Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Google Play year-end games sale ends today


In case you missed it, Google Play has been running a year-end sale that offers up to 90% off some fantastic games, and today is your final chance to take advantage of the deals.

There are 27 total games included in the sale, and whatever style of game you are into, there is probably something there for you, so make sure you check out the deal page before the end of the day.

Some of my favorites include Lara Croft Go, Minecraft: Story Mode, Hitman: Sniper, Dark Echo, and This War of Mine (50 cents off a $14.99 game isn’t exactly a scorching deal, but it is a great game).

Here’s the full list of games on sale:

- Castle of Illusion
- Civilization Revolution 2
- Dark Echo
- Deep Under the Sky
- Final Fantasy III
- Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
- FRAMED
- Goat Simulator
- Hitman: Sniper
- Joe Danger
- Lara Croft GO
- Lego Batman: Beyond Gotham
- Leo’s Fortune
- Minecraft: Story Mode
- Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour
- Monument Valley
- NBA Jam
- Pac-Man CE DX
- Ravensburger Puzzle
- Rayman Fiesta Run
- Riptide GP2
- Sleeping Prince: Royal Edition
- Small World 2
- Splendor
- Surgeon Simulator
- This War of Mine
- Trivia Crack (Ad free)

Let us know if any of your personal favorites are in there that shouldn’t be missed.

Source: Google Play: Games Year-End Deals

This 3D-Printed Star Destroyer Is Two Feet Long


The Star Destroyer, one of the largest ships in the Star Wars universe, has been recreated in excruciating detail in the form of a two-foot long 3D-printed ship consisting of thousands of small parts. It was, as the creator suggested, a big job.

You can check out a set of images here but, sadly, there aren’t plans just yet. Using a PowerSpec 3D Pro printer and three rolls of filament he printed a number of individual pieces and then hot glued them together.

It should be noted that this Destroyer isn’t based on anything from the real Star Wars canon mostly because Disney would probably get nice and lawsuity if the creator ever released the model files. However, it does suggest that with enough time and effort we, too, can be like Luke Skylazer and use the Force to live long and prosper. May Yoda be forever in your favor.



Source: techcrunch

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

10 Steps To Defeat Hacking Attacks (And What To Do After You’ve Been Hacked)


In my Steps to Effective Security series, previously I’ve written articles to tell you how to check if you’ve been hacked and what happens to your data after data breaches.

In this article, I’m going to tell you the first steps that you need to take to defeat hacking attacks – and after you’ve been hacked. These days, getting phished, hacked or becoming a victim of some malware attack isn’t uncommon. The data breaches are on the rise and each day numerous types of malware are being discovered in the wild.

If you’ve realized that you’ve been hacked or you’re vulnerable to hacking attacks- what is the next step? What to do after you’ve been hacked? How to defeat hacking attacks?

Here are some simple steps:

1. Calm down. It happens. But it’s time to act.

If you’ve found that you are a victim of some data breach, most of the time it’s not even a threat. However, you need to ask yourself some questions. You need to introspect and revisit the security measures you are taking to secure your online life.

2. Now reset all your passwords and defeat hacking attacks

The first and foremost step after you’ve been hacked it to reset all your passwords. Use new and strong passwords that are a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, digits and symbols.
Also, avoid reusing a password as it’s something that we do unconsciously. Another thing that you must keep in mind while creating strong passwords, don’t ever create a passwords that have your personal information.

3. Check your account statements and make changes

Thoroughly review financial account statements related to the affected accounts for some unusual activity. Look for new payment methods, new accounts linked, or new shipping addresses. Hackers targetting your online accounts with one obvious reason related to money.

You need to check your credit card reports for suspicious activities and of you find anything fishy, cancel that card and book a new one.

4. Connected accounts too can do the damage

Very often, one online account is linked to other accounts. The compromised email account could be the one your used to verify some other email account. Same applies to your online banking and e-commerce accounts. So, it’s a safe practice to perform a security checked for all accounts and update the passwords.

5. De-authorize all connected apps

All the apps you’re using on your phone are connected to some email account or your Facebook account. So, it would be an obvious decision to de-authorise all these apps. This could be a pain to re-authorize all the apps, but it’s the right to do.

6. Use two-factor authentication to defeat hacking attacks


While setting up the new accounts, enable the option of two-factor authentication. This method adds an extra layer of security to your accounts. Don’t skip it, it makes your account 4-5 times more secure.

