Google Docs API allows users to Automate many of the Things they did Manually

Google recently announced an API for Google Docs. This new Google Docs API will allow users to automate many of the things that they did manually in the company’s online office suite. The Google Docs API which had been in developer’s preview since last April has now been opened up to all developers. The last developer preview launched at last year’s Google Cloud Next 2018.

Google Docs API: 

The REST API allowed developers build workflow automation services for users, create documents in bulk and also build content management services. Developers could also set up processes that would manipulate documents after the fact in order to update them. The Google Docs API also features the ability for users to delete, insert, move, merge, as well as format text. Insert inline images, work with list among many other things.

Google Docs API’s import/ export function also allows you to use Doc in internal content management systems.

Companies that use Google Docs API: 

Many companies had built solutions on the new Google Docs API. Some of these companies include names such as Netflix, Zapier, Final draft and Mailchimp. Zapier had integrated the google Docs API with its own work flow automation tool in order to help users create their own offer letters which would be based on a template. While Zapier did this, Netflix used Google Docs API to build an internal tool that would help engineers in gathering data and automating documentation flows.

For those of you having to fill out forms or invoices, instead of doing it multiple times and changing the template every time you do, you can now have product info and numbers automatically filled in for you. This new Google Docs API will make life much easier for all and sundry. Google Docs API aims at removing much of the repetitive tasks by automating it.

Google Docs API allows you to read and write documents using programs. These programs then integrate your work across all Google Docs saving you a lot of time and hassle.

To help in getting things started with the new Google Docs API, Google has developer guides, reference docs and a quick start guide. The Developer guide helps you in learning how to implement some of the most important features in Google Docs. The reference Docs contains details about API types and methods.

Many at times at the work place we find ourselves copying the same thing over and over again, Google Docs API is aimed at removing that very thing. They do this by automating most of the repetitive functions, leaving us with a few tasks. Some of the things that google docs API helps at eliminating is copying information form one document to the other and filling out forms at work.

Google Docs API is primarily intended to help out with invoicing but can be adapted to do just about anything that you need done in docs. This new API will remove a lot of repetitive tasks at the workplace.

Rietspoof Malware on the Rise

Rietspoof malware a new malware discovered by  security researchers is spreading via instant messaging sites like Facebook messenger and Skype. Researchers have said that this new form of malware develops in stages. The rietspoof malware was first discovered in August of last year but had not been taken seriously. An uptick in distribution in the last month has got the rietspoof malware back in everyone’s attention.

Rietspoof malware and its role: 

The main idea behind the rietspoof malware is to infect victims and then persist on the host victim. The malware does this so that it can download other malware onto the host device depending on orders from a central command and control server.

The rietspoof malware gains persistence by downloading an LNK file which is a shortcut file onto the host computer. This tends to be a risky area for malware as most security/ antivirus products know to look at this folder when running security scans. But rietspoof malware has all the legitimate certificates allowing the malware to bypass any security scans.

The actual rietspoof malware consists of four stages. The malware itself is dropped onto the host computer somewhere in the third stage. The last stage is the stage when a more serious malware is downloaded. The last stage malware can cause serious disruption to the computer.

Rietspoof Malware known as a “dropper” or “downloader”: 

The rietspoof malware has come to be known as the “dropper” or “downloader” by those in the tech world. This is because the malware is being used to download other more serious malware onto the computer after it itself has taken root.

Since it is only meant to download a more potent version of malware, its functionality is also reduced. The Rietspoof malware can only download, execute, upload and delete files and in a more serious scenario delete itself when in emergency. However even with this limited functionality, it can still cause serious damage.

Avast the researchers behind discovering the rietspoofmalware, say that since they have discovered the malware, the malware has changed its C&C protocol and gone through some modifications. This had led them to believe that the malware was still being developed. Avast says that they are still not sure whether they’ve got to grasps with the entirety of the malware.

Rietspoof malware not the only “dropper” on the rise: 

“Dropper” or “downloader” malware is on the rise. Rietspoof malware is not the only malware that has developed in the previous months. A malware known as Vidar has helped criminals distribute ransomware and has also obtained passwords on their behalf.

