Afraid of your computer getting hacked; try these top 10 simple steps to secure desktop and online accounts from hackers

Top 10 ways to protect your PC and your online account with some of the best and simple steps to keep your computer and online accounts safe from internet crooks

Internet usage is most common in every PC be it your personal computer or at office. Security is the first thing that anyone would be concerned about as internet connectivity has its own pros and cons and hacking is one of the most important concern for most of the PC users. Now, PC users can be relieved of these concerns as below given are some simple steps which they can easily adapt and get their computers and online accounts secured.

• Removal of the pre installed software and apps: With the recent Man-in-the-middle attack in the Lenovo computers the pre installed apps and software really seem to be very dangerous. Most of the times it is just a bloatware, unless user really has some use of all these apps and software hence getting rid of this definitely safeguards the computer against any security threat. Further it is better to get rid of any pseudo antiviruses accompanied with the new computer.
• Choosing  a secured web browser : This is an important task as most of the malicious malware comes through the web browser. Setting the right web browser is essential because the correct web browser can help user to safeguard against all the malwares and also help user to use their computer to the best. Depending upon the age of computer and the device that is being used, user needs to choose the correct web browser.  Further, Google Chrome is one of the best web browsers which provides additional security via Sandbox feature. If user wants to add further features they can use the Mozilla Firefox extensions also. Basically user needs to know what they want from their browser then check the features and check if the browser meets their requirement then start using that browser.
• Use a strong password for the user account: Setting a strong password is the key for the security of the PC as well as the online accounts. Users must remember certain important points while choosing a password:
  • First of all it should be minimum of 8 characters, the longer the better.
  • It should be a combination of lower and upper cases of alphabets.
  • It should contain random two or three words which should be easy for user to remember.
  • Adding numbers, punctuation and symbols will further make the password complicated.
  • Never keep the same password for different accounts, instead let the base password remain and user can further add few more words or symbol and hence it will be easy for user to remember the passwords. User can take help of Password Manager in case they feel it is difficult to set different passwords for different account e.g. LastPass free password manager.
• Opting for Virtual Private Networking: Enabling the Hotspot Shield VPN helps user to protect their privacy, secure their internet, get protection against malware, it also enables public Wi-Fi security so any malicious intruders on the same Wi-Fi network cannot access user’s data.  This is a free service. Further, OpenDNS services can further add to the browser security from various other malicious sites. The only drawback here is that the internet speed might be slowed down.
• Setting up 2F Authentication for online account: With the cyber crooks at each and every nook and corner, it is always better to set up a Two-Factor authentication for all the online accounts including Apple, Google, Facebook, Yahoo and Microsoft. Here, user needs to use their password for first step of log in and then the account would send a pin number or code to a secured and trusted device like user’s smartphone. This authentication is one of the best security for all the social network sites and a must for all online accounts.
• Protection from the “Phishing Scams”: Online identity theft wherein users give their personal details on illegitimate websites which is then used for various frauds is known as Phishing. There are many ways in which users can safeguard themselves against these Phishing scams. Some of them are listed below:
  • Guard against spam: Users need to be cautious of unknown emails sent by unrecognized users, emails that ask personal information, emails that ask any personal or financial information over the internet.
  • During online financial transactions always check for “https” rather than “http” as the former is secured site.
  • Do not give any financial or personal account details on phone call.Never click on links or download files or open attachments in emails from unknown senders unless you are expecting them from the sender, even if has been sent from some known sender.
  • Never send personal or financial information over internet even if you know the recipient of the email.
  • Never enter any personal information on any pop-up screen.
  • By regularly checking the bank statements and online accounts users can ensure themselves that no unauthorized transactions have been made.
  • Be careful of the links that are sent in emails which ask for personal information.
  • Most important the computer needs to be protected with proper anti virus and anti spyware software to block the computer against any spyware and malwares.
• Ensuring a strong anti virus software: Users can opt for Anti virus, Anti spyware software and Firewall software for ensuring a stronger security of their computer and online accounts as already seen in the earlier point as this will help user to prevent themselves from Phishing.
  • Antivirus software: This basically scans for any strange behaviors and patterns from programs, files and processes and then identifies the threat these malwares can produce to the computer and networks. Basically it needs to be designed in such a way as to detect and deal with the viruses, rootkits, Trojans, keyloggers, worms. Users would need to check if their anti virus software provides real time scanning or is it on demand. Further a regular scanning of the computer as well as regular update of the anti virus software can help user to keep their computer away from all the modern malware. Hence a strong anti virus is a must for all computer users.
  • On the other hand Anti Spyware software identifies and removes the unwanted advertising installations from the computer. Firewall Software is a strong barrier in between computer and internet world. This tries to protect the computer from any kind of external malwares and hackers which try to penetrate user’s network with the aim of damaging the computer and also getting personal information of the user.
• Add “HTTPS Everywhere” plugin for all the web browsers: Users can secure their web browser if they use the “HTTPS Everywhere extensions” for web browsers like Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome etc. This extension has been created by the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Tor project and hence it is a secured and trusted one. Also it automatically switches majority of the sites from the insecure “http” to “https” and hence protects the user from being hacked or from third party supervision. This extension also provides a secure web page to be viewed and hence increases security of the user. User can thus not only protect their privacy but also can be sure of securing their accounts.
• Anonymous browsing: TOR is a free software and open source system which enables users’  for anonymous browsing. The TOR software shuffles user’s identity due to which any hacker or intelligence agency cannot read user’s browsing history. So with TOR user can ensure their browser security and privacy.
• Ensuring physical security of the PC: Users can opt for the BIOS password and this will ensure that the unauthorized use of the computer is prevented. BIOS is a program that controls the computer’s initial booting cycle as well as the hardware initialization. Remembering the BIOS password by the user is essential because if user forgets the password then it is not possible to boot the computer and it can be reset only with help of the vendor. Users also need to remember to never store any important data on any external USB device or hard drive as these are easily prone to theft. One more method that users can opt for is Encrypting their entire user account and what would this mean, this simply would mean that if user encrypts their data then all the electronic data gets converted into unreadable matter hence it is difficult for the hackers to read the data. Mostly for all the sensitive financial and personal information data encryption is very important. Users can opt for DataMask by AOL which will always protect user’s  online identification whenever user communicates online (while shopping or banking or browsing).

