The orangutans at Jungle Island Zoo in Miami, Florida have begun to use iPads as a way to communicate with their trainers. Orangutans are limited in their communication because they do not have vocal chords or voice boxes. Typically, orangutans are restricted to sign language when interacting with humans, but mobile software on the iPad allows the apes to use pictures to convey a message. Using the app, orangutans are able to answer questions from a Miami Zoo trainer by touching the corresponding picture.

This has implications far beyond just entertainment for Miami zoo visitors. These orangutans are highly intelligent creatures that need stimuli to keep their brains active, which in turn keeps them from becoming depressed or bored. That is why Orangutan Outreach, an organization dedicated to the preservation and education of Orangutans, has started “Apps for Apes.” It is a program that focuses on developing apps that orangutans can use to convey messages. They also hope to develop software that is similar to other mobile VoIP programs, which will allow the apes to get in touch with orangutans in other locations. One of the biggest challenges for Orangutan Outreach is making a screen that is durable enough to be handled by a group of orangutans. This also relates to the obstacle of getting the funding that is necessary to test software on very valuable devices that would be given to apes that are not used to handling something so delicate.

Scientists and software developers are working together in hopes that the public will see the importance of being able to connect with these advanced primates and appreciating their highly sophisticated way of thinking. As an endangered species, orangutans now rely on zoos for protection from the large amount of deforesting that threatens their environment. Orangutan Outreach and other software developers in this field are showing that there are many ways that humans can support the conservation of endangered species.

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Last week at LinkedIn, more than 6.46 million user passwords were stolen and posted onto a forum on a Russian hacker site. Many are stunned that such a well-known and relatively longstanding social network could have suffered such a security breach. However, anyone that has even the most basic understanding of secure web hosting saw this one coming a mile away. The fact that LinkedIn was attacked was inevitable. Everyday sites of all different sizes are targeted by hackers, but there are some simple steps that site owners can take to prevent a breach like this from happening.
web server hacked.

Hashing and Salting

What is hashing and salting? Although it sounds like a cooking technique, it’s actually a method of encrypting passwords. First an algorithm is used to encode user names and passwords into integers called hash codes or hash values. So if a site is compromised, the database only shows the hashes, not the actual passwords. This is still not enough though, because hackers have found ways to easily test millions of passwords a second by using automated tools. They then create “dictionaries” that list hash codes and the password that it corresponds to.  Although it may seem like this would be way too much data, it is interesting to note that a recent study showed there are only 1,000 words that make up 91% of people’s passwords.

This is where salting comes in; salting makes the hashed versions of passwords more cryptic by adding random variables to the end of the hash. The longer the salt is, the harder it will be to crack the passwords and the salts must be unique, or the process is meaningless. Even though salting will slow down hackers, it is still not enough to prevent hackers from retrieving password information. This is why sites, especially social network sites that thrive because communities of people are voluntarily sharing personal information, must go one step further to protect user.

Secure Dedicated Server Hosting

After the security breach, LinkedIn posted a blog stating that they had improved their security by implementing salting (previously they had only used hashing). However, they didn’t mention anything about securing these passwords on a separate dedicated web server. The server should be protected by a firewall and its only purpose should be to provide secure storing of user’s passwords and account information.

Even though LinkedIn has improved their security there are several steps that you can take to secure your own account. First off, use unique passwords that are not a part of the 1,000 words that make up 91% of people’s passwords. Your password should not be easily guessed and should contain numbers and special characters. You should also use different passwords for different websites. By following these tips, you should remain safe from your account being compromised by most brute force attacks.

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At This Year’s Mobile Health Conference, the FCC looked  towards startups for innovation in the healthcare industry.

In the healthcare business there is an overwhelming dominance of a few well-known businesses. However, at this year’s Mobile Health Conference, the FCC gave startup companies the spotlight. There are several reasons why the FCC is trying to garner interest from mobile app developers. Mobile healthcare apps could greatly reduce the amount of infrastructure that hospitals depend on, lowering the overall cost of healthcare. Also, mobile applications provide much more efficient communication systems and are easy-to-use programs that patients and doctors will both benefit from.

For developers though, the FCC’s regulations have been a burden on their advancement. HIPAA Compliant data centers are only the first obstacle that startup mobile developers must face. The FCC recognizes that the many hurdles for mobile developers trying to create applications for the healthcare industry have made the incentive for creativeness low. This is why they have made the unprecedented move of granting experimental licenses to non-profit organizations, universities and other research facilities. These licenses will give these institutions the right to use networks that can usually only be accessed by companies already in full FCC compliance.

The result is what they hope to be an outburst of innovation from mobile health developers. Some startups, like WellDoc are sure to take advantage of this new policy. They provide information and an interactive app for those with chronic illness. This could have huge implications, as 75% of healthcare costs are correlated to chronic illnesses. The HIPPA compliant data centers that this startup and many others like it rely on ensure the security of the information patients submit. With the FCC’s announcement of their new policy this field will surely see an expansion of modernization and improvement.

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With this year’s E3 conference in Los Angeles only a day away many are predicting exciting new products to come from leaders in the gaming industry. This event is especially important because the industry has seen a slump in retail sales compared to last year’s figures. From Microsoft’s “Smart Glass,” to the Nintendo Wii U, companies are looking to introduce innovative applications and consoles to shape the ever changing landscape of gaming.

Cloud Gaming

Perhaps the most important development in the gaming industry however, will take place behind the scenes. It’s not a flashy new gadget or the introduction of a new gaming social network; it is the way people are changing the way they play video games. How is the Cloud behind all this? Cloud gaming is becoming popular because the user doesn’t have to sacrifice their own disc space or computer speed with large downloads. Instead, Cloud gaming companies are providing gamers with the ability to stream games over the internet onto their PCs, smart TVs or tablets. To meet the demand of serious gamers, Cloud networks ensure superior quality by backing up their networks with numerous data centers filled with many dedicated servers. This safeguards Cloud gaming companies against slow speeds or interruptions, which make cloud gaming an unsuccessful venture.

New consoles are not being introduced every year as they have been in the past. In fact, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 hasn’t introduced a new console in 7 years. This reflects a shift in the type of gaming that has become popular. More and more people, from casual to diehard gamers are making the shift to playing online. For casual gamers, the games are cheap and offer an endless supply of new entertainment. For the more committed gamer, the decision to go online comes from new easy to use platforms that still offer a high quality experience, with no lag time that can usually come from online games.

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