Posts About Hardware

The acronym OTP is used to refer to two different things in computer security. The older meaning is “One Time Pad”, in modern contexts it’s much more likely to refer to “One Time Password/Passcode/PIN”. As you can probably guess from the shared use of the term “One Time”, there are some similarities. One Time Pad - basics A One Time Pad is a method of encryption. … [Read more...] about What is an OTP in Computer Security?

For your device to communicate with any other device it needs to connect to it. If the other device is physically present, this is pretty simple. You can just run a cable between the two devices. It is necessary for them to share some sort of communication standard but the basic principle stands. Of course, most of the devices you might want to communicate with are not … [Read more...] about What is MitM?

In the early days of computing, no one had to worry about having their computer stolen. It was hard to simply move the room-sized beasts and that’s even if you didn’t care about people noticing. Modern computer tech is just a little bit more wieldy now despite the frankly insane performance increases. This miniaturisation opens up the risk of theft. While it might be difficult … [Read more...] about What is a Kensington Lock?

There’s plenty of malware floating around out there on the Internet. Thankfully, there are many protection measures available. Some of them, such as antivirus products are designed to be run on a per-device basis and are ideal for individuals with a small number of devices. Antivirus software is also useful in large enterprise networks. One of the issues there, however, is … [Read more...] about What is an IDS?

In cryptography, some ciphers may be labelled with the acronym PFS. This stands for Perfect Forward Secrecy. Some implementations may simply refer to PFS as FS. This acronym means Forward Secrecy or Forward Secure. In any case, they all talk about the same thing. Understanding what Perfect Forward Secrecy means, requires you to understand the basics of cryptographic key … [Read more...] about What is Perfect Forward Secrecy?

Dumpster diving is the concept of sifting through trash. Typically this doesn’t necessarily involve physically entering a dumpster but rather just reaching in, but it can involve literally “diving” into dumpsters. The concept is fairly general and often involves people that are struggling to make ends meet claiming discarded but still edible food or items that can be … [Read more...] about What is Dumpster Diving?

If you speak English, you probably are familiar with the word compromise in normal use. Specifically, accepting something that isn’t quite what you initially wanted because of some competing factor. There’s no real limit on what the competing factor can be. Cost is a classic example, as is time, effort, material limitations, and other people's requirements. In the world of … [Read more...] about What is a Security Compromise?

Hackathon is a portmanteau of the words “hack” and “marathon”. The marathon part is pretty simple, the hackathon runs over a limited but relatively long time period and participants have to make do with the time restrictions. Despite the word “hack”, a hackathon doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with cyber security. The word “hack” actually sticks to the wider meaning of: … [Read more...] about What is a Hackathon?

In computer security, many issues occur despite the user’s best efforts. For example, you can get hit with malware from malvertising at any point, it’s down to bad luck really. There are steps you can take to minimise the risk, such as using an ad-blocker. But being hit like this isn’t the user’s fault. Other attacks though focus on tricking the user into doing something. These … [Read more...] about What is Social Engineering?

A cavity virus is a relatively uncommon type of virus that copies itself into unused spaces in files, thus spreading without affecting the file size of whatever it is infecting. They are sometimes also called “space filler” viruses. Many files have empty spaces that are normally ignored when it comes to executing the file they’re part of. The presence of these spaces isn’t a … [Read more...] about What is a Cavity Virus?

An Append Virus or Appending Virus is a type of virus that doesn’t destroy the program or file it’s wrapped in, but simply modifies it enough to contain the virus and let it continue to spread/execute. This type of virus is more difficult to detect than one that permanently destroys the program or file it is attached to. … [Read more...] about What is an Append Virus?

What do I do to increase the RAM of the PC, and am I unable to find RAM from the same brand? — Are you asking this question? Read on, as this article will explain if you can mix RAM brands. … [Read more...] about Can You Mix RAM Brands: A Guide for RAM Mix and Match

The Galaxy lineup has come a long way since its inception. One thing that Samsung guarantees year after year is that it can provide a great alternative to the iPhone, which is currently the world's most popular smartphone. Although there have been some ups and downs along the way, each new Galaxy model encourages excitement from the public as we wait to see just how powerful … [Read more...] about New Galaxy S23: Full Specs, Features, and More

Many cyber attacks are launched instantly at the timing choice of the attacker. These are launched over the network and can be either a one-off or a running campaign. Some classes of attacks, however, are delayed actions and lie in wait for a trigger of some sort. The most obvious of these are attacks that need user interaction. Phishing and XSS attacks are excellent examples … [Read more...] about What Is a Logic Bomb?

When it comes to cyber security, it’s normally data breaches that make the news. These incidents affect many people and represent a terrible news day for the company at the receiving end of the data breach. Much less regularly, you hear about a new zero-day exploit that often heralds a rash of data breaches of companies that can’t protect themselves. It’s not very often that … [Read more...] about What Is Stuxnet?

Did you know that you can greatly enhance your desktop or laptop PC's performance if you put an NVMe SSD into it? That's right! Don't know how? Not to worry, I will explain how to install an NVMe SSD on a desktop or laptop computer. Conventional hard drives are 50 times slower than RAM. Hence, no matter how fast the CPU, graphics processing unit (GPU), or motherboard BUS is, … [Read more...] about How to Install an NVMe SSD in a Desktop and Laptop

A boot sector virus is a particular kind of virus named after the location it can be found. That would be the boot sector of floppy disks or the Master Boot Record of more modern hard disks. In some cases, they can infect the boot sector of said hard disks instead of the MBR. … [Read more...] about What Is a Boot Sector Virus?

It’s easy to have the simple view that all hackers are bad guys out to cause data breaches and to deploy ransomware. This isn’t true, though. There are plenty of bad-guy hackers out there. Some hackers use their skills ethically and legally. An “ethical hacker” is a hacker that hacks within the remit of a legal agreement with the legitimate system owner. Tip: As the opposite … [Read more...] about What Is an Ethical Hacker?