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Neither 'admin', nor '1234' nor an inexplicable sequence of uppercase, lowercase letters, symbols and numbers. With these programs you can have your access keys saved.

There is no month in which a 'hacking' or massive filtering of user accounts and passwords is not revealed. Therefore, it is increasingly important to have a collection of access words that are sufficiently complex and differentiated from each other so as not to expose our data to the highest bidder.

The best solution to this problem has its own name: password managers. Its use is simple although there are a number of options throughout the network: from those that show for its simplicity to those that come loaded with options for the most demanding users. The choice, as usual, rests on the specific use that each user wants to give.

The operation of these managers is simple. Just imagine a safe in which all our passwords are stored. To access that safe we ​​will need a password that we know by heart. From there, we can opt for the application to generate random passwords so that we ourselves will not be able to remember them.

Managers usually add an option that generates these keys randomly and some even allows us to choose parameters such as the length of the same, the repetition of letters or numbers or if we want to include acronyms. What's more, we can even achieve, at the moment, save other sensitive information to use on the network as you can be our credit card details.

1Password

It is one of the most popular and works solvent on different platforms. 1Password included in the latest versions an integration with the fingerprint of the user so that it does not even need a password that will unlock all our arsenal of private information.

Among the advantages of this manager is the integration of different platforms (iOS, Android, Mac or Windows) and the possibility of creating different profiles. For example, we can have one for our personal accounts and another one in which we group all those keys that we use in the work to differentiate from each other. In addition, the application creates an encrypted file with all our passwords that we can store, for example, in Dropbox so that we never lose them

One last interesting point of 1Password is the ability of the application to allow us to store information such as credit cards or bank accounts, very useful if we do not want to store that information in our browser and that avoids the trouble of having to consult the card or the Account every time we make a purchase on the net.

LastPass

The fact that it is free (although it has payment functionalities for $ 12 a year) is one of the great attractions of LastPass, an application that works with AES-256 bit encryption and does not store the password with which we keep all our data.

Another interesting aspect that highlights this application is the additional layer of security it adds. If the user is going to enter a website that is not secure, LastPass does not activate the default datafill to prevent you from being the victim of a phishing scam.

Finally, and also important for those users who do not pay much attention to their passwords, LastPass monitors your browsing habits and warns you if you have a duplicate password to change it.

Dashlane 4

One of the most complete managers is also the most expensive to use. Accessing the premium version of Dashlane 4 will cost you $ 39.99 a year but with it you have the possibility to use this manager through different devices or authentication in two steps.

Against Dashlane 4 is the fact that it is a much more expensive application than 1Password although it does not include many options than its competitor. Moreover, during the use process we will find in more than one occasion a slight spam that will remind us to spread the word to share the application with our friends.

Dashlane is an 'app' with two very marked faces. Its free version is one of the most complete you can throw in the face. The payment, besides expensive, does not offer the same advantages that you can find in other more complete password managers, as in the case of 1Password.

With Easter just around the corner, holiday condo scammers work at full capacity. Common sense and prudence are fundamental.

With Easter just around the corner, holiday condo scammers work at full capacity. They look for their victims in specialized portals in holiday rentals such as Airbnb, Niumba and Homeaway, convince them to close the deal off the platform and "raise" them between 1.000 and 3.000 € that will never recover.

I wanted to die of rage, recalls María Puig, who has just been swindled 2,400 euros. "When I entered the Airbnb page and saw that my reservation was not there, it is like entering your house and seeing that you have been robbed, the same feeling of palpitations and impotence." Maria is the mother of two children and, along with another family that also has two children, wanted to spend Easter in New York.

We were looking for a lot of months in advance and so we were not surprised that there were real bargains in Manhattan, now I think they should be scams as well," he explains. They fell in love with a large and luxurious loft they saw on Airbnb, at the foot of Harlem and near Central Park. It was advertised as "Elegant 5th Avenue Penthouse" and cost € 320 a night.

