How to protect your PC from PRISM surveillance

Thursday afternoon, a bombshell dropped: Two leading reports claimed that the U.S. government has been spying on emails, searches, Skype calls, and other electronic communications used by Americans for the last several years, via a program known as PRISM.
According to the reports, the Web’s largest names—AOL, Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Skype, PalTalk, Yahoo, and YouTube—participated, perhaps unwittingly. (Dropbox will reportedly be added as well.) The report claims that the National Security Agency had “direct access” to servers owned by those companies. Most, if not all, of those companies have denied participating in PRISM, although it’s unclear whether they were unaware of the NSA’s spying, or simply turned a blind eye.
According to The Guardian and The Washington Post, the data covered included: “email, video and voice chat, videos, photos, voice-over-IP chats, file transfers, social networking details, and more.”
If nothing else, however, the PRISM disclosure is worrying and deeply shocking. If the report is accurate, the government may simply listen in on virtually any electronic communication you’ve made, in the interests of national security. Is this something that should be encouraged to fight domestic terrorism, or is this sort of government intrusion something that should be deeply distrusted? For the purposes of this story, we’re going to err on the side of the latter; whether you take advantage of our advice is up to you.
Note that there is absolutely no guarantee that our tips will make your PC PRISM proof. One of the generally held beliefs in the security world is that, with enough resources on the part of the attacker, any secrets that are known about can eventually be unearthed. But let’s say that you support an “Arab Spring” movement in a country whose interests parallel those of the U.S. government. It’s this sort of political uncertainty that encrypting personal communications is designed to liberate.
So what can you do? Here are some tips.

Avoid using popular Web services

This is an easy one. If you’re concerned about the government watching your moves online, simply avoid making Microsoft Bing and Google your search engines of choice; try DuckDuckGo instead. The site promises not to track or store your searches, which should provide some degree of confidence that you’re not being tracked online. Both reports from the Post and the Guardian indicate that the PRISM program is expanding, although for now DuckDuckGo seems to be safe.

Naturally, this also means ditching a Gmail or Hotmail account, and deleting your accounts from those sites. Instead, it’s time to think about laying low and skipping around services that you might have forgotten about: Mapquest for maps, for example. You may as well stop social networking altogether, unless it happens to be direct, person-to-person communications.
And there’s no sense in surfing using Chrome, Internet Explorer, or Safari, either. Sure, there’s Firefox and Opera, but the PCWorld’s review of the Tor browser shows it to be a slow but anonymous way of browsing the Internet.

Ditch your smartphone

If we assume that Apple, Google and Microsoft are being monitored, then the safest way to avoid being tracked is to ditch your smartphone. A number of services already ask for your location, in the name of providing better search results or services. And BlackBerry, of course, is no better; that company has already acceded to requests to allow foreign governments access to its data, so the paranoiacs should ditch them, too. Feature phones may be no better, but the amount of information that can be captured is much smaller.

Encryption, encryption, encryption

Eventually, however, you’re going to have to start communicating with someone, probably electronically. If you’d like to think those conversations are private, it’s time to start thinking about encryption.
To start out with, you’ll want to encrypt your hard drive and existing files. Alex Castle’s piece discusses using TrueCrypt and other tools to start securing your files. Note that some of the tools he recommends are from the providers that PRISM is reportedly monitoring; you’ll have to decide if you want to go elsewhere for encryption protection.
From there, protect your email by encrypting it. To secure your email effectively, you should encrypt three things, Eric Geier notes: the connection from your email provider; your actual email messages; and your stored, cached, or archived email messages. If you want to take it even further, consider using a secure email service. Email will travel over the Internet, where it can be accessed by theoretically just about anyone. Companies like Silent Circle (founded by PGP creator Paul Zimmermann) profess to offer secure voice, email, voice communications via dedicated connections between subscribed devices.

Subscribe to a VPN

In the same vein, consider signing up a virtual private network, which creates an encrypted “tunnel” to another server, which then acts as an agent on your behalf. Eric Geier’s piece on how to set up a VPN explains how to do this. Note that the performance of your PC may suffer somewhat, as the latency to funnel communications back and forth (some solutions use servers based in the EU, for example) may take some time. But security layered upon the encryption applied by other solutions may provide some additional reassurance that your communications are private.

Watch those hotspots

Wandering from coffee shop to library to free cafe may provide another layer of security, as your client IP address will vary by location. Just make sure that when you’re roaming from location to location, someone isn’t trying to sniff your PC—or worse. Preston Gralla’s story on protecting yourself at hotspots also contains advice tailor-made to protecting your privacy while on the go, including nailing down older apps that might allow an intruder inside your PC.

