How to verify checksums when you download an app for your Mac

Open Source Transmission BitTorrent Infected with Malware

Some of the Mac users seemed to have received a surprise last week when they discovered that a latest version of the open source Transmission BitTorrent client had infected their computer with malware, a condition which had been avoided with suitable securities. Most of the computer savvy are aware of the vigilant about where the download software are from though few of them pause to verify that the files received are the file which they are supposed to receive.

 This could be a grave last step in the prevention of malware infection seen in Transmission. Often, developers tend to post checksums or hashes together with the download links for their projects in order to simplify this type of verification. Generally, a checksum is the outcome of a mathematical calculation that tends to run a certain file, if the file has not been changed. The checksum calculated will tend to match the checksum provided by the developer.

It has not been made known how the infected download made its way on the Transmission’s website, though those who seemed to have received it first in the processhave informed that the checksum of the bad file does not seem to match the checksum given by the Transmission team.

Checksum Validator – Easy to Use Utility – Calculating/Validating Checksum

Checksum Validator is an easy to use utility for calculating and validating checksum – SHA-1 or MDS digests, for files which one downloads or uploads. On comparing a site’s published checksum with one’s calculated checksum one can verify that the download matches with the official copy of the site, which is free from corruption or tampering, unless of course the site’s checksum is also tampered.

All that is essential to calculate checksum is in MAS OS X which is quick and easy and the quicker and easier, the more possibility of actually verifying downloads. If the checksum is verified prior to installing, they would be aware of something being inappropriate. It is worth being aware that this is not a reliable process and if a website is compromised, the attacker can easily change the checksum also.

 Users can learn to verify checksum or SHA-1 which is a software update, provided on Apple software updates for those who intend to verify the authenticity of an update and is optional. Users need to note that for updates that are delivered by Automatic software Update, SHA-1 digest verification is accomplished automatically for you.

SHA-1 Secured Checksum for Data File

In order to verify a manually downloaded software update form Apple Downloads, that seems to comprise of SHA-1 digest, the following steps need to be done:

• Open Terminal which is located in/Applications/Utilities
• Type the following at the Terminal prompt
• About SHA-1

SHA-1 is a secure checksum for a data file which is based on a cryptographic average and for a given file; SHA-1 creates a 160 bit encrypted output which is known as a `message digest’. It is unlikely that a modified data set would create the same message digest. If a file seems to have changed at the time of transit, its message digest also tends to change.

Users can download manually-installable updates from Apple Downloads. Apple tend to use SHA-1 digest on definite Apple Downloads in order that users can verify with great amount of possibility that the software downloaded is the same software one intended to download. When the SHA-1 digest for the file downloaded seems to match the digest for the file displayed on Apple Downloads, one can be assured that the file is reliable. For security purpose, users can utilise the secure https download page for manual updates.

Why You Need Recovery Software

Admit it. One time or another in our life we have lost important files on our computers, and if you haven’t already, chances are you most definitely will sometime in the future.

Data loss is a sad reality of technology these days and can happen for any number of reasons, ranging from accidental deletion to virus attacks.

Whatever the reason though, it’s not the end of the world and can easily be recovered by recovery software, ensuring you will never lose important data again.

Like we said earlier, if you haven’t experienced data loss before, you will most definitely encounter it someday, that’s why even if you don’t need recovery software now, it’s always good to know what to do incase of emergency.

Most people reading this though has probably encountered data loss and want to know what to do know…
It might seem like the end of the world, but to recover lost data is not all that hard. All you have to do is download recovery software, scan your device, preview the files and choose which files you wish to recover. That’s it.

It doesn’t matter if your data loss occurred due to accidental deletion, formatting, virus attacks, OS crashes or any other unknown reasons, recovery software will be able to help.

Now for the important part. What recovery software to use. Sure you can use any recovery software that comes up in your Google search, but that does not mean that they will be able to recover all of your lost data. You might even end up with a few unwanted viruses.

The most recommended recovery software by multiple Tech and PC Websites, is from EaseUS, and with reason.

EaseUS has a few different recovery software on offer, from free to $499. (Don’t worry, the paid options are for companies wishing to offer data recovery for their clients).

