Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Has Your Password Been Stolen? Mine Was

We continually hear about various company’s security being breached and passwords being stolen. In article #6 below, there is a Website listed that can check multiple databases to see if your passwords might be on the stolen list. All you have to do is enter your e-mail address.

I checked and sure enough, mine popped up on the list of stolen passwords from Adobe. That was not a surprise as over 150 million credentials were stolen from them. Thank God it was the only one, and I changed that password a long time ago. But, because of this breach, I am in the process of changing most of my passwords. You see, most of us use the same password over and over again…I am guilty of that. It just makes it easier.

But hackers are aware of our habits, so if they get your e-mail address and password, they can hijack your mail accounts and hack other sites, like your bank. Fortunately, that has not happened to me. But, I will make sure that it never happens. I suggest you visit: http://haveibeenpwned.com/ and enter your e-mail address. And be sure and read story #6.

And while you’re at it read story #7 and run the LastPass Security Challenge. I did and my score was not very good. So I am making changes to improve my security and raise my score. This challenge will also check for hijacked passwords and e-mail you the results. I highly recommend you run this check ASAP.

Although we are in the slow news cycle that always happens this time of year, I managed to cobble together several interesting stories, along with some really good tips for both your desktop computers and your portable ones. I hope you find something good. -JRC  

 

News and Opinions

Microsoft, Apple, Google, Facebook call for NSA muzzle

The Reform Government Surveillance group, an alliance between eight major technology firms, aims to persuade the U.S. government to stop undermining the privacy rights of the general public.

Tablet OSes killed Windows 8 and Microsoft with it

Analysis: Incompetent management destroyed the company...but so did table operating systems.

MS adds more options to Office 365 Home Premium

No matter how you measure it, Office 365 Home Premium has defied the odds and become a surprising success. This quick overview of Microsoft’s for-rent Office suite for home users tells why — and reveals new features available to you any day now.

The next USB plug will finally be reversible

Work has begun on a new generation of USB that will break compatibility with existing connectors in order to improve ease of use and allow for thinner devices.

Cyber Monday was the biggest online spending day in history

Americans spent $1.75 billion on Monday, an 18 percent jump over Cyber Monday 2012. Did the jump come at the expense of Black Friday sales?

 

Computer Tips and Tricks

How to find out if your password has been stolen

There are many public databases of breached accounts, the largest breach being that of Adobe.com, but no way to search across all of them. Until now.

How to Run a Last Pass Security Audit (and Why It Can’t Wait)

Stop being thankful you dodged the past security breach bullets and armor yourself against the future ones. Read on as we show you how to audit your passwords and protect yourself.

How to Migrate to a Solid-State Drive Without Reinstalling Windows

Installing a solid-state drive is one of the best upgrades you can make to your computer, but migrating your Windows installation to a small drive can be tricky, because your data won't necessarily all fit on the drive.

Top 10 Underhyped Windows Apps

Some apps are essential, and everyone who's anyone knows to have them on their computer. Some apps, however, are fantastic, yet fly under the radar.

How to Talk to a Live Person: Every Customer Support Number You'll Ever Need

Customer Support is theoretically there to help, but it too can be a disappointingly unpleasant experience. Here is how to get to a live person right away.

 

Portable Computing

Google Play (Finally) Promotes Tablet-Optimized Android Apps

Google finally understands -- and has changed the way Android tablet apps are highlighted in the Google Play store. When an Android tablet accesses the store, by default the screen displays the top apps labeled as "designed for tablets.

How get the most out of Google’s apps and services when using an iPad

Going “all in” with Google’s online services does not mean that Android is the only option for your tablet. The following will show just how much attention Google has given to to Apple’s own iPad.

Heyday for iOS automatically journals your photos and locations so you don’t have to

Journaling apps are great for recording your memories, but the truth is that many of us give up manually inputting entries after just a few days. Heyday wants to take care of that for you by automatically creating your journal for you.

10 must-have Android apps for keeping on top of the news

There are a tremendous number of news outlets, blogs and RSS feeds to explore on the internet, but keeping up with them all can be tiresome. There are numerous apps for filtering all of this content in a timely, efficient manner.

Favorite iPad Apps of 2013

What truly makes the iPad great is its use of apps. It offers plenty of customization, allowing the user to customize his or her own iPad experience. Here are one writer’s favorite iPad apps of 2013

5 apps worth downloading this week

Featuring a new way to shop, a slick app that helps keep your life organized and one of the best photo editing apps out there.

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