It’s Identity Theft Season: How To Protect Yourself

Folks, here is another article containing advice we all need to be doing — particularly now.

* Identity scams are up this tax season: How to protect yourself “The bad guys are out in force this tax season, so be especially careful with your personal ID information. Follow these proactive steps.” Read more..

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Today’s quote: “The best thing to do when you find yourself in a hurting or vulnerable place is to surround yourself with the strongest, finest, most positive people you know.” ~ Kristin Armstrong

Copyright 2007-2015 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

4 Quick Tips — How to Protect Yourself Online

How to Protect Yourself Online

Internet users can protect themselves from cybercrime with the following quick tips:

• Only download mobile apps from official app stores, such as iTunes and the Android Market, and read user reviews before downloading them.

• Be extra vigilant when reviewing and responding to emails. (I call this “use paranoid common sense”.)

• Watch out for too-good-to-be-true offers on social networks, like free airline tickets. Never agree to reveal your personal information just to participate in a promotion. (Or get a free magazine subscription..)

• Don’t accept requests on social networks from people you don’t know in real life. Wait to post pictures and comments about your vacation until you’ve already returned home.

I am not sure I agree with the order McAfee chose to put these in.. but I assure you this is good information here.

Today’s quote: “The best helping hand that you will ever receive is the one at the end of your own arm.” ~ Fred Dehner

Today’s chuckle:

And if you believe that, I have a really wonderful – limited time – please don’t tell anyone else – price on the Washington bridge. Just click here to find out more!

Copyright 2007-2012 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

Tips To Enhance Your Security And Privacy When Online

Folks, after hearing – yet again – another sad story, I feel compelled to remind you of some advice for a safer and more secure “online experience”, and – yet again – provide you the How To steps for being a ‘safer surfer’.

First up is a known ratings killer, but perhaps the second most important piece of tech advice I can share with you — passwords. (The first being: if it connects to the Internet, it needs an up-to-date antivirus. Period.) If my storyteller had followed this simple advice, they wouldn’t be so sad.
It’s that simple.

Create strong passwords, and use a different one for each website. These two links will help.

• Check your password
• Create strong passwords

Okay, okay, okay. Tech – for Everyone readers don’t need to be told that. They already know. But perhaps you may want to send those to some of your less-savvy friends and family. Below are some very good items for review.

Protect myself from scams

• Email and web scams
• Avoid the fake Microsoft Lottery scam
• Avoid phishing scams

Protect my personal information

• Protect your privacy on the Internet
• Your information on the Internet
• Take charge of your online reputation

I hate to say it, but the Internet is so dangerous (and has been for several years now) that those who do not know the information provided above have practically no chance of not getting nailed and becoming a victim of crime.. if they haven’t been already.
None, as in “zero”.

Bonus reading (unrelated): Use Your Google Drive As A Fax Machine

“Take advantage of your Google Drive and use HelloFax to sign and send faxes online. With Google Drive being a new service provided by Google I am starting to see third party developers coming out with apps that integrate and take advantage of Google Drive. HelloFax is a prime example and is one of […] Read more..

Today’s quote: “For a gallant spirit there can never be defeat.” ~ Wallis Simpson

Copyright 2007-2012 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.

Mix and Match Saturday

aka Weekend Grab Bag

* For Facebook users: June 2011: The Definitive Facebook Lockdown Guide

“June 2011 edition of The Definitive Facebook Lockdown Guide. Helping you to protect your privacy, your social network security and to manage your network safely.“

* Better Late Than Never: I didn’t have time to post a Friday Fun video yesterday, so, here you go – Never Lose The Remote Again.

