Driving Force Software

TEST

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Sun, 24 Aug 2025 09:13:00 -0400

October 14th; The end for Windows 10 (or is it?).

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Sun, 24 Aug 2025 09:07:00 -0400

October 14th; The end for Windows 10 (or is it?).

If you are still using Windows 10 and do not wish to upgrade to Windows 11, you can extend support for 1 year but you must act on it and sign up for the added year.

Officially Windows 10 support ends on October 14, 2025. After this date, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates, non-security updates, or assisted support for Windows 10. While Windows 10 PCs will still function after this date, Microsoft strongly recommends upgrading to Windows 11 or a newer, supported operating system for the best and most secure experience.

A reprieve is offered but you must sign up for it.

Microsoft Issues Free Update Offer To Millions Of Windows Users

More specifically:

The official end of support for Windows 10 is October 14, 2025.

The ESU program allows organizations and individuals to receive critical and important security updates after this date through a paid subscription.

Consumer ESU program cost

You can enroll in ESU by one of the following three ways:

At no additional cost if you are syncing your PC Settings
Redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points
One-time purchase of $30 USD or local currency equivalent plus applicable tax

It's important to note that the ESU program focuses on security updates and does not include new features, non-security updates, or technical support beyond the ESU itself.

The final feature update for Windows 10 was version 22H2, released on October 18, 2022. However, this update primarily focused on minor enhancements and bug fixes rather than major new features, such as significant UI overhauls and AI integration like on Windows 11.

Does my PC support Windows 11?

There are around 700 million users still on Windows 10, of which perhaps 250 million cannot upgrade. As one Forbes reader commented on the ESU offer, “the landfills can breathe a sigh of relief for one more year,” and there’s certainly something in that.

To run Windows 11, your PC needs to meet certain minimum hardware requirements:

These include a 64-bit processor with at least 1 GHz and two or more cores, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, UEFI firmware, Secure Boot capability, and TPM 2.0. Additionally, the graphics card needs to be compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0, and a display with at least 720p resolution is required.

If you are uncertain whether your computer can run Windows 11 or not, you can check by doing the following;

The easiest way to see if a device meets the requirements for Windows 11 after making hardware changes to the device is with the PC Health Check app:

Download and install the PC Health Check app. The PC Health Check app can be downloaded from the following link:Download the PC Health Check app
Right-click on the Start menu and select Search .
In the Type here to search text box, enter:pc health check
Under Best match, select PC Health Check from the list of results.
In the PC Health Check windows that opens, select the Check now button.

If your PC isn't Windows 11 compliant, you will receive a message similar to this;

Check if a device meets Windows 11 system requirements after changing device hardware - Microsoft Support

For those who cannot upgrade, Microsoft announced that they're extending security updates for certain software like the Edge browser until at least October 2028.

Microsoft Extends Free Edge Support on Windows 10 Through 2028

After October 2028, the determining factors to continue use of Windows 10 will be software availability that still supports Windows 10. You may not be able to find security software and other utilities. Software developers will stop writing and supporting out of date operating systems. Hardware vendors such as printer manufacturers will stop writing driver programs that support Windows 10.

You can still use it but it will more difficult. Try surfing the web using Windows 98.

Kaspersky Ban, Latest Security News

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Wed, 4 Sep 2024 12:50:00 -0400

The latest Security News and Anti-Virus options in wake of US Kaspersky ban.

With the impending 09/29/24 drop dead date for receiving updates looming over Kaspersky users, it is time to consider alternatives if you have a KAV subscription. It is unknown whether the company will observer the no-update ban.

If you’re a Kaspersky customer, you have a little over 3 weeks to find a suitable alternative. There has been no news yet about refunds for those with annual plans but if the ban does go into effect, it’s likely the company will announce something along these lines.

Kaspersky’s antivirus has long been considered some of the best antivirus software due to its excellent malware protection, light system impact and included extras. If this ban does go into effect, we’ll be updating all of our antivirus and security software guides accordingly.

In the interim, Kaspersky users should be looking for alternatives just in case. If you use Windows, Microsoft’s built-in Windows Defender antivirus is a great free option that is part of Windows. However, it is recommended that you enhance your security with a product whose focus is the protection of your system from malware, viruses and all the bad actors you are online with daily.

There are numerous offerings and opinions. I have been researching for over a month.

I've read articles, watched videos about what to buy, what not to buy and why. I wonder why everyone isn't with CrowdStrike which seems to be the preference of the big companies, yet it was an update from CrowdStrike that shut down so many systems last month, most notably airlines.

Bitdefender appears in most top 5 lists and I found a comparison of it to CrowdStrike. Below are links to more info that may assist you in making a decision.

Bitdefender vs CrowdStrike 2024 | Gartner Peer Insights

7 Best Kaspersky Alternatives to Replace After the US Ban (cybernews.com)

I found a very good article on Forbes Advisor that highlights 10 different anti-virus vendors along with each software's strength. Their name contains a link to each ones website.

The Best Antivirus Software of 2024

Bitdefender: Best overall
Avira: Best value for your money
AVG: Best for solopreneurs
McAfee: Best for multi-device protection
Malwarebytes: Best for real-time protection
Avast: Best for remote workers
F-Secure: Best for plan customization
G DATA: Best for comprehensive features
Trend Micro: Best for phishing protection
ESET: Best for technical users

Which one to choose?

There are a myriad of opinions online about antivirus as well as VPNs. Below is a link about why you don't want Norton or McAfee. John McAfee and Peter Norton were brilliant early pioneers in the PC security game. McAfee was a maverick who ran for President in 2016, was imprisoned by the US for tax evasion and died while in custody. The companies that represent their names today are in no way connected to either person.

Below is a link to a YouTube video that warns you to never buy Norton or McAfee.

Don't buy Norton or McAfee. VPNs, dos and don'ts.

NEVER install these programs on your PC... EVER!!! (youtube.com)

In conclusion I'm sure you're thinking, Thanks for Nothing! I've reached the same conclusion after researching online through multiple searches for a month now.

I will be making recommendations this week and next week to my Business clients as I research costs thru Vendors for multi-seat license subscriptions.

In other Security News:

Enslaved in Asia and Forced to Scam Strangers Online

https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/tech-news-briefing/enslaved-in-asia-and-forced-to-scam-strangers-online/399F2A3D-0F6D-4AE6-8D5F-27BEECDBB880

Millions of AMD CPUs vulnerable to hacks, and some won’t get patched

Story by PC World • 3w • 2 min read

Millions of AMD CPUs vulnerable to hacks, and some won’t get patched (msn.com)

Warning Google Chrome users;

Never install browser extensions, honey, shopping extensions.

Thousands of Google Chrome browsers are at risk from this damaging attack (msn.com)

DFORCE Workstations & Computers, custom builds, performance oriented Beasts

CrowdStrike Outage, White House bans Kaspersky

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Thu, 1 Aug 2024 08:04:00 -0400

It's been described as the largest IT outage in history.

The problem started late Thursday night (07/25/24) and continued into early Friday a.m. hours. Windows computers protected by CrowdStrike security software were experiencing the dreaded BSOD, "Blue Screen of Death" after an update by the Security Firm. Initially CrowdStrike tried to blame the problem on a Microsoft update. The problem was caused by faulty code in a Hosts file.

U.S. air carriers were hit especially hard. Their business is real-time and affected instantly when workers could not use their computers. This disrupted travel all across the world.

I was asked last Friday why the impact was so severe. The only way to fix an affected machine required an IT tech to physically address each machine one on one. There was no magical way to roll out the fix automatically.

