How to make software more secure against new threats?

Technology is developing into leaps and bounds everyday and in the last few years it has grown at such a rapid rate that now almost every system existing in mankind is driven by some software custom written for that particular system. From buying a simple movie ticket to doing money transfer, every process has become completely automated and can be processed just by using a few mouse clicks and a few keyboard entries. Online business has become the "in thing" and will be here to stay for long, long time to come. Online transactions are easier to do, faster to process, and comfortable to enjoy...but riskier also. Whenever a genuine software is developed for a particular process, a malicious software is also developed by some evil brains to take advantages of any loopholes that software might have left. There are so many phishing websites, rootkits, Trojans, Spywares, Adwares on Internet that the anti-virus keeps updating every seconds and still these viruses keep coming in. The anti-virus software tries their best to eliminate or even quarantine these malicious codes from infecting one's computer but more often than not these viruses are able to defeat the anti-virus security system by taking advantages of the loopholes that generally is found in almost every software we use.

So, why these loopholes are left in the software? Well, it's not the fault of the software developer. In fact, right from the conceptualization of a particular software, a dedicated team starts working on the security aspect of the software. This team keeps tracks of any corruption that might have taken place during the development phase. The software testers do their best to test the software's resistance power against unknown enemies and give their best suggestions to the development team to fill up any loopholes they found during testing phase. Now, when the software is finally implemented after successfully going through all security checkpoints, frequent security patches are needed to be installed frequently to counter the threat against new and more advanced malicious codes.

The best way to achieve the highest level of online security is to be prepared for the worst imagined scenario only at the time of the conceptualization of the software. The software should have gone through every possible security checks and then the software should also be programmed to auto-correct itself in case of this being infected by some viruses. The saying "offence is the best defence" should be implemented as an essential rule for development of a software, so that the software should be able to self-defend itself in times of attacks.

Thus, online security can only be made more secure by taking care of all security measures during the conceptualization, development, testing, implementation, and after sales phases of the software installation and regular security patches should be applied periodically so that the software is able to defend against new virus definitions that keeps evolving every single hour. Online transactions can be more fun if one feels more safe while trading online and thus more and more people will start using this comfortable business tool.

© 2009 Ranjan Kumar

Most stunning one-liners of all time

One-liners are the line that struck you the moment you hear them. Some one-liners are just so breath-taking that you just have to say...wow...that's something...

Here is my compilation of best one-liners from Hollywood and Bollywood.

“Those are my principles, and if you don’t like them… well, I have others”.

Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies”.

An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.

There are two things that are endless: the universe and the human stupidity, but I’m not sure about the first one.

My wife and I were happy for 20 years, then we met.

I could tell my parents hated me, my bath toys were a toaster and a radio.

I haven't spoken to my wife in years. I didn't want to interrupt her.

It's not that I'm afraid to die. I just don't want to be there when it happens.

Excuses are like assholes, everybody's got one.

How many republicans does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

If you were going to shoot a mime, would you use a silencer?

You ought to get out of those wet clothes and into a dry Martini.

Men should be like Kleenex- soft, strong and disposable.

Your ego is writing checks your body can’t cash.

Women need a reason to have sex. Men just need a place.

I do wish we could chat longer, but I’m having an old friend for dinner.

Warning! Assholes are closer than they appear.

Either get busy living, or get busy dying.

The almighty tells me he can get me out of this mess, but he’s pretty sure you’re fucked.

There’s only two men I trust. One of ‘em’s me, the other one’s not you.

No one likes a kiss-ass.

Honey, just ’cause I talk slow doesn’t mean I’m stupid.

There’s nothing like a first kiss.

Life is not the amount of breaths you take. It’s the moments that take your breath away.

Now some one-liners from Bollywood:

Rishte me to hum tumhare baap hote hain, naam hai Shahenshah!"

Saara shehar mujhe LOIN ke naame se jaanta hain.

Main tumhaare bachche ki maa banne waali hoon.

Tumhara naam kya hai, Basanti?"

Jo dar gaya samjho mar gaya.

Kutte, main tera khoon pee jaaonga.

Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahin, naamumkin hai!

Aadhe idhar jaao, aadhe udhar jaao, baaki hamare saath aao.

Mera naam hai Crime Master Gogo, aankhen nikaal ke gotiyan khelta hoon!"

