Recently in Security Category

GPG Withdrawn

Due to the threat of a serious vulnerability in GnuPG and similar programs; it's best not to use the current versions for sending encrypted e‐mail.

For the time being at least, you only can contact me in a secure fashion via Telegram, using my mobile number.

UPDATE: Details have now been made public. The vulnerability revolves around the way e‐mail clients handle a malformed message containing a PGP encrypted section. Until clients and libraries are updated it's best not to decode them using the current crop of e‐mail readers. The bug is not actually within PGP/GPG itself.

Moto X Force Firmware Update

I had my Android Marshmallow update a week or two ago. The build date was — before the Dirty Cow bug was exposed & quickly fixed.

This morning I got a further security update to the . So a pat on the back from me for finally starting to roll out updates to fix critical vulnerabilities.

Once More With Added SSL!

Let's Encrypt™ LogoFollowing an abortive attempt back in to serve this site using SSL, this website is now using encryption once more.

This time the certificate comes from Let's Encrypt™ and a big thanks to them.

Your Date of Birth is Sacred Information

Birthday card

Never publish your DoB on social media!

It is the one piece of personal information that you're stuck with for life (and beyond). You can move house to change address and postcode/zipcode. You can even change your name in the UK for a small fee.

The point is, of course, many institutions will ask for your DoB as part of the verification process, so it's one of the key pieces of information that an identity thief needs.

Now With Added SSL!

Following Google's announcement¹ aimed at encouraging the world to adopt SSL, this website is now served with encryption. This blog has now been merged with www.mgn.org.uk rather than being served under its own sub-domain.