Thursday, 29 May 2014

IN 10 SIMPLE STEPS: HACK SAFARICOM M-PESA AND BONGA ACCOUNTS AND GET AWAY WITH ALL BONGA POINTS AND 1.5GB DATA BUNDLES (WORTH KSH 1,000) MULTIPLE TIMES
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A wide range of technical and nontechnical issues associated with the use of Safaricom M-PESA provide both opportunity and threats to most Kenyans of all ages. The issue span the full spectrum-from not being able to use the system and secure PIN numbers, to complying with laws on collecting data on customers by M-PESA agents, to violation of privacy. If you become an M-PESA user you will likely be gumbling the safety of your money with the "world". As a user of information systems, it is your own self interest to become well versed on these issues. You need to know how to avoid or recover from technology crimes, fraud, privacy invasion and other potential problems.

In 10 simple steps here, Digital Signal Kenya shows you how possible it is to breach your M-PESA and BONGA accounts and how to keep safe.

"When I say hacking 1.5GB data bundle I mean 1500MBs; think of this.. 1500MBs plus all his/her bonga points? In a minute without a sweat?

Safaricom - no doupt is one of the IT powehouses in Kenya - with millions of customers you expect it to have the best engineers to guaranty security to your data and money. But in the technology world anything created can be hacked and cracked; now when I say hacking people start to thing of a complex process involving multiple super machine systems and millions of computer codes doing some unimaginable things (the kinds u see in movies). Hacking can be a simple process, like stealing somebody's PIN number and using it to sambaza their credit to your phone or even simply reading their txt messages; yea.. that is hacking.

At digital Signals Kenya, I discovered a loop hole in the Safaricom M-pesa and bonga modules that can earn you free data and bonga points through the following 10 simple steps:

1. Gain access to the ID number of ua target (the person whose m-pesa account and bonga points u want to hack). If u cant get this physically then u will need some bits of social engineering skills (We discuss this another day).

2. Gain acess to the target's mobile number (Now this is easy;tell them u want to play game, transfer music etc. Most people are generouse in giving out there cell phones: that is our weakness, so long as u don't read their text messages they'll be fine)

3. Using their cell phone dial: *126*5*1#.

4. Safaricom will prompt you to enter the persons ID number. Enter the ID number in the text field given and press the OK button.

4. Safaricom will then propt you to enter the last direct top up amout. Now here u will need to use what we techies call brute force or u can call it gues work. Most people top up bamba 20 so start with this if it fails try 10, 50 or 100 depending on the persons financial rank - u can do this, right? The main point of using brute force (gues work) here is because having used social engineering to know the ID number in step 1 above using it again here might raise questions.

5. After a successful gues in step 4 above, Safaricom will then request you to "Please enter new bonga PIN". Enter any 4 digit PIN u of your choice but be sure to memorize it for future use (For example 0000) and press OK. Confirm the PIN number again and Press OK.

7.Now Safaricome will confirm the new PIN and tell you to keep it safe; please do so.

8. Now armed with the new four digit bonga pin, dial *544*2# and in payment option select:
2. M-PESA
9. Enter the bonga PIN obtained in step 5 above. Safaricom will then prompt you to choose receipient: Enter your phone number e.g 0712345678

10. Here the choice is all yours, just remember the Swahili saying: "Ukitaka kula nguruwe, .............."

1. 40MB (at Ksh 50)
2. 80MB (at Ksh 100)
3. 200MB (at Ksh 250)
4. 500MB (at Ksh 500)
5. 1.5GB{1500MB} (at Ksh1000)

NOTE
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As long as there is lots of dosh in that M-PESA account, you can repeat this procedure multiple times.

Experiment and master the procedure well with your phone first before you prey on your target (speed matter)

You can also use the same PIN number to transfer bonga points to your number by dialing *126*4# and following the instructions.

Make sure not to leave any footprints because those guys people from my vilage call POLIS could be coming for you after the hack (Contact me on how to do this or simply wait for my next article)

This article is purely for safety education purposes an the author shall not be responsible for any violations thereafter.

