Tag: your-computer

Windows XP PCs infected by WCry can be decrypted without paying ransom

Enlarge (credit: Adrien Guinet ) Owners of some Windows XP computers infected by the WCry ransomware may be able to decrypt their data without making the $300 to $600 payment demand, a researcher said Thursday. Adrien Guinet, a researcher with France-based Quarkslab, has released software that he said allowed him to recover the secret decryption key required to restore an infected XP computer in his lab. The software has not yet been tested to see if it works reliably on a large variety of XP computers, and even when it does work, there are limitations. The recovery technique is also of limited value because Windows XP computers weren’t affected by last week’s major outbreak of WCry. Still, it may be helpful to XP users hit in other campaigns. “This software has only been tested and known to work under Windows XP,” he wrote in a readme note accompanying his app , which he calls Wannakey. “In order to work, your computer must not have been rebooted after being infected. Please also note that you need some luck for this to work (see below), and so it might not work in every case!” Read 7 remaining paragraphs | Comments

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Windows XP PCs infected by WCry can be decrypted without paying ransom

You don’t need to sign in to use Skype anymore

Unless you have Skype configured to boot-up when you start your computer, starting the program, logging in and connecting to a call can be mildly tedious. It’s not anymore — Microsoft just announced a new ‘Guest’ mode for Skype that makes user accounts almost completely optional . Now if you want to join a Skype call, all you have to do is click a link and enter your name. Skype as a Guest includes voice and video calling, group instant messaging and screen and file sharing features for up to 300 people per conversation. Users will be given a unique link to share with contacts that instantly open the Skype conversation, which can be made up of more Guests, or fully signed-in Skype users. So, what’s the catch? Not much: conversations expire after 24 hours, and you’ll still need to log-in to call a landline or use Skype’s live translation features . The account-free mode also only works in Skype.com’s web-client, but those limitations aside it seems to offer all the service’s basic free features. Not bad — particularly if you only use Skype when somebody else asks you to. Source: Skype

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You don’t need to sign in to use Skype anymore