These are the few  steps that can ensure the protection of computer and online accounts of the user. If readers are already using any other methods for safeguarding their desktops and online accounts from malwares and hackers then please feel free to mention it in the comments section.

Protect your Pendrive with Password

Everyone now a days has one or two additional pendrives and hard disks with them because pendrive makes sharing of data very easy and fast. You can share large files very easily because downloading the same file from the internet would take a very long time and also utilize our data. So instead, we prefer to take that file from a friend who has that file. We can share very heavy files using pendrives because now you can even buy a pendrive with a storage capacity of 512 GB.

Not only sharing of Movies and videos, some people even share very personal data using pendrive. What if the pendrive gets lost somewhere. Is the data still Safe? Can someone else access that file except me? Afcourse, if you have not set a password on your Pendrive.

Here’s how to protect your pendrive with a password without any software. Follow the steps mentioned below to set a password on your pendrive.

Step 1) Insert the pendrive which you want to protect in your Computer.

Step 2)  Open My computer.

Step 3) Right click on your pendrive and click on Turn on BitLocker.

Step 4) Now enter the password which you want to set.

Step 5) Click next. Now it will give you some alternative methods by which you can recover back your pendrive if you forgot your password. Then you can use this file as a password.

Step 6) Save that file to your computer and again click next.

Step 7) Now the encryption process will start. This may take some time but once this process is complete, your pendrive will be secure with a password and encrypted.

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How Much Money Top Tech Companies Make Per Employee

op tech giant like Google and Microsoft are worth billions and credit their working teams for the achievement. But, how much does each employee help is worth to the company? Read further to know.

 

Apple, Google, and Microsoft are among the many prestigious brands that people would love to work for. And why not, comprising of an amazing work culture, the current employees are being handsomely paid and taken good care of by the companies.

Take Apple, for example, which is today’s most valuable brand followed by Google and Microsoft and had been at the top since 2013 with just about 100,000 employees. Google has a workforce of little over 50,000. And we all know how much these companies have achieved with such a few number of people working for them.