Yesterday Delta announced it was hiring a law firm to seek damage from CrowdStrike and Microsoft after suffering over a half billion in losses. The CEO of Delta was on CNBC yesterday, 07/31/24. He said that Delta had over 40,000 servers and each server required a visit by a tech to resolve the problem affirming what I mentioned above.

CrowdStrike is also being sued by its stock shareholders following a sharp drop in share price.

Computer security is a vital necessity in today's online cyber world and now our government is banning one of the best.

Kaspersky announces withdrawal from U.S. Market. It is a victim of the ongoing Russian-Ukraine conflict.

It's Official: US Bans Kaspersky Antivirus Software Over Russian Ties | PCMag

Kaspersky security software will no longer keep a U.S. division for marketing its security software. The White House announced a ban on the sale, resale and licensing of any Kaspersky products and services.

The Commerce Department alleges that the company and its products present a national security risk due to the Russia's ongoing cyber warfare.

Following a review of Kaspersky’s cybersecurity transactions and services, the Bureau of Industry and Security found that they posed “unacceptable risks to the United States' national security and the security and safety of its people.” Specifically, BIS concluded that the risk factors involved were threats posed by the Russian Federation, vulnerabilities created by Kaspersky products for national security and the impact of Russia exploiting them.

Kaspersky offered to allow a 3rd party access to its code in an attempt to prove it's code is not being used for cyber warfare to no avail.

My own experience with Kaspersky is that it has kept my customers safe. I aided one customer whose MindSpring email account had been suspended due to generating spam. Their computers were protected by Malwarebytes. MindSpring indicated that one of the computer was infected by a Trojan. The scan performed by Malwarebytes came back okay, no malicious objects detected. However, upon installing Kaspersky, the Trojan was found and eliminated with the first scan.

Biden Bans Kaspersky Software, Gives Users 100 Days To Find Alternative (forbes.com)

Although the Biden administration has said there will be no legal repercussions to businesses or individuals who continue to use KAV, updates will not be available after September 30th, 2024.

Say it's not so! Windows 12 is coming in 2024. Apple iPhone malware/exploits.

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Wed, 3 Jan 2024 09:08:00 -0500

Windows 12 is coming soon in 2024

I've read too many emails and articles hinting at a new Windows in the months leading up to 2024 and now it's not even a secret any more. Microsoft is readying it's latest iteration of it's Windows operating system, Windows 12.

It was July 15, 2015 when Windows 10 was released. It came after the "seemed like a good idea, Windows 8" which tried to merge the phone/tablet and desktop devices. Unfortunately it was so different users found the learning curve of Windows 8 delayed them from accomplishing their daily tasks.

Why can't Windows be more like Apple OS, new features, fixes but essentially feels the same. Voila, Windows 10 was supposed to be the answer. It was but then came Windows 11 with it's centered Apple like taskbar, which can be modified.

It may be that Windows 12 will support ARM processors as well as Intel/AMD processors. Sometimes it is easier to start from scratch rather that try to make an existing code do something not inherent to it's original intent.

ARM processors are found in small, battery-powered devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones. However, ARM processors are also used for desktops and servers, including the world's fastest supercomputer (Fugaku) from 2020 to 2022(1).

It may be that Windows 12 can accomplish the meshing of the myriad of devices in a way that Windows 8 was unable to do.

BTW, Windows 10 End of Life is October 14, 2025. See footnote 3 below.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-12-faq-yes-its-coming-in-2024-and-more-surprising-predictions/

Scammers, thieves and ne'er do wells.

More than likely, we've all received emails or maybe texts that reference products or services we didn't buy. The invoices sometimes mimic PayPal invoices and are very legit in appearance. Many do not contain links but only a phone number for you to call. Once on the phone the scammers are very cunning, they're your friend and willing to help. Beware of any such emails and feel free to forward them to me. You can comment and ask for my help.

Watch out for your neighbors.

Gwinnett couple lost life savings to scammers pretending to be Geek Squad

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/gwinnett-couple-lost-life-savings-to-scammers-pretending-to-be-geek-squad/ar-AA1maQoK

Apple iPhones Viruses and Malware

Apple has always claimed that their phones are not susceptible to viruses. I know that's not true because I've a client who has had services compromised in the past through a mobile app on their phone.

Last night I called Apple support about an issue with the Wallet on my iPhone. I was experiencing a non-transmit error when I tried to pay. It was related to a glitch in my time zone setting.

The tech was nice, Indian I'm guessing because of accent. I asked him about Apple's claim of being virus/malware proof. He said maybe it was because every time you update your phone, the new IOS scans for malware.

I next asked him about the iPhones in Pakistan that were delivered with the Blast Pass Exploit. This code is a zero-day, zero-click malware deployment exploit capable of infecting the latest Apple IOS versions (up to v16.6) without any assist from the user. It specifically downloads Pegasus spyware.

In response to this threat, Apple has issued a remedial advisory for iPhone users and is sending alerts to its users to notify them of the potential targeting by NSO Pegasus spyware or state-sponsored attackers. (2)

I want to advise clients of mine who have Kaspersky AV, that there is a KAV app for your smartphones, both IOS and Android included with your subscription.

BTW, I told the Apple tech what to search for to find the article. The Pakistan government has been dealing with iPhone issues since 2021, may be earlier.

Government Warns About IPhone User Hacking in Pakistan

https://newsguru.pk/government-warns-about-iphone-user-hacking-in-pakistan/

footnotes

(1) WikiPedia

(2) NewsGuru - Pakistan

(3) The final version of Windows 10 is version 22H2, which will reach end of servicing on October 14, 2025. Beginning with Windows 10, version 21H2, feature updates for Windows 10 release are released annually, in the second half of the calendar year, to the General Availability Channel. For information about servicing timelines, see the Windows lifecycle FAQ1.

DFORCE Elite Workstations (not consumer crap!)

Our workstations are designed using the best available components to include, Intel unlocked processors matched to Z chipset mainboards. The SSDs are M2, Western Digital/Samsung high end. Not all solid state drives are the same, read/write speeds vary greatly.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IQGrU_fIP-N1L6iJ1bhiLYCZph76uL6I/view?usp=drive_link

Poor Password Habits and Data Breaches. 23andMe Hack is a Wake-Up call.

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Wed, 6 Dec 2023 11:16:00 -0500

Daily I am presented with spam check requests and questions from people who wonder why spam exists and why it is increasing. It's simple. Governments and companies are recording everything one does when on the web, sites visited, preferences, personal and financial info. The more data a company keeps, the more data is at risk.

Bad actors know this, and breaches occur daily at large firms. These breaches involve the theft of millions of records containing info about people, names, addresses, phone numbers and SSNs. The data is then offered for sale on black websites, sometimes given away for free.

23andMe reported they were hacked in October. The DNA tester reported that 14,000 accounts were compromised by a hacker. These 14,000 accounts exposed info belonging to 6.9 million people, (14000=6.9 million ???). The company stated that their computer network wasn't the source of the hack. THEIR NETWORK wasn't the source? Who are they sharing their info with?

The passwords used to break into these accounts had been stolen in other data breaches. This points out the weakness of using the same password for multiple accounts. This type of attack is called credential stuffing and victims of this kind of attack include Netflix, Nintendo, Zoom and PayPal. This attack is not unusual but the data stolen from 23andMe is highly sensitive.

“The issue here is that 23andMe is a social site that also has healthcare information,” he said. “And both of these increase the risk of exposure of the data, and the value of the data itself.”

https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/23andme-breach-hack-passwords-7587015f?st=xd2av290cqmo6ga&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

I have published this link in the past but it is worth revisiting today. To check and see if your email address and info have been exposed in previous data breaches, please visit the Have I Been Pawned website.

Worldwide problem.