The rietspoof malware downloads itself in stages and offers no information on what hosts it picks. Since its discovery back in August, it was initially thought of to be in its early or developmental stages, since then theRietspoof malware has really begun to pick up speed.

At present the end goal of the rietspoof malware, the choice of targets and exact infection chain remain unknown.

10 tricks that will make YouTube even more fun

YouTube is considered to be the second largest social media link with over a billion users and about a third of internet users. Watching over millions of hours of video daily has a tendency to rack billions of viewers each day. YouTube being the largest search engine in the world tends to provide SEO enhancement helping in audience growth. Google has now come up with some interesting new additions to YouTube making it more user-friendly. YouTube has made some additions in its Android and iOS app providing the users with new experience. The following tricks would provide more insight on how your YouTube watching could be more enjoyable.

1. Turn any YouTube video to a GIF with the use of URL 

GIFs areloved by all, though the knowledge of making them is not everyone’s cup of tea. In order to create a GIF from a YouTube video, it is essential to opt for a video to be watched on YouTube. On locating the URL towards the bottom of the browser, add GIF before the name of the domain, to read `www.gifyoutube.com/[your-video-tag]’ This will take you to gif.com. Your video will be uploaded and is ready for editing. Then you will find a display of menu options towards the left area together with a timeline bar at the bottom of your video wherein one can set the duration of the GIF. Moreover one can have the liberty of cropping its frame adding captions and much more. On clicking `create gif’ towards the top right it will prompt for a GIF title with set of tags. On clicking `next’, you then arrive at a landing page builder to share your newly created GIF. Viewers can only download the GIF to an offline by file only by signing with gifs.com

2. You can effortlessly see the written transcripts of people's videos. 

Many are unaware that YouTube tends to generate a written transcript for each video that is uploaded on its website. Any viewer has access to the transcript unless the user tends to hide it manually from viewers. Having a transcript handy saves the trouble of getting information without the need of manually doing it. To view any transcript of a video, you could open the video in YouTube. Then on clicking the `More’ tab below the video title, opt for `transcript from the drop-down menu. If the viewer does not see the options it means that the user had chosen to hide the transcript.

3. Can do things quickly with these keywords shortcuts 

Various keyboard shortcuts can be utilised on YouTube wherein `k’ could be utilised to play or pause a video, while `j’ is utilised to rewind 10 seconds. `I’ is used for 10 seconds fast-forward and `m; can be utilised to mute the video. Moreover on clicking any number from one to nine, tends to take the viewer to the section of the respective video displaying the percentage of the video which has been viewed.

4. End to the age – restriction 

Should you come across an age restricted video in You-Tube and still intend to view it, you can watch it by eliminating `/watch?v=’ from the URL of the video and thereafter open it without the need of logging in. If the video is liked by the viewer, the same can be downloaded which can be done with a simple URL trick. You could add `pwn’ before the URL of the YouTube video and click enter. This would navigate the user to a service enabling you to download the video in various formats. Though it seems an easy trick which can be utilised for any and every video, one needs to be cautious while downloading any copyrighted videos.

5. Playing video on indefinite loop 

One can play a video on YouTube in an indefinite loop by pressing the right button and selecting the `loop’ option. This will enable the video to begin repeating incessantly.

6. Do you have a slow internet connection? 

Set default video accordingly to suit it. If your internet connection tends to get slow, one can evade having to wait for the same to buffer. This can be done by going to `www.youtube.com/account playback’ and the click on `I have a slow connection. Never play higher-quality video’.

7. Look out for your preferred #Artist 

One will get an assortment of videos of preferred artist by navigating with a hashtag in YouTube search bar. This function can be done on desktop, mobile website and YouTube app.

8. Sing Karaoke 

If one would prefer to sing along YouTube video on some of their favourite songs and is unable to recall the lyrics, the option of Musixmatch is the solution. You could install this browser extension that will add lyrics to YouTube video as they begin to play. You can then have the lyrics accompanied with the video.

9.Use Google Trends to navigate and compare familiar YouTube search footings over time 

This could be a great marketing tool in creating smart keyword option. However many are unaware that it can be utilised in comparing the popularity of specific YouTube search queries. All that needs to be done is to open Google Trends and edit search footing in the `Explore topics’ search bar towardsthe top. On arriving at the page, you could click on `Web Search’ which gives way to a drop-down menu. Opt for `YouTube Search’ which filters YouTube searches.