Obviously, block that malware

Let’s face it: the first and most obvious thing you should do to secure your PC is to lock it down from malware. Our tests from January provide you the best antimalware solutions, empirically tested to ensure that no Trojan or other worm sneaks inside your PC and provides its own spying eyes on your online activities. Your PC should be your castle, and antimalware is the first line of defense. Frankly, if you’re concerned about the safety and well-being of your PC, you should have taken care of this long ago.

Tie it up together with a hard password knot

The last thing you’ll want to to do is make sure that all of your encrypted services are tied up neatly with a unique, easy-to-remember-but-impossible-to-crack passphrase. PCWorld has some tips to manage passwords, including what’s coming down the pipe. But the best practice right now seems to be to find a good password manager like LastPass, and create your own unique password. Bruce Schneier’s “Schneier scheme” recommends that you create a passphrase (“Man, those six flights of stairs to my New York apartment were killer.”) and then abstract it, possibly with the first letters. (“M,tsfostmNYawk.”) It’s not perfect, but it’s a lot better than random words and phrases that can be easily guessed.
Will these tips make your PC PRISM proof? No, not necessarily. But if you’re concerned about the recent PRISM disclosures, they’ll go a long way to help you sleep better at night—outside of smashing your PC to bits, distributing the pieces randomly among a dozen scrap heaps, and moving to the woods, that is.

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5 cool and fun Google Chrome Experiments

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Bet your other browser can’t do this

Chrome Experiments came to life in 2009, when Google decided to showcase what is possible to do inside a browser. Mostly using technologies such as HTML5, Canvas, SVG, and WebGL, the hundreds of submissions in the Chrome Experiments library are pushing the limits of modern browsers and making the case for computing inside the browser.

We picked the coolest and most fun projects to date, including ones that let you control the screen with your phone, take over your webcam, or show stunning visualizations.

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Beginner's Guide to SSL Certificates

Published:	Jun 03, 2013
Type:	White Paper
Length:	8 pages

Whether you are an individual or a company, you should approach online security in the same way that you would approach physical security for your home or business. Not only does it make you feel safer but it also protects people who visit your home, place of business, or website. It is important to understand the potential risks and then make sure you are fully protected against them. In the fast-paced world of technology, it is not always easy to stay abreast of the latest advancements. For this reason it is wise to partner with a reputable Internet security company.

This guide will de-mystify the technology involved and give you the information you need to make the best decision when considering your online security options.

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Top Reasons to Move to HP Blade Servers

Published:	May 10, 2013
Type:	White Paper
Length:	7 pages

Enterprise and midsize businesses are increasingly turning to blade servers as the platform of choice to deliver the next generation of virtualized applications. Blade servers can yield significant cost efficiencies over rack servers — while taking up a smaller footprint, consuming less power and providing significant advantages in terms of manageability, scalability and flexibility.

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Infosys' first CEO returns to help lead struggling company

Infosys' co-founder and first CEO N. R. Narayana Murthy has returned to the company as executive chairman, amid concerns that the outsourcer's performance has not been as good as that of some of its Indian peers.

Murthy, 67, said he will be "adding value" to CEO S.D. Shibulal, who has initiated a strategy called Infosys 3.0, which aims to focus the company on high-margin businesses like consultancy, reusable platforms and products.

Once the darling of investors, Infosys has seen lackluster growth in revenue and profits in comparison to some of its Indian competitors such as Tata Consultancy Services. Murthy could now help Infosys recover from problems it has had in executing on its strategy, analysts said.

Familiar faces at helm

Murthy was chairman and CEO of Infosys from its founding in 1981 to 2002, and remained as chairman until 2011, when he was appointed chairman emeritus, largely an honorific position.

He brings to Infosys his son Rohan Murthy, as executive assistant in the chairman's office, ending an over-30-year corporate policy not to employ family members of the company founders.

Shibulal is also a founder of the company. The CEO's position has remained among the founders, which has been criticized by analysts who said the company was not giving an opportunity to high-performing insiders or to outside recruits for that job.

Shareholder approval is required Murthy's appointment as executive chairman and director for a period of five years, the board said Saturday.

Besides Murthy and Shibulal, former CEO S. Gopalakrishnan will steer the company as executive vice chairman. Gopalakrishnan was co-chairman of the company until the changes announced Saturday. Chairman K.V. Kamath returned to being an independent director on the board.

