...plugging an up-to-date, non jail-broken, PIN-protected iPhone (powered off) into a computer running Ubuntu Lucid Lynx will allow the people to see practically all of the user’s data—including music, photos, videos, podcasts, voice recordings, Google safe browsing databases, and game contents. The “hacker” has read/write access to the iPhone, and the hack leaves no trace.
-iPhone security flaw: Using a PIN won't help you
Posted on May 28, 2010 11:30 am by Sarah Jacobsson, PC World
Monday, May 31, 2010
Your iPhone PIN is basically worthless right now. Keep an eye on your phone.
Friday, May 28, 2010
How to change the default application that opens files of a given type.
If you want to open a file with an application other than the default one with which it opens, simply context-click (right-click or control-click or two-finger click) on the file and navigate to the "Open With" menu, then click on the application with which you would like to open the file.
If you want a file to always be opened with an application other than the default one with which it opens, simply hold option while you perform the above.
If you want all files of a given type to always open with an application other than the default one with which they open, pull up the Get Info window for a given file of such type by context-clicking and selecting the "Get Info" option (or select a file and press command-i), and under the "Open With" section of the Get Info window, press the "Change All..." button and follow instructions.
I believe OS X stores "Open With" information in three places: your Launch Services Database, the preference file for each application, and somewhere in the metadata associated with each particular file. Many Tricks' "Open-With Manager" provides a nifty graphical user interface for editing the relevant fields in the preference files of your applications so that you can easily see and change which applications will show up in the "Open with..." menu that appears when you context-click on files of certain types.
If you want a file to always be opened with an application other than the default one with which it opens, simply hold option while you perform the above.
If you want all files of a given type to always open with an application other than the default one with which they open, pull up the Get Info window for a given file of such type by context-clicking and selecting the "Get Info" option (or select a file and press command-i), and under the "Open With" section of the Get Info window, press the "Change All..." button and follow instructions.
I believe OS X stores "Open With" information in three places: your Launch Services Database, the preference file for each application, and somewhere in the metadata associated with each particular file. Many Tricks' "Open-With Manager" provides a nifty graphical user interface for editing the relevant fields in the preference files of your applications so that you can easily see and change which applications will show up in the "Open with..." menu that appears when you context-click on files of certain types.
Agile's "Knox"
One of my all-time favorite companies, Canada's Agile Web Solutions just acquired Knox. Knox creates and manages standardized encrypted volumes. These function just like any other disk, except that they are "soft" disks, meaning that you can store them on your hard drive just like other files and folders. And they are encrypted so that when they are "closed" nobody can see or figure out what they hold unless they have the password.
Knox uses one of the same types of disks that Apple's Disk Utility uses, and so in that way it is unnecessary. However Knox is prettier, easier to use, and gives you some neat options for managing your disks (you can control whether the disks stay open across restarts, whether each disk is indexed and searchable by Spotlight when it is open, etc.).
TrueCrypt is the open-source alternative to Disk Utility and Knox, and it has a lot more functionality, though it is not as pretty or easy to use.
If I had a need to use multiple encrypted volumes of this kind regularly I would probably buy Knox, which is currently half price to celebrate it's acquisition by Agile. Frankly I am a little bit disappointed that I don't have a good excuse to buy it, since it runs so smoothly and looks so pretty and it is such a joy to use Agile software (or visit the Agile forums and knowledge bases, etc.).
Knox uses one of the same types of disks that Apple's Disk Utility uses, and so in that way it is unnecessary. However Knox is prettier, easier to use, and gives you some neat options for managing your disks (you can control whether the disks stay open across restarts, whether each disk is indexed and searchable by Spotlight when it is open, etc.).
TrueCrypt is the open-source alternative to Disk Utility and Knox, and it has a lot more functionality, though it is not as pretty or easy to use.
If I had a need to use multiple encrypted volumes of this kind regularly I would probably buy Knox, which is currently half price to celebrate it's acquisition by Agile. Frankly I am a little bit disappointed that I don't have a good excuse to buy it, since it runs so smoothly and looks so pretty and it is such a joy to use Agile software (or visit the Agile forums and knowledge bases, etc.).
