This week we learned how to “set up credit card processing on Android phones, resize a Windows 7 partition, & use an Android phone as a data modem”, prioritize your network traffic with DD-WRT, use Conditions & If-Then statements in shell scripting, found out how you use virtual machines, improved the view on iPad screens with an outdoors wallpaper collection, and more.
Photo by teejayhanton.
Weekly News Links
- More cyberattacks hitting social networks
Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting social networks, prompting people to take more steps to protect their online privacy, according to a new survey from security company Webroot. - Kaspersky study finds Adobe software is biggest security risk
According to its newly released threat report for Q2 2011, software from anti-virus specialist Kaspersky Labs detected an average of twelve security vulnerabilities on its users’ Windows systems. The company reports that all of the top ten most frequently detected vulnerabilities are to be found in Adobe or Oracle products. - Google reports on four years of experience in malware detection
Google has announced the publication of a technical report entitled “Trends in Circumventing Web-Malware Detection”. This report describes the results of analysing four years of data – from 160 million web pages hosted on approximately eight million sites – collected through the company’s Safe Browsing initiative. - More Bitcoin malware: this one uses your GPU for mining
Security researchers have spotted a new strain of malware that targets Bitcoin, the peer-to-peer virtual currency that exploded onto the tech scene earlier this year. In a report issued last week, Symantec researchers described a Trojan that uses the user’s computer to mine Bitcoins on behalf of the intruder. - Android malware masquerading as Google+ app
A new flavor of Android malware is disguising itself as a Google+ app in an attempt to capture instant messages, GPS, location, call logs, and other sensitive data. - Dog Wars app for Android is Trojanized
An older version of a controversial Android app called “Dog Wars” has been modified to include a Trojan horse that takes actions without the device owner knowing it, according to security firm Symantec. - Beware of rising phone hacking incidents
Phone hacking incidents are on the rise and users need to take measures to prevent their phone conversations from being breached, warn industry watchers who say hackers today deploy various tactics to intercept conversations on landline as well as mobile phones. - Accelerometer used to log smartphone keystrokes
Security researchers have demonstrated that it is possible to record keystrokes entered on a smartphone’s on-screen keyboard using the device’s built-in accelerometer. - Legal dispute over “eternal” cookies
For over two weeks a lawsuit has been outstanding against the tracking metrics company KISSmetrics because its customers web sites – including Hulu, Spotify, Etsy and GigaOm – place an almost indestructible cookie on visitors’ machines. - Microsoft Disables Supercookies Code
Microsoft has disabled the code responsible for creating supercookies on the computers of users navigating to its websites, designed to harvest browsing data even though plain vanilla cookies were not available. - Anti-malware vendors unite to fight cybercriminals
It’s not publicly known, but antivirus companies like F-Secure, Symantec, McAfee, Trend Micro and others help each other out all the time. - Facebook’s ‘Like’ button illegal in German state
A German state would very much like for its residents to keep their fingers–and other assorted pointers or cursors–away from Facebook’s “Like” button. The state of Schleswig-Holstein has ordered all government offices to remove the button from their Web presence and shut down any Facebook “fan” pages, on the grounds that these things violate German and European data privacy laws. - Windows 8 vs. webOS, It Could Have Been Epic
For a minute, it appeared that Windows 8 would have a bit of extra competition in 2012 from newcomer webOS, a platform that Hewlett Packard was planning to ship on its TouchPad tablet, new smartphones as well as on every PC, pre-installed alongside Windows. - New Aurora 8 works on memory, guts, and add-ons
Mozilla upgraded its developer’s edition of Firefox this past Friday to version 8, including changing how forced third-party add-ons are handled and debuting a series of under-the-hood tweaks that continue a renewed assault on performance gains made in Firefox 7 Beta. - Browser compatibility for corporate sites a must
Corporate sites should be built and tested across different Web browsers in order to achieve better customer reach, consistency and professionalism, stress market players.
Random TinyHacker Links
Photo courtesy of About.com PC Support.
- The best Windows 7 tool for the road
If you are often on the road with your Windows 7 laptop, netbook or Tablet PC, then you should get yourself familiar with Windows Mobility Center. It will help you save battery, manage your wireless and connect other displays with ease. - Get Windows to Boot Faster
A nice tool to identify the programs delaying Windows startup and deal with them. - Create Beautiful Timelines in PowerPoint
Want to create beautiful timelines in Microsoft Office PowerPoint? Check out this free add-in. It works both with 2007 and 2010 versions. - Create Mind Maps Online
This online tool lets you quickly create a mind map. - Create a Screencast Quickly
Use Screencast-o-matic to create a video recording of your screen.
Super User Questions
Get the answers you need for your computer questions at Super User.
- How can I change to the previous directory instead of going up?
- Are there Putty-like file explorers on Windows?
- Why do printers require drivers?
- How does Windows’ security warning “do you want to run this file..” work?
- Is there a “super font” to simulate a typewriter?
- Can Screwdrivers With Magnetic Tips Cause Damage To Electronics?
How-To Geek Weekly Article Recap
Fill out your weekend reading with our hottest HTG Main articles of the week.
- What Kind of Ethernet (Cat-5/e/6/a) Cable Should I Use?
- Ask the Readers: Do You Use Virtual Machines?
- How To Backup and Restore Your Android Phone with Titanium Backup
- From the Tips Box: Automatic Headphone Volume Adjustment, Compact Windows ReadyBoost, and Secure Phone Charging
- Geek Deals: Discounted HDTVs, Tablets, and Apps Galore
Geeky Goodness from the ETC Side
Add some lighthearted fun to your weekend with our most popular ETC posts of the week.
- The Wrong Way to Get a Legal Copy of Microsoft Office [Humorous Image]
- Death by Browser Toolbar Overload [Humorous Image]
- This is not the Way to Get the Flatscreen TV You Wanted [Image]
- Choose a World [Wallpaper]
- Derelict Floating Through Space [Wallpaper]
- Linux Then and Now [Infographic]
- C++ [Wallpaper]
- A Long Quiet River [Wallpaper]
- Playing Minecraft in Real Life [Humorous Image]
- Download this Beautiful Photography Theme by Georgiana Girboan for Windows 7
One Year Ago on How-To Geek
Have fun tweaking your Ubuntu and Linux systems this weekend using these great articles from one year ago.
- How to Create a Wallpaper Slideshow in Ubuntu
- How to Create a Family Friendly Ubuntu Setup
- Try Out Linux Programs with PortableLinuxApps
- How to Customize Shortcut Keys for Any Linux Application
- Use the Windows Key for the “Start” Menu in Ubuntu Linux 10.04+
How-To Geek Comics Weekly Roundup
- Guitar Sidekick
- Early Morning Tweets
- Gaming no Matter What
- The Wrong Kind of Firewall
- Is That a Real Twitter Bird?