TechFresh

Which Antivirus Software Protect Themselves From Hacking Attacks?

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><img alt="-antivirus-comparison-" height="360" loading="lazy" src="http://d2brer6wwumtdu.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/antivirus-comparison-.jpg" width="640" /><b>SP's: </b>Even though the number of users aware about the basic security practices is increasing day-by-day, most of us are unaware of the fact that the antivirus software can also be hacked. Along the similar lines, AV-TEST has conducted a test and listed the consumer and business versions of the antiviruses based on their self-defense abilities.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Promptly replying to my question – why do you use an antivirus software? – you’ll state multiple reasons like the fear of hacking attacks, malware and privacy concerns. But, do you know that your antivirus programs can also be hacked?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Antivirus software are just another piece of software that comes with more security layers to protect itself and your system. But, nowadays attackers are actively targetting the antivirus software.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The renowned IT-security institute AV-TEST has presented its results telling the antivirus software employing the self-protection measures. It should be noted that back in the year 2014, ESET Smart Security 8 was the only antivirus software for home users that came with full self-protection measures.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">From the business point of view, only Symantec Endpoint Protection fulfilled this criterion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This year, once again, AV-TEST has presented a list of the antivirus software that implement two techniques called CEP and ASLR to protect themselves. ASLR stands for “Address Space Layout Randomization” and DEP stands for “Data Execution Prevention.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">With these standards enabled, only authorized data can be run and protection could be ensured by randomizing the position where data is stored in memory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So, which antivirus products protect themselves from attacks in 2015?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">According to the AV-TEST’s 2015 tests for consumer antivirus versions, Avira Antivirus Pro, Bullguard Internet Security, Eset Smart Security, Kaspersky Internet Security, McAfee Internet Security, and Symantec Norton Security have achieved a 100% self-protection score.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">K7 Computing Total Security, Norman Security Suite Pro and Quick Heal Total Security were the worst performers scoring 25%-29% scores.</span></div>
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<img alt="self-protection-antivirus-business-version-" height="435" loading="lazy" src="http://d2brer6wwumtdu.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/self-protection-antivirus-business-version-.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">From the business point of views, Kaspersky Lab Endpoint Security 10.2, Kaspersky Lab Small Office Security 4, and Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1 achieved the 100% self-protection results.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In this category, Seqrite Endpoint Security scored the lowest score of 29.8%.</span></div>
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<img alt="which-antiviruses-protect-themselves-against-attacks-495321-8" height="591" loading="lazy" src="http://d2brer6wwumtdu.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/which-antiviruses-protect-themselves-against-attacks-495321-8.jpg" style="text-align: left;" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">AV-TEST writes about the standards and results, “DEP and ASLR are an additional precaution that a programmer or manufacturer should not do without. Implementation is so easy: it involves existing functions in the compiler that simply need to be activated.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Is your antivirus self-protecting itself with 100% scores? Tell us in the comments below.</span></div>
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Which Antivirus Software Protect Themselves From Hacking Attacks?

SP's: Even though the number of users aware about the basic security practices is increasing day-by-day, most of us are unaware of th...