"Everything seemed right," says Maria. On the Airbnb page there were several photos of the 'loft', along with opinions of other users who had spent their vacations there. He contacted the owner, Larry, through the Airbnb platform's messaging system, but Larry responded by email, with the excuse that he had the flat on several platforms and it was better for him to speak in the mail.

Larry's email address was booking@airbnbview.com, false as a tough Sevillian, but containing the word "airbnb" made the family suspicious. "He told us that he needed us to confirm the dates, to give us confirmation and a better service," explains María. A couple of mails later, when everything was already talked about and the reservation had to be closed, Larry stopped responding.

This made the families nervous, who had already bought the plane tickets, and relaxed their defenses: "We were so eager to enjoy New York that when we finally answered to tell us that we should confirm the reservation with a transfer, we do not hesitate and We did it, "explains María. To make it more credible, at the same time they got a supposedly Airbnb mail message, with their corporate logos, photos, same typography, links to a fake website and a reservation code: "PGR109".

The address to which the money was to be sent was in Poland. Here Maria acknowledges that "we had to have thought about it", but right now she was traveling, with a lot of work, and paid. "And when you've paid, all that information disappears and you can no longer find the flat on Airbnb or Larry," he explains. It was then when Maria searched Google and found that "it is full of Airbnb scams".

Indeed, with the hatching of tourist floors and their reservation through the internet, have also sprung the scams that take advantage of this flourishing market, being Airbnb the main affected by the fact of being the best known platform. According to the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU), 72% of Spaniards booked their home over the Internet in the past holidays.

The "fashion" in previous years were the "owners" who were abroad and could not teach the floor, but they asked for an advance in exchange for the keys. These scammers used to swarm through general-floor rental websites and Airbnb appeared only as an "intermediary" to make payments.

But, as we see in the forums of the network, in recent years other "modus operandi is being strengthened: opening false tokens on holiday rental platforms, with their comments and everything. If someone wants information, they are asked to follow the conversation by email, off the platform. When the victim is already "hot", websites and emails are created on the corporate side, making haste to make the transfer in 24 hours.

This happened to me exactly with a flat in London, explains Abel in an internet forum formed, like many, spontaneously after an article on the subject, followed by dozens of comments from people cheated: Sylvia has been stolen 3,000 euros; To Carmen, still stunned, 1700 euros: "It was all ok but I never got the confirmation receipt for my reservation." Abel, who stole 1,000 euros, explains that he was told that he "gave them payment problems", so "they indicated alternative mails to me to transfer to an account owned by Airbnb Lisboa, all with mails whose structure and everything is Airbnb ".

There are travelers' forums that have their own dedicated AirBnb sub forum, such as "Bad Experiences with Airbnb: Apartments and Rooms" or, on TripAdvisor forums, "AirBnb Scams". It is possible to say that some complaints must be caught with pliers, since the platforms pay people to write against the competition.

But, even taking this into account, the number of stories like Mary's is important. And most affected are very angry with Airbnb: "They do not pay attention, a bad call center that does not even help you, you stay like a fool," explains Abel. When Mary claimed she was informed that, having made the transaction off the shelf, she had no right to anything.

Andreu Castellano, an Airbnb spokesperson, reiterates "It is always clear that you should never leave the platform. This ensures that payments are secure, are made for the exact amount and the transaction is correct." The owner-guest communication through the messaging system is recorded and can be analyzed in case of complaints.

María says that "at no time appeared on the Airbnb page any message warning of possible scams, nor asking that you do not have contact with the owners outside the platform." Teknautas has proven it, carrying out the same steps carried out by María Puig to rent a similar apartment and at no time were we actively warned or with alerts regarding scams or leaving the platform. "There are no alerts, but at all times we show a very clear message that says 'Protect your payments. Never pay a reservation outside Airbnb,'" a spokesman for the company said.

