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My Password’s Been Leaked 17 Times. Has Yours Met the Same Fate? Verify Now!

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I have been an ardent lover of the internet ever since I created my first Yahoo email account at the tender age of 13. My passion for web designing was ignited when I got my hands on a book teaching the basics of HTML in 2005. In my quest to become a proficient web designer, I have over the years registered with countless websites and online services either to utilize them or study their features and interfaces to improve my own skills.

However, as I delved deeper into cyberspace, the threat of security breaches became more and more real. Each year, nefarious hackers attack millions of websites globally, stealing login credentials and sensitive personal information. These stolen emails and passwords are then sold on the dark web or to unscrupulous criminals seeking to access people’s private data.

Picture this: If a criminal gains access to even one of your accounts, they can effortlessly impersonate you, send deceitful messages to your contacts, raid your cloud storage, drain your finances, and potentially infiltrate your other online sanctuaries. It’s a sobering reality that highlights the gravity of having your account leaked or stolen.

But wait, how would you even know if your login credentials have been compromised? Unless the hackers directly contact you, it can be extremely difficult to detect such a breach.

Thankfully, in today’s interconnected world, we have an ally: websites like Avast Hack Check. These virtual guardians help you determine if your passwords have fallen into the wrong hands.

Avast Hack Check

Curious to see if your password has been compromised? Simply visit the following link: https://www.avast.com/hackcheck/. Enter your email and click the eagerly anticipated “Check Now” button.

If your password has been compromised, a warning message will appear indicating it has been leaked, along with the number of times and date of the last incident. If your email is unaffected, a message will state that it has not been leaked.

have i been pawned

Another useful website is https://haveibeenpwned.com/. Enter your email address or phone number and the site will tell you if it has been compromised.

So, what should you do if your password has indeed suffered the fate of being leaked? First things first, take a deep breath and remain calm. Remember, you hold the power to reclaim your online security. Here’s a step-by-step guide to regaining control:

  1. Swiftly navigate to your email account associated with the compromised password. Waste no time—change that password immediately. Ensure your new password is a formidable fortress by combining uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Let’s make it virtually impenetrable!
  2. Now, it’s time to address the affected websites. Visit each one where your leaked password has been utilized and promptly reset your password. Don’t procrastinate on this crucial task. A stronger, more secure password will be your key to locking out those nefarious individuals.
  3. As you embark on your journey to a more secure online presence, keep a few essential tips in mind. Firstly, always use a robust password—one that would make even the craftiest of hackers break a sweat. Secondly, change your password regularly. Don’t let it grow stale and predictable. Rotate it like a secret combination to fortify your defenses.
  4. Whenever possible, activate Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) for an extra layer of protection. This invaluable feature acts as a digital bouncer, demanding additional proof of your identity before granting access. Embrace MFA like an impenetrable shield safeguarding your online sanctuaries.
  5. Repeat after me: Never, ever share your password, even with those closest to your heart. It’s a sacred secret that should remain exclusively yours. Treat it like the key to your digital kingdom and guard it with utmost care.
  6. Be cautious of insecure websites, scammy traps, and phishing attempts. Exercise your discernment before clicking on any suspicious links. Remember, cybercriminals are crafty, but your intuition can be mightier. Trust your gut and steer clear of those shady promises of free GB data, iPhones, and SmartWatches.

PS: Let me know if your passwords have also been leaked, either in the comment below or DM me.

First published on my blog shimray.com

The curious case of the missing Kenbo

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It was one of those foggy summer mornings in Ukhrul. I woke up knowing I could do well with another hour or more of sleep.

The fogs were still sleeping at the foot of the mountains, only to be awakened by the sun half an hour later. I had sent pictures of my house and the adjoining views to my friends and they said, “You’re on vacation.” Rightly so, I was on vacation; at home, until my father insisted I take charge of the renovation of the house. That morning was the first day of work.

I called Wungthei, the carpenter in charge of the renovation. We were to buy wooden planks and pillars for the same. I sleepily made my way to the nearest timber store of the town feeling as lazy as the fogs that were waking up now that the sun broke their eyes.

I reached the timber store a little earlier than the appointed time and to my surprise, Wungthei was already there. It came as a big shock to me that a carpenter from Ukhrul was waiting for me, that too before the appointed time! Things like that seldom happen in Ukhrul.

Wungthei had a look around and seeing that the timber was good, made the necessary bargaining and selected the timbers we would be buying.