10. Clear YouTube History 

YouTube search or watch history can be cleared. YouTube enables this by pausing your history so it can stop recording what is searched and watched from the point forwarded or goes through your history deleting certain videos. In order to delete the history on desktop or mobile device you could go to `Watch History’ menu. Here you can clear all watch history – permanently clear the record of videos watched , `pause watch history’ – stop recording videos watch going forward or individually remove videos from history by tapping the X or ellipses near the videos. For additional instructions on deleting items from your YouTube watch history, YouTube has a Help article which will provide the necessary assistance.

First Clipper Malware Discovered on Google Play

Android/Clipper.C impersonating MetaMask on Google Play

Clippper malware was discovered on Google Play, the official Android app store. This malicious malware was discovered in Feb 2019.

What is the clipper malware? 

Addresses of the online cryptocurrency wallets have a long string of characters that includes alphabets and numbers.These addresses are basically long for security reasons. The users generally copy and paste the addresses using the clipboard instead of taking the trouble to type them out.

The people who steal the cryptocurrency, take advantage of this lapse and replace the wallet address in the clipboard. This is the clipper malware.

The attacker intercepts the address on the clipboard and changes it to the address belonging to him.
The user then ends up with the wallet address that has been switched by the attacker.

Though the clipper malware is relatively new, where the cryptocurrency stealers alter the address, it is considered an established malware.

The origins of clipper malware

The clipper malware was first discovered in 2017 on the Windows platform.

Later it was noticed in the shady Android app stores in the summer of 2018.

In August 2018, the first Android clipper malware was discovered. It is sold on underground hacking forums and subsequently seen in shady Android app stores.

The clipper malware was also hosted on download.cnet.com. This is one of the most popular software hosting sites. This malware was discovered by ESET researchers.

In February 2019, the malware was found on Google Play, which is the official Android app store.

How does the clipper malware function? 

The clipper malware was detected on the Google Play store. This malicious malware was found out by ESET security solutions. The malware, Android/Clipper.C, impersonates a genuine service known as MetaMask.

The clipper malware basically steals the user’s credentials and private keys in order to access the user’s Ethereum funds. This malware can also change the Bitcoin or Ethereum wallet address of the user and replace it with the address of the hacker. The wallet address of the user is replaced by the wallet address of the hacker using the clipboard.

When and how was the clipper malware discovered? 

On 1st Feb 2019, the ESET security solutions discovered the clipper malware, Android/Clipper.C on Google Play, the official Android app store. This was then intimated to the Google Play security team. They immediately removed the app from the Store.

This hacking targets the users who make use of the mobile version of the MetaMask service. The MetaMask service runs Ethereum decentralized apps in the browser without any need of running a complete Ethereum node.

Currently, the MetaMask service is not offering the mobile app. They are available as add-ons for desktop browsers like Chrome and Firefox.

Previously too, malicious apps were discovered on Google Play impersonating MetaMask in order to access the victim’s cryptocurrency funds.

Security measures against clipper malware

Users should update their Android devices and use reliable mobile security solution.

Download apps from the official Google Play store.

For any Google Play search, stick to the official website of the app developer or service provider for the link to the official app.

For any sensitive transactions involving information or money, double check every step.

Mono-Live Gadget Review: Mobvoi TicWatch S2

Here’s a budget friendly smart watch up for review. The Mobvoi TicWtach S2 was launched recently with the TicWatch E2. Both are similar except for a few minor differences. The Mobvoi TicWatch S2 has a more sportier feel to it than its predecessor. Overall the Mobvoi TicWatch S2 is good value for money making it an excellent gift to give a loved one this Valentine’s day. Its better than expected battery life, sturdy quality and big enough display make it a worthwhile buy. But enough chit chat. Let’s get more to the specifics of the watch.

Design of the Mobvoi TicWatch S2: 

Just like its predecessor, the Mobvoi TicWatch S2 tends more towards the bulky side of things. The watch is just shy of 13mm in thickness but pulls off that extra bulk well. This is important when it comes to working out in such watches. You don’t want it to be too clunky and get in your way. Its light weight feel, although it does not look anywhere near light weight, is courtesy of the polycarbonate material it is made of.

