Mobile app developers “duped” into distributing data-scraping malware: NICTA

The surge in mobile malware has led many to condemn developers' poor security practices, yet recent NICTA research suggests that – even though data-stealing is ubiquitous among both paid and free Android applications – many mobile application developers are in fact being “duped” into incorporating data-stealing routines into their applications.

A methodical analysis of Android applications and source code found that all of the top 100 paid and non-paid apps in Australia were collecting personal information, with 60 percent of the apps incorporating some sort of tracking library and 20 percent of the apps featuring more than three different tracking libraries.

While many have blamed developers for their poor security, NICTA mobile systems research group leader, Aruna Seneviratne, who leads the organisation's Networks Research Group, told CSO Australia that many tracking libraries were inadvertently added when developers incorporated third-party libraries into their mobile apps.

“In most cases app developers just use third-party libraries and don't know what's in them,” he said. “They're not being malicious for the sake of being malicious; they are just being duped into doing a thing that collects a lot of information.”

 And collect they do. Apps analysed by the team – whose paper 'early detection of spam mobile apps' was accepted for presentation at the recent WWW 2015 conference in Florence, Italy – were siphoning all kinds of personal information off of users' mobile devices, often sending it to enlarge what have become massive databases of personal preferences and behavioural modeling.

“It's amazing how much information each of those apps collects,” he said, “and the scary thing is that most of them actually go to a small number of sources – which means these guys can actually infer a lot of information about you. They have a very good idea of who you are and what you're doing – and they are cross-matching the information they collect.”

Ever more-clever data-siphoning routines were making data collection richer all the time, with many Android apps now being designed with libraries that collect information about nearby Wi-Fi access points and can correctly extrapolate the user's location 90 percent of the time.

Read more: The week in security: Android apps collecting your location data, home routers hit by drive-by malware

Seneviratne blamed Google's relatively lax app-approval process for the proliferation of such apps, which join the malware-laden apps that by the team's figures account for around 3 percent of all Google Play Store apps.

Recognising that developers are often as clueless as users about the extent of the data collection going on, the team has proposed an app-rating system that will give consumers a better idea of what they're enabling by downloading and installing a particular app.

A basic prototype has already been developed and a pilot site is expected to be up and running by the fourth quarter of this year. The service, which rates apps on criteria such as privacy and security, will be available to third parties as a Web service that Seneviratne hopes will eventually help it gain traction on app-rating and other sites.

Read more: Surveillance laws driving companies to limit data collection, developers to boost security

“We've been working to come up with a scheme that is similar to the energy-ratings system that you have for electrical appliances,” he said, noting that the site will also seek to boost developers' security awareness by correlating app ratings “to let consumers know they can download an alternate app that has the same functionality but a higher security rating”.

Israeli developer-tools firm Checkmarx has taken its own approach to improving developers' security skills, recently learning extensive lessons as hackers worked to manipulate its Game of Hacks security application – which is now under development to be sold to large corporates for developer training and testing.

This article is brought to you by Enex TestLab, content directors for CSO Australia.

Read more: The week in security: Budget flags encryption troubles, cross-government IAM

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Source: http://www.cso.com.au/article/576533/mobile-app-developers-duped-into-distributing-data-scraping-malware-nicta/

Twitter Scraper Python Library

I wanted to save the tweets from Transparency Camp. This prompted me to turn Anna‘s basic Twitter scraper into a library. Here’s how you use it.

Import it. (It only works on ScraperWiki, unfortunately.)

from scraperwiki import swimport

search = swimport('twitter_search').search

Then search for terms.

search(['picnic #tcamp12', 'from:TCampDC', '@TCampDC', '#tcamp12', '#viphack'])

A separate search will be run on each of these phrases. That’s it.

A more complete search

Searching for #tcamp12 and #viphack didn’t get me all of the tweets because I waited like a week to do this. In order to get a more complete list of the tweets, I looked at the tweets returned from that first search; I searched for tweets referencing the users who had tweeted those tweets.

from scraperwiki.sqlite import save, select

from time import sleep

# Search by user to get some more

users = [row['from_user'] + ' tcamp12' for row in \

select('distinct from_user from swdata where from_user where user > "%s"' \

% get_var('previous_from_user', ''))]

for user in users:

    search([user], num_pages = 2)

    save_var('previous_from_user', user)

    sleep(2)

By default, the search function retrieves 15 pages of results, which is the maximum. In order to save some time, I limited this second phase of searching to two pages, or 200 results; I doubted that there would be more than 200 relevant results mentioning a particular user.

