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Nigeria’s Telecommunication giant, MTN, has quietly introduced a data bundle that allows subscribers to get 4GB of data for just 1000 Naira. The best part of the gist is that this bundle is valid for one month.

If you are aware that the lowest monthly bundle from MTN goes for 1000 Naira at 1.5GB, you will understand why this is such a big news.

To subscribe to the 4GB monthly plan, simply dial *131*65# from your MTN line and follow the options available. The downside however, is that you have to be eligible to enjoy this data overload from MTN.

Source:https://www.timigate.com/2018/08/get-4gb-of-data-on-mtn-for-just-1000.html

With so many VPN applications becoming increasingly available on Google Playstore and Apple App store, many users who make use of these applications have firm belief in the ability of the VPN service providers to protect their online privacy by making sure that communications between them and the VPN server is hidden to the rest of the world. With this assurance, users can carry on with online activities, having unhindered access to services hitherto unavailable to them. Because of this, diverse subscribers- the good, the bad, and the ugly- have all jumped on the privileges that VPN provides. The question then is how far can VPN protect a user from law enforcement agents?

VPN is short for Virtual Private Network. It is a service that allows remotes users access to an internal network by assigning them IP addresses from the internal network and ensuring that communications between the users and the VPN server remain encrypted. By dialing into a VPN server in US, a user from China, gets assigned an IP address registered to a company in US, making all services available to US internet users available to such user. Many users have been able to use this to circumvent Netflix regional restrictions and have access to Netflix contents originally not available in their region. Other users from countries where social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and the rest are restricted have also resorted to the use of VPN to have access to these services.

Since everyone on the internet only sees your VPN provider’s assigned public IP and believes your internet traffics originate from the US when you are actually in China, does it mean when cyber attacks are launched using VPN, the user can not be fished out by law enforcement agents? There are two instances we will be looking into: a user in China who hides behind VPN to access services that have been shut down by the Chinese government and a user in Kenya who subscribes to to a VPN provider in the US and uses the service to launch an attack on a server in Malaysia.

Denying users in a particular region access to some services on the internet involves filtering all out-bound traffics from IP addresses registered to that country. Just like telephone dialing codes, the Internet Assigned Number Authority ensures easy identification of IP locations through a carefully designed method of IP assignment. When a user in China uses a VPN which assigns him/her a US address, all policies configured to deny access to IP addresses originating from China from access a particular internet service becomes ineffective. This is because the source IP has changed. At this point, how will the Chinese authorities determine that an offence has been committed, identify and punish the offender?

Read more https://www.timigate.com/2018/07/how-far-can-vpn-services-protect-you-from-law-enforcement-agents.html

Millions of users make use of smartphones around the world but not more that five percent are aware of what goes on behind the scene. Beneath the easy-to-navigate mobile operating systems that power Android and iOS smartphones lies a collection of hidden smartphone codes that provide access to useful information about these devices. In this post, we will look at seventeen hidden smartphone codes that will give useful information about your Android and Apple devices.

The codes which can be entered from the dialing pad, may not work on all devices as some service providers have been found to go as far as to disable them. While some of these codes will require users to press the call button, others do not. Users are advised to be careful with these codes as some have the capacity to reset your smartphones.
We have put together seventeen of the most practical hidden smartphone codes for Android and iOS phones. To use them, open your phone dialer and type them in, but only if you know what you are doing.

iOS hidden codes

Source and smartphone codes for Android and iOS https://www.timigate.com/2018/07/how-well-do-you-know-your-smartphone-seventeen-hidden-codes-for-android-and-ios.html

The 5Ghz frequency spectrum is arguably the most popular frequency spectrums. Thanks to the fact it contains the unlicensed frequencies and has multiple non-overlapping channels. Understandably so, almost every wireless equipment manufacturer wants to manufacture equipment operating in the 5Ghz frequency band. From Mikrotik, Ubiquiti, Cisco, D-link, just to name but a few. In this article, we will look at four things that NCC wants you to know before installing a 5Ghz wireless radio.