Tumhari shaadi usse nahin hogi jisse tum pyaar karti ho, balki usse hogi jisse main pyaar karta hoon.
Main aaj bhi phenke hue paise nahin uthata.

My pain is my destiny and I can't avoid it.

I can talk English, I can walk English, and I can laugh English because English is a very phunny language. Bhairo becomes Byron because their minds are very narrow.

Hamare desh mein kaam dhoondhana bhi ek kaam hai.

Some of my favorite Ajit jokes:
Ise liquid oxygen me daal do. Liquid ise jeene nahi dega aur oxygen ise marne nahi dega.

Raabert, ise ShamePain mein daal tho, agar Shame se nahi mara to Pain se mar jayega.

Rabert! isko eraser se maar do, yeh mar bhi jayega aur mit bhi jayega.

Peter! Is saale ko super-conductor me daal do, saala bus mein ticket dete-dete thak jayega.

Ise microprocessor mein daal do...BIT by BIT marega !

Raabert, Ise varnish mein daal do, saala mar bhi jaayega aur finish bhi aa jaayegi.

Raabert, Isss Haramzaade ko social security pe daal doo. Saale ko Society jeene nahin degea aur security isse marne nahin degea.

Some evergreen classics from James Bond movies:
Martini; shaken, not stirred”

“The name’s Bond. James Bond.”

Do you mind if my friend sits this one out? She’s just dead.

Now the whole world will know that you died scratching my balls.

Miss Anders… I didn’t recognize you with your clothes on.”

Dudes...do send me some more interesting one-liners...I just love them.

© 2009 Ranjan Kumar

Michael Jackson 911 Emergency Call complete transcript

The King is no more, but the legend continues. The mystery continues even after the death of the biggest pop star the world will perhaps ever see. The cause of MJ's death is still not clear, though doctors have confirmed coronary arrest, but what led to that massive arrest is not clear and perhaps will not be clear until and unless the full postmortem and toxicology report is out. Authorities have released 911 emergency call from Michael's home to seek help which also clears the point that MJ's primary care doctor was present with him, though now a fugitive.

Here is the complete transcript of the 911 emergency call:

Operator: Paramedic 33, what is the address of your emergency?

Caller from MJ's home: Yes sir, I need an ambulance as soon as possible, sir

Operator: Ok sir, what's your address?

Caller from MJ's home: Los Angeles California, 90077

Operator: Carolwood?

Caller from MJ's home: Carolwood Drive, yes

Operator: Ok sir, what's the phone number you are calling from?

Caller from MJ's home: Sir, we have a gentleman here that needs help. He's stopped breathing, he's not breathing and we are trying to pump him, but he's not, he's not...

Operator: Ok... ok, how old is he?

Caller from MJ's home: He's 50 years old, sir

Operator: Ok. He's not conscious, he's not breathing?

Caller from MJ's home: Yes, he's not breathing sir

Operator: And he's not conscious either?

Caller from MJ's home: No, he's not conscious sir

Operator: Ok (pause). Alright, is he on the floor, where's he at right now?

Caller from MJ's home: He's on the bed sir, he's on the bed

Operator: Ok let's get him on the floor

Caller from MJ's home: Ok

Operator: Ok let's get him down to the floor. I'm gonna help you with CPR right now, Ok

Caller from MJ's home: We need him... we need a...

Operator: Yes, we're already on our way there. We're on our way. I'm gonna do as far as I can to help you over the phone. We're already on our way. Did anybody see him?

Caller from MJ's home: Yes we have a personal doctor here with him, sir

Operator: Oh you have a doctor there?

Caller from MJ's home: Yes. But he's not responding to anything to no... no... he's not responding to the CPR or anything

Operator: Oh, OK. Well we're on our way there. If your guy is doing CPR and you're instructed by a doctor he has a higher authority than me. And he's there on the scene

Caller from MJ's home: Ok

Operator: Did anybody witness what happened?

Caller from MJ's home: No, just the doctor, sir. The doctor's been the only one here

Operator: Ok so did the doctor see what happened?

Doctor: did you see what happened sir? (inaudible voice) Sir, just, if you can please...

We are on our way. We are on our way. I'm just passing these questions on to my paramedics who are on their way there, sir.

Caller from MJ's home: Thank you sir. He's pumping, he's pumping his chest but he's not responding to anything sir. Please

Operator: Ok, OK, we are on our way. We are less than a mile away and we will be there shortly.

