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MS Edge, and browsers in general

1/17/2020

 
Microsoft has developed a new version of it's not so popular web browser Edge. I know that's not much of an endorsement, but I think it's worth checking out.
An article about the new Edge is HERE.
I use Google's Chrome mostly. Apparently, most people use Chrome. I have mixed feelings about it as I understand there is an enormous amount of data mining done in that, meaning, no real privacy. While Google may plan on keeping your info secret, I don't know how realistic that is, considering all the hacking going on. 
I've been using Firefox more since it is generally considered the more secure and private browser. While I have no preference, for me, a browser is a browser, but there are some very clear differences, so you should consider what you want from your browser. While you can read a review of browsers HERE, I don't think it really wants to criticize Chrome.
A more scathing article on Chrome can be found HERE. While it seems apparent that all the advances in programs we are getting for free actually come at the cost of our privacy, it is your responsibility to decide how far you want to let that go. 

Hijacked Address Book: How did it happen and what to do?

1/10/2020

 
Most of us have seen those spoof e-mails, when a personal e-mail address has been commandeered for the purpose of sending spam, but in this case, to everyone in your address book.

I received an e-mail from a good friend the other day, and it seemed entirely out of character for her. Red flags immediately popped up, and I knew that her e-mail Address Book had been compromised. Here is the text of that e-mail (exactly as it appeared):

Best goods and best service!


i would like to introduce a good company who trades mainly in electornic products.
Now the company is under sales promotion,all the products are sold nearly at its cost.
They provide the best service to customers,they provide you with original products of
good quality,and what is more,the price is a surprising happiness to you!
It is realy a good chance for shopping.just grasp the opportunity,Now or never!
The web address **********
(I removed the Web address to which it referred.)

I noticed that this e-mail had not only been sent to me but apparently to everyone in her Address Book, many names being familiar to me. A phone call to her confirmed my suspicion that she did not actually send the e-mail herself, but rather some cyber-ne'er-do-well had hijacked her Address Book. Of course, her first question was, "How could this happen, and what can I do?"

Here are a few ways it could have happened:
Malware of some sort found its way onto your computer, and its sole purpose is to harvest e-mail addresses, which are then sent along to someone else for the purpose of sending spam e-mails. Someone who has your e-mail address in their Address Book actually has the malware on their computer. Some Web sites actually harvest e-mail addresses from a computer, especially those that presume to share things with others or invite friends, and so on; or perhaps people who are members of those sites have ways to harvest e-mail addresses from their friends. While doing some research for this problem, I ran across a guy who claimed that this very thing had happened to him when he joined StumbleUpon, and another who claimed her Address Book was hijacked through Facebook, and yet another who had joined Fanbox.What to do:
​
Scan your system for malware. I discussed spyware removal tools in a different blog piece, which can be found here. Two tools I might recommend are Malwarebites and Hijackthis. And since some malware might resurrect itself through a Registry entry, perhaps running CCleaner would be prudent as well. However, consider the risks of running a Registry cleaner. I wrote about that in another blog piece, which can be found here. Make sure your antivirus software is installed and is up to date with the current virus definitions. Make sure your Windows OS is current with all security updates. Be careful of (or avoid) some (or all) of those social Web sites, especially ones that share e-mail addresses. I won't presume to know all the good ones from the bad ones, but I avoid all such sites. I might be one of the few people without a Facebook or MySpace account, but I simply resist joining any of those types of sites. If your computer is clean, and you're certain you weren't compromised at a social networking site, send an e-mail to all the people in your Address Book to give them a heads-up that someone in your e-mail circle might be compromised. I would suggest sending them one at a time or with a blind CC, however, since I advise people to never send mass e-mails -- although we probably all do it from time to time in certain cases.

​https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/user-support/hijacked-address-book-how-did-it-happen-and-what-to-do/

Better (iPhone) Photos

1/1/2020

 
I take pretty crappy pictures with my iPhone. It's not the iPhone's fault, it's mine. Likewise, you can't just expect a better camera to automatically take great pictures all the time. The iPhone 11 has a really advanced camera in it. Cameras and their lenses go back and forth, iPhone comes out with the best camera, then the competition, then iPhone. It's a never ending cycle which benefits the consumer. It also ups the price of these phones, but that's another topic.
As I said, I do not take great pics on my phone, though I sometimes get lucky. If you are interested in purposely taking better pictures, on whatever smart phone you own, then read the helpful article HERE. 
​

Digital New Year's Resolutions

12/27/2019

 
Tech Tip 1: Cleanup Everything
Go through old documents and make sure they are properly filed on your computer or cloud storage. Clearing out the old pictures, videos and music from your mobile devices is part of the process. They’re certainly very tedious tasks, but very rewarding once accomplished.
This is when I think I can regain control of my email. There is nothing more daunting than knowing I have 10,000 emails sitting in my inbox. Make time to manage your email folders, bulk file some of these emails, delete most, and try using rules to help you prioritize your incoming email for next year.

Excess emails can make your email program run slower and possibly crash.  Save photos and documents in folders on your computer not in your email program.  


Tech Tip 2: Review Your Backup and Disaster Recovery
The end of the year is a good time to test your current backup strategies. For example, it may be necessary to adjust or come up with a process that meets new compliances. Backups are the cornerstone of all your disaster recovery plans.

Remember "backing off" is not the same as "backing up".   You may back off photos and documents to save room on your computer but it is not a back up unless the data resides in two places.  External Drives can go bad too.  


Tech Tip 3: Update Your Software and Devices
Your office and network have more devices than you may realize. Create an inventory of those devices and run all necessary updates. There are plenty of devices you don’t regularly update that should be part of this process. Routers, wireless access points, security cameras, printers and copiers are often overlooked, but they should get updates along with all your regular computing devices. You should update your applications, operating systems, anti-virus software, iPhones and tablets on a regular basis, not only for new features but more importantly, for timely security updates.

Tech Tip 4: Update Your Passwords
This year shed more light on the cybersecurity issues facing many organizations. Following good password management practices is critical. If it has been a while, now is the best time to change and update your passwords. The need to use passwords with long complex characters, and that are unique to each site, can’t be overstated. There are digital password managers such as LastPass or 1Password but if you choose not to use a manager, then please write down your passwords and keep the list in a safe but accessible (to you) place.

Have a Happy and Safe Digital New Year!



Some Time Saving Tips

12/20/2019

 
Scouring the web looking for interesting tech tips, I found this page talking about time saving tips. I'm always looking to save time, and as someone that grew up on computers, there's a lot I've missed. I don't know how anyone learns all these shortcuts. I only learn them from these geeky columns I read. 

This article includes keyboard shortcuts, which are great. But also, did you know right clicking on a word in Google will bring up a new window of search results on that word? I never knew that. There are some Mac specific tips too, and mobile device tips. Look through the article and try some of them out. The article is HERE.

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