Author: Janet Riley

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“Why did the computer go to therapy?
Because it had too many old issues it couldn’t let go of!”

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Greetings and Happy August!  I’ve  started studying Artificial Intelligence aka: AI.  I gave it some prompts and asked it to write a newsletter in my voice.  While it isn’t perfect, it did a fairly decent job.  Let me know what you think!!  This is what my ghost writer came up with:

Now, before you go thinking this newsletter is going to be all doom and gloom—hang with me. I promise it’s more friendly nudge than fire drill. But I do need to chat with you about something important that’s sneaking up on us faster than a puppy steeling peanut butter on a spoon.

🗓 October 14, 2025 is when Microsoft says “so long, farewell” to Windows 10. That means no more updates. No more support. No more security patches.

Basically… your trusty ol’ work computer will become an antique overnight.

💻 “It’s Still Working Fine…” (Famous Last Words)

I hear this a lot. And yes—sometimes those older machines still power up just fine. They still open Word. They still check email. But they’re also:

· Slowing you down (you’ve got better things to do than watch that spinning circle)

· Putting your data—and your client trust—at risk

· Making you a bigger target for cybercriminals than a free Wi-Fi network in a Las Vegas casino

Even worse? Once the sun sets on Windows 10, those old machines will still “work,” but they’ll be defenseless. That means any day could be the day—when your system crashes, or your data gets stolen, or your network turns into Swiss cheese.

💰 The Hidden Costs Are Already Here

Let’s be honest. Every time your computer hiccups, crashes, or moves slower than molasses on a cold day, it’s costing you time (and money).

· Missed deadlines

· Lost files

· Frustrated customers

· That “I should’ve upgraded” pit in your stomach

I’ve seen it too many times to count.

🔧 What To Do (While There’s Still Time)

This part’s easy—because you don’t have to do it alone.

· Let us check your setup. We’ll tell you what’s safe, what’s not, and what’s got one foot in the grave.

· We’ll make a plan. Whether it’s one upgrade or a full refresh, we’ll lay out options—clear, affordable, no tech-speak required.

· You’ll sleep better knowing your systems are secure, your files are safe, and your clients are protected. That’s peace of mind money can’t buy.

🚫 Procrastination = Risk

If you wait until October to start planning, you’ll be standing in line with everyone else. Parts will be harder to find, prices will go up, and availability? Let’s just say Santa might get there faster.

So, give us a call. Let’s get ahead of it—on your timeline, not Microsoft’s.

Here’s to a smooth summer and computers that don’t need therapy!

Until next month,

—Janet

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Because It Made Me Laugh!

And also a warning.  More tariffs are coming.  Get your upgrades sooner rather than later…

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“A smile is a facelift that’s in everyone’s price range!” ​— Tom Wilson

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And Suddenly, It is July!!

June had it’s ups and downs. Literally.  Neal went up a ladder and fell down.  Twenty Five Feet, fell down.  Smashed his face into the ladder.  Shattered his cheek bone, broke his nose, broke his orbit.  Reconstructive surgery required the use of 3 titanium plates to put him back together.  He is on the slow road to recovery.

I’ve explained I am not JANE.  I am Janet!  His dream of playing Tarzan on stage has been thoroughly and completely squelched.

That said: I need a vacation. So I am going to keep this short. 

If you are the praying type, please ask the God of Heaven and Earth to restore Neal to perfect health.

If you are married, tell your spouse you love them and kiss them like you mean it.

If your kids are nearby, hug them.  If they grew up and moved out, call them and tell them you love them.

Say something nice to your co-workers.

Say hello to your neighbors.  Smile at strangers.

Freshman year of college, I was a scared, socially awkward, plain looking, shy girl.  As I was doing my hair one morning, my roommate said something that made me laugh.  What I saw in the mirror was astonishing.  The plain girl lit up like a light bulb.  For several weeks I practiced smiling in the mirror and then I started smiling at people as I walked to class.  I started with the old ladies.  I flashed a big smile and every old lady smiled back.  I smiled at the exchange student who had elephant foot disease and always looked glum.  He smiled back.  I advanced to smiling at good looking guys.  They smiled back and some attempted to strike up a conversation, but socially awkward ramped up and they gave up.

