Tech Help and Discussions

iPhone users are still vulnerable to being tricked into handing over passwords. Apple knows it — but won't do anything about it. iPhone or iPad users, if you update to iOS 11.3 now, you'll have new features and a bunch of security updates. But you'll still be just as vulnerable to on-device phishing attacks as you ever were. A long-expected privacy icon debuts in the software update out Thursday which help users identify when Apple requests more of their personal information. The update doesn't change how much data Apple collects, but it helps show what data will be collected when Apple apps and features are used for the first time. "You won't see this …

• 1 reply
• 858 views

AWS replied March 30, 20186 yr

Monero-mining Android malware will exhaust your phone in its quest for cash. A new strain of Android malware will continuously use an infected device's CPU to mine the Monero cryptocurrency until the device is exhausted or even breaks down. Security company Trend Micro has named the malware HiddenMiner because of the techniques it uses to protect itself from discovery and removal. Like most cryptocurrency-mining software, HiddenMiner uses the device's CPU power to mine Monero. But Trend Micro said that because there is no switch, controller, or optimizer in HiddenMiner's code it will continuously mine Monero until the device's resources are exhausted. "G…

• 2 replies
• 821 views
• 1 follower

AWS replied March 29, 20186 yr

Statistics about the success and sophistication of malware can be daunting. The following figure is no different: Approximately 96% of all malware is polymorphic meaning that it is only experienced by a single user and device before it is replaced with yet another malware variant. This is because in most cases malware is caught nearly as fast as its created, so malware creators continually evolve to try and stay ahead. Data like this hammer home how important it is to have security solutions in place that are as agile and innovative as the attacks. The type of security solution needed has a complex job: It must protect users from hundreds of thousands of new threats ev…

• 5 replies
• 1.6k views
• 1 follower

AWS replied March 27, 20186 yr

My network at home is in need of an upgrade. I currently have 2 WiFi routers and 1 dumb switch. Since I first set up the network 10+ years ago I have moved from Comcast Biz coax to Comcast Metro-E fiber. Speeds are almost 100 times faster then what they were when I set this up. I want to set up a mesh system and have been looking at either Google or Linksys. Both have good reviews. I want to do this not only to upgrade what I have, but, to push the WiFi out to the back of the property where I am building a brew room for my new hobby. I have a plan on where to set each piece, I'll need 5 total to accomplish full coverage. What I want to know does anyone have any expe…

• 4 replies
• 905 views
• 2 followers

Tony D replied March 25, 20186 yr

All links in the Windows 10 mail client will open in Edge Microsoft is about to make another highly-controversial change in Windows 10, and without a doubt, many users won’t be happy with it. The company is thinking of forcing users to open links in the Mail app in Microsoft Edge exclusively starting with the Redstone 5 update. A change included in the latest Windows 10 Redstone 5 preview build reveals that clicking links in the Mail app will launch Edge instead of whatever browser you are using as default. Even if Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox is installed and used as your daily driver, this new behavior makes Windows 10 ignore your settings and use Edge …

• • 
• 3 replies
• 845 views

starbuck replied March 19, 20186 yr

I was thinking of getting a Pixel 2 for my wife and myself. I am not too skilled so need some advice. I think I goto the site and order two phones . I am inclined to think it would be wise to get insurance from Goole. It reads the best of what I have seen. Verizon phone and getting from Verizon means some bloatware and confusion. After getting the phone I am shaky; should I just call Verizon and try to activate the new phone? I put photos in my pc along with "memo". Our old phones are worthless. They are galaxy S5 and I would keep them as I have a third replaceable battery and two 128 SD cards, but Samsung never issued more patches. I see they are being sued in Holla…

• • 
• 9 replies
• 2k views

peterr replied March 15, 20186 yr

Verizon, which now owns the web giant, sought to dismiss the case. Yahoo customers affected by three massive data breaches that resulted in the theft of more than three billion users' data are allowed to sue the company, a judge has ruled. California judge Lucy Koh rejected a bid by Verizon, which bought the internet giant last year, to dismiss a large portion of the claims, including breach of contract, deceit and concealment, and negligence. At the heart of the case, Yahoo was accused of taking too long to notify users of the breaches, which put customers at risk of identity theft and fraud. The filing, dated Friday, cited several customers whose data was…

• 1 reply
• 701 views

AWS replied March 13, 20186 yr

Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection (Office 365 ATP) blocked many notable zero-day exploits in 2017. In our analysis, one activity group stood out: NEODYMIUM. This threat actor is remarkable for two reasons: Its access to sophisticated zero-day exploits for Microsoft and Adobe software Its use of an advanced piece of government-grade surveillance spyware FinFisher, also known as FinSpy and detected by Microsoft security products as Wingbird FinFisher is such a complex piece of malware that, like other researchers, we had to devise special methods to crack it. We needed to do this to understand the techniques FinFisher uses to compromise and persist on a machine, a…

• • 
• 2 replies
• 771 views
• 1 follower

allheart55 Cindy E replied March 2, 20186 yr

What are the advantages/disadvantages of "Linux Mint" compared to windows 7 or 10?

