Things to know about QR codes.

What is a QR Code?

A QR Code, (Quick Response Code),first designed for the automotive industry, is also known as a two dimensional code, is a small white square with small sections of black covering it. It can be read by the camera of a smartphone, and once read it may instantly redirect the smartphone user to a webpage.
 
**Note: You have to download an app (that can read QR codes) to your smartphone before you can take advantage of this technology.


How are QR Codes used?

QR Codes can be used in a variety of ways to market a business, to provide further information on a product or service by encoding general text, URL, phone number, business card and even provide WiFi access. They are anywhere and everywhere:  in magazines, on billboards, on storefronts, in newspapers.  QR Codes can have unusual applications too, like their use in replacing informational signs on hiking or nature trails. QR Codes storing addresses and Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) may appear in magazines, on signs, on buses, on business cards, or on almost any object about which users might need information.

The QR code above points to Conversion Surf and was made very simply using the free tools at http://qrcode.kaywa.com/ A quick web search will give many other sites for code generators and readers.

Kaywa.com provides the HTML code for whatever Link, text, phone number or SMS data that you want to encode, which can be pasted into your website or blog just like that shown above.  Due to the expanding use of QR codes, it may give you an advertising advantage to use them on your sites!

I haven't explored many other free sites yet, but would be curious to know of other sites. 

A word of warning
Because of the unique ability of QR codes to bridge the gap between our virtual reality and actual reality, many consumers forget that QR codes pose the same dangers as emails and websites.

As QR Codes have grown in popularity, they have also given scammers and hackers, who are looking to steal your personal information or corrupt your cellphone, a new tool to use. QR Codes are an easy way for hackers to take advantage of you, because most of us are still getting used to the idea that our phone is nothing more than a small computer. This small, handheld computer is vulnerable in the same way as your computer at home.

By scanning a QR Code which may instantly launch your built-in web browser, your device could be directed to a malicious website designed to attack a vulnerability and compromise your phone.


QR Code Best Practices

To avoid damaging your smartphone or losing your information, use caution when using QR codes, and adhere to the following tips:

• If it smells phishy, throw it back. Most of us aren’t tempted to open emails which are obviously spam. However, QR codes are tricky because you cannot weed out the bad from the good by simply looking at the code. Because the vulnerability is practically part of the design, consider downloading an app on your phone which provides a preview to each code before it opens a webpage. This way, you will have right of refusal if you think the QR code is corrupted.

• Remember the old proverb, “Curiosity killed the cat.” Hackers prey on curiosity, thus if you see a lonely QR Code posted on a wall, DO NOT scan it to find out why is it there and what it does.

• Back up your information. If you do get a virus from a QR Code which damages the software on your smartphone, not all will be lost if you have backed up your phone to your computer. Generally, a smartphone does this on its own each time you plug your phone into your computer. If you make it a practice to back up your information regularly, you may lose your phone, but at least not all will be lost.

• Use caution when using your smartphone for banking, shopping etc.  We hear it all the time, but do we really listen?  Using your smartphone to do any of your finances means that you are taking a chance with your money.  As discussed earlier, QR codes are used to compromise devices thus putting all data on the device or interacting with the device at risk. Also pick-pockets and anyone with eyes can glean credit card numbers without your ever realising it.

Thanks for reading

Ian Begg

Always in motion is the future.
By: Yoda - Star Wars, Episode V

Myth vs. Reality: 10 Gigabit Ethernet

An extract of an interesting article By Michael Brandenburg, Technical Editor Dell.

Although 40 and 100 Gigabit Ethernet represent the industry's cutting edge, the vast

majority of enterprises are still in the midst of a transition from Gigabit Ethernet to 10

Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) in their networks. While 10 GbE has been broadly available for

years, it is still new to most network engineers. With that in mind, we are busting some of the most common myths surrounding the technology in this 10 GbE edition of myth versus reality.

Myth: Deploying 10 Gigabit Ethernet is too expensive.

Reality: While the price per port of 10 GbE is still higher than Gigabit Ethernet, the gap

between the two is narrowing. In high-traffic areas of the network, it might actually be more cost effective to use a single 10 GbE port rather than ten Gigabit links to achieve the same level of bandwidth and performance.

What may really work: Mike Spanbauer, principal analyst for enterprise networking and

data centre technology at Current Analysis, suggests that enterprises evaluate the entire

cost of an access port, including power consumption and port density. In data centres where power, cooling and physical space are a premium, 10 GbE may actually be the more cost effective option.

Myth: 10 Gigabit Ethernet only works on expensive optical cables and transceivers.