A familiar driver came asking if we needed a vehicle to carry the timbers. The last time I remember him, he had a Mahindra jeep and a jeep was not going to do any good to us. However, the timber market is a good one in Ukhrul and apparently, he had bought a new bolero pick up, straight from the showroom he boasted later (Ukhrul is known for its population of smuggled second hand Mahindra Boleros). A bolero pick up would do the job and so we hired him.

Soon, we were loading the timbers when the driver and the owner of the store started arguing with each other. We thought it was over some petty matters and went on loading the timber when the argument heated and they got more aggressive. Curious to know what they were arguing about, I asked the driver what the matter was. Hesitantly, he said it was about a Kenbo (Burma’s beloved workhorse bike known for its strength and robust nature) that was found three nights earlier at the gate of the timber store.

Apparently, the owner of the shop had kept it as it was for the first two days but no one came to claim it so he pushed the Kenbo inside the compound of his house.

The driver was putting out that the owner of the store shouldn’t have done that because he endangered himself to various risks now that he took the bike inside his compound,

“What I am saying is that you should have just left it there or reported it to the police” he repeated time and again.

The owner of the store, defending himself, said he took it inside just so that the Kenbo won’t be stolen by other people.

“What if someone just comes and steals it away”.

“If the owner of the Kenbo is a truthful man, he’ll come back to claim it” the owner of the store followed.

“What kind of an honest man would leave his Kenbo in the streets for that long in a town like this?” the driver replied. He was sure the Kenbo was stolen and the thief or thieves left it there in the middle of the night because it ran out of fuel.

“If it wasn’t so, the owner should have already claimed it by now, it’s already been two days. Right?”

“Well, either way, it doesn’t matter, I’ll keep it inside until someone turns up and claims it” the owner of the store replied.

“What about the authenticity of the claim?”

“Anyone who now knows about the Kenbo can come and claim it and will you give it to the first person that comes along and claim the bike?” the driver remarked, sarcastically.

“Well, I’ll be rid of the bike and that’s all that matters.”

“So you can sleep peacefully without knowing it’s in the right hands?”

“That won’t be my problem”

“It will be, has been from the time you took the bike inside your compound,” the driver said sourly.

“I suggest you guys save yourselves the trouble and hand the bike over to the policemen as he says,” I said to the two of them pointing at the driver.

Wungthei who had been silently going about loading the truck with the timbers finally joined in the conversation.

“That’s one thing yes, but hand it over to the policemen and the owner will never see the bike again.” He said, still loading the wooden planks into the pickup truck. It didn’t make sense. We all looked at him while he continued with his work without as much as throwing a glance at us.

A few wooden planks into the truck later he stood upright, wiped the sweat off his brow, and then told us how all the Kenbos running in the streets of Ukhrul were unregistered; either bought from a second owner from the black market or illegally smuggled in from Burma across the borders.

“Yes, the police might turn a blind eye to all the stolen vehicles running around the town, that’s work for them and you know how they hate work. But give them a sniff at making easy money and they won’t let it pass,” he said.

It made sense.

“What if he hands it over to the Wung Tangkhul Region office (office of the NSCN-IM to take care of the law and order and proper conduct of the people)?” the driver asked.

“Well, it’s hard to say.” Wungthei paused for a while and then continued.

“They might keep it for a while but when the owner doesn’t turn up in a few days, one of their boys will be gleefully riding it to run errands around the town.”

“What you can do is hand it over to the authorities of the local community and they’ll notify the public over the PA and then hopefully the rightful owner will come and claim it.

Even if the owner fails to come forward, it’ll be the problem of the local committee and not yours.”

We (Wungthei, the driver, and I) thought it was the most sensible way to get the owner of the store out of trouble but he was a man as obtuse as the timbers he sold.

“As I said in the first place, I’ll keep it with me until the owner comes and claim it.” the owner of the store replied, and, saying that he went away.

‘Suit yourself’

The three of us might have said this in unison at the back of our minds. It took us a few minutes to finish loading the timber and then we were on the road.

For the first few minutes of the ride, we were, like all other normal people would, talking about the bike, how stubborn the owner of the store was, how the law enforcers in our town were not to be trusted anymore, and such.

That discussion, however, didn’t last long as more important matters came up for the driver. He was soon cursing the condition of the roads in the town. A curse for a slushy stretch of a road followed by another curse for a pothole that he said has taken toll on many small vehicles with low ground clearance. How his old jeep was also one of the victims of the ruthless roads of Ukhrul. And of course, he also talked with gleaming eyes and huge pride, about the new pickup truck he himself rode out of the showroom.

The matter of the bike was forgotten quicker than it had happened.

Wungthei was diligent in his work as he was in his conduct and the renovation of the house was going as smooth and swift as we could have hoped.

