Articles tagged: Featured

SMS Eavesdropping

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.

Worry. It rarely helps.

Should I Worry About Old Lost Email Accounts?

That old account you lost probably won’t come back to haunt you, but it’s wise to take some action and keep your guard up.

OneDrive Too Big

What if My OneDrive is Too Big for My Hard Drive?

Cloud storage is ubiquitous, convenient, and BIG. There are options if OneDrive is too big for your hard drive.

What Now, Lastpass?

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.

Laptop in a Hotel Conference Room

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.

Windows Update

Should I Avoid Windows Update? It Burned Me

After a bad experience with Windows Update, it’s tempting to bail on the idea completely. Unfortunately, that can leave your machine vulnerable to malware.

WhatsApp?

What’s Up with WhatsApp Terms of Service?

WhatsApp announced privacy policy changes requiring your agreement to continue using it. Has anything really changed?

Vault

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.

Privacy?

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.

Ransomware!

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.

Ransomware

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.

What is Windows 10 End of Service?

Why You’re Being Warned About Windows 10 End of Service and What to Do About It

Windows 10 warns when it’s coming to “end of service”, but what does that mean if Windows 10 is always being updated?

No Flash

What Do I Do About Adobe Flash End of Life in 2020?

Support for Adobe Flash will end at the end of 2020. The good news is that most sites have stopped needing it. For those that do, there’s really no alternative.

Facebook locked

Facebook Hacked? What You Need to Do NOW!

Facebook account hacks happen. Take these steps to recover your account and prevent it from being hacked again.

Back Up!

How to Back Up Before a Windows 10 Upgrade

Always back up before a Windows 10 upgrade, update, or reinstall. Create a full system image backup of up your entire machine.

It. Doesn't. Work!!!

How Do I Report a Bug in Windows 10?

It’s easy to report a bug in Windows 10. The question is, is it worth your time?

Don’t Call Yourself Stupid

Don’t Call Yourself Stupid

Some people call themselves “dumb” or “stupid” when it comes to computers. There’s little that frustrates me more.

Getting Rid of Bing in Windows Search

Getting Rid of Bing in Windows Search

We can’t change the search engine used by Windows Search when searching the web, but we can avoid Bing by not having Windows Search search the web at all.

UNwanted

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.

Are You Asking Too Much of Your Computer?

Are You Asking Too Much of Your Computer?

It’s very common for our usage and expectations of our computers to grow over time. Unfortunately, that means we’ll eventually run into its limitations.

How Do I Get Rid of Gmail Tabs? How to Regain Control and Find the Email Gmail Might Be Hiding From You

How Do I Get Rid of Gmail Tabs? How to Regain Control and Find the Email Gmail Might Be Hiding From You

Gmail introduced a tabbed interface to automatically categorize email messages. Since their categorization often misses the mark, let’s turn it off.

Should I Use FAT32 or NTFS on a Flash Drive?

Should I Use FAT32 or NTFS on a Flash Drive? The Differences, and a Third Alternative

File systems are commonly formatted as FAT32, NFTS, or exFAT. Which is best for your thumb drive?

What if I Lose My Second Factor?

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.

Your password is . . .

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.

What Laptop Would You Buy for $1500? My Choice, and My Recommendation for You

What Laptop Would You Buy for $1500? My Choice, and My Recommendation for You

This is a question I generally avoid answering, but I will anyway. The problem is I can’t really tell you what to purchase, since your needs are undoubtedly different than mine.

Spyware

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 to Do With an Old Computer You've Been Given - What I Did With Mine

What to Do With an Old Computer You’ve Been Given – What I Did With Mine

When I’m given an old computer, there are a few things I do for the safety of the original owners, myself, and the planet.

Password Field Entry

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.

Hand above a keyboard

What’s the Best Registry Cleaner? What to Use and Not

The best registry cleaner is none at all. There may be cases where you want to use one, though, and I’ll review which I’d use and how to use them safely.

Chromebook

Why a Chromebook?

Chromebooks can be a viable alternative for those who do most of their computing online and are looking for a simpler, perhaps more stable, yet powerful device.

Security Breach!

What Should I Do When My Information Is Involved in a Breach?

If your account is ever part of a breach, secure it to avoid further risk.

Resetting Windows 10

Five Steps to Repair Windows 10 Without Losing Programs

Before you give up and reinstall Windows, try to repair Windows 10 without losing programs.

Microphone

What are the Internet’s Rules about Free Speech?

Often, when people find their posts or comments removed or altered from websites they visit, they’re quick to claim their right to free speech has been violated. That’s rarely the case.

Working From Home

Can My Workplace See What Else I Do When I Work from Home?

Working from home can be convenient, or even a necessity. Does it open up your other online activity to scrutiny by your company?

Working from home

Five Steps to Better Security Working from Home

Security threats for people working from home are increasing. I’ll review steps you need to take to keep yourself, your company, and your job safe.

Video Chat

Can Your Video Chat Be Intercepted and Recorded?

Video chat is probably not monitored, but there’s no way to prove that. If that’s too vague for you, then be careful what you do on your computer.

Explosion

Can Malware Survive If I Reset My PC?

It’s possible for malware to be difficult or nearly impossible to remove. It’s also extremely rare.

Password

How Do I Choose a Good Password?

With occasional security breaches at service providers and rampant email account theft, password security has never been more important. Make sure you choose and use secure passwords.

False

How Much Can I Trust Information on the Internet?

Information on the internet ranges from truth to fiction to intentional misinformation. It’s important to develop a critical eye towards everything you read.

The inside of my new machine

Picking Up and Setting Up My New Desktop

My new machine was ready! I’ll show you where it came from, and the laundry list of things I did first.

Dell XPS 15

The Results of My Year-Long Laptop Experiment

A year ago, I replaced two laptops and a desktop with a single laptop. It’s time to evaluate the results.

How To Keep Using Windows 7 Safely After Support Ends

How To Keep Using Windows 7 Safely After Support Ends

Yes, it’ll be possible to keep using Windows 7 after it’s no longer supported. However, doing so safely will depend on you.

Will My Old Computer Run Windows 10?

Will My Old Computer Run Windows 10?

There are several options to extend the life of an older machine, depending on its capabilities.

2019

2019’s Most Popular Articles

My annual review of which articles got the most attention and generated the most commentary in 2019.

The scene includes a computer screen displaying an email inbox with several spam email subjects visible, such as "Account Hacked!" and "Urgent: Security Alert." A large, bold, red 'X' is superimposed over these scam emails, symbolizing rejection or marking them as spam. In the foreground, a figure symbolizing a user (not specific in appearance) confidently presses the 'delete' or 'spam' button on the email client, ignoring the scam attempts.

Has a Hacker Really Hacked My Email Account?

An email claims your email account has been hacked, possibly even including a password you’ve used. Don’t be fooled; it’s a scam.

Should I partition my hard disk?

Should I Partition My Hard Disk?

Partitioning, or splitting a single physical hard drive into multiple drives, has pros and cons. I’ll look at those and make a recommendation.

Avoiding Tech Support Scams

What do you do when you suddenly find yourself on the phone with a scammer? Step One: Be Skeptical!

Is Online Banking Safe?

Is Online Banking Safe?

You can bank online safely, as long as you know what to look for and what steps to take.

"... the more frustrated and resistant you are to the changes you’re facing, the harder you’re making it on yourself. "

How To Reduce Your Frustration with Technology

Believe it or not, there’s one change you can make that can dramatically impact how well your technology works for you.

Shame

Microsoft, We Deserve Better

Updates to Windows seemingly can’t be trusted, and yet they’re forced on us. Something must change.