It is difficult to believe that government bureaucrats that run the nuts and bolts of this country left some of its most important data out there with very little protection. Well, maybe not so hard to believe. Massive amounts of data, including the personal information about government employees has been stolen by a foreign government, probably China.
First it was the SS numbers of all government employees. Now we learn that data on intelligence agents has been stolen. The Chinese now know the identities of almost everyone who has a United States security clearance. The data stolen also provides information from background checks about workers' mental health, finances and family.
Today, the Los Angeles Times informed us that the computer systems designed to protect this data were not encrypted, probably because the systems were sold old that encryption would not work. You’re joking, right? Afraid not. According to one government official testifying in front of Congress, these problems are 20 years in the making.
I don’t know what to say except this government, from the President on down through Congress, down to the highest levels of the bureaucracy are completely incompetent. They all seem to be buffoons! Its all about politics, not against getting a proper job done. If you happen to work inside any federal government agency, you know this to be true. I bet you could tell us all stories that would curl our hair.
It is time to bring competency to our government operations, although I cannot even begin to tell you how to get this done. All I can do is complain, and that is what I am doing. Wake up Americans, we are being hosed from within!
Meanwhile, another important private company has been hacked. LastPass, guardian of millions of passwords, including my own, found they were breached by outside hackers…but were quick to point out that no passwords were stolen. However, they strongly suggest that if you use LastPass, you play it safe and change your master password. I have included an article below on how to do that.
Sorry to be the bearer of such bad news, but I think you will still find some very interesting material below to help you be the master of your computer system. -JRC
Tech News and Opinions
Latest hack on federal employees targets security clearances
After finding that federal employees' Social Security numbers were stolen, the US government discovers another breach, which exposed data on intelligence agents and others.
Hack affected every single federal employee, union says
A breach revealed last week affected more people and grabbed more personal information than previously announced, the American Federation of Government Employees said Thursday.
Hacked federal files couldn't be encrypted because government computers are too old
Millions of government employee records apparently stolen by Chinese hackers were not encrypted, and software designed to detect computer breaches has not been installed to cover most of the files
Password site LastPass warns of data breach
LastPass was successfully attacked last Friday. The company claims that your passwords should be safe. Nevertheless, they are requesting you to update your master passwords.
How to change your LastPass password in wake of site hack
Those of you who use the popular password manager should considering changing your master password following a data breach. Here are the steps.
Computer Tips and Tricks
How to view recent webpages when you're offline
If you’re running Chrome or Firefox then getting to a recently viewed webpage while offline is easy.
Twitter removes 140-character limit for direct messages
You can now speak your mind in a private message on Twitter, with no character limits to hold you back.
Should You Upgrade to Windows 10?
Upgrading a perfectly good Windows PC to a new version of the OS is fraught with peril. It may not work. And if it does work, Windows 10 is new enough that you may be confused by how it works.
Windows 10's best web browser: Edge or something else?
Windows 10 is coming with a new web browser, Edge, to replace Internet Explorer. But is it really the best browser for Microsoft's new desktop operating system?
Microsoft now considers the Ask toolbar as malware
The toolbar is now considered as dangerous due to its ability to overrun the control of a web browser, and the capability to alter its settings.
Mobile Computing
Find out which Android phone is right for you
Not sure what kind of Android phone you should buy? Google has created a new tool for helping you pick the right one
The dangers of Android malware may be exaggerated, but you should still play it safe
It may not be necessary, but it’s still a very good idea. There’s definitely Android malware out there. While the level of the threat may be exaggerated, it’s really a matter of being better safe than sorry.
One in Four Mobile Apps Are Abandoned After a Single Use
While smartphone owners continue to download mobile apps at healthy rates, they are increasingly likely to drop them — often after a single use.
How to Hide Default Apps on an iPhone or iPad
While you can “disable” included apps to hide them on Android, there’s no obvious way to uninstall, hide, or otherwise get rid of Apple’s included apps on an iPhone or iPad. But you can get them out of your way with a few tricks.
Apple iOS 9 Ad-Blocking Explained
Here is another new feature coming in iOS9's Safari...how it works and why it's an all-around bad move for almost everyone except Apple.
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