It wasn’t until a few weeks later that I went to the same store again to get more supplies.

This time the driver wasn’t there and I asked the owner of the store what had become of the bike.

“One of my boys took it out for a run a few days ago. There’s no problem with the bike and he’s been riding it ever since” the reply came, smiling.

What surprised me more was the fact that I wasn’t even surprised. It was almost as if I was expecting a similar reply and had braced myself for it all along.

“Oh good,” I said, trying to sound interested as I paid the bill. He nodded and smiled.

I was soon out on the lookout for a hardware store to purchase nails and paint for the house. The renovation had to be complete before I left for the city again.

A sermon from beyond the human mind

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I have been experimenting with ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI, for the past few weeks. Every experience has been amazing, with the AI consistently producing high-quality output. In the past few days, I used ChatGPT to write a poem on Naga Morung and a song on Nagalim, and the results were astonishing.

ChatGPT, powered by GPT-3, is a cutting-edge technology that has everyone in the tech world talking. It is being hailed as one of the greatest technological advancements in recent years.

As I explored the capabilities of ChatGPT, I began to wonder what else this AI could do.

One day, while looking at a Bible verse of the day on my phone, John 13:34, I thought to myself, why not ask ChatGPT to prepare a sermon? So, I commanded ChatGPT to prepare a sermon based on the text John 13:34, with stories and life experiences included.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

John 13:34

The outcome was amazing, and I knew I would not have been able to prepare a sermon of the same quality on my own.

Here’s the instruction I gave ChatGPT

Write a sermon on John 13:34. Cite stories and life experience

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:34

This verse from the book of John is a call to love one another, and it is a call to be a shining example of that love to the world.

One story that comes to mind when I think about the kind of love Jesus is talking about is the story of the Good Samaritan. In this story, a man is beaten and left for dead on the side of the road. A priest and a Levite pass by and do nothing to help him, but a Samaritan, a person of a different ethnicity and religion, stops to help him. He takes care of the man’s wounds, brings him to an inn and pays for his stay.

This story illustrates the kind of love Jesus is talking about: it is a love that is not limited by who a person is or what they believe. It is a love that is given freely to anyone in need, regardless of their background or circumstances.

Another experience that comes to mind is when people come together in crisis. We often hear of people from all walks of life, from all different backgrounds and beliefs, coming together to help one another in times of disaster. We hear of communities banding together to feed and shelter the homeless, or to help the sick and the elderly, or to support the families of those who have lost loved ones. This is the love that Jesus calls us to as well.

In both these stories and life experiences we can see how love can bring people together and how it can make a real difference in the lives of others.

Let us remember the words of Jesus, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” and strive to love one another as Jesus loved us. May we be known by our love and may it be a reflection of the love of God in our lives. Amen.

Here’s the screencast video of my experiment with ChatGPT

However, the first sermon was a bit short and lacked a preacher’s touch. So, I asked ChatGPT to revise the sermon by making it longer and in the style of Pastor Rick Warren, a famous American pastor and author.

Revise this sermon in the style of Pastor Rick Warren. And make it longer

“Friends, let’s turn our attention to the book of John, chapter 13, verse 34. Jesus speaks these powerful words, ‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’

Now, when I hear these words of Jesus, they really hit home for me because they remind me of one of the most powerful stories in the Bible, the story of the Good Samaritan. You all know the story, a man is beaten and left for dead on the side of the road. A priest and a Levite pass by and do nothing to help him, but a Samaritan, a person of a different ethnicity and religion, stops to help him. He takes care of the man’s wounds, brings him to an inn, and pays for his stay.

This story illustrates the kind of love that Jesus is talking about in this verse. It’s a love that is not limited by who a person is or what they believe. It’s a love that is given freely to anyone in need, regardless of their background or circumstances.

You see, friends, the kind of love that Jesus calls us to is not just a feeling, it’s an action. It’s something that we do. It’s something that we live out every day in the way we treat others.

And we don’t have to look far to see examples of this kind of love in action. We see it all around us, every day. We see it in the way that people come together in crisis. We see it in the way that communities band together to feed and shelter the homeless, or to help the sick and the elderly, or to support the families of those who have lost loved ones.

But it’s not just in times of crisis that we see this love in action. We see it in the small acts of kindness that we do for one another every day. We see it in the way we hold the door open for someone or offer a helping hand. We see it in the way we offer a kind word or a listening ear.

You see, friends, the love that Jesus calls us to is a love that changes the world. It’s a love that transforms lives. And when we live out this love, when we allow it to guide our actions and our attitudes, we become a shining example to the world of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

And that’s why Jesus says in this verse, ‘By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’ It’s not by the signs we display on our cars, or the fish on our lapels, or the cross around our neck. It’s by the love that we show to one another.

