'Cloud' Technologies Prompt Search & Surveillance Act Review
June 29, 2016 | Technology
Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei says she is concerned by a review that may extend Police's search and surveillance powers in "the cloud".
Police may be given new powers to search for information that crime suspects share through social media or store on cloud-based computer services.
Justice Minister Amy Adams said the growth of "smart devices", apps, social media and cloud-based services had posed "challenges" for Police and other agencies investigating and prosecuting crime.
The Search and Surveillance Act would be reviewed t…
Facebook's New Suicide Prevention Tool Launches In NZ
June 15, 2016 | Technology
Facebook today launches a new tool in New Zealand which allows users who are worried about the mental well-being of a friend to report their concerns and offer help.
Internet safety watchdogs say the move puts pressure on other social media giants to create similar programmes.
Facebook's Suicide Prevention tool allows users to report a friend's post and start a chain of options to send that person help, get advice on how to talk to them or get a special team to review the post.
The tool will catch up New Zealand's 2.4 million users …
Did You Know These Four Creepy Ways To Stalk People On Facebook?
June 15, 2016 | Technology
Got a new crush, a frenemy you love to hate, or even a job interview with someone you’d like to know more about?
We’ve all been there – but sometimes certain profiles can be annoyingly difficult to track down, or disappointingly dull when you do finally find it.
Put down the spoon and concentrate.
Luckily, Facebook is a stalker’s paradise and Mark Zuckerberg’s people are constantly finding new ways for you to track down that person who’s been playing on your mind.
Here are four creepy tricks you might not yet know about…
1. For when…
Is NZ Ready For A Cyber War?
June 8, 2016 | Technology
The Government for the first time has confirmed New Zealand is capable of launching its own cyber attacks as a deterrent to cyber terrorism.
A $20 billion investment in defence force capability will see the military establish a new cyber support capability, bolster intelligence units and digitise the army on the battlefield, giving it network enabled navigation and communications systems.
It will also continue with programmes to replace New Zealand's aging fleet of Boeing 757s, C-130 Hercules and surveillance aircraft, the Orions. …
How To Track Your Bike In Case Of Theft, Using Your Mobile Phone
May 30, 2016 | Technology
Both mobiles and bikes are an easy target for thieves. Fortunately, technology advances to help us and make life difficult for criminals.For the next generation mobiles you can download applications for tracking in case of theft or loss, for instance on iPhone you can use Find my iPhone, and if you have Android: Prey.
Unfortunately these applications will not ensure you get your phone back, but you should install them because they provide another layer of security, making things more difficult to thieves.
On bicycles locks are still…
Every Time You Use Starbucks’ Free Wi-Fi, You Put Yourself In Grave Danger
May 24, 2016 | Technology
Walk by any Starbucks and chances are that you’ll see several people sitting at a table, drinking coffee and enjoying the free Wi-Fi.
Starbucks and free Wi-Fi have become synonymous with one another over the past few years — one unable to exist without the other — but the next time you log on to a public coffee shop hotspot, you might want to consider the risks you’re taking.
Someone on Quora posed the following question: “How safe is WiFi at Starbucks?” Of course, there’s nothing special about the Wi-Fi at Starbucks specifically, bu…
5 Things You Should Delete From Facebook Immediately
May 13, 2016 | Technology
Like Google, Facebook’s business is built around a simple design. It offers services to users for free, but those users are not Facebook’s customers.
Instead, Facebook’s customers are companies that pay to run advertisements on its website and in its mobile apps. And the reason Facebook is so successful is that it offers its clients ways to target their ads better than most rivals. Why? Because Facebook knows so much about its users’ likes, dislikes and all sorts of other personal information.
It’s a successful model and it’s not goi…
Why You Shouldn't Enable Thumb Print On Your iPhone
May 7, 2016 | Technology
Want to keep your iPhone super secure? You might not want to enable the fingerprint recognition technology to open your phone.
Apple fans with the iPhone 5s have the option of using a ‘Touch ID’ to unlock their phones. The fun feature allows users to use fingerprint recognition software instead of manually typing in their password.
Earlier this year, Apple refused to help the FBI break into an iPhone belonging to an ISIS terrorist.
Even though police officers pleaded with the tech giant to help them crack the code, Apple refused to …
Panama Papers A Cyber Security Warning - PM
May 6, 2016 | Technology
The Panama Papers leak is a warning to New Zealand businesses to protect themselves from cyber hacking, Prime Minister John Key says.
Mr Key announced today a $22 million fund that will go towards setting up a national security agency aimed at protecting businesses and infrastructure from online attacks.
John Key told a cyber-security summit that foreign countries and organised criminal groups were behind cyber attacks. Photo: RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson
The Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) was first announced in December, and wil…
New iPhone Bug Means Your Photos And Contacts Aren’t Safe
April 7, 2016 | Technology
With a fingerprint scanner and lengthy passcode needed, most of us presume our iPhones are pretty well protected.
That might not be the case though, after a new bug which allows people to get into iPhone 6S and 6S Plus models without using any of the safety measures was detected.
Siri is the key here, with Spanish tech expert Jose Rodriguez detailing the issue with iOS 9 or higher in a YouTube video.
There's a trick to bypass your iphone's passcode
The issue is that Siri can be used even when the phone is locked by saying, “Siri, se…