QR Scanners Beware

A recent article on Dark Reading[1] by Ericka Chickowski discusses some potential for malware in those square QR barcodes that are becoming popular. Because the scanner software you’ve loaded on your droid or iPhone often takes you straight to the website encoded in the QR barcode, attackers are using this technology to load malware on your smartphone.

Ideally you’d like your scanner application to show you the encoded link and give you the option to cancel the action before taking you to the new location.

A real financial problem is also on the horizon because PayPal and other mobile payment systems are looking at QR Barcodes for making payments more convenient.

The last paragraph is the real take-away from the article:

“Only use QR code reader software that allows the user to confirm the action to be taken — i.e. visit a website link,” Henry says. “If you do not know and trust the link, cancel the action.”

As Sgt. Phil Esterhaus use to say on Hill Street Blues: “Let’s be careful out there“[2]

Links in this post:
[1] http://www.darkreading.com/mobile-security/167901113/security/news/232301147/qr-code-malware-picks-up-steam.html
[2] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2QApwtE8zQ

FOX News: On the Job Hunt: Machinists in High Demand

On the Job Hunt: Machinists in High Demand, http://fxn.ws/vPixKO – Sent via the FOX News Android App.

It’s finally Christmas Time.

I’m married to a wonderful woman who just happens to be in ministry.  She’s worked with the drama team, children’s choir, and youth.  Often that involves a Christmas program.

Today is that program.  It will be wonderful.  Then we begin to focus on our family celebration of the birth of our Savior.

Take time to slow down, reflect and reconnect.  I will.

Merry Christmas!

Rites of Passage

Back in the day young males would get a Dopp Kit[1] when they started shaving. It was part of the rite of passage into manhood. One needed a suit for church, special school functions and other important occasions. As the young man started traveling, they would get a set of luggage. Often this would occur as he headed off to college, maybe even as a high school graduation gift. Another popular high school graduation gift was a really nice watch[2].

These were things that a man would need as he made his way in the world. How are we preparing our young men of today to take their place in the world?

Links in this post:
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopp_kit
[2] http://www.seikowatches.com/technology/springdrive/index.html

Take me out to the ballgame.

National League Pennant winner Cleveland Spiders road jersey. A little pricey, but it’s wool flannel with felt applique. Just like they wore back in the day. Before the crust cooled. When I had to walk to school barefoot 10 miles each way uphill in the snow.

[1] http://www.ebbets.com/product/ClevelandSpiders1895Road/BaseballJerseys

Android Battery Life

This PCMag Mobile[1] article from early 2011 give some pointers on improving Battery Life in your android phone. They are all good suggestions, but I find my Samsung Charge eats battery for the display (which is gorgeous, BTW) and the 4G radio. On 3G the battery does pretty good. So for me, setting the display brightness as low as possible/visible, and try to minimize what radios are turned on (WIFI, BlueTooth, GPS, 3G/4G) seems to do the trick.

I forgot my cell at home one day and had the WIFI on, and 3G was dormant (no 4G reception at home yet), and only went through about 14% of the battery between 7am & 6pm. Today I was up at 4:30, read a book, caught up on email & TweetDeck, drove into work (and 4G coverage) and had burned through at least 30% of the battery by 8am. So your mileage WILL vary.

Just looked up pricing on an 2600mAh battery for the Charge. $89 + $10 for the new back cover. Probably not going to happen…

Links in this post:
[1] http://mobile.pcmag.com/device2/article.php?CALL_URL=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2367542,00.asp

StarGate Universe

I’ve been rewatching SGU on netflix.  Great mix of human drama and sci-fi with a little bit of steampunk thrown in.

Too bad SyFy didn’t figure out what they had…

It was only a matter of time…

This just in from dark Reading: ‘Cree.py’ Social Engineering Tool Pinpoints A Person’s Physical Location[1]

You know all the fun things your iPhone/Android/Crackberry can do via twitter[2]/foursquare[3]/facebook[4]? Now your stalkers can too! Isn’t that great kids?

“Cree.py is just that — CREEPY, but what a great tool to gather information and building profiles on targets,” blogged the social engineering professionals at social-engineer.org, which provided screen shots of how it works. “It also should be a very rude awakening to how much information we release.”

Yikes!

Links in this post:
[1] http://www.darkreading.com/security/vulnerabilities/229400561/index.html
[2] http://twitter.com
[3] http://foursquare.com/
[4] http://www.facebook.com

For my mobiloe app developer friends

HOW TO: Start Developing for iOS, Android or Windows Phone 7 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Mashable/~3/biscp3Lj_uk/

Wait, what?

How to Break Into a Windows PC (And Prevent it from Happening to You) [Video] http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/Z5GvJyDtDPk/how-to-break-into-a-windows-pc-and-prevent-it-from-happening-to-you