So, friends, let’s commit ourselves to living out this love every day. Let’s commit ourselves to being a shining example of the love of Jesus to the world. Let’s commit ourselves to being known by our love, and let that love be a reflection of the love of God in our lives. Amen.”

The revised sermon was much better than the first, as it was longer and in the style of Pastor Rick Warren. The AI-generated sermon was similar to the preaching style of Pastor Rick Warren, and I was amazed by the results. Finally, I asked ChatGPT to give the title of the sermon, and it came up with a title “The Love that Transforms: Living out John 13:34”.

My Thoughts on AI sermon

Artificial Intelligence is becoming more advanced every day. Like a child who learns through experimentation, AI has learned from various inputs. Despite not having consciousness, AI is becoming more aware of the tasks it performs. The purpose of technology is to assist humans, but over time we have become slaves to technology. When it comes to relying on technologies and AI, there are two outcomes; those who use AI to assist them will see great results, while those who solely rely on AI will see doomsday ahead. It depends on how you use the technology

In regards to the AI-generated sermon, I have mixed thoughts about its applicability, uses, and potential impact on people. AI can assist people in preparing sermons, and it can be used in podcasts or videos, like the one below which I made using the above sermon.

No doubt AI is producing good sermons, but it will never be able to replicate the emotional and personal elements that a human preacher brings. The reliance on AI to prepare sermons raises questions about the future of preaching and the role of technology in religion. Time will tell how this technology will continue to shape the way we communicate and share our beliefs.

And the final question that arises in my mind is, what if AI generates sermons that are better than those produced by human preachers, will preachers become reliant on AI to prepare their sermons? Will the congregation turn to AI for sermons? Only time will reveal the answer.

A Statistical Analysis of Insurgency-related Killings in Northeast India: Is the Region Finally at Peace?

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The Northeast region has been facing insurgency issues for the last five, or six decades. Different factors contributed to the presence of insurgents in the region. And with draconian laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) imposed in many parts of the NE states, the region has seen thousands of killings due to insurgency-related incidents.

This article will not dig into the root cause and the reason for the presence of insurgents in the region, but to provide you with the data and numbers of incidents and killings due to insurgency-related incidents.

The information provided in this article is only for the period starting March 2000 and up to 6th November 2022. And as such, the actual number of people killed in the NE region due to insurgency-related incidents will be very much higher as the insurgency issues have been in the region since the early 1950s.

Here are the number and figures of insurgency related killings in the Northeast region for the period from March 2000 till 6 November 2022 as per the datas available in SATP (South Asia Terrorism Portal).

Number of people killed in insurgency related incidents in the NE region.

As per the data available in SATP website, a total of 11,808 people have been killed in insurgency-related incidents in the seven states of the Northeast region (excluding Sikkim) in the last two decades. The data collected is for the period starting March 2000 till 6th November 2022.

The most people killed were recorded in the years 2003, 2007, 2008, and 2000 with total killings of 1161, 1110, 1059, and 1027 people in each respective year. That’s an average of 3 killings each day.

number of killings statewise
Number of people killed – NE Statewise

Assam and Manipur recorded the highest number of 5069 killings and 3640 killings respectively. Their combined total of 8708 killings accounts for more than 80% of killings recorded in the NE region.

The year 2007, and 2008 saw the peak with 1110 and 1059 killings. And since 2014, the number of killings has consistently been declining except for the last year 2021 when it saw a steady rise as against the previous year.

Number of Civilians killed in insurgency related incidents.

Out of the total killings of 11808, civilians killed accounted for 4273. Assam recorded the highest number of civilians killed at 2222 followed by Manipur with 917, Tripura with 703, Meghalaya with 201, Nagaland with 191, Arunachal with 3, and Mizoram with 9.

civilians killed statewise
Number of civilians killed – State wise

Number of killing incidents.

killing incidents NE total
Number of killing incidents – NE total

Assam recorded the highest number of insurgency-related killing incidents with 2584 incidents followed by Manipur with 2160 incidents during the period from March 2000 till November 5, 2022. Mizoram has the least number of killing incidents with just 13 incidents in the last 20-plus years. The NE region has in total reported 6386 incidents of insurgency-related killings that have claimed the total life of 11,808 people in the last two decades.

killin incidents statewise
Number of killing incidents – NE Statewise

NE has however seen a drastic change in the last few years, and the killing incidents have since dropped to a very low level. From 2014 onwards it has seen a declining number of incidents year after year except in 2021 when it rose from 18 incidents to 35 incidents.