FBI Advises Ransomware Victims To Pay The Ransom for Retrieving Data

Shivam Patsariya 0 Security, tech 12:41 PM

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>SP's: </b>FBI has advised ransomware victims to pay the ransom and retrieve their data as there is not much the top law enforcement agency of the USA can do in this matter. It is pretty difficult to decrypt the ransomware so users are at the hacker’s mercy.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Getting hacked is so common these days that it neither gets the headlines nor the sympathies. Recently, a dangerous “Breaking Bad” ransomware was let loose which was completely undetected by the best Antiviruses as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Nevertheless, FBI, the USA’s top law enforcement agency which used to be the last resort for the companies that got hacked for help, has also left the victims in dismay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Joseph Bonavolonta, the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s CYBER and Counterintelligence Program in its Boston office says, “The ransomware is that good. To be honest, we often advise people just to pay the ransom”. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Ransomware is unlike any other hack and is increasingly used by the attackers to hold down the entire system by strong encryption and data of the victim is held hostage until the ransom is paid. Read the difference between viruses, trojans, spyware, ransomware, worms and bots to know more about the subject.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">FBI has admitted hands down that the task to get all of the data is next to impossible if the users are attacked with Cryptolocker, Cryptowall or any other forms of ransomware such as the Windows 10 ransomware scam without the payment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">As the unwitting consumers are attacked by ransomware, they have to pay the ransom in the now officially accepted currency Bitcoin. This situation makes the users helpless against such attacks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">However, there are few ways to stop the ransomware. Most of the times the ransomware goes undetected, but if you suspect of any file to be of such kind, immediately remove that before complete encryption takes place and the data is frozen. Offline back-up of the data will also be helpful, as it is the data that is held to ransom. So keep an additional copy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Did you find the article informative? Tell us in comments below.</span></div>
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FBI Advises Ransomware Victims To Pay The Ransom for Retrieving Data

SP's: FBI has advised ransomware victims to pay the ransom and retrieve their data as there is not much the top law enforcement age...

US Freaks Out, Worries Russia Would Cut Undersea Internet cables

Shivam Patsariya 0 News, Security 12:40 PM

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><img alt="undersea-cable-us-pacific-fleet-flickr" loading="lazy" src="http://d2brer6wwumtdu.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/undersea-cable-us-pacific-fleet-flickr.jpg" /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>SP's: </b>Russia got the US intelligence agencies into a frenzy as its naval submarines and spy ships got too close to the global undersea Internet cables. The US officials panicked as speculations that Russia might be trying to sever the fiber-optic cables came up.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The world experienced a déjà vu when reports of the US intelligentsia getting worried about the increasing Russian activities in the North Atlantic Ocean surfaced in the news. As the Russian Navy submarines and spy ships got too close to the undersea cables that carry about 95% of the global Internet connections, speculations that an attempt by the Russians to cut the information carrying cables got everyone on the US intelligence to panic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Russian hackers had previously attacked the Pentagon computers, so the US agencies are expecting the worst- severing the undersea fiber-optic cables that would immediately isolate the US and the West and block the communication system and business that everyone is dependent on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">There were reports of Russia having created a weapon that could switch off the enemy satellites which when combined with the fresh rumours could bring the whole world to a halt. However, no such proof of Russian interference with the cables has come up yet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Russia has flexed its muscles and showed its military prowess in Crimea, eastern Ukraine and now Syria while destroying the IS forces as the world saw in wonder. This new-found aggression in the Russian military has kept the US agencies on toes and brought a reminiscence of the Cold War era.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">US defence officials are worried as the Russian fleet goes deeper into the ocean where it is tough to find and repair the damages. If incurred any damage, the global business of around $10 trillion a day that is carried out through these cable connections would receive a serious shock.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Via: NYT</span></div>
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US Freaks Out, Worries Russia Would Cut Undersea Internet cables

SP's: Russia got the US intelligence agencies into a frenzy as its naval submarines and spy ships got too close to the global under...

Thanks to Robots and Drones, Leeds to Become World’s First “Self-Repairing City”