It's not just US citizens. The Wall Street Journal reports there have been dozens of leaks involving Chinese firms and agencies. The Chinese government collects massive amounts of data on it's citizenry to maintain social control. China has created a strict cybersecurity and data protection realm but still breaches happen.

In June of 2022, an anonymous user on a popular online cybercrime forum put up for sale data of an estimated 1 billion Chinese citizens that was stolen from the Shanghai police. The heist was one of the largest in history and included particularly sensitive data, such as government ID numbers, criminal records, and detailed case summaries such as allegations of rape and domestic abuse.

The Wall Street Journal has since found dozens more Chinese databases offered for sale, and occasionally free, in online cybercrime forums and Telegram communities with thousands of subscribers.

Tens of thousands more databases in China remain exposed on the internet with no security, totaling over 700 terabytes of data, the largest volume of any country, according to LeakIX, a service which tracks such databases.

The same thing is happening in the US. Our government is as intrusive as China's, and it had/has lots of allies willing to do it's bidding. Every day when you are on the web, your viewing sites, preferences and personal info are being recorded.

AI today is playing a larger role in this info drama. It takes little time for a person's image or name to be researched and in less than 24 hours their home address, phone number, children's schools are Doxed and published in the public domain for everyone to see.

There are private professional companies worldwide who are employed by governments, bad actors and others. Stealing data and infiltration is their forte. One such company based in India was highlighted recently by Reuters and the WSJ. Today I can't find the article or info on WSJ and the link I had for Reuters below explains why. (I posted the link content below, italics)

How an Indian startup hacked the world (reuters.com)

Editor’s note

Filed Dec. 5, 2023, 10 p.m. GMT

Reuters has temporarily removed the article “How an Indian startup hacked the world” to comply with a preliminary court order issued on Dec. 4, 2023, in a district court in New Delhi, India.

Reuters stands by its reporting and plans to appeal the decision.

The article, published Nov. 16, 2023, was based on interviews with hundreds of people, thousands of documents, and research from several cybersecurity firms.

The order was issued amid a pending lawsuit brought against Reuters in November 2022. As set forth in its court filings, Reuters disputes those claims.

Driving Force Intel based Powerhouse Workstations (not consumer crap!)

Pig Butchering. China cracks down on Internet scammers based in Myanmar

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Mon, 6 Nov 2023 09:39:00 -0500

The term Pig Butchering refers to the victims of scammers. The scammers nurture relationships with their targets before luring them in for the kill.

Armies of scammers operating from lawless corners of Southeast Asia—often controlled by Chinese crime bosses—connect with people all over the world through online messages. They foster elaborate, sometimes romantic, relationships, and then coax their targets into making bogus investments. Over time, they make it appear that the investments are growing to get victims to send more money. Then, they disappear.

This is not a new technique, but it is a problem for societies all around the world. It was used by Nigerian scammers during the war on terror who would pose as US servicemen and target gullible victims with fake photos and love letters often coaxing the victims to send money.

There are regions around the world whose strengths lie in language, targeting/scamming societies more closely related to them. The border region shared by China with Myanmar sounds like the problems the US southern border experiences with the Mexican cartels. The differences are there is not the endless stream of unvetted, unvaccinated migrants streaming into China, plus China is doing something about it. I mean who wants to go to communist China anyway?

The link below to a WSJ article in today's paper details the issue and how China is trying to shut down the illicit scam centers.

https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/china-unleashes-crackdown-on-pig-butchering-it-isnt-what-you-think-d623ada3?st=7ej1gyz60xwmdmz&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

India with its large English-speaking population is home to villages whose sole industry is internet scamming. I watched a documentary about this. The internet and smartphones have brought the tools for scamming to very smart and desperate people. The gulf between haves and have nots is very great in India even with-it growing prestige and power. Whether its right or wrong does not mean a lot to a poor village.

India has long held a reputation as a home to online scammers targeting victims in far richer nations such as the United States. Last year, federal prosecutors in Georgia announced the indictment of multiple India-based call centers and their directors, charging them with conspiring to forward tens of millions of scam calls to American consumers.

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2023-03-15/online-scammers-find-a-fertile-market-in-india-as-the-internet-spreads

In summation, be extra vigilant and check the email, test message sources. Check that the email address used by the sender is the correct address associated with that sender if possible. Check the spelling of the domain name in the email address.

Your email address is on hundreds if not thousands of devices. Every client, firm, or friend you deal with has your email address and phone number. All internet connected devices should have anti-viral software installed but sometimes that is not enough. My larger clients have SonicWALL, anti-virus as well as MS365 protections in place. Does everyone you deal with have the same protections in place?

Be careful.

BTW, I run a Sandbox which is a Virtual Machine that I monitor email for my larger clients 24/7. If an infection occurs within the VM, I can shut it down without any consequences to my machine. If you need help verifying an email, feel free to contact me.

Cyberattacks cost Las Vegas casinos and Clorox $100s of million dollars.

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 12:02:00 -0400

Cyberattack cost MGM Resorts about $100 million, Las Vegas company says

In today's digitally connected world, one must remain vigilant to safeguard devices, info and finances.

A hacker group called "Scattered Spider" is behind 2 attacks against large corporations. They hacked and seized the data of 2 large Las Vegas casinos reportedly asking for a $30 million ransom from one to release their data.

Clorox Security Breach Linked to Group Behind Casino Hacks.

The targeted victims employ a lot of security safeguards, systems and personnel to prevent such attacks.

Imagine what the impact would be to your small business or personal finances if you were hacked.

The Clorox cyberattack crisis warrants every board’s attention. The consumer-products giant spent over $500 million on IT upgrades and earned a spot on the 2023 Forbes Most Cybersecure Companies list. Nonetheless, an August breach halted its operations with devastating supply chain and business consequences.

With all their sophisticated defenses the weakest link remains to be the human factor.

The security attacks that triggered an FBI probe shatter a public perception that casino security requires an “Oceans 11”-level effort to defeat it.

“Hackers are always fighting for that 0.0001% weakness,” Kim said. “Usually, that weakness is human-related, like phishing.”

The casino attacks caused a myriad of problems from slot machine outages and hotel operation disruptions. It is estimated to have cost the MGM Resorts $100 million.

MGM, whose prominent casinos along the Las Vegas Strip include the Bellagio and Mandalay Bay, were hacked last month. The company said it deliberately shut down a number of services “to mitigate risk to customer information.”

The shutdown had severe impacts for MGM. Some hotel customers couldn’t use key cards to enter their rooms. Employees were locked out of corporate emails for days. The tech news website 404 Media found entire sections of slot machines at MGM casinos roped off.

MGM said that despite system shutdowns some customer info was accessed by the hacker group.

Rival Casino operator Caesar's reportedly paid the hackers a ransom to go away according to a SEC filing by the company.

For more about the casino attacks click on the following links;

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/cyberattack-cost-mgm-resorts-100-million-las-vegas-company-says-rcna119138

https://apnews.com/article/vegas-casinos-mgm-caesars-cyberattack-59644d2cb0f2a765770d30f268b81a11

Clorox Crisis Shows Cyber Risk’s Harsh Business Downside

The attack on Clorox presented quite a different set of problems. Automated systems in their manufacturing and distribution systems were shut down forcing the company to resort to manual processes. The attack left the supply chain compromised and both retailers and customers were without product.

I was watching CNBC last week when Clorox reported the incident and it's impact on quarterly sales which cause the stock price to tumble. The financial impact for FY2024 Q1 is as follows;

· “Order processing delays and significant product outages” dented quarterly sales by 23-28%. That’s likely well over $500 million in lost revenue.