According to the Airbnb spokesperson, the messaging system has "an automatic system that if it detects that you are typing an email address, a phone or a web address, the layer automatically". As for the floors being offered, "all the reviews are authentic, travelers can only leave a review of the place after having been there".

But if we listen to the stories of Abel or Maria, we see that something has failed because the criminals have been able to put false comments and also discover the email addresses of those interested. Most of these scammers are part of international mafias, especially from Eastern Europe. They are artists of the scam of all life and their tricks to hurry the pardillo. And also experts in cloning the pages and official messaging of these platforms.

Our friend María was cheated with a loft in New York, but in Spain there are also cases of this type of scam, especially in tourist sites. According to the Office of the National Police of the Balearic Islands, only 200 complaints were filed last year. Little can the police do in these cases because thieves use methods to be anonymous and many are not even in Spain, which is very difficult to locate them.

The company, led by Travis Kalanick, admits that it did use the program, but only in those cities where it was "feared" for the safety of its drivers.

Private transport company Uber has been immersed in a worldwide program to circumvent the police in those markets where its alternative low cost taxi service was limited and subject to strict restrictions or even prohibited.

This is revealed by the American newspaper 'The New York Time' along with information from several employees and former employees of the company. In this revelation it is detailed that Uber used a program that used the tool Greyball, in charge of using the data obtained from Uber's own application and other techniques to identify and elude police officers trying to fine the drivers of Uber. According to the New York newspaper, the transportation company used this method in several cities such as Boston, Paris and Las Vegas, as well as in countries such as Australia, China and South Korea.

The paper explains that Greyball belongs to a program called VTOS (Violation of Terms of Service), which was created by Uber to detect users who were using their service inappropriately. Currently the program, which was used for the first time in 2014, is still in use and has the approval of Uber's legal team.

Greyball and the so-called VTOS was created in order to bypass the competition and dangerous customers, but finally, as The New York Times has proven, Uber has taken advantage of this computer spying program to avoid police, and its Fines, and operate irregularly.

Three years ago a police inspector managed to videotape how Greyball operated in Portland, United States. The author of the video was Erich England, who used the fraudulent service in the framework of an operation against Uber. England posed as a user, but could not make use of the service, since when he asked for a car the drivers canceled the trip and never showed up. Apparently, the inspector was identified by Greyball as a police officer and automatically directed to a fake version of the application with ghost cars, to avoid being cuddled.

In a statement, the transport company claims to have used this service, but claims that it made use of Greyball in cities where its service is not prohibited and always ensuring that it was due to "security reasons". "The program seeks to prevent fraudulent users who violate the terms of service, who are people who want to assault drivers, alter our operations or competitors who allied with the authorities in secret operations to fine and arrest our drivers," has Declared a porter of Uber to the agency AFP.

The spokesman also states that this program has been used in cities where "feared for the safety of drivers" and only "occasionally" to avoid the police.

It is an old phenomenon like war, that is, old as the world the enemy ends up using the weapons you use against him against you.

It is an old phenomenon like war, that is, old as the world the enemy ends up using the weapons you use against him against you. Any effective tool on the battlefield will be copied, because the enemy always learns, and the use of unmanned drones by the military would be no exception.

Since at least 2014 terrorist groups such as Hizbulah, Al Qaeda or Daesh have demonstrated the ability to use flying drones for surveillance, control, espionage and propaganda purposes, but since the end of last year they have also used them in offensive tasks. Have recorded numerous attacks and not a few casualties, especially in the Battle of Mosul. Daesh even has workshops and factories to assemble and adapt their own models, and has developed specific ammunition for use in them.

At the same time the Houthi rebels of Yemen have used a remote-controlled boat to attack a Saudi frigate in the Red Sea. The drones, which were born as a symbol of technological supremacy only within reach of the greatest powers, are now also in the hands of terrorists. Anti-drip systems will therefore be increasingly needed.