The Mobvoi TicWatch S2 is definitely a step up from its predecessor when it comes to build. The TicWatch S was more plasticky and felt cheap. Coming to the S2 and E2, the S2 feels a lot more sturdy and well- built as compared to its launch partner. The Mobvoi TicWatch S2 has also got a MIL- STD- 810G rating. This is a mark of durability and ruggedness as defined by the US military. So you know you’re getting the real deal with this watch.

Coming to the Screen Of the Mobvoi TicWatch S2: 

The mobvoi TicWatch S2 comes with a 1.39 inch circular screen. It has a 400 by 400 resolution AMOLED display. This gives you a pretty sharp picture quality for a watch coming in at the price that it does. Ok, if you peer up close to the screen you may notice pixels, but on a day to day basis you won’t see any of them.

The screen is pretty bright and can be seen even while outdoors on a bright sunny day. However the Mobvoi TicWatch S2 does not come with ambient light sensors so you’ll have to adjust the brightness on your own.

The watch also has an always on kinda display mode going on, which displays the time as well as other things when not in use too. This is a step up over what you get in smart watches like the Apple watch that does not display anything when not in use. However you may have to charge this thing often because of this little feature.

Getting to the Software in the Mobvoi TicWatch S2: 

The Mobvoi TicWatch S2 comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 chip along with 512MB RAM and 4GB storage. This is similar to what’s in the Mobvoi TicWatch E2. With this kind of chip in the watch, apps fire up quickly without any delay. However Google Assistant may be a little slow to bring up on the watch.

In a Stumble for Apple, a FaceTime Bug Lets iPhone Users Eavesdrop

A critical flaw allows eavesdropping on other FaceTime users, very easily. Apple has disabled one of its communication software features while waiting to deploy a patch. For three months, it has been possible for others to activate the microphone and camera of your iPhone remotely. The major bug in the FaceTime app was revealed on Monday, January 28th.

As reported by the US site 9to5Mac, the software flaw results from the group call function set up by Apple in October with the update iOS 12.1 to call up to 32 people simultaneously. It allows anyone to spy on a contact whose iPhone is running iOS 12.1 or later, even if they decline their call.

The major security flaw allowing eavesdropping affects the latest version of iOS. This bug has just been detected. It appeared with one of the new tools introduced on iOS 12, the group video call on FaceTime.

With this FaceTime bug, users can remotely listen to conversations on other iPhones even before their call is accepted. Even more disturbing, this critical flaw is easily exploitable and has been reproduced by many users on social networks, and Apple has already recognized the problem.

Unfortunately, since Facetime is not yet an App on the App Store, it will probably have to wait until an update of iOS. While waiting to deploy a patch, Apple has decided to suspend group calls on FaceTime. This will naturally limit the exploitation of this flaw.

This is not the first time that Apple has recognized a significant security breach in one of its systems. In November 2017, MacOS High Sierra allowed you to log in to a protected session as an administrator without a password. A fix was deployed the next day.

How does the fault work? 

A video posted on Twitter shows how the FaceTime bug works. An iPhone user initiates a FaceTime call and then inputs own number into the field dedicated to adding other participants to the conversation. The recipient’s microphone then starts, without even answering the call.

Internet users also noticed that it was possible to activate the front camera if the recipient pressed the power button or volume of his iPhone, a manipulation that usually ignores the call. These two bugs have also been observed on Macs.

When you call someone from FaceTime, and before they answer, you can drag the screen up to add another person to the conversation. This third person can be your own phone number.

That’s when a group video conference starts with the audio turned on. The first called number can then be listened to without having to accept the conversation. The transmitted sound is bi-directional, the added person can therefore also listen to the exchange.

How to disable FaceTime on your iPhone or iPad? 

Even though Apple has disabled Group Facetime from their server it is recommended that you manually disable it. You can easily disable FaceTime on your iPhone or iPad. Open the Settings and locate Facetime. Slide the toggle from green to grey to switch off Facetime.

Apple has said in a comment to Buzzfeed that they are aware of the bug and will issue a patch later in the week to fix it.