If you succeed in your mission; please dial *544*98*13# alaf unisambazie MBs kias (haha.... just kiding)

~~~~~~NICE TIME TECHIE~~~~~

Saturday, 24 May 2014

What is Rooting on Android? The Advantages and Disadvantages: ________________________________________________ _______

“What is rooting? Why should I root my Android device?” These are common questions that I get asked quite often. Today’s lesson is to talk to you about both the advantages and disadvantages of rooting your Android devices. But before we get started, a word of caution: rooting or modifying your phone in any way will void your manufacturer’s warranty and possibly “brick” it. What does “bricking” your device mean you ask? Exactly what you think… It means screwing up your phone software so badly that your phone can no longer function properly and is pretty much as useless as a brick. I do not in any way recommend anyone to root their Android device. This article is simply to introduce you to the subject of rooting and present you with both the pro’s and con’s so that you can make an educated decision on your own.

What is Rooting?

“Rooting” your device means obtaining “superuser” rights and permissions to your Android’s software. With these elevated user privileges, you gain the ability to load custom software (ROM’s), install custom themes, increase performance, increase battery life, and the ability to install software that would otherwise cost extra money (ex: WiFi tethering). Rooting is essentially “hacking” your Android device. In the iPhone world, this would be the equivalent to “Jailbreaking” your phone.

Why is it called Rooting?

The term “root” comes from the Unix/Linux world and is used to describe a user who has “superuser” rights or permissions to all the files and programs in the software OS (Operating System). The root user, because they have “superuser” privileges, can essentially change or modify any of the software code on the device. You see, your phone manufacturer/carrier only gives you “guest” privileges when you purchase your device. They do this for good reason… they don’t want you getting into certain parts of the software on your phone and screwing it up beyond repair. It makes it much easier for them to manage and update the devices if they lock it all down. This way, all the users are running the same unmodified version of the phone’s software. This makes it much easier for them to support the devices. But, for the tech-savvy crowd, only having “guest” privileges on your device is pretty lame and it locks down a lot of potentially useful features.

What are the Advantages of Rooting?

Custom Software (ROM’s)

You may have heard of people loading custom “ROM’s” on their devices. A “ROM” is the software that runs your device. It is stored in the “Read Only Memory” of your device. There are many great custom ROM’s available that can make your Android device look and perform drastically different. For instance, you might be stuck with an older Android device that is stuck on an older version of the Android OS and it is not getting any of the newer updated versions of Android. With a custom ROM, you could load up the latest and greatest available Android versions and bring that antiquated device up to par with some of the newer ones. There are lots of great ROM’s available for many different phones and it is up to you to find the one that best meets your needs. The best place that I have found to find custom ROM’s for Android devices is the XDA Developers Forums. The XDA community is filled with smartphone enthusiasts and developers for the Android platform. Check them out and see if you find any ROM’s that would meet your needs.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/software-hacking

Custom Themes

Themes are basically the graphics that appear on your Android device. Rooting your device allows you the ability to fully customize just about every graphic on your device. You can load custom themes that totally change the look and feel of your device. Here are some examples:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=527

Kernel, speed, and battery

There are many custom ROM’s and apps available for rooted devices that will allow you to drastically improve the performance (speed) and also extend battery life on your device. A lot of developers tweak the kernels (layer of code that handles communication between the hardware and software) for added performance, battery life, and more.

Kernel, speed, and battery

There are many custom ROM’s and apps available for rooted devices that will allow you to drastically improve the performance (speed) and also extend battery life on your device. A lot of developers tweak the kernels (layer of code that handles communication between the hardware and software) for added performance, battery life, and more.

Latest Versions of Android

As mentioned earlier, custom ROM’s can allow you to update to the latest version of the Android OS before they are officially released. This is a great feature for those who are tech-savvy and want to stay on top of the latest and greatest software updates before it hits the mainstream crowd. This is also useful if you have an outdated device that is no longer being updated by the manufacturer

Backing up your device

The ability to easily backup all of your Apps and Data is one feature that is sorely missed on the stock build of Android devices. But if you root your device, backing up everything on your device (both apps and data) becomes a simple task. Titanium Backup is a must have app for anyone who has rooted their devices and wants to backup and restore their phones.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details? id=com.keramidas.TitaniumBackup

Unlocking Additional Features

By rooting your Android device you also gain the ability to unlock some features that your carrier may charge for. One example is enabling free WiFi and USB tethering, which many carriers charge money for. Now, I’m not suggesting you do this. But I did want to make you aware of the fact that it is possible to do this. However, your carrier may catch on to the fact that you are using your device as a free WiFi hotspot and figure out a way to charge you for it. So use this feature at your own risk!

What are the Disadvantages of Rooting?

Bricking

The number one reason not to root your device is the potential risk of “bricking” it. As mentioned earlier, “bricking” your device means screwing up your phone software so badly that your phone can no longer function properly and is pretty much as useless as a brick. You would likely need to purchase a new Android device since the manufacturer of your device will void the warranty after any attempts at rooting.