· Lower gross margins are anticipated, as “the impact of the cybersecurity attack more than offset the benefits of pricing, cost savings and supply chain optimization [and] lower cost absorption driven by lower volume.”

· Quarterly earnings per share will show a loss rather than positive result.

· Remediation efforts and expenditures will extend well into FY 2024.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/noahbarsky/2023/10/06/clorox-crisis-shows-cyber-risks-harsh-business-downside/?sh=5fb91b87632b

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-04/clorox-suspected-of-being-hacked-by-same-scattered-spider-group-that-hit-mgm?utm_source=website&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=copy

Always double check and be wary of both cell phone text messages and emails.

The following is an example;

I received a text today on my phone, supposedly from USPS that my package was delayed. I needed to copy a link and paste it into the Safari app on my iPhone. I copied the link down, opened MS Edge on my desktop and typed the link. It brought up the USPS website. I then entered the Tracking number and this is appeared.

However when I followed the instruction in the message and opened the same link using Apple's Safari browser, a different result.

In the PC browser, the USPS site appeared and I checked the tracking number. In the phone's Safari browser, their phishing attempt was allowed to continue.

Be careful and check everything.

QUISHING!!! QR code Phishing... new Email Threat.

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 11:26:00 -0400

QR Code phishing while not new is on the rise. QR codes (Quick Response codes) became widely popular during and after the pandemic. Many legitimate uses such as scanning a QR code to retrieve an online restaurant menu became the norm as well the use of digital wallets for contactless transactions. The ubiquity of QR codes have made users susceptible to scammers.

Recently I received from clients spam emails containing QR codes. I scanned the enclosed QR codes and found the following; one took me to a website advertising Website Creation Software. While it could be legit, I'd be afraid to download. Two others directed me to the same fraudulent website that had already been taken down, probably due to malicious downloads.

In each case above, I did the scan using my mobile device and recorded the underlying URL I then used a Sandbox Virtual machine to browse to the URL to minimize any damage. I would advise against using your mobile device to scan and connect to a URL via a QR code. Some of the initial scams were Word documents containing instructions with a QR code to scan and complete with personal and financial data online. Other attacks would request payment via a QR code for a service.

With online wallets such as Apple Wallet and ID be very careful and be sure of the sender, call and verify first.

How to prevent quishing attacks

As with any type of phishing, the best defense against quishing attacks is an educated user base. Enterprises should provide security awareness training that includes the following best practices:

Never scan a QR code from an unfamiliar source.
If you receive a QR code from a trusted source via email, confirm via a separate medium -- e.g., text message, voice call, etc. -- that the message is legitimate.
Stay alert for hallmarks of phishing campaigns, such as a sense of urgency and appeals to your emotions -- e.g., sympathy, fear, etc.
Review the preview of the QR code's URL before opening it to see if it appears legitimate. Make sure the website uses HTTPS rather than HTTP, doesn't have obvious misspellings and has a trusted domain. Don't click on unfamiliar or shortened links.
Be extremely wary if a QR code takes you to a site that asks for personal information, login credentials or payment.
Observe good password hygiene by changing your email password frequently and never using the same password for more than one account.

https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/feature/Quishing-on-the-rise-How-to-prevent-QR-code-phishing

AI and your information; What does it know about you and your business. it's more intrusive that you think

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Thu, 7 Sep 2023 09:29:00 -0400

I encourage my clients to forward questionable emails to me for analysis to check if they are valid or not. Recently a forwarded email came from a client that she received from someone claiming to be the owner of the firm she works for asking for her cell phone number. Problem was the alleged owner wasn't anyone we knew.

-----Original Message-----

From: xxxxx xxxxxxxxxx <xxxxxxxxx0029@gmail.com>

Sent: Friday, August 11, 2023 8:58 AM

To: xxxxx xxxxxxx <xxxxx@clientemail.com>

Subject:

Hi Xxxxx

I need you to work on a request for me. Send me your cell phone number. I love working with great people.

First LastName

Owner at CompanyName, LLC

Normally, I would have dispelled this as another phishing attempt. However, I knew that this firm had some private investors and decided to Google the name in the email along with the client's company. What I found was a page published on a website of ZoomInfo that listed not only the sender as the owner but also an almost complete list of present and past employees.

The site has the firm's correct address listed but to obtain phone numbers and emails you have accept and download ZoomInfo software which I suspect then looks at your contact list.

I provide an example of the listing they have for Driving Force. I got this listing by googling "driving force software zoominfo". However the example of the client above I found by googling the name of the alleged owner and firm name. ZoomInfo was a the top of the search results.

As you can see below, they've published my phone number and website. They have my NACIS and SIC codes correct. However they list our operations as;

Driving Force Software is a company that operates in the Museums and Institutions industry. It employs 11-20 people and has $1M-$5M of revenue. The company is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

I have checked other clients and the results are astounding. A lot of info about them, some correct and much incorrect.

Where does ZoomInfo source its data?

ZoomInfo employ AI, Artificial Intelligence to scour the web and the following sources;

Unstructured Public Information: ZoomInfo's technologies extract and parse unstructured information found on webpages, newsfeeds, blogs, and other public sources and then match that information with entities it has previously identified.Jan 19, 2023

If you research and find your business on their site, do not download and install their software. I'm not sure but I suspect they will browse your contacts and harvest more info. Instead do the following;

How do I remove my info from ZoomInfo?

Go to https://www.zoominfo.com/privacy-center/update/remove and “Verify” your email address. Check your mailbox and take a note of your 4-digits code. Enter the 4-digits code and click “Confirm” Tick the checkbox next to “I would like to delete my information”, solve the CAPTCHA, and click “REMOVE”Jan 31, 2023

https://www.zoominfo.com/privacy-center/update/remove

Microsoft Office 365 inks deal with Meta, introduces MS365 with AI

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 07:12:00 -0400

CNBC recently had a CEO of a large corporation appear on one of their shows. The topic was about employees refusal to return to work in the office. He said, the argument that the employees had about being able to perform just as well remotely only helped the employer's position. If companies are going to have a remote workforce, they will hire competent workers from overseas for 25% the cost of a US worker.

Now Microsoft is adding AI to it's MS365 apps, specifically Word and Outlook that will write, edit and send correspondence. Microsoft plans to charge $30/month for the added capability.

Microsoft has joined with Meta to challenge Google's Bard for dominance in the AI market.

Hackers are already using AI to write and distribute malware. See WSJ article about Chinese hackers being in Microsoft's 365 sites below.

The following from Barrons.com;

Microsoft Shows Investors the Money from AI. Why its Meta deal threatens Google.

Microsoft has just closed the gap between the hype and the reality when it comes to AI.

The tech giant unveiled its plan to monetize the technology Tuesday, answering a key question surrounding the recent AI stock boom. The company plans to charge businesses $30 a month for its artificial intelligence-powered Microsoft Office apps.

That was more than expected and sent the stock to a record high. It also highlights the pricing power of AI, and is driving another move higher for the usual suspects, including Nvidia, C3.ai, and Palantir.

The frenzy around AI and the desire to be at the forefront of its boom is making Big Tech companies do funny things. Microsoft, alive to the threat of Meta Platform's new free AI language model Llama 2, has teamed up with its peer to make the software available to companies.

Llama 2 is a direct challenger to OpenAI, in which Microsoft has invested billions, but the tech giant has acted decisively -- after all, it's better to keep its enemies close. Given that more open-source models are likely to appear, is Microsoft's plan to go after them all?

The unlikely partnership only adds to the pressure on Alphabet's Google, which has more to lose than gain -- especially when it comes to its search engine dominance.

Microsoft is displaying a ruthless streak to maintain its position as an early leader in AI but the other places at the top table are still up for grabs.