Life is short.  Be a blessing to those you care about.

This months laughs are things I stumbled on while waiting through Neal’s surgery.  I hope they make you smile. 

Until next month, Live Well, Love Abundantly, Laugh
Daily!

Janet

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Knock, knock.         Who’s there?
Woo.           Woo who?
Glad you’re excited, too!

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Greetings!  With April gone, we have successfully passed the 1/3 mark for 2025.  Time flies when you are having fun! 

I’m a huge fan of learning from someone else’s mistakes.  I taught my kids to watch what their friends were doing and if they didn’t like the outcome, then don’t repeat the behavior that led up to the outcome.  If they did like the outcome, then replicate the behavior.  With that in mind, here are a couple of things that happened in April.

Malware is masquerading as Zoom.  I think there are a couple of variations to this.  My first hand knowledge is with a customer who thought he was downloading a zoom link.  The antivirus gave it a green light.  Fortunately, our EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) stopped it cold.  Everything about it looked like a zoom download but when it executed it attempted to do nefarious things.  Fortunately, I can’t give you details concerning what would have happened next because EDR stopped it.  EDR also shut down the internet on that computer and closed all network connections to protect all other devices in the environment.    Once the environment was secured, they texted me, emailed me and called me to alert me to the problem.  Cleaning up the compromised environment was not what I had scheduled for the day, but I am so thankful for the opportunity to cleanup.  I’ve been in similar situations without the benefit of EDR and I can assure you, cleanup is much easier and much faster than recovery!  Cleanup took about an hour.  Recovery can take days!

The next day, Malwarebytes sent out an announcement concerning Zoom video conferencing.  (https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/04/zoom-attack-tricks-victims-into-allowing-remote-access-to-install-malware-and-steal-money).  The condensed version is:  Bad Actor, Elusive Comet, lures victims into a zoom video call.  They never show their face.  They get victim to allow remote access. Once access is granted, they install “tools” to infiltrate their accounts and steal their money.

To prevent this from happening to you, don’t install the zoom  app.  If you truly need to attend a zoom meeting, do so via the browser.  When the zoom meeting invite opens, it will give you the option of downloading the app or running inside the browser (read the fine print).  Running inside the browser will limit the functionality, including denying remote access to your workstation.

Malwarebytes also alerted me to a Gmail attack.  I don’t have first hand experience with this, and I would prefer not to get first hand experience.  Please look closely.

As a computer savvy person, Nick spotted that the official site should have been hosted on accounts.google.com and not sites.google.com. The difference is that anyone with a Google account can create a website on sites.google.com. And that is exactly what the cybercriminals did.

To Protect yourself from these scams,

· Don’t click on links in unsolicited emails

· Double  check who sent the email.  Does it look legit?

· Don’t use your Google Account or Facebook Account to log in to random sites.  Instead, create an account for the service itself.

Read the full story at: https://ww.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/04/all-gmail-users-at-risk-by-clever-replay-attack

If you want to replicate the good behavior with an inexpensive subscription to EDR, Call Me. 541 – 756 – 8770.  I would love to help you out. 

Until next month, tell knock-knock jokes to your canine friends!

Janet

Because It Made Me Laugh!!

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“Cleaning is not just about making things look tidy, it’s about taking care of yourself.” 

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The calendar says spring is officially here, someone needs to tell the clouds!  Know what I don’t understand about spring?  The innate need to clean!  Thinking about cleaning leads to this months discussion about cleaning up your digital footprint.  The idea was reinforced when I read a news clip about the guy that leaked the war plans.  Apparently, he hasn’t turned on the security features for his Venmo account either.  Let’s do better!  In an attempt to maintain privacy and protect your personal information, here are some tips, compliments of ChatGPT, for cleaning up your digital foot print.

1. Review Social Media Accounts

Audit your profiles: Check all your social media profiles (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) for outdated or personal information that you no longer want to share.