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Keeping your Mac secure from viruses, hackers, thieves, crashes, and drops.
I just upgraded my wife’s and my security/anti-virus software to Intego’s suite of programs, "SecurityBarrier X6". One license will cover 2 Macs. The SecurityBarrier suite includes several programs, only 2 of which interest me. The first is ContentBarrier, which nicely filters porn. The second is VirusBarrier X6, which does a lot more than the previous edition (X5). The previous edition had to be paired with NetBarrier in order to block people from hacking your computer, but X6 combines the two (VirusBarrier + NetBarrier), so the new program blocks every kind of threat the experts at Intego know about (it also has tons of cool control panel gadgets built in that are fun to tinker with). It comes with 12 months of service, and then will stop working after that. Below is a link to the website at which to buy it, and two different types of reviews of VirusBarrier.
Buy SecurityBarrier
Does auto-expiring security software make sense?
Intego VirusBarrier X6 Review
To be honest, these programs are not necessary. You can get free accountability software, and Mac viruses and hacking/ID theft risks are rarely exploited. If money is tight, don’t feel obligated to get any of this stuff.
That said, I work in coffee shops with open networks very often, and I do all my work, banking, etc. on my computer (though one should never access banking websites from open networks). For me, even the smallest likelihood of getting screwed with represents a huge risk, because of what’s on the line. So in addition to backing up my HD every day using Time Machine with my Time Capsule, having recovery software installed (Orbicule’s “Undercover” for Mac), AppleCare, a laptop rider on my homeowner’s insurance, security cable, and a decently well-informed set of habits (never send sensitive information by chat or email, no matter how tempting it is - it's just so easy to read other people's chats and emails that you should assume all of yours will be read), the SecurityBarrier software still seems like a good idea for me. My computer needs to run, and it needs to run correctly and securely.
[PS - for those of you who got VirusBarrier X5 for free from MacHeist last year - you can use that license to upgrade to the SecurityBarrier X6 suite, which covers 2 macs, for $49.95 (saves you $30 off retail).]
[PPS - by default SecurityBarrier blocks all secure traffic, so if you ‘ever’ check your banking, etc. information online, you will have to be sure to uncheck this box in ContentBarrier’s control panel when you first set it up.]
Buy SecurityBarrier
Does auto-expiring security software make sense?
Intego VirusBarrier X6 Review
To be honest, these programs are not necessary. You can get free accountability software, and Mac viruses and hacking/ID theft risks are rarely exploited. If money is tight, don’t feel obligated to get any of this stuff.
That said, I work in coffee shops with open networks very often, and I do all my work, banking, etc. on my computer (though one should never access banking websites from open networks). For me, even the smallest likelihood of getting screwed with represents a huge risk, because of what’s on the line. So in addition to backing up my HD every day using Time Machine with my Time Capsule, having recovery software installed (Orbicule’s “Undercover” for Mac), AppleCare, a laptop rider on my homeowner’s insurance, security cable, and a decently well-informed set of habits (never send sensitive information by chat or email, no matter how tempting it is - it's just so easy to read other people's chats and emails that you should assume all of yours will be read), the SecurityBarrier software still seems like a good idea for me. My computer needs to run, and it needs to run correctly and securely.
[PS - for those of you who got VirusBarrier X5 for free from MacHeist last year - you can use that license to upgrade to the SecurityBarrier X6 suite, which covers 2 macs, for $49.95 (saves you $30 off retail).]
[PPS - by default SecurityBarrier blocks all secure traffic, so if you ‘ever’ check your banking, etc. information online, you will have to be sure to uncheck this box in ContentBarrier’s control panel when you first set it up.]
Print envelopes or labels or even a mini-address book!
Did you know that the print dialog in Apple's Address Book contains all kinds of options? You can print envelopes, mailing labels, or even make a mini-address book. You can control which fields are printed through the print dialog, but you have to select which records you want to print by hand before pressing command-d or selecting "Print..." from the File menu.
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