If it is good enough for the pro’s to use for their clients, it’s certainly good enough for you, and what’s even more, you can recover data from literally any device. Windows, Mac, hard drives or what have you.
And just like the supported devices, you will be able to recover any file format, from images to video, and even emails.

Sure, there are some drawbacks, but they are minuscule, like you can only recover 2gig with the free version. This can easily be remedied by buying an upgrade.

Even if you don’t need recovery software right now, it’s nice to know there are steps you can take to get your data back.

For those who’ve encountered data loss, Download EaseUS recovery software or android recovery as soon as possible, and get your files back as soon as possible.

Neato adds Apple Watch control to robotic vacuum in new app update

Neato’s Latest App Release – Botvac Connect

According to Neato’s latest app release, the $699 Botvac Connect is the first robot vacuum which has the capabilities of being remotely controlled by an Apple Watch or Android Wear device. The app that runs on Apple Watch enables users to issue start and stop commands to the vacuum and monitor clean-up progress straight on their wrist. Different from the full-fledged iOS app, the small screen Watch version does not permit users to take full manual control on the movement of the robot.

Last year Botvac Connect as Neato’s first vacuum to sport anon-board Wi-Fi for communication with iOS as well as Android smartphones, providing owners remote setup together with one-touch control directly from a committed app.On-board Wi-Fi support means that Botvac Connect has the capability of receiving commands as long as it tends to be connected to a known network. Moreover the devices also has laser navigation, two cleaning modes as well as LCD screen with associated capacitive buttons intended to select various user settings. From the iOS App Store, the new Neato app version is made available at no cost.

Can be controlled with Smartwatch

Neato’s robotic vacuum now can be controlled with a smartwatch due to an app update announced recently. The update which is automatic enables smartwatch users to receive notifications from Neato’s Botvac Connected vacuum, a Wi-Fi connected Roomba competitors which tend to use laser scanning to map and clean spaces, besides the start and stop commands.

As per Neato, the latest update makes the Botvac Connected, the first robot vacuum to provide smartwatch functionality. The Botvac Connected owners can also monitor the progress of its cleaning on their smartwatches and receive a notification when it is finished. For added analysis of the Botvac Connected and how it tends to stack up against the competition, one could check on the last year’s review. With each passing generation, robot vacuums are getting smarter as well as easier and some of the new models tend to join the Wi-Fi network. Neato has been influencing that feature of its Botvac Connected vacuum in order that one can control and monitor the device with the Android Wear smart watch or Apple Watch.

New Feature Delivered Through Automatic Update

The new feature is said to be delivered through automatic update and would enable Botvac Connected owners to control the various process. While Roomba manufacturer iRobot tends to also offer an app, it does not support smartwatches while other competitors such as Samsung, bObsweep, PowerBot and the Miele Scout do not seem to have apps at all.

Nancy Nunziati, Neato marketing chief had commented in a press release that with the smartwatches, individuals tend to do several things from their wrist like checking for a flight, obtain directions, play music, and answer the phone and added that they are happy to be the first to add this new task of cleaning to the list. Botvac Connected is not an inexpensive way of getting into robotic vacuums, priced at $700. Neato expects that the features like the laser floor plan mapping, a larger brush together with higher capacity dirt storage would win over the customers.

Thousands Of Popular Sites' at Risk of Drown Hack Attacks

HTTPS Susceptible to Drown Attacks

Researchers on discovering that a new method tends to disable their encryption protection have cautioned websites that they could be exposed to spies. An expert has stated that a third of all computer servers using the HTTPS protocol tend to be represented often by a padlock in web browsers and were susceptible to the so called Drown attacks.

They have warned that the passwords, credit card numbers, emails as well as sensitive documents can be stolen as a result. The issue would be sought though it would take some time for several of the website administrators to protect their systems. A tool that would identify websites which tends to be susceptible has been released by the researchers. They have said that they had not released the code used to prove their theory since there seems to be several servers still susceptible to the attack.There is no evidence yet, that hackers have worked out how to replicate their technique.

An independent expert had commented that he had no doubt that the problem could be real. Prof Alan Woodward from the University of Surrey has stated that `what is shocking regarding this is that they have found a way to use a very old fault which we have known since 1998 and all this was perfectly avoidable.