* Android smart phone: starter kit

“If you’re staring down at your shiny new Android phone wondering which apps to try first, hit up our list before you download anything else. Great applications proliferate on Google’s Android platform, and our Android Starter Kit is merely a sampling of the best software plucked from the Android Market.“

* Completely off-topic: I met a man who impressed me so much I would like to recommend him to anyone considering a fishing outing in California. John Walton has a bait and tackle store in San Leandro, and I came across him via the The Fish Sniffer Online website. He was so knowledgeable and helpful on the phone, I made a point of bringing my 30+ years out-of-date tackle box and my rods and reels to his shop, so he could advise me what I might need (or, need to replace). I drove out of my way to do that, but boy, am I glad I did.

John restrung one of my reels (said my others were fine), put on proper weights and hooks for the others, explained the proper way to set my drag (etc.) so I would stop getting ‘backlash’ snarls (which worked -YAY!), marked good spots on a map of the lake I was headed to, set me up with some bait, and got me thoroughly “good to go”. He spent a good 45 minutes with me. While I was there, he managed to keep up a running dialogue with several real fishermen, advising them on everything from current water conditions to fly fishing rods to tides in delta. His knowledge (and memory) was awesome to me… I picked up a new-fangled trout lure which was $5, and when it was time to go – what I mean is, John pronounced me ‘all set’ – John told me the total bill was $12. (And here I thought I was the last fella who ran his business with such generous integrity — that our breed had died out.) From what I could see my brief time there, John is known and sought ought by anglers, and I could sure understand why. If you are thinking about fishing in CA, I would give John a call: (510) 352-3932.

* In this economy, is a Google antitrust probe “un-American?”

“Is a probe of a leading tech company, at a time when the tech industry seems poised to buck the current economic trend, really the smartest move out of Washington?” READ FULL STORY

[I might phrase it, “should a Superpower get a ‘pass’ because the economy is shaky?”]

Today’s Quotable quote: “When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it may be that they take better care of it there.”  ~ Cecil Selig

Today’s recommended reading: Trojans, viruses, worms: How does malware get on PCs and Macs?

“What’s the best way to deal with malicious software on PCs and Macs? You can’t answer that question until you know how malware gets installed in the first place. Here’s a reality check.” READ FULL STORY..

Rumor? Somebody told me that online poker has been removed from the Internet… Gambling Laws, or sumsuch. Guess it’s time for a new hobby/addiction for some folks…

Copyright 2007-2011 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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Symantec’s Security Strategies: How to Protect Against Phishing

Wait! That Email Might Be Fake!

Symantec (you may know them for their Norton product line) has published a nice, easy, guide I think my readers will want to look at… um, should look at.

“The bad guys are using better bait these days, and you’re the catch they’re seeking. Criminals send billions of phishing attempts via email each year, and their tactics are becoming more and more polished.

How to Protect Against Phishing
As scammers step up their game, you need to do the same. Take these steps to protect your information against phishing attacks: …”

Please see, Prevention: Wait! That Email Might Be Fake!

*     *     *

Today’s free link: Best Internet Security Suites for 2011 (review)

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** Software License Giveaway Drawing **

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the folks at Auslogics have generously donated three licenses for BoostSpeed (a license can be used on up to three PC’s) to me, to award to my readers. I sincerely thank them for that.

Your one-stop PC maintenance and optimization tool.
BoostSpeed will clean up, speed up and repair your system
to make it running as fast and stable as new.

• Cleans up the Windows registry
• Defragments hard drives
• Frees up disk space
• Recovers accidentally deleted files
• Speeds up Internet connection

For details (and to enter the drawing), click here.

Copyright 2007-2011 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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Java, the new Adobe (+How To Protect Yourself)

Sun’s Java Earns Unhappy Distinction — The Hackers’ Favorite Target

Cybercriminal exploit attacks on Java have multiplied tremendously in number and they are proving to be incredibly effective. First reported by Krebs On Security last week, now the Microsoft Malware Protection Center has a notice about the wave of Java exploitation they found when reviewing their monitoring data.  In fact, the MMPC discovered that by the beginning of this year the number of exploits on Java code vulnerabilities well surpassed the number of Adobe exploits they monitored.

