A company in India is printing quick response codes on front pages following each chapter for PDF access.

The Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production and Curriculum Research (Balbharti) in India has announced the launch of new QR code textbooks that have been designed to make it easier for students to obtain digital copies and to lighten the load they need to carry in their schoolbags.

The books are being produced for the Class VI syllabus which was recently changed and re-printed.

The new QR code textbooks have barcodes printed on each of the front pages following the chapters which directs the smartphone or tablet user to the official Balbharti website, where all class textbooks can be obtained in PDF format. The hope is that the quick response codes will also be helpful in accessing a smartphone app that is currently in its planning stages.

By using QR code textbooks, students would be required to carry far less in their schoolbags each day.

The Balbharti website is also undergoing a makeover at the same time that the mobile app is being developed. The hope is that by making the site easier to use, students will be more likely to opt for the digital versions of the textbooks and will not have to carry as much in their bags. The site’s updates will include an e-learning link of both the Marathi and English language magazines such as Kishor. Kishor is a teen focused magazine that is published on a monthly basis by Balbharti. The magazine is celebrating its fortieth anniversary.

The Balbharti controller, Vivek Gosavi, has explained that the size of the textbook has grown to A4 page size to make it possible to print it in a larger font that is more legible and appealing to both students and teachers. However, because of the larger page size, it also means that the books have grown, making them bigger and heavier inside a student’s bag.

Gosavi explained about the QR code textbooks that they are currently being “used as pilot project this year. At least students in urban Maharashtra would get the benefit of this feature. We will observe the response of this feature and will decide on the scope of its introduction in other books next year.”

Security experts claim that plugging your mobile device into a public charging station could lead to a cyber attack.

Mobile users who are concerned about smartphone security might want to think twice before they plug their mobile device into a public computer or charging station. According to security experts from Kasperksy Lab, these practices could lead to hackers stealing personal data.

Computers communicate and share information.

Most smartphone or tablet users wouldn’t give plugging their mobile device into a free public charging station a second thought.

However, what some users don’t realize is that every time they plug in their phone, data is transferred between their smartphone and the charger or computer. As soon as the connection is made, information is shared claims Kaspersky Lab researchers.

The amount of data that is shared between devices varies depending on the manufacturer. For instance, data that may be shared includes: the name of the device, the model and manufacturer, firmware information, serial number, and even its electronic chip ID.

That being said, all devices will transfer the same basic information: device manufacturer, device name and serial number. Unfortunately, this is enough information for a hacker to breach a person’s smartphone security, break into their device and steal personal information, according to the researchers.

Improving smartphone security will help to reduce the risk of cyber attacks.

The sad truth in regard to smartphone cyber attacks via public charging methods is that the hacker doesn’t actually need to be an expert to corrupt a device.

Alexey Komarov, a Kaspersky Lab researcher, explained that “if you’re a regular user you can be tracked through your device IDs; your phone could be silently packed with anything from adware to ransomware.” Komarov added that “you don’t even have to be highly-skilled in order to perform such attacks, all the information you need can easily be found on the Internet.”

While a disturbing thought, there are a few things mobile users can do to improve their smartphone security such as:

• Use only trusted computers and USB charging points when charging a device
• Purchase a personal external battery charger for charging a device when on-the-go
• Secure the phone with a password or fingerprint scanner.
• Never unlock the phone while it’s charging
• Install an antivirus app that is able to detect malware
• Protect data with encryption technologies