Shivam Patsariya 0 News, tech 12:37 PM

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><img alt="The Team IHMC Robotics Atlas "Running Man" robot built by Boston Dynamics raises its arms to celebrate after climbing the stairs during the finals of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Robotic Challenge in Pomona, California" height="355" loading="lazy" src="http://d2brer6wwumtdu.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/leeds-self-repairing-city.jpg" width="640" /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>SP's: </b>The Engineering and Physical Research Council has funded a £4.2 million project, aimed to brand Leeds as world’s first self-repairing city. It will facilitate the deployment of intelligent drones and robots capable of repairing street lights and potholes in the city of Leeds, United Kingdom. Along with this, the social, economical impacts of such technologies will also be analyzed as a part of the project.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">After Amazon’s Drone service, which is still in its testing phase, the scientists at the University Of Leeds, have been awarded a prize of £4.2 million. They’ll not be using it in the development of their robo-army, not for selling their inventions, or to be deployed in wars like the “Skynet” network created by the Russians, but as workers responsible for repairing potholes and the network of different utility pipes spread all around the city.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The drone project is under the financial roof of Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, and is supervised by Professor Phil Purnell, School of Civil Engineering.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">He said:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"We want to make Leeds the first city in the world to have zero disruption from street works. We can support infrastructure which can be entirely maintained by robots and make the disruption caused by the constant digging up the road in our cities a thing of the past."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The whole idea behind the development of these autonomous robots, is to create something intelligent enough, that can identity problems, carry out repairing tasks on its own, and doesn’t engender uncomfortable situations for the daily commuters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">As reported by Yorkshire Evening Post,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"The researchers will initially develop new robot designs and technologies in three areas:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">“Perch and Repair” – research to develop drones that can perch, like birds, on structures at height and perform repair tasks, such as repairing street lights.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">“Perceive and Patch” – research to develop drones able to autonomously inspect, diagnose, repair and prevent potholes in roads;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">“Fire and forget” – research to develop robots which will operate indefinitely within live utility pipes performing inspection, repair, metering and reporting tasks."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Being a part of Engineering and Physical Research Council’s £21 million Engineering Grand Challenges Research project, its the first of its kind initiative, that has taken place in any city around the world, and has gathered the support of federal organisations in the city.</span></div>
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<img alt="leeds-self-repairing-city-1" height="467" loading="lazy" src="http://d2brer6wwumtdu.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/leeds-self-repairing-city-1.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council, expressed his positive thoughts about the robot project:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">We are delighted to be working with the University of Leeds on this intriguing and groundbreaking project. We are very keen to explore new innovations and use the latest technologies to improve how the city runs through our Smart Cities programme, and this idea of turning science fiction into fact will be fascinating to watch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The drones will begin their action pursuit, only after they’ve been subjected to rigorous testing and become competent enough to appease their creators, only then they’ll be able to play their part in modernizing Leeds as world’s first self-repairing city.</span></div>
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Thanks to Robots and Drones, Leeds to Become World’s First “Self-Repairing City”

SP's: The Engineering and Physical Research Council has funded a £4.2 million project, aimed to brand Leeds as world’s first self-r...

15-year-old Boy Arrested Over the TalkTalk Hacking Attack

Shivam Patsariya 0 Security, tech 12:27 PM

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>SP's: </b>A 15-year-old has been arrested in Northern Ireland in connection with the cyber-attack on the TalkTalk’s website. This news of 15-year-old hacker’s arrest has stunned the security experts as it was assumed that a group of ISIS terrorists or Russia was behind this massive data breach.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The UK phone and broadband provider TalkTalk has reported a recent hacking attack. The company’s website and computers have been breached 3 times in the past eight months. As a result, it’s being understood that the personal information of users and bank details are circulating on the dark web.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In connection with the cyber-attack on the TalkTalk’s website, a 15-year-old has been arrested in Northern Ireland.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The boy was arrested on suspicion of Computer Misuse Act offences after a house search in County Antrim. He was taken into custody at a County Antrim police station where he will be interrogated.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The official statement from TalkTalk said: “We know this has been a worrying time for customers and we are grateful for the swift response and hard work of the police. We will continue to assist with the ongoing investigation.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This news of 15-year-old hacker’s arrest has stunned the security experts. Earlier, it was assumed that a group of ISIS terrorists or Russia was behind this massive data breach.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The phone and broadband provider TalkTalk has about 4 million customers and the company has been heavily criticized for its way of handling the cyber attacks. The company said that currently there’s no evidence that customers’ bank accounts have been affected.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">“In the meantime, we advise customers to visit [our website] for updates and information regarding this incident,” a TalkTalk said.</span></div>
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15-year-old Boy Arrested Over the TalkTalk Hacking Attack

SP's: A 15-year-old has been arrested in Northern Ireland in connection with the cyber-attack on the TalkTalk’s website. This news ...