With popularity of these wireless devices comes the indiscriminate installation by people with little to zero knowledge of the rules governing the use of frequency spectrums. In Nigeria, for example, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, is saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that telecommunication equipment brought into the country are type-approved. The commission also ensures that users of the unlicensed 5Ghz frequency band adhere strictly to the unlicensed frequency range while making sure that they do not exceed the allowed maximum transmission power.


Before installing a 5Ghz radio, it is expected of the user to know if the equipment is type-approved by NCC. Type approval is a process by which telecommunication equipment brought into the country are inspected by NCC to ensure that they operate seamlessly and safely with the Nigerian telecommunication environment. To be certain about the type approval status of a 5Ghz radio, before installation, click on this link https://ncc.gov.ng/technology/standards/type-approval#approved-equipment and enter your equipment name in the search field to confirm if it is listed or not. The list is updated regularly to ensure that new equipment are added.
If your equipment is not listed, it means it has not been submitted to NCC for type approval. You can either purchase any of the type-approved equipment listed on NCC’s website, capable of performing same task, or have your already purchased, not-type-approved equipment submitted to NCC for approval.



NCC type approval

If your equipment is type-approved, you can proceed to install and make sure that the settings on the radio comply with NCC’s approval for unlicensed 5Ghz frequency.



Unlicensed 5Ghz frequency range

Every country has a range of unlicensed 5Ghz frequency spectrum reserved for short-range, non-commercial use. In Nigeria, the Nigerian Communications Commission reserves the 5Ghz frequency ranges of 5.25 – 5.35 and 5.725 – 5.875 for unlicensed use while 5.47 to 5.725 is strictly for licensed use. Unfortunately, most people think the entire 5Ghz frequency spectrum is unlicensed and free to use. The use of 5Ghz frequencies, not paid for, outside the ones listed above is criminal and can attract a jail term. Read more here.



Maximum transmission power.

When using frequencies from the unlicensed 5Ghz frequency spectrum, users are allowed a maximum tx power of 1Watt (1000Mw). For frequencies within the licensed 5Ghz frequency spectrum, users are allowed up to 4W.

Channel Width.

When using the unlicensed 5Ghz frequency spectrum, NCC recommends that users do not go beyond 20Mhz channel width. Using the 40Mhz, 50Mhz or 80Mhz channel width while using the unlicensed 5Ghz frequency spectrum constitutes an offense and is greatly frowned at by NCC.

Source: https://www.timigate.com/2018/06/what-ncc-expects-you-to-know-before-installing-a-5ghz-wireless-radio.html

Apple should have better been known for giving you a loaf of bread and taking your plate of sandwich. Yea, you heard that right. The American technology giant has been known for its revolutionary and audacious moves that have redefined the way we see and use phones, subsequently paving the way for what is now referred to as smartphones. From the launch of the first iPhone whose selling point was its ability to harmonize the power of internet, phone and mp3 into a touchscreen device that pave the way for the eventual demise of phone keypads, to the removal of the headphone jack. Apple has always given us something to cheer about but at a cost that is never mentioned.


Just when the dust generated by the removal of the headphone jack on iPhone 7 is beginning to settle in, Apple has decided to remove the fingerprint sensor but just so you do not complain, it introduced the Face ID and said it is the new way to unlock your phone and authorize payments. This sounds good and I am tempted to believe that this, just like so many other Apple technologies, will be a hit. However,I am curious to know if this was done to better customers' experience or because Apple found itself in a tight situation and needed an easy way out?

I will like to start my analyses from iPhone7 since it signifies where major changes that affect customers started- the removal of the headphone jack. At the launch of the first iPhone, Apple fans were thrilled when Steve Jobs said there is no need having your keypads sitting there, occupying space even when not in use, and ultimately reducing the size of your display. This problem was addressed by the multi-touch screen on the iPhone. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the removal of the headphone jack on the iPhone7. In short, they were complaints and controversies generated by its removal but as usual, they were not enough to deter Apple. Since one cannot point to an issue that was resolved by the removal of the headphone jack, my question is why was it removed in the first place? In the words of Apple executive Phil Schiller, " It comes down to one word- courage. The courage to move on and do something better for all of us.” Now, the question is did Phil say what that "something" was? I think it was more of the introduction of something expensive- the earpods. An expensive accessory that hangs loosely on your ears.

