Adding Startpage to Safari

01. August 2013 Security 3
A little while ago I wrote about Startpage and though it is my search engine of choice and I recommend it’s use to anyone I also mentioned that adding it as your browser’s default search engine was a bit of a hassle. Startpage does not have a browser extension that makes it very easy, instead ...

Data recovery, proceed with caution

30. July 2013 Security 8
At some point in your life, you will be dealing with a failed hard drive (or solid state drive). If you do not have a backup of your data you’ll have to resort to data recovery to get your stuff back. There are tons of data recovery applications out there making a wide range of ...

Delete your personal information from the internet

29. July 2013 Security 8
There is a lot of information out there on the internet and your personal details are some of it. There are ways to take charge and have this information removed and Abine has a service that can do it for you. I have mentioned Abine before, specifically their browser plugin DoNotTrackMe which I definitely recommend to ...

Detection VS Prevention, does your firewall have your back?

26. July 2013 Security 13
The internet is a dangerous place. Dangers no longer lurk in virtual dark alleys but can come from bright-lit main streets as well, you just won’t know where a threat will present itself. Apart from running antivirus, keeping your system, apps and plugins up to date and keeping Java disabled you often hear the mention ...

A warning for Apple Developers [UPDATED]

22. July 2013 Security 1
Late last week Apple’s developer member center was hacked and as a precaution it was shut down. Today Apple confirmed the suspicions many have already had for a few days (as developers started receiving password reset emails most realized something wasn’t right) and released a statement. Though sensitive personal information has not been accessed because ...

DuckDuckGo or Startpage?

21. July 2013 Security 47
NOTE: October 24, 2016 – An updated version of this content is available here. I have always used Startpage.com and Ixquick.com in the past but slowly switched to DuckDuckGo over the past few months. Not because I think they offer better security or privacy but because of the easy browser integration and fresh look. I still ...

Using OS X Mail to spot phishing emails

18. July 2013 Security 3
I have been using this trick for so long it never occurred to me before to write about it. Using OS X’s built-in Mail client you can spot fake (phishing) emails. This is not a tried and tested method and should not be used as your only line of defense against phishing emails but it ...

New Mac malware found – Janicab

15. July 2013 Security 4
Today researchers at F-Secure found a new piece of malware capable of infecting Macs. The malware is currently detected as: Backdoor:Python/Janicab.A by F-Secure, BackDoor.Janicab.1 by Dr.Web, Python/Janicab.A by ESET, Mal/BredZpRTL-A by Sophos, TROJ_GEN.F47V0712 by TrendMicro. While it is currently unknown if this is a Proof of Concept (PoC) or if it has been seen in ...

Time to abandon Microsoft

15. July 2013 Security 1
With the latest news showing just how far Microsoft is willing to bend over for the NSA it’s just a matter of time before a public statement is given spinning new lies. After all we were told just a few months ago that what we now know is happening, didn’t happen at all. The lies ...

Security is only useful if used

14. July 2013 Security 1
When is the last time you updated all your software? Made a backup? Inspected your firewall logs? Changed your passwords? We tend to get busy in our daily lives and certain security measures are forgotten. A backup is no good if you forget to make it. Passwords need to be changed from time to time. ...