White hack

Thursday, 16 November 2017

What Is A “Certified Android Device”? Here Is How To Check If You Have It

In the ecosystem of devices running Google’s mobile operating system, “Certified Android Device” is the new buzzword introduced by the company.

As an effort to build users’ trust on the manufacturers and their Android devices, the certification assures that the Android devices they’re purchasing are checked for compatibility and doesn’t include anything malicious.

At the center of the certified Android devices program is Play Protect launched earlier this year, which offers automatic app scanning and ‘Find My Device’ features.

Google says they make sure that Android phones and tablets from their certified device partners stick to Android’s security and permissions models. By running hundreds of tests, the company tries to eliminate the possibility of the devices carrying malware or some adulterated version of pre-installed Google apps.

How to check if you have a certified Android device?

To spot a certified Android at a retail store, according to an earlier blog post by Google, the certified devices would carry a Google Play Protect logo on the packaging.

If you already own an Android phone and want to check whether it’s a certified Android device, you can do so within the Google Play app. Go to Google Play > Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the Settings screen to find the certification details under “Device Certification”.

Currently, there are 100+ partners who are making certified Android devices for their markets. The list includes the likes of Samsung, Motorola, HTC, LG, HMD, Xiaomi, etc. You can check the complete list here which includes other not-so-common brands.

The company has also set up a website that flaunts features of the certified Android devices.

Do you have something to add? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

Anonymous Hackers Take Down More Than A Dozen Neo-Nazi Websites #OpDomesticTerrorism

Another hacking campaign by the hacktivist collective Anonymous is online; it’s called #OpDomesticTerrorism. And this time, the target was more than a dozen neo-nazi websites collectively taken down by Anonymous groups across the globe, according to a report by IBTimes.

The hacktivist group has taken responsibility for the attacks through a Twitter handle known by the name AnonyInfo. The series of cyber attacks were made as a response to Charlottesville’s Unite the Right rally and the recent White Lives Matter rally, according to a hacker associated with the group who spoke with the publication.

The hacker said that their operation saw global cooperation because it was related to the US. He added that they might consider expanding the operation “to work with Anonymous groups in their own countries” as the “fight against fascism is global.”

The list of the websites taken down as a part of the #OpDomesticTerrorism hacking campaign includes:

http://cnkkkk.net/
http://texasls.org/?nr=0
http://northcarolinaleagueofthesouth.com/
http://www.marylandls.org/
http://www.texasrebelknightskkk.com/
http://www.texaskkk.com/
http://www.virginials.org/
http://cnkkkk.net/
https://jewworldorder.org/
http://www.basedstickman.com/
http://whitehonor.com/
https://traditionalistamericanknights.com/
https://oathpreppers.com
http://njoathkeepers.org
http://vanguardamerica.online

The hacker also said that more “continuous attacks” are on the way.

Difference Between Tethering & Hotspot: Which One Is More Secure?

The evolution of the Internet has triggered massive enhancement in the abilities of humankind to exchange information around the globe. It is a service in itself, and it provides access to many other services. We can access the Internet using different technologies including satellites, cable, telephone wires, wireless or mobile connections. Tethering and Hotspots are two different means of connections, among many others, which we can use while we require connection to the internet.

What is Tethering?

Tethering is the act of accessing the Internet on a computer or device through another computer or mobile phone with cellular network capability. Tethering refers to sharing of internet connectivity between devices. It can be done over wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth or by physical connection using a cable, for example through USB.

What are Hotspots?

Hotspots are wireless access point providing Internet access to devices like computers or smartphones, typically in public locations. It refers to a region where internet connectivity is available and extends to about 30 meters from the device serving hotspot. Devices such as routers, smartphones and also computers act as Wi-Fi hotspots.

Mobile hotspots (a.k.a, portable Wi-Fi hotspots), lets you share your internet connections with up to 5 other devices. Such devices maybe cell phones, tablets, or personal computers.

Security Concerns

Tethering via wired connection is undoubtedly more secure as both the devices are connected through short cables. Connections via hotspot can be intercepted using software such as Wifi sniffers. It is highly recommended to set strong passwords and to use advanced security protocols like WPA2. Tools designed for brute force attacks can easily break into networks that use weak encryption standards like WEP or WPA.

Connecting to public Wifi hotspots is not secure. Just because a hotspot requires a password to connect does not necessarily mean it is secure. Your online traffic may be monitored elsewhere. Also, there is the risk of leaking sensitive information such as your login credentials or credit card numbers.

Also read: Is Your WiFi Router Vulnerable To Hackers? How to Check?