Here’s How This Web Page Sniffs Anyone’s Browser History Using Sniffly Attack

Shivam Patsariya 0 Security, WebNdSocial 12:26 PM

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>SP's: </b>By abusing the HTTP policies of your web browser, a security engineer has devised a new technique to sniff the browsing history. Using Sniffly and HSTS timing attack, an arbitrary website can violate the privacy of its users. Read ahead to more about how it’s done in detail.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In this article, I’m going to tell you about Sniffly. It’s an attack that abuses the HTTP Strict Transport Security and Content Security Policy to allow a website to sniff a user’s past browser history.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Today tracking the web users is something that website owners do very often using malware injection, cookies, enforcing paywalls and malicious ad scripts. Well, there’s a new technique using the browser fingerprinting is in town. In a demonstration at <a href="https://zyan.scripts.mit.edu/presentations/toorcon2015.pdf">ToorCon </a>2015, Yan Zhu, a privacy engineer, showed how to do this and the working of Sniffly attack.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To showcase the demo, Yan has made a web page http://zyan.scripts.mit.edu/sniffly/. You can visit it in Firefox/Chrome/Opera with HTTPS everywhere and see how Sniffly digs your browsing history in the left column.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Here’s how Sniffly works:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When you visit the Sniffly page, your web browser tries to load the images from various HSTS domains over HTTP. Sniffly sets a CSP policy that restricts images to HTTP, so that image sources are redirected to HTTPS.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">When an image is blocked by CSP, the time taken for the image to be redirected from HTTP to HTTPS is calculated. If the time is of the order of a millisecond, it means no network request was made and it was HSTS redirect. This implies that the user had earlier visited this domain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">However, if the time the taken to redirect the request is of the order of 100 milliseconds, it means the user hasn’t visited the domain before as a network request probably occurred.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Sniffly attack is allowed if you visit a site that supports HSTS, it can sniff your browsing history by measuring the redirect time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To know more about the Sniffly attack, visit the Yan’s <a href="https://github.com/diracdeltas/sniffly">GitHub </a>page.</span></div>
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Here’s How This Web Page Sniffs Anyone’s Browser History Using Sniffly Attack

SP's: By abusing the HTTP policies of your web browser, a security engineer has devised a new technique to sniff the browsing histo...

Secure Your Password With Enigmaze Password Generating Book

Shivam Patsariya 0 Security, tech 12:24 PM

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Password_Monkey" height="359" loading="lazy" src="http://d2brer6wwumtdu.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Password_Monkey.jpg" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>SP's: </b>Enigmaze Secure Password Generating Grid System Manager has come up with the most efficient and innovative ways of generating new and strong passwords, and protecting the existing ones. It is aided with features like hardcover password journal with 176 pages, removable label, 78 different grids, an invisible ink marker, and a UV light key chain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Today, while there are approximately 3 billion people across the world using the internet, most of us prefer using the same password for all our accounts, say, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or even for net banking, for the sake of ease in remembering them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hence, once the password is decoded, the results could be fatal. This is exactly where the Enigmaze Secure Password Generating Grid System Manager comes into play.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It can be said to be the most efficient and innovative way of generating new, strong passwords and updating and protecting existing ones.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">So, how does it work? Let’s tell you more about Enigmaze Password Generating Book.</span></div>
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<img alt="password generating notebook" height="496" loading="lazy" src="http://d2brer6wwumtdu.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/password-generating-notebook.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Amidst many ways for generation of a unique password, one can include adding different symbols to existing passwords as well.</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Durable, hardcover password generating book</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">176 pages, removable label, and 78 different grids ensure that you’ll never have a problem in keeping your passwords protected and safe.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The notebooks are aided with an invisible ink marker and a UV light key chain.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> The plastic grid card makes it portable</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Easy to organize</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Estimated delivery is around December, 2015. So hurry up! Get one for yourself and secure your passwords!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Do you think this will prove to be a highly efficient way of securing passwords? Tell us in the comments below.</span></div>
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Secure Your Password With Enigmaze Password Generating Book

SP's: Enigmaze Secure Password Generating Grid System Manager has come up with the most efficient and innovative ways of generating...

