Three Things You Can Do When You Are Bored

1. Update Programs.

• Check the status of your installed programs for an updated version. Included most and frequently requiring updates are anti virus. Increasingly now versioned for protection are Malware applications. Immediate updates of definitions when should be done. Ensure the OS is updated. 
• For OS X go to Apple icon on the far top left, click About This Mac, Click Software Update, OS X will take you to the App Store where it will show any available updates. With enough data bandwidth the update is seamless 
• Install the update manually
  Make sure your PC is plugged in and connected to the Internet using a non-metered connection. Don't disconnect, unplug, or turn off your PC while the update is being installed.
  Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.
  (If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.)
  Tap or click Update and recovery, and then tap or click Windows Update.
  Tap or click Check now.
  If updates are found, tap or click View details.
  In the list of updates, select the update containing KB 2919355, and then tap or click Install.
  If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, enter the password or provide confirmation.
  After the installation is complete, restart your PC and sign in.
• If you're running Windows 8.1

2. Delete Unnecessary Mails

Email boxes everyday gets clattered with unnecessary mails. Delete these to only remain with the most relevant. Check spam and unsubscribe (often it works and those naughty emails will stop flowing in).
Check the drafts and remove those urgent mails you wanted to send but never got around to do it. Archive some mails if you are running outlook. Empty Deleted `folder

3. Clean Your Laptop 

Get some recommended computer cleaners like computer wipes, form and Screen-clene for the screen and keyboard and make your computer shine again as new. Cleaning the keyboard take care of all the layer of dirty that accumulates from the fingers onto the keys ensuring all the bacteria is taken care of. A cleaner screen relaxes your eyes and improves health.

"Optimise your machine in these possible ways to increase efficiency and a happier work desk." - Funashi

OpenSSL Is Still a Big Threat.

OpenSSL is more than a threat, its awful and the need to apply the patches today other than tomorrow. And below here is a list of the patches that you need to do. Security experts around the globe have revealed that these holes are still a major threat,

"Give it time and it will be used against servers soon enough." Reports ZDNet when citing the point of worry as 'In the case of OpenSSL 1.0.2, the first problem child is "ClientHello signals DoS (CVE-2015-0291)." '

The other serious bug, "RSA silently downgrades to EXPORT_RSA [Client] (CVE-2015-0204)," is just as ugly and more insidious. This one builds on top of the FREAK/SMACK OpenSSL security hole.  ZDNet

If you are using any of the following below you need to update immediately

• OpenSSL 1.0.1 users should upgrade to 1.0.1k.
• OpenSSL 1.0.0 users should upgrade to 1.0.0p.
• OpenSSL 0.9.8 users should upgrade to 0.9.8zd.

the key point is to get every system, applications and mobile devices around you to the current state of updates and continually lookout for fresh updates.

How To Setup Your Android Mobile For Internet

Applies To Androids Run (MTN, Vodafone, Airtel)

Find "Access Point Names"

Slide your finger down the display starting from the top edge of your phone.

• Press the settings icon.

• Press the Connections tab.

• Press More networks.

• Press Mobile networks.

• Press Access Point Names.

Create new data connection

• Press the Menu key.

• Press New APN.

Enter data connection name

• Press Name.

• Key in name of Internet Provider MTN or Airtel or key in Internet and press OK.

Enter APN

• Press APN.

• Key in Internet and press OK.

From Here you can consider it done, but if you think you can be more detailed proceed on then with the rest

Enter country code

• Press MCC.
• Leave Blank .

Enter network code

• Press MNC.

• Leave Blank

Select authentication type

• Press Authentication type.

• Press PAP else leave it blank.

Select APN type

• Press APN type.
• Key in default and press OK.

Select data bearer

• Press Bearer.
• Press Unspecified or leave it at default.

Save and activate data connection

• Press the Menu key.
• Press Save.

Press the field next to the data connection to fill in the field.

