Tag: Security
September 06, 2008 by
Jason
From the moment you start using Windows Vista, you’ll find a lot of new things to get used to: new programs, new layout, new ways of doing things. Some are great, some are confusing, some are just very well hidden. These are my picks for the 19 things you should try when you first start using Windows Vista do you think differently?
1. Use Flip3D
Okay, so it’s hardly essential, but it’s still one of the first things you should try: it’s just a neat way to show off that snazzy new interface. Hold down the Windows key and your keyboard and hit Tab to spool through them.
2. Fix a photo - and automatically back it up
One of the most useful new programs, Photo Gallery enables you to automatically import and organise your photos. Click Fix and you can crop out unsightly backgrounds, remove red-eye and adjust the lighting, too. But the most impressive feature is that it automatically backs up every photo: press CTRL and R and it’ll restore it just as it was when you first imported it. Read More»
Posted in windows vista | 1 Comment »
September 05, 2008 by
Jason Despite being different releases associated with the evolution of the Windows client, Windows XP and Windows Vista share not only common elements and components through their architecture, starting with the kernel, but also flaws in the source code.
In this context, the Service Pack 1 and respectively Service Pack 3 refreshes for the two operating systems have done nothing to break the intimate connection between the two products. An illustrative example in this situation are the new Critical updates Microsoft is wrapping up for the 32-bit and 64-bit Vista SP1 and XP SP3, designed to patch security vulnerabilities in the two operating systems.
Next week, on September 9, 2008, Microsoft will make available three security bulletins impacting both the latest service packs for Vista and XP. According to the Redmond giant, the updates will patch vulnerabilities in Windows Media Player 11, Windows Media Encoder 9 Series, and Windows itself. Read More»
Posted in Windows XP, windows vista | 1 Comment »
The Carnegie-Mellon University (CMU) made available a Firefox extension developed at their School of Computer Science and College of Engineering that improves security in Firefox by protecting against man-in-the-middle attacks. The extension, named Perspectives, is available only for Firefox 3 and works on Windows, Linux (32-bit) and OS X (Intel), with support for Linux (64-bit) and Open Solaris being in the experimental stage of development.
A man-in-the-middle attack is performed by intercepting the traffic between a user and a resource that he is trying to access. This can be achieved by exploiting several vulnerabilities, like the latest DNS cache poisoning or GMail accounts hacking incidents show.
When accessing a server resource using secure protocols like SSL or SSH, a correct identification of the server is required. This is achieved through digitally signed certificates. Due to the fact that certificates issued by trusted authorities like VeriSign are expensive, it became common practice for small businesses and websites to use self-signed certificates. Read More»
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Gmail recently became more secure for users and now you can use the Gmail SSL (Secure Socket Layer) feature to enable HTTPS for a more secure connection online while accessing your email. But you have to enable the setting…
Secure Gmail Connection
How to enable default secure Gmail connection?
Login to Gmail > Go to Settings > General > Browser Connection
Browser Connection set to https will force a secure connection and is essential to keep your data safe and protect it from hijacking. It is essential particularly for those accessing Internet and gmail via public Wifi or non-encrypted networks. So if you routinely login via wireless internet at coffee shops, airports, college dorms, then you might need this additional layer of security.
But I see https when I login?
Gmail uses https to protect your password every time you log into Gmail, but they don’t use https once you’re in your mail unless you enable this setting. Read More»
Posted in Internet | 1 Comment »
1. DirectX 10. Without a doubt, Vista’s support for DirectX 10 is the primary reason why gaming in the Windows environment will transcend gamers’ wildest dreams and far exceed the visual quality of even the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. “When DX10 games come out, the end result will be a significant increase in visual fidelity,” said Microsoft’s Donahue.
This means a marked increase in the number of objects and/or characters on the screen at a time, as well as dramatic impact on the level of background detail trees, water, stars in outdoor and indoor environments. It also means, for example, that characters’ clothing and fur will flap in the wind. Based on the early gameplay screenshots released for DX10 games such as Crysis, the impact of this new version of DirectX is quite clear even at a glance. (See the comparative scenes from Age of Conan: The Hyborian Adventures below.)
