TSC Online Services, Mandate & Top Leadership

I think we can all agree that the TSC online services are Godsent.

Today, the TSC registration process for new teachers is only a few clicks away via your smartphone.

It is no longer a 3 or 4 hours journey in a Matatu carrying 145,888 passengers.

Also, gone are days when teachers made meandering queues. All for simple services such making inquiries.

How awesome is that?

The purpose of this article is not to wear pompoms and start cheering the teachers’ commission.

Now that the CBA has been signed, it is time to focus attention on other important things. Like the TSC registration process, TSC online payslips, TSC TPAD among others.

Here are frequently asked TSC questions:

The Roles of TSC

In case you live under the assumption that TSC’s only role is to address salary issues (you can check teachers new salaries and allowances), you have been wrong.

The commission is mandated to perform the following roles:

Register trained teachers
Recruit and employ registered teachers
Assign teachers employed by the commission for service in any public school or institution
Promote and transfer teachers
Exercise disciplinary control over teachers
Terminate the employment of teachers
Review the standards of education and training of persons entering the teaching service;
Review the demand for and supply of teachers
Advise the national government on matters relating to the teaching profession.

The TSC Chairperson and Commissioners

Mbarak Twahir
Tache Bonsa Gollo
Kinoti Imanyara
Beatrice Marembo
Albert Andrew Fred Ekirapa
Cleopas Kiprop Tirop
Saadia Kontoma

Mrs. Nancy Njeri Macharia serves as the commission secretary while Dr. Lydia N. Nzomo is the commission chairperson.

The TSC Online Portal

The Teachers Service Commission website is a place where teachers (both existing and aspiring) and education stakeholders can access information about the commission, teachers, and the education sector.

Thanks to this portal, teachers can access a plethora TSC online services including news updates.

Teachers no longer have to visit TSC offices for information that falls under the mandate of this body.

Yu can visit the TSC portal today via https://www.tsc.go.ke/

Below are Important TSC Online Services:

1. Registration of New Teachers

Perhaps, this is one of the most convenient TSC online services.

The commission is mandated to register all qualified teachers before they can teach in any institution.

The application process is done online. The good news is that there is a user guide for those who get stuck.

Requirements for registration are as follow:

You are required to scan and upload the following documents:

Certified copies of academic certificates
National ID
Passport photo size
Non-Kenyans are required to upload a work permit

The registration is not free. Nothing is today anyway.

You are required to deposit Ksh. 550 through direct or Simple Banking.

Bank Name: National Bank 0f Kenya – Harambee Avenue Branch, Nairobi

Account Name: Teachers Service Commission – Teachers Registration Fees

Account Number: 01001000905001

Or via M-PESA:

Business Number – 547700

Account Number – 01001000905001

Before proceeding with the application, ensure that you have a code generated by either of the payment methods.

2. Teacher Vacancies or Advertised Posts

The commission advertises available vacancies on its portal.

Interested candidates are required to submit their application to the specific school as well as sub-county offices.

Shortlisted candidates are then invited to appear before a recruitment panel.

Those who emerge successful fill employment forms on the same day of the interview.

3. TSC Payslip Registration

Teachers can now access payslips via their mobile phones.

To access your payslips, you need to create an account.

Important details that are required are T.S.C Number, National ID number, KRA Tax PIN, Designation Code, Paystation code, and Bank Account number.

4. Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD) or TSC TPAD

TPAD allows teachers in primary and secondary schools to participate in evaluating their own performance and initiate their professional development.

Visit http://tpad.tsc.go.ke:83/ for more information.

Finally,

With this information, hope your questions regarding TSC online services such as teacher appraisal, payslips, mandate, and vacancies have been answered.

Samsung Galaxy Note Fan Edition is actually a Resurrected Galaxy Note 7

Terry Gachie

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is returning to the market under the name Samsung Galaxy Note Fan Edition.

In the past, there have been numerous rumors of the possible comeback of Galaxy Note 7 but not many really predicted a possible name change.

The refurbished Note 7 (it may take some time to get used to the name ‘Galaxy Note Fan Edition’) will go on sale on July 7^th.

