Darknet : Your Guide to the Badlands of the Internet

Darknet – Totally Diverse Being

If there tends to be something peculiar going on online, then the same could be taking place on the darknet such as hacked login details, cybersecurity exploits put up for hire and much more. In 2013, Target had been hacked and details of customer card had turned up on darknet marketplaces. Hackers had also attempted to do the same with login credential of Yahoo as well as details of O2 phone network customers in the UK.

One will find cybercriminals also selling security exploits. With the growth of bitcoin, the currency of choice on the darknet and unidentified payments seems to be much easier than before. A news enquiry in Australia had recently discovered that an unidentified darknet user had offered up access to the Medicare records of `any Australian’ for only 0.0089 bitcoin - $22, AU$30, £18. Europol has mentioned that the darknet together with the other peer-to-peer networks are yet the `main platform’ for the purpose of sharing child abuse material.

For users using Chrome or Safari to get online, the darknet is said to be a totally diverse being and how could it be diverse from the `surface web’ which we are aware of? What is it that users need to be aware of in advance should one intend to wade in?

`Darknet’ Not Same as `Deep Web’

We need to know that the darknet is not the same as the `deep web’, which is referred to any area of the internet which is not noticeable by search engine. However that does not mean that is suspicious and there are several other sites one would visit in their daily browsing which may fall in this classification. When a user tends to log in to internet banking, they are navigated to a particular location online and one that is not assisted in Google results.

The same could go for various pages which may tend to pop up in webmail services such as Gmail or educational databases on a university network. It seems to be complex in estimating presently how big the deep web could be though the generally cited research, (from 2001) has placed the deep web at 400 to 500 times the size of the `surface web’.

It is said that if the surface web could be the tip of the iceberg and the deep web, of what lies below the water, then the darknet would be what one would find deep in the blackest water beneath. The darknet itself is the network while the dark web the content which is served up on these networks.

Hidden Crime Bazaars

According to researcher Brian Krebs, it is here that one would find a type of open market which tends to pursue their trade in illegal wares, the hidden crime bazaars which can only be accessed through special software that obscures one’s true location online.

Last month the UN had observed that though the drug trafficking over the darknet seems to be comparatively uncertain, drug transaction has increased by 50% annually from September 2013 to January 2016. Moreover in early 2016, Loretta Lynch the then-US Attorney General had cautioned that some gun sales had been shifting to the dark web in order to stay beyond the reach of regulations.

 Here the main key is secrecy and whistle-blowers, activists together with political insurgents definitely tend to a valid reason to obscure their online location and post secrecy on the deep web as well as the darknet, though that level of secrecy has also been sought by the criminals.

Precise Software/Devoted Browser

This does not seem to be a matter of issues to `darknet.com’ and to spy one would need precise software together with a devoted browser. Most probably the Tor software and its dedicated Tor Browser are the most famous of these but there are other comprising of I2P and Freenet.

By utilising software initially called The Onion Router, Tor tends to secure traffic by routing it via a network of secure relays which anonymize traffic. These relays are said to be run by volunteers all over the world who donate their server bandwidth. Considering it as a network of safe house, one travels through underground tunnels which run along the line of the street above and tend to pop out where you desire safe houses donated by fellow network users.

However with links on the darknet, it is usually only alphanumeric stings of gibberish and could be very difficult to know what you’re getting. It is significant to recall that Tor is not illegal software, only as torrenting software, does not do anything illegal till one tends to use the same in sharing pirated movies.

Tor states that plenty of `normal people’ tend to use its service together with citizen journalists, whistle-blowers, law enforcement agencies and as per Human Rights Watch, Chinese dissidents. As per the estimates of Tor only around 4% of traffic over its network is for hidden services and the rest is people accessing regular internet sites with greater secrecy.

Ultra-Thin Camera Creates Images Without Lenses

Ultra-Thin Optical Phased Array

Cameras, those on the traditional side inclusive of the thinnest ones on cell phones cannot be really flat owing to their optics and lenses tend to need a definite shape and size for functioning. Engineers at Caltech have established a latest strategy Camera with out lens which tends to substitute the lenses with an ultra-thin optical phased array – OPA. The OPA is said to computationally do what lenses tend to do utilising huge pieces of glass, manipulating incoming light in order to capture an image. Lenses are said to have a curve which is inclined to bend the path of incoming light focusing it onto a piece of film or an image sensor in the case of digital cameras. The OPA tends to have a huge array of light receivers and each tend to individually add a tightly controlled time delay or phase shift to the light it seems to receive, thus permitting the camera to selectively view in various directions as well as focus on various things. Ali Hajimiri, Bren professor of Electrical Engineering and medical Engineering in the Division of Engineering and Applied Science at Caltech and the principal investigator of a paper defining the new camera had commented that like most of the other thing in life here, timing is everything.

Fish-Eye to Telephoto Lens

With the new system one can selectively view in a desired direction and at very small part of the image before you at any given point of time by controlling the timing with femto-second, quadrillionth of a second, precision. The paper had been presented at the Optical Society of America’s – OSA Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics – CLEO which had been published online in March 2017 by the OSA in the OSA Technical Digest.