The full script also counts how many tweets were made by each user.

Library

Remember, this is a library, so you can easily reuse it in your own scripts, like Max Richman did.

Source: https://scraperwiki.wordpress.com/2012/07/04/twitter-scraper-python-library/

Website Harvesting - My Harvest America Review - What You Need to Know

My Harvest America business opportunity was launched December 22, 2009. The business opportunity is modeled as a multi-level marketing pyramid. The purpose of this article is to explain what you need to know about this business before you join.

My first introduction to this business was from a gentleman looking for ways to market his new My Harvest America business online. The company gave him suggestions for advertising, but these were costing him too much money without the results he was looking for. I listened as he told me the percent that he makes off each person was not much and would not cover his overhead and advertising costs. I felt sorry for the poor guy, but knew I could help.

My Harvest America deals with nonperishable items, which they claim to offer a huge savings on. They have many name brands along with generic brands. The prices are definitely cheaper on the generic brands. When ordering products you might not find the brands you use on a regular basis. The brand name items are usually cheaper than Wal-Mart. My Harvest America also provides free shipping. Although, I think there might be a limit to that. Joining My Harvest America cost around $70 annually with a monthly fee of around $30.

The business opportunity with My Harvest America is a legitimate business. Like health & wellness products the products you will be selling are consumable. People use them day after day, month after month, throughout the year. You will just have to convince them to join and use what you are selling, which brings you to multi-level marketing.

Multi-level marketing (MLM) is a common way for businesses to advertise and build their business. The incentives or pay goes up as the volume of product they sell go up. Product and volume means money for the MLM business, and for the entrepreneur or distributor. When you first get started in a MLM you do not make much profit since you do not have much product volume. That is why they call it a pyramid.

How do you make money with this business? The fastest way is on the internet, where there are millions of shoppers wanting products. In order to do well at this you must have the proper marketing system in place, not just a website the company offers you.

For more Information on My Harvest America. Learn more about Internet marketing and the potential of creating a lasting income online.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?My-Harvest-America-Review---What-You-Need-to-Know&id=4385985

An Expert's Unbiased My Harvest America Review

I was recently sent a link to join My Harvest America. It is a new MLM in the pre-launch phase. The company just opened their doors in December 2009. To be clear, you are buying a service with My American Harvest, not a product. The first thought that comes to my mind is Pre-Paid Legal, a rare exception to the typical failure rate for service based network marketing companies. Does My Harvest America have what it takes to survive the long haul?

I was pretty excited to see such a unique service being offered. With a family of four, I see the convenience of getting some staple items shipped right to my front door. The company does seem to offer a wide variety of name brand products at a discount price. The overall concept is to pay for the privilege to save money on items that you are already consuming. Replacement products are always something network marketers should be looking to represent during a down economy. The concept isn't much different than the yearly membership cost already embraced by Costco and Sam's Club Members. Although I should point out, the minimum yearly cost is right at $400 paid out in monthly increments of $29.95 per mo. plus a yearly renewal fee. Super shoppers will spend almost $1000 for their yearly memberships.

Members would have to find some deep savings to recover their cost. I have seen an itemized grocery list that shows an average $25.00 grocery bill computing to half as much for their members. My math says that if you are buying up to $80 per month in staple groceries, you could break even on your monthly membership fee. Unfortunately, I don't think the goal is to break even. So let's consider the business model. Isn't this what it is all about... building a team? My Harvest America Compensation Plan is a 3x8 Matrix, which means you want to sponsor 3 people that are actually working their business to get paid the big bucks. You are paid 8 levels deep. It's been my experience that it usually takes about 30 team members before you'll find the 3 go-getters. With this in mind, if you plan on jumping into the company, be prepared to stick with it and sponsor your heart out.

Some things to mull over before you join My Harvest America.
- The company website lacks a little luster. It could use a makeover, don't you think?

- It doesn't look like a world wide opportunity, so plan on going belly to belly after you soak up the Internet traffic or invest in a good marketing site and lead generating program.
- You are going to have to make the drive to your grocery store. MHA doesn't have everything. Use this service for your home staples.
- A 3x8 Matrix is a little more complicated than a 2x2. You won't see as much spillover in this compensation plan. Plan on working, not getting lucky.
- Pre-launches do not always succeed. You can invest a lot of time and money building a team that may never launch. There will no doubt be bumps.
- Consider becoming a member and making a purchase before you involve someone else. Leaders always walk through the door first.