Difference: Tethering vs. Hotspot

Users mostly prefer hotspot over wired tethering, and it has gained widespread usage because almost everything has Wi-Fi built-in nowadays. Wi-Fi hotspots seem more convenient as using the portable Wi-Fi hotspots feature does not require you to have an application installed on your computer or other devices. Moreover, you get simultaneous Wi-Fi internet access for several devices. Whereas, you may require some external software or device drivers for tethering. However, Tethering is relatively cheaper and consumes less battery compared to portable hotspots.

Using your phone as Wi-Fi hotspots is pretty simple; you just need to turn the feature On. A Wi-Fi access point will appear just like a regular wireless access point that your other devices can connect to. It is easy to set up even in Windows 10.

Some mobile network operators restrict the usage of tethering or hotspots and users can only activate it by opting for a data plan that includes tethering. Unlimited data plans generally have these restrictions. This is done because the operators are concerned about the considerable amount of increase in data usage that results from sharing internet.

Did this article help you to develop a clear idea of tethering vs. hotspot? Share your views in the comments below.

Social networks have faced a hard time trying to reduce incidents of revenge porn and users facing embarrassment in public.

Facebook, being the most prominent social network on the web, has developed tools to prevent such content from spreading and get removed as soon as possible.

Earlier this year, Facebook implemented a photo-matching tool in the US to stop sharing of content tagged as revenge porn in the past. Now, the blue network has come up with a new tool that would prevent a person from uploading revenge porn in the first place, according to an ABC report.

And for that, Facebook wants you to upload your nude snaps or videos on Messenger. The company won’t store the images directly but create a hash out of them using the anti-revenge porn tool.

If someone tries to upload explicit content matching that hash on platforms such as Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram, the company won’t allow it.

This seems to be a weird way to demote explicit content, but Facebook’s AI might better protect people if it already knows how they look in natural clothes.

The “industry-first” implementation of the tool is being done in four countries. Australia is one of them where Facebook has collaborated with a federal agency called e-Safety.

“They’re not storing the image, they’re storing the link and using artificial intelligence and other photo-matching technologies,” Julie Inman Grant, e-Safety Commissioner, told ABC.

“So if somebody tried to upload that same image, which would have the same digital footprint or hash value, it will be prevented from being uploaded.”

It’s not the case that every Facebook user would have to upload their nudes. If you fear that you’re a potential victim, you can contact e-Safety who might ask you to send your pictures to yourself on Messenger. Facebook would then store the corresponding hash.

Wednesday, 8 November 2017

How A Developer’s Coding Mistake Has Frozen $280 Million In Ethereum

What if your access to your whole digital currency pile is restricted due to a person’s fault? What would you do? This isn’t a hypothetical scenario for some people who are holding popular cryptocurrency Ethereum in Parity digital wallet.

Parity has warned users that due to a mistake by code contributor devops199, the library needed to use the multi-signature wallet has been deleted. As a result, multi-signature wallets–the ones which need more than one signature to move funds–are now unusable.

This accident also triggered an old unpatched bug which has converted wallet contract into a standard multi-signature wallet and could enable the contents of a wallet to be erased.

“It would seem that issue was triggered accidentally 6th Nov 2017 02:33:47 PM +UTC and subsequently a user suicided the library-turned-into-wallet, wiping out the library code which in turn rendered all multi-sig contracts unusable since their logic (any state-modifying function) was inside the library,” according to Parity.

It’s worth mentioning that this issue affects the multi-sig wallets that were deployed after July 20. As per the estimation (Via: Engadget), there could be 1 million in ether locked away, which amounts to about $280 million.

This is the second time Parity’s security measures have found themselves under the radar. A couple of months ago, a major bug led to the theft of Ethereum of about $30 million worth.

This development highlights the underlying security issue that affects the wallets and their users. In other words, the security of your cryptocurrency is as reliable as the code that powers your wallet

Tuesday, 7 November 2017

8 Best Android File Manager And File Explorer Apps

Android’s file manager app is a vital piece of software on the device. The user-visible file system allows you to browse files, downloads, manage storage space, move things around and lot more. Although some manufacturers pre-install an Android file manager app on their devices, they are not robust and lack many features compared to other third-party file managers. Here, we provide a list of 8 best third-party file managers which are rich in features and also safe to download.

8 Best Android File Manager Apps

Note: This list isn’t in an order of preference; it’s a compilation of the best file managers. You’re advised to choose one as per your need.

1. ES File Explorer File Manager

ES File Explorer is a great Android file manager that covers a multitude of additional features a user might desire. Including the essential file management features like copy/paste, cut, delete and add files or folders, it comes with a Space Analyzer that can clean up memories to restore space. It provides the service of sharing files such as music, pictures or videos with other ES File Explorer users. It also has an App manager where you can uninstall or backup any app you like.

The app is entirely customizable to different themes and colors, and you can manage files on network storages as well such as DropBox, GoogleDrive, SkyDrive and much more. Additionally, it has a root explorer for a rooted device and also a Bluetooth file browser.

