Technicity 4 - Yohan Perera

Technicity

The Security Shift: How macOS is Becoming a Target for Malware

In recent years, the debate over which operating system is more secure, macOS or Microsoft Windows, has been a hot topic. While many people still believe that macOS is more secure than Microsoft Windows, this perception is changing rapidly. In this article, we will discuss the reasons behind this perception, the current state of the…

A black smartphone displaying the KOKO app interface, showing a balance of "Rs. 16,125" and various sections like "KOKO Food," "KOKO Travel," and a prominent banner "NOW ACCEPTS KOKO." The phone is lying diagonally on a wooden table.

I’ve got a Problem with Koko!

Before the arrival of Mintpay and Koko “Buy Now Pay Later” or interest-free easy payment schemes were available only to Credit Card holders and buyers with guarantors (as far as my knowledge permits). The aforesaid Fintech apps however allow consumers to pay in instalments using even a debit card. Apps like Koko by Daraz let…

A pair of black true wireless earbuds (Energizer UB2607) with orange accents, resting in an open charging case. The case has a small digital display showing a blue "L 54 R" indicating battery levels for the left and right earbuds. The case is placed on a wooden surface.

Energizer UB2607: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

At the beginning of this year, I shared my thoughts about JBL Tune 500BT Headphones which I use primarily for movies and video editing although it’s perfectly capable of handling phone calls. Due to its large size, however, I wanted something smaller to use with phone calls and Zoom meetings. I know, Apple AirPods is…

A coiled yellow fiber optic cable with blue connectors on both ends is laid on a clean white surface.

SLT Fibre is not Safe. Here’s the Solution

Did you know your “SLT Fibre” subscription could risk your privacy and data? A few days ago, I watched in dismay as an SLT technical team left my employer’s premises after installing an optical fibre connection without changing the default security settings. Yes! SLT Technicians have a wild west reputation for not securing new optical…

A person with a gold Guy Fawkes mask covering their face, wearing a denim jacket with a white fleece collar and two silver chain necklaces. Their dark-skinned hand is raised, touching the side of the mask, and their reddish-brown curly hair is visible above the mask. The background is blurred, showing light-colored buildings.

Inspiration from a Social Engineering Attack

A few days ago, a colleague of mine announced via WhatsApp status that his Instagram account was hacked. Upon talking to him I realized the account wasn’t hacked but the attacker had gained access to the account by tricking him into changing his sign-in email address into an email address to which only the attacker…

A high-angle, close-up shot captures a glowing red square module, likely a computer chip or core, with the word "HACKED" illuminated in bold white letters across its top surface. This module rests on a dark, intricate circuit board or futuristic cityscape, which is also bathed in a deep red glow from below, creating a sense of urgency and alarm. The detailed textures of the board's components are visible, though somewhat obscured by the strong red light.

The SLBFE Hack: More than just a Hack?

The month of April has been a busy time for both cybercriminals and infosec professionals alike. In the 25 days, that went by, PayHere was hacked while #OpSriLanka knocked several government websites offline. The latest incident involves LulzSecSL (A local offshoot of LulzSec?) breaking into an online database maintained by the SLBFE or the Sri…

A person wearing a Guy Fawkes mask (also known as a V for Vendetta mask) stands facing forward, looking directly at the camera. They are wearing a dark blue bomber jacket over a black shirt. Behind them is a brightly colored, somewhat abstract graffiti mural depicting a stylized face with snakes or tendrils emanating from it, rendered in shades of green, yellow, pink, and orange. The background is a wall that appears to be made of rough stone or concrete blocks.

#OpSriLanka is incredibly unwise and unhelpful: Here’s Why?

Having seen several posts on Facebook & Twitter calling on “Anonymous” an amateur group of cyber criminals to save Sri Lanka, the question is are we prepared to face the consequences of such an intervention? Calling on international politically motivated cybercriminals to “help” will result in large-scale cyber-attacks on our digital infrastructure which will do…

A close-up shot of a person holding a smartphone vertically in their right hand. The phone screen displays a blue interface with a white mountain icon and the word "VPN" below it, along with "You are connected" in white text, indicating an active VPN service. In the blurred background, a television screen shows blurred images, and a bowl of popcorn is visible in the lower foreground. The person's right arm, wearing a light blue striped sleeve, is visible on the right side of the frame.

Beware of these 4 Myths about VPN

When the war in Vietnam broke out, the US air force began bombing the Ho Chi Minh Trail, a network of paths and trails the guerrilla fighters used for moving combatants and supplies between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. When the US airstrikes targeted these trails, the guerrillas began using underground tunnels to continue their…

A medium eye-level shot shows a man with a beard and dark shirt holding up an open silver MacBook Pro laptop, with its screen prominently displaying the text "YOU'VE BEEN HACKED!" in bright green, pixelated letters against a black background. Only the man's chest, arms, and lower face with his beard are visible, indicating he is looking directly at the viewer while holding the laptop. The background is dark, emphasizing the glowing screen.

My Two Cents on the PayHere Hack

In my blog post titled “The Worrying State of Cybersecurity in Sri Lanka,” published last year, I warned that cybercriminals are increasingly targeting high-profile digital assets owned by government institutions and major business entities. My concern was based on emerging trends and the lack of proactive defense mechanisms in place. A year and two months…

A medium eye-level shot captures a man with a beard, wearing an orange and black plaid shirt, looking down at a smartphone in his left hand. His right hand holds a clear glass mug containing a dark beverage. Overlayed on the image are two white, transparent speech bubbles, suggesting a communication or messaging theme. To the left, a large green plant is partially visible, and the background shows a blurred white wall with shelves and some decorative items.

Thou Shalt not use SMS!

On January 25th, 1915, Alexander Graham Bell revolutionized the way we communicate when he yelled, “Watson, please come here. I want you!” Fifty-six years later Ray Tomlinson made history when he sent the first email in the year 1971. The email said, “QWERTYUIOP”. Then on December 3rd, 1992, Neil Papworth from Vodafone Inc. introduced the…