Hajimiri had stated that they had generated a single thin layer of assimilated silicon photonics which tends to follow the lens and sensor of a digital camera thereby reducing the thickness as well as the cost of digital cameras. It tends to imitate a regular lens though can switch from a fish-eye to a telephoto lens promptly with only a simple alteration in the way the array tends to receive light. Phased arrays utilised in wireless communications and radar are said to be an assembly of distinct transmitters which all seem to send out same signal as waves.

These waves interfere with each other constructively and destructively, amplifying the signal in one direction though cancels it out elsewhere. Consequently an array can develop a firmly engrossed beam of signal that can be directed in various directions by staggering the timing of transmission that has developed at various points all over the array.

One-Dimensional Version of Camera

An identical source had been used in reverse, in optical phased array receiver that is the basis for the new camera. The light waves which are received by individual element all over the array, cancel each other from every direction with the exception of one.

 The waves amplify each other in that direction in order to create a directed `gaze’ which can be electronically organized. Graduate student Reza Fatemi lead author of the OSA paper commented that what the camera does is same as looking through a thin straw and scanning it across the field of view. An image can be formed at an extremely quick speed on controlling the light rather than moving a mechanical object.

The team of Hajimiri had rolled out a one-dimensional version of the camera, last year which had the potential of detecting images in a line such as it acted like a lensless barcode reader though with no mechanically moving parts. The progress this year was to build the first two dimensional array with the proficiency of creating a full image.

The first 2D lensless camera tends to have an array composed of only 64 light receivers in a 8 x 8 grid and the resulting image is said to have low resolution. However this system has a tendency of representing a proof of concept for fundamental rethinking of camera technology according to Hajimiri and his colleagues.

Designing Chips – Higher Resolution/Sensitivity

Graduate student Behrooz Abiri, co-author of the OSA paper had stated that the application seems endless and even in present days’ smartphones, the camera is said to be the component which limits how thin ones’ phone could get.

This technology, once scaled could make lenses and thick cameras out-dated. It could also have consequences of astronomy by permitting ultra-light, ultra-thin massive flat telescopes on ground as well as in space.

Hajimiri informed that the ability in controlling all the optical properties of a camera electronically utilising a paper-thin layer of low-cost silicon photonic without the need of any mechanical movement, lenses or mirrors gives way to a new world of imagers which could look like wallpaper, blind or also wearable fabric. The team would work next on topping up the camera by designing chips which would enable much bigger receivers with higher resolution and sensitivity.

Hybrid Driving-Flying Robots Could Go Beyond the Flying Car

Flying Robots – Significant Application in the Future

According to a latest study, groups of flying robot, whether they tend to be swooping in delivering packages or identifying victims in disaster zones, seems to have a range of significant applications in the future. The robots have the tendency to switch from driving to flying without colliding with each other and can also provide assistance beyond the traditionally flying car notion of sci-fi knowledge, as per the study.

The capability of flying as well as walking is mutual in nature, for instance several birds; insects together with other animals tend to do both the functions. Robots having the same flexibility have a tendency to fly over obstructions on the ground or drive under directly above obstacles.

However, according to study lead author Brandon Araki, a roboticist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory together with his colleagues had stated in their new study that, presently, robots which tend to be good at a mode of transportation are generally bad at others.

Robot - `Flying Monkey’

Formerly the researchers had established a robot known as the `flying monkey’, which could run as well as fly and also clasp items. The researchers however had to program the paths which the flying monkey would take, which meant that it could not find safe routes on its own.

These researchers have now created flying cars which tend to fly and also drive through a simulated city-like setting which seems to have parking spots, no-fly zones and landing pads. Besides, the researchers had stated that these drones are inclined to move independently without bumping into each other. Araki had informed Live Science that their vehicles can find their own safe paths.

The scientists had taken eight four-rotor `quadcopter’ drones and had placed two small motors with wheels towards the bottom of each drone, in order to make them skilful for driving. In models, the robots could fly for about 295 feet – 90 meters or drive for 826 feet - 252 meters before the draining of their batteries. It was said that the roboticists established systems which ensured that the robots refrained from colliding with one another.

Driving – Efficient than Flying

All the drones had successfully navigated from a starting point to the ending point on collision-free path in tests conducted in a miniature town using daily materials like pieces of fabrics for roads and cardboard boxes for buildings.

According to the researches, with the addition of the driving device to individual drone gave rise to extra weight as well as slightly reduced battery life, reducing the maximum distance which the drone could fly by around 14%. Moreover, they also observed that driving seemed to be more effective than flying, compensating somewhat small loss in competence to flying owing to the extra weight.

Araki had commented that `the most important implication of the research was that vehicles which combine flying and driving have the potential to be both much more efficient as well as useful than vehicles which can only drive or only fly’. The scientists had warned that fleets of automated flying taxies are probably not coming anytime shortly.

He stated that their present system of drones certainly is not adequately tough to really carry people at the moment. Still these experiments with quadcopters help explore several ideas linked to flying cars.

How to Protect Your Computer with Free Software

These free programs protect your computer

Viruses, trojans or data pioneers: Computers are constantly exposed to attacks. Antivirus programs promise remedy. Stubborn pests often require more intensive treatment.

