A few days ago, India announced its first open-source Shakti processor that was funded by the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information technology. Now IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Madras has released the software development kit (SDK) for the process and it has also promised that the development board will be released soon. The RISE group at the IIT Madras has started working on this project from 2016.

With the plan of releasing a family of six classes of processor, and each one will be serving on different markets. RISE also promised that the reference processors will be competitive with commercial offerings in terms of area and performance and power consumption. The six classes include E-class, C-class, I-Class, M-class, S-Class, and H-Class. The E Class is a 3-stage in-order processor targeted at embedded devices such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices, robotic platforms, motor controls, et cetera.

Second, in the list is the C class which is a 32-bit 5 stage in-order micro controller-class of processors that support 0.2-1 GHz clocking speeds. This will be aimed at mid-range application workloads and will be having a very low power profile to save the battery of the phone along with optional memory protection. The I class is a 64-bit out-of-order processor a clocking speed of 1..5 to 2.5 GHz and will support multithreading. It will also be targeting mobiles, storage, and networking applications.

There is the M class processor, where M stands for multi-core and supports up to eight CPU cores. The S class processors are made for the workstation and server-type workloads and enhanced version of the I class processor that will be featuring multi-threading support. On the other hand, there is a class processor which is for the high-performance computing and analytics workloads. The main feature for it includes high single-thread performance, optional L4 cache and also support for Gen-Z fabric and storage-class memory.

A report also suggests that RISE group is also working on two new classes of processors which will be called as T-class and F-class. It will be interesting to see how these processors will be managed and when we might actually use them. Comment in the section below If you have more queries on the same and stay tuned to my blog for more similar news and updates. Thank you.

Ta-da

SOURCE: PHONERADAR

Google Maps adding feature to show driving speed! Feature can be accessed in Navigation Settings.

The on-screen Speedometer feature on Google Maps app will alert users when they exceed the speed limit and will display their real-time speed while navigating on the app itself.

  The latest addition to the app is the on-screen Speedometer that will enable users to check the real-time speed of their vehicle on the screen. The tool will also alert the user when he/she exceed the speed limit while driving and navigating on the app. 

A GPS navigation software app — which was acquired by Google back in 2013 for $968 million. A couple of other features were also added  recently to Google Maps app which included speed cameras, speed trap indicators and an option to report possible dangers, risks, accidents on the road.

The new functionality is unfortunately not widely available but a report by androidpolice suggests that they have received reports of its availability in countries such as Argentina, Australia, Portugal, Sweden, the UK, the US, to name a few, including India. However, there has been no official confirmation from Google yet. The company is expected to release the Speedometer feature to all its users soon. 

How to ​enable on-screen Speedometer on Google Maps

1. Open Google Maps app on your Android or iOS device
2. Head to the “menu” button in the app
3. Tap on ‘Settings” option and click on “Navigation” option
4. Scroll down to driving options given at the bottom and enable the “Speedometer” placed below the “speed limits” option
5. If you are unable to see any such options then the feature has not been rolled out to your smartphone but if you can see and enable it then you will start seeing Speedometer on-screen while navigating in Google Maps

Besides this, the tech giant recently also added an ability to check travel time for an auto-rickshaw, live-train. status and real-time bus travel information on its app. The feature is India-specific and will be released in the coming days. 

For decades, Microsoft Windows and the open source Linux operating system were polar opposites. Windows was developed by the biggest software company in the world, one that was no friend to open source. Linux was developed by a ragtag team of programmers scattered around the world, often working in their spare time. But over the years, open source, and Linux in particular, went mainstream. Linux now powers the majority of the world’s web servers and underpins Android, the world’s most popular mobile operating system. That forced a change in how Microsoft treated the rival operating system. First it began supporting Linux on its cloud service Azure. Then it began releasing software for Android and Linux and even using Linux internally to power Azure. Now Microsoft is bringing the heart of Linux into Windows.

Thanks to a feature called Windows Subsystem for Linux, you can already run Linux applications in Windows. WSL essentially translates commands meant for the Linux kernel—the core part of the operating system that talks to hardware—into commands for the Windows kernel. But now Microsoft will build the Linux kernel into WSL, starting with a new version of the software set for a preview release in June.

To be clear, Microsoft isn’t replacing the Windows kernel. The Linux kernel will run as what’s called a “virtual machine,” a common way of running operating systems within an operating system. You’ll have to make a point of installing WSL if you want to use the Linux kernel.

At first blush it may sound like a strange idea. But it makes perfect sense to programmers, especially web developers. Linux is the most common operating system for running web servers, but Windows is still king inside corporations.” Making it easy to run Linux code in Windows is a boon for developers who need to use a Windows machine to write code that runs on Linux servers.