7. Recover your accounts

All the major services like Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter, Google, Yahoo and Apple provide a detailed guide to get back your account after you lose its control. Just search for account recovery for your service and follow the steps.

8. Update your PC and phone

A very high percentage of hackers target yo using the vulnerabilities in your PC and phone operating systems. If you are running older versions, there is a possibility that your device isn’t getting regular security updates.

Go to system settings and find the update system to perform the update. Make this a regular habit to protect yourself.

9. Scan your devices for malware

Using a worthy anti-malware tool is another important step. Download some good antivirus product and don’t hesitate to pay for it. Here’s a list of the best antivirus solutions for Windows. If you choose to go for free products, you can check out this top free antivirus list.

Don’t forget to update your product as no matter how solid your antivirus product is, it’s useless if its virus database definitions are outdated.

10. Tell your friends and family. Spread awareness to defeat hacking attacks

Well, after fixing all the loopholes, it’s time to go to your friends and family members. As them about the basic steps they are taking to keep themselves secure and tell them where they are lacking.

Educate people to defeat hacking attacks. If this happened to you, it could happen to anybody.

Source: fossbytes

Leaked Screenshot Shows Upcoming Video Calling Feature In WhatsApp



WhatsApp enabled and tested their Voice calling feature to a limited number of users initially and later rolled out to all users and other operating-systems. Leaked screenshots by an German site MacerKopf suggest that popular messaging service is all set to launch video calling feature for it's users.

WhatsApp has over 900M+ users which it acquired in a short span of just 6 years, the free video calling feature on this popular IM service is surely going to give competition substantial jitters of the likes of Apple (FaceTime), Microsoft (Skype), Google (Hangouts) and mobile-carriers.

Monday, December 28, 2015

Western Union Declines Adsense Payments For 14 Countries


It’s not going to be a good Christmas, or chances are even the new year, for Adsense publishers in some 14 Asian countries. Many publishers, who rely on Western Union for, were not able to receive Adsense payments for this month. Google Adsense sends automatic payments on 25th (not a hard and fast date though) of each month. Other payment options for Adsense like Wire Transfer to bank account and payments via checks seem to work just fine.

Publishers who have set Western Union as their default payment option received the following message:
Automatic payment declined: Western Union for ($xxx.xx). No reason provided by your financial institution

Payment declined: We were unable to charge your payment method.


According to an unverified source, Google made this blogpost:
We’re expanding the number of Western Union payments that we’re sending through our new payments system this month, primarily to publishers in the Asia-Pacific region. A small number (~5%) of the payments we sent to publishers in the following countries were incorrectly declined by Western Union and need to be re-issued.

No action is required on your part. We are working with Western Union to complete the configuration changes and will automatically reissue the payments. We expect to complete this in the next 24 hours.

Affected countries:
•Egypt
•Saudi Arabia
•Cambodia•China
•Indonesia
•Malaysia
•Nepal
•Pakistan
•Philippines
•Singapore
•South Korea
•Taiwan
•Thailand
•Vietnam
Thanks for your patience, and we’re working to resolve this quickly


It is still unclear whether the payments would be forwarded to the next month or Adsense and Western Union are working something out to send the payment this month.

It’s not the first time such issue has been faced, many South Asian countries have been facing issues with Adsense since its inception. A few years back, countries like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh etc were hit by a massive account ban which resulted in permanent ban of Adsense accounts involved in breaking the Adsense policies.

Last year, Adsense blocked all kind of payments to Pakistan but the issue was resolved within a week.

South Asian countries share a huge chunk of online work force including freelancers, bloggers and publishers. Each day, a number of newbies enter the digital arena to make money online but many end up following the illegitimate methods.

It is a matter of fact that South Asian countries among a few others are labeled blacklisted by major advertisers due to ever growing illegitimate methods of earning money originating from these regions.

Source: earnistan

These Are The Most Popular Websites In 11 Biggest Countries


The annual compilation of Goldman Sachs’ yearly 100 best charts is an ultimate resource for the knowledge thirsty people who love to observe trends and make predictions for the next year.

Out of this goldmine, you can also spot a chart that highlights the most popular websites in 11 big nations from around the world. If you start looking for an overall winner, Google tops the list in 7 out of 11 nations. No surprises here!