Delete old posts: Remove old posts, photos, or statuses that no longer represent who you are or that you find inappropriate.

Tighten privacy settings: Set your accounts to private, or limit who can see your posts. Review your followers and remove anyone you don’t know or trust.

Unfollow: Unfollow or disconnect from irrelevant or inappropriate accounts.

2. Delete or Deactivate Accounts

Delete unused accounts: Identify old or unused online accounts (forums, websites, apps) and delete them. You can use websites like JustDeleteMe to help you find ways to remove your accounts from various sites.

3. Search Engine Cleanup

Google Yourself: Search for your name, email address, and other personal information on Google. If any content you don’t want to appear comes up, consider contacting the site owner to request removal.

Request removal from search engines: Google allows users to request removal of certain outdated or personal information through their Remove Outdated Content tool.

4. Clean Up Email Accounts

Unsubscribe from newsletters: Use tools like Unroll.me to help you unsubscribe from unwanted email lists.

Delete old emails: Sort through your inbox and delete old or irrelevant emails. Use email management tools to clean up your inbox.

Use email aliases: Create separate email addresses for personal, professional, and public use to limit the exposure of your primary email address.

5. Manage Your Online Reputation

Engage in positive content creation: If there’s negative content about you online, push it down by generating positive content. Blog posts, social media updates, and online reviews can help shape your reputation.

Create and maintain a professional LinkedIn profile: A well-crafted LinkedIn profile can improve how you appear online professionally.

6. Review Your Browser History and Cookies

Clear browsing history: Go through your browser settings to delete your browsing history, cached images, and cookies.

Use private browsing: When browsing, consider using an incognito or private browsing mode to avoid storing information about your activity.

7. Check for Data Breaches

Monitor your email: Websites like HaveIBeenPwned can tell you if your email address has been involved in a data breach.

Change passwords: If your information has been exposed, change your passwords for those accounts immediately. Use strong and unique passwords for each site.

8. Use a VPN and Encrypted Communication

Use a VPN: A Virtual Private Network (VPN) can protect your browsing activity from being tracked by third parties.

Use encrypted messaging apps: Apps like Signal or WhatsApp offer end-to-end encryption to protect your communication.

Until next month, enjoy the Spring, with or without cleaning!

Janet

Because It Made Me Laugh!!

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:  ‘When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection.  Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do.  Where is the natural order of things in my son?’

The father continued. ‘I believe that when a child like Shay, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.’  Then he told the following story:  Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, ‘Do you think they’ll let me play?’ I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, ‘We’re losing by six runs, and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team, and we’ll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.’

Shay struggled over to the team’s bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay’s team scored a few runs but was still behind by three.

In top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay’s team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base, and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.  At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn’t even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay’s life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact.

The first pitch came, and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman’s head, out of reach of all teammates.

Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, ‘Shay, run to first!

Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, ‘Run to second, run to second!’

Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base.

By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball. The smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team.  He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher’s intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman’s head.

Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home. All were screaming, ‘Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay’

Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, ‘Run to third!

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, ‘Shay, run home! Run home!’

Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team

‘That day’, said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, ‘the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world’.

Shay didn’t make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it’s least fortunate amongst them.  May your day be a Shay Day.

In Honor of February, the month notable for Valentines Day, show love to someone less fortunate.

Janet

Goodbye 2024! Welcome 2025! 

I can’t say I’m going to miss 2024, but I am looking forward to what 2025 might bring. I’m hoping for more cookies.  ~I just received a big box of Christmas cookies from my daughter!  Yum!! But did you know some cookies can be tasteless?  I’m talking about advertising cookies!  You’ve seen them, those annoying popups asking you to accept cookies in order to use the web site.