 

These companies are worth hundreds of billions of dollars, but how much money do they make from each employee? Let’s see some stats provided by the team of Expert Market for the top tech companies.

1. Apple

The company that has clearly created a class divide between the electronics consumers, sits proudly at the top earning $1,865,306 through each employee.

Its total revenue in 2014 was $182,800,000,000 and employs about 98,000 professionals. 

2. Google

After acquiring hundreds of companies from several genres (including advanced robotics and AI), Google transcended to Alphabet. And with all its subsidiaries, Alphabet (Google) earned a total revenue of $66,000,000,000.

Google makes $1,154,896 per employee and has about 57,148 employees.

3. Softbank

The Japanese multinational corporation has its wings spread in several service sectors including e-commerce, finance and technology services among many. The company makes $918,449 per employee.

Softbank had a total revenue earning of $64,600,000,000 with about 70,336 people working for it.

4. Microsoft

The brainchild of Bill Gates (some might disagree), Microsoft has the widest reach among the masses, thanks to its proprietary Windows OS for desktops which has kept him as the richest man in America for the past 22 consecutive years. Microsoft earns $732,224 per employee.

The total revenue for Microsft is $86,830,000,000 with a workforce of 118,584 employees.

5. Amazon

The e-commerce giant recently came under fire for its inhumane workplace conditions. Nevertheless, the company earns a total revenue of $88,990,000,000.

Amazon has 154,100 employees working or it and makes $577,482 per employee.

6. Sony

One of the oldest tech companies to feature in the list, Sony was founded in 1946; 69 years ago. Today, it earns a total revenue of $75,260,000,000.

Sony employs 131,700 people and makes $571,450 per employee.

7. Intel

One of the world’s largest and most valued chip makers, Intel recently releasedSkylake, its best processors yet. The company earned a total revenue of $55,870,000,000.

It has about 106,700 professionals and makes $523,618 per employee.

8. Samsung

Another tech company from the ages of yore, the South Korean tech giant was founded in 1938 as a trading company; 77 years ago. Today, it has established itself as the largest tech conglomerate. Samsung earned a whopping$188,480,000,000 from revenues.

The company has 489,000 employees and makes $385,440 per employee.

9. Hewlett-Packard

Popularly referred to as just HP, the company was founded in a two-car garage about 76 years ago and became the world’s leading PC manufacturer from 2007 to Q2 2013. HP had a total revenue of $111,450,000,000.

About 302,000 professionals work for the company which makes $369,040 per employee.

10. Hitachi

The Japanese multinational conglomerate has diversified business segments ranging from Information and Telecommunications Systems to manufacturing and installation of defense systems. Hitachi was founded in 1910 and it earns arevenue of $93,180,000,000 today.

Hitachi has 326,240 employees and makes $285,618 per employee.

Which is your favorite company? Tell us in the company below.

How to Crack WinRAR Password Protected Files In Simple Steps

Here, I’m going to tell you how to crack WinRAR password protected files. Losing/forgetting your WinRAR password could be a headache, but here’s a simple method.

 

WinRAR is a great utility to compress your files and protect it using a password. You can keep your data safe and save storage space by keeping it compressed in .RAR format. However, what to do if you forget the password of your WinRAR password protected file?

To crack WinRAR password protected file password, you need to recover the WinRAR file password and use it to unlock the file. There are some methods to crack WinRAR password using the command prompt, but they just work on integers and other combinations of characters.

 

So, all you need is a 100% working method that cracks the WinRAR password. In this detailed tutorial, we’ll be using a simple password recovery tool to recover your lost/forgotten WinRAR file passwords.

You need to use the .RAR Password Genius to crack WinRAR password and .ZIP Password Genius to crack the WinZIP Password.

In the steps described ahead, I’ll describe how to crack WinRAR password. WinRAR Password Genius is a tiny but powerful password recovery tool that is famous for high speed and guessing the complex password algorithms. It supports all the software that create the .RAR archives.