In this chart, BI notices an interesting trend. As we start moving from west to east, the regional websites get stronger. In South Korea we have a new winner in the form of Naver.com, while Yandex.ru and Baidu top the Russian and Chinese charts, respectively.

Notably, Yahoo is way too popular in Japan and it has topped the charts. Another interesting fact tells that in the top 15 lists’ in US and China, no website is common. This means, the domestic websites are dominant in these countries.

Here’s the list of most popular websites in some countries:

15 Most Popular Websites In US:

1.Google 2.Facebool
3.Amazon
4.YouTube
5.Yahoo
6.Ebay
7.Wikipedia
8.Twitter
9.Reddit
10.Go.com
11.Live
12.Craiglist
13.Pinterest
14.Netflix
15.Bing

15 Most Popular Websites In UK:

1.Google.co.uk 2.Google.com
3.Facebook
4.YouTube
5.Amazon.co.uk
6.Ebay.co.uk
7.Bbc.co.uk
8.Yahoo.com
9.Live
10.Wikipedia
11.Twitter
12.Theladbible
13.Bing
14.LinkedIn
15.Dailymail

15 Most Popular Websites In India:

1.Google.co.in 2.Google.com
3.Facebook
4.YouTube
5.Amazon
6.Yahoo
7.Flipkart
8.Wikipedia
9.Indiatimes
10.LinkedIn
11.Twitter
12.Blogspot
13.MSN
14.Abril.com.br
15.Instagram

Take a look at the complete graph below:


Source: fossbytes

OSToto Hotspot - A Free Alternative To Connectify

Connectify was a great freeware but has now became a paid service, luckily there are many alternatives available for creating virtual wi-fi hotspot on your computer. OSToto Hotspot is yet another freeware tool with a weird name to get the job done, the utility is FREE and has no advertising to bug you. All it takes is a single-click to create a virtual Wi-Fi hotspot on your laptop/notebook/desktop computer with a working wireless adapter turning it into a Wi-Fi wireless access point. The utility supports all flavors of Windows OS including Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, XP, Vista, Windows Server and comes with WPA2 PSK password security to safe guard your wifi hotspot from authorized usage.




Download the freeware from :
OSToto-Hotspot.exe [Size : 9.4 MB] [Virustotal Report : 1/54 Clean]

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Top 10 Most Popular YouTube Videos of 2015


The year 2015 saw an unprecedented rise in the online videos on social media, entertainment industry and online content marketing. As this rise continues, more platforms are endorsing video content and competing with each other to emerge as winners.

Curating the same, YouTube has released its lists of the most popular videos of 2015. “We looked at views, likes, shares, searches, parodies, remixes and responses to identify the 10 videos that everybody talked about in 2015,” YouTube writes about the list.

Get ready for a bucket full of entertainment and take a look at these videos below:

Most Popular Video #10: Mean Tweets – President Obama Edition


Most Popular Video #9: Dover Police DashCam Confessional (Shake it Off)


Most Popular Video #8: Golden boy Calum Scott hits the right note



Most Popular Video #7: 6ft Man in 6ft Giant Water Balloon


Most Popular Video #6: Justin Bieber Carpool Karaoke


Most Popular Video #5: Lip Sync Battle with Will Ferrell, Kevin Hart and Jimmy Fallon



Most Popular Video #4: Love Has No Labels


Most Popular Video #3: Crazy Plastic Ball PRANK!!


Most Popular Video #2: Clash of Clans: Revenge (Official TV Commercial)


Most Popular Video #1: Silento- Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)



Source: Youtube

Two Amazon Staffers Arrested For Stealing iPhone And Cheating Flipkart


In his best news of 2015 list, Bill Gates listed the growth of mobile commerce at 5th position. This could be directly attributed to an unprecedented growth observed in developing nations. As a result, we are witnessing a similar rise in the business of online retailers in India. Websites like Flipkart, Amazon, Snapdeal, and eBay are competing with each other to capture a larger chunk of the nascent user base.

In the past, we have read multiple reports about these websites getting duped by Indian e-commerce buyers. Recently, two techies were arrested by the police in Hyderabad for cheating the e-commerce portal Flipkart as they tried to steal an iPhone worth Rs. 51,590 ( about $800).

The accused Naveen Kumar earlier worked with Amazon India, while his partner in crime Atul Sharma is still working with the company.