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Xbox One should accelerate development of learning robots

Ashutosh Saxena bought an Xbox to play computer games at home, but discovered that the Kinect motion-detection technology it includes provides a rich tool for his robotics lab where he’s trying to create robots that learn what humans are up to and try to help out.

Saxena, a professor of computer science at Cornell University, says the Xbox One announced last week will boost the realm of activities his robots can figure out because its HD camera will be able to detect more subtle human motions, such as hand gestures.

“Modeling hand is extremely hard,” he says. “Hands move in thousands of ways.”

Current Kinect

With the current Kinect, his models consider hands as a single data point so they can’t analyze finger motions, for example, he says. The camera’s resolution is just about good enough to identify a coffee mug but not cell phones and fingers, he says.

Kinect’s 3D imaging is far superior and less expensive than the 2D technology he used before. That was good for categorizing a scene or detecting an object, but not for analyzing motion, he says.

With input from Kinect sensors, his algorithms can determine what a person is doing given a range of activities and then perform appropriate predetermined tasks. For example the motion sensors in combination with algorithms running on Saxena’s Ubuntu Linux server could identify a person preparing breakfast cereal and retrieve milk from the refrigerator. Or it could anticipate that the person will need a spoon and get one or ask if the person wants it to get one.

“It seems trivial for an able-bodied person,” Saxena says, “but for people with medical conditions it’s actually a big problem.”Similarly it could anticipate when a person’s mug is empty and refill it, as shown in this video:

Learning robots

Robots in his lab can identify about 120 activities such as eating, drinking, moving things around, cleaning objects, stacking objects, taking medicine, and other regular daily activities, he says.

Attached to telepresence systems, learning robots could carry around cameras at remote locations so a participant could control where the camera goes but the robot itself would keep it from bumping into objects and people. It could also anticipate where the interesting action in a scene is going and follow it, he says.

Xbox One

Attached to a room-vacuuming robot, a sensor could figure out what is going on in a room such as viewing television and have the robot delay cleaning the room or move on to another one.

Assembly-line robots could be made to work more closely with humans. Now robots generally perform repetitive tasks and are separated from people. Learning robots could sense what the people are doing and help or at least stay out of the way.

Assistant robots could help at nursing facilities, determining if patients have taken medications and dispensing them.

He says some of these applications could be ready for commercial use within five years.

The difficult part will be writing software that can analyze human activity, identify specific task that are being performed by people, anticipate what they are likely to do next and figure out what they can do that’s useful, Saxena says.

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Ultrabook features and guide

In the market for a new laptop? Think about the features you’re likely to prize the most: a slim design, a travel-friendly weight, lightning-fast performance, and outstanding battery life.

You’ve just described an Ultrabook. Although the term gets thrown around almost generically in describing modern-day portable PCs, Ultrabook represents Intel’s vision for what a laptop should be: thin, light, powerful, and able to last a good long time between visits to a power outlet.

Also, versatile. Models like the Acer Aspire S7-391 and Toshiba U925t sport touchscreen displays, giving you finger-powered access to some of Windows 8’s best features and apps. And the

Asus Taichi 21, Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13, and Sony Vaio Duo 11 are among those offering convertible designs, meaning they can pull double duty as Windows-powered tablets.

Regardless of what size, form factor, or feature set you choose, you’ll enjoy probably the fastest boot times you’ve ever seen from a laptop. Thanks to Intel’s Rapid Start technology, which relies on flash memory embedded on the laptop's motherboard, and Windows 8, which is optimized for faster booting, many Ultrabook systems go from dark to desktop in a matter of seconds.

Sony Vaio Duo 11

One feature you won’t find inside most Ultrabook systems is an optical drive, and with good reason: When was the last time you burned a CD or DVD or installed a piece of software from one? By dispensing with that old-fangled and largely unnecessary technology, manufacturers can make their Ultrabook models as svelte and sexy as runway models.

Although dozens of laptops meet the Ultrabook criteria and share those general specifications, there’s still a lot of variety between them, and a lot of decisions to be made when choosing one. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what you’ll want to consider when buying an Ultrabook.

Screen Size and Resolution

Decision number one: screen size. Most Ultrabook systems incorporate 13.3-inch displays, usually running at 1,366 x 768 pixels—a good resolution for an LCD of that size, though some users will no doubt covet a higher pixel count so they can squeeze more windows, text, spreadsheet cells, and other data onto the screen. The trade-off: everything looks smaller, in which case a physically larger LCD might be preferable. 