Mary Volkmann- Internet Marketing Specialist, Business Builder

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?An-Experts-Unbiased-My-Harvest-America-Review&id=3645912

Organic Harvest Month

Did you know September is "Organic Harvest Month"? If you've ever been interested in learning about and growing organic food, this month is the best time to get started. September was chosen as Organic Harvest month by the Organic Trade Association (OTA) back in 1992. You will find many businesses, food co-ops and community gardens hosting special celebrations in honor of Organic Harvest Month.

Sometimes the label of "organic" may be confusing, and the price tag on organic food can be shocking. So, what exactly does "organic" mean and why should you consider buying or growing your own organic food? I will give you some insight on organics and hopefully you will be encouraged to celebrate Organic Harvest this month. Maybe you will even consider growing your own organic food!

What Does "Organic" Mean?

In this article, I am specifically talking about organic produce. The word "Organic" refers to the way fruits and vegetables are grown and handled. Food labeled "organic" is required to meet certain criteria to be identified this way. It all boils down to the soil the food is grown in and the way the plants are treated for pests and fertilized.

Organic crops must be grown in soil that is deemed to be safe. Safe soil has not been treated with synthetic pesticide for the last three or more years. Organic growers are not allowed to use synthetic pesticides or fertilizer. You may be surprised to know that pesticide is allowed on organic produce. Only natural pesticides are allowed. There are actually many forms of pesticide that are derived from natural sources, these are deemed to be much safer for both the environment and consumer. Additionally, organic pesticide must be applied using clean equipment. Equipment can only be considered clean if it hasn't been used to apply synthetic pesticide for the past three or more years.

To qualify for the label "organic", farmers are not allowed to use Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). GMO's are plants created in a laboratory by gene splicing. GMO's and their effects have not been thoroughly studied, so the risk of consuming GMO's is highly unknown.

Why Should you Consider Buying or Growing "Organic"?

Organic fruit and veggies are delicious and healthy. By using natural methods to control pests and clean soil, organic farmers are growing healthier food. Organic farmers help keep the soil clean and reduce the amount of dangerous chemical run-off into our water supply.

It has been proven that synthetic pesticides can cause cancer and they have even been linked to diseases such as asthma, diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. asthma, diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. You can learn more about the impacts of pesticide use by visiting our website.

Growing Organic Produce

The best way to ensure your produce is healthy and "organic" is to grow it yourself. There are many great products out there that make growing your own healthy and organic food an easy process. I came across an amazing method for growing organic food in the soil. This method naturally repels pests and reduces the amount of weeds in your garden. The method was created by Jonathan White and is referred to as "Food 4 Wealth". All you do is build a frame (from 8x8 - 15x15 feet), fill it with organic material such as newspaper, hay, fertilizer and compost and then you plant seedlings in a unique way. This method also teaches you how to make compost easily in your backyard. You will have high yields and a garden that will grow and be productive year after year using this technique.

There are also some other unique systems for growing organic food easily right on your patio. The Garden Tower is a great option if you have limited yard space. It's a vertical unit and a composting system that allows you to grow up to 50 plants at a time. Its unique design and morally responsible company make it a wonderful option for patio growing. The Garden Tower is not to be confused with "the Tower Garden", which is an entirely different system. I would definitely recommend learning more about the Garden Tower if you are looking to grow a large garden in a limited amount of patio space.

Another healthy and simple way to grow your own organic food is a hydroponic system. There are many companies that offer great pre-made hydroponic systems. One of my family's favorite systems is the EzGro Garden. This was the first hydroponic system my family ever used. We were complete novices when we purchased the EzGro garden. I have to admit, this system was what started our gardening journey. After several years of enjoying strawberry harvests we were hooked! The EzGro Garden is a simple, low-maintenance hydroponic system. They don't use soil and are fully automated. They are very efficient systems that require minimal space and are very low maintenance. It might surprise you to know that hydroponic systems actually use less water than soil based gardens. It's true though. If you'd like to try your hand at hydroponic gardening, you should consider an EzGro Garden. If we can do it, you can too!

Conclusion

September is Organic Harvest Month, which makes it the perfect time to start eating or growing organic food. With so many options available in your supermarket, why not support organic farmers? Not only are they growing healthy food for you to enjoy, but they're also making an effort to keep the environment clean and safe. If you prefer to be in full control of your organic experience, there are many options for growing easy, organic food right in your home, on your patio and in your backyard. Let's celebrate Organic Harvest Month this September by eating healthy organics.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Organic-Harvest-Month&id=8000137

Dealing With the Question About What Is the Size of a Harvester?