Conceptually drones, understood as such to unmanned vehicles designed to damage the enemy, are as old as bullets, mines, torpedoes or missiles. For example, in World War II, (although unsuccessfully) remote-controlled bombers were used in Operation Aphrodite, one of whose attacks killed Joe Kennedy, and the Germans used Fritz-X guided bombs to sink the Italian battleship Rome and other Allied ships .

During the Cold War, spy drones were deployed as the D-M-21 of the A-12 OXCART (predecessor of the SR-71 Blackbird), lures to attract enemy missiles and also unmanned drones as training targets or weapons tests. The American armed forces used them profusely in Vietnam, although the technological limitations of the time caused a high rate of losses of apparatuses.

In its modern incarnation unmanned combat aircraft were developed by Israel from the 70s and 80s to expand their tactical reconnaissance capabilities without putting their pilots at risk. In the 1990s US forces acquired Israeli models that they used in the First Gulf War and began to develop their own projects.

One of the most well-known is the MQ-1 Predator, launched in 1995 as a reconnaissance and missile weapon since the early 2000s, which became the banner of the global war on terror following the attacks of September 11, 2001. This and other models like its derivative MQ-9 Reaper have been and still are profusely used in the low intensity wars of Iraq and Afghanistan and in antiterrorist actions in numerous countries of Middle East: its success has led to the proliferation of these systems, Which now form part of the arsenal of numerous nations.

Devices like the Predator and its equivalents have capabilities that only nations with powerful military resources can aspire to. They can be directed from the other end of the planet, making extensive use of satellite communications networks, geo-positioning systems and semiautomated navigation electronics. They are often serviced by several crews, one distant who is in charge of the mission, and another who is more concerned with maintenance, and in both cases rotating to ensure very long mission times.

Armed with air-to-surface missiles and various types of 'smart' bombs have proven to be very useful as surveillance systems with great persistence and quick and lethal attack capability, always in environments where air control is firmly in the hands of friendly and enemy It lacks anti-aircraft capability. No terrorist group has the resources to deploy such a system.

Which does not mean they do not crave it. Already since the middle of the first decade of the century, organizations like Hizbulah began using drones to perform tactical reconnaissance tasks, threatening to use them as a 'cruise missile for the poor' to carry out explosive charges in Israel. The models used were of Iranian manufacture and much less sophisticated than those of the western countries but the organization used them during the Israeli incursion to the south of the Lebanon in 2006, without much success.

In 2012, however, a drone incursion from Lebanon, across the Mediterranean and into Gaza came within a few miles of the Dimona nuclear power plant [pdf], the center of the Israeli atomic program, in what was interpreted as a Warning of Iran to deter a possible attack on its own atomic program. Most recently an Israeli F-16 knocked down a drone that had taken off from Gaza. And Houthi forces used a remote-controlled boat to attack a Saudi frigate in the Red Sea.

At the same time, and due to the improvements in battery technologies and automatic control systems, there was an important development of the commercial drones, both for the amateur and aeromodelling market and for the professional, where these devices began to be Used in tasks such as monitoring electric lines or capturing aerial images. Popular models like the Parrot AR helped to normalize the use among fans by facilitating both flight and imaging; Its two versions have among other things automatic stabilization and landing and can be piloted in a simple way using a smartphone.

At the same time as this type of apparatus entered the civilian market the military began to demand adapted versions mainly for the short-range recognition that now form part of the standard equipment of many professional units. Terrorist groups, unable to develop their own technology, began to use the models available in the open market. Thus in the civil war of Syria several factions have used as much military drones of Russian or Iranian origin as commercial devices more or less adapted to their needs. Among the different participants one of the most active has been the Daesh group, especially these days in Mosul.

At first Daesh used commercial tetra or hexacoptera models likely to be acquired in the free market and on surveillance and reconnaissance missions. On several occasions the forces that reconquer the Iraqi territory have detected the use of this type of systems to escort and to watch the route followed by suicide cars or trucks, one of the favorite tactics of the terrorist group. Drones were also used in the making of propaganda videos, a vital activity for the group.