Caller from MJ's home: Thank you sir, thank you

Operator: Ok sir. Call us back if you need any help. Thank you

© 2009 Ranjan Kumar

Bloggers Beware - FTC might come after you

This might not sound so good to my fellow bloggers across the globe, but if reports are to be believed, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has now decided to scrutinize the blogs written on product reviews making false claims about the product. This is a bitter truth that blog advertising has become a very big business whereby bloggers are earning handsome amount of money by blogging about products or even providing a link that leads to that particular product. Bloggers are getting anywhere from $2 to $200 per post depending upon Blog's Page Rank and Alexa ranking. This new blogging trend has been benefiting a lot of bloggers across the globe where they have now started blogging not just as an interest but to enable them to have an alternative income source. But, now bloggers have to be very careful before blogging about a new product because FTC has now decided to very carefully scrutinize the blogs doing reviews about a particular product. They are bringing new guidelines which will allow agencies to go after the bloggers as well as companies who make any false claims about their products.

This might alarm the bloggers now openly writing paid posts and getting paid handsomely, but it will be really interesting to hear from blogging community about their feeling about this new monitoring practice being planned by FTC. I mean, it does sound a bit too much. Everyday, we see thousands of advertisements flashing on TV channels, newspapers, magazines, FM channel and those tele shopping network. Does anyone check if Dettol removes 99.9% germs as they claim or Peposodent 10 is a complete toothpaste for all your dental needs or if those height-growing sandals and weight-reducing sauna belts are actually able to achieve what they claim and if not, then what is the monitoring authority doing to go after TV channels that show such advertisements or programs. In fact, if they go by this policy, I guarantee 100% of TV channels, newspapers, magazines, and radio will have to be penalized for showing wrong information or making false claims. So, why this double standard? Why you are going only after poor individual bloggers who are just doing some creative writing but letting free all those media moguls and advertising gurus? Somebody should answer this basic question. Wat say guys...do voice your opinion on this burning topic.

© 2009 Ranjan Kumar

Airtel brings Android to India

The Google magic is set to roll in Indian mobile market with Airtel launching India's first Android mobile phone in collaboration with HTC. Since Google announced Android phones, Indians have been eagerly waiting for this small wonder to come to India and time has now finally come. Though initially coming with a high price tag of Rs. 29,900, Airtel has planned to launch it simultaneously across 17 cities in India, namely Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Coimbatore, Cochin, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Lucknow, Bhubaneswar, Patna.

So, what is Android by the way. Well, Android is a software platform for Mobile phones running on Linux operating system. It was first developed by Google and later moved forward by Open Handset Alliance (a consortium of hardware, software, and telecom companies working together) to develop open standards for mobile devices. Thus, Android is an open-source product where one can develop his own source codes written in Java language controlling the device via Google-developed libraries.

So, how is Android different than other feature-rich high-end mobile phones or iPhone? Well, here I will try to summarize five major pluses that Android has over other phones:

1. Since Android works on open source, it gives the user option to develop their own program and features and thus allows users to have their own customized programs tailored specifically for them.
2. Since, Android has been developed by a consortium of hardware, software, and telecom companies, they have standardized application creation to a large extent and thus allowing users to have a standard platform for documentation, procedure, and application sharing.
3. Android is cheaper than iPhone.
4. A large support base is available for Android users since a lot of major players are involved in its development.
5. Android allows a great amount of flexibility and opportunities for new innovations to take place.

All in all, Android should be a great experience across the users in India and we all are eagerly waiting to see how it really feels having an Android in our palm.

© 2009 Ranjan Kumar

Satyam is now Mahindra Satyam and Kooldudz scores a century

It's official now. The word Satyam ceases to exist alone in the corporate world from today and has been changed to Mahindra Satyam as they thought Satyam cannot stand on its own and needed the value of Mahindra's. This seems to be a good strategic move made by Mahindra people to retain the name of scam-hit Satyam to brand it as an amalgamation of Satyam's technical expertise and niche and Mahindra's corporate values and thus retaining a part of the Satyam's identity and at the same time deleting the part that contained the part Ramalinga Raju. Now, Satyam employees can be relieved a bit with the addition of the word Mahindra in front of it that Mahindra bosses will take equally good care of Mahindra Satyam as take care of the employees of Tech Mahindra. This also means that Pune-based IT major Tech Mahindra and Hyderabad-based Mahindra Satyam will continue to operate as two separate players in the IT industry where they can both even bid for some projects individually and but cannot bid together for projects that require domain expertise. Satyam's expertise has been well known in SAP and ERP domain while Tech Mahindra has proved its mattle in support systems like OSS and BSS and thus giving them a sharp edge over the other IT majors who will now have to rethink about their strategies to counter these two giants.