The duo ordered an iPhone 6 and it was delivered to them within 2-3 days. However, even after receiving the handset, they claimed that the package contained garbage. By showing the faith in their customers, Flipkart immediately refunded the entire amount back to Atul Sharma.

“On January 21, Naveen called up Flipkart and complained that when he opened the parcel, instead of an iPhone, he found paper and rubber inside the box. The company refunded the entire amount and the duo shared it among themselves,” Detective Inspector Chikkadpally P. Balvanthaih said.

But they didn’t know that Flipkart had lodged a police complaint to find the phone. Bad luck on their part, police acted swiftly and traced the phone back to a person named Manish Sharma, a friend of the fraudster duo.

“The present case is case in a point to show that several customers are taking advantage of the return and refund policy of e-commerce companies to indulge in theft and cheating,” Flipkart issued a statement, after the arrest.

The number of such instances has grown at a rapid pace in recent times in India. Abusing the faith of e-commerce companies and making fake claims could harm the Indian industry by blurring this trust.

Source: fossbytes

20 Surprising Facts About Apple That You Probably Didn’t Know


Apple Inc. was founded on April 1, 1976, in Cupertino, CA by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne in the car garage at Jobs’ house. Apple launched many revolutionary products like the iPod, iPhone, Macintosh and iPad.

Company’s biggest achievement may be estimated by the fact that some people call every portable mp3 player an iPod, and they don’t know that iPod is a proprietary product of Apple Inc.

20 Facts About Apple That You Probably Don’t Know

Bad Decision:


Ronald Wayne also co-founded the company, but he stepped out only after 12 days Apple came into existence. At that time, he sold his 10% share for $800. You’ll be surprised to know if he had retained those shares, their current worth would be $60 billion. But the 81-year-old Wayne has no regrets on that note.

Samsung for Apple:


Apple users proudly show-off their iPad’s retina display and admire Apple for their awesome products, but most of them don’t have any idea that those retina displays are manufactured by Samsung for the iPads. It is hard to gulp the fact considering the Apple-Samsung legal fights being the talk-of-the-town since the past few years, and Samsung has been ordered to pay $548 million for copying iPhone designs.

No smoking near an Apple:


It is for the smokers, there is a weird clause by Apple. If you smoke near an Apple Computer, your device’s warranty will become void, so use the smoking zone or pay the repair charges next time your Mac breaks down.

Siri remembers everything:


Siri has been praised for its intelligence, but she has a long lasting memory too. Apple analyses and stores every voice command you give to Siri. So, all your embarrassing requests to Siri are safely resting in the Apple servers, you know what I’m talking about.

More money than the US government:


Apple is one of most valuable companies in the world, but they also have more cash than the US Treasury. With a $233 billion on its balance sheet, Apple can buy Disney, Coca-Cola, Uber and more.

It is 9:41 AM:


If you’ve seriously watched the Apple iPhone commercials, the time displayed is 9:41 AM. Have you ever thought why? This was the time when Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone in 2007.

Die-hard fans:


Apple fans have surpassed the limits when it comes to showing customer loyalty. One man waited in the line for 6 months to just buy the first iPhone 6 unit. A teenager in China sold his kidney because he didn’t have enough cash to buy an iPad.

Don’t use iTunes to make nuclear weapons


One more interesting addition to the facts list is a weird clause in the iTunes Terms and Conditions EULA. You can’t use it to make nuclear weapons and missiles.

Just $0.25 per year:


iPhones come at a pocket burning price, but that’s not the case when you need to buy electricity for them. Although Apple has launched the Smart Battery Case for iPhone 6S, if you give one full charge to your iPhone on a daily basis, at the end of one year it’ll cost you only $0.25. Quite manageable, isn’t it?

Tougher than Harvard:


If you apply for a job at an Apple store and a graduate course at Harvard, there better chances that you get selected in Harvard.

Bubbles tell everything:


When the first iPod prototype was presented to Steve Jobs, he dropped it in an aquarium to show that it could be shrunk further, considering there were air bubbles signifying the existence of empty space inside.

Quite Bulletproof:


MacBook’s battery loves you so much that it can take a bullet for you as they are designed so tough. Next time someone points a gun, just keep your MacBook in front of you.

Download the Apps:


App Store for iOS has around 1.4 million apps with 100 billion download counts, but 60% of them have never been downloaded.

