Facebook Launches New ‘Graph Search’ Function

Rumours of Facebook squaring up to search giant Google are almost as old as Facebook itself. Past stories have taken inspiration from the social network’s mysterious partnership with Microsoft’s Bing, for example, while a slew of tech bloggers have speculated as to how Facebook would respond to Google rolling out its own social network, Google +.
Facebook’s latest move could be an indication of how they plan to react. Facebook has announced a revolutionary new feature on its website: Graph Search. Though not a step into the realms of fully-fledged search engines, this certainly constitutes the early stages of a challenge. While a Google search pulls information from relevant websites (a travel query will bring up holiday reviews, hotel comparison sites and country guides), Facebook’s Graph Search scours for relevant information in your network (friends who went to Barcelona, where they stayed, what bars they took the most photos in).
Already, forums have been lit up by intrigued comments as well as online security and privacy concerns. On the surface, the move is a masterstroke - Facebook are taking the fight to Google from the safety of their own backyard. What worries many of Facebook’s one billion users, however, is their online security. Even the most diligent user will now find themselves cropping up in searches because of a single tagged photo from that restaurant, or a throwaway status about that airport lounge. As a result, the function may make it easier than ever before for scammers to assess individuals’ habits and exploit them.
So, how can we avoid this without going cold turkey from Facebook? Despite fraudsters being able to track an individual down on Facebook, it’s actually the subsequent online user behaviour, such as online shopping, that will be more eagerly spied on.
Using a VPN connection is a good way to help protect your online activity outside your social network. Luckily, this is as easy to do as de-tagging an unflattering party photo. There are a range of online security providers, offering affordable, anonymous VPN services. By channelling your online activity through a VPN connection, hackers will find it more difficult.

Top 5 VPN Service:

Name of the Provider
Hide My Ass	Visit Provider
Strong VPN	Visit Provider
Switch VPN	Visit Provider
Pure VPN	Visit Provider
IPVanish VPN	Visit Provider

 

How to increase your connection speed when using HideMyAss VPN

There are four options can you try:

1. Find the fastest servers for your connection by using our ‘Speed Guide’ feature found within the HideMyAss official VPN client. The ‘Speed Guide’ will perform a ping test to find servers with the fastest download/upload speed.
   
2. Try a different protocol (either OpenVPN or PPTP) via the main dashboard on the VPN client
3. Check out our wiki article on how to tweak some simple network settings to improve connection speeds.
4. The biggest speed improvement can usually be achieved by connecting via OpenVPN-UDP, it’s faster than PPTP or standard OpenVPN. See this link for instructions. 

If you find you still need some extra help, then don’t hesitate to contact our support team: https://vpn.hidemyass.com/vpncontrol/support/

The death of the password: Google’s online security plans

Google has always been at the forefront of technological innovation, and its latest idea looks set to revolutionise online security by making easy-to-crack passwords a thing of the past.
After announcing to the public that “it’s time to give up on elaborate password rules and look for something better”, Google’s top digital experts have suggested that security-conscious web users could soon be carrying a physical token in their pockets - rather than a complicated password in their heads - which would give them access to all their online accounts.
The tiny token or "key" could take the form of a ring or other piece of jewellery, and would contain a miniature smart pad that held its user's personal identity on it. When plugged into a laptop via a traditional USB port, the key would communicate the user's details to secure websites, allowing them to access their accounts. This shift from digital to physical security measures is thought to be a great area of interest for Google, with the Internet giant believing that the eradication of passwords would be a major blow for cyber criminals.
Other online security experts have proposed replacing passwords with the use of near field communication (NFC) technology, which would give users the power to access their accounts with just a touch from their smartphone.
Google would need mass participation from millions of websites in order to make its idea a commercial reality, while technology users would also need convincing of the merits of carrying the key to their entire digital world around with them. A prototype token, the USB YubiKey, is being tested at Google HQ, but employees admit that the widespread roll-out of such a product still remains a distant prospect.
If you’re concerned about your online security but aren’t willing to wait for Google’s innovation, then a VPN server may be for you. Using a VPN adds an extra layer of security to your online activity, keeping your personal information that little bit safer from would-be criminals. A VPN server is especially useful if you’re on an unsecured network, allowing you to enter your account passwords with peace of mind.

8 New servers added to the HideMyAss VPN Network

We have added 8 new servers in 5 different locations. Our members can easily connect to these locations via our official HideMyAss VPN client.