Tech earnings season, which begins in earnest Wednesday, will reveal more about who's winning and losing the AI race.

-- Callum Keown

Stock Hits Record High After Software Move

Shares of software giant Microsoft rallied to a record, gaining $102.3 billion in market cap on Tuesday, after it announced it is adding generative artificial-intelligence capabilities to its Microsoft 365 software, which includes Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, and Teams. It will cost business customers $30 a month.

   -- Microsoft said the plan offers AI to users to draft emails in Outlook and
      write documents in Word, among other functions. Bernstein analyst Mark
      Moerdler said the price is an increase of between 53% and 240%, depending
      on which version of Microsoft 365 a customer is using.

   -- Citi analyst Tyler Radke said pricing was well above the $5 to $20 a
      month he projected. Although months from being widely available, it's
      still "an incremental positive" for Microsoft stock, he wrote.

   -- Microsoft is also steering business clients to Bing Chat Enterprise, its
      search engine chatbot that is included in some subscriptions. The company
      is racing to offer generative AI tools in competition with Alphabet's
      Google, IBM and others.

   -- Microsoft and Meta Platforms are releasing a new version of Meta's AI
      language model called Llama 2. It will be free and available to
      developers who are building software on Microsoft's Azure cloud platform,
      the companies said.

What's Next: In making Llama 2 available to its Azure customers, Microsoft is demonstrating it is willing to reach beyond the ChatGPT tools by OpenAI, a company in which Microsoft has invested billions of dollars. Cloud computing rivals Amazon and Google have positioned themselves as neutral platforms.

-- Eric J. Savtiz and Janet H. Cho

***

Apple's performance comparisons to Windows PCs continue to be hilarious and ridiculous

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 08:24:00 -0400

T-Mobile Suffers Another Data Breach

35,000 PayPal accounts hacked, and users could’ve prevented it

Story by PC World • 5h ago

35,000 PayPal accounts hacked, and users could’ve prevented it Story by PC World • 5h ago

Apple's performance comparisons to Windows PCs continue to be hilarious and ridiculous

Today is one of those days Apple fans get excited because they don't get new hardware that often. They're not treated to the smorgasbord of desktop and laptop machines that Windows users have to choose from. But today, there are new laptops and desktops for those guys. Good for them.

People are already trying to get ChatGPT to write malware

Analysis of chatter on dark web forums shows that efforts are already under way to use OpenAI's chatbot to help script malware.

People are already trying to get ChatGPT to write malware

Georgia is now one of 4 states to allow Digital Driver License or ID to be added to Apple Wallet.

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 07:58:00 -0400

Georgia is now one of 4 states to allow Digital Driver License or ID to be added to Apple Wallet.

Georgian's now have the option of adding their driver license or ID to their iPhone. Georgia is one of four states that you can securely present your identity with your iPhone or Apple Watch. The other states that are Arizona, Colorado and Maryland.

Now you can add your Georgia driver's license or state ID to Apple Wallet on iPhone and Apple Watch. This makes TSA checkpoints quick, easy and secure. While it is not a replacement for your physical copy, your Georgia Digital ID on iPhone and Apple Watch can speed up the process at select TSA checkpoints.

It's taken 6 months since I first found out about this for it to become reality. It's very handy since I don't carry my wallet with me to the gyms. Apple Pay took care of money/purchase issues and now I have my ID in case it's needed.

To add your ID to your iPhone, you must set up your Face ID. The entire process is easy and a video demonstrating the process is accessible at the Georgia DDS site. Link below;

GA Digital Driver's License | Georgia Department of Driver Services

US Marshals Service suffer Ransomware breach, TikTok Bans continue to grow

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Thu, 2 Mar 2023 08:16:00 -0500

US Marshals computer system hit by ransomware attack

The US Marshals Service computer system suffered a major breach last month. The incident was discovered on February 17 and the affected system was disconnected. It was determined that the hackers stole personnel data and info about investigation targets.

On the same date CNN reported a breach in an FBI computer system at the agency's New York field office.

The attacks are the latest in a trend targeting government agencies and has some questioning cybersecurity protocols at the Justice Department.

These attacks should serve as a warning to all computer users to be vigilant about maintaining security firewalls and software.

https://apnews.com/article/marshals-hackers-ransomware-breach-cybercrime-67de6b7f0f30445ab2eb341679f857bb

Here are the countries that have bans on TikTok

The number of U.S. States banning the use of TikTok on government devices has now grown to over 25. The ban applies only to government devices.

However, it's not just the U.S. that has banned the use of TikTok. Other countries include;

INDIA

TAIWAN

CANADA

EUROPEAN UNION

PAKISTAN

AFGHANISTAN

The U.S., India, Taiwan, Canada and the European Union, cite national security concerns.

Pakistani authorities have temporarily banned TikTok at least four times since October 2020, citing concerns that app promotes immoral content.

Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership banned TikTok and the game PUBG in 2022 on the grounds of protecting youths from “being misled.”

Who is monitoring your devices?

https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-privacy-cybersecurity-bytedance-china-2dce297f0aed056efe53309bbcd44a04

Identity Theft and RansomWare are growing problems.

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 06:41:00 -0500

Identity thieves bypass security questions to access Experian credit reports

When I read this article, I thought if people you don't know, already have your name, address, SSN and birthdate, perhaps you have another problem other than your credit report being accessed illegally. But then, this information is all over the place, in offices, firms and online.

There is no telling how many places your name, address, SSN and birthdate are stored on the internet. These key pieces of data are in multiple databases related to insurance, credit cards, banks, etc., etc. Many of these sites have already been breached, hacked, stolen!

After a tip from a Telegram user who frequented identity theft channels, Brian Krebs tested and confirmed that anyone who knew your name, address, social security number (SSN), and birthday could view your full credit report at Experian.

Protect yourself and please read;

Identity thieves bypass security questions to access Experian credit reports

Ransomware has now become a problem for everyone, and not just tech

Ransomware attacks have rumbled on for years and show no signs of slowing down. It's time we faced the threat head on.

In 2022, ransomware affected

- 1981 schools

- 290 hospitals

- 105 local governments

- 44 universities and colleges

Researchers suggest that much of the rise in reported ransomware attacks against local governments can be linked to a single incident in Miller County, Arkansas, where one compromised mainframe resulted in malware being spread to endpoints in 55 different counties.

The above figures are for the public sector only. The private sector isn't required to publicly disclose malware attacks so the full damage caused by malware isn't known.

Ransomware and Cyber Crime are threats to everyone. To protect against these threats, companies and individuals should apply security patches and updates as soon as available to prevent criminals from attacking known vulnerabilities and delivering their malware payload.

MFA should be imperative for all accounts in the event a username or password is stolen. Multi Factor Authentication makes it harder to abuse compromised accounts.

I see data backups not being taken seriously. There should be multiple and redundant backups with some form of storing a backup offline in case of attack.

Of the local government agencies hit with ransomware in 2022, only one organization is known to have paid a ransom, which amounted to $500,000. The largest ransom demand made by attackers against a government entity demanded $5 million -- which wasn't paid.

Education remains a key target for cyber criminal ransomware groups, the number of schools affected by attackers almost doubled in a year. In 2021, ransomware reached a combined total of 1,043 schools, while the number hit in 2022 was 1,981.

According to Emsisoft, at least three victims paid a ransom demand for a decryption key, with one known to have cost $400,000.

Hospitals have long been a target for ransomware attacks. Hospitals need their systems to be operating to treat patients but many hospital networks still rely on old, often unsupported software.