Number of Armed forces and insurgents killed.

A total of 1152 armed forces have been reported killed in insurgency-related incidents during this year in review. Whereas the total number of insurgents killed during this period is 5974.

State wise Data

Here is the state-wise graph data

Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal

Arunachal Pradesh has reported total killings of 239 from 114 incidents, and out of which 30 are civilians, 37 are security forces. and 172 Insurgents.

As per the SATP report, there are 11 insurgents group in the state, out of which 8 groups are inactive, 2 active groups, and 1 proscribed group. The active groups are NSCN-IM, National Liberation Council of Tani Land (NLCT), and NSCN-K

Assam

Assam

Assam reported the highest number of killings due to insurgency-related issues. The state reported 5069 people killed during the period from March 2000 till 5 November 2022. A total of 2222 civilians, 2357 insurgents, and 340 armed forces have been killed in 2584 insurgency-related incidents.

Assam has the highest number of insurgent groups that operated in the state. As per the report, Assam has 60 insurgent groups that were operating in the state. Out of these 60 groups, 30 are now inactive, 13 are in peace talks with the government, 12 are still active, and 5 groups are on the proscribed list.

Manipur

Manipur

Manipur records the second-highest number of killings due to insurgency-related issues. The state reported 3640 killings in the last two decades, out of which 917 were civilians, 446 were armed forces, and 2125 were insurgents. Things have however become much more peaceful in the last few years. The number of killings in a year has dropped from 3 digits to single digits in the last few years.

Manipur had 24 insurgent groups that operated in the state. Out of these 24 groups, 2 are in peace talk, 12 inactive groups, 13 active groups, and 7 are proscribed. Manipur has the highest number of active and proscribed insurgent groups in the NE region.

Meghalaya

Meghalaya

Meghalaya reported 648 killings due to insurgency-related issues in the last two decades. Out of which 201 were civilians, 74 were security forces, and 354 were insurgents.

Meghalaya reportedly has 21 groups that were operating in the state. Out of this, 9 are now inactive, 11 are still active, and GNLA is on the proscribed list.

Mizoram

Mizoram

Mizoram reported the least number of killings due to insurgency issues. The state reported only 39 killings in the last 23 years. There was no report of killings in the year 2016 till 2021. However, this year, Mizoram reported 3 killings in March due to a bomb blast at the Durtlang locality of Aizawl District.

Mizoram had 7 insurgent groups that operated in the state. Out of which 6 are now inactive and only 1, ie Hmar National Army (HNA) is active now.

Nagaland

Nagaland

Nagaland had recorded a total of 827 people killed due to insurgency-related issues from 450 incidents in the last two decades. Out of which 191 were civilians, 22 were armed forces, and 600 were insurgents. The number of killings has drastically decreased in the last few years. There has been no report of killings due to insurgency-related issues this year in Nagaland.
As per the data available, Nagaland has only 9 groups, out of which 3 are in peace talk, 1 inactive, 3 active groups, and 2 in proscribed lists.

Tripura

Tripura

Tripura reported 1346 people killed in 664 insurgency-related incidents, out of which 703 were civilians, 214 security forces, and 355 insurgents. Like all the other above NE states, the states have seen less number of killings in the last few years.

Tripura has 3 insurgent groups operating in the state. Out of these 3, 1 insurgent group is now inactive, and 2 insurgent groups, the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) and National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), are active. Though Tripura has the least number of insurgent groups, the state has seen more killings as compared to other states like Mizoram, Meghalaya, Arunachal, etc.

Conclusion

Though there are still insurgency issues and killings in the NE region, it’s a relief that things have become more peaceful in recent years. From thousands of killings in a year way back in 2007, 2008 has now come down to 19, as of this year.

Has the government’s approach towards the NE helped in reducing the insurgency issues and the killings in the region? Or can this be attributed to other factors?
And has peace finally arrived in the NE region?

Leave your comments.

British progressive metal band Monuments to perform at ShiRock 2022

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ShiRock official team has announced the name of the international band that will be performing at the ShiRock festival 2022. Monuments, a British progressive metal band, will be performing on May 28, 2022 at Bakshi Ground as part of the ShiRock festival 2022.

ShiRock, an annual international rock festival of Manipur, is an exclusive to Shirui Lily Festival organised by Tourism Department, Government of Manipur. Shirui Lily Festival 2022 will be held from May 25 to May 28, 2022 at Ukhrul, Manipur.

Monuments are a British progressive metal band formed by former Fellsilent guitarist, John Browne, and former Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza guitarist, Josh Travis. The band has released four full-length albums via Century Media Records, Gnosis, The Amanuensis, Phronesis and In Stasis in 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2022 respectively.