Reality: Engineers have a range of cabling options for 10 GbE, with more on the way. While optical is the primary choice for long-range links between switches in the data centre, enterprises can choose lower-cost optical cabling or twinax copper cabling for shorter range or to interconnect within the server rack. Also, many server and switch vendors are preparing to launch products with 10GBase-T, which will offer the convenience of the more common twisted pair cabling with RJ45 connectors for distances up to 100 meters.

What may really work: Cabling data centre networks can be an expensive, time consuming

proposition, so data centre managers should look into all of the available media

choices to maximize the life span of the physical network. Likewise, many data centre

managers prefer to standardize on a single, small form-factor pluggable (SPF+) transceiver module and cabling type, according to Spanbauer. So while a mix and match approach to cabling may offer short-term cost savings, installing fibre optic might offer greater investment protection to support 10 GbE and beyond.

Myth: Enterprises will have to completely rip and replace switches or do forklift upgrades to support 10 Gigabit Ethernet.

Reality: Many enterprises will discover that the modular switches running Gigabit Ethernet in their networks are capable of supporting 10 GbE line cards. Also, many new 10 GbE fixed configuration switches fit into the same footprint as existing, racked Gigabit Ethernet switches.

What may really work: The need for the additional bandwidth that comes with 10 GbE

may quickly spread beyond the data centre. A number of 802.11n wireless access points

could fill a Gigabit Ethernet uplink, necessitating 10 GbE links to aggregate the wireless LAN traffic, Spanbauer said. A network manager should consider 10 Gigabit options throughout the entire enterprise network.

  

Gigabit Ethernet uses all 4 pairs so requires the full 4 pair (8 conductor) cross configuration (shown above). 

Beware of Keylogging

Keystroke logging (often called keylogging) is the action of monitoring each keystroke a user types on a specific computer's keyboard, typically in a covert manner so that the person using the keyboard is unaware that their keystrokes are being collected in the background. There are numerous keylogging methods, ranging from hardware and software-based approaches to electromagnetic and acoustic analysis.

 

Hardware Keyloggers:  As a hardware device, a keylogger is a small plug that serves as a connector between the user's keyboard and computer. This device looks like a normal keyboard accessory, and can be easily concealed. 

As the user types, the device collects each keystroke and saves it as text in its own tiny hard drive for the attacker to retrieve at a later time. 
 

Great examples of state of the art key loggers are available at  http://www.keelog.com/
 
 

Software Keyloggers:  Keylogger software does not require physical access to a user's computer. It can be downloaded intentionally by someone who wants to monitor activity on a designated computer (ie. public computers like those at hotels), or it can be downloaded involuntarily as Malware sent to a victim. The keylogger software records each keystroke the user types and uploads the information over the Internet to the attacker.

 
Tips to prevent keylogging...


Do not visit untrusted web sites. Some sites may have code in them that can exploit your web browser and cause it to quietly install a keylogging application without your permission. (Note: even trustworthy sites can be hacked. The same hackers who are after your information can hack what you think of as trustworthy sites and add exploit code to them which could deliver a keylogger to your system when visited.)

Do not download add-ons (or other files) from untrustworthy sites. Any executable file you download could contain a keylogger or virus, so before you download a file, be sure you're downloading it from a source that you trust.

Be sure to run the latest version of your browser software.  Keep it patched and up to date.  Many exploits that hackers used have already been patched by the software vendors - all you have to do is stay up to date. 

Make sure your OS version is up-to-date and has the latest patches. Also make sure Anti-Malware client signatures are current to combat vulnerabilities to security exploits or attacks. Just like with browsers, many hackers will try to install keyloggers on your system using exploits that have long since been patched by the software vendor. If you run Windows, be sure to run Windows Automatic Updates on a regular basis.

Note: It is considered good system hygiene to check these things manually yourself on occasion.

Be wary of opening unexpected e-mail attachments.  Do not open attachment files with file extensions that are likely to be associated with Malware (e.g., .pdf, doc, .xls, .bat, .com, .exe, .pif, .vbs).

Do not open e-mails that claim sexual or monetary content. This is a common ploy used by attackers.

Delete chain e-mail and junk mail. You can also block email and create rules to better manage email that appears to be suspicious, junk, etc. Spam filters in Yahoo and gmail are particularly stringent.

8 x 8 x 8 LED Cube

Mark Stevens has produced an amazingarticle on the construction of a Netduino Mini-controlled 512 LED cube (8 x 8 x 8).

The full article can be seen Here.