Archive for the ‘Technology Safety Tips’ Category

Watch for Threatening Email Messages that Contain Your Actual Passwords

You may receive a threatening email message that shows you your actual username and password. The attacker may demand you pay them 2900, or some other significant amount. They threaten horrible things if you do not pay. Continue reading ‘Watch for Threatening Email Messages that Contain Your Actual Passwords’

Posted by Mike Foster in Cyber Attacks, Cyber Scams, Email, IT Best Practices, IT Security, password, Security Breach, Technology Safety Tips on July 19th, 2018.

Tags: cyber security, Cyber Security Best Practices, Cyber Security Breach, Cyber Security Consultant, Cyber Security Tips, email attacks, hackers, Internet Safety Tips, it best practices, IT network security, IT pros, it security audit, IT security consultant, it security expert, IT security procedures, it security review, IT security training, personal cyber security, threatening email messages

A Simple Change Can Help Protect Your Family, and It Works on Apple and Windows

There is a setting on your computer that can help protect your family. Continue reading ‘A Simple Change Can Help Protect Your Family, and It Works on Apple and Windows’

Posted by Mike Foster in Best Practices, Clean Browsing, DNS, IT Security, Norton ConnectSafe, Open DNS, Quad9, Technology Safety Tips, Windows on April 27th, 2018.

Tags: Automatic Protection, Bill de Blasio, cyber security, Cyber Security Best Practices, Cyber Security Breach, Cyber Security Consultant, Cyber Security Tips, hackers, Internet Safety Tips, it best practices, IT network security, IT pros, it security audit, IT security consultant, it security expert, IT security procedures, it security review, IT security training, NYC Secure

Patching Nightmare – Please Forward to Your IT Pros

Intel says, again, to stop deploying patches. Java and other new patches need handling. Continue reading ‘Patching Nightmare – Please Forward to Your IT Pros’

Posted by Mike Foster in Adobe, Adobe Flash, Applying IT Patches, Best Practices, IT Security, Patch Updates, Patches, Preventative IT Security Breach, Technology Safety Tips on January 23rd, 2018.

Tags: CPU Chip Flaws, CPU Chips, cyber security, Cyber Security Best Practices, Cyber Security Breach, Cyber Security Consultant, Cyber Security Tips, deploying patches, hackers, Intel, Internet Safety Tips, it best practices, IT network security, IT pros, it security audit, IT security consultant, it security expert, IT security procedures, it security review, IT security training, java, Java SE patch, Oracle patches, patching nightmare, security vulnerability, tech support

Protecting and Restricting iPads, iPhones, and Android Devices

Because many families, and business professionals, received new tablets for the holidays, it is important to consider security. Families, as well as businesses, may choose to restrict permissions on devices. Here’s how: Continue reading ‘Protecting and Restricting iPads, iPhones, and Android Devices’

Posted by Mike Foster in Android, Apple, Children, Cyber Security, Family Cyber Safety, IT Security, Security Breach, Technology Safety Tips on January 2nd, 2018.

Tags: cyber security, Cyber Security Best Practices, Cyber Security Breach, Cyber Security Consultant, Cyber Security Tips, Cyber Security Trends, Family Cyber Safety, hackers, Internet Safety Tips, it best practices, IT network security, IT pros, it security audit, IT security consultant, it security expert, IT security procedures, it security review, IT security training, Parental Controls, protecting devices, restricting devices, Restricting internet access, tech support, technology safety

One Setting Can Protect Your Network from Ransomware

Once an attacker accesses one computer, they attempt to traverse the network and infect other computers too. That’s how ransomware spreads on a network. Continue reading ‘One Setting Can Protect Your Network from Ransomware’

Posted by Mike Foster in Best Practices, Cyber Attacks, Data Loss Prevention, IT Best Practices, IT Security, Preventative IT Security Breach, Ransomware, Technology Safety Tips on December 5th, 2017.

Tags: cyber security, Cyber Security Best Practices, Cyber Security Breach, Cyber Security Consultant, Cyber Security Tips, firewall settings, hackers, how ransomware spreads, infected computers, Internet Safety Tips, it best practices, IT network security, IT pros, it security audit, IT security consultant, it security expert, IT security procedures, it security review, IT security training, local firewall, multiple machine attacks, preventing ransomware, Ransomware, tech support, workstation commmunication

Your Software, such as CCleaner, May Have Backdoors

Can you trust programs you download? Millions of users, including outsourced computer firms, use a program called CCleaner on their own and on customers’ computers. CCleaner just announced that some of its software was compromised and has been stealing data from users’ computers. Continue reading ‘Your Software, such as CCleaner, May Have Backdoors’

Posted by Mike Foster in Best Practices, CCleaner, Cyber Security Breach, Executive Tips, IT Best Practices, IT Security, Security Breach, Technology Safety Tips, Uninstall on September 19th, 2017.