Computer Server Prone to Attack Supporting Encryption SSlv2

It is the outcome of having used deliberately weakened encryption that people broke years ago and is now combing back to haunt us. Researchers, cyber-security experts from universities in Israel, Germany and US, together with member of Google’s security team have discovered that a computer server can be prone to attack by just supporting 1990s-era encryption protocol SSLv2 – Secure Sockets Layer version 2, even if it employs a day-to-day more modern encryption standards to scramble communications.

Older email servers, in practice, could be more likely in having this problem than the latest computers naturally used to power websites. However, several of the organisations tend to reuse encryption certificates and keys between the two sets of servers. Researchers have dubbed the flaw Drown, which is an acronym for decrypting the Rivest-Shamir Adleman – RSA process with obsolete together with weakened encryption.

Careless Server Configuration

They wrote that operators of vulnerable servers should take action. There is nothing practical which browsers or end-users can do on their own to protect against this attack. The SSLv2 procedure had been weakened deliberately since at the time of its development, the US government needed to attempt to restrict the availability of tough encryption standards to other countries.Prof Matthew Green from Johns Hopkins University had blogged that the problem is while clients such as web browsers have done away with SSLv2, several servers tend to support the protocol.

 In most of the cases, it is the outcome of careless server configuration. In others, the fault lies with inferior obsolete embedded devices which have not seen an update of software in years and possibly never will. A considerable amount of computational force would be needed to mount a successful attack on a website.

 However, researchers have stated that under normal situations, hackers tend to rent the needed capacity from Amazon’s cloud compute division for a sum of $440. Besides this, since several of the servers seem to be in danger to Drown had also been affected by separate bug, a successful attack could be carried out utilising a home computer.

Video Demo Shows Benefits of Dual-Camera Technology

iPhone 7 – Dual Camera System – Improvement in Overall Image Quality

The iPhone 7, with a dual camera system would not only help in improving the overall image quality but also be capable of capturing more accurate details while zooming in. Corephotonics an Israeli company having their own dual camera technology recently provided  with a video demonstration emphasizing the advantages of utilising their own dual camera system. Source which produced a video with Corephotonics’ dual lens camera technology at the Mobile world Congress seemed to be similar to Apple acquired LinX. The short video which showed off Corephotonics’ dual camera technology in action provides an insight on what we would be seeing with regards to camera on the next-gen iPhone of Apple.

With rumours that Apple had introduced a dual-lens camera on one of the iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, the video provides an opportunity of seeing such a kind of technology with glimpses of how it could work in next iPhone of Apple. The technology tends to use software to combine the images of two different camera lenses in creating a detailed image comprising of the ability to optically zoom with no moving parts.

Waterproof Design/No Antenna Bands /Flush Rear Camera/Wireless Charging

Corephotonics, in 2014, was capable of using the tech to provide thrice optical zoon though since then had increased its potentials in offering 5 time optical zoom. The demo portrays how the dual-lens camera can effectively optically zoon in an object while holding crisp details.

Besides this, it also places a zoomed in image from individual lens camera next to a zoomed in image from a dual-lens camera opposing the sharp difference among the two. When they were tested on iPhone 6s Plus compared to the dual-lens cameras, the outcome were basically identical to the Corephotonics demo together with the dual-lens camera offering particularly sharper image.

LinX technology also tends to use numerous camera lenses in creating a single high quality image comprising of noise reduction, sharper details and better low-light quality. It is rumoured that besides a dual-lens camera using LinX’s technology, the iPhone 7 may have a more waterproof design, no antenna bands on the back, a flush rear camera and if ready, wireless charging. It is expected to be released this fall.

Apple Researching/Enhancing Camera Technology

Though Apple has always been researching and enhancing on camera technologies, they tend to have over 800 people working on it with plenty of evidence suggesting that the iPhone 7 cameras would be representing mostly an impressive step ahead.

One of the interesting rumours, specially surrounding the iPhone 7 is that it could incorporated a dual camera system with optical image stabilization as well as zoom functions depending on technology it developed from an Israeli company, LinX, several months ago. One can only anticipate that Apple does not intend to make its dual camera technology exclusive to the iPhone 7 Plus.

With several of the people finding Apple’s largest iPhone model somewhat awkward while using it, it would be inspirational to see that Apple gives its best camera technology all along its whole line-up of products.