Siri was for Android:


Siri is an original product by Siri Inc. and they made it for Android and Blackberry, but Apple bought Siri Inc. in April 2010. And now we have a cute, intelligent and naughty voice assistant for our iPhones.

I am the first:


When the number of employees started increasing at Apple, a numerical designation based on alphabetical order of the employee name was adopted. But Jobs didn’t like that he was #2 just behind Wozniak #1, thanks to the alphabets. So, he decided to take #0 retaining his belief to be the first every time.

Apple 1 computer auctioned:


Jobs and Woz sold the Apple 1 for $100, but they never knew, one of their $100 devices would be auctioned for $905,000 in the year 2014.

Apparels by Apple:

Apple has their history of digital revolution, many of us don’t know that Apple also launched a clothing line way back in 1986, but things didn’t work out well.

The highly secretive M68 Project:

Apple started the development of a highly secretive project code-named as “M68” in 2004. The secrecy of the project was so important, that the software team had no idea what the hardware would look like and hardware team had no clue what kind of software might run on the device. It was known to a very few people, what the device would be as a complete product. And then Steve Jobs finally unveiled it as iPhone on January 9, 2007.

R.I.P. Apple’s Lisa:


Around 2,700 units of the Lisa computer launched by Apple in 1983 are buried in a Utah landfill, all because the product was a big failure.

One Last Thing:


When Steve Jobs was asked to move out from Apple in 1985, he sold all his Apple shares. He then founded NeXT Computers and a year later he acquired the graphic division of LucasFilm which turned out to be Pixar, later acquired by Disney. Apple’s Mac OS X operating system is a modified version of NeXTSTEP OS which Apple inherited when they bought NeXT in 1996 after paying $429 million cash and $1.5 billion Apple shares.

Source: fossbytes

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Hyatt Is Latest Hotel Brand Hacked After Finding Malware On Its Payment System


Hyatt, the global hotel chain with 627 properties across more than 50 countries, is the latest in its industry to suffer a cyber security attack.

In an announcement devoid of specific information or details, the company revealed that it “recently identified malware on computers that operate the payment processing systems for Hyatt-managed locations.” Upon that discovery, it said, it began an investigation with third-party security experts that remains ongoing.

Hyatt didn’t say how many of its locations were affected, how exactly customer data might be compromised, nor how many customers may be impacted. It did say, though, that it has created a dedicated webpage where it will post updates from the investigation — that’s hyatt.com/protectingourcustomers.

Hyatt is just the latest hotelier to get hit by such an attack. Hilton, Starwood and Mandarin Oriental are among the others to have been hacked this year alone.

Source: techcrunch

No More Passwords For Google Account. So What’s Next Then?


Google is testing a new password authentication system that will allow users to log in to their accounts without even typing a password. Google has acknowledged about this testing of new functionality with a small group of enthusiasts and volunteers. But when this feature will be available to the public – it’s is still unclear.

Typing a long string of characters is still often the weakest part when it comes to account security for various reasons. First, many users don’t use complex passwords. Secondly, a large portion of the users reuses the same password across different services. Use of simple passwords and reuse of the same passwords across various platforms and accounts make the job easier for the hackers to crack the password.

Although many companies have been working long on alternative methods like physical USB key authentication as part of a two-step verification process with a secret token, using Micro Sd card, or entering in a code sent via text method to your phone but many users also find this to be a hassle as it introduces an additional step to the login process.

The new logging system into Google accounts let users worry only about typing their email addresses when trying to log in to their Google accounts. Once punched in their email addresses, Google sends a notification to their smartphones and computers in the form of a question, “Trying to sign in?”. If users select “Yes”, they are logged into their account on the computer.

The new password system looks something like this (Courtesy: Reddit)

However, this easier logging process has to be set up on your device first for the first time. So, a user has to first authenticate their mobile device which requires a screen lock to be turned on. Also, they can deactivate the authorization on devices which are not being used or either lost. This new authentication process will also allow a user to punch in their password if they wish so.
However, this easier logging process has to be set up on your device first for the first time. So, a user has to first authenticate their mobile device which requires a screen lock to be turned on. Also, they can deactivate the authorization on devices which are not being used or either lost. This new authentication process will also allow a user to punch in their password if they wish so.


– said a Google spokesperson.