Several Note 7 smartphones caught fire causing damage to people, property and, above all, Samsung’s reputation.

Samsung promises that Galaxy Note Fan Edition has perfect safety. The company claims that the refurbished version is enhanced with multiple safety designs.

The giant Smartphone manufacturer says that they will limit the number to 400,000 units and overseas sales plans will be made later. The devices will only be available in North Korea.

The Samsung Galaxy Note Fan Edition will be manufactured using salvaged parts of Note 7.

If the leaks that have been flying around are anything to go by, Note Fan Edition will be somewhat reminiscent of its old sibling.

It allegedly maintains a 1440p resolution, a 5.7-inch screen, 4GB RAM, and the same Exynos 8890.

That’s not all:

The leaks also suggest that the handset will come with a 12MP primary camera, water resistance technology, and S-Pen capabilities.

So, what’s new with Note Fan Edition?

Samsung says that it is updating the software on the Fan Edition. The objective is to ensure that it runs on Bixby.

The addition of Samsung’s Assistant is strategic given that other first-tier companies have popularized the idea of assistants in high-end handsets.

The hardware will be almost the same as that of Galaxy Note 7 but the battery capacity has been reduced to 3,200mAh units.

The Note 7 was powered by a 3,500mAh battery capacity.

It gets better:

Apart from the small battery capacity, Note Fan Edition will come with a smaller price tag. It is rumored that the handset will be priced at about 30% cheaper than its elder Note 7.

The exact price is yet to be revealed but rumors suggest that it could cost about $615.

Also, since this is 2017, Samsung Note Fan Edition will come with Android Nougat 7.0. This means that it will drop the Grace UX in favor of the Samsung Experience UI.

With this announcement, Samsung has our undivided attention especially since Note 8 is due for release later this year.

Note 8 is expected to come with a dual camera system and a slightly larger curved display that that in Galaxy S8 Plus.

The Note 7 fires left eyebrows raised for quite some time.

The giant smartphone manufacturer knows this too well and that may explain why it trying to salvage its reputation in the court of public opinion.

Still, Note 7 has many fans. At this point, however, we cannot predict the reception of the refurbished Galaxy Note 7.

The big question is:

Assuming the Samsung Galaxy Note Fan Edition entered the Kenyan market today, would you buy it?

You will Buy .KE Domain at Ksh. 10k

Terry Gachie

In case you have not yet heard, the .ke Domain will be available for purchase in Kenya.

The price tag for the Second Level Domain (SLD) extension will be Ksh. 10,000. This amount is considerably higher than that of third level domains such as the .co.ke Domain.

The Kenya Network Information Center (KeNIC) is the organization tasked with the management of the Kenya country code top-level domain (ccTLD).

KeNIC CEO Abdalla Omari has confirmed that the .ke domain is considered premium. That is just a way to justify the high price tag.

Omari added that even South Africa, which is considered the 2^nd largest economy in Africa, still uses a 3^rd level domain, .co.za.

The Four .KE Domain Roll-out Phases

KeNIC has confirmed that the roll-out will begin on July 23^rd, 2017 and it will happen in four phases.

In the first phase, Trademark holders who have registered trademarks under the Trade Marks ACT (CAP 506) Laws of Kenya will be given 90 days to apply for domain names similar to their trademarks.

The 90-day period will run from the 23^rd July 2017 to the 22^nd October 2017.

The applications will be evaluated and Domain names will be granted to eligible applicants. The evaluation process will be guided by SLD policies.

At this point, the price tags for Domain names will be Ksh. 10,000.

The second phase will run for 30 days: that’s between the 23^rd October 2017 and 22^nd November 2017.At the end of the 30-day period, SLD names will be allocated to eligible applicants.

In cases where at least two applicants share a domain name, an auction will be conducted and the Domain name allocated to the winner. At this phase, the price tag will be Ksh. 9,000.

At the end of the 30-day period, SLD names will be allocated to eligible applicants. In cases where at least two applicants share a domain name, an auction will be conducted and the Domain name allocated to the winner.

At this phase, the price tag will be Ksh. 9,000.