Let’s get started:

1. To crack the WinRAR passwords, you need to download the WinRAR Password Genius from this link and install it on your PC. This software is the solution to all your worries and it works in three steps to complete the WinRAR password recovery.
2. To start WinRAR recovery process, you need to fire-up the software and import the .RAR file into the WinRAR Password Genius. You can do this by hitting the Open button and look for the .RAR file on your computer to bring it in the Encrypted File box.
3. The software uses multiple attack techniques to crack the WinRAR password. Different kinds of attacks are Brute-force, Mask, Dictionary and Smart. These are used to guess different types of passwords and you need to use these methods accordingly. Read more about these here to select the type and settings.
4. Now after choosing the Type of attack from the drop-down list, select the attack type and crack WinRAR password by pressing the Start button.
5. After this, the software will start its process and recover the WinRAR password for you. As the software cracks the file, a pop-up will appear showing you the password.
6. Now, open the password protected .RAR file in WinRAR and you’ll see a dialog that asks for the password. Now, enter the recovered password and hit enter. This will bypass the password and now you can access your files and extract them.
   

To crack the WinZIP password protected files, you need to use the WinZIP Password Genius.

Did you find this how crack WinRAR password protected file tutorial helpful? Tell us in the comments below.

How to turn night mode ON in Google Chrome

Google Chrome is the most used browser on the Internet as it is fast and secure. Google Chrome has many extensions in the Google Webstore which you can use to change the looks or/and functions of the browser. Have you ever thought of usingNight Mode in Google Chrome? If not, then think now. It’s awesome. You must give night vision a try. As the name suggest, it lets you change the looks of your browser and make your browser look more awesome!!! It can change the looks of any website!!!

Steps to download Hackers Vision in Google Chrome:-

To turn night mode ON in Google Chrome, you need to install Hackers Vision. This will be used to change the looks of your browser to Night mode.

Step 1: Open Google Chrome on your Computer.

Step 2: Open Google Webstore @ http://chrome.google.com/webstore/

Step 3: Now search for Hackers Vision in the search box.Step 4: Click on the extension if you found it, or click here.

Step 5: Now you might see two options here. To TRY it for free or buy it for $2.99. Click on the Try now button.

Step 6: Now the extension is installed on your browser and now you can surf Google Chrome with night mode.You might be thinking what is the difference between the free and paid version. Actually, there is no difference. You can use the free version for 180 days (6 months), to continue using the app, you need to buy it. Thats all. There is no other difference in both of them.
Hope you enjoyed this article. Don’t forget to share this with friends.

How to reduce your Internet data usage in Google Chrome

Almost everyone uses the Internet now a days. Some people use mobiles and tablets where we all have to pay data usage of internet when not using Wi-Fi depending on the amount of MB and GB used. Some people have unlimited subscriptions but the majority of us don’t.

So, in order to pay less to service providers, we need to consume less data. And to consume less data, it is not important that you should surf less websites, you just need to follow a few simple steps mentioned below to consume less data and hence pay less.

Step 1) You must have Google Chrome, because it is currently the fastest browser to surf the Internet and also can be used to help you to consume less data.

Step 2) Download the extension Data Saver (Beta) from Google Web Store for free.

Step 3) After installing the extension, you will see a new icon showing up on the right side of your window. Click on that circle icon to activate the plugin.

Step 4) Once this plugin is activated, you will automatically start saving data. You could also see the percentage of the saved data by clicking on the circular icon again.

This was a very simple but awesome trick to save some data on your computer. Also you could easily monetize the data consumed and used. Hope you enjoyed this article. Don’t forget to share this article with friends.

The Forgotten Genius Nikola Tesla And His 6 Incredible Predictions

The world has been rife with the future predictions and innovations for quite some time. Be it the pioneering space surge, smartphones or AR (HoloLens), everything is coming to reality. Bill Gates predicted some technologies for the future decades as did Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. But, the future as we see now had been predicted almost 90 years before by a genius back then.

Meet Nikola Tesla, an inventor, electrical and a mechanical engineer, a physicist, and a futurist by nature. In an interview given to Collier’s magazine in Jan 30, 1926, Tesla talked some serious business. He imagined of flying machines, wireless power transmissions, cell phones and yes, women’s superiority too, over the coming generations.