Later on they began to detect models equipped with explosive charges and turned into a kind of 'flying bombs', although their low capacity of transport and their relative slowness and low speed make them vulnerable to being demolished with simple assault rifles or machine guns. Although success did not accompany them however the group continued with the development of this type of armament, which has given rise to some surprises and even a few casualties.

First appeared, both in flight and in the videos, drones adapted for the bombing developed in the own workshops of the group. Phantom 3 Advanced, from Maverick Drone Systems (or its clones) adapted for the launching of bombs made in Daesh's own arsenals began to be seen.

Adapted from 40 mm grenades, with or without mortar fuses added and stabilized with an ex-professed plastic 'tail' Daesh has managed to create launchable mini-bombs by simple mechanisms added to the commercial drones, armament that manufactures in large numbers . Several videos analyzed by Bellingcat discuss different systems of launching, armament and stabilization (queues of various types, including one similar to a ball of badminton and several types of parachutes) tested by the group; In some cases these bombs have come to cause a pair of casualties among the Kurdish Peshmerga, although their effectiveness is more than limited.

A more advanced version baptized by the group like Reaper seems to be a derivative of the commercial model of fixed wing drone Skywalker X-8 endowed with a rudimentary systems of launching of this type of small pumps, insufficient to cause great damage but that can be dangerous For naked infantry or even for light armored vehicles. Fixed wing drones, faster and capable of flying higher, have the drawback that their precision in the launches is much lower.

And it gets even worse when it comes to homemade drones like those that have appeared in Mosul, built with plastic parts, masking tape and model aircraft engines and employed as 'flying bombs', but with very limited success Iraqi troops advancing in Mosul have knocked down dozens of them without causing major damage. To complicate Daesh's plans to increase the use of such devices, US intelligence has succeeded in locating and facilitating the destruction of some of the workshop networks that made both bombs and planes and unmanned helicopters, which will undoubtedly contribute To reduce their use on the battlefield.

What is clear is that drones are already part of the battle, and not only in clashes between advanced armies Hence the interest of many armed forces in deploying the most effective anti-aircraft systems possible. It is the eternal tug-of-war between attack and defense, army and guerrilla, law enforcement and terrorists What one uses the other tries copies and adapts to their own abilities and needs. Helicopters and planes that were recently toys could be effective military tools and lethal risks in the hands of terrorists. Because in war no technological advance remains long unilateral.

Scientists and companies around the world are working to find the key component that improves battery performance. Which one has more ballots?.

Research focused on increasing the quality and duration of batteries has been going on for decades, but recently there has been a clear increase in interest from researchers and companies. Working for improvements, scientists experiment with a long list of components called to become the secret ingredient for batteries to last longer. Graphene, magnesium, variations based on lithium, sodium and even other candidates that may sound more surreal like beer or beach sand, among many others, star studios and advertisements.

"There are more and more portable devices and tools: vacuum cleaners, computers, telephones ..." explains Teknautas Carlos Roldán Porta, professor and director of the Department of Electrical Engineering of the Polytechnic University of Valencia, justifying the increase in research. "But it's mainly because of the proximity of the electric vehicle, which means there will be an immense market for batteries," adds the expert.

Zachary Favors, Scientific Director at NexTech Batteries, a startup focused on developing new batteries, and postdoctoral researcher at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab also points to electric cars as one of the main reasons for this investigative peak. "Companies like Tesla have made batteries a bit 'sexy' for the first time in history, and researchers want to be part of that growing electrification of the world around us," he explains.

"Another reason for this popularity is the explosive growth in the field of nanotechnology, which has opened the door to countless advances and new materials in the field of energy storage," adds the researcher. In addition to working on the development of lithium-sulfide batteries one of the great hopes in the field of electric vehicles this scientist was the main signatory of the study that proposed beach sand as a possible solution to improve the duration of Lithium-ion batteries present on most of our mobile phones, laptops and music players.