After various lineup changes, the band signed with Century Media Records in 2012, announcing the addition of singer Matt Rose the same day. Their debut album, Gnosis, came out on 28 August 2012.

On 1 July 2019 Monuments announced that Chris Barretto had departed the band due to “personal reasons.” They also announced YouTuber Andy Cizek as their fill-in vocalist for the rest of the tour.

On 11 October 2019 Monuments announced that Andy Cizek is now their official vocalist. Less than two months later, former drummer Mike Malyan rejoined the band.

On 12 July 2021 Monuments announced that guitarist Olly Steele had left the band to pursue other musical projects.

In January 2022, Monuments fourth album ‘In Stasis’ was announced with a release date of April 15, 2022. ‘In Stasis’ features Mick Gordon (Doom, Killer Instinct, Prey) as Co Producer, with Spencer Sotelo (Periphery) and Ex-vocalist Neema Askari as guests.

Check out Monuments on YouTubeInstagram, and on Facebook.

Browser In The Browser (BIBT) phishing – What it is and how you can detect it

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There’s a new type of phishing technique called BIBT short for Browser In The Browser which is going viral among the developers because of its unique technique. It’s a phishing technique that simulates a browser window within the browser to spoof a legitimate domain.

Published by Mr.d0x on his blog, this simple and unique technique can be a very effective tool in a phishing attack. You can learn more about the BIBT attack here.

BIBT phishing in simple words

To explain in a simple way, the BIBT technique masquerades the pop-up window to look like you are authenticating the real Google, Facebook, Apple, etc. and thereby giving away your login credentials to the hackers.

We often use Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, etc. to authenticate for sign up and log in to other websites.

Like the below example image where we can sign up/ log in to Canva using our Apple, Facebook, Google accounts.

Canva

One of the ways to detect phishing sites is to check the URL of the site to determine if it’s a legitimate website.

Mrd0x BIBT’s technique can masquerade the URL in Pop-up login windows, making it feel like you are logging in to the real website by replicating the entire window design using basic HTML/CSS and combining the window design with an iframe pointing to the malicious server hosting the phishing page.

The image below shows the fake window compared with the real window. Very few people would notice the slight differences between the two.

BIBT phishing

You can view this YouTube video to understand how this technique can be implemented as a phishing technique.

This phishing technique can easily collect your Google, Facebook, Apple login credentials.

Imagine this scenario where you come across a website (phishing site) that promises free products etc. and falling for it, you need to authenticate using your Google, Facebook, Apple ID and where you typed in your email and password. The hackers will be able to get hold of your email and password and can misuse it accordingly.

How to detect BIBT phishing

There are some ways to see if it is BIBT phishing. Here’s how you can check it.

  • One way of detecting BITB is by attempting to drag the window to the edge of the browser. If the window cannot escape the browser then it’s not a real window.
  • Another way is to refresh the link on the pop-up window. If it’s not genuine, it will not load or refresh the pop-up link
  • Another method is to auto-login. If it is not auto-login even if you are already signed in to Google, Facebook, etc., then it is not genuine.

Watch the video to understand how you can detect such BIBT phishing.

Be safe from phishing attacks!

Sources and References:

Mrd0x blog post

BIBT Github repo

Infinite Logins YouTube video

Also read about this Facebook phishing technique: Don’t fall for this ‘Fǝœbook security’ phishing

Rap Battle | Moko Koza vs G’nie

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Rapper Moko Koza from Nagaland and G’nie from Mizoram recently came together for a Rap Battle at Musika Festival 2022. As expected, the duo were seen spitting bars at one another.

One may recall the diss war that went between the rappers from the Northeast. It all started when G’nie released a song K.O.N.E (King of North East). Many famous rappers from the NE joined the chorus to reply to his song, BK, Moko Koza, Yelhomie etc.

Don’t forget to check this out – NE rap gods are on a diss war and it’s dope AF!

Watch Moko Koza vs G’nie Rap Battle here

 Moko Koza was seen spitting words mocking G’nie about his King of Northeast (K.O.N.E). “How can you claim to be the king of the Northeast, when you haven’t even been to the eight states of the Northeast?”

And leaves with an important message to the audience, “just because we are dissing each other doesn’t mean we are hateful. The only reason we are doing this tonight, is to show you people the real meaning of Hip-Hop. It goes way beyond the hate“.

And here are some verses from G’Nie

You know what else rhymes with Moko? Homo.