Next, KeNIC will proceed to the third phase. Just like in the second phase, it will last for 30 days. Applications will be evaluated based on the criteria below:

Applications submitted in the first phase will be given priority over those submitted in the second phase.
In the case of multiple applications in the second phase, eligibility will be determined through an auction.
In case there are no eligible applications for the first phase and multiple applications are received in the second phase, applicants with a trademark registered under Trade Mark SCT (CAP 506) Laws will be given priority.

The fourth phase will begin immediately after the third phase ends (about 150 days after the launch of the .ke domain).

KeNIC recommends a price tag of Ksh. 8,000. The organization has stated that during this phase, eligibility will be based on a first come first served basis.

About KeNIC

The Kenya Network Information Centre (KENIC) was established through the facilitation of the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK).

It is the entity charged with the management and the administration of the dot ke Country Code Top-Level Domain (.ke ccTLD) name.

KeNIC was formed as a non-profit organization aimed at managing and operating the .KE ccTLD.

It is important to note that despite the introduction of the SLD, third level domains will still be available for registration.

In case you are interested in the .ke domain, this is the apt time to make necessary arrangements through your registrar.

This Week in Tech: M-PESA’s Third Major Upgrade and More Weekly Tech Trends

Terry Gachie

It has been an eventful week. Politicians continue to dine and wine at your local Kibandaski. They almost look desperate as they make almost believable promises. The thirst is real.

It gets better:

Thanks to Wavinya Ndeti, we have a new hit titled “Yaliyo ndwele Sipite”.

Politics aside, the tech world spun in all the right angles. As usual, we have picked the top ten.

1. Yet another Outage from Safaricom

The good news is that this was announced.

The planned M-PESA upgrade was set for 30^th June between 1 am and 3 am making M-PESA services unavailable.

The upgraded platform comes with new feature and other enhancements for a better user experience.

While at it, you should brace for a 12-hour outage in coming days.

2. Kilimall Eyeing Africa’s ‘Alibaba’ Status

The thirst to control the Kenyan e-commerce space gets real each day. We have seen several companies launch since Kenyans started to buy the idea of online shopping.

Those who have earned a place like Kilimall keep reinventing themselves in a bid to stay afloat and remain competitive. One of the strategies was to create partnerships such as the one with Aramex whose objective is to enhance its delivery network.

Kilimall has launched a Business-to-Business (B2B) model that will lay a strong foundation even as it endeavors to become Africa’s Alibaba.

This model will allow merchants in Africa to conduct business with merchants from China on its platform. This means that merchants in Kenya will act as intermediaries that will be in contact with the final customer.

3. Communications Authority Seizes 5000 Fake Phones

We all have that one friend who bought a fake phone on the streets: either from some random guy or those pilfers who pretend to be Safaricom staff, Tom Mboya Avenue anyone?

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) has nabbed over 5,000 fake phones in Mombasa County.

The phones were seized from retailers who sell counterfeit phones to unsuspecting customers. To be fair, it is possible that some of those retailers have been doing so unknowingly.

The CA is on a mission to wipe out counterfeit phones in the market as well as their distribution. This operation began in 2012 and is expected to continue.

Good news for us, bad news for the black market operators.

4. A .KE Domain Coming Soon

The Kenya Network Information Center (KeNIC) has announced that they will introduce .ke domain soon.

In a tweet, KeNIC said that the second level .ke domain will be rolled out on 23^rd July. The tweet also advised those interested to secure their’s early enough.

5. Warren Foundation Launches Outdoor Safety Initiative

The Warren Foundation has today officially launched an outdoor safety initiative set to sensitize the public on safety when undertaking outdoor activities.

The Foundation was formed following the tragic death of 14-year-old Warren Asiyo during a climbing expedition at Mt. Kenya.

6. Jack Ma Expected in Kenya

Alibaba founder and CEO is coming to Kenya.

The Chinese business magnate is expected in Kenya from the 19^th July 2017. He expected to meet up with young entrepreneurs and shed some insight on how the youth and small businesses can become part of the global trade.

7. OLX Soma Award Winners

This year’s OLX Soma Awards were held at a gala event at the Radisson Blu, Nairobi.

Some of the big winners are Betty Kyallo, Victor Wanyama, Joy Kendi, and Michelle Ntalami.