Toshiba Satellite U945

Indeed, although 13.3 inches represents something of a sweet spot, keeping the laptop thin and light while still providing a comfortable work area, some models swing larger—or smaller. The Dell XPS 12 Convertible and Sony Vaio Duo 11, for example, promise a bit more portability with their 12- and 11.6-inch screens, respectively. The HP Envy 4-1130us, HP Spectre 14 and Toshiba Satellite U945-S4140 raise the stakes to 14 inches, while the Dell Inspiron 15z and Vizio CT15-A4 are among the models with 15.6-inch LCDs. 

Needless to say, screen size plays a big part in the weight and overall size of the Ultrabook. The aforementioned Sony Vaio Duo 11 measures 12.6 x 7.8 x 0.7 inches and weighs around 2.9 pounds, while the Vizio CT15-A4 measures 14.9 x 9.9 x 0.7 inches and tips the scales at 3.9 pounds. But there are exceptions to the rule: the 14-inch Toshiba Satellite, for instance, weighs a bit more than the 15.6-inch Vizio, despite having a smaller screen. And the Dell Inspiron 15z keeps to a 1,366 x 768 display resolution, despite having a larger screen. (Ironically, the comparatively tiny Sony Vaio Duo 11 delivers a full 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, proof positive that size doesn’t always dictate capabilities.) 

Unless you specifically need an extra-large or extra-small screen, you’ll find the widest selection of models if you limit your shopping to 13.3- and 14-inch Ultrabook systems. And with that decision out of the way, you can focus on the next big one: to touch or not to touch.

Screen Type

Vizio CT15-A4

Now that we’re all accustomed to tapping, swiping, and pinching our smartphones and tablets, it stands to reason we’d like to interact likewise with our computers. To that end, Microsoft developed Windows 8 with touchscreens in mind, and computer manufacturers followed suit in developing Ultrabook systems. 

Put simply, some models have touchscreens, some don’t. If you’re looking at a convertible, it’s a given: they double as tablets, so a touchscreen is essential. You can’t buy a convertible without one. But for the more laptop-like Ultrabook systems, you’ll have to decide if that’s a feature you want.

The advantages are these: Windows 8 responds better to fingertips than it does to a mouse, especially if you’re working within Microsoft’s new tile-driven “Metro” interface. And speaking of which, that interface provides access to thousands of tablet-style apps, most of which were designed (or at least optimized) for taps and swipes, not mouse-clicks.

For example, an app called Fresh Paint lets you create works of art by drawing right on the screen, using either your finger or a stylus as your brush. And SkyMap’s interactive planetarium takes you to the stars, allowing you to zoom through the galaxy by pinching your fingers. To put all this another way, touchscreens give you a more practical way to navigate Windows, but they’re also just kind of fun.

On the flipside, they weigh a bit more than non-touchscreen LCDs, so plan on a slightly heavier Ultrabook. They also cost a bit more, so plan on a slightly pricier one as well. But those are the only real downsides, so if you can handle a few extra ounces and dollars, a touchscreen is definitely worth having.

Laptop Versus Convertible

Having made the decision to get touchy-feely with your Ultrabook, now consider whether a convertible model might be in order. Leveraging a hinged, rotating, or sliding screen,convertibles can transform themselves from traditional laptop to full-fledged tablet and back again.

Lenovo ThinkPad Twist

The Lenovo Thinkpad Twist S230u, for example, looks like an ordinary laptop, right up until you give its 12.5-inch touchscreen a 180-degree spin, then fold it down over the keyboard. Presto: it’s a tablet. Similarly, the Dell XPS 12 employs a screen that can swivel on a horizontal axis inside its own frame. That allows for not only a fold-down tablet arrangement, but also a rear-facing screen that could prove useful for presentations.

The Asus Taichi 21 takes this idea a step further with dual screens, both front- and rear-facing, so users on either side of the system can see the same image. If you’re on vacation with your family and everyone wants to watch a movie, you needn’t try to squeeze everyone around a single screen. Some can sit in front, some can sit in back.

Finally, Ultrabook systems like the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 have screens that can pivot a full 360 degrees, giving you not only laptop and tablet modes, but also a standing “tent” mode in between that’s nifty for up-close movie viewing and easier access to touchscreen features. However, in tablet mode this leaves the keyboard exposed underneath, which can make for awkward handling. If you plan to use this mode a lot, look for a screen that covers the keyboard, not one that merely tucks around behind it.

