Category: Security

Microsoft Security Essentials 2.0 Beta Available

Microsoft Security Essentials 2.0 Beta

Just a quick update for this evening. In news that might have slipped under the radar, Microsoft has released a beta version of its popular Microsoft Security Essentials software. This version of the software sports a few new features but also keeps down the bloat which is great for low end computers like netbooks. New …

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Jailbreaking Made Easy with JailbreakMe

If you have an iPhone or know someone that does have one, you may have heard of the term “jailbreak” brought up in discussion every now and then. For the uninformed, a jailbreak provides the ability to run applications unapproved by Apple on your device and make other modifications otherwise impossible with a factory default …

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Full Speed 802.11n Needs WPA2 + AES

This is  a quick tip for those of you looking to invest (or already have invest) in the latest 802.11n wireless routers and access points that are making their way into the digital mainstream. The final specification (802.11n-2009) allows for a theoretical maximum of up to 600Mbps on a 40MHz channel which is a whopping …

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Audit Your Computer Security with Secunia Personal Software Inspector

With software exploits coming out of the woodwork all the time it’s probably a safe bet that most people would find it difficult to keep track of what software is out of date and what is vulnerable on their computers. Windows does a fairly good job of looking after itself but other pieces of software …

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Check Your Firewall Security with Shields Up

Just a quick one tonight. You can never be too careful with security and your connection to the Internet. One way the bad guys can try and get into your computers or your router is when you have open ports exposed to the outside world. For those that don’t know, a computer has two sets …

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News.Com.Au – Get Your Facts Straight on iPad Security

Today, I saw an article on news.com.au entitled “Business not ready to embrace ‘open’ iPad”. In a nuthsell, the article attempted to relate the comments from an Ovum analyst (specifically around the use of the iPad including the freedom to install applications) with an event in the US that saw details of 114,000 customers exposed by …

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When All Else Fails, Use Malwarebytes

Today, a work colleague and friend of mine had an issue with her computer being overcome by a nasty piece of malware formally known as PolyCrypt and commonly disguised as “Security Master AV” (which looks a lot like the Windows Security Centre). The computer was still operational and remote accessible via LogMeIn (which I have …

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Should ISPs Disconnect Infected Computers?

In a new parliamentary report, Hackers, Fraudsters and Botnets: Tackling the Problem of Cyber Crime, it has been recommended that it become mandatory that computers have firewall and antivirus software installed prior to an Internet connection being activated. There have also been other measures suggested to assist in containing infected machines such as the “walled garden” approach …

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Are You Comfortable with the Government Recording Your Browsing Activity?

Having read an article at ZDNet today, I became aware of a confirmation from the Attorney-General’s department that it had been investigating a mandate for ISPs to record the browsing history of its customers. This comes after the introduction of similar laws in the EU back in March 2006 which required carriers in specific  member …

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An E-mail Address for Every Printer – Silly or Smart?

Hewlett-Packard, a big name in computers and printers, has listened to smartphone users who have been looking for an easy way to print from their devices. iPhone users have had partial solutions by means of dedicated apps which are limited to printing photos and screenshots but everyone else has been rather hamstrung. So what is …

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