A little bit of a back story:  Several months ago, I thought I would experiment with one of those services that offers to erase your data from the dark web.  Now I’m a natural born skeptic but I figured the most I could lose would be the 1-year subscription fee.  The best would be to get rid of the annoying phone calls on our land line.  Yes, I still have a land line.  I live in rural America with lots of trees that like to throw branches through the greenhouse roof and block cell signals. The 5 a.m. robo calls are the worst.  They were trying to sell Medicare supplements.  I thought I would trick them and answered affirmative to their questions (even though I’m not eligible for Medicare). I thought if could speak with a person and explain that I’m not eligible, they would stop calling.  I was SO WRONG!  I accidentally inflamed them and we went from receiving a couple of phone calls in the early morning hours to receiving several calls per hour, all day long.  We unplugged the phone.  I checked with my phone provider and they recommended that I sign up at nomorobo.com.  I would like to say that solved the problem.  It lessened the problem, but the real solution was to wait for the Medicare signup period to expire.  Our spam calls are down to just a couple per week now.

Meanwhile, I was receiving reports about all the stuff my “REMOVE ME” service from incogni.com was doing. Getting me off the robo phone call list isn’t something they excel at.  But one of their reports included a link to the hidden costs of using apparel shopping apps.

(https://blog.incogni.com/apparel-shopping-apps-research/)  The report made me throw-up a little (or maybe that was because of an overindulgence of Christmas cookies?)

Regardless, here is the Janet synopsis:  Incogni researched 180 apps belonging to the top apparel brands.  45 of the apps collect your photos, 12 collect videos, 9 search your history, 6 collect your sexual orientation, 24 share photos with third parties, 2 share sexual orientation, 1 shares health information!  What?!  Nike & H&M collect the greatest numbers of data points, including photos, videos and messages!  As expected, and necessary for making online purchases, the email address is the most collected data point. 

Do you have to participate?  NO!  When the popup appears asking you to accept their cookies, say NO!  I’ve never had a site break because I refused to accept the marketing or performance cookies.

I really like the Incogni conclusion:  A mousetrap only works because the mouse doesn’t understand why the cheese is free. Variations of this phrase regularly do the rounds in the cybersecurity and privacy-advocacy communities. The incentives associated with using proprietary apps to buy apparel—or even just the convenience of doing so—come with hidden costs.

It’s arguably easier to tap on an app icon than it is to dig up a bookmark or type in a URL. As our research shows, though, these and other benefits come at a price. Consumers are, of course, free to decide whether the deal on offer is right for them, but this has to be an informed decision. It is our hope that research like this will go some way towards helping consumers get the most bang for their personal data.

At the very least, they should know that the cheese in front of them is demonstrably not free.

That’s cheese for thought this January.  Have a great new year!

Stay Safe and keep your data private.

Janet

Because It Made Me Laugh!

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“What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas … perhaps … means a little bit more!”  – The Grinch, How the Grinch Stole Christmas

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Merry Christmas!  The shopping frenzy has begun and with it, an uptick in malvertising.  

Malvertising is the use of online ads for malicious purposes.  Cybercriminals no longer need to know your email address, login credentials, or anything else.  Instead, they are attempting to fool you into clicking on a search result that looks legitimate.

Malwarebytes explains: Malvertising is not malware itself. Instead, it’s a sneaky process of placing malware, viruses, or other cyber infections on a person’s computer, tablet, or smart phone. The malware that eventually slips onto a person’s device comes in many varieties, but cybercriminals tend to favor malware that can steal a person’s login credentials and information. With this newly stolen information, cybercriminals can then pry into sensitive online accounts that belong to the victim. (https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2024/02/malvertising-this-cyberthreat-isnt-on-the-dark-web-its-on-google)

This is how it happens: Cybercriminals create ads that look legitimate but when you click the link, they take you to a malicious website.  Nothing on the malicious site indicates that you should “RUN!”  instead it looks and feels like the real thing.  When you click, you get  the infection.

Unfortunately, these ads are embedded in the google search results.  They also are showing up on mainstream websites like Lowe’s and Slack.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday I was reading an article about the best gadgets to give as Christmas gifts this year.  Several of them were interesting and I clicked.  Fortunately for me, Avast Antivirus software closed several of the sites before I had a chance to click on anything. 

Besides a quality antivirus, there are other tricks to limit your exposure.  Next time you google something, notice the results.  The top of the list are “SPONSORED” results.  You have to pay to be listed as a sponsored link.  It’s interesting to me, that cybercriminals are good at business.  They promote their shenanigans the same way a legit business would.  Never click a sponsored link.  Anything that is listed in the Sponsored section is typically listed again below the sponsored section.  Open the site from an unsponsored link.

If you do click a sponsored link, check the web address once you get there.  And check it carefully!  Is it spelled correctly?  Is it plural when it should be singular? 

Just because you trust a site, doesn’t mean you can trust the ads on the site.  The ads are placed by a service that typically has nothing to do with the host site itself.  Avoid the eye candy!  That is easier when you use an ad blocking browser like DuckDuckGo (https://duckduckgo.com) or Brave (https://brave.com).  You can also install Ad Blocking extensions like  AdBlock Plus (https://adblockplus.org).

The goal this year is to spread Good Cheer—not malware!  And taking my cue from television which replays the same Christmas Specials it  has been showing for the past 60+ years, I’m replaying my favorite Christmas play in the box below.

Stay Safe & Merry Christmas!

Janet

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“There’s a fine line between support and stalking, and let’s all stay on the right side of that.” – Joss Whedon

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In my youth, I taught computer classes.  My typical schedule was Monday – Thursday, 3 – 9.  This afforded me the luxury of staying home in the morning which gave me time to exercise.  Since riding an exercise bike or jumping on a rebounder is boring, I choose to pass the time by watching TV.  Back in the day, the morning talk shows included Geraldo, Jenny Jones, Phil Donahue.

Exercise is supposed to make you feel better, but in my case, it wasn’t working.  Every morning was a struggle to get out of bed. It wasn’t long until my exhaustion was so complete, that I was too tired to turn on the TV.  After a week of no media, I was feeling better.  I turned on the TV.  My exhaustion returned, with a vengeance!

It was my first personal experience with what is known in the computer industry as “Garbage In, Garbage Out” or GIGO.  Watching the morning talk shows exploit all things deviant was exhausting me. 

I will admit, I am a sensitive person.  I cried when I watched Pinocchio, and I cried every time Esmeralda sought sanctuary in the cathedral in Hunch Back of Notre Dame.  And the kids watched Hunch Back many times when they were little. 

To protect my emotional health,  I’ve setup my computer to limit the uninvited news feeds.  My big concern in doing so, was that I would never know what is going on in the world.  But I found a solution to that as well.  If you are interested in limiting the GIGO in your life, here is what I did:

1. Choose a browser that doesn’t  track you and force feed ads to you.  My favorites are Brave, available at https://brave.com, and DuckDuckGo, available at: https://duckduckgo.com.  Both of these browsers will block ads and stop trackers.  A friend was telling me she is inundated with ads for wedding planning.  She is planning a wedding but the onslaught of ads is making her nuts.  I can think of no good reason to allow anyone or anything to follow me around on the internet.  If they were doing that in real life it would be called stalking. There are laws against stalking!

2. Set your browser homepage to something bland like the duckduckgo search engine. Open your browser of choice. Go to the browser control.  This is always in the top right corner of the screen.  Sometimes it looks like 3 vertical dots, sometimes it looks like 3 horizontal dots and sometimes it is 3 horizontal lines.  Open the browser control and then click on  settings.  Somewhere in here there is a getting started option. All browsers have this feature.  It will allow you to choose what you see when you open the browser.  Scrolling news windows and eye candy with rabbit trials to follow on Microsoft’s default msn.com do not improve my productivity. I do a lot of research.  I especially like the option to continue where you left off.  I can have 20-30 tabs open and turn off the computer.  Next time I open the browser, all of those tabs are still available to me.  Alternatively, you can set it to always open to a blank page, or a set of pages of your choosing.

3.  I want to limit the Garbage that comes in, but I still want to know what is going on the world.  I do that by subscribing to a newsletter.  The two I read daily are 1440 and Morning Brew.

4.  Turn off the personalized ads in Windows 11.  Find Settings.  There are lots of ways to get here.  Click on the start menu and look for it there.  If it is MIA then Right click on the Start menu to find it there.  If all else fails, search for settings by typing “settings” into the search bar at the bottom of the screen.  Once successfully in the settings, look for privacy and security.  I have turned off everything.

These small tweaks have improved my life.  Hopefully, they will help you too.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Janet

Because It Made Me Laugh!

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“Don’t be scared if you don’t do things in the right order. I didn’t think I’d have dessert
before breakfast today, but hey, it turned out that way and I wouldn’t change a thing.”
—Mindy Kaling, comedian

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Welcome to National Cybersecurity Awareness Month – also known as October!

I am certain you are sick of being told to use unique passwords and a password manager to protect your online presence.  However, it is the number one tool for protecting your data and identity.  And it’s FREE!  To steal Nike’s phrase:  Just Do IT! (And, yes, the capital I T is intentional.)

Here are some additional suggestions for protecting your identity and finances.

Setup a separate and secret email address to use only for banking, investments and other highly sensitive information.  Don’t share this email address with your friends and colleagues.  One of the benefits of having this secret account is when you get a phishing email from your bank saying there is some sort of problem, you will know it is phishing because it landed in your everyday account and your bank accounts only communicate via the secret account!  If it lands in your secret account, then you can take it more seriously.

You can create a free email account at gmail, but there are no guarantees it will remain secret.  For better security, create a free email account at https://proton.me or https://tuta.com

Want to protect your credit card number?  Use tap to pay.  Most credit cards have added this feature.  When you use tap to pay, the vendor receives a unique token that connects their sale to your credit card, but they never get the actual credit card number.  If they never have your credit card number, they can’t accidentally expose it!  It’s a win-win. 

If you are traveling, avoid public Wi-Fi.   Instead, tether your device to your cell phone data plan, also known as a hot spot, if that is included in your phone subscription.  If you must use public Wi-Fi, do so with a VPN.  Proton.me has a highly rated VPN.  Comp-U-Talk includes the Avast VPN with all antivirus subscriptions and that would cover your laptop. 

Backup your phone.  Backup your computer.  All modern  cell phones have the ability to backup your data to the cloud.  Go into your settings and search for backup.  It will walk you through the process from there.

Your Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers can also backup data.  You will need an external drive.  We have those in stock, swing by and get one if you need one.  Once the external drive is available, on Windows 10 go to Settings -> Update & Security -> Backup.  On Windows 11 search for Control Panel, switch to large or small icon view (top right) and choose Backup & Restore (Windows 7).  Follow the prompts to complete a backup.

Mission critical/business data should be backed up to the cloud.  Comp-U-Talk has several affordable plans for backing up business data.  Give us a holler and we will set it up for you.

Getting the annoying popups about “our site uses cookies”?  Never accept the cookies.  The cookies are tracking you with the intent to directly sell you “stuff” or sell your data to someone else.  It’s OK to say no to cookies!  Your privacy and hips will say Thank You!

Until Next Month,
Stay Safe,

Janet

Because It Made Me Laugh!

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“If you spend more on coffee than on IT security, you will be hacked.” ~ Richard Clarke

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Happy September!!

Let’s start with the big news:  In mid-August it became public knowledge that National Public Data exposed personal data of 2.9 Billion (yes! Billion, with a “B”) people.  The exposure was actually found on the dark web four months earlier.  On April 8 the cybercriminal group (USDoD) posted the data for sale for a measly $3.5 million.  (https://news.bloomberglaw.com/privacy-and-data-security/background-check-data-of-3-billion-stolen-in-breach-suit-says)  Unfortunately, no one anted up with the $3.5 million and the cybercriminals had a change of heart.  They started giving the data away for free!  (https://www.komando.com/news/security/national-public-data-breach-how-to-protect-yourself-and-your-ssn/) 

On a side note, inquiring minds would like to know:  Did the criminals remove their personal data and that of their loved ones from the list before giving it away?  Do cyber criminals have loved ones?  If they did scrub the data, can we use AI to reverse the list and figure out who is missing from the list (and then arrest them)?  Just curious!

After reading numerous trusted sites, I have learned the breach was a result of accidentally posting a list of usernames and passwords for administrative access to the database on the internet.  (https://krebsonsecurity.com/2024/08/national-public-data-published-its-own-passwords/) Note to everyone:  This is why we use password managers.  Keeping spreadsheets with passwords is very risky!  Need a password manager?  Call me.  I’ll give you the first month for free!

What has been exposed?  Full name, current and past addresses, social security numbers, some email addresses and information about relatives, including some who have been deceased for years.  Having your social security number exposed is the largest of threats.

Want to see if you are on the list?   Check out https://npd.pentester.com/search  Full disclosure:  I have not hired pentester.com to scrub my data.  I’m not certain anyone can remove data from the dark web.  Pentester can tell you if you are exposed.

The most important step to protection is freeze your credit.  This is a pain in the rump, but trust me, this pain is way more enjoyable than trying to reclaim your credit history after someone fraudulently pretends to be you.  Kim Komando did a really nice job of laying out how to contact the three credit bureaus here:  https://www.komando.com/tips/money/instructions-to-freeze-your-credit/

Other Things to Watch For:
Watch your bank and credit card statements like a hawk. Change your passwords.  While you are at it, change the passwords on your email accounts too!

Medical Explanation of Benefits (EOB):  Watch for services you did not receive and notify health care facilities and insurance companies immediately if you see false charges.

Urgent Emails: Double check and then triple check the sending address.  If you are replying, verify the address before you hit send. It is easy to spoof an email address and even easier to modify a signature line.    If there is any doubt, manually lookup the address and/or phone number and call them.  DO NOT trust the signature line!

If you have loved ones,  please share this!

Until Next Month,
Stay Safe,

Janet

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“You better live every day like your last because one day you’re going to be right.” –Ray Charles

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It’s time to talk about a really difficult and emotional  subject:  End of Life.  Fortunately, we are not talking about my End of Life, and hopefully, we aren’t talking about your End of Life.  God, in His mercy, didn’t tell us when we are due to expire.  Microsoft, on the other hand, is playing god of the software universe and they have told us when their products are going to expire. 

The expiration dates are referred to as “End of Life”.

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What does “End of Life” mean in the world of software?

Unlike the mystery bowl in the back of your refrigerator, it does not mean your computer will suddenly grow green and moldy.  It does mean that Microsoft will cease to love and care for it.  Continuing to use the software is “At Your Own Risk”.

I asked AI to summarize what that means, and here is the response:

Security:  After end-of-life, software is no longer patched or updated, leaving it vulnerable to security risks and exploits.

Compatibility: Old software may not be compatible with new hardware or new operating systems.

Compliance:  Continued use of outdated software may violate industry regulations or legal requirements.

Support: Vendors stop providing technical support, making it difficult to resolve problems.

Insurance Woes:  Cybersecurity insurance providers often view the continued use of outdated software as a potential risk, as it can increase the likelihood of a security breach or data loss. This is because outdated software may have unpatched vulnerabilities that can be exploited by cybercriminals. 

When assessing risks, insurers may consider factors such as:

· The type of software and its end-of-life status

· The sensitivity and value of the data being protected

· The organization’s overall cybersecurity posture and practices.  Continued use of outdated software may lead to higher insurance premiums, reduced coverage, or even denial of coverage in some cases. It’s essential to maintain up-to-date software and follow best cybersecurity practices to minimize risks and ensure comprehensive insurance coverage.

I am not an insurance agent, so please, consult with your cybersecurity insurance expert to understand the specific terms and conditions of your policy.

Why do I mention this now?  Windows 10 expires in 14 months but the nagging popups are happening now.  Replacing an aging computer is a pain in the rump and it’s not free either!  Hopefully, this will give you time to plan and budget.  Comp-U-Talk would love to be a part of the replacement/upgrade process.

Give us a call.  We will put you on the schedule.

Janet