Skip to content

security

[TIP] Using a VPN from the Google Play Store on ChromeOS

K

If you are a Chromebook owner who uses a VPN, you probably noticed that:

  • ChromeOS’s VPN Support Sucks
  • Setting up a OpenVPN Connection on ChromeOS Sucks

There are of course countless VPN Solutions on the Google Play Store however if you ever tried to use one of these, you will notice that the VPN appears to be functioning correctly however only traffic from other play store applications will flow through the VPN while the main ChromeOS traffic bypasses it – Potentially exposing sensitive data. I even wrote a long rant about this a few months ago. Fortunately there is a simple fix.

  • in security
  • 4 min read

Security Resolutions for 2017

K

It is traditional for many to create a set of New Years resolutions to usher in a new year. Often it is lossing XX lbs, going to the gym every day, cleaning out that old shed or paying off debts. I am not saying there is anything wrong with those resolutions however maybe you should consider adding one additional one to your list… “Become more Security Minded”. This blog post will hopefully offer you some simple tips to stay secure online, I will follow this up with a more detailed post later in the year but for now these are just baby steps.

Password Rant – How Some Websites Do It Wrong

K

I spent the past few weeks methodically changing all of my passwords to correct my past habits of re-using a batch of complicated passwords that I have memorized. I had to change around 100 passwords for various websites and services that I use. Most of the websites made it easy to change your password but others failed miserably however several failed. If you are a user of any website that falls into these brackets and care about security please tweet, message or otherwise beg the website owner to correct the problems. Be warned, this is a long post

Facts about Android Security and Malware – Types of Malware

K

While browsing social networks, it is not common for users to point out that Android is a security mess with no data to actually back those statements up. Some users try to fabricate facts without doing any research. Over the next few weeks, I will be releasing a series of posts on KMyers.me called “Facts about Android Security and Malware” to try to shine some light on this and hopefully debunk some of the data that it floating around and to help users understand more about the security of their mobile devices.

Ashley Madison : The Danger of The Last 4 Numbers

K

I am sure that everyone has heard that the popular dating website that specialized in marriage infidelity was hacked a few weeks ago. The brazen hackers have essentially open-sourced the entire AshleyMadison.com website and released several massive database dumps containing customer profiles, customer details (name, address, email address, phone number) and a limited amount of payment information including the last 4 digits of the credit card number. Several people I have spoken to in person do not see this as a threat as you would need the entire card number (and CVV2) before you can use the card for fraud. I have to disagree as it is fairly trivial to turn the last 4 digits of the credit card number into the entire credit card number using nothing more then a phone and a bit of charisma.

Critical Apple iOS SMS Messaging Bug Fix

K

By now, it is likely that you have seen postings about a serious new iOS messaging bug in your various social networking sites. This bug allows a person with malicious intent to cause an iPhone to reboot or lock up with nothing more then a simple text message containing some specially crafted Unicode text. Furthermore your messaging application will fail to launch until the attacker sends a second message or you perform a workaround such as sharing a photo from the Apple Photos App. Apple is aware of the issue and are already working on a patch for a future update. There are some workarounds floating around the internet with a short term fix however this blocks message previews, this blog post will go over a long term fix that will render your phone immune to this bug.

The Author of the GnuPG Needs Your Help

K

We owe a lot to the widely used, yet under-appreciated encryption system known as the GNU Privacy Guard, also known as GnuPG. Although GnuPG has been around for a very long time, it recently made it into the news as one of the tools used by Edward Snowden to encrypt emails containing sensitive information. What is hard to believe is that the GnuPG software stack was built and maintained by one single person, Werner Koch who makes his living giving the software away for free. Werner has unfortunately come under some hard times as donations have dried up and he is looking for help.

A Crash Course in Android Security

K

I spend a lot of time online reading technical and security websites and am often baffled on the amount of misinformation I keep seeing. Several of these websites seem to promote several different third party products and services that are not really necessary in most cases. This is a modern version of the old defunct argument for Android Task Killers. Instead of promoting any third party products, lets look at three practical Android Security Tips that will keep you safe.

Why I Root

K

Rooting an Android Phone is seen as a right of passage to adulthood within the groups I personally associate with. While rooting your Android Phone is not a necessity as we enjoy a lot more freedom than other mobile platforms, rooting does open up a whole new world of possibilities. I am encouraging all Android Users to share the reasons why they root on their favorite social media sites with the hashtag “#WhyIRoot”. Here are the reasons that I personally root my devices.