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Posts with tag theft

Filed under: Internet, Security, Text, Utilities, Windows, Linux, Web services

Sxipper - forget your passwords

Sxipper is a Firefox (1.5 or 2.0) add-on that allows you to set then forget your personal details. All your logins will be kept safe behind your own personal guard dog. It strikes me a lot like roboform, but is free for use and stores all your info for work, personal, openID, and all your other identities. Sxipper lets you hand-pick the color and icon for your profile, and even import a v-card. If you watch the video above, you'll notice that it is only 18 seconds long. This is how fast it is to use Sxipper. I remember hearing about Sxipper a while back when it was just a twinkle, and thought it was a great idea, so it is really cool to finally see it in action. Sxipper is a bit more powerful than most password managers, and aims to be your one stop shop for protecting all your personal information by logging you in securely. The biggest benefit is not having to fill-in forms, and selecting what type of information you want to share with a website. It won't be long before you will be entering in all your favorite bugmenot logins, so you don't even have to go look those up either. Sublime.

Source: Sxipper

Filed under: Photo, Security, Video, Windows, Open Source

How to use your webcam as a motion-detecting security system

Webcam securityWorried about unsavory individuals lurking around your office or home and jacking your computer gear? Have no fear! With the help of your Windows PC, webcam, some free software, and this handy tutorial from Simplehelp, you can set up a reasonably sophisticated DIY security system. The core of the tutorial is Dorgem, an open source utility that captures images from your webcam and can save images based on "storage events," e.g. every 30 seconds or every time it detects motion. Since having photos of your intruder on your computer isn't very useful after the computer is gone, Dorgem has the ability to send the files to an external server via FTP or HTTP, or hand the files off to another program. The tutorial also covers more advanced techniques, like setting up multiple webcams and hiding your webcam from sight.

Filed under: Security, Macintosh, Apple, Commercial

Undercover: LoJack for your MacBook

UndercoverIs it just me, or is the market for novel anti-theft apps for laptops exploding? Undercover is a program for Apple laptops from Orbicule that does a number of things to help you recover your laptop in the event of its theft. When the laptop boots, Undercover checks Orbicule's web server to see if you've reported your laptop missing. Once it knows it's been stole, Undercover begins doing all sorts of things, including sending Orbicule its IP address, taking photos of the perpetrator and its surroundings with the built-in iSight camera, and sending screenshots so you can see what the thief is up to. If the laptop can't be recovered, or if it can't connect to a network, Undercover will simulate a "hardware failure" by gradually dimming the screen, which Orbicule hopes will prompt the thief to unload the laptop on someone else. Software like this is really no match for a savvy thief, but most aren't, so for all it promises Undercover's $30 price tag doesn't seem so expensive. There's also a money-back guarantee if Undercover fails to save your laptop, but $30 hardly seems like much consolation in that event.

[Via Undercover]

Filed under: Security, Macintosh, Apple

iAlertU: Camera/tilt sensor theft alarm for your MacBook

iAlertUYour MacBook Pro has a built-in tilt sensor and camera. Since using Apple products for their intended purpose (like, say, running Mac OS X), here's a cool way to repurpose those features: iAlertU is theft alarm software that monitors your MacBook's camera and tilt sensor and, if it thinks your laptop is being manhandled while you've stepped away to grab another latte, sounds a loud alarm. Currently iAlertU is in beta, and Evan Blass over at Engadget says that it's not perfect, but actually works pretty much as advertised. You can see a video of it iAlertU in action at YouTube. The arming and disarming sound effects are pretty cute.

Filed under: Security, Macintosh

How to delete your files when your laptop gets stolen

Locked
laptopOver at Mac Geekery they've got a cool guide to making your laptop (in this case a Mac) delete your important files in the event that it's stolen. The meat of the thing is a shell script that periodically checks a remote web server for a file called "youve_been_stolen," and if it finds the file it quietly deletes the files in your home directory. You can also make it alert the new owner that it's stolen and any other shenanigans you can think up. This method could be extended pretty easily Windows, but you'll have to figure it out yourself. Just make sure you've got your important files backed up somewhere, 'cause you're even if you get your laptop back you won't be getting them.

Featured Time Waster

Forumwarz - a potentially offensive time waster

I pwn UAfter spending the better part of an hour on Forumwarz I still can't decide if it's just sick or if it's kind of fun. It's a bit like a car wreck on the highway. I know I shouldn't be looking but I can't quite turn away.

It's sick, it's twisted, it's the internet on it's worst level and darn it, it's kind of fun. At least for a little while.

Forumwarz is a parody role-playing game that takes place on the internet - or at least the Forumwarz version of it. Your goal is to complete missions that are given to you through a mock up of GoogleTalk called Sentrillion.

Your first "friend" is ShallowEsophagus who begins giving you missions to pwn various forums by being a troll. Depending on the character type you are assigned at start up, you have tools like drooling on the keyboard or bashing your head on the keyboard that you can use to destroy forum threads and eventually, pwn a forum.

Future missions involve buying illegal software from the Russians, pwning more difficult forums and other internet oddness.

Completing missions gives you cash, called Flezz in game, and items that you can pawn or use in other missions. The game is NOT for those easily offended. It's crass, coarse and there are frequent f-bombs in the fake chat sessions.

This is also a game for a more mature audience as it requires you to shop at the Drugs R Fun store to get various concoctions to improve your playing, engage in certain cyber activities to get more Flezz and just generally use a more adult perspective.

If you can get past that, here are the more enjoyable and time-wasting aspects.

View more Time Wasters

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