Five security tools for Windows, Linux and Mac

Ars Technica has a good and easy-to-understand article on essential security programs for Windows, Linux and Mac computers. Great, free tools for locking down your own or others' computers.

Saving NGO Security Scenario Videos

Over the past six months I’ve posted a weekly scenario with a YouTube video clip to get you thinking about various safety and security situations.

Time commitments are going to decrease the frequency of future scenario posts, but in the meantime I want to show you how you can save scenario videos to your PC. These videos are great for classroom training or presentations. Just load them onto a laptop connected to a PowerPoint projector and you're ready to go. (Feel free to use any of the scenario text to go with the videos.)

First, click on this link to go to an index of the scenarios. On the index page, click a link to bring up the scenario. Once a scenario is displayed, follow these instructions:

1. In the bottom right hand corner of the video window is a Menu button. Click it.
2. The video temporarily shrinks and the URL of the video displayed. Click the Copy to Clipboard button (this copies the YouTube video URL to your clipboard).
3. Go to the keepvid.com site. (There are a number of Web sites and programs that can save YouTube videos to your PC. Google save youtube for more options.)
4. Paste the YouTube video URL saved in your clipboard to the text box at the top of the KeepVid Web page.
5. Click the Download button.
6. Two options are displayed - .flv Low Quality and .mp4 High Quality. Click the link of your choice to start downloading. (A file named get_video is saved. Rename it to something a little more meaningful.)
   

The .flv format saves the video to your hard drive in Flash format. You’ll need a video player to play the video. I recommend VLC, which is free, at: http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

The.mp4 option saves the video to your hard drive in MPEG format, which is playable by QuickTime, Windows Media Player, and other common players.

That’s it. You can apply the same steps to save any other YouTube video you want to keep. Happy downloading... JM

NGO Security Training Directory

Based on several requests, I'm compiling a humanitarian security training directory. If you, your business, or your organization provides security-related training to the humanitarian community, send me contact information and a brief description of the type the training you offer (or simply a link to your Web site). I'll be posting the directory in the coming weeks.

10/8/11 Update - This idea really never took off, sorry...

NGO Security Scenario #25: One Day in April

You are relaxing after work in a karaoke bar in the capital city of a country that's been plagued by unrest. There have been several attacks on foreigners and last week an American-owned hotel was bombed. The crowd around you seems anxious for some reason. As you sip a beer, the bar suddenly plunges into darkness. As you reach into your pocket for a small flashlight you hear a strange but familiar sound. Click the play button below to see what happens next.



What do you do? Share your thoughts by clicking on COMMENTS below (and Happy April Fools Day).