Talking about a winning ingredient called to revolutionize the battery market is tremendously complicated. Rather, and according to researchers, different components will improve certain aspects. "If a company found something that would improve everything, all the characteristics of the battery, would revolutionize the market, and that is more difficult to produce," says Roldan.

Even so, there are materials with which progress is being made: "I believe that progressive improvements are being achieved. The batteries have improved compared to what they had a few years ago, "he adds. Favors shares his opinion and notes that it all depends on the application: "If we think of batteries for electric vehicles and aircraft, we are seeing the introduction of silicon oxide in the anodes and a continued reliance on cobalt and nickel based metal oxides for The cathodes, "says the researcher.

"In addition, lithium is gaining widespread attention as a possible successor to graphite at the anode, while materials such as metal oxides rich in sulfide and lithium metal are gaining popularity in research for cathodes," he adds.

For his part, Roldan admits that investigations with lithium are certainly interesting, but it is a metal more expensive than aluminum or sodium. "With the lithium batteries is progressing a lot. It improves aspects, like with a solid electrolyte instead of liquid that makes them safer, for example ". According to their point of view, the sodium batteries also look promising, although there are still no conclusive results that allow to affirm that they will replace others.

The professor also points to graphene as a possible engine of change. "It can play an important role in improving current batteries," he says. A great interest of the scientific world, which considers it the material of the future, and large injections of funding also point in that direction.

Along with these ingredients, which seem to be leading the battle for the materials of the future, there are others who also have options. "Although there are now things and materials that do not seem profitable, in a few years they may be. That's why it's hard to dismiss ideas, "he says. "I intuit that there are organic and lithium air batteries that may be important in the future, but now they are very green."

Although in many cases the discoveries regarding batteries are in their early stages, the media announce from time to time something that seems destined to revolutionize the market: graphene, hydrogen, vanadium, magnesium and all kinds of organic materials from the Sugar to the remains of the beer seem to be at a certain time the great find.

Faced with this, both experts ask for patience. "Since the launch of an idea, based on laboratory results, and since it is said that it can be until it is commercial, there may be a period of five years and a great technological investment," explains the professor of the Polytechnic University From Valencia.

"Behind any innovation and any scientific commitment is always the risk that nothing comes out," adds Roldan. However, without means can not be reached until the end, so scientists need to publish studies and star headlines. "That's why a lot of people announce things that are not completely done, with the objective of attracting the economic investment", remarca.

However, there is still a long way to go. Batteries with lithium as the main component but in different versions, the still developing sodium batteries and materials such as graphene or magnesium will have to solve a long list of problems. "Current batteries have a number of drawbacks that limit their use: they are heavy, their useful life is short ...", quotes Roldan. It is also necessary to improve the charge density, that is, the amount of energy that is stored per kilogram of battery. "They are trying to weigh less, but they store the same energy," he adds.

In addition, they are also looking for faster loading especially for the vehicle market and extend their useful life in terms of the number of loading and unloading cycles. "In the field of portable electronics, the devices consume more energy year after year, because they increase their capacities and the power of computation", indicates Factors. "The development of the batteries will ensure that consumers do not experience shorter battery life and their devices do not burn."

Solving these problems is also to combat the use of fossil fuels. "One of the most important reasons for continuing research is climate change. The development of safer, longer-lasting and more energy-efficient batteries will allow electric cars to have the same scope and cost as those of internal combustion and that renewable energy can provide an increasing amount of clean and reliable energy for These work ", defends the scientist.

Many challenges and important reasons to continue with the research in a great obstacle course that, at least for the moment, does not have a clear favorite. If there was, the revolution would have started, our devices would be different and the main material would be on everyone's lips. Since this has not happened, we still have to wait.