It can happen that viruses, trojans or other malicious programs can get into your system. As a rule, any malicious software that reports your antivirus software should be removed with the application.

Stubborn pests often require more intensive treatment. In these cases, use free tools that are specialized in the thorough removal of malware. "Computer Image" shows the best programs with which you can free your PC from any kind of malware.

A good antivirus program as a basic protection is mandatory to protect the PC from threats. It does not always have to be expensive security suites, even if they are fully protected. But also free software makes the PC safer.

The important thing is a combination of program packages since individual software solutions do not always eliminate all problems. For example, there is often no firewall included in antivirus freeware.
Earlier, malware reached so often by infected e-mail attachments to the PC. This species of data is less common today, but it has not yet died out.

Scanners and firewalls do not allow viruses

Often, infected codes hide in web pages. Interferences in the browser are files on the PCs and cause damage. Here an anti-virus program helps with real-time detection. Such software will immediately alert you as soon as it detects suspicious files on your PC.

In addition, you should install a firewall. These programs monitor network movements and prevent malicious software from reaching your computer via the Internet or local network. The following overview shows which free programs make your PC safer.

However, viruses, trojans, or other malicious programs can still get into your system. As a rule, any malicious software that reports your antivirus software should be removed with the application. Encryption tools, password manager and more

In order to prevent pests from reaching your PC, you should prevent them and use an anti-virus program. It is recommended to use additional security programs: TrueCrypt, for example, encrypts confidential data and prevents third parties from accessing it. KeePass 2 maintains logging data securely in protected areas.

Anonymity programs such as Hotspot Shield give your PC a different IP address, preventing websites from identifying you. Data shredders like DBAN turn your data so secure that even professionals can not restore them.

And with Avast Browser Cleanup, you can remove unintended, sometimes even harmful, toolbars from your browser. With which free programs you completely protect your PC, "Computer Bild" shows in the photo-stretch.

Real-time scanners and firewalls

A protected PC is primarily an anti-virus software and a firewall. With a special web protection, anti-virus programs also ensure that your browser does not even call up websites that are infected. Firewalls prevent hacker attacks and prevent your programs from sending data unwittingly to the Internet.

Important: You should choose an antivirus and firewall program and not use multiple programs in parallel. Failure to do so could cause problems such as PC crashes.

Vivo announces its X9s and X9s Plus phones

X9s & X9s Plus – Bigger Batteries/Wider Bodies

Two new smartphones have been debuted by Chinese phone maker Vivo in China recently namely X9s and X9s Plus. Both the phones are said to be a bit upgraded versions of the earlier X9 devices. The X9s Plus will be introduced on sale from July 8 when the registration for the X9s will be debuted on July 14 and the same will be going on sale beginning from July 20.

The X9s and X9s Plus would be launched in three colour options namely Rose Gold, Matte Black and Gold. The updated model comprises of bigger batteries, little wider bodies and tends to run Android Nougat. Similar to the older version they tend to have dual selfie cameras and their specs have not altered much. However one can expect the following from the X9s Plus which comes at a price of 2,998 Yuan or around $440:

•  Android Nougat 
•  4,015mAh battery 
•  5.85-inch Full HD AMOLED display 
•  Front fingerprint sensor 
•  16-megapixel rear-facing camera, 20-megapixel/50megapixel front-facing cameras 
•  4GB of RAM, 64GB storage

Vivo - 5th Most Popular Smartphone Maker

The regular X9s tends to have same specs though has a smaller display and battery. Moreover it also comprises of a dual selfie cameras which Vivo tends to be utilising in creating a background blurring effect. Other companies have also been experimenting with dual selfie cameras. Companies like LG, Oppo and Alcatel tend to have built dual front-facing cameras in their devices though they usually tend to utilise them in capturing wider shots.

Vivo according to an analyst firm is said to be the fifth most popular smartphone maker in the world having most of its market focused in India and China. The company is attempting to gain recognition through sponsorship like the next two World Cup, and it won’t be surprising to hear more regarding Vivo. The Vivo X9s boasts of 5.5-inch FHD 1080p AMOLED display where the Plus variant has a large 5.85-inch FHD 1080p AMOLED display. Both the smartphones are said to have narrow bezels together with a fingerprint sensor which is embedded in their home button towards the front area.

Employs – Octa-Core Snapdragon

The Vivo X9s tends to employ an octa-core Snapdragon 652 processor,below the hood and the Vivo X9s Plus tends to have an octa-core Snapdragon 653 processor. Both of these processors are supported by 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage space.

 While running on Android 7.1 Nougat, these phones are said to be topped with Funtouch OS 3.1 and the imaging features comprises of a 16MP main camera with LED flash together with PDAF as well as a dual camera setup towards the front. This comprises of a 20MP main sensor together with soft LED flash and a 5MP subordinate sensor.

From the connectivity point of view, the Vivo smartphone are said to be equipped with 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS as well as a dual SIM support. The Vivo X9s is said to be controlled by a 3320mAh battery while the X9s Plus is powered by a 4015mAh battery and both the batteries tend to support fast charging also.