8. Google “Meanness” Lands it in Trouble

Google has been slapped with a $2.7bn fine by the EU for violating Antitrust Laws.

The search giant is accused of abusing its power by promoting its shopping comparison service at the top of search results. This way, the company has been denying other companies from competing fairly.

Google has refuted such claims.

9. Chapa Dimba na Safaricom Launched

Chapa Dimba na Safaricom is a football competition that will identify football talent in Kenya.

It is the baby of Safaricom and Football Federation of Kenya.

10. Uber Selfies for Safety

Uber Kenya will now require its drivers to take selfies as a security measure.

The news security feature is called Real-Time ID Check will require drivers to periodically take selfies before accepting a ride. This will, in turn, help ensure that the driver‘s current photos and those sent to the company match.

If the photos do not match, the account is blocked temporarily.

Uber terms this as a strategy that will protect its drivers from fraud, theft, and other risks. The feature will also ensure that you are driven by the right driver.

So, do not be caught staring at that Uber driver hard, the selfies are all for the common good.

That’s it for this week. Have a good weekend.

Telkom has appointed Catherine Olaka as its Chief Human Resources Officer

Brand Voice

Catherine, a HR generalist, has a proven track record spanning 20 plus years, during which she achieved results through people in complex and challenging roles as well as at the executive level.

Commenting on the appointment, Telkom’s Chief Executive Officer Aldo Mareuse says: “Catherine brings professional experience that cuts across all specialist areas of Human Resources. She brings to Telkom a truly global and commercial perspective on people management and will be an integral part of our executive team. Her expertise in organisation development and talent management planning will ensure the building of stronger and more motivated teams, which is critical for the realisation of our transformation agenda.”

Ms. Olaka has a wealth of valuable and demonstrable regional (Sub Saharan Africa) and industry experience within the ICT and Financial Service sectors. Prior to joining Telkom, she was the Chief Talent Officer at Tigo Tanzania, responsible for leading the firm’s HR function.

She also spearheaded the HR integration of Uganda Commercial Bank, after its acquisition by Standard Bank of South Africa, thereby harmonising the terms and conditions of service of over 1,400 employees across the bank’s 59 branches. Catherine was also responsible for rolling out the Balanced Scorecard, as a tool for managing performance, across the branch network at Standard Chartered Bank.

In a previous position as Hub HR Director at Ericsson Kenya Limited, she successfully transferred 600 employees across 6 countries within the region, following the award of a managed services deal to Ericsson by Airtel.

A Certified Executive Coach from the Association of Executive Coaches of the UK, Catherine holds a Masters in Business Administration from Maastricht School of Management in The Netherlands, as well as a post graduate Diploma in HR, awarded by the Kenya National Examinations Council, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts, majoring in Sociology, from the University of Nairobi.

She began her professional career with the then Kenya Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (KPTC) and later joined Telkom Kenya after the split of KPTC, serving the company then for seven years.

>>>>>Ends>>>>

About Telkom

Telkom connects the people that keep Kenya on the move. It does this by providing integrated telecommunications solutions to individuals, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), Government and large corporates in Kenya, drawing from a diverse solutions suite that includes voice, data, mobile money as well as network services. Powered by its vast fibre optic infrastructure, it is also a major provider of wholesale, carrier-to-carrier traffic within the country and the region.

Telkom is building on a strong, consumer-centric ethos that is committed to providing innovative, accessible and refreshingly simple communications solutions that suit customers’ everyday communication needs. Established as a telecommunications operator in April 1999, Telkom is 60 per cent owned by Helios Investment Partners, with the remaining stake held by Kenyans through the Government of Kenya.

For more information, please contact: George Mlaghui[email protected] or [email protected]

The Warren Foundation Outdoor Safety Initiative Launched

Brand Voice

The Warren Foundation has today officially launched an outdoor safety initiative set to sensitize the public on safety when undertaking outdoor activities.

The Foundation was formed following the tragic death of 14-year-old Warren Asiyo during a climbing expedition at Mt. Kenya.

His demise was attributed to undetected High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) which are both advanced forms of acute mountain sickness (AMS) that occurs due to poor acclimatization in high altitude areas and can be fatal within hours.