Let’s take a look over some of the Tesla’s spot on predictions

1) Television and Mobile Phones

A few years after its invention, Nikola Tesla predicted that with wireless technology being perfected some day, witnessing and hearing events all across the globe will be at fingertips. Tesla was particularly interested in the wireless transmission of power and believed it to be the most significant scientific achievement. He explained:

When wireless is perfectly applied the whole earth will be converted into a huge brain, which in fact it is, all things being particles of a real and rhythmic whole. We shall be able to communicate with one another instantly, irrespective of distance. Not only this, but through television and telephony we shall see and hear one another as perfectly as though we were face to face, despite intervening distances of thousands of miles; and the instruments through which we shall be able to do his will be amazingly simple compared with our present telephone. A man will be able to carry one in his vest pocket.

We shall be able to witness and hear events—the inauguration of a President, the playing of a world series game, the havoc of an earthquake or the terror of a battle—just as though we were present.

When the wireless transmission of power is made commercial, transport and transmission will be revolutionized. Already motion pictures have been transmitted by wireless over a short distance. Later the distance will be illimitable, and by later I mean only a few years hence. Pictures are transmitted over wires—they were telegraphed successfully through the point system thirty years ago. When wireless transmission of power becomes general, these methods will be as crude as is the steam locomotive compared with the electric train.

2) Modern Railways and Flying Machines

Nikola Tesla imagined railways to be revolutionized and airplanes to be super fast. He predicted to reach from New York to Europe in few hours. Well, as of now it is more than few hours. But promise Sir, we are working on it.

Perhaps the most valuable application of wireless energy will be the propulsion of flying machines, which will carry no fuel and will be free from any limitations of the present airplanes and dirigibles.  We shall ride from New York to Europe in a few hours.  International boundaries will be largely obliterated and a great step will be made toward the unification and harmonious existence of the various races inhabiting the globe. 

3) Modern Day Wi-Fi and Other Wireless Powered Devices

Tesla believed Wireless power transmission is the future and the next gen machines will be advanced and power efficient.

Present wireless receiving apparatus will be scrapped for much simpler machines; static and all forms of interference will be eliminated, so that innumerable transmitters and receivers may be operated without interference. It is more than probable that the household’s daily newspaper will be printed ‘wirelessly’ in the home during the night. Domestic management—the problems of heat, light and household mechanics—will be freed from all labor through beneficent wireless power.

4) Genetics and Human Perfection

Much like seen in the sci-fi movies, best of the species are screened and selected to bring a start to a new and stronger race. Although, not that severe in supporting Darwin, but Tesla definitely made some points regarding perfecting the Human Race.

As of now, Humans have not started practicing this theory but the advancements in the technology surely grade the Homo Sapiens of the 21st century better protected by diseases and other threats. So, no perfections biologically but still….

Imagination falters at the prospect of human analogy to this mysterious and superbly dedicated civilization of the bee; but when we consider how the human instinct for race perpetuation dominates life in its normal and exaggerated and perverse manifestations, there is ironic justice in the possibility that this instinct, with the continuing intellectual advance of women, may be finally expressed after the manner of the bee, though it will take centuries to break down the habits and customs of peoples that bar the way to such a simply and scientifically ordered civilization.

We have seen a beginning of this in the United States. In Wisconsin, the sterilization of confirmed criminals and pre-marriage examination of males is required by law, while the doctrine of eugenics is now boldly preached where a few decades ago its advocacy was a statutory offense.

Old men have dreamed dreams and young men have seen visions from the beginning of time. We of today can only sit and wonder when a scientist has his say.

5) Female Superiority

Nikola Tesla predicted women to be empowered and socially superior to man. He imagined women to acknowledge themselves and do what’s right for them.

This struggle of the human female toward sex equality will end in a new sex order, with the female as superior.  The modern woman, who anticipates in merely superficial phenomena the advancement of her sex, is but a surface symptom of something deeper and more potent fermenting in the bosom of the race.

It is not in the shallow physical imitation of men that women will assert first their equality and later their superiority, but in the awakening of the intellect of women.