Secure Your Digital Life With SkyHub Cloud 1TB Backup for Lifetime

Shivam Patsariya 0 AppsnSoftSecure, Business, Offers, WebNdSocial 3:49 PM

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><img alt="skyhub-cloub-1tb-" height="381" loading="lazy" src="http://d2brer6wwumtdu.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/skyhub-cloub-1tb-.jpg" width="640" /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>SP's: </b>Making an online backup is the best way to secure your digital life. As an exclusive fossBytes deal, you can grab the SkyHub Cloud 1TB Backup for the entire lifetime. Grab it and rest assured that all your data is secure – thanks to the advanced encryption security.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Storing your files on the cloud is a great way to keep them safe. Given their convenience, these days, for some purposes it has become our primary data storage solution. But, finding the right cloud storage solution isn’t an easy task. For situations life these, SkyHub Cloud 1TB Backup comes to your rescue.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Via fossBytes Deals, we have brought SkyHub Cloud 1TB Backup deal whose benefits you can avail for the entire lifetime. The Wall Street Journal calls it the “Online file storage excellence” as SkyHub is the best and lifetime solution to your data needs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">SkyHub Cloud 1TB Backup ensures regular automatic backup along with military grade 256-bit AES encryption. You can easily access your files on any device, anywhere, anytime.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">With just one account, you can automatically set up 4 computers for backup to SkyHub. You also get your online dashboard for accessing files for Macs, PCs, and mobile.</span></div>
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Secure Your Digital Life With SkyHub Cloud 1TB Backup for Lifetime

SP's: Making an online backup is the best way to secure your digital life. As an exclusive fossBytes deal, you can grab the SkyHub ...

Microsoft: Windows 10 Collects Data to Improve ‘Your’ Experience

Shivam Patsariya 0 Microsoft, Security, Software, tech 2:50 PM

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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><img alt="Windows-10-install-without-windows-update-iso-19" height="349" loading="lazy" src="http://d2brer6wwumtdu.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/30002123/Windows-10-install-without-windows-update-iso-19.jpg" width="640" /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>SP's: </b> In another attempt to clear the confusion clouds, Microsoft said that users shouldn’t worry about the Windows 10 data collection practices. In a recent interview, talking about the data collection, Microsoft’s VP Joe Belfiore said that the company feels that there are some compulsory data collection practices that are related to the system health issue.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Since the Windows 10 launch, from time-to-time we have received new updates about the privacy concerns in the new Microsoft OS. Users have noticed that their computers are now collecting more data by default and sending it to Microsoft.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In the past, Microsoft has tried to clear the air by trying to assure the users with some incomplete answers. Once again to clarify the issues, Microsoft’s VP Joe Belfiore said in an interview with <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2996504/data-privacy/microsoft-doesnt-see-windows-10s-mandatory-data-collection-as-a-privacy-risk.html#jump">CW </a>that Windows 10 is not doing anything that should be called a privacy violation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">While the company claims that users are having full control over the OS, there are a number of services that keep running all the time. Defending this, Microsoft VP said that these services are used to send app crash data to the Microsoft servers. He stresses on the fact that this data is encrypted, so users shouldn’t panic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">“In the case of knowing that our system that we’ve created is crashing, or is having serious performance problems, we view that as so helpful to the ecosystem, and [therefore] not an issue of personal privacy, that today, we collect that data so that we make that experience better for everyone,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When asked about the tracking features that can’t be turned off, Microsoft VP said that the company doesn’t consider them to be a privacy issue as the data sent via these services is just regarding system health, and no personal information is sent back to the company servers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">“In the cases where we’ve not provided options, we feel that those things have to do with the health of the system, and are not personal information or are not related to privacy,” he added.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Well, not matter how genuine explanations Microsoft gives, the concern remains as the users must have the power to choose whether to share some info or nothing at all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">We hope that Microsoft decides to loosen up a bit in the next updates of Windows 10 and provides us more control. What are your thoughts regarding this issue? Tell us in the comments below.</span></div>
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Microsoft: Windows 10 Collects Data to Improve ‘Your’ Experience

SP's: In another attempt to clear the confusion clouds, Microsoft said that users shouldn’t worry about the Windows 10 data collec...