PDFs and security

First b4 going to special issues here's a nice blog post about pdf optionals
http://www.tothepc.com/archives/5-alternatives-to-ever-so-slow-adobe-pdf-reader/

now for the juicy stuff


A) If you SECURE a pdf file by clicking on the SECURE button without giving a password, it just turns a bit on/off. most secondary [non adobe] pdf viewers dont even consider this as protected.

B) If you add text frames/to hide data like tables in sample pdf files using an online pdf viewer such as PDFescape which doesnt show these will render your "security" system helpless:

i.e.

take this document
http://www.the-infoshop.com/report/bc28878_forensic_business_toc.html
the Full document costs a little under 5000 dollars to purchase
too bad they dont pay the IT guys alot

download the sample file [fill in garbage they dont even check your email] and get the file.
read it with Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Nice huh ? Sample Boxes are a big hoot.

Now upload it to a less standardized pdf viewer such as PDFescape .

so ? how's security now ?

we didnt even do anything.
we just uploaded it to a viewer that cant show adobe 6+ additions and that's all the security these guys can muster.
it makes me sad, I mead there is real security available for adobe, but it's 3rd party and must be bought corporately. This is what happens when IT is outsourced and becomes too far from the company execs, with no RELAIBLE - thinking about your benefit - not afraid to loose you as a customer - IT VP, I'm sure these guys would think twice.

So summary

Adobe Security - rotten
Adobe optional viewers - excellent.

bye

Locking Word docments

So as I am now an MBA student I sometimes need to submit a word document.

The problem is when you give someone a word document, it moves around on their computer, pictures move atc..
this is bad as it makes glitches, and then it looks bad.



So how to lock a document?

The Statistics paper we handed in was locked by my team mate Yosi Atias, and I was wondering how this is done
-google to the rescue ofcourse -
a few choice words and i came across this Gem

I found this from Chibban on a site called www.yedda.com

In order to lock the content of the doc - you need to work a bit :
1) Go to the "Office" button (top left office logo)
2) Choose "Word Options" (buttom right of the menu)
3) Goto "Customize"
4) In the first list box choose: "Commands not in the Ribbon"
5) Look for "Protect Document" command and add it to the menu
6) Now, next to the "Office" button you'll see a green dot - click it
7) Choose "Read only" and save the doc

and then this from Zulla

To lock a docx file jus follow the following 5 steps:
1:left click on the office button.
2:highlight Prepare.
3:select encrypt document.
4:create a password.
5:your docx is encrypted..

so now you too know how to lock and unlock word dox..

happy trails

Outlook Crashes

Suddenly Outlook started crashing when I tried moving to calendar view.

I restored to two weeks back...
same thing.


this really fuc*ed up my life, I live IN OUTLOOK!

I found this correspondence

I found this solution : [Start]-[Run]-
"Outlook /cleanviews " and it works

more here:

how to fix outlook from crashing

And this MVP answered the guy and solved the problem in 20 sec flat! That's an expert!

Symbian stuff I learnt

So I got my new E71

now I find out it's chock full of certificates and obstacles, no wonder iphone is killing the market.

Anything I download is not for version 9.1 or s60v3 so not good. WTF??? why cant symbian be backwards compatible. this sux.

So I downloaded a bunch of stuff and this is what I currently have on my machine:

iPhone-style sms chat software for S60 3rd&5th–Free-iSMS v1.01

I love this crap, it's like the iPhones sms viewer. [unsigned]
















Handy Profiles - allows you to automatically move from silent to general to meeting according to times, timed profile, filters in meeting etc..

Y-Browser - free file browser
SkyFire WebBrowser - a lightening fast web browser that cheats, it sends the url to it's server that does the work for your mobile and send your mobile the pic - who cares, it's fast and doesn't drain my cpu/battery = good for me
Opera 4 Web Browser
NimBuzz
Files On Ovi - OVI in general rulez
Mobbler - music via last.fm
Fring - allows you to call skype users on the web using your phone - even skype client doesn't allow this
CorePlayer - view DIVX movies no compression/changing
Handy Calendar - great color calendar
Voice Inbox - an answering machine to use instead of your mobile's vm that costs minutes to use
AccuWeather - Checkout the weather
Live PVR - Voice recorder - record phone calls, regular record voice, meeting notes
TaskMan - a replacement for the task manager
AudioCube - edit music files and convert them on the phone
StopWatch - just a free utility
WebCam v3 - mobio's product, excellent - make your phone into a webcam
SymSMB - allows you to log in to your network neighbourhood, and share folders off your phone like a regular computer - unsigned
oh signed/unsigned

To allow an app to be installed on your mobile you need it to be signed.
couple of certificates
- developer - about that later
- public - will be signed by a company that bought the certificate

If you are a developer, you can get a certificate FOR YOUR OWN PHONE - works with your IEMI numbers

some private developers are not in it for the money, and are just playing around with the app, hacked/cracked apps are also not able to be publicly signed for obvious reasons.

so you need to get yourself a developer certificate and sign files by yourself.

How to get a developer Certificate
I got mine off a Chinese website - for explinations click here
it helps and also works with expired certificates

I downloaded a 175mb torrent with lots of cracked s60v3 apps [thanks guys]
most are unsigned ofcourse.


just some musings....

Mick