Through countless generations, from the very beginning, the social subservience of women resulted naturally in the partial atrophy or at least the hereditary suspension of mental qualities which we now know the female sex to be endowed with no less than men.

6) Tapping of Volcanoes’ Energy

That sounded preposterous at that time, but of now there have been some advancements to utilize a mere fraction of the power that these fire spitting landforms have.

Tesla was a technological genius and a brilliant philosopher of his time. As intuitive as he was, he foresaw the world as we see now.

10 Inventions That Make Nikola Tesla One Of The Greatest Scientists Of All Time

Nikola Tesla, who is regarded as of the greatest scientists of all times, has gifted the world in every possible way in terms of electricity, light, radio, transmitter and even x-rays. He has made more than 700 inventions and had over 100 patents in his lifetime.

Nikola Tesla, who is one of the greatest scientists of all time obtained more than 100 patents in his lifetime. Despite his 700 inventions, Tesla was not wealthy. He worked in his room for many years, at the Hotel New Yorker, where he died.

Take a quick look at some of this greatest inventions:

1. Alternating Current:

Alternating current wasn’t invested by Tesla. However, his outstanding contribution in making its usage simple shall always make it one of his greatest inventions. Tesla, who worked for Edison at that time pointed out the flaws and inefficiency of Edison’s direct current electrical powerhouses.

DC current flows continuously in a direction, where as alternating current be stepped up to very high voltage levels as it changes its direction 50-60 times per second, thus minimizing power loss across great distances. Even after the much bitterness between Edison and Tesla regarding the AC vs DC war, ultimately, Nikola Tesla developed polyphase alternating current system of generators, motors and transformers and held 40 basic U.S. Patents on the system. This was bought by George Westinghouse, which marked the nationwide and thereafter, worldwide usage of electricity.

2. The Tesla Turbine:

In the early 20th century, which was primarily the era of piston engine in automobiles, Tesla invented his own engine in turbine style, which was bladeless  and used made use of smooth discs that spun in a chamber. The fuel efficiency of his engine was 60% (which was a great achievement at that time as the current fuel efficiency level we are at is 42%).

3. The Tesla Coil

The Tesla Coil is another of his greatest inventions. It is a high-frequency air-core transformer which takes the output from a 120vAC to several kilovolt transformer & driver circuit and steps it up to an extremely high voltage (above 1,000,000 volts) and are discharged in the form of electrical arcs. Tesla coils create extremely powerful electrical fields, which define their uniqueness.

4. & 5. Radio And Remote Control

Tesla patented a radio controlled robot-boat which was used to control radio waves  in the Electrical Exhibition in 1898. Tesla’s robot-boat was constructed with an antenna, transmitted the radio waves which were again received by coherer.

This transmitted the radio waves into mechanical movements of the propellers on the boat. Thus, the boat directions could be manually operated.

6. Magnifying Transmitter

Tesla built the largest and most powerful Tesla Coil, called The Magnifying Transmitter. This had three coils and was 52 feet in diameter. What made it the biggest lightning at that time was the fact that it generated electricity of the order of millions of volts and shot lightning bolts (approximately 130 feet long).

7. Neon Lamp

Tesla created the first neon signs at the World’s Fair by taking glass tubes and bending them into famous scientists’ names, in effect creating the first neon signs. Also, he converted black light into visible light using a phosphorescent substance (which was created by him).

8. Shadowgraph

Tesla obtained images of a human body which he called shadowgraph. Also, Tesla experimented with reflected x-rays and described features of transmitted and reflected rays.

Besides, explaining changes in x-ray characteristics as being caused by variations in x-ray tubes and electrical generators, Tesla also realized the biological hazards of working with unipolar x-ray tubes.

9. Adams Power Plant Transformer House

Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse built the first hydro-electric power plant in  Niagara Falls 1895, thereby ensuring the beginning of electrification of the world.

10. Induction Motor

Nikola Tesla invented the induction motor with rotating magnetic field that made unit drives for machines feasible. What’s more is that he made AC power transmission an economic necessity.

Despite being a genius, Tesla was not wealthy, some of his inventions never got recognised. What are your views on it? Tell us in the comments below.