Archive for the 'Technology' Category

LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc.. and your Privacy!

Published at January 1, 2009 in Technology, Privacy and Security. 0 Comments

This online community phenomenon is catching up pretty quickly.  People are constantly putting their lives online, identity thieves and other criminal minded can very easily perform reconnaissance activities from the comfort of their homes before the unleashing their final attack.

Before the advent of social networking websites search engines were a source of wealth of information, especially Google, where all your online information if its spiders can crawl it, ends up in their databases and becomes Google “Property”.  Google has never disclosed about the retention period of this information.

So to track someone down via Google, one had to first understand the advanced Google search syntax and after that you were at their mercy.  Well, by the introduction of  SOCIAL NETWORKING sites, this whole idea of understanding search syntax andINTELLIGENTLY using it has become a way of the past.  Even the dumbest can figure out a lot about you via these SOCIAL NETWORKING sites.

Facebook’s terms and conditions state that the information you submit to their website becomes their property.  So you internet savvy user, who feels like an computer expert by spilling your guts to the internet are actually making it very easy for the various Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA) very easy to eavsdrop on you as they please, they don;t need a special warrant of any kind to get to you information, which you have so willingly posted on the internet.

Google Docs, although free also allows you to place your documents for access from anywhere on the internet, same story as above goes here.

The next big thing on the internet is CLOUD COMPUTING, which is not much safe either.

So, always think twice before uploading any private and personal information on the internet, BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING!

How safe is Virtualization?

Published at May 26, 2008 in Risk Management, Immature Technology, Technology and Security. 0 Comments

Virtualization is the new technology all IT Departments are headed towards in order to capitalize on unused CPU cycles.  Agreed it is a good way of getting the most bang for your buck!

Initially, virtualization technology was used on the server side only.  Now it is infiltrating the desktop’s also.  With applications such has VirtualBoxfrom Sun Microsystems, a virtual machine can be installed on a corporate laptop.  Once such an application has been installed, the corporation has no control on the endpoint anymore.  To avert misuse of such technologies on the client side, whitelisting applications coupled with network based protection has to be instigated.  Then comes the realm of DLP and NAC, how successful such technologies will be in averting corporate espionage.

VIOP Phone awes

Published at May 2, 2008 in Immature Technology and Technology. 0 Comments

Came across this news article VoIP tragedy underlines need for up-to-date information, a child dies only because the parents choose to use a VoIP phone.  VoIP services provide a load of features for a very low price compared to the conventional phone system (POTS).  Consumers allways shopping for a bargain, with all the features, VoIP also has some drawbacks, from its inception its has had issues with 911 service. 

 Because of the portability of this type of phone service it becomes difficult to locate where this service is being consumed, unless the user takes ensure their address and other details are updated as they move.  With POTS based phones unless you submit an request to move the service, you will not get it at the new address, and again since you are moving there there are other addres changes also.

 With the advent of “PAPERLESS” bills, which we receive via emails, snail mail address no longer has any bearing.  If you can get to internet, you get your phone bill, and other bills also.  Hence users who rely heavily on internet for their bills via emails and paying them via internet banking, no longer need a snail mail address any more.

 In my opinion this whole internet thing is good from a convenienct point of view, but like everything else it has its drawbacks, which consumers do not realize, and by the time they realize it is too late, as in this case a baby died.

BTW, cell phones also share the same issues as VoIP from 911 perspective.  Triangulation is one methond of locating a subscriber, but it is still not as accurate as the good old POTS.

 I shall use POTS as long as my provider is willing to provide it, and hopefully when they withdraw the service VoIP and Cell Phone service would have matured in terms of process and tracking perspective. 

Technorati is experiencing unusually high load right now!!
Technorati

Doh! The Technorati Monster escaped again.

We're currently experiencing backend issues and are working to resolve them as quickly as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience.