Articles tagged: security

Credit Card Statement

Tip of the Day: Don’t Wait for the Statement

A Viking warrior standing in a rugged landscape, holding a large shield with the word 'Security' emblazoned on it. The Viking wears traditional armor with a helmet, displaying a powerful and determined expression. The background is a dramatic, cloudy sky, with the warrior prepared for battle, symbolizing the strength and vigilance of security.

In Search of Perfect Security

Perfect security is a myth. What’s important is to pay attention to the trade-offs you make.

Amazon account 2FA options.

Tip of the Day: Enable Two-Factor Authentication for Amazon

Shredded documents.

Tip of the Day: Get a Shredder

Piracy

Tip of the Day: Stop Stealing Software and Media

PIN Sign-In

Tip of the Day: Don’t Sign In Automatically

Misleading download ads.

Tip of the Day: Beware of Misleading Ads

Continue with Facebook?

Tip of the Day: Don’t Log In With Facebook

Publicly posting email and phone on a "Hello my name is" badge

Are You Giving Away Your Privacy?

We rail against intrusions into our private affairs and private information and then post our private information publicly. Where’s the logic in that?

Padlock in a chain.

Can Someone Install Something on My Computer When It’s Not Logged In?

If your computer is not physically secure, someone could install something even if you’re not logged in.

Shutdown

Tip of the Day: Shut Down Your Laptop When Traveling

It's a global threat.

Why Do I See Lots of Failed Login Attempts on My Account?

I’ll show you how to look at your Outlook.com recent activity and review why it might be full of failed login attempts.

Google-connected apps.

Tip of the Day: Check Your Google App Connections

Avast Security Claim

Tip of the Day: Ignore Claims of Security in Email

An image in an ancient Egyptian drawing style that depicts a giant, expressive eye with various internet cables and connections in the background. The artwork should mimic the aesthetic of ancient Egyptian art, characterized by profile views, flat figures, and bold outlines. The design should blend the theme of Internet Service Providers' potential to monitor internet activity with the distinctive art style of ancient Egypt, incorporating elements like hieroglyphics and traditional Egyptian color schemes.

Can My ISP Monitor My Internet Connection?

Your ISP controls your internet connection, and it’s easy for them to monitor the data you send and receive. The question is, why would anyone monitor your internet?

Login and password

Tip of the Day: Never Send Your Password via Email

Attachment

Tip of the Day: Only Open Safe Email Attachments

Tip of the Day: Lock Your Computer

You're up to date!

Tip of the Day: Stay Up to Date

Comparing links

Tip of the Day: Hover Before Clicking

Your Skeptical Grump

Tip of the Day: Be Skeptical

Password

Tip of the Day: Make Your Passwords Longer

Back Up!

Tip of the Day: Back Up!

Computer Frustration

Should I Buy a New Computer to Fix Malware?

Buying a new machine is a common knee-jerk reaction to a bad malware infestation. And it’s wrong. Not just a little wrong — it’s completely unnecessary.

A Long Password

How Long Should a Password Be?

For years, the standard practice has been to assume that eight-character passwords made up of sufficiently random characters was enough. Not any more. Not even close.

A Secure Router?

8 Steps to Securing Your Router

Your router is your first line of defense against malicious attacks from the internet. Is yours secure?

Travel

Preparing Your Technology for Travel Abroad

Travel is exciting, but be sure to plan ahead for your technology to avoid things going wrong.

Bridge of Trust

Protecting Your Privacy: Points of Vulnerability

Tracing the privacy and security of the path from your fingertips through the services you use to your information’s final destination.

Really?

Tip of the Day: When in Doubt, Ask Someone Else

Tip of the Day: Don’t Focus on Ransomware

Apps & features

Tip Of The Day: Periodically Check Installed Programs

Secure Your Account -- Please

Why Your “Unimportant” Accounts Matter

Regardless of your initial thoughts, every account is important, and we are all targets.

CPU Usage

Tip of the Day: Watch Your CPU Usage for Malware

Bluetooth

Tip of the Day: Turn Off Bluetooth

Recovery

Tip of the Day: Review Your Online Recovery Information

An account to discard.

Tip of the Day: Consider a Throw-away Account for Travel

Padlock in a chain.

Security: It’s a Spectrum, Not a State

Many people want to be secure, not realizing there’s no such thing.

Online Shopping: Just How Safe Is It?

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?

Goodbye!

How Do I Remove Myself from a Machine?

Although there’s no way to remove all traces of yourself from a machine, there certainly are ways to remove as much as you can.

If I Do These Things, Will I Be Anonymous?

Anonymity on the internet is really, really hard. Some of the practices we might use to stay anonymous could still be leaking identifiable, traceable information.

PUPs with Adobe Flash Player

Tip of the Day: Watch Out for PUPs

Router Password Change Dialog

Tip of the Day: Change Your Router’s Password

If I could tell you only one thing about securing your home network, this is at the top of my list.

Security!

Is an Up-to-Date Browser Secure on an Out-of-Date OS?

An up-to-date web browser is important, but it’s not the whole picture, by far.

Fake URL

Tip of the Day: Pay Attention to the URL

Skype

Tip of the Day: Reduce Your Skype Findability

Dutch pasture

Tip of the Day: The Ubiquity of Pastures and Credit Card Fraud

Tip #4: Stay Safe!

Five Tips to get the most out of your technology. Tip #4: Stay Safe – I discuss the most important security software you have.

Browser Extension Warning

Do privacy apps really keep me private?

Privacy on the internet means different things to different people. I discuss three different privacy applications out there, explain what exactly each does, and offer some of my own thoughts.

Windows XP in a Virtual Machine

Is Running Windows XP in a Virtual Machine as Risky as Running XP Natively?

In and of itself, running XP as a virtual machine doesn’t make it any less vulnerable. You can add security by restricting what you do inside a virtual machine to the bare minimum required.

Outlook.com Logo

How can I get my lost Hotmail emails back?

The answer isn’t going to be too hopeful, though I do have a few small straws you can grasp at.