…Tribally Savage, Lyrically average, physically …. Ah nobody wants to see your saggy ass man tits bro…”

I’m not here to battle you, I’m just here to show you what sexy is.

He’s like Dimapur, coz his style is dusty and mere plain.…. My bars go over your head like hand luggage on airplanes

I’m the man, even in Nagaland, All these people, they came here to see me. Eye’s all on me like the name of my city (Aizawl)

Half of your clout is based off the fact that you diss me. I made you dumbo.

 Well for this rap battle, G’nie was the clear winner with his rhymes and lyrical punches.  Maybe our very own Moko Koza was just being a good host and being humble and soft on the guest!

Well, we would definitely love to see G’nie up against BK!

Watch: Another Dream (Oting Tribute) – Red Light Passengers Ft. Various Naga Artists

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The song is a tribute to the victims of the Oting incident where 14 innocent civilians were brutally murdered by the Indian army at Oting village in the Mon district of Nagaland. The song attempted to echo the voice of the families of the deceased – those who would live with the memory of their loved ones who will never return home again. Written and Composed by Thotmung Muivah (Frontman, Red Light Passengers) Recorded at Tribes Studio, Dimapur Mixed and Mastered by Anupam D Moran Producer Nokho Nyekha

Lyrics: Another dream

Sitting in the kitchen just doesn’t feel the same without you
I never thought that it would be this cold around the fire
And it’s hard for me to hear the choir
Singing songs you love to sing
Coz I, I miss you even more

I wake up in the middle of the night just to realise you’re not here
When in my dream you were right in front of me
like it’s always been
And these memories they’re all I have
And these eyes they wouldn’t dry away
Coz I, I miss you even more

Chorus:

And I’ve got so much to say
But you’re not here to listen now
And everything has changed
God I wish it’s just another dream

Everything is different every minute is an hour without you
Heaven is a place where you don’t have to cry again but it’s not like here
And I know you wished to change the world
So we could be in a better place
Oh I, I miss you all the more

Chorus:

And I’ve got so much to say
But you’re not here to listen now
And everything has changed
God I wish it’s just another dream

Bridge:

Heaven knows I’ve whispered out
Your name a hundred times
Can you hear my voice
Oh I can only hope you’re looking down
There I find my peace
Knowing we’ll meet again

And I’ve got so much to say
But you’re not here to listen now
And everything has changed
God I wish it’s just..

I’ve got so much to say
But you’re not here to listen now
And everything has changed
God I wish it’s just another dream

6 Privacy-Focused Search Engines You Need To Check Out!

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There is only one true winner when it comes to Search Engines, and that is Google. It enjoys more than 91% share of searches worldwide in 2020. In India, Google’s share is 98.84%.

As searchers have become more internet savvy in recent years, it is no surprise that users have become more conscious of cybersecurity. Marketers have seen a noticeable rise in the number of search engines that are putting privacy at the heart of their platform. Here are a few privacy-focused alternative search engines:

1. DUCKDUCKGO

While DuckDuckGo has increased in popularity recently, it still only holds around a 1.5% share of the search market in the U.S.

DuckDuckGo is regarded as one of the best search engines for private browsing, and it is for this reason why it has gained market share in recent years. It does not collect any data around the searches you make or around your personal information, and this alone is one of the primary reasons for its recent surge in popularity.

And one feature to take note of is ‘Bang’ search. You can use this function if you know when you want to search on other platforms (Wikipedia, eBay, Amazon, etc.). Simply click on your ‘bang’ and it will take you to your chosen site.*

*DuckDuckGo makes it clear that if you are visiting other sites, you will be subject to policies, including how they collect your data, and not theirs.

2. Startpage.com

Startpage.com makes the bold claim that it is the world’s most private search engine. That statement lead to a fair amount of media coverage as well as a third-party audit by the European Privacy Seal.

Startpage.com’s claims can be backed up by their ‘no-logs’ policy. The ‘no-logs’ policy means that the search engine has no idea who their users are; they do not store the IP address of searchers or store tracking cookies.

If you are simply looking for relevant results with the confidence they put privacy first, Startpage.com is the choice for you.

3. Qwant

Qwant claims that they ‘respect your privacy,’ and it is another reliable option for those looking for a true alternative to Google.

Unlike some of the other privacy-first search engines, Qwant uses its indexing engine combined with Bing results to emphasize avoiding personalizing search results to prevent searchers from getting stuck in a filter-bubble. As this search engine is based in Paris, it is essential to know that European privacy protection laws are typically much stricter than other places in the world, such as the U.S.