The attacks continued in 2022, with 25 incidents against hospitals and multi-hospital health systems, impacting patient care at up to 290 hospitals,

for further info, please read;

Ransomware has now become a problem for everyone, and not just tech

The ransomware problem isn't going away, and these grim figures prove it

The real cost of ransomware is even bigger than we realised

Ransomware attacks are often talked about in terms of the financial cost. But in reality, these incidents can have a much bigger impact.

On this day in history, Jan. 9, 2007, Steve Jobs introduced the Apple iPhone to the world at Macworld in San Francisco

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 07:58:00 -0500

On this day in history, Jan. 9, 2007, Steve Jobs introduced the Apple iPhone to the world at Macworld in San Francisco

January 9, 2007 - Apple Introduces iPhone

iPhone, a crappy device?

Not everyone was a fan however. This review from the AJC Business section, June 2007. (previously published 11/17/15, DforceATL-iPhone post

The iPhone was made available to the U.S. consumer on June 29, 2007 to much fanfare but not everyone was impressed. An article in the AJC Atlanta Journal Constitution opined that it was too trendy and consumer would not shell out the dough for the pricey novelty. LOL, see AJC Tech writer's review below.

A Breach at LastPass Has Password Lessons for Us All, Who is using your Home WIFI, Patch Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Fri, 6 Jan 2023 07:54:00 -0500

LastPass Password Manager suffers a Breach.

I always hear gripes about passwords, their complexity and the need to change. This is not a subject to be taken lightly. A password is all that stands between your personal/financial info and bad guys trying to steal your info or monies.

Everyone needs some system to record these keys and protect this information. I personally use a contact located in an Outlook PST file that is password protected. You could also use an Excel spreadsheet to record your passwords and then password protect it. However, this is another password you need to remember. Also, there are utilities available for purchase that will break Excel password protection.

Some people use the password managers built into browsers. These too are vulnerable and if anyone knows your login password, they can expose your saved passwords in a browser. please see my prior post from 2019 about this, Browser Password Security

So what is one to do? Many have paid for online password managers such as LastPass. LastPass is an online password manager with a personal Premium version available for $3/month billed annually.

There have been many online credit card, bank, credit union as well as other breaches of user information. Why would an online password manager be any different? It's not, LastPass has been breached exposing tens of millions of customer credentials and keys.

In other words, the hackers hit the lottery. From an article on the NY Times;

When you use a password manager like LastPass or 1Password, it stores a list containing all of the user names and passwords for the sites and apps you use, including banking, health care, email and social networking accounts. It keeps track of that list, called the vault, in its online cloud so you have easy access to your passwords from any device. LastPass said hackers had stolen copies of the list of user names and passwords of every customer from the company’s servers.

If you are a LastPass customer, please read the article in the link below to determine what steps you need to take to safeguard your valuable information.

LastPass Hack-NY Times

Keeping your Home WIFI/internet connection secure.

If the above doesn't shake you, there is more good news.

You need to keep your home internet connection secured. There are courses available online that teaches how to expose and connect to WIFI networks. These are the ones that can be seen via available networks. Has anyone watched the TV series, Mr. Robot? In the series, the main character/hacker uses Kali Linux to break into networks and computers to fight big (overreaching industry).

Kali Linux is a hacker's dream OS and is loaded with tools for breaching systems.

Anytime you are in public and connect to a Mall's WIFI or any guest WIFI, be aware that all your info is being transmitted without encryption including user name and password. So don't access bank or credit card info while using these networks. I get dragged to Perimeter mall by Boss Lady and I am usually stuck outside the coffee bar at Nordstrom's waiting. I have witnessed many times the same 2 characters armed with a notebook and an external WIFI adapter which is needed by Kali to intercept internet traffic. The internal WIFI adapters built into computers aren't any good for hacking.

With that warning said, back to your home internet, please see the info in the following link;

How To Tell If Someone Is Using Your WiFi, And How Remove Them (msn.com)

FYI, Next Tuesday is Microsoft Patch Tuesday.

Patch Tuesday. Microsoft released 11 critical security vulnerabilities and six zero-days being actively exploited.

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Wed, 9 Nov 2022 12:40:00 -0500

November 8, 2022. Yesterday was Patch Tuesday. Microsoft released 11 critical security vulnerabilities and six zero-days being actively exploited.

We often put a lot of faith in our firewalls and anti-viruses and ignore updating and patching our computers. However, the good guys are always behind and are only responding to the latest threat after it has been exposed.

In total, Microsoft issues 64 patches to address security flaws in products including Windows, Exchange and Office – so get updating now.

The security flaws impact Microsoft products including Windows, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft Office and more, some of which have been targeted by malicious hackers for months.

Please update your computers as soon as possible.

To read more please click on the following link;

https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-patch-tuesday-fixes-11-critical-security-vulnerabilities-and-six-zero-days-being-actively-exploited/

How do so many users become victims of hackers, credit card info theft and ransomware? They oftentimes get attacked while browsing the web. Sometimes it happens via a web search or a link on a page visited. Before one knows it a malware script has been downloaded and installed without any needed response from the user.

Webpages themselves are actively being exploited and attacks placed in the code of the website without the authors knowing. Thus a website can become a means of malware/ransomware distribution. Websites too need protecting but that is another story. WordPress and web-hosting companies provide or sell website protection but not all websites take advantage of these services.

In addition to keeping your operating system and applications updated you need to update your browsers. Google's Chrome has become the largest target among the browsers currently used. See article below.

There's been a big rise in hackers targeting Google Chrome - doing this one thing can help protect you

We enter and store a lot of information in our internet browsers, making them a tempting target for cyber criminals.

Google has released security updates to address 6 severe flaws in their browser. See link below;

Google Chrome: Apply new security update now to fix these six 'high severity' bugs | ZDNET

To update your Chrome browser, check in the upper right corner of the Chrome browser to see if there is an update notification. Please click on it to update your browser to the latest version. Warning: it usually requires a browser restart to complete installation, you can restart at your convenience.

You can always go to Settings, Help to check for updates. If available, Chrome will apply automatically.

In tech news;

Apple Preparing iOS 16.1.1 as Widespread Wi-Fi Bug Persists - MacRumors

Apple Experts Say You Should Never Waste Your Money On This Storage Upgrade (yahoo.com)

For the first time, I'm switching to an AMD graphics card | Digital Trends

Intel to Introduce Wi-Fi 7 in 2024 as Apple Plans Imminent Move to Wi-Fi 6E - MacRumors

Apple Just Quietly Raised Prices for Apple Music and Apple TV Plus

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 08:33:00 -0400

Apple raises rates for Apple TV and Apple Music.

Everybody mad at Comcast, Direct TV and other cable providers for constantly raising their rates so they cut their TV service and began to stream entertainment.

and here come the increases, Apple TV has increased their Apple TV plus service by 2 dollars to $7/month. I have been paying $4.99/month and with the increase it is still a bargain. Apple Music is going up by a dollar.

Apple's bundle service, Apple One, meanwhile, will cost $16.95 per month for an individual, a $2 increase. The Apple One family plan will hit $22.95 per month and its premier plan, $32.95 -- a $3 bump for both. Apple One individual and family plans include Apple Music, Apple TV Plus, Apple Arcade cloud gaming and iCloud remote storage services; premier includes those four and both Apple Fitness Plus workouts and Apple News Plus, which unlocks multiple subscription newspapers, magazines and other news outlets.)

However Apple is not alone. Other streamers, Netflix, Spotify, Disney and YouTube have raised their rates in the past year and the Prime membership jumped from $99 to $119 and now $139/year if you want to keep your Prime Video.

Yesterday both Google and Microsoft reported disappointing numbers on Wall Street so YouTube subscribers may see an increase soon.

FYI... to read more about the increases in streaming services, click the link below,

https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-just-quietly-raised-prices-for-apple-music-and-apple-tv-plus/

T-Mobile Home Internet Redux, 5 best Browsers, Microsoft Patch Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 12:09:00 -0400

T-Mobile Home Internet Redux, the last time I'll talk about it.

I so much want to dump Comcast that I called T-Mobile again last Friday to inquire about data plans. I was paying $50/month.

I found out this, as I stated in the 1st post 2 weeks ago, when I looked up my address online the website said the service was not available at my address but I was able to order the modem anyway. When I setup the T-Mobile modem the phone app could not connect to the T-Mobile network and I had to set it up manually. I was pulling 250 mbps download and pretty happy until I received the message that I had used up 80% of 100 GB allotment in 13 days and T-Mo was going to throttle my speed.

T-Mobile Home Internet vs T-Mobile Home Internet Lite

I found out that the modem couldn't connect to their actual 5G Home Internet. It was connected to their phone networks 5G signal. They call that Home Internet Lite.

If I could connect to their true 5G Home Internet then I would have had unlimited data for $50/month. The Home Lite plan allows you to purchase more data but in incremental increases and it's not cost effective.

So now I am on their wait list, waiting for them to install equipment in my neighborhood.

To check your address visit the following link;

Check Eligibility for 5G Internet | T-Mobile 5G Home Internet

Microsoft's Patch Tuesday - October

Microsoft has released new updates addressing 84 vulnerabilities. The Redmond company said that one flaw had already been exploited and another has been publicly announced. Earlier this month patches were released that addressed 12 more CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) found in the Edge browser.

The vulnerability that has been exploited is a Windows COM+ Event System Service Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain system privileges.

The publicly disclosed vulnerability is a Microsoft Office Information Disclosure Vulnerability. This vulnerability, discovered by Cody Thomas with SpecterOps, puts at risk user tokens and other potentially sensitive information.

If you have not updated your computer this month, please take the time tonight before leaving to start Windows updates installing on your computer.

To read more click on the link below;

https://www.zdnet.com/article/everything-microsoft-announced-at-the-october-surface-event/?ftag=TRE-03-10aaa6b&bhid=%7B%24external_id%7D&mid=%7B%24MESSAGE_ID%7D&cid=%7B%24contact_id%7D

What is the best browser to use?

The most commonly used browsers are Chrome, Firefox and Edge. With Cloud services becoming more ubiquitous, cloud service companies have to make sure their products work with these major browser players. However, which is best to use?... Chrome does not make the top 5.

I use the Brave browser for Global Administration of client MS365 sites as well as banking activities. Brave is rated #1 for overall privacy.

It allows me to peruse many newspapers without a subscription. It comes with Tor browser and VPN built in. When I launch an in-private windows using Tor however it hides your public IP address via a VPN and often assigns a European Public IP.

If you have heard of it before, Tor is the infamous browser most associated with the Dark Web.

To read more about the best browsers click on this link;

The 5 best secure browsers for privacy in 2022 | ZDNET

T-Mobile 5G Home Internet Update

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Wed, 5 Oct 2022 08:56:00 -0400

T-Mobile Gateway sent packing.

As promised I wanted to update you on my experience with the T-Mobile Gateway, (see previous T-Mobile post). The device was easy to implement and the speed was very good considering I was only getting 3 out of 5 bars signal strength. I averaged 250 MBPS download speed and the service never faltered even after connecting my main TV along with my Surface Pro notebook. I do all my TV watching via streaming including news. I have an internet only subscription, Comcast business,

I never got around to connecting all my devices which would have been 2 desktops, server, printer and 2 more TVs. I'm glad I never fully converted since on day 13 of my 15 day trial I received a message from T-Mobile (see below) that I had used 80% of my 100 GB data allotment and they were going to slow down my speed until the next billing cycle. Sorry T-Mobile, throttling my speed is not an option.

The customer service lady I spoke to was very nice and helpful and said that T-Mobile hopes to be able to provide unlimited data to my area some time in the near future. If that happens and the price is reasonable, (I was paying $50/month) I'll be back. In the meantime, bye-bye T-Mo.

T-Mobile 5G Home Internet Review

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 11:16:00 -0400

T-Mobile 5G Home Internet, going Rogue on Comcast

When it comes to broadband internet, I have been with Comcast since 1998. I can remember telling clients you really should see this. I was pulling 3 mbps download and we were raiding Napster for songs at blazing speeds. We could hook into a T3 line and download 75 songs at the time. Friends and relatives were lucky to get a song a night using dial-up.

At the time my clients would say all we need are emails and don't need broadband. Fast forward 24 years and civilization cannot exist without it.

Now I'm seeking an alternative to Comcast. My location unfortunately does not have fiber yet so I am excluded from Google or AT&T fiber. Up until this week my only alternative has been AT&T, internet 75, not fiber. I refuse to go with AT&T since my experience dealing with them on client accounts has always been disappointing as to speeds, (they promise up to 75 MBPS, but may be only 5 MBPS).

I have had Comcast Business for 3 years now and of course the bill keeps climbing. I have internet service only, no cable TV.

I decided to try T-Mobile 5G home internet. I entered my address info and voila,

However, all was not as it seemed. Upon continuing I had to verify my shipping and emergency (911) address. The address prefilled by the website did not match my actual street address. I'm at 4228 and it was responding with 4308. I had to call customer service and the rep told me that the service was not available at my address. Undaunted the next day I tried again and this time the rep allowed me to change the shipping and emergency address. I was able to place the order and my internet appliance arrived Tuesday. I have a 15 day trial before my service starts at $50/month.

Installation and setup.

The device setup was simple. I attached the power cord, downloaded the T-Mobile app on my iPhone and I was ready. I started the app and things looked bleak. It could not auto attach to the T-Mobile 5G network or discover my location.

I then chose manual installation and provided my street address and phone number. Next I gave it a secured password/key for the internet and accepted the default SSID (Wi-Fi name). The device then attempted to connect which it accomplished successfully, but only 2 out of 5 bars strength.

I attached my Surface Pro notebook, ran a speed test and found I was pulling 120 MBPS down/8 MBPS up. The instructions advised to place the device on an upper level near a window. I moved the device upstairs, trying 3 different rooms. all locations had 3 bars out of 5. I found that even with 3 bars, some of the locations were not ideal for WIFI due to walls and distance so I opted for the middle level of the house with 3 bars.

So far I'm pleased with the results. I've tested and used the internet with my notebook and I can't discern any difference between it and my Comcast signal. I ran the http://speedof.me speed test and the results are:

So far so good... this is with 3 of 5 bars signal strength. If T-Mobile can improve the strength of the signal to my device I have no doubt that the T-Mobile Home Internet is a worthy alternative to Comcast. The price is no comparison, $50 vs $130 plus per month.

This weekend I plan to test the device using all my devices including streaming on the TVs.

The T-Mobile device has 2 ethernet ports. However the location of the device isn't convenient for my lower level office. I will drop an ethernet cable and connect to an ethernet switch to conduct the test.

I will post an update to the blog next week and publish the result of my experiment with the T-Mobile Home Internet.

Have a great weekend.

The Newest Windows 11 update 22H2 and more

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 11:06:00 -0400

Is it time to update to Windows 11? The latest Windows 11 update 22H2 contains features that have many saying yes!

This feature update isn't likely to turn Windows 11 skeptics into fans. It doesn't include any major architectural changes and it preserves both the system requirements and the overall design of the user experience from the initial release. This is, at its core, a "fit and finish" update, with a handful of new features that are useful but far from essential.