This increase in graphical quality is the result of a number of enhancements in DirectX 10 code, operations and resulting capabilities. As an example, a brand-new shader model (Version 4.0) in DX10 allows for more detailed and nuanced 3-D graphics. Read More»
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New DirectX downloads are available for a range of Windows operating systems, including Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows XP Service Pack 3. The August 2008 DirectX Software Development Kit and DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer went live on the Microsoft Download Center this past week. In addition to the 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Vista RTM, SP1, as well as XP SP2 and SP3, x86 and x64 versions of DirectX End-User Runtime and SDK Available (August 2008) have also been delivered for Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008.
“The Microsoft DirectX End-User Runtime provides updates to 9.0c and previous versions of DirectXÂ the core Windows technology that drives high speed multimedia and games on the PC. Microsoft DirectX is a group of technologies designed to make Windows-based computers an ideal platform for running and displaying applications rich in multimedia elements such as full-color graphics, video, 3D animation, and rich audio. DirectX includes security and performance updates, along with many new features across all technologies, which can be accessed by applications using the DirectX APIs,” Microsoft revealed in the description of the DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer. Read More»
Posted in Software | 3 Comments »
PWN to OWN. This is the name of the contest that made most Mac users worldwide seriously think about reading a security book or two to learn about securing their Macs ASAP. During the aforementioned contest a Mac running OS X Leopard was the first to give in to the intrusion attempts. It may not have been the brightest day in Apple’s history but it surely was the one when every Mac owner out there gave a second thought to the “Macs are the most secure” theory.
So, if Macs aren’t as secure as we have previously thought (I did too and even bet on the Vista computer that it would be the first to be compromised), what can we do to defend ourselves against attacks? One way would be to fire up the old integrated Mac OS X firewall and configure it to accept only incoming connections from IP addresses we know.
Although this is a good thing to do, the integrated firewall doesn’t do as good of a job as Apple would want us to believe. If you are not a very experienced user you’ll probably end up just enabling the damn thing and what protection do you think you’ll get? I’ll tell you: not very much because the machine that got “owned” at the PWN to OWN contest had the default settings and it went down pretty fast. Read More»
Posted in Mac | 1 Comment »
PC security starts with an assessment of the security risks. The security of your computer depends on the operating system you are running. If you are running one of Microsoft’s Windows versions, then you are probably familiar with the security issues of earlier Windows versions. With the increased use of the internet, security has become an even more important issue. As such, it is no surprise that regular updates and patches to Windows XP and Vista are still released.
Obviously there is more to security than just the operating system. Every PC that is connected to the internet requires a firewall to keep out undesired internet traffic. Next to that, a good antivirus program is essential to keeping your PC safe.
But where do you start if you want to find out how secure your system is? You may think that you have all the required PC security in place, but how can you be sure? Well one of the first steps is to check the baseline security and Microsoft has a great free tool that enables you to check your system security. Read More»
Posted in Computer, windows vista | 1 Comment »
A lot of people who take photos with their mobile phones don’t do anything with them once they’re taken. They might send a photo or two to a friend, but for the most part, the photos just sit on the phone, taking up space, until it’s time to delete them to make room for more.
It’s understandable. Outside of the subscription service, it’s not particularly simple to get at those photos. Also, the methods are different on many phone models. You might even have to pay for special software to download your photos to your computer. What a drag.
Windows Mobile Device Center to the rescue
Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be such a chore to free the photos trapped on your phone. Windows Mobile Device Center makes it straightforward. Plus, it’s free. Read More»
Posted in Computer, Software | No Comments »
Firefox 3 one of the maximum downloaded open source browser which has set a Guinness world record. Their were Over 8,000,000 downloads in 24 hours!. Along with Firefox 3 Spreadfirefox also got new cool look.
Firefox 3 about:config file is the core configuration file of Firefox. By editing about:config file we can get amazing hacks for Firefox 3. Firefox allows the users to change many preferences in the about:config file so it’s totally ethical to do it.Here is list of 21 Firefox 3 hacks & tweaks.
To get the Firefox 3 configuration file type “about:config” at address bar.
Here is List of about:config hacks for Firefox 3 Read More»
Posted in Firefox, Internet | 8 Comments »