“What I discovered was that some of our exploit “malware” families were telling a scary story – an unprecedented wave of Java exploitation.  In fact, by the beginning of this year, the number of Java exploits (and by that I mean attacks on vulnerable Java code, not attacks using JavaScript) had well surpassed the total number of Adobe-related exploits we monitored.”

Java is everywhere, but few people know what it is, or that it is even installed, as Java runs in the background. Java is used in a wide variety of computing platforms: from embedded devices and mobile phones on the low end, to enterprise servers and supercomputers on the high end.

What you should do: As I have mentioned here many times, the way these “exploits” get stopped is via vendor-released “patches” – better known as updates. Updates are your friend, and you want them.
(As a matter of fact, the Java patches have been out for some time..)

Keep your software up-to-date. Here’s the how to for Java.
1) Click the Start button then Control Panel.

2) Locate and click the Java icon

3) The Java “control panel” will open. Click on the Update tab.

4) Click the Update Now button. Then, OK.

Did you notice how the “Check for Updates Automatically” description says that Java will check for patches and hacker fixes on the 14th of each month?
In today’s world, that’s ridiculous. Once a month? C’mon.
So let’ fix that.
5) Click the Advanced button…

.. and change the radio button to either Weekly, or better yet, Daily. Then click OK.

Then click Apply and then OK again.

Sadly, folks, you are not done. Java has a nasty habit of leaving old versions of itself behind when it updates (why is that, Sun? Huh? Huh?) and these need to be removed.

1) You should still be in Control Panel so click on Programs and Features (“Add/Remove Programs” in Windows XP/Older)
1a.) Click “Uninstall or change a program” if you have to.

2) A list of the installed programs will “populate”. Look for, and then remove (click Uninstall) all but the most recent version of Java you find in the list. That is, all but the highest numbered one. There may be several entries…

Okay. now you’re done.

I know, I know! Seems like a pain. Sun could do a much better job with this. But, listen, please. Safety and security measures are always a bit inconvenient and require extra attention and effort. Your computer is no different. Take the time. Make the effort.

When you cross the street, you look both ways to make sure it’s safe. Staying safe on the Internet is similar. It takes some common sense steps — Stop. Think. Connect.

• Stop: Before you use the Internet, take time to understand the risks and learn how to spot potential problems.
• Think: Take a moment to be certain the path is clear ahead. Watch for warning signs and consider how your actions online could impact your safety, or your family’s.
• Connect: Enjoy the Internet with greater confidence, knowing you’ve taken the right steps to safeguard yourself and your computer.

STOP. THINK. CONNECT. Protect yourself and help keep the web a safer place for everyone.

* My thanks to Bryce at Technibble for the great write up which brought this to my attention.

Copyright 2007-2010 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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WinPatrol PLUS License Giveaway

Today It Brings Me Special Pleasure To Announce My Latest Software License Giveaway: WinPatrol 2010 PLUS

"Scotty" the Windows watchdog

You say you don’t know about Scotty and WinPatrol? I have recommended it here before, and I’ve used it for so long I can’t remember (I think, all the way back to when a certain “Y2K bug” was going to end civilization). I consider WinPatrol one of those essential programs to have around.
Short version: I am a “Scotty fan”. Rrrrruff!

Much good has been said about WinPatrol (from BillP Studios) over the years.

“..I’ve got more to say, and it’s summed up in two words: WinPatrol Pro. The latest version, 9.8 ^Ɨ, is a must-have tool.” — Steve Bass, “Hassle-Free PC: Clean House on a Junk-Filled System Tray“, Feb 21, 2006.

CNet Editors currently give it 5 stars. (WinPatrol has won several “Editor’s Picks”, in different places, over the years.)

“I would recommend the software to anyone who is looking for additional protections from Internet ‘bugs’ and ‘critters’.” — Ron Schenone. MVP on Lockergnome blog The Blade, 02/16/2007.

