Oct 27, 2010

Custom Sound Set for Mac Outlook 2011

I managed to create a custom sound set for Outlook 2011 by dragging the custom sound set from my Entourage Sound Sets folder to the Outlook Sound Sets folder in my Microsoft User Data folder.

I'll update this with more precise directions later.

*** Updated ***

Make a custom folder under:

User/Documents/Microsoft User Data/Outlook Sound Sets/

Something like "Custom.eragesoundset"

Put your wav files in there and refer to them in a soundset.plist file in the same folder. That file should look like this...

soundset.plist

Oct 26, 2010

iPhone passcode lock bypass vulnerability (again)

Doh!

iPhone passcode lock bypass vulnerability (again): "
An iPhone user has found a trivial way to bypass the four-digit passcode lock on fully patched iPhone (iOS 4.1) devices.

Oct 25, 2010

Oct 15, 2010

Oct 12, 2010

Host File Kung Fu

MVPS Custom Host File Instructions

I've been using a custom host file on my workstation for quite a while now. It works really well in blocking all sorts of undesired activity. Of course I only have 3 lines to block specific advertising sites but the potential is endless. Such a small change to my local configuration makes such a huge difference in all aspects of online activity.

If you are familiar with the NoScript or AdBlock plugins for Firefox then you are familiar with the concept of blocking certain domains, URLs or DNS names. Your host file is just an extension of how this works. Only instead of doing it at the application level, it does it at the operating system level.

Any time your machine tries to access a resource on the network, it has to translate that network address from a name to a number. If that process doesn't work (or is told to look in the wrong place) the resource isn't found. If that process is a looking for an advertisement or a nasty script, then that resource fails to load. When that resource fails to load it frees up resources on your machine to load more important stuff, like that article on how to winterize your lawn. Your host file just tells your machine to look in the wrong places for specific resources since any resource at this specific location is known to be undesired.

I use Open DNS at home to block a lot of these sites but this doesn't help when you leave the safety and comfort of your home network.

There are multiple sites out there that help with custom host files but MVPS is one of the best. Please take a look and see what they have to offer.

Myth vs. Fact: Identity theft

Myth vs. Fact: Identity theft:
Myth: Identity theft usually happens on the Internet.


Fact: Online methods accounted for only 11% of identity theft in 2009

Most identity theft happens offline. According to a 2009 study by Javelin Strategy and Research, stolen wallets and paperwork account for almost half (43%) of all identity theft.

Steps you can take to help prevent identity theft include:
  • Keep sensitive paperwork in a locked storage device and never put checks in an unlocked mailbox.
  • Shred sensitive paperwork when you no longer need it.
  • Never leave your wallet, purse, mobile phone, or laptop unattended.
You can increase your identity protection online with these steps:

Oct 4, 2010

Safe Browsing Alerts for Network Administrators

Safe Browsing Alerts for Network Administrators: "Posted by Nav Jagpal and Ke Wang, Security Team

Google has been working hard to protect its users from malicious web pages, and also to help webmasters keep their websites clean. When we find malicious content on websites, we attempt to notify their webmasters via email about the bad URLs. There is even a Webmaster Tools feature that helps webmasters identify specific malicious content that has been surreptitiously added to their sites, so that they can clean up their site and help prevent it from being compromised in the future.

Today, we’re happy to announce Google Safe Browsing Alerts for Network Administrators -- an experimental tool which allows Autonomous System (AS) owners to receive early notifications for malicious content found on their networks. A single network or ISP can host hundreds or thousands of different websites. Although network administrators may not be responsible for running the websites themselves, they have an interest in the quality of the content being hosted on their networks. We’re hoping that with this additional level of information, administrators can help make the Internet safer by working with webmasters to remove malicious content and fix security vulnerabilities.

To get started, visit safebrowsingalerts.googlelabs.com.