This blog is Kooldudz's 100th post on "Cool Dudes Chill Out." It has been a long and continuous journey which has been ably supported by readers not only from India but a reader base that spans 38 countries and thus making "Cool Dudes Chill Out" really a global phenomenon. Thanks to all the readers for sparing their valuable time and reading the posts and thus giving me the strength to go on and score a thousand. Once again, thanks a lot one and all.

© 2009 Ranjan Kumar

Can Tigers be mauled by Green Hunters?

Today is the day that 2 Asian cricketing giants will once again try to prove their supremacy over each other after the third giant India missing the train in the Super 8's stage only. Lankan Tigers have been playing like anything and they are mauling everyone coming their way ruthlessly. The Green Hunters from Pakistan have finally managed to reach in front of the tigers after having a rather rollercoaster ride through a lot of hindrances but finally the hunters and tigers are opposite each other. It's a battle between Hunters' flair versus Tigers' agression or vice versa. If the hunters can get their acts together and shoot for the kill, there is no power in the world that can stop them from killing tigers, but even the slightest of error from hunters and the tigers will jump over you and then there is no way the hunters can save themselves. Hunters have in their armory the Sher "Afridi," Cool "Shoaib," perfectionist "Younis," maverick "Akmal," finisher "Misbah," and fiery "Gul". If they get going, Tigers can be mauled easily, BUT if any of them falters the likes of old fox "jayasuria," smiling assasin "Murali," dynamic "Dilshaan," magician "Mahela," superman "Sangakara," mysterious "Mendis," and melodramatic "Malinga" will prawl upon them and then it's Dooms Day for the Hunters.

Watch out for a maha entertainment that might just take one's breath away, BUT I think this match might be a one-sided affair where one of two teams will wilt under pressure soon at the beginning of the game and we might just see another lackluster match like the 2 semi-finals. If the two teams are able to take the match to the wires, then I think Pakistan will win that is for sure. My verdict for the game is if Lankans are going to win this match, they will win it very easily, BUT if Pakis are to win this match, this will be the most thrilling match one would have seen in the recent future. Reason I am saying this is because Pakistanis are the most exciting cricketers in the world, BUT at the same time they are of the most unpredictable sorts. They either play superb as a team or just fall like a pack of cards. So, if Tigers have to win, they just have to do one single thing, go out, bat first and go after Gul and Afridi from the very first ball or they will get on top and then you can't do anything. If you have to ball first, get Afridi first ball out and you will win easily but if they fail to do so, believe me Hunters will maul Tigers.

© 2009 Ranjan Kumar

After Bing, now Google services blocked in China

Just on my last post about ongoing Bing Vs Google battle, I had mentioned about a few services of Bing being banned in China and some Muslim countries and now China has banned a part of Google search services and ordering Google China to clear up some of the lewd contents before allowing it to function fully. China has world's largest population of Internet users and when it suspends the Internet giant to fully operate itself in China, it does come back as a setback for Google, already under intense pressure after the launch of Bing. In fact, Google, Inc., has taken very swift action in this regard and have issued a statement stating that it is working very hard to block all sorts of pornographic contents from reaching users through Google China. The crackdown has come from Chinese authority on Google after its failure to successfully implement filtering services for its search services to filter out all pornographic contents from reaching user, which Bing so effectively does. In fact, Google has also been asked to suspend searches for certain keywords that result in opening lewd contents on the browser. This is the third time in a year that Chinese authorities have warned Google to act upon its filtering services and I think it's time that Google pulls up its socks or it might lose the world's largest Internet population in coming days that might just start the greatest fall of the giant of Internet which it has so ruthlessly ruled for over a decade.