4. Swisscows

Swisscows is another European search engine focused heavily on the privacy of its users. They promote themselves around three core promises that make them a great alternative to Google and others:

  • They do not store your data
  • They place great importance to family-friendly content
  • They have created an innovative search engine

Letting children surf the web is a concern for many parents, and Swisscows is committed to delivering a search engine that is a safe environment for the whole family to enjoy the web.

5. Search Encrypt

On its face, Search Encrypt looks pretty much like Google does, and that is not necessarily a bad thing.

There is a clear emphasis on doing one thing: getting a user to search.

However, Search Encrypt’s goal is to “protect your privacy by detecting searches that may be tracked and tied to your personal information. It intercepts those searches and redirects them to Search Encrypt’s privacy-enhanced search engine, which will be set to your default search engine.”

Unlike some of the alternatives here, it does store your history for 30 minutes. Wondering if this search engine is right for you? See what users who have completely switched to this from Google have to say about it.

OneSearch, the brand-new search engine from Verizon, touts six core privacy-focused features that they have built their search engine around:

  • No cookies
  • No user tracking
  • No search history
  • Pure, unfiltered results
  • Share links with confidence
  • Keyword encryption

And it is an attractive option given that parent company Verizon also owns Yahoo. And it is no secret that Yahoo has come under fire for numerous data-breaches and privacy blunders in the past. However, the results are powered by Bing, offering you a way to return results from a platform you are already familiar with. Another bonus of OneSearch is that you are enjoying extra layers of privacy.

NE rap gods are on a diss war and it’s dope AF!

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Northeast is right now a rap battleground as the best rappers from the region are spitting out tracks taking a diss at one another. And oh boy! Its dope!

We don’t know how it all started, but a lil background check, it seems to have started early this year when Borkung Hrangkhawl drops a free verse titled ‘Analyse’ in January 2020.

His free verse starts with words dissing at other hip-hop artist and claiming him to be the best!

“Who’s best in the game, you better tell me. It’s me, myself and I…. You top 10 rappers ain’t nothing compared to me……”

Forward to July, we have G’NIE from Mizoram, with his music video K.O.N.E (King of North East)

“…Its a competition and I’m in it so I treat the game like the Olympics bro And I don’t want no medal if it isn’t gold G’nie killed the game let it be known he’s Mizo…”

But BK ain’t gonna let this G’NIE rip him apart. BK comes up with his diss track Opposite, where he spit out words dissing at G’NIE, “You are a pretified self proclaim king, with a hidden identity, You’re trying to fool NE. How can you be the king when the throne was never yours to keep”

Enters YELHOMIE from Manipur with his track Nobody from the Northeast. But this time, he took a dig at Rapper Big Deal, propably for his song Binod Star

“…got some names poppin up in your head, probably by the name of Big-Deal……. I heard you mention all the places in your song, Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal, Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Sikkim. But hold up B*tch tell me which part of it do you belong?
….we got the same eyes, but that ain’t mean you can represent us”

And then comes Moko Koza from Nagaland with his song Aladin, a reply to G’NIE’s K.O.N.E.

“…You ain’t the best in the east, you just one of the best. I’m not the best in the east, But I like a contest”

“… You’re just a con artist, you’re a KON without the E. King of the North. The king who never make it to the next season. You’re Ned Stark from the Games of the Thrones..”

“In this rap game, I’m the only Alladdin. Coz I put this G’nie back into the lamp….”

Moko also took a dig at BK to his Analyse track.
“…I’ve analyzed that analyst. He ain’t on the list to be an analyst”

Are you guys loving these guys spitting out tracks taking a diss at one another? Leave a comment!

PS: Before you complain about them not uniting and taking a dig at one another, relax! these rap artists have high respect for one another! And it’s best explained through Moko Koza’s verse ‘Shoutout to every Northeast rappers keeping the real Hip-Hop scene alive. We taking over. Peace!’

Enters K4Kekho and takes a dig at G’Nie and Rapper Big Deal.

Here’s what he has to say about G’Nie

You said. “F the Northeast”. Well, F you!… Conquer your own state first I bet you lick the mother f#$%#$ pit who let you bark! Classy made you “the famous ho#

Forceful claim to be the king! Two parts! ‘ a wannabe, trynna be the next Tupac of the region

He sure wasn’t soft on Rapper Big Deal either.

Do I need to hit real? Is he really a big deal?

We see you hungry for views like a BC? All my Northeast Girls, All my Northeast Girls

I’m a chinky. Shut Up! Yelhomie f#cked you like a Pinky!

You wanna be ‘Northeastern’ on recording! Less like a warrior, more like a phony!

Identity crisis! We feel you homie!

PS: Did we miss out any diss track in between? If so, pls let us know in the comment!