Tags: CCleaner, cyber security, Cyber Security Best Practices, Cyber Security Breach, Cyber Security Consultant, Cyber Security Tips, hackers, Internet Safety Tips, it best practices, IT network security, IT pros, it risk management, it security audit, IT security consultant, it security expert, IT security procedures, it security review, IT security training, malicious code, risk management, Safe Network, Security expert, Security Measures, Software Breach, software risks, Strong Security, tech support, uninstall, unsafe program

Credit Monitoring is Not Enough – You Must Place Credit Freezes to Protect Yourself

Regarding the Equifax breach, the breach affects about half of America’s population, so take action. Experts agree that one of the best things you can do to protect yourself is to place a credit freeze on your credit reports. Continue reading ‘Credit Monitoring is Not Enough – You Must Place Credit Freezes to Protect Yourself’

Posted by Mike Foster in Best Practices, Credit Bureaus, Credit Freeze, Cyber Security Breach, Equifax, IT Security, Technology Safety Tips on September 18th, 2017.

Tags: Credit Freeze, Credit Hack, cyber security, Cyber Security Best Practices, Cyber Security Breach, Cyber Security Consultant, Cyber Security Tips, Dwell Time, Equifax Breach, Experian, FTC, hackers, Identity Theft Tips, Innovis, Internet Safety Tips, it best practices, IT network security, IT pros, it risk management, it security audit, IT security consultant, it security expert, IT security procedures, it security review, IT security training, risk management, Safe Credit, Safe Network, Security expert, Security Freeze, Security Measures, Stolen Data, Stolen Identity, Strong Security, tech support, Trans Union

Moms, Dads, and Friends: Take 7 Steps to Secure Your Students’ Computers

School is starting again and many students need computers. Take these important steps to help make them more secure: Continue reading ‘Moms, Dads, and Friends: Take 7 Steps to Secure Your Students’ Computers’

Posted by Mike Foster in Adobe Flash, browser security, Family Cyber Safety, hotspot safety, IT Best Practices, IT Security, java, Student Cyber Security, Technology Safety Tips on August 29th, 2017.

Tags: coffee shop wi-fi, cyber security, Cyber Security Best Practices, Cyber Security Breach, Cyber Security Consultant, Cyber Security Tips, Flash, hackers, Internet Safety Tips, it best practices, IT network security, IT pros, it risk management, it security audit, IT security consultant, it security expert, IT security procedures, it security review, IT security training, java, parent cyber safety tips, program safety, risk management, Safe Network, sandard users, School computers, school laptop, Security expert, Security Measures, Strong Security, Stucent Computers, student cyber-security, Student Safety, tech support

Fix A Computer in Minutes and It Works Almost Every Time

I was stranded in the Portland airport last night because of a mechanical failure on the first flight. You’ve had similar situations for sure. What would your travel experience be like if the airlines could immediately reset a plane to be brand new if it breaks? Continue reading ‘Fix A Computer in Minutes and It Works Almost Every Time’

Posted by Mike Foster in Acronis True Image, Carbon Copy Cloner, Cyber Security, IT Best Practices, IT Security, Restoring, Security Breach, Shadow Protect Desktop, Technology, Technology Safety, Technology Safety Tips, Technology Tips, Troubleshooting on July 21st, 2017.

Tags: Acronis True Image, Carbon Copy Cloner, cyber security, Cyber Security Best Practices, Cyber Security Breach, Cyber Security Consultant, Cyber Security Tips, hackers, Image backup tools, Internet Safety Tips, it best practices, IT network security, IT pros, it risk management, it security audit, IT security consultant, it security expert, IT security procedures, it security review, IT security training, Ransomware recovery, restoring computers, risk management, Safe Network, Security expert, Security Measures, Shadow Protect Desktop, Storeage Craft, Strong Network, Strong Security, tech support, Troubleshooting

The Google Scam Shows How, If someone You Know Gets Hacked, it can Make You Look Bad Too.

The Google scam: If anyone receives an email that contains a link to Google Doc, do not click on the link. Even if the email appears to be from someone they know and trust. Google did not get hacked, but someone else who has your email address in their contact list probably did. Anyone who clicked on that link needs to go to https://myaccount.google dot com/permissions and remove the one called Google Docs

This kind of stuff happens all the time, not just to Google, but to other unsuspecting people.

If someone receives an email that appears to have been sent by you, and the email contains a malicious link, lots of people would think it was your fault. There is a good chance that you did not get hacked, just like Google did not get hacked, but you may get blamed anyway. What probably happened is that one of your friends, or at least someone who has you in their contact list, got hacked. Then the attacker chose to send the malicious message, that appeared to be from you, to all the other contacts stored in that person’s contact list.

Spread the word encouraging the people you know to be sure they are secure, since, if someone you know gets hacked, it can make you look bad too.

And, tell others that, when they receive a malicious email message that appears to be from someone they know, that person they know may not have been hacked.

For your own protection, forward this message to everyone who may have you in their address book.

Posted by Mike Foster in Best Practices, Cyber Attacks, Cyber Scams, Cyber Security Breach, Google, Google Docs, IT Security, Online Security, Security Breach, Technology Safety Tips on May 4th, 2017.

Tags: cyber security, Cyber Security Best Practices, Cyber Security Breach, Cyber Security Consultant, Cyber Security Tips, Google Doc, Google Docs, Google Docs safety, Google Docs scam, Google Docs Security, Google Scam, hackers, Internet Safety Tips, it best practices, IT network security, IT pros, it risk management, it security audit, IT security consultant, it security expert, IT security procedures, it security review, IT security training, risk management, Security expert, tech support