Apple said removing the 3.5mm headphone jack allowed Apple to meet the IP7 water resistance threshold, added a 14% bigger battery on the 4.7-inch model and brought about more advanced camera technology. Really? Even with the charging port still there? The IP7 water resistance wasn't affected by that? Okay. Just when users were beginning to accept that, the iPhone X is here and as usual, a major feature has been left out.


The iPhone X comes with the revolutionary Face ID, something Apple described as "Your face is your secure password". The Face ID is a new technology that will allow users to unlock their devices as well as authenticate payments by simply looking at their devices. To further justify the inclusion of this feature, Phil Schiller said "The chance that a random person could use their fingerprint to unlock your iPhone is about 1 in 50,000. What are the similar statistics for Face ID? One in a million. The chance that a random person in the population could look at your iPhone X and unlock it with their face is about one in a million." Hmmmm. Is this really about the Face ID or about making users not question the removal of the fingerprint sensor? To me, it seems more of the latter.

Before I go into why the fingerprint sensor was removed, let’s compare the Face ID with the Touch ID. Without going into the momentary failure of the Face ID at the launch, I would like to reference two statements credited to Apple that contradict themselves. One on Apple's website reads "your face is your secure password" while Phil admitted on the other statement that the unlikelihood of someone unlocking your phone is "lower if that person shares a close genetic relationship with you" and "if you happen to have an evil twin, you really need to protect your sensitive data with a passcode." My face is my secure password yet I need to protect my phone from an evil twin with a passcode? So Face ID is not secure after all. With fingerprint sensor, you have ten fingers to choose from. In the event that the chosen finger gets compromised, a user can always use another finger but with Face ID, you are stuck with one face. What do you do when someone's face unlocks your device? Sadly, nothing! You are back to square one- using passcodes.

Now, what is the hidden truth behind the introduction of the Face ID and why was the fingerprint sensor removed? Apple said "Our vision has always been to create an iPhone that is entirely screen." This statement explains it all. To achieve an all-glass iPhone, two things were sacrificed: the fingerprint sensor and the home button. Did I hear you say Apple could have taken the home button to the side (as in the case of some Android devices) and the fingerprint sensor to the back (as in the case of the Galaxy S8). Yea, but Apple already has the volume and ring/silent buttons by the side, and the all-glass back of the iPhone X meant Apple couldn't put a fingerprint sensor at the back. So what is the way out? Apple couldn't possibly sell us a phone of that magnitude with just passcode as the means of authentication. This is where Face ID came in. Used as a means to escape from the dilemma that an all-glass design put Apple into, and not necessarily an advancement in technology.
Continuing in this trend of component removal, in the future, Apple will sell us a piece of glass as an iPhone. My take: sell us a piece of technology, not a piece of art.
Source: http://www.timigate.com/2017/09/apple-iphone-x-truth-apple-wont-tell-you.html

Wireless connectivity is fast becoming the most popular medium of communication and Nigeria has experienced a monumental upsurge in the area connectivity using microwave radios as last mile equipment. Before the era of microwave, V-sat was Nigeria's most common medium of connecting customers to the internet, making connectivity slow and very expensive. In recent time, we have experienced a tremendous improvement in internet speed and a reduction in subscription and installation cost owing to the using of fibre optic cables and microwave radios for last mile to customers premises. With microwave radios, you get an improve speed, though not as fast as fibre, at a lower cost of installation compared to fibre and V-sat. This has made microwave the most popular means of deploying internet to corporate customers in Nigeria. However, most organisations are guilty of breaking the NCC rule governing the use of unlicensed frequencies in Nigeria mainly because of the ignorance of the IT teams. Because they say ignorance of the law is not an excuse, I have decided to write this post on what you need to know about NCC approved 5Ghz unlicensed frequency band.

