We don't have a choice on whether we DO social media, the question is how well we DO it. Check out this great video with stats.
Just like the real world, there are both good guys and bad guys out there on the web. But on the internet, the bad guys are much sneakier and higher-tech, and can usually do their business without you ever knowing what's up (until it's too late).
One such internet villain is the wifi sniffer. They are the modern-day equivalent of a pick-pocketer, but their technological advantage allows them to snag your credit cards and sensitive personal information without ever even touching you. They typically hang out at cafes that provide free internet to their patrons, but any unsecured wireless internet connection will do.
It could be practically anyone--the geek in the corner playing World of Warcraft, the well-dressed grad student writing his thesis, or the old guy reading a book. All they need is a laptop and some very simple software, and they can passively observe all the bits and bytes passing through the cafe's airwaves. After they go home, their software can spit out a list of all the usernames and passwords that were "sniffed" at the cafe. Just imagine what damage someone could do if they had access to your email account.
Starting to feel paranoid? Good. Awareness is half the battle! Here are the top five things you can do to protect yourself:
Understand that anything you do on a public wifi connection CAN be observed. This includes the web sites you're visiting, the emails your sending, and often the passwords your submitting. This is true even on paid hotspots or password-protected wifi, so long as your adversary also has access to that network.
One exception is web sites that use an HTTPS connection. Look for that little "lock" icon and an "https" in the address bar, and you know your activity on that site is encrypted, and safe from prying eyes. Caveat: Sufficiently sophisticated hackers can still defeat this with what are known as "man-in-the-middle" attacks. This is one of the many Youtube tutorials that show exactly how this is done.
Bring your own internet. Many smartphones now support internet tethering, which allows your computer to tap into your phone's data connection.
Use a VPN (either from your workplace or purchased from a 3rd party provider like StrongVPN). These create an encrypted tunnel for ALL your internet activity that CANNOT be sniffed. If cost is an issue, consider the free HotSpot Shield from AnchorFree.
Secure your home's wifi with a password, to prevent nosy neighbors or driveby hackers from sniffing your private network. When you set up your password, it will give you a choice between WEP, WPA, and WPA2 security. Never use WEP security, because this can be cracked in a matter of minutes! You're in good shape if you choose WPA or WPA2 security, and use a password that is not in the dictionary.
Finally, if you need any help securing your laptop or network, remember that Student Experts is here to help!
As the features set for the upcoming Zune Phone trickle out, it's hard to get a consistent picture of what, exactly, Microsoft is up to. Some of the obvious selling points like XBOX: Live connectivity and related Arcade "hub" are a no brainer, whereas the dedicated App Marketplace is more wait-and-see. The list of omissions is sizable, and gimped multitasking and a complete lack of flash support come across like missed opportunities to outperform the competition. The worst offender is the lack of universal clipboard support, with Microsoft execs claiming, "people don't do that" with regards to copy and paste. This phone is Microsoft's game-changer for the mobile market, and although the UI is clever and attractive, initial impressions of the functionality fall short of expectations.
Legendary Half-Life producer Valve has begun to lift a shroud of secrecy surrounding a novel multi-platform approach to computer gaming that now includes Apple computers. With the April release of Steam for Mac, Valve hopes to foster a robust and diverse community of shared servers and mixed clients, a rare sight in the online gaming world. While Steam is currently accessible to Mac users via Windows dual-boot and also runs well emulated with Crossover or Parallels, the native Steam app incorporates OpenGL and WebKit support so Mac gamers can enjoy an OSX-specific build rather than a sloppy port. The upcoming release is currently in beta testing on PCs and will support a simultaneous release of Portal 2 this holiday season, as well as a sampling of classics like Left 4 Dead and Team Fortress 2.
In accordance with the litigious precedent set by the patent suit recently brought against Apple by smart phone O.G. Nokia, the Cupertino intellectual property powerhouse has slapped rival manufacturer HTC with a crippling array of infringement claims. HTC has become the OEM hardware arm of Google's Android mobile platform, designing and producing a variety of devices designed specifically to dethrone the dominant iPhone. Apple's lawyers have requested a permanent injunction barring the sale of all infringing phones (mostly Android touch-based handsets), in addition to damages with interest.
These 20 claims (along with the 13 cited in Apple's countersuit against Nokia) paint the litigation in an over-zealous light, but closer inspection of the patents themselves reveals a questionable spectrum from nit-picky to vague. While the value of duly appointed patents such as that for a capacitive multi-touch display is quite clear, claims such as that for an "Object-Oriented Graphic System" seem esoteric, to say the least. Unfortunately the IP in the HTC case is strictly of the latter, where gesture-based unlock images are valid claims but touch screen technology is taboo? Policing such patents is not particularly effective in inspiring competition, yet it is definitely within the rights of the holder; perhaps these additional design constraints will force innovation on the part of the alleged infringers.
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