• • 
• 9 replies
• 1.8k views
• 1 follower

Tony D replied February 28, 20186 yr

Services such as Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Netflix offer limited-time test runs, but if you’re ambitious enough, it doesn’t have to stop there. In fact, theoretically, you can continue using the service for free using a different email address after the trial period expires. Retailers — both online and off — also tend to demand an email address in order to take advantage of their offers, but that often results in an unwanted deluge of spammy corporate emails that you could otherwise do without. Disposable email addresses can help eradicate those irritating messages you’re still receiving from Ancestry and Match.com after several years. Some of these services will also allo…

• • 
• 6 replies
• 1.6k views
• 1 follower

plodr replied February 24, 20186 yr

Nine Important Facts to Remember as We Grow Older #9 Death is the number 1 killer in the world. #8 Life is sexually transmitted. #7 Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die. #6 Men have 2 motivations: hunger and hanky panky, and they can't tell them apart. If you see a gleam in his eyes, make him a sandwich. #5 Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day. Teach a person to use the Internet and they won't bother you for weeks, months, maybe years. #4 Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in the hospital, dying of nothing. #3 All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism…

• 1 reply
• 702 views
• 1 follower

allheart55 Cindy E replied February 13, 20186 yr

Hi All I set my VB5.0 app as the default MultiMedia player. Where do I pick up the file name / path info? I'd use it for .txt, mpg, mp3, jpg , bmp etc Never thought I'd have the need for Fast Forward in Video but have added that feature. It's a great way to check out surveillance video and to more clearly see slow moving cloaked objects I have video of.

• • 
• 4 replies
• 1.4k views
• 1 follower

SpectateSwamp replied February 12, 20186 yr

With the latest feature updates, you can now do a lot more with your PDF in Microsoft Edge like, customize different views, take notes, and even have your PDF read aloud to you! Check out all that the PDF viewer in Microsoft Edge has to offer: Text highlighting and handwritten notes Annotations in the browser is now extended to PDFs as well. Look for the “Add notes” button next to browser address bar to move into the annotations mode. The annotations toolbar has all the tools to highlight text or use Windows Ink to write on your documents. The toolbar also provides different colors for inking and the “Touch writing” button can be used to switch between annotating…

• 1 reply
• 530 views
• 1 follower

allheart55 Cindy E replied February 12, 20186 yr

Get an ad-blocker if you want to dodge tech-support scammers' latest rapid-download ruse. Tech-support scammers have developed a new trick to freeze browsers on a bogus security alert with a number to a fake support line. The ultimate goal of the browser freeze is to cause stress to lots of potential victims in the hope some will call the bogus hotline offered in the alert. Previously, tech-support scams have used pop-under windows, pop-up loops, and other shady techniques that aim to prevent users from closing the bogus security alert page. Scammers frequently use malicious ads to nudge browser users to booby-trapped webpages that freeze the browser. A …

• 1 reply
• 729 views

AWS replied February 7, 20186 yr

I was checking the site with my iPad as I do quit a bit. I noticed an upgrade for one of the add ons. I figured since I’m here I’d upgrade it. The iPad didn’t know what to do with zip. I haven’t had time to look so I want to know if there is a utility to handle zips? I use the new file manager a lot. I would think there has to some app to deal with compressed files.

• • 
• 3 replies
• 827 views
• 3 followers

AWS replied February 7, 20186 yr

So, for the past week, I have been denying Windows updates. This morning, I got a prompt to restart my computer to begin the update. I denied it again and shortly after, I left the computer room. I came back upstairs a few minutes later and discovered it had restarted and begun the update on it's own. :( After five reboots and 2 1/2 hours, it finally completed. Turns out it was the Fall Creators Update. I have never had a Windows update take this long or reboot so many times. It was very frustrating.

• • 
• 9 replies
• 13.3k views
• 2 followers

Rustys replied February 5, 20186 yr

For months Microsoft has been describing Windows 10 “as a service” and now we know why. Microsoft is going to introduce a monthly subscription fee for Windows 10 usage… That cost will be $7 per user per month but the good news is it only applies to enterprises, for now. The new pricing tier will be called “Windows 10 Enterprise E3” and it means Windows has finally joined Office 365 and Azure as a subscription service. Of course the big question is now: How does this new subscription pricing affect the millions of consumers who upgraded to Windows 10 on the promise of it being free? Windows 10 free upgrades are coming to an end. Image credit: Microsoft The…

• • 
• 18 replies
• 2.1k views
• 2 followers

plodr replied February 1, 20186 yr

I normally use the UK version of the site )www.freepchelp.co.uk) but see some of the mods here also are from the UK site so am asking is there a problem with the .co.uk site as I cant get to it. This seemed to happen yesterday after a W10 update and now another site which I have used for years is showing a security message saying the security certificate is not valid. Is this co-incidence or is this more general and are the two things related? Starbuck has helped me on several occasions on the UK site in the past.

• • 
• 9 replies
• 1.3k views
• 1 follower

Joddle replied February 1, 20186 yr

The Spectre & Meltdown mess continues with Dell now recommending their customers do not install the BIOS updates that resolve the Spectre (Variant 2) vulnerabilities. These updates have been causing numerous problems for users including performance issues, boot issues, reboot issues, and general system instability. Due to this, Dell EMC has updated their knowledge base article with the following statement advising customers to not install the BIOS update and to potentially rollback to the previous BIOS if their computers are exhibiting "unpredictable system behavior". In order to facilitate the rolling back to a previous BIOS version, Dell has a table listi…

• • 
• 7 replies
• 1.4k views
• 2 followers

peterr replied February 1, 20186 yr

Pets are an important part of many people's lives and as I love all pets regardless, I thought it would be nice to post as many photos of your pets as you wish. We are proud of our animal companions. This is my pet cat called LUCE. 3 yrs old and never leaves my side except when necessary. Don't know what breed but the longest cat I have ever seen. A great companion. This cat whom I adore is the fastest cat I have ever seen run and clears 7 feet fences without even touching the fence. Amazing athletic cat to watch. I will post more photos of Luce in due course. Here is a Photo I took today to give some idea how long this cat is.

• • 
• 33 replies
• 4k views
• 2 followers

allheart55 Cindy E replied January 30, 20186 yr