2 x USA, New Jersey (246 IPs)
1 x Spain, Gipuzkoa (125 IPs)
1 x Belgium, Brussels (121 IPs)
1 x USA, Texas (124 IPs)
3 x Canada, Quebec (102 IPs)
You can learn more about our Pro VPN service here: http://hidemyass.com/vpn/

Anonymous leaks personal details of 4,000 bank employees #opLastResort

While the world was busy indulging in the Super Bowl this weekend, Anonymous busied themselves with the next stage of their OpLastResort campaign, namely hacking into the Federal Reserve (which subsequently confirmed a breach) and leaking the personal details of 4,000 bank employees.

As the Ravens were on their way to a tight Super Bowl victory, Anonymous posted a tweet that read: "Now we have your attention America: Anonymous's Superbowl Commercial 4k banker dox via the FED", accompanied with a link to the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Centre (ACJIC) that once hosted the information list.  The list was swiftly removed (although is available to be viewed elsewhere....) and the ACJIC refused to comment.

The file itself contained phone numbers, names, log in details (albeit with encrypted passwords) and IP addresses of the 4,000 employees who ranged from cashiers to bank presidents.  Phone calls made to several of the numbers and research into the banks seemed to confirm that the information is accurate and up-to-date.

Anonymous’ OpLastResort operation demands a reform in computer crime prosecution, something that was largely kick-started by the suicide of Internet activist Aaron Swartz.  Although the government website hacking is nothing new – in fact, there have been several attacks over the past few weeks – if the group have indeed managed to hack into the Federal Reserve and take sensitive information from directly inside then it's serious business – "above and beyond [Anonymous's] skill set" says Jeffrey Carr, CEO of Taia Global.

Major security breach aside, the victims are now being warned that if their username and password combinations were reused on other sites, then they could now be facing identify theft, scams and other unexpected impacts on their financial lives.  Those at risk are being advised to change all password and username combinations and to boost security across their home network and computers.

One way that potential threats to security can be avoid is through the use of a VPN service. A VPN service can help to minimize the risk of unauthorized access and information theft.

Top 5 VPN service Provider:

Name of the Provider
Hide My Ass	Visit Provider
Strong VPN	Visit Provider
Switch VPN	Visit Provider
Pure VPN	Visit Provider
IPVanish VPN	Visit Provider

 

How to use OpenVPN on an iPad or iPhone

Until recently it's not really already been possible to make use of the OpenVPN process with an iPad or even iPhone (unless of course you “break” your device), since the VPN configurations in iOS products don't include OpenVPN as an choice.

Luckily the great quickly from OpenVPN, Inc. have released an application into the App Shop which allows the actual advance of an OpenVPN connection, and you can make use of this in conjunction with your HMA Pro VPN account.

First of all you need to download the actual OpenVPN app in the Application Store onto your Apple gadget.

Next you need in order to transfer the user profile from the HMA Professional VPN server you wish to connect to. This particular can be carried out in a number of ways.

    Make use of Dropbox

    If you have the Dropbox application installed, a person can link to this open public dropbox, as well as combine it with your own Dropbox listing of files.
    Next, choose from TCP or UDP methods and open the relevant folder. Then, choose from the list of machines as well as open the file. Click on the image in the top correct hand part, that will provide you with the option “Open up in OpenVPN” – and select that option.

    Use your computer and email

On your PC or Macintosh go to http://hidemyass.com/vpn-config/vpn-config.squat as well as download and draw out the documents on your pc.

You can then email the configuration file you want to use in order to yourself as well as open the e-mail on your iPad or iPhone. After you have the actual attachment, a person can click on the “open in” icon and choose OpenVPN.

Whatever path you utilize, right now you'll have launched the actual OpenVPN software. Next, click on the “+” switch to include the actual profile, then add your own usual HMA Professional VPN person name as well as pass word.

Finally, you need to simply move the bond switch on the actual app in order to “upon” and you’re carried out!

A person can repeat these types of steps as well as install various VPN servers, which means you have a variety to choose from.

All of us soon be releasing our very own native iOS application with regard to iPad as well as iPhone, but right now this might be the easiest way to get set up.

Top 5 VPN services around the web:

Name of the Provider
Hide My Ass	Visit Provider
Strong VPN	Visit Provider
Switch VPN	Visit Provider
Pure VPN	Visit Provider
IPVanish VPN	Visit Provider