But this move by China comes as a surprise to many. Talking about Internet ethics from Chinese authorities is too big a pill to swallow. In fact, if one researches deep into the origin of Internet hacking, spamware, spyware, and all sorts of malicious viruses, he finds that most of these malicious worms originate from a Chinese IPs and the entire world has been battling hard to counter these Chinese menaces and now China is talking about Internet ethics...wat say guys. Well, Google must improve its filtering services to give us more decent search results but can we expect Chinese Internet watchdogs to take action against those virus originators also which crashes down more than a million PCs everyday across the globe. Let's hope so...

© 2009 Ranjan Kumar

Bing continues to grow steadily

Good news for Microsoft Network, but might not be as good for Google people. Bing has managed to grow steadily in the third week since its launch on May 25. The Decision Engine has managed to attract 16.7% of all search share on Internet against 15.8% the previous week and compared to 13.7% of search share in the very first week of gala Bing launch.

In fact, Microsoft is committed to further consolidate its position in the Internet search share which has been dominated by the big fish Google for more than a decade now. That is why, MSN has preferred to call it a Decision Engine rather than a Search Engine with some added features like E-commerce facility and ticket booking in just a few clicks, which gives it a definite edge over Google, which is till now silently watching Bing grow. But, Bing still has a long way to go, considering Google owns a very superior 65% search share followed distantly by Yahoo which has about 20% share and Microsoft at a very poor third at 8%. But, the launch of Bing has definitely succeeded in establishing a core edge in Search engine market share for Microsoft, which is very tactfully playing its game.

One of the tools Bing has added is SafeSearch whereby it allows user to block anything they find offensive to them. At the same time, Bing has been marred in controversy by allowing users to watch full-motion snippets of porn videos, which prompted China and some other Muslim countries to disable this function.

In any case, Microsoft has been able to generate enough curiosity in the market by launching Bing that they are very hopeful of giving Google and Yahoo a run for their own money in the future. So, best of luck to Bing and a word of advice to Google and Yahoo to do something great to cope with this cute menace called Bing.

© 2009 Ranjan Kumar

Search is sick, Bing is the cure - Bing Vs Google

After a decade of search engine monopoly, finally Google has a competitor and that too is from its old good rival Microsoft. Microsoft has launched its new search engine Bing in a very colorful manner and believe me you must use it to feel it. The very colorful appearance of Bing catches your eyes at once and you slowly start falling in love with it. Each time you open Bing, you will be greeted with a very soothing image in the background. In terms of search result, you might not find a significant difference, but yes Bing does look different in terms of its look. In fact, Bing was very carefully launched by Microsoft by first creating a euphoria sort of buzz about this new search engine that actually made a lot of people opening Bing on their browser on the very first day of the launch of Bing. In fact, Microsoft's magic line "search is sick, Bing is cure" made headlines in almost every newspaper across the globe and that resulted in over 1500 stories being written on Bing just the very next day after the launch.

Here, I show you how a search for Bing and Google looks on Google search engine.

Bing

- 13 JunBing is a search engine that finds and organizes the answers you need so you can make faster, more informed decisions.
www.bing.com/ - Cached - Similar -

Google

Discovering the web: Explore the world of Google search. Advertising Programs - Business Solutions - About Google. ©2009 - Privacy.

Show stock quote for GOOG

www.google.com/ - Cached - Similar -

You can very clearly see, how Microsoft has so effectively used the word "Search engine" associating it with making faster, informed decision that you start believing that this is one search engine which is here with a purpose, which is here to give you a search result which is not only faster but the best one, which one needs. Thus, it is not only a "Search Engine," it is a "Decision Engine."

Google has been shaken by the launch of the very catchy Bing ads that are slowly catching up with the masses across the globe. In one ad, it shows that search is broken, people are suffering from search overload, this entire financial mess world is facing today could have been easily avoided had they not been screwing around with Google. They are not projecting Bing as a search engine but rather very smartly a "Decision Engine" which definitely creates an edge over Google at least in terms of projecting itself.




The another interesting ad is Bing Search Overload Syndrome ad with the catch line "You need a Decision Engine to cut through the clutter. Try Bing now!"



So, this "Decision Engine" Bing has slowly started giving nightmares to the "Search Engine" Google and its time Google comes up with something different to cope with this and I am quite hopeful that this search engine battle will be even more interesting than the cola war between Coke and Pepsi and be ready for Google counterattack which I am sure will come just in a few days from now.

© 2009 Ranjan Kumar