Return to the home screen

Press the Home key to return to the home screen.

Samsung's Galaxy S6 likely to start at $699

While there's no official pricing as yet, the carrier T-Mobile accidentally let the cat out of the bag as part of its terms and conditions of a giveaway. Reports zdnet. And now we have an idea of the starting price $699 add a $100 and you get the difference of the Edge

Galaxy S6/Galaxy S6 Edge tech specs:

• 5.1-inch 2,560×1,440 Super AMOLED display with a pixel density of 577 ppi
• Exynos Octacore processor
• 3GB LPDDR4 RAM
• 32/64/128GB UFS (Universal Flash Storage) 2.0 internal storage
• Android 5.0 Lollipop
• 16MP f1.9 rear camera with optical image stabilization and live HDR
• 5MP f1.9 front camera with live HDR
• Fingerprint reader
• Category 6 LTE offering up to 300 Mbps down/50 Mbps up data transfer speeds
• Wi-Fi 802.11 AC with HT80 MIMO, Bluetooth LE, NFC, IR blaster
• 2,550mAh (S6) and 2,600mAh (S6 edge) batteries

FREAK Attack | Will User Privacy Ever be Maintained

Patterns in the leaf giving an insight into Cryptography

March 3 2015 FREAK Attack Announced

Freak attack is a dangerous flaw revealed recently by scientist that can exploit the cryptos/ciphers in the SSL/HTTPS communication and has a possibility to open up millions of Apple (Safari) and Google(Android) users. The revelation has left many sites vulnerable as the protocols used are those rooted in the discovered flaw.The vulnerability allows attackers to intercept  

"HTTPS connections between vulnerable clients and servers and force them to use ‘export-grade’ cryptography, which can then be decrypted or altered. There are several posts that discuss the attack in detail:Matt Green, The Washington Post, and Ed Felten."

Reports FREAK Attack Website that is tracking this vulnerability.

The interesting on the table! NSA has been hacked. As if to drive the lesson to the core the worst part is that the problem has its roots in what many calls a misguided U.S. government effort to prevent consumers from having access to strong encryption.

Who Will Be The First to Patch UP

Apple said its fix will be available next week and Google said it has provided an update to device makers and wireless carriers. Probably we will have a fix from Apple in the coming week buts doubtful when their is from Google that the will fix will be pushed to the end user. Millions of Mobile will still be left vulnerable. Attackers are already sophiscating on just how to harvest this flaw. Some experts have pointed out the danger of leaving governments to make policies that weakens the encryption just so that they can easily spy on the nations.

“This was a policy decision made 20 years ago and it’s now coming back to bite us,” said Edward Felten, a professor of computer science and public affairs at Princeton, referring to the old restrictions on exporting encryption code. The Guardian

10 Commands Every Windows Server Administrator Must Know

1. To list all the FSMO role holders in your forest, run this command:
      netdom query fsmo
2. To refresh group policy settings, run this command:
             gpupdate
3. To check Active Directory replication on a domain controller, run this command:

                repadmin /replsummary
4. To force replication from a domain controller without having to go through to Active Directory Sites and Services, run this command:
     repadmin /syncall
5. To see what server authenticated you (or if you logged on with cached credentials) you can run either of these commands:
     set l
     echo %logonserver%
8. To see what account you are logged on as, run this command:
     whoami
6. To see the domain account policy (password requirements, lockout thresholds, etc) run this command:
     net accounts
     Windows Networking
7. To quickly reset your NIC back to DHCP with no manual settings, run this command:
     netsh int ip reset all
8. To quickly generate a text summary of your system, run this command:
    systeminfo | more
9. To see all network connections your client has open, run this command:
    net use
10. To see your routing table, run either of these commands:
     route print
     netstat -r

Simple Tips to Improve Battery Life for Macs with OS X Yosemite Part 2

Disable Unused Location Feature
Many apps want to use your location for convenience (and other reasons), but if you don’t use or care about those location driven features, disabling the ones you don’t need can help to prolong battery life.