Processor

Choosing a processor has always been a tricky proposition, if only because it can be difficult to translate various specifications into real-world performance. Thankfully, by definition an Ultrabook has at least an Intel Core i5 processor, which translates to speedy performance for mainstream computing tasks like word processing, Web browsing, movie watching, and email.

In other words, the baseline Ultrabook processor should be more than sufficient for most of your work and play. However, if your work includes mammoth spreadsheets, CAD drawings, video files, and the like, and your play includes graphics-intensive games, look for a model with an Intel Core i7 processor. What’s more, an Ultrabook with discrete (as opposed to integrated) graphics hardware will definitely help applications and games that rely heavily on video and/or 3D graphics.

Samsung Series 5

For example, the Samsung Series 5 NP550P5C comes with an Intel Core i7-3610QM processor and an Nvidia GeForce GT 630M graphics chip, a one-two power punch that can easily handle high-end software and games.

Storage

Storage is one key area that separates the Ultrabook from conventional notebooks. By taking advantage of solid-state drives (SSDs), which have no moving parts, Ultrabook systems run faster, quieter, cooler, and longer than systems with traditional, mechanical hard drives. SSDs are also more reliable, at least when it comes to surviving knocks and drops.

However, because SSDs haven’t quite caught up to their platter-spinning counterparts in terms of capacity, most Ultrabook systems come with either a 128GB or 256GB drive. If you need more storage, look for a model with a hybrid drive, like the Asus VivoBook S400CA or Lenovo U410. These pair a smaller amount of flash storage with a larger traditional hard drive, thus giving you the benefits of fast bootup while still affording lots of storage space. The Asus and Lenovo each incorporate a 24GB SSD for startup chores, plus a 500GB and 1TB hard drive, respectively, for programs and data.

Ironically, this kind of hybrid setup may actually save you a few dollars, as large-capacity SSDs can get expensive. However, you won’t get all the speed and battery benefits of a straight-SSD configuration. So stick with that if you can live with less storage (this is the cloud age, after all) and have the room in your budget.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Even if you’re eyeballing a touchscreen-equipped convertible, you’ll probably use the system as a traditional laptop for at least some tasks. That means you’ll want a comfortable keyboard and responsive touchpad—traits that can be hard to gauge just by looking at specs and photos.

Therefore, it’s worth a trip to your local computer or electronics store to get some hands-on time with different Ultrabook models. See how the keyboard feels beneath your fingers. Try some multi-touch gestures (like two-finger scrolling) on the touchpad and make sure there’s no lag. Laptop buyers are frequently distracted by marquee features like the screen and processor, but the quality and comfort of the keyboard and touchpad can really affect your overall enjoyment of the system. If at all possible, try before you buy.

Battery Life

Fujitsu Lifebook U772

Ultrabook systems are known for sipping power, not guzzling it like conventional laptops. You’ll often see manufacturers touting battery life of eight, nine, or even 10 hours—long enough for a coast-to-coast flight with a layover in Denver.

For example, the Asus Zenbook Prime UX31a has a rated battery life of seven hours, while Lenovo’s IdeaPad Yoga 13 can run for up to eight. But the Fujitsu Lifebook U772 tops them all with a rated runtime of 10 hours. That’s pretty amazing when you consider that a lot of laptops peter out after just 3-4 hours—sometimes even less than that. If you need to work all day without stopping to find an AC outlet, an Ultrabook is without question your best bet.

Bonus Features

Once you’ve figured out the important stuff, like screen size and style, you can focus your attention on the little amenities that some Ultrabook systems offer to enhance the user experience. For example, the Dell Inspiron 15z and HP Envy 4-1130us are among those models to include a backlit keyboard, which is great for working in dimly lit offices, airplanes, and the like. And speaking of keyboards, the Inspiron’s is also spill-resistant, a nice perk if you’re the clumsy type.

Some systems, including the Toshiba Portege Z935-P300, incorporate Intel’s WiDi technology, which allow them to connect wirelessly to compatible external displays (like TVs and projectors)—a decidedly handy feature if you use your laptop for presentations.

Another handy extra: dual-band Wi-Fi, which can be found on the Vizio CT15-A1, among a handful other models. That lets it work not only with the 2.4GHz hotspots found in most areas, but also with any 5GHz hotspots you might encounter. While you’re at it, you might also want to check for an Ethernet port, a feature some Ultrabook systems omit in an effort to stay skinny. If you’re in a hotel or office that lacks Wi-Fi but offers Ethernet connectivity, you might bemoan the missing port.