2. X-plore File Manager

With its unique interface, X-plore File Manager provides a dual-pane file explorer where users can manage two windows at the same time, copy/paste files from folders are quickly accessible. The app is available for free with some in-app purchases and is ad-free.

This Android file explorer comes with many additional features like cloud storage, network storage, root support, app manager, pdf viewer, Auto-ZIP file creator and ZIP unpacker, hex viewer, video player with subtitles and much more. It provides additional support for LAN and Web storage.

3. ASUS File Manager

Asus File Manager is the default file manager for the Zen UI Asus smartphones, but it is also available in the Play Store for all other Android phones. It is free with no in-app purchases and even ad-free. The interface design is simple and easy to use where the various categories are perfectly displayed; you can tap on any one of those and view the associated files.

Asus File Manager comes with a built-in recycle bin to help you recover files after you delete them. Other included features that make it one of the best Android file managers are LAN and SMB access, Cloud storage, search option, compressing and extracting files and more.

Also, it provides you the service to hide any of your private files within its Hidden Cabinet. Even, the storage analyzer let you clean up space when needed.

Also read: 10 Best Google Play Store Alternatives: Websites And Apps

4. ASTRO File Manager

Astro File manager is a fully-featured Android file manager and file explorer app where you can organize files between internal memory, MicroSD and Cloud networks. It has a smooth, intuitive interface that displays the various categories like storage location or Cloud services. It has an inbuilt download manager which helps you if you are downloading large files.

Astro File Manager comes with an SD Card Usage Manager that will let you manage your space and clear memory, Task Killer to clean task that kills battery life and App Manager where you can easily uninstall or backup apps. Additionally, it can compress and extract files, move files between cloud storages, access LAN or SMB and provides you with all other necessary features.

5. Total Commander

The Total Commander File manager equips all the necessary features that a user might prefer. Its dark built-in interface makes comparing and moving files quite easily manageable.

The app supports various types of files, cloud and network storage, a plugin for FTP and LAN support, root functions, bookmarking, filename sorting and lot more. Total Commander is entirely free with no in-app purchases and also no advertisement.

Also read: 7 Best Android Launchers To Customize Your Device: 2017 Edition

6. File Manager+

It has a straightforward and pleasant looking user interface where the various categories are evenly displayed. File Manager+ is easy to use and comes with all the essential features that a file manager should carry.

It supports both local and cloud storage including NAS (Network Attached Storage). It has a smooth file management feature to transfer files from different folders. File Manager+ has a built-in storage analyzer to identify which files/folders are taking most storage and also a recycle bin. It is free and completely ad-free.

7. Amaze File Manager

Amaze File Manager might still be in the beta stage, but the app is pretty good and rich in features. It is available for free with no ads. It is an open-source app which focuses on light and smooth user experience.

The interface is quite handy with a side drawer consisting of shortcuts to frequently used folders like movies, music, pictures, and downloads. The folders are customizable; you can even bookmark and add folders if you prefer. Also, the app supports FTP and SMB file sharing, app manager, navigation drawer, root explorer for rooted device and more.

8. MK File Explorer

MK File Explorer is yet another Android file manager app that carries a simple but pleasant user interface. It has two windows (panels) to view files, moving files between different locations within the two windows can be performed quickly. The side drawer provides a shortcut to any folder that you add to bookmarks.

The app features a material design and its underlying file management features like copy/paste, delete, hide, create shortcuts are easily accessible. Although the app does not support cloud or network storage, it includes other necessary features like search tool, ZIP and RAR support, built-in text editor, music player, gallery and it also has support for different languages. Overall, it is excellent and free to download file manager tool.

Did you find this list of best Android file manager and explorer apps to be useful? Let us know in the comments below.

Google Fixes The KRACK WiFi Exploit For Android, Download OTA Now

Google has released a new security patch to make Android devices fool-proof against the KRACK exploit which affected around 41% of Android devices. KRACK attack takes advantage of critical WPA2 vulnerabilities which made almost every WiFi-compatible device weak against attacks.

Back then, it was known that the KRACK attack Android fix would be coming in a few weeks. The details about the WiFi bug have been shared in the November Security Bulletin. Owners of supported Google Pixel and Nexus devices can find the Android patch in the November Update.

Affected users can download the security patch through OTA update by visiting Settings > System > System update. Alternatively, they can manually flash system images for their devices. System image for Google Pixel 2 XL is currently not available.

Google has you covered for their range of devices. But the question about the security patch for the rest of Android population is still a big concern. It worsens when different manufacturers don’t push security update for months, leaving the devices vulnerable to attacks.

Apple and Microsoft have already released the fix for KRACK attack. Also, various affected Linux distros were also covered in a security patch released earlier.