The Foundation is at the forefront of creating awareness on the hidden safety challenges & dangers of outdoor activities through providing and promoting training and certification of guides.

It is also keen on improving emergency preparedness at the mountain; ensuring there are constant communication and proper evacuation measures.

Speaking at the launch, the Foundation’s Chairman Richard Kiplagat said that Outdoor activities are fun and the adrenaline rush gained from them is what gives most enthusiasts the drive to push harder.

However, safety in some of the outdoor activities is overlooked especially in mountain climbing where most people assume that the guides are well trained and certified by recognized institutions.

“We believe that, had the mountain guides been better equipped with basic knowledge of AMS they would have recognized the symptoms related to the onset of HAPE and HACE. This lack of awareness limited Warren’s chances of survival. No one should lose their life in such tragic circumstances hence our goal to advocate for safe, adventurous, fun and enriching outdoor activities in Kenya”, added Mr. Kiplagat.

Since its formation, the Foundation has made great strides. So far, the Foundation has tabled a bill in parliament under the parliamentary environmental committee that will uphold safety standards in the outdoors.

They have also rolled out several school engagements and pushed for the installation of GSM antenna at the foot of Mt. Kenya which has enhanced communication on the mountain and facilitated easy reach in case of emergency.

As a result, there has been a reduction in the number of accidents and incidents at Mt. Kenya with no deaths have been reported since mid-2016.

However, a lot still needs to be done to completely bridge the gap in outdoor safety in Kenya as compared to other countries such Tanzania, who have managed to uphold reputable standards in the outdoors.

“We would also encourage the public that may be interested in mountain climbing to train before they do so preferably in high altitude terrains. AMS is easily managed if detected early and starts with mild symptoms like dizziness, fatigue, headache, loss of appetite and nausea. The best cure is to descend and go to lower attitudes in order to get adequate oxygen supply,” said Alnavaz Amlani, an outdoor expert.

The Foundation is setting up a center for outdoor activity excellence in Naromoro town that will be used for training and certifying of mountain guides and team building activities.

To achieve its transformative goal, the foundation is keen on forming partnerships with key industry stakeholders who include Kenya Wildlife Service, Safaricom Kenya, Communications Authority of Kenya, and Parliament of Kenya.

Others are insurance providers, all hospitals, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, expedition companies, schools, and churches.

About the Warren Foundation

The Warren Foundation is a self-sponsored community organization that is focused on making outdoors in Kenya safe adventurous, fun and enriching.

In December 2015, 14-year-old Warren Asiyo joined a group of young teenage students from various schools in Nairobi to a hike at Mount Kenya as part of a church organized Rites of Passage (ROPES) program.

Poor planning, lack of safety/emergency equipment and inexperienced mountain guides led to his unfortunate demise.

He succumbed to High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) which are both advanced forms of acute mountain sickness (AMS) that occurs due to poor acclimatization in high altitude areas.

The death of Warren left a gap in the hearts of his family and friends, who then took it upon themselves to start The Warren Foundation (TWF) with the aim of transforming the casual way outdoor activities are carried out in Kenya.

About altitude sickness

Altitude sickness has three forms. Mild altitude sickness is called acute mountain sickness (AMS) and is quite similar to a hangover – it causes a headache, nausea, and fatigue. This is very common: some people are only slightly affected, others feel awful.

However, if you have AMS, you should take this as a warning sign that you are at risk of the serious forms of altitude sickness: HAPE and HACE. Both HAPE and HACE can be fatal within hours.

High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema (HAPE)
HAPE is a dangerous build-up of fluid in the lungs that prevents the air spaces from opening up and filling with fresh air with each breath.

When this happens, the sufferer becomes progressively more short of oxygen, which in turn worsens the build-up of fluid in the lungs. In this way, HAPE can be fatal within hours.

High Altitude Cerebral Oedema (HACE)

HACE is fluid on the brain. It causes confusion, clumsiness, and stumbling. The first signs may be uncharacteristic behavior such as laziness, excessive emotion or violence. Drowsiness and loss of consciousness occur shortly before death.