WSL might also help Microsoft win over programmers who use Macintosh products. Mac OS is based on Linux’s ancestor Unix, and has long been a favorite among web developers  who want a development environment similar to Linux that also supports commercial applications not available on Linux. But there are differences between Unix and Linux.

Seattle-based programmer, designer, and educator Ethan Schoonover says he gave up on running Linux, except on servers, because he needed to run Adobe applications such as Photoshop and Illustrator natively. For years he used MacOS, but he says he occasionally found incompatibilities between his Mac and Linux servers. And he missed the tools that his preferred Linux version, Arch, offers to install and upgrade software. “It’s also fair to say that macOS has not received the focus and development that iOS has and that shows,” Schoonover says. So he switched to Windows with WSL, where he can run Arch’s bundle of tools and applications.

Before Microsoft released the first version of WSL in 2016, developers could run Linux in a virtual machine. But that meant running an entire operating system, which isn’t particularly efficient. WSL made it possible to run many of the same tools and applications within Windows without the need for virtualization. But that idea had its own performance issues, particularly when working with the Windows file system, according to a blog post by Microsoft program manager Craig Loewen. Virtualizing only the Linux kernel while running everything else natively is an intriguing compromise that Loewen writes will improve Linux application performance on Windows by as much as 20-fold, depending on how much an application interacts with Windows.

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You can expect more detail on the exact changes to the architecture posted to this blog in the near future, so please stay tuned!

Reportedly, GitHub has been hit by hackers who are hijacking private code repositories and deleting them in order to blackmail their owners for ransom.

They then ask for Bitcoins with a promise of restoring the deleted data, according to a report in Motherboard.

Similar cases have been reported on other Git hosting services, including BitBucket and GitLab.

Here are the details.

In context,

Hackers hit GitHub repositories for Ransome

Attack

Project, codes being replaced with ransom message

Several Git service developers have reported a break-in, where their repository was removed and replaced with a demand for Bitcoins.

As part of the attack, the hackers left a note saying all source code and recent commits have been downloaded by them and they would make it public or use it themselves if the owner won’t agree to pay $570 in bitcoins.

Here are the details.

Hundreds of developers likely compromised

While a small bunch of developers has reported the attack, the exact number of victims could be much larger.

BitBucket, on its part, says some 1,000 developer repositories may have been compromised on the basis of internal and online estimates.

Meanwhile, a search for the attackers’ address on GitHub revealed as many as 392 ransomed projects, ZDNet.

Dozens of developers even reported Bitcoin address abuse

In addition to this, the Bitcoin address shared by the attackers has been reported dozens of times, 27 to be exact, on the tracking BitcoinAbuse.com – maliciousactivity through Bitcoin addresses. It’s also worth noting that the address has only received a single $3 payment.

However, no word on how they’re hijacking these repositories

The attack carried out here is different from a typical ransomware attack, where hackers lock-in your PC and demand money.

Here, they removed the data from an online platform in what can be described as a well-coordinated attack.

There is no word on how they are doing it but some compromised developers have admitted to using weak passwords.

GitLab’s director of security Kathy Wang says they extracted passwords!

“We have strong evidence that the compromised accounts have account passwords being stored in plaintext on deployment of a related repository. We strongly encourage the use of password management tools to store passwords in a more secure manner, and enabling two-factor authentication wherever possible.”

Also, there might be a workaround for you

Now, for some case, security researchers from StackExchange have found that the hackers didn’t delete the repository but altered Git commit headers, which means they can be recovered.

They have shared the recovery process, but if that doesn’t work, we recommend getting in touch with the Git hosting service you are using before jumping to paying the ransom; they will fix it for you.

While banks keep issuing warnings and advisory from time to time, the cases of ATM fraud has been on a rise. 

In India, cash is the king. While digital payments have increased significantly in the last three years, people’s love for cash is still unbroken. This is despite many banks’ customer falling a victim to the rising skimming fraud. While banks keep issuing warnings and advisory from time to time, the cases of ATM fraud has been on a rise. In most cases, residents of Metro cities become a victim of skimming. This makes it important for people to understand what is skimming and how to stay safe from it. This will help ensure that your ATM cash withdrawal transactions remain safe. 

What is Skimming?

Skimming is a trick where scamsters steal your debit/credit card data and clone it. They then use it for siphoning money off your account. To clone your card, scamsters set a camera or duplicate keypad in order to record your PIN number and attach a cloning device at the card reading slot. 

What should you do?

If you are visiting any ATM to withdraw cash, you must examine the keypad whether it looks different or thicker. Also, you should give a gentle nudge to the card reader slot. Any skimming device attached to it will break out with a gentle push. 