Making Your Choice

Shopping for an Ultrabook may seem a bit intimidating, if only because you have so many choices, but it’s actually pretty easy to pick one. They’re all speedy, slim, and comparatively lightweight, and definitely faster at booting Windows than the laptop you’re using now. So the only really big decision is whether you want a touchscreen and/or convertible design. With that choice made, everything else should fall nicely into place.

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first look of flying car in may 2013

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10 Amazing Flying Cars That Really Existed

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Curtiss AutoPlane

The Curtiss AutoPlane is pretty much the first glimpse the world got of a flying car, outside the pages of fiction. In 1917, an aviation engineer named Glenn Curtiss dissected one of his own airplane designs and slapped some of the pieces onto an aluminum Model T. The airplane it was based on was called the Curtiss Model L trainer, a triplane (three rows of wings) with a one-hundred-horsepower engine (which is about as powerful as a decent tractor).

Like a car, the front two tires could be turned with a steering wheel inside the cabin, and it was propelled on the ground and in the air by a propeller attached to the back. Unfortunately, the “limousine of the air” never really flew—by all accounts, the most it could manage was a series of short hops before it was discontinued at the start of WWI.

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Jess Dixon’s Flying Auto

This flying car is almost a legend, and besides this photo and a brief mention of the vehicle in a newspaper clipping from Andalusia, Alabama, it might as well have not existed at all. According to the story, the photo above is of Jess Dixon; it was supposedly taken sometime around 1940. Although it’s considered a flying car by aviation history buffs, the machine is actually closer to a “roadable helicopter,” due to the two overhead blades spinning in opposite directions. In other words, it’s a gyrocopter that can also roll.

The Flying Auto was powered by a small forty-horsepower engine, and foot pedals controlled the tail vane on the back, allowing Mr. Dixon to turn in mid-air. It was also supposed to be able to reach speeds of up to one hundred miles per hour (160 kph), and was able to fly forwards, backwards, sideways, and hover. Not bad for a flying car that was never heard from again.

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ConvAirCar

The Convair Model 116 Flying Car took flight for the first time in 1946, and looked like nothing more than a small airplane welded onto a car. And essentially, that’s exactly what it was. The wings, tail, and propeller could be detached from the (plastic) car, allowing it to be driven like a regular vehicle on the road. When it needed to go where no roads could take it, the plane attachment was fitted on.

The 116 model only had one prototype, which itself managed a whopping sixty-six flights. A few years later, designer Ted Hall recreated the machine as the Convair Model 118, bumping the engine from a 130-horsepower model to a 190-horsepower beast that gave it more power in the air. Convair planned to build 160,000 for their first production run—but that never panned out, thanks to a tragedy which saw one of the prototypes crash in California. When the pilot took the car into the air, he had assumed that the fuel tank was full. But the ConvAirCar had two fuel gauges—one for the car’s engine and one for the plane’s—and while the car still had plenty of gas, the plane engine ran dry in mid-air. Such are the dangers of multi-tasking.

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Curtiss-Wright VZ-7

The Curtiss-Wright VZ-7 resulted from one of the first attempts by the US military to get involved in the flying car industry. Ideally, the VZ-7 was meant to be a type of flying jeep. Like a jeep, it allowed the pilot to maneuver through rough terrain on the ground—but with the not-insignificant bonus that it could also fly. It was developed by Curtiss-Wright, which, interestingly, formed through the merger of the Wright Company (the Wright Brothers) and Curtiss Aeroplane (Glenn Curtiss). Curtiss and the Wright Brothers had beenfierce rivals during the early days of aviation.

The VZ-7 was designed as a VTOL craft—Vertical Take-Off and Landing. It flew with the aid of four upright propellers, which were positioned behind the “cockpit,” more or less just an open-air seat. In order to maneuver, the pilot could change the speed of individual propellers, tilting the craft forwards, backwards, or to the side. Technical aspects aside, the entire thing was a death trap, since none of the propellers were covered—and in 1960, the army cancelled the project just two years after its commencement.

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PayPal denies teenager reward for finding website bug

A 17-year-old German student contends PayPal has denied him a reward for finding a vulnerability in its website.

Robert Kugler said he notified PayPal of the vulnerability on May 19. He said he was informed by email that because he is under 18 years old, he did not qualify for its Bug Bounty Program. He will turn 18 next March.

PayPal, which is owned by auction site eBay, outlines the terms and conditions for its Bug Bounty Program on its website, but does not appear to have an age guideline. PayPal officials did not have an immediate comment.

