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Manage Your Website Passwords Across All Your PCs and Mobile Devices

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Lance Whitney in Best Practices, Top Story, Windows Secrets

You can use a password manager to generate, store, and apply your website passwords. Here’s how to set one up for each browser and device you use. Managing the passwords for all your websites is a challenge. Not only are you supposed to come up with a complex password that can’t easily be guessed or hacked. But you’re supposed to employ a different password for each website you use. Some require both upper- and lowercase letters, others require that plus a number and a special character, some grade your password on degree of difficulty to crack, forcing you to break away from any tricks you’ve used to generate passwords you can remember. And now, we all live in a world where we are hitting the same websites and services across a broad array of devices, from desktop computers to mobile phones. You’ll want to manage your passwords on all your web browsers on all your devices. And you’ll want to sync your website passwords across all your browsers and devices. How is all that possible? We have a two-word answer for you: password managers. Such tools can conjure up complex passwords for each website and then automatically apply those passwords every time … Read More »

Password Managers: The Pros and Cons

Posted on March 14, 2017 by Lance Whitney in Best Practices, Top Story

You can rely on password managers to automatically take care of your website passwords, but there are a few hurdles you’ll have to overcome. Password managers provide an effective means of cooking up and controlling your website passwords so you don’t have to deal with the hard part of creating them, using them on the Web and — this is key — remembering them. Such tools offer several benefits, including the ability to generate complex passwords, store and remember your passwords, and automatically apply them at their respective websites. But you still need to be aware of potential snags when using a password manager. For example, you have to create and remember a complex master password that can protect all your other passwords, otherwise there’s the possibility of someone gaining access to your passwords. Your passwords are typically stored on a server maintained by the vendor, and we know that servers can be hacked. Plus, password managers are only good on the devices on which they’re installed. Use a friend’s PC or a computer at the library, and you’re stuck because you don’t have access to the passwords for your sites. How can you benefit from the pros of password managers … Read More »

The Challenge of Windows Update in the Windows as a Service (WaaS) Era

Posted on March 9, 2017 by Richard Hay in Top Story, Windows 10

Last month, for the first time since Microsoft started Patch Tuesdays in the early 2000’s, the software company delayed issuing patches and updates for its software products that were scheduled to be updated on February 14, 2017. While the specific reason was not officially provided by Microsoft, according to some reports, it was either an issue with a particular patch or the system that prepares the monthly collection of updates for distribution. A couple of days later Microsoft officially announced that those patches would be rolled into the March cycle of Patch Tuesday updates and those are scheduled to arrive next Tuesday. Yet this past Tuesday, patches for Office were pushed out to users over Windows Update, so that shows the delivery mechanism itself is working fine. There are no indications from Microsoft that we should not see a normal Patch Tuesday next week. I am sure if I asked many of you about Microsoft, Windows Update, and system patches most of you would not use the word normal to describe that process. In fact, over the years there have been many issues with patches that gets issued each month. This has become an even bigger concern for end users as Microsoft … Read More »

Refresh Your Security Habits: Here’s What You Should Learn from Recent Attacks

Posted on March 7, 2017 by Susan Bradley in Quick Tips, Security Baseline, Top Story

Since we have been using computers, we have been looking for a way for each machine’s administrators to better control the machines and take care of them. This is how we got PowerShell: Microsoft gave admins a command line tool that would be able to automate more and more tasks, from scripting across a network to fully deploying and managing a server with no graphical user interface. Of course, with every good thing comes attackers that abuse it, and PowerShell is no exception. A recent attack that utilizes a malicious word attachment also used PowerShell commands to put a back door in the system, then used DNS TXT record queries and responses to create a bidirectional Command and Control (C2) channel. While this process is not new, the recent headline use of PowerShell has led to some question if one can block PowerShell on their machines. The first thing to know is that one truly cannot uninstall PowerShell from a system. Think of PowerShell like the DOS command line that is still hiding under the hood of the operating system: it’s a deep, embedded part of the operating system. However, that doesn’t mean you aren’t without options to better prevent the use of … Read More »

Best Hardware: These Gadgets Will Give You a Charge Here and There

Posted on March 2, 2017 by Michael Lasky in Best Hardware, Top Story, Windows Secrets

Whether you are rooted to your home office, using your kitchen table as home base, or doing your job while on the road, keeping your computer and mobile devices fully powered is like oxygen — necessary for life. And in our increasing reliance on multiple digital devices, having multiple power outlets has become essential. Here are a couple of indispensable solutions. iClever’s BoostStrip Takes on 12 Devices At Once – Wow! With its six 3-prong electrical outlets and six USB ports, iClever’s BoostStrip Series IC-BS03 provides more than enough juice to handle our various power and charging needs. Built-in surge protection for both computers, appliances, and mobile devices makes the $26 price tag a bargain compared to other power strips on the market. But this power maven has other capabilities that make it stand out for me. Compared with ordinary power strips – you know, the kind you can get for a few bucks at Home Depot, Target, and hardware stores – this one eases the concerns of anyone who’s worried about electrical fires. It has a 1875 watts maximum load, and it’s made with fire proof materials which can handle temperatures up to over 1300 degrees Fahrenheit. This article is part … Read More »

Hey, What is Microsoft Sway, and Is It Worth Using?