When you are inside an ATM, don’t let any second person be inside the cabin. Also, do follow these security tips to be safe in the future:

* Cover your hands while entering your ATM/Debit/Credit card PIN
* Change your ATM PIN regularly.
* Never keep the PIN with the debit card or write on it. Always memorize it.
* Conduct your ATM transactions in complete privacy, never let anyone see you entering your Personal Identification Number (ATM Password). Do not let strangers come into the ATM room or take their help to complete the transactions.
* Always wait till the ATM returns to the idle mode and the green light is blinking.
* Insist on swiping your card in your presence in hotels/shops/malls, etc.
* Beware of suspicious movements of people around the ATM or strangers trying to engage you in conversation.
* Don’t share OTP received on your phone with anyone.

Also, if you see any transaction that is not initiated by you, immediately inform your bank and get the card blocked. 

Clicking on the link sent by the scammer simply confirms to WhatsApp that it is you logging in.

WhatsApp may not be very easy to hack into but scammers have found a new workaround to the service’s end-to-end encryption to gain access your account.

As per a report by Gulf News, the Telecommunications Authority of the UAE has issued an advisory on Twitter for WhatsApp users and warned that they should not reply to code verification messages unless it is triggered by the subscriber. Many WhatsApp accounts have been hacked through this method.

Normally, when one installs WhatsApp on an Android or iOS device, WhatsApp sends a verification code to check if you are the owner of the phone number. In this case, however, the scammer is sending you a WhatsApp code and a link and not a six-digit verification code.

Clicking on the link sent by the scammer simply confirms to WhatsApp that it is you — on behalf of the scammer. By that way, you lose control of your WhatsApp account and the scammer can read and send messages on your behalf.

As per a statement issued by the TRA to Gulf News, “Mobile users should not share the verification code that is sent to them by SMS, otherwise, their account will be compromised. Many WhatsApp accounts were hacked this way, and subscribers lost all their details.”

According to reports, hackers have also sent out fake messages in English as well as French which clearly suggests that scammers could use similar a similar method to scam users in India as well.

For all tech news updates follow my blog.

Feel free to share with us any comments.

Most hacked passwords Is your password strong enough that it cannot be hacked? According to a new study, millions of people are using ‘123456’ or ‘qwerty’ as their passwords. While we would have all at some point used these as our passwords, its high time we change it. The study says that these passwords are the most hacked ones as it is widely used. According to UK’s National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), 23.2 million accounts that were hacked used the password ‘123456’. The second most used password is 123456789; the top five also includes 1111111.

Details of the analysis covering the 100,000 most commonly re-occurring passwords accessed by hackers in global breaches were taken from the site ‘ Have I Been Pwned ‘ run by security expert Troy Hunt. The survey comes ahead of the NCSC’s Cyber UK conference which will be held in Glasgow from on April 24 and 25. .

Here are 20 most used passwords

123456 (23.2m)

123456789 (7.7m)

qwerty (3.8m)

password (3.6m)

1111111 (3.1m)

12345678 (2.9m)

abc123 (2.8m)

1234567 (2.5m)

password1 (2.4m)

12345 (2.3m)

1234567890 (2.2m)

123123 (2.2 m)

000000 (1.9m)

Iloveyou (1.6m)

1234 (1.3m)

1q2w3e4r5t (1.2m)

Qwertyuiop (1.1m)

123 (1.02m)

Monkey (980, 209)

Dragon (968,625)

Top five commonly used names

ashley (432,276)

michael (425,291)

daniel (368,227)

jessica (324,125)

charlie (308,939)

Top five commonly used football teams

liverpool (280,723)

chelsea (216,677)

arsenal (179,095)

manutd (59,440)

everton (46,619)

Top five commonly used names of musicians

blink182 (285,706)

50cent (191,153)

eminem (167,983)

metallica (140,841)

slipknot (140,833)

Top five commonly used names of fictional characters

superman (333,139)

naruto (242,749)

tigger (237,290)

pokemon (226,947)

batman (203,116)

Following the cyber-survey, NCSC has advised people to create a password by adding three random words that they will not forget. NCSC also found out that 42% of people lost money in online fraud and only 15% were sure that they knew enough to be safe online. Out of the people quizzed, only fewer than half used a difficult password for their main email account. Security expert Troy Hunt said having a strong password was the “single biggest control” people had to protect themselves online. He said making these details public should help people change their passwords and use better ones.