Security

There is an increased risk of unknowingly installing malicious software when you root an Android device. Root access circumvents the security restrictions that are put in place by the Android OS. There isn’t really an effective way to tell just what the application intends to do with that “superuser” power. You are putting a lot of trust into the developer’s hands. In most cases, these applications are open source and the community can take a look at the source code to assess the risk. But, nevertheless, the risk is there. Fortunately, malicious software on rooted devices hasn’t really been a problem as of yet. But I thought it was worth mentioning since this could be a potential risk in the future. I’d recommend installing an Anti-Virus and Security App just to be safe. Lookout Mobile Security seems to be one of the best ones available at the moment.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details? id=com.lookout

Can I Unroot my device if I change my mind?

Yes. You would need to do some research for your specific type of device. As mentioned earlier, the XDA Developer Forums is the best place to start.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=491350

How do I learn how to root my device?

Unfortunately, there is no easy way to teach someone how to root their Android device. Each device has a unique method to rooting and some research most be done on your part. As I mentioned earlier, the best place to start would be the XDA Developer Forums. Another option is to simply Google your model phone and the term root (ex. “HTC EVO root”). Have fun and good luck to all of you! I hope you found this lesson on rooting to be helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/software-hacking NOTE: this is only for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE only...

Friday, 23 May 2014

The U.S. military is just weeks away from getting a prototype for an Iron Man-like suit that would make soldiers stronger, give them real-time battlefield information, monitor their vital signs and even stop their bleeding.

Dubbed the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit, or TALOS, the suit is expected to keep soldiers safer and give them an advantage on the battlefield.

The U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), an organization that oversees special ops for the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, is in charge of the TALOS program.

"A suit like this would give us additional protection in a high-threat environment," Michael Fieldson, the SOCOM civilian in charge of the TALOS project, told Computerworld. "It's all about protection... I think it would be a significant [advantage], providing protections and additional awareness of the battle space."

A SOCOM spokesman said the prototype is expected to arrive sometime in June to begin testing.

The military is slated to begin outfitting soldiers with the final version of the suit in August 2018.

The suit, designed to be lightweight, efficient and nonrestrictive, would delay the onset of fatigue, enabling soldiers to travel farther in the field, while also supporting the body and protecting it from injuries when the soldier is carrying heavy loads.

The TALOS program is a collaboration among 56 corporations, 16 government agencies, 13 universities and 10 national laboratories. Among those participating is Harvard University, which has been were working on an Iron Man-like smart suit that could improve soldiers' endurance in war zones for more than two years.

"This unique collaboration effort is the future of how we should do business," Navy Adm. William H. McRaven said in a statement. "If we do TALOS right, it will be a huge comparative advantage over our enemies and give warriors the protection they need in a very demanding environment."

U.S. soldiers are often weighed down with more than 100 pounds of gear, such as water, batteries and ammunition. That heavy load not only tires them but makes them less agile and swift-footed when they're chasing an enemy combatant, who might not be carrying anything more than a weapon.

The robotic exoskeleton is designed to support the soldier's body, delaying the onset of fatigue, while also protecting it from injuries when the soldier is carrying heavy loads.

"We are really focused on load support -- the capability of transferring the load from the body to the armor," said Fieldson. "They can carry the weight for longer periods of time."

The suit also will be outfitted with a computer, Google-Glass-like visuals, communication tools and various embedded sensors. Some of the sensors will monitor the user's vital signs, body position and hydration levels, as well as body temperature. The body temperature sensor, for example, will trigger integrated heaters and coolers that will regulate the suit's temperature.

If the soldier is injured, the suit would be able to administer oxygen or control hemorrhaging by using smart fabrics.

"We're looking at different sensor technologies, moving past night vision,' said Fieldson, including "communications and computer access and a central computer that can disseminate sensor data and monitor different aspects of the soldier's vital signs and surrounding environment."

The U.S. military has been increasingly interested in how robotics can support soldiers on the battlefield.

Soldiers patrolling dangerous areas will soon be accompanied by autonomous robots programmed to scan the area with thermal imaging, send live images back to the command center, carry soldiers' heavy gear and transport wounded soldiers for medical care.

It may sound like science fiction, but it's only several years down the road, according to robotic researchers and U.S. military officials.

Last fall, Army leaders evaluated autonomous robots that move through water, sand and up rocky hills and that could one day aid U.S. troops. Robots shown during a weeklong demonstration at Fort Benning in Georgia were designed to carry 1,000 pounds of gear, follow foot soldiers on long treks and scan for land mines.

Other robots - ones armed with machine guns, grenades or missiles --are being designed to back up human soldiers' in a firefight. The robots are quickly becoming part of the team.

Thursday, 22 May 2014

Welcome to this awesome technology blog; It doesn't matter who we are...what matters is that we are digital.... come learn with me