Articles in Category: Security
It’s Important You Know: There Are Ads in Search Results
It’s absolutely critical you learn to recognize the difference between advertisements and actual search results.
How Do I Access Gmail Without Phone Verification?
There are a number of ways to confirm your identity if you don’t have your phone. The catch is that most have to be set up before you need them.
How Do I Make Sure I Don’t Have Malware?
It’s impossible to know your machine has no malware. What does that mean for your safety?
Should I Take the Flash Update I’ve Been Offered?
Adobe Flash player is dying dead and should be avoided. I’ll explain why you should be cautious if you think you still want it.
Can Browser Extensions See My Bank Account?
Browser extensions are often installed with little thought to the immense security risk they present.
How Do I Remove Malware that Blocks Downloads?
Some malware goes to great lengths to prevent you from downloading, running, or applying a fix. I’ll tell you what steps to take.
Should Your Username be More Like a Password?
Occasionally people suggest that usernames should be treated like passwords. While there’s some merit to the idea, it’s ultimately impractical.
The Easy-to-Avoid Two-Factor Loss Risk
Two-factor authentication is an important tool to keep accounts secure, but prepare for losing the second factor so you don’t lose your account.
How to Protect Your Cloud Storage and Backups from Ransomware
There are additional protections for your data if your machine becomes infected with a form of malware known as ransomware.
Isn’t Storing Your Passwords In One Place a Security Risk?
Yes, password managers put all your information in one place. It better be a very good place.
Are Longer Passwords Better, Even If They’re Simpler?
A longer password of repeating characters is more secure than a short complicated password — but there’s more to security than cracking.
Yes, SMS Two-Factor Authentication is Broken; Use it Anyway
SMS messaging has some serious security vulnerabilities, but does that mean you should always avoid it? No.
9 Ways Your Account Can Be Compromised, Even with a Super-strong Password
Strong passwords are important, but they don’t protect you from everything. I’ll look at other ways your account can be compromised.
How Do I Protect My Laptop Data from Theft?
Laptops are portable, convenient, and easily lost. If lost, all your data could easily be available to the finder. Encryption is the answer.
What’s the Best Two-Factor Authentication Option?
The best two-factor authentication approach varies based on your needs, and what’s offered by the service you’re trying to use it with.
What Should I Do About the Changes to LastPass Free?
LastPass is changing the terms of their free service. Find out if you’re affected, and what to do if you are.
Can Hotel Internet Traffic Be Sniffed?
Many hotels offer both wired and wireless internet, but with those hotel internet connections comes a security risk most folks don’t consider.
What Can a Computer Thief See If I Password Protect My Windows Sign-in?
Password-protecting your Windows login does not protect your computer’s data, particularly if the computer is stolen.
The Biggest Risk to Your Privacy Revealed
We worry a lot about privacy, but our concerns are often misplaced. Fortunately, the biggest risk to our personal privacy is right under our nose.
Can I Have Different Passwords for YouTube and Gmail?
A Google account includes Gmail, YouTube, and much more. If you want to keep those services separate, you’ll need separate Google accounts.
Why Password Managers Are [Still] Safer than the Alternatives
If you’re not using a password manager, you’re likely compromising your security more than necessary. Here’s why using one is safer.
Is Passwordless Sign-in Safe?
Signing in without a password seems almost nonsensical, yet it can be more secure than traditional sign-ins. More convenient? That depends.
You’re Just Not That Interesting (Except When You Are)
Worried about privacy? I believe we over-imagine the risks and at the same time are our own worst enemies.
How Two-Factor Authentication Works
Two-factor authentication is a great way to keep your accounts secure from hackers — even those who manage to get your password.
Will Ransomware Encrypt Backups?
A full-image backup is still the best defense against ransomware. But what if your backup gets encrypted? I’ll look at the likelihood of that happening and make some recommendations.
How Do I Decrypt Files Encrypted by Ransomware?
Once your files are encrypted by ransomware, your options are few. If you’re not prepared, there are a few straws to grasp at.
Grant Location Permission: Why You Should and When You Shouldn’t
Granting location permission gives apps and web sites a more accurate idea of exactly where you are. The question is: do they need or do they abuse it?
Can People Track My Email Address Location?
Email addresses can be used to locate public information, which could allow someone to track your location from your email address. Use caution when sharing it with someone you don’t trust.