Source: fossbytes

How To Create A Super Secure Password To Defeat Hackers


With the ever-increasing hacking attacks, the importance of a super strong password can’t be denied. In the year 2015, we saw an insane amount of hacking attacks that leaked people’s personal data and costed the multinationals millions. Throughout the year, we told you about various attacks and how to protect your digital life with simple precautionary steps.

Just knowing about DDoS and SQL injection attacks isn’t enough. At many occasions, even security experts commit the sin of using an easy password that makes the job of hackers easier. In this article, we are going to tell you about the basics of a strong password and how it can help you to secure your data.

When we are talking about a strong password, we mean passwords that about are 8 to 15 characters long. The passwords must seem gibberish to you (and others), consisting of upper and lower case characters, digits, and symbols.

You can try using made-up phrases and incomplete works in passwords. Avoid using dictionary words and keyword patterns. Changing the passwords regularly is also advised.

Today, we are bringing to you an eye-opening infographic from WhoIsHostingThis that tells you the best practices to make passwords.

Take a look:

How To Create A Super Secure Password To Defeat Hackers




Source: fossbytes

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Top 10 Most Google Searched Tech Gadgets of 2015



The year 2015 is just about to get over. Throughout the year, we saw a variety of gadgets making an appearance in the market. Some of these were received with open arms, while others were bashed big time.ere is a comprehensive list of most search tech gadgets in this year of 2015:

Based upon the Google search data, here is a comprehensive list of most search tech gadgets in this year of 2015. Take a look:

iPhone 6s:


If we see the chart of Google searches, Apple Watch was one of the most searched terms throughout the year of 2015. 17 million was the minimum searches that Apple Watch saw in the month February 2015. However, Apple Watch was able to remain afloat throughout the year, unlike other devices. It can be surely said that Apple Watch was the product people took interests in, throughout the year. The highest number of searches for Apple Watch was around 28 million in March 2015.

Samsung galaxy S6:


Samsung galaxy S6 was scheduled to be launched in the first quarter of the year. The Google search for Samsung Galaxy S6 starting picking up in February with around 8.1 million and around 21 million in March 2015. However, unlike iPhone 6s, people interest didn’t drop drastically and Samsung Galaxy S6 remained afloat for next two to three months in Google search.

Nexus 6:


Google’s Nexus devices are mostly launched with the newer version of Android operating system. This year saw the rollout of Android M (Android Marshmellow). There were two reasons behind Nexus 6 being searched more: 1. It’s a Google product and 2. It always comes out with the newer version of Android OS. Most numbers of searches for Nexus 6 was over 14 million in the month of October 2015.

Microsoft Surface:


After the Launch of Windows 10, Microsoft announced the launch of Microsoft surface laptops. Microsoft surface laptops remained afloat in Google search because it was company’s first ever laptop. Microsoft Surface was searched the most over 14 million in the month of October 2015.

iPad pro:


Launched with iPhone 6s in November, saw two surges in the search graph for iPad pro. Being remained almost constant searched throughout, Google searches for iPad pro suddenly rose in September because of its launch and then saw another bigger spike touching over 11 million in November 2015 for searches related to iPad pro.

LG G4:


LG G4 saw a complete change in user search pattern. While devices like iPhone 6s or Samsung Galaxy S6 saw bigger spikes in the month of their launches, LG G4 search was almost constant throughout the year. The average searches were around over 10 million from the month of April to November 2015. However, the largest searches for LG G4 were over 10 million in November 2015.

Samsung Galaxy J5:


Because of its low price, Samsung Galaxy J5 remained searched throughout the year just like LG G4. One common search pattern for Samsung devices was that the devices were searched using their model names. The highest search for Samsung Galaxy J5 was over 10 million in November 2015.

HTC One M9:

Like other devices, HTC One M9 was also launched in the month of March 2015. But it looks like that the launch of this device was overshadowed by other devices in the same month. HTC One M9 could not make it beyond 10 million in a single month search. I think, HTC should schedule their launch more wisely from next time. The highest number of searches was above 7 million in March 2015.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5:


Surprising fact about the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is that it was most searched using the term ‘Note 5’ over Google. While other devices were searched using their fully qualified names like iPhone 6s, LG G4. Anyway, even though Samsung Galaxy Note 5 was one among the most searched devices but it could not even cross 5 million searches in a single month in 2015. The highest number of searches of Note 5 was above 3.6 Million in August 2015.

