurrencies are managed by private parties, without the need for a government authority to monitor the currency system. The currency has been designed in a way that the number of total units of Bitcoins in circulation will always be limited. Going by the pace at which Bitcoins are being minted, the last unit will be mined around the year 2140.
Also Read: What Is The Difference Between Deep Web, Darknet, And Dark Web?
The cryptocurrencies essentially work on the Blockchain system. A Blockchain is a public ledger of Bitcoins that is designed to record all the transactions. The chronological order of Blockchain is enforced with cryptography and each new ledger update creates newly minted Bitcoins. This is designed in a way that Bitcoin wallets can calculate their total balance and new transactions can be verified. The integrity and the chronological order of the block chain are enforced with cryptography.
bitcoin working
Image: Pinterest
The buyer and seller can enter into transactions by using their Bitcoin wallets that are secured by a secret piece of data called, a “Private key.” The key is used to authorise the transactions by the owner of the wallet, and cannot be normally tempered by anyone, once it is issued.  The transactions are performed by adding the Bitcoin wallets on an exchange, acting as a facilitator for sale and purchase of Bitcoins. All transactions are displayed between the users and usually begin to be confirmed by the network through a process called “Mining.” It is essentially the process of creating new Bitcoins out of the total Bitcoins that are designed to be “Mined” using computers. The transactions transfer the value between the users and get recorded in the Blockchain, ensuring that each transaction is valid.

Is Bitcoin legal money?

The legality of Bitcoins is controversial, while some jurisdictions have express laws and regulations to deal with Bitcoins, others still fall in gray areas. As per a recent bill in Japan, Bitcoins and other virtual currencies have been given legal recognition and are accepted as a mode of payment. While in China, trading in Bitcoins come under the regulatory restrictions imposed by People’s Bank of China.
In the U.S.A, different states have adopted varying approaches to Bitcoins. Recently a U.S Magistrate in the state of New York ruled that Bitcoins are not money, while a contradictory stance was taken by a judge in Manhattan, who ruled that bitcoins are acceptable means of payment. The Internal Revenue Service in the United States, defines bitcoin as property rather than currency for tax purposes. The U.S. Treasury, by contrast, classifies bitcoin as a decentralised virtual currency.
In Russia, reportedly, Bitcoins may soon be regulated in a bid to tackle money laundering, though, in the past, Russia has expressed its displeasure with Bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies. In India, as of now, no regulations have been framed by either Reserve Bank of India or Securities and Exchange Board of India, the two contenders, for the purpose of drafting regulations pertaining to Bitcoins and acting as a watchdog.
In India, who ultimately acts as a regulatory authority can only be decided based on whether the government decides to treat Bitcoins as “Currency” or “Security/Commodity.” As per current Indian laws, “Currency” can only be issued by the government but the residuary powers in this regard lie with the Reserve Bank of India which can notify “Bitcoins” as currency.  After the demonetization drive in India, the demand for Bitcoin has more than doubled in less than two months. The Indian government has reportedly set up an inter-disciplinary committee to regulate the Bitcoins amidst the apprehensions that the black money hoarders may have invested into Bitcoins.

Bitcoin trends in 2017

Bitcoins are extremely volatile in nature. While the future trends for Bitcoins can’t be predicted with utmost certainty, as per a report published on Forbes, the market is set to show strong waves in the favor of cryptocurrencies, as predicted by a crypto market intelligence startup. As per the latest position, The 24-hour average rate of exchange across USD Bitcoin markets is US$1184.87, the 7-day average is US$1204.85, and the 30-day average is US$1080.26 confirming only the volatility of Bitcoins.
There are possibilities that some countries may introduce an Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) to make Bitcoin Trading easier and accessible. While a similar application to create an ETF has been rejected by The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the chances of other countries adopting it are not bleak. Currently, sale and purchase of Bitcoins is a multi-step process. Creating an ETF would make it possible for the investors to buy Bitcoins through the stock market.
Further, In the future Blockchains, the underlying technology to Bitcoins may bring revolution in the music industry.  Cryptography could transform the music industry by using Blockchain ledgers. As per reports, an attempt is being made to bring music distribution under the cryptography. This can be done by adding the music to blockchain and letting the users distribute the music by paying a sum. This can also bring down music piracy.
To sum up the discussion, it can be said that while Bitcoins may not replace the “Fiat Currency” anytime soon, but there has been a phenomenal growth in the acceptance of cryptocurrencies around the world. While the investors may still be reluctant to invest in Bitcoins, given the high risks associated with it, the demand for Bitcoins has grown manifold. In the end, it could be argued that a good legal and regulatory framework for Bitcoins would help the investors decide the viability of Bitcoins in the long run.