The 5Ghz band provides for more non overlapping channels when compared to the 2.4Ghz band. In Nigeria in particular, it is common to find people with little or no knowledge of frequency utilization acquire wireless 5Ghz radios, enter the basic configuration commands needed to establish connectivity and have these radios installed on towers and start sending out signals without regards to what the law says. Well, it is an offence to broadcast wireless signals out frequencies you do not own. It is criminal and attract jail terms. Since most of the microwave radios used in Nigeria are manufactured abroad, these radios come pre-configured with government approved frequencies for the manufacturers' countries, and unfortunately most people in Nigeria tend not to change these frequencies since they do not know what is approved in Nigeria.
The Nigerian Communications commission (NCC) has approved the use of the following unlicensed frequencies for use. The are from 5.745 - 5.855. You are to stick to these frequencies at all time. In a detailed format, the are: 5745, 5750,5755,5760,5765,5770,5775,5780,5785,5790,5795,5800,5805,5810,5815,5820,5825,5830,5835,5840,5845,5850, and 5855.
Mikrotik comes with the default frequency of 5180. Most people are fond of leaving their radios at this frequency. You can see from the list above that the frequency is not approved fro unlicensed use in Nigeria. See the image below for how to set your frequency with using an unlicensed 5Ghz radio in Nigeria.
Source:http://www.timigate.com/2017/08/ncc-approved-5ghz-usable-unlicensed.html#more

If you are one of those still using phones with no/low resolution front cameras, your name na sorry as Master card is taking online security a step higher by introducing an app that uses selfie for authentication. The requires users to take a selfie for authentication instead passwords.
The app is coming this summer for phones, tablets, and PCs, and will be available in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark, the BBC reports. Mastercard has been testing these capabilities since last summer.

With selfie checks, users will have to blink for the camera to prevent against spoofing the system with a photo. Alternatively, users will be able to verify themselves with a fingerprint, through systems like Apple’s Touch ID. Mastercard says it will transmit this data in a way that can’t be stolen or used by scammers.
In most cases, online purchases don’t require extra verification, and simply entering credit card details is enough. But on occasion, Mastercard may ask for a password when it suspects a fraudulent transaction. Users who have Mastercard’s app installed will receive a notification, asking them to pose for the camera or scan their fingerprint. (Whether users actually take the time to install this app is another matter.)

The idea is to create a more convenient system for verifying identity, allowing the credit card company to prevent fraud more often. As the BBC notes, the costs of fraud typically get passed onto merchants in the form of higher transaction fees, so a better system could potentially lower those fees (or yield greater profits for the credit card company).
Source http://www.timigate.com/2016/02/mastercard-introduces-selfie.html#more

vicraven:
lol

Funny but true

Sanmay Ved, a former Google employee was lucky enough to own google.com, the internet hub, for one minute. He bought the domain for $12 on September 29, 2015 and went ahead to own the domain for one minute before it was discovered and reversed.
Ved said he was up late browsing Google Domains, which is Google’s website buying service. While there, he discovered that Google.com was available for purchase at an unbelievable price of $12. Long-time readers may recall that Google.com is the most heavily trafficked domain in the world and is kind of a big deal.

“I thought it was some error,” said Ved, “but I could actually complete check out.”
Ved added google.com to his shopping cart and became a proud owner of the “internet” for one minute. He also began receiving emails with internal information, which Ved says he later turned over to Google’s security team.

“The scary part was I had access to the webmaster controls for a minute,” said Ved. Ved’s tenure as the LORD of the net was cool while it lasted, however Google Domains reversed the sale about a minute after the purchase went through and sent him a message that claimed someone had registered the site before he could. Ved was refunded the $12 the domain had cost him. Google however granted him a generous reward for the discovery of the bug in its Domains service. In a heart-warming twist, Ved said he would donate the money (“over $10,000”) to a charity
Source http://www.timigate.com/2016/01/meet-guy-who-owned-internet-for-one.html#more