The 8 best new features are:

Drag and Drop for the Taskbard
Folders on the Start Menu
Updated File Explorer
Live Captions
New Touch Gestures
Update Task Manager
New Inbox Apps: ClipChamp, Sound Recorder
Smart App Control.

To summarize key features;

Windows 11 has changed the way security is handled. Windows 10 left security settings up to the user to enable. What Microsoft found was that most users did not understand how to make the changes or the trade offs in compatibility and performance. Windows 11 has inverted that view and now makes the security settings default for users.

In addition to security, the new Windows 11 update contains improvement in performance, better throughput and more beneficial features. Microsoft's Photos app is also getting a much needed makeover.

File Explorer's Quick Access will now be called Home, however Quick Access will shift to the right panel where you can pin files and folders. Windows will be adding a Tabs feature to File Explorer in October 2022 as an optional preview and then in November as a full release. A File Explorer Tabs interface will allow you to open a new Tab like in a browser where you can search and open files without opening another File Explorer instance, much needed.

The Windows 11 22H2 upgrade was made available yesterday, 09/20/22. It may already be installed on your Windows 11 computer, waiting for a restart to finish installing.

To read about what to expect and more from this update, please see the following links.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-11-22h2-how-to-get-microsofts-latest-os-update-and-whats-coming-next/

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/hands-on-with-windows-11s-new-task-manager/

https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-11-22h2-these-are-the-big-new-security-features/

Windows 10 EOL (End of Life)

You have until October 14, 2025 to keep using Windows 10 and continue receiving at least some sort of support from Microsoft for it. However, the company announced in November 2021 that it will only release feature updates after version 21H2 (the Windows 10 November 2021 Update) annually in the second half of the year via the General Availability Channel.

The next Windows 10 feature update is slated for the second half of 2022. Home and Pro editions of the November 2021 Update will only receive 18 months of servicing and support, and Enterprise and Education editions will receive 30 months of servicing and support after November 2021.

After that, Microsoft says it will continue to support at least one annual Windows 10 release until October 2025.

https://www.lifewire.com/windows-10-end-of-life-4163811

Who Will Pay the Price for Cyberattacks?

Insurers have long excluded war damage from their coverage. A new spate of legal battles will decide whether they can consider state-sponsored hacking an act of war.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/who-will-pay-the-price-for-cyberattacks-11662645501?st=05lt1qffidk57d4&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

Safeguard iPhones, iPads & Macs: Apply security updates now. Microsoft 365 Basic Authentication ends October 1, 2022

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 11:41:00 -0400

Safeguard your iPhones, iPads and Macs: Apply these security updates now

Apple urges users to patch their devices as newly disclosed vulnerabilities 'may have been actively exploited'.

There are reports that Apple products to include iPhones, iPads and Macs are actively being targeted by hackers due to a series of vulnerabilities in the IOS's of the devices.

In the wake of the heightened political tensions with state actors as well as plain old criminal hackers, it would be wise to apply Apple's latest security updates to your devices ASAP.

To read the more click on the following link,

https://www.zdnet.com/article/safeguard-your-iphones-ipads-and-macs-apply-these-security-updates-now/?ftag=TRE-03-10aaa6b&bhid=%7B%24external_id%7D&mid=%7B%24MESSAGE_ID%7D&cid=%7B%24contact_id%7D

Microsoft is turning off Basic Authentication for Exchange Online customers.

On October 1, 2022, Microsoft is turning off Basic Authentication in Exchange Online for all tenants.

If you have Microsoft Exchange as part of your Microsoft Office subscription, you need to enable MFA, Multi-Factor Authentication. This will require you to receive a code either via email or cell phone each time you login to http://office.com.

In addition, a secured password will be required for any desktop email app such as Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird.

As more sophisticated cyber criminals take aim at hybrid and remote workers, Microsoft is working to raise awareness among Exchange Online customers that one of the most important security steps they can take is to move away from outdated, less secure protocols, like Basic Authentication.

Basic Authentication puts companies at greater risk of data breaches and disruption of email. There are 921 password attacks every second, almost doubling the frequency of attacks from 2021. In addition, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received 19,954 business email compromise (BEC) and email account compromise (EAC) complaints with adjusted losses at nearly USD2.4 billion.

To read more, click on the following link:

It's Time to Disable Basic Authentication in Office 365 - Office 365 Reports (o365reports.com)

Other security news:

Reported ransomware attacks are just the tip of the iceberg. That's a problem for everyone

Shame or just trying to avoid bad publicity means there's very little useful data recorded on ransomware attacks.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/reported-ransomware-attacks-are-just-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-thats-a-problem-for-everyone/?ftag=TRE-03-10aaa6b&bhid=%7B%24external_id%7D&mid=%7B%24MESSAGE_ID%7D&cid=%7B%24contact_id%7D

Federal courts hit by "significant and sophisticated" cyberattack in 2020

https://www.zdnet.com/article/federal-courts-hit-by-significant-and-sophisticated-cyber-attack-in-2020/

TikTok 'Kia Challenge' fuels rise in using USB cables to steal cars

https://www.insider.com/tiktok-kia-challenge-using-usb-cables-to-steal-cars-2022-7

Warning: Malicious browser extension targets Gmail and AOL users

https://www.komando.com/security-privacy/malicious-browser-extension/848631/

How to find and remove spyware from your phone

Surveillance apps are becoming more advanced. Here's what to do if you think you're being tracked.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-find-and-remove-spyware-from-your-phone/

Deepfakes are coming, New Phishing attacks come with Countdown clocks. Beware.

noreply@blogger.com (dforce) — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 08:56:00 -0400

The next big security threat is staring us in the face. Tackling it is going to be tough

Deepfakes are getting better at mimicking real people. Soon that's going to be a problem for everyone.

The development of AI and facial recognition has led to many advancements in the tech arena. However as always the hackers are exploiting this new tech to their advantage.

While ransomware gets the headlines and attention, BEC costs businesses more losses that any other cyber crime. Some of you may have experienced a BEC attack. A BEC (business email compromise) attack usually comes in the form of an email purportedly from the boss asking staff to send or authorize financial transactions immediately and discretion is key.

By the time anyone might be suspicious, the cyber criminals have taken the money, likely closed the bank account they used for the transfer – and run.

My small to medium size business clients have all experienced these emails. Fortunately the receiver was smart enough to spot or question the validity and the email was a spoof, not a compromised user. A spoof is when someone uses the email address/identity of someone but the source of the email indicates otherwise.

But if cyber criminals could use a deepfake to make the request, it could be much more difficult for victims to deny the request, because they believe they're actually speaking to their boss on camera.

Scammers have already used artificial intelligence to convince employees they're speaking to their boss on the phone. Adding the video element will make it even harder to detect that they're actually talking to fraudsters.

Many companies and organization feature pictures of their staff on their websites or social media pages. With new programs and techniques, deepfakes are coming. The FBI has warned that cyber criminals are using deepfakes to apply for remote IT positions.

To read more please click the following link;

The next big security threat is staring us in the face. Tackling it is going to be tough | ZDNet

This phishing attack uses a countdown clock to panic you into handing over passwords

A phishing attack is borrowing a technique from ransomware groups by looking to scare the victim into doing what they want.

There is a new phishing attack with a twist. If you don't supply them with your credentials within a time limit, POOF!... your account is deleted.

Everyone has been subjected to these emails in the past, some are good in appearance and some down right amateurish. For the most part Microsoft, Google and others will not email you directly about your credentials. However, some banks, credit cards and online services do send emails notifying you that your password is expiring.

Always be certain to verify. If possible do not use links within the emails but verify through a trusted link, perhaps in your favorites. I always wait until they will not let me login and then use a password reset link.

Be careful and don't panic.