Is it Safe to Allow Remote Access?
It can be safe to allow remote access, but it requires absolute trust. The risks are significant, especially since scammers have become involved.
Why Is It So Important to Use Different Passwords for Everything?
Using different passwords on different sites is not only good practice, it’s necessary to keep your accounts safe. I’ll review why, and how best to handle a plethora of passwords.
How Do I Hack Someone’s Account? How Do I Hack My Own?
These are oversimplifications of many variations on the same basic question. People want to hack into other people’s accounts, or even their own, for a variety of reasons. Some sound perfectly legitimate. Others, not so much. And others are just blatant attempts at theft, harassment, or revenge. What’s really scary is that I get these requests … Read more
Online Shopping: Just How Safe Is It?
Online shopping is ubiquitous, and yet some avoid it completely. Why are some people afraid to shop online when it’s arguably safer than offline?
Yes, Your Security Software Might Slow Down Your Computer – What to Do About It
Security tools are asked to do an important, sometimes resource-hungry task. Here’s how to mitigate their impact on your ability to use your computer.
How to Remove PUPs and Other Unexpected Things From Your Computer
Casually installing one download may result in several other things being installed. I’ll review the steps to remove these pesky, problematic, painful, Potentially Unwanted Programs, or PUPs.
Resist Those Dancing Bunnies
Scammers and malware authors often make fantastic promises to try to get you to drop your guard. I’ll discuss why it’s important to stay skeptical.
Another Reason Your Computer Might Be Slow: Prevention, Presence, or Removal of Malware
Malware can impact your computers performance before it arrives, once infected, and even after removal.
Five Reasons Ransomware Will Be Around for a Long Time
There are several reasons ransomware will be a scourge for some time to come. Most boil down to, well, us.
How to Avoid Ransomware
Avoid ransomware the same way you avoid any malware. A full backup will save you not only from ransomware, but from a host of other problems as well.
How Do I Bypass Keyloggers? The Guaranteed Way to Avoid Having Your Keystrokes Maliciously Recorded
I hear about techniques to bypass keyloggers often. The problem is, keyloggers can log much more than keystrokes. There’s really only one solution: avoid them in the first place.
Has My Computer Been Hacked? A List of Clues and Steps to Take
When you see the list of possible hacking signs, it’s easy to jump to the conclusion your computer has been hacked. It’s usually not the case. Regardless, prevention is always easier than recovery from an actual hack.
How to Run a Full Scan Using Windows Security
Here’s my step-by-step guide on how to run a complete malware scan using Windows 10 and 11’s built-in Windows Security.
What If I Lose My Second Factor?
When you lose your second factor, there are two things to be concerned about: getting into your own account — for which you should be prepared — and someone else having access to your second factor — which isn’t as scary as it sounds.
How Do You Delete Things from the Internet?
Realistically, it’s impossible to delete things from the internet. Yet in an apparent contradiction in terms, if you happen to delete something in your control, you also can’t get it back.
Why Can’t Online Services Tell Me My Password?
It’s for your own protection, and the result of fascinating mathematical wizardry. And if they can tell you your password? They’re doing security wrong.
How to Protect Data on a Laptop
You REALLY need to protect your sensitive data if your laptop runs even the slightest risk of being stolen. It’s critical that you protect it (and yourself) with these four appropriate security steps.
Are You Ready for Your Computer to be Stolen?
You might lose your hardware and any un-backed-up data on it, and possibly give a thief access to it all! I’ll cover a few of the basics. A stolen computer or lost computer can open the doors to all sorts of havoc if you’re not prepared.
Can My Work Spy on My Home Computer?
Using a computer at work puts you at their mercy. It’s technically possible your workplace could spy on all your activities.
What’s the Difference Between Windows Defender, Windows Security, and Microsoft Security Essentials?
Windows Security is Windows Defender is Microsoft Security Essentials, by any other name. Windows Defender has also had different meanings over the years.
Who’s Trying to Change My Password?
If your account has not actually been hacked, there’s little anyone can do to find out who’s trying to log in as you. But there are steps you can take to protect yourself from would-be hackers and phishing scams.
Microsoft Account Recovery Code
Possession of a Microsoft account recovery code is proof you are the account owner and should be allowed in should you ever lose account access.