Softpedia’s Ionut Ilascu said, “It is definitely a must for your computer.” in a review in 2007. (click here to read entire review.)

Bill Mullins lists WinPatrol in his 10 Best, and has this review: WinPatrolToGo – A Great Addition to Your Geek Toolbox

From the publisher:

“WinPatrol’s Host-based Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS) takes snapshot of your critical system resources and alerts you to any changes that may occur without your knowledge. WinPatrol was the pioneer in using a heuristic behavioral approach to detecting attacks and violations of your computing environment. It continues to be the most powerful system monitor for its small memory footprint.

WinPatrol’s easy tabbed interface allows you to explore deep inside your computer without having to be a computer expert. A one-time investment in WinPatrol PLUS provides a unique experience you won’t find in any other software.”

Features: (clickable. To find out more, just click!)

Removing and Disabling Startup Programs	Removing Active Tasks
IE Helpers – Browser Helper Objects – Toolbars	Expose Hidden Files
Scheduled Tasks	Cookie Management and Filtering
Services Manager	Monitoring and Restoring File Type Associations
Options – Host File/Start Page Monitoring	Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7 32 and 64 -bit

I do not use WinPatrol in place of Anti-malware programs, but alongside them. (WinPatrol is not an antivirus; its purpose is more to prevent bad stuff from getting onboard in the first place. An ounce of prevention..!) I feel a lot better knowing Scotty is being my watchdog. You just install it and that’s it — each time something is about to be changed, Scotty’s bark (Rrrrruff! ) will let you know, and a window will pop up asking for permission for the process. I would use WinPatrol just for that Rrrrruff!, but I also use WinPatrol’s features to remove stubborn startup entries, identify processes  to look for malware, and generally see what’s hidden on a machine. WinPatrol can be used it to “optimize” your startup time by setting some programs to wait a while before launching – very cool! There are other tools for those things, sure, but WinPatrol has them all in one place, and presents the info in a way that’s very “user friendly”.

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Okay. Okay. Okay! The contest!
Bill P. has generously donated five licenses for WinPatrol PLUS to me, to award to my readers. I sincerely thank him for that. So I am going to do a random drawing ¹ contest from folks who “enter”. The contest will end midnight Thursday, June 18th, and the winners announced Friday.
A PLUS license can be used on as many computers as you own.

How to enter? To enter the drawing, simply click on “comment”, and enter a name and a valid e-mail (so we can send you the key) in the form. Actually commenting is optional. And, I shouldn’t have to say this, but it seems I do — multiple entries will result in disqualification. (In this contest. Entry in prior contests doesn’t count against you.)

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WinPatrol is freeware, and a “portable version” is available for carrying on your ‘thumbdrive toolkit’. WinPatrol PLUS is a way of supporting Scotty, and includes important extra features. A comparison chart of the editions is here, and downloads here.

FYI — (I was not asked to put this here, btw) To help ‘kick off’ the new Version 18, BillP Studios is offering a limited time discount sale: HALF PRICE SPECIAL! (Folks, the “limited time” is expiring, so please read this special consideration from Bill P. himself – for T4E readers.)
WinPatrol PLUS Lifetime License
Single User/Multiple Computers/No subscription
SALE Price $14.98
Upgrading provides high performance, real-time monitoring and access to our PLUS Info database. Your investment is a one-time cost. No hidden fees, advertisements or unwanted toolbars. Your support helps continue the development of new WinPatrol features.

Again, my thanks to Bill P.  for making this drawing possible, and for creating this nifty “watchdog” & toolset.

Also FYI — Bill  has an interesting blog, “Bits from Bill“, here: http://billpstudios.blogspot.com/ (I particularly liked Can Facebook Be Trusted?)

Bits from Bill

Technology thoughts leaking from the brain of “Bill Pytlovany

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¹ All entrants will be placed into Random.org’s “randomizer”, and the top 5 results will be the winners.
^Ɨ Current version is 18.1

Copyright 2007-2010 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved. post to jaanix.

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