Many companies such as Google and Facebook have reward programs. The programs are intended to create an incentive for researchers to privately report issues and allow vendors to release fixes before hackers take advantage of flaws.

Facebook pays a minimum of $500 for qualifying bugs, while Google pays from $100 up to $20,000 depending on the severity of the issue. Neither has an age restriction listed on their websites. Microsoft does not pay for security vulnerability information, but instead publicly acknowledges the work. PayPal does not list what it will pay a researcher for a bug.

Kugler is listed as a contributor in a Microsoft list from April of security researchers. He said he received rewards for finding vulnerabilities in the past. Mozilla paid him $1,500 for finding a problem in the Firefox browser last year and $3,000 earlier this year for another bug.

PayPal requires that those reporting bugs have a verified PayPal account. Kugler said he asked PayPal that any bounty be paid into his parent's account.

At minimum, Kugler would like PayPal to acknowledge his finding and send him some documentation "that I can use in a job application," he wrote via email. So far, he hasn't received anything.

The details of the vulnerability, a cross-site scripting flaw (XSS), is posted on Full Disclosure section Seclists.org, a forum for disclosing security vulnerabilities.

An XSS attack occurs when a script drawn from another Web site is allowed to run but should not. The type of flaw can be used to steal information or potentially cause other malicious code to run.

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Opera browser for PCs reborn as Opera Next

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Opera browser for PCs reborn as Opera Next

The new Opera Next 15 beta is the re-imagined and slimmed-down version of Opera’s desktop browser. This release comes on the heels of the company’s revamp of Opera 14 for Android.

There’s plenty new in Opera Next 15, although some of the changes are in keeping withOpera 14 for Android, which was released last week. Opera 15’s user interface is simpler, with a single bar for URL and searching, like those found on Chrome and Safari. You can turn on the suggestions from the privacy settings and choose among multiple search providers.

The slimmed down Opera Next 15 for desktops

The Speed Dial quick website access feature of Opera 14 has been brought to the desktop and merged with the bookmarks, which now can be found in the top-right corner of the address bar. The mobile version’s Discover feature also made its way onto the new desktop version, with 13 categories in 32 languages of aggregated content for you to browse.

Another feature is the Off-road mode (previously called Turbo), which compresses pages through Opera’s server to reduce their size before they reach your computer. This could be particularly useful when using slow connections or when your laptop is tethered from a smartphone or a MiFi device. However, secure (https) pages don’t get sent through Opera’s proxy.

One new and interesting feature is called Stash. It aims to help those who keep countless tabs open in their browser for later reference. This lets you mark a page (via a heart icon) that will be added to the Stash available from the start page.

You are able to see screenshots of all your stashed pages there, as well as adjust them on a grid, depending on how many you have. If you have a lot of stashed items, you can click the search icon in the top right corner of the page.

The Stash feature of Opera Next 15

Besides the exterior changes, a lot has changed under the hood in Opera Next 15. Again, as with the mobile version, Opera dumped its proprietary Presto web page rendering engine and adopted WebKit, the engine used by Apple and Google—but more specifically Blink, Google’s fork of WebKit.

The new desktop and mobile browsers will now be named to reflect the version number of the engine powering the browser. Opera for Android has been given the number 14, while the desktop version is named 15, as it is based on a more recent engine version.

Missing

Opera users will also notice some things missing in Opera Next 15. The M2 email client is not included in the browser anymore. This is to reduce the footprint and memory usage, Opera said, so it has now moved the app in a standalone client called Opera Mail. The new app adds labeling, filtering, threads and multiple tabs.

Opera Next 15 leaves behind its extensions architecture, so Opera 11 and 12’s extension format is no longer supported. Instead, the Chromium extension model is used, and there are tools to convert old extensions. Mouse gestures and keyboard shortcuts are still there, but they are off by default and need enabling from the settings panels if you want to use them.

Opera Next 15 is still in development. However, the company said it would have a fast release cycle, with feature additions and bug fixes based on user feedback.

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Five steps to ultimate Firefox security

Over the years, many have touted Mozilla’s Firefox as one of the most secure Web browsers. But as with other browsers, the security level offered depends on the settings. Some security features need to be manually enabled. Those turned on by default should still be double-checked.

Follow these five steps to lock down Firefox. Start with the essentials in the browser’s own settings, then choose some useful add-ons. Finally, keep track of your plug-ins so you can patch the inevitable security holes.

Enable a master password

Like other browsers, Firefox by default allows anyone who accesses your computer to log in to sites where you’ve saved the password. And as with Google Chrome, a list of the saved usernames and passwords can be viewed via the Options menu of Firefox.