M-PESA Upgrade to Disrupt Mobile Money Services

Terry Gachie

Safaricom is set to perform a third M-Pesa upgrade from the 30^th of June.

The leading telco has announced that it is planning to perform a major upgrade on M-PESA over the next few weeks.

This will be the third major M-PESA upgrade since the company introduced the platform in 2007, and the first since the platform servers’ were moved to Kenya in 2015.

The systems upgrade will affect M-PESA services for about two hours on June 30^th from 1 am to 3 am. The implication is that a number of M-PESA services will not be available

The upgrade is also expected to affect other money services such as International Transfer, KCB-M-PESA, M-Shwari, and M-Kesho on July 5^th from 1 am to 3 am.

That’s not all:

You should brace for a 4-hour outage on July 15th-16th from 12.00AM to 4.00 AM. This is because Safaricom is set to conduct a transfer of the new service to a new platform.

The giant telco is expected to make an official communication through the media and various social media platforms.

The next M-PESA phase

Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore said that the planned M-PESA upgrade will pave way for the next phase of the mobile money platform.

In addition, the Safaricom boss emphasized that the next phase will ensure better service delivery for M-PESA customers and partners.

The upgrade will pave way for Safaricom to roll out more features and improve the mobile money transfer platform.

What’s in it for customers?

Customers will get to interact with new features and enhancements and this means a better experience. They will benefit by having a larger number of platforms offering their services on the all-new M-PESA platform.

One of the expected changes is the inclusion of M-Shwari and KCB M-Pesa in the Safaricom App

The new features will be rolled out over the next couple of months.

It gets better:

Automation of different M-PESA procedures will eliminate the need to make certain requests to the call center. Customers and merchants can now enjoy an efficient process thanks to the upgrade.

Previous M-PESA Upgrade Notices

Safaricom’s wildly popular mobile money transfer platform has undergone two other major updates in the past.

One was in 2010 where the outage took place between the 27^th and 29 November 2010. This upgrade aimed to upgrade the system so that it could accommodate the increasing number of subscribers. This time, all M-PESA services were unavailable.

In 2012, the upgrade took place between the 21^st and 22^nd of January. This time, the objective was to “increase M-PESA offering” and ensure that the mobile money platform continues to deliver more innovative services.

Fret Not, Your Money is Safe

Safaricom has always assured its customers that while they may not access their money during the upgrade period, their money is safe.

So, let us not witness typical Kenyan fashion where people make meandering queues to withdraw their funds. Safaricom, or M-PESA for that matter, is not going anywhere!

For clarifications and inquiries, get in touch with Safaricom through their various social media platforms.

Chapa Dimba na Safaricom Tournament Launched

Trending

Safaricom and Football Kenya Federation (FKF) unveiled a football competition dubbed Chapa Dimba na Safaricom, aimed at identifying young football talent across the country.

launched on 29th June, 2017 at the Nairobi’s Railways Club, organizers said the competition set for September 2017 to March 2018, will target boys and girls aged 16-20 years.

…more to come

Petya Ransomware Attack: What It Is and How to Protect Your PC

Terry Gachie

The Petya Ransomware Attack has hit crippling operations in companies across Europe, Ukraine, Russia and the US.

The malicious software has locked up computer data and crippled services in the corporate sector with Ukraine and Russia emerging as the worst affected.

This becomes the second ransomware attack in two months after the WannaCry attack that wreaked havoc on 300,000 computers globally.

What is Petya Ransomware?

Petya Ransomware is malicious software that infects the system and encrypts the files such that the user cannot access them without a decryption key.

In simpler terms, it locks users out of their systems such that their screens feature a ransomware note that cannot be skipped.

It is the latest wave of cyber-attacks that have been described as bearing some similarities to the WannaCry attack. However, cyber security experts warn that the latter appears to be much worse.

The two are different in that Petya has multiple methods of spreading making it a lot more complicated. It appears to take advantage of multiple vulnerabilities and is able to spread more broadly.

Also, it not only encrypts files but also locks them.

According to Kaspersky, it is possible that Petya is a variant of Petya.A, Petya.D, or PetrWrap.

How does it hit?