Understanding Different Forms of Harvesters

In a very general approach, harvesters are some of the very useful agricultural (farming or logging) equipment that are obviously used in properly gathering crop-like products and logs as well. These crops can be linseed or flax, soybeans, corns or maize, barleys, ryes, oats and wheat. These crop harvesters are usually or specifically referred as combine or combine harvesters. In the early 1830's, the American Hiram Moore was tagged to be the person responsible for inventing these combine harvesters.

Since that time, these harvesting machines had taken a lot of modifications and alterations giving these machines a better and enhanced performance. On the other hand, a log-cutting and collecting machine is usually called as a feller buncher.

The John Deere 9570 STS

To give potential consumers some idea how big, long or how much these machine weigh, the following statements are all about some measurements. The variables 9.1 meters (or 30 feet), 7.6 meters (or 25 feet), 6.7 meters (or 22 feet), 6.1 meters (or 20 feet) and 4.6 meters (or 15 feet) as some of the given measurements or dimension of the platform specifications of the John Deere 9570 STS. The engine of this particular machine is a six cylinder with 6.8 liters of displacement capacity. Other details can be checked in some internet websites that sell these particular brand and model of these harvesters.

Some Additional Information

These (mainly) agricultural machines or engines are considered to be heavy tools or equipments. Of course, since these machines are composed of heavy and sharp metals or blades, the operation or handling of these machines should always be with caution and much need prudence to avoid any untoward or unwanted mishaps or accidents.

Since these are heavy-duty machines, like any other industrial engines available in the market, their efficiency or effectiveness greatly depends on how they are used or maintained. As for their maintenance or care, owners should check their manuals or instructions or directions for proper handling and taking care of safety as well.

Agriculture or farming has been one of the oldest practices of obtaining or sustaining food for the society. The essence of farming can be said to be a domestication of crop-producing plants and the like. With the development of harvesters, collecting or gathering these crop products has been maximized in terms of the effort, time and resources being spent. A farmer with a large area of crop-bearing fields should consider having these machines in his or her barnyard.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Dealing-With-the-Question-About-What-Is-the-Size-of-a-Harvester?&id=5904210

My Harvest America - Let the MLM Revolution Begin

My Harvest America has literally flipped the industry upside down in the last few weeks, releasing probably one of the most profitable and simple network marketing companies.

They have introduced the concept of grocery store wholesale, allowing us consumers to buy wholesale products, instead of paying retail at your local super markets. This is huge, if you notice why Amway is still producing $9 billion per year in sales is because of the consumption of their household products.

In the history of network marketing there has never been an opportunity where you as a representative can share a simple product that allows people to buy food for everyday life at a wholesale price. The best part of it all is that you do not have to pay shipping.

You simply head over to the website that is given to you, and you begin buying your grocers. You will then receive those groceries from fedex in a few short days, sometimes even overnight. That was one of the first questions I asked was about the shipping cost, then they said NO shipping cost and man did that truly change the point of view.

The corporate team is very well structured with a industry top earner for more than 30years and the company behind My Harvest America has been in the grocery wholesale business for more than 10years producing huge results.

Want to talk about consumption? Every year in the US alone the grocery market produces over $547 billion in sales from all of us buying products we need to continue living. Why keep promoting luxury costly $150 monthly juices and vitamins when you now have a product line that people consume every single day.

There are going to be a few key things that you must understand in order to create success with my harvest america and here they are:

1. You must be coachable and willing to listen to the training calls and mentors that company has position to help this company grow massively the next few months.

2. Willing to do what non-successful people are not willing to do. You now have the opportunity to save money from products you consume every single day and also share it with other people that need this.

3. Understand that we are in a economic hardship, anything that will save people money with groceries and daily consumable products millionaires will be created.

4. Make a list of everyone you know that buys groceries and share with them how they can save 50%-90% of what they spend every single month on groceries.

5. Must be willing to pick up the phone and just tell people, hey look I have a product that is saving me thousands per year in groceries and I am making money from my own purchases, this is better than your local Wall Mart.

If you can understand these 5 points you will create a huge amount of abundance in your journey with My Harvest America.

Make sure you take a minute, and I leave you with this last point. Every billion dollar company out there you see on tv and throughout advertising networks all have highly consumable products, don't forget to look at what Amway has done with the network marketing structure and household products.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?My-Harvest-America---Let-the-MLM-Revolution-Begin&id=3469068