Source: fossbytes

Monday, December 21, 2015

Anonymous Hacks 100 Websites To Protest Against Whale Killing


This Sunday, Japan police revealed that the hacktivist collective Anonymous has attacked about 100 websites in Japan since September. The group has taken the responsibility of attacks and labeled it as a response to Japan’s whale-hunting policies. Talking about the big names, the personal website of the Japanese Prime Minister was also targeted.

The hacktivist group Anonymous has targeted about 100 Japanese websites since September. The National Police Agency of Japan has said that the attacks by Anonymous have increased in the recent times. This cyberattack on Japanese websites is in response to the controversial whaling practices being carried out in the country.

While ISIS-targeted Anonymous attacks generated a widespread social media buzz, the #OpWhales campaign hasn’t attracted much attention. The same concern was voiced by a user who emailed fossBytes and told about this operation.

Apart from the websites of government offices, the groups involved in whale and dolphin hunting, news organizations, aquariums, and airports are the main targets. Talking about the big names, the personal website of the Japanese Prime Minister was also targeted.

In the recent past, the Japanese practice of hunting cetaceans has attracted widespread criticism from all around the globe. Even though the government banned commercial whale hunting years ago, it’s still a common practice in the name of scientific research.
View image on Twitter
The targeted websites were attacked using the common DDoS attack, which is a way to flood a website with a torrent of traffic and taking it down. After the attacks, a Twitter handle of Anonymous posted: “Whaling IS NOT Cultural Right! Your website is #TangoDown!”
View image on Twitter
Earlier this month, the hacktivist collective took the responsibility of taking down 5 Icelandic websites in response to government’s whale-hunting policies.

The government authorities have urged the system admins to set up a backup site and use other methods to protect themselves from DDoS attacks.

Source: fossbytes

The UN Agrees To Keep Internet Free And Open For The Next 10 Years


The United Nations wants to keep the internet open and free for at least until the next decade. How successful will it be to keep the internet open and not revise the internet policies for next ten years? Know what UN thinks about the freedom of information and what could be the future of the internet.

Just like the TCP protocol, the backbone of the Internet, which is unbiased, the United Nations wants the same way to keep the internet open and free for at least until the next decade.

In 2005, for the first time, the internet policies were laid out before over 190 UN representatives from different countries around the world at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). The purpose of the summit was to take a ten years review of the internet policies. In 2015, reviews of the internet policies are being said to have been successful by internet freedom advocates. And it was declared that the internet should remain in the hands of the private sector.

This meeting for internet governance was held at the perfect time as different governments across the world are making moves to crack down on internet freedom. Some of the recently seen moves by different governments are China blocking Wikipedia, banning of Tor and free wifi in France after Paris attack, Internet neutrality etc. Against its open nature, some governments have also shown interest in localizing the internet. They have proposed stricter measures against internet borders and state-centric policies to ISOC. This might present a contradiction to the global internet phenomenon. Localizing the internet would impede the global development of the internet and internet might get fragmented.

However, arriving at this decision was not so easy. The decision came after a lot of debate over days by the UN representatives. Apart from the inputs from the members of WSIS, input from a variety of government representatives and non-governmental stakeholders, including internet freedom non-profit the Internet Society (ISOC) was also considered. Following which, the UN published a resolution document which covers the main four pillars of the information society. These four main areas are internet accessibility, human rights and free speech, internet governance, and internet security.

The document released is supposed to be just considered the ‘Outcome of the meeting’, it is still not legally binding. But, it sets up the way for the internet governance for the next ten years until next meeting is held. A focus was also set on the commitment of multi-stakeholder model of internet governance and renewal of the Tunis Agenda. Tunis agenda was a consensus made in 2005 that called for lightweight internet governance and the creation of the Internet Governance forum, an annual multi-stakeholder meeting on internet policy.

Constance Bommelaer, senior director of global internet policy at ISOC said:
As the internet has come to affect all the layers of our life, we must decide, how do we build an informational society, and what are the founding principles we want to organize this society on?



Despite the positive outcome of the meeting, it is expected that there would be a pull up in the local internet security because of the terrorism hitting up the world virtually through the internet.

So, what do you think? Shall the internet be open free for global access or shall it be modified according to the local political and information society consensus?

Source: fossbytes