Reports indicate that emails are one of the easiest channels that the Petya ransomware can enter a system. It is believed that the malicious software comes hidden in a harmless –looking document sent via email.

Some cyber security experts have suggested that the ransomware comes hidden in a Word or PDF document. These documents come with a bad instruction that attacks the computers operating system, thus taking over the entire system.

Once users open the instruction, it freezes their computers until a set ransom is paid in bitcoins.

What is the first sign that you have been hit?

You will not be able to access your files and your screen will feature the image below:

How do I protect my PC against Petya ransomware?

First, it is always prudent to have an updated antivirus.

Major antivirus companies claim that their system is updated and can detect Petya infections.

It also helps to keep your windows up to date to ensure the system is not vulnerable. Always turn on updates.

The third tip is to always back up important files. This is especially important since no one can assure 100% immunity from ransomware attack. Also, users cannot be assured that they will recover their data unless they have a backup.

The last tip is to exercise caution when opening emails and attachments. If you were not expecting an email or you are not familiar with the sender, do not open it or exercise precaution when doing so.

A tweet from a user by the name @hankerfantastic suggests that when a system is in the process of rebooting, a user should power off their PC. Below is his full tweet:

“If machine reboots and you see this message, power off immediately! This is the encryption process. If you do not power on, files are fine.”

This, however, contradicts some reports that indicate that powering off the PC cannot stop hackers from accessing your personal files.

Bottom line is that much emphasis is placed on the importance of having a backup.

Google’s Giant Fine: The Search Giant Slapped with $2.7 Billion Antitrust Fine

Terry Gachie

Google fined $2.7 bn (£2.1bn) by the EU.

The European Union regulators have hit Google with a $2.7 billion fine over abuse of search dominance.

Specifically, The EU alleges that the search engine giant abused its power by promoting its Shopping comparison service at the top of search results pages.

In addition to the hefty fine (which happens to be the largest penalty by the regulator to date), Google has been ordered to end its anti-competitive practices within 90 days or attract a further penalty.

While Google has stated that it will appeal the ruling, failure to make recommended changes could subject it to a 5% payment of daily earnings of its parent company, Alphabet. This could mean $14 million a day based on the company’s most recent financial report.

About Google Shopping

Google Shopping is a Google product that displays images of relevant products, their respective prices, and the name of shops they are available. Other information could include review scores.

Merchants can upload a product to their Google Merchant Center account so that their products can appear in search results.

The items are sponsored meaning that they are not normal search results.

The Shopping service usually dominates the above the fold space and, sometimes, it may mean that other results may not be visible unless users scroll down.

What EU Says

EU says that it has been investigating Google Shopping for over a seven-year period. This investigation began after several complaints were tabled by Microsoft and other giant companies.

Google is being accused of denying other companies a chance to compete fairly. In addition to this, the search engine giant has been accused of denying European consumers the benefits of “competition, genuine choice, and innovation”.

Given that Shopping items appear as the above-the-fold content, Google is seen a making a conscious decision to determine what users read, use and buy online.

European Union’s Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said that what Google has done goes against EU antitrust laws.

Vestager added that this case could act as the benchmark that will determine how cases relating to complaints about Google prominence will be handled.

The commission says that while the $2.7 billion Google fine may take the spotlight, Google’s illegal practices should take center stage as they as far more important in the case.

Google has been given the autonomy to determine what changes should be made to its Shopping service.

What Google Says

Google has “respectfully” disagreed with the commission’s ruling and plans to appeal. The search giant says that before that, it will review the conclusion made by the commission.

In its defense, Google says that its goal is to show ads in ways that benefit both the buyer and sellers.

Google is not the only tech giant that has faced fines for “violating” antitrust laws. In May this year, Facebook was fined for misleading officials about its takeover of Whatsapp.

Amazon has also been forced to change its distribution agreements with e-book publishers so as to be on the good side of antitrust regulators.

Currently, Apple is fighting a ruling to repay back taxes amounting to $14.7 billion to the Irish government.

Nike and Comcast are currently being investigated on grounds that they have violated antitrust laws.

Despite the apparent pattern, the Commission has denied claims that it has a bias towards American companies.

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