Internet

The Internet and Education

If you sit down and think about the internet, you will likely think of all of the ways that it has impacted and influenced your life.  It is very true that many a people have been influenced by the internet.  I mean it is difficult for me to remember the days before the internet and email and being able to work from home.  I know it might be easier for some people to recall, but for me it is not something I can quickly remember.

How Fast is Fast?

Internet speeds vary wildly from one location to the next, and well all know that, especially if the connections are wireless data networks through our mobile carriers. Still, it might surprise you to see the average Internet speeds in various countries around the world. Who do you suppose has the fastest connections? Japan? The UK? The good ole’ USA? If that’s what you’re thinking, you may need to think again. What you’re about to see is guaranteed to surprise you.

Locking Down Your Web Mail

Google yesterday reported that its web based email service, Gmail, was hacked in what it calls a “very sophisticated” attack.  The personal email accounts of several hundred people, including senior US government officials, political activists in China, and officials from elsewhere in Asia.  Miliary personnel, journalists, and seemingly random people were also targeted.

The way this attack worked was, the hacker would use a phishing scam to trick users into giving away their login information.  A phishing attack often first appears as an email message from someone official (for instance, from Gmail itself) asking a user to sign back in or re validate their credentials in some way.  It can also be a link that, once clicked, unleashes a virus on the computer.