Google brought the shutters down on Inbox by Gmail earlier this month, but workarounds allowed fans to continue using the app. Those who couldn’t give up on the app downloaded older APK versions of Inbox by Gmail, and surprisingly those continued to work fine. However, now users are reporting that fresh installs of these older APKs no longer work. It shows them an error signal every time they tried to sign-in using their Gmail accounts. This means that all the older versions will also lose support soon, and users who cannot give up on Inbox by Gmail, now have no choice but to do so.

Those who are on older versions of Inbox, and who have auto-updates switched off, may still have a functioning Inbox app. A Reddit threadvouches for that, as some users claim that they still have a working Inbox email app, but these users claim that they no longer are receiving notifications for new emails and refresh also has to be done manually. This means that all those few users who still have a working Inbox are also on limited time.

After Google officially announced that Inbox by Gmail was shutting down on April 2, older Android versions of the app, as well as the iOS app, remained unaffected .We can now confirm that the iOS app has stopped working as well, days after the shutdown.

Serious flaws leave WPA3 vulnerable to hacks that steal Wi-Fi passwords

Breaking — It has been close to just one year since the launch of next-generation. WI-FI security standards WPA3 and researchers have unveiled several serious vulnerabilities in the wireless security protocol’s that could allow attackers to recover the password of the Wi-Fi network.

WPA, or Wi-Fi Protected Access, is a standard designed to authenticate wireless devices using the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) protocol and is intended to prevent hackers from eavesdropping on your wireless data.

The Wi-Fi Protected Access III (WPA3) protocol was launched in an attempt to address technical shortcomings of the WPA2 protocol from the ground, which has long been considered to be insecure and found vulnerable to KRACK (Key Reinstallation Attack).

Though WPA3 relies on a more secure handshake, known as Dragonfly, that aims to protect Wi-Fi networks against offline dictionary attacks, security researchers Mathy Vanhoef and Eyal Ronen found weaknesses in the early implementation of WPA3-Personal, allowing an attacker to recover WiFi passwords by abusing timing or cache-based side-channel leaks.

“Concretely, attackers can then read information that WPA3 was assumed to safely encrypt. This can be abused to steal sensitive transmitted information such as credit card numbers, passwords, chat messages, emails, and so on,” the researchers say.

Note:. Keep in mind always never ever do online payment shopping, banking transactions in any of the using public WiFi network. Beware . U may also could one of the victim. BEWARE!.

NOTE: This article refers to some of the Linux commands you should never run on your system as they might prove to be DEADLY for your Linux systems. So before I proceed, I would like to point out that this article is written for information only to let the readers know that executing any of the following commands are to be avoided. All commands mentioned here can have serious repercussions for your system & its data.

let’s start the list of Linux commands you should never run & might I say again that you proceed with caution,

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Linux commands you should never run

1- Format System Disk

Linux Administrator uses this command very often to format and an assign a file system to a newly created disk partition. But when used irresponsibly, this can also format the disk with data on it,

$ mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda

So when using this command, make sure that the intended disk partition has been selected.

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2- Delete /etc or /boot directories

/etc holds all the configuration files for the system & /boot holds all kernel, InitRD & GRUB related files, files that are required for system bootup. So delete any of these folders & your system will not boot up,

$ rm -rf /etc

$ rm -rf /boot

Another way to remove configuration files from your system & leave your system to irrecoverable is to use the following command,

$ find / -iname “*.conf” -exec rm -rf {} \;

This will find & remove all the files ending with .conf (configuration files).

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3- Delete the entire file system

Most of you might know of this command & it goes like

$ rm -rf /

This will delete the entire file system from your server, deleting every byte of data on disk.

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4- Fork Bomb

Now, this command creates copies of itself endlessly & within no time will all your system’s memory, CPU & thus will cause the system crash.

$:(){ :|:& };:

This can also lead to disk corruption.

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5- Fill disk with random data

$ dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/sda

This will fill the disk with random data. Another variant of this command overwrites the disk several times over the original data,

$ shred /dev/sda

This command is actually a useful tool, especially when you are discarding off the old disk & would not want data from the old disk to fall into wrong hands (& another way I learned from movies is, you can also drill some holes into the drives).

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6- File permissions havocs

All the above commands deals with removal or overwriting of data. But there are ways to render your system unusable using the file permissions. First command is ,

$ chmod -Rv 000 /

This command will remove all the file permissions of the all the files or folder on the system & since nobody will have access to files & folders, nobody can access those. & this leads to another way to writing the above command,

$ chown -R nobody:nobody /

This will also accomplish the same output as the first one. Now the second file permission command is actually the opposite of first one,

$ chmod -R 777 /

This will change permissions for all the files & folders to be world writable. & I am sure you can think of what will happen in such a scenario.

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So this was our list of Linux commands that you should never run on your system. Please feel free to send in any questions or queries you have regarding this article using the comment box below.