From System Preferences, go to “Security & Privacy” and choose the “Privacy” tab
From the left side, select “Location Services”
Disable location abilities for apps you don’t need the function for (alternatively, you can disable them all by unchecking the primary “Enable Location Services” checkbox)
Click on “Details” next to ‘System Services’ and review location options there as well

The effect here is not as strong as it would be for disabling Location Services in iOS on an iPhone, but it does still make a difference.

Lower the Screen Brightness

The UI of OS X Yosemite is really quite bright as-is, and lowering screen brightness on any device, Mac, PC, Android, iPhone, is one of the single most significant things you can do to boost the length of battery life. OS X Yosemite is no different in this regard, so if you can handle a dimmer screen, turn it down using your keyboard (usually the F1 and F2 buttons).

If you want to go further, you can read more battery tips for Mac laptops for some more general solutions. Also, keep in mind that many Mac laptop users have reported an increase in battery life with OS X Yosemite, which is perhaps suggestive that any change in battery longevity is related to individual use and system preferences.

osxDaily

Simple Tips to Improve Battery Life for Macs with OS X Yosemite Part 1

Some Mac users have noted that MacBook Air and MacBook Pro battery life has taken a downturn with their Macs running OS X Yosemite. While this doesn’t impact all users, and much of the perception of diminished battery is likely due to usage and various features, there are some easy settings changes that users can make to potentially increase how long their portable Macs battery lasts with the latest versions of OS X.

First and foremost, if the battery life is bad every once in a while, particularly right after a system reboot or connecting an external hard drive, the solution is probably as simple as letting Spotlight run its course. There’s nothing to do with that other than wait, though if you want to you can watch the Spotlight processes in Activity Monitor. Also, simply enabling the battery indicator in OS X is a good way to keep an eye on how much remaining battery life is on your Mac, and if it’s actually being impacted or not.

Finally, you’ll find that some of these tips may also speed up Yosemite a bit, which can make these simple adjustments particularly helpful for Mac users on older portable hardware.


Turn Off the Eye Candy

The various transparent visual effects in OS X Yosemite require system resources to render, and increased resource usage can impact battery life. This will be less notable on some Macs, but it can make a difference and it’s an easy settings adjustment one way or another:
From the  Apple menu, go to “System Preferences” and choose “Accessibility”
In the “Display” section, check “Reduce transparency” (or Increase contrast)





You can either opt to only “Reduce transparency” to just turn off the translucencies, or for an experience that’s generally easier on the eyes, use “Increase contrast”, which notably increases visual distinction between on screen elemnts while also disable the transparent effects seen in menus, windows, and sidebars.

Stop Automatic Updates

While most users should keep Automatic Updates turned on (unless you’re really good at remembering to manually update OS X and your apps), disabling these features can lead to an increase in battery life by reducing background activity.

There are multiple parts of Automatic Updates, but the two you should focus on for battery purposes are automatic OS X System Updates and automatic App Updates – it is strongly not recommended to disable the automatic data and security updates feature, which can push critical security fixes to a Mac.
In System Preferences, go to “App Store”
Uncheck “Download newly available updates in the background”
Uncheck “Install app updates”
Uncheck “Install OS X updates”





Remember, by doing this you will need to manually check the App Store for new versions of OS X and for updates to your apps.

Bought A New iPhone or iPad with Upgrade to iOS 8?

The most important privacy settings in iOS 8

The minute you download and install iOS 8, the latest version of Apple's mobile operating system, you should take note of these privacy steps to lock down your device.

iOS 8 has a number of new features tied to your location. It also has new privacy settings, allowing users to limit how long data is stored for, such as message expiry features and new private browsing settings. Before you do anything like customizing your phone, loading new apps, or syncing your data for the first time, these settings need to be checked -- and if necessary, changed.
                                                                                                                                        Courtesy ZDNet