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By default, nothing prevents others from viewing all your saved login info in Firefox.

Fortunately, Firefox offers a master password feature that encrypts and password-protects the saved password list. When enabled, you must enter the master password the first time you use a saved password, once per browser session. Additionally, even though you enter the master password the first time, you must always enter it before you can view saved passwords via the Options menu. This is a great feature to help prevent casual snooping of your passwords. It even prevents most third-party utilities from recovering them.

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Creating a master password prevents others from using or viewing your saved login info.

To enable the master password feature, open the Firefox menu, select Options,select the Security tab, and then check theUse a master password option.

Use a strong password for syncing

Like Google Chrome, Firefox has a syncing feature to synchronize your bookmarks, passwords, and other browser data to Firefox browsers running on other computers and devices. Fortunately, Firefox encrypts all synced data, not just your saved passwords (as Google Chrome does). Additionally, Firefox has more security than what Chrome offers by default when you’re setting up a new computer or device to sync. In Firefox, you must log in with your Firefox Sync password. Then you must either enter a random passcode from the new device into one that you've already set up, or take the recovery key from a device you’ve already set up and input that key into the new device.

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Syncing conveniently syncs your saved login and other browser data across multiple computers.

So you don’t have much to worry about with Firefox syncing—as long as you use a strong password, one with upper- and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. If someone knows or cracks the password, and has access to a device you’ve already set up with syncing, they can then set up other devices with syncing and access your passwords and other browser data.

To enable or change sync settings, open the Firefox menu, select Options, and select the Sync tab.

Verify that security options are enabled

Like other popular browsers, Firefox includes some basic security and privacy settings. Though most are enabled by default, you should ensure they haven’t been disabled.

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Make sure the first three security options are selected to protect against malware and phishing attacks.

Start by opening the Firefox menu and selecting Options. In the Options window, select the Security tab. Ensure that the first option, Warn me when sites try to install add-ons, is enabled to help prevent sites from automatically installing add-ons, as some can be dangerous. Then ensure that the next two options, Block reported attack sites and Block reported web forgeries, are also checked to help enable protection against malware and phishing.

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Check the first privacy option to help prevent websites from tracking your online activity.

Next, select the Privacy tab. And if you want more privacy online, select the first option, Tell websites I do not want to be tracked, which isn’t enabled by default. Although it can’t prevent all tracking, it will reduce tracking by those sites that support this type of option.

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Ensure that the first content option here is enabled to block pop-ups.

Now, select the Content tab. To prevent pop-up windows that can be annoying and even contain phishing ads, ensure that the first option is enabled: Block pop-up windows.

Lastly, select the Advanced tab, select theUpdate subtab, and ensure thatAutomatically install updates is selected.

Use add-ons for more protection

Consider installing these security-related add-ons for extra protection:

NoScript helps you control which sites can use JavaScript, Silverlight, Flash, and other embedded content, as they can be used maliciously to infect your computer or for phishing attempts.

Adblock Plus blocks banners, pop-ups, and video advertisements on websites to reduce clutter and the resulting annoyance; they can even reduce accidentally stumbling upon adware, malware, and phishing attacks.

Web of Trust (WOT) shows the user ratings of sites and blocks dangerous sites—such as those with malware—to increase safe surfing, shopping, and searching on the Web.

HTTPS Finder automatically detects and enforces HTTPS/SSL-encrypted connections when available—great in helping to reduce the chances of an eavesdropper on a Wi-Fi network from capturing your login details.

Xpnd.it! short URL expander allows you to hover over shortened links to see the real URL and other basic information about the site so you know where it leads before clicking.

Check and update plug-ins

Cyber criminals regularly use vulnerabilities in popular browser plug-ins (like Java and Adobe products) to infect and invade computers. Most plug-ins regularly release updates to patch security holes. Many plug-ins are set by default to update automatically or at least to notify you of them. However, it’s a good idea to check periodically for updates. Consider using the Mozilla plug-in checker or third-party sites like Qualys BrowserCheck for updates for other browsers.

A little vigilance goes a long way

Firefox is pretty secure on its own, but you can make it even more secure with the right settings and add-ons. Good password management remains essential, too: Create and enable a strong master password so others can’t use or view your passwords. And if you use the syncing feature to synchronize your passwords and browser data across devices, use a strong password to prevent others from syncing. Finally, keep tabs on your add-ons and plug-ins to make sure they’re giving you the best possible protection.

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