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Lance Whitney in Top Story

Are you familiar with Microsoft Sway? If not, don’t panic. It’s one of those applications that isn’t exactly a household name. Part of Microsoft Office, Sway allows you to create interactive reports, presentations, and personal stories, in a fresher visual style than PowerPoint. Students, business professionals, and everyday folks can build a presentation using text, graphics, videos, charts, maps, tweets, and other media. The software is available as a downloadable Windows app and as a component of Microsoft’s Office Online suite. So is the program worth trying? And should you bother using it when you’re already rocking PowerPoint? I used Sway to create an interactive presentation to try to answer those questions. You can snag Sway one of a few ways: You can download it as an app from the Windows Store in Windows 10, or use the online version. Both offer the same features and functionality; there is no advantage to selecting one option over the other. The downloadable app, however, is available only for Windows 10, while the online edition is accessible in prior versions of Windows, including Windows 7 and 8.1. You’re not limited to creating your Sway on a computer. You can cook a Sway up on an iPhone … Read More »

How to Back Up Your Microsoft Outlook PST File

Posted on February 22, 2017 by Lance Whitney in Office, Top Story, Windows Secrets

Your PST file contains all your Outlook email, so you need a safe and reliable way to back it up on a recurring basis. A little backtracking, for those of us who haven’t run across this term before. If you use Microsoft Outlook for your email, your PST files contain all your messages, calendar events, contacts, and other data. As the PST file is critical, you need a way to back it up on a regular basis in case something goes kerflooey with the live file. You can then always retrieve the backup, whether to locate an individual e-mail that’s been lost or deleted or to recover the entire PST file in case it gets corrupted. Outlook itself offers no way to back up the file, but you can turn to a couple of free utilities to do the work. Microsoft provides a free program called Personal Folders Backup, which sets itself up as an add-in for Outlook and can automatically back up your PST file at regular intervals. The drawback with Personal Folders Backup is that it works only with older versions of Outlook up to the 2010 edition. But no cause for worry. Those of us who run Outlook 2013 … Read More »

What I Learned About Security at RSA 2017

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Michael Lasky in Security Baseline, Top Story

Here’s a morsel of what I learned about Web security at this year’s RSA Conference in San Francisco. It’s just another tale of the good, the bad, and the ugly 1.Security in Windows 10 is better than any version before it. That’s because unlike previous versions which had user customizable settings to control how your PC received updates and patches, updates in Windows 10 are by default automatic. Ostensibly this means that Microsoft is staying one step ahead of malware hackers. There’s just one problem with this assumption. Unlike the dozens and dozens of anti-malware/virus software companies which update their malware definitions 24/7, Microsoft offers its updates just once a month on its Patch Tuesday which means any Windows 10 is vulnerable to new malware for possibly a month in between. So installing third party anti-malware/virus software is probably still advisable. 2.Nothing is necessarily safe on the Web even if you have anti-malware installed because the hackers are changing their sinister codes virtually every few seconds. You read that right: every few seconds in a lousy game of digital whack-a-mole. And the bad guys are ever finding new ways to infect your system. 3. Then there’s the increasing rise of … Read More »

How to Sync Your Microsoft Outlook and Google Calendars

Posted on February 16, 2017 by Lance Whitney in Best Utilities, Office, Top Story

Here’s the challenge: You use both Microsoft Outlook and Google for your calendar appointments, and you need a way to keep both of them in sync. Google once offered a free utility to sync your Gmail calendar with your Outlook calendar, but that tool has since bit the dust. So does that mean you’re out of luck? Nope — you can accomplish the same trick with help from a couple of third-party utilities. One free tool called Outlook Google Calendar Sync can keep your Outlook and Google calendars on the same path. Another utility known as Calendar Sync can also synchronize both calendars. Before we look at both tools, let’s just clarify one item. When I say Outlook, I’m not talking about the Outlook.com email service; I’m referring to the full version of the Microsoft Outlook email client that comes with Microsoft Office. Outlook currently is part of Office 2016 and Office 365. I’ve run Outlook for years and currently use the 2016 version through an Office 365 subscription. I also use Google for Gmail, as well as for my calendar appointments and contacts. So I’ve always needed a way to keep my Outlook and Google calendars in sync. In … Read More »

Here’s the Latest in Scams and Ransomware

Posted on February 14, 2017 by Susan Bradley in Security Baseline, Top Story

Not a day goes by that I don’t see some sort of scam or attack. Awareness of the latest scams it key to staying safe — here are some new scams you should be aware of. Ransomware’d Printers The latest in ransomware techniques is to target vulnerable printers inside networks. As noted in a recent article, the attack takes advantage of a network if port 9100 is open. While in a small network behind a router provided by your Internet Service provider, the chances are small that port 9100 will be open if you’d like to make sure you can perform the following steps. From a computer inside your network go to the ShieldsUP website. Click on proceed to begin the process In the box, enter 9100 Click on user specified custom port probe The test will indicate if the port is open or closed. Chances are very good that the port will be closed. If so, you will not be at risk to this attack from external sources. However, I have seen several firms impacted by this attack because the malware entered into the network into a workstation and was able to attack vulnerable printers. In one case it … Read More »

Top Story

Manage Your Website Passwords Across All Your PCs and Mobile Devices

Password Managers: The Pros and Cons

The Challenge of Windows Update in the Windows as a Service (WaaS) Era

Refresh Your Security Habits: Here’s What You Should Learn from Recent Attacks

Best Hardware: These Gadgets Will Give You a Charge Here and There

Hey, What is Microsoft Sway, and Is It Worth Using?

How to Back Up Your Microsoft Outlook PST File

What I Learned About Security at RSA 2017

How to Sync Your Microsoft Outlook and Google Calendars

Here’s the Latest in Scams and Ransomware

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