If you’ve recently been spring cleaning, why not add your laptop to the list before you stop for the summer? Studies have shown that keyboards can house as many germs as a toilet seat, while trackpads can be as germ-ridden as paper money. But how do you safely clean such an expensive and sensitive device?
First, make sure everything is turned off and unplugged. Disconnect any externals, like a mouse, separate keyboard, or speakers.
Let’s start with the outside of your laptop. Using a very diluted solution of water and dish soap, wipe down the exterior of your laptop with a damp sponge or cloth. Make sure you wring it out well and use as little water as possible! Then go back over everything with a dry microfiber cloth to make sure you leave no moisture behind.
Next, you’ll want to clean your screen. Because it’s more delicate, start with a dry microfiber cloth. If that doesn’t do the trick, dampen the cloth with water only. If that still isn’t enough, try that diluted soap solution, or you can buy commercial screen wipes. Again, keep everything as dry as possible, and follow with a dry cloth.
Now for the keyboard. Here you won’t use any water at all. First, use a vacuum brush or a can of compressed air to remove debris and dust, tilting your keyboard to get the most crumbs, etc. to fall out. Then, dampen a cloth with rubbing alcohol, which evaporates faster than water, and wipe down the whole thing. You can use cotton swabs and alcohol to get into any small areas, but don’t get anything into the keys. Remember – keep it dry!
Lastly, clean the trackpad with a damp cloth. You can use alcohol or water, whichever works best for you to break up the accumulated oils. Follow with a dry microfiber cloth, and enjoy your sparkling clean laptop!
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We all have to keep so many passwords these days, it’s little wonder we tend to default to simple, easy-to-remember terms. Unfortunately, this is what makes so many passwords vulnerable. Every year, lists of frequently compromised passwords are put out, and more people find that their favorite passwords are neither as secure nor as unique as they thought.
According to a list of the worst passwords of 2017, the top 50 weakest passwords included some interesting terms. There were, of course, usual culprits like 12345678, password, letmein, login, and welcome, all in the top 15. Starting in 16th place, however, things got more fun with starwars, and dragon came in at number 18, showing that even geeky fandoms don’t necessarily make for strong passwords.
In spots 20 through 25, we found master, freedom, and trustno1, which would seem to indicate that even patriotism is fairly easily hacked. After that, the list goes into a series of names: robert, daniel, andrea, matthew, and several others, including joshua, which is likely used frequently as a reference to the movie War Games. A bit further on, the list goes into cars, sports, city names, and even a few profanities.
The surest way to create a strong password is to use a phrase instead of a single word, because the more characters involved, the harder it is to hack. And make sure to use numbers and special characters in your passwords, as well. Password managers are a great way to make sure all your passwords are strong, without the stress of having to remember them. It’s worth it to keep your personal data safe.
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The FCC’s net neutrality rules are set to expire on April 23.
For many people, that’s a very scary statement. The biggest fear is that, with the net neutrality restraints removed, ISPs will now be free to throttle any content they wish. This could lead to higher costs for streaming services, slower access to content, or even lack of access to content by smaller or individual creators.
While all of this is possible, it’s helpful to remember that none of those things were a problem before net neutrality was introduced. And it isn’t as if the FCC is turning the Internet into the Wild West. There are still some regulations in place, designed to keep the ISPs honest.
One such order, called the Restoring Internet Freedom Order, requires ISPs to make their network management practices and commercial terms of service public. The intent is that this level of transparency will make it easier for consumers to understand what any ISP is offering. This would be a welcome change from the current state of affairs, where it can be difficult to get even a solid price from some providers.
Eighteen providers, including Comcast and Charter, have already pledged not to throttle or block connections that aren’t engaged in illegal activity (like piracy). Moreover, ISPs will have to answer to the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice. While there’s no guarantee that consumers won’t see any changes to their service, the regulations that remain may be enough to keep ISPs on their toes.
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Everyone knows that strong passwords are the surest way to keep your accounts and data secure online, but re-using passwords can be dangerous, and even a unique, hard-to-crack password can be compromised through other means.  How do you make sure your passwords are strong and secure?

While no password is hack-proof, there is a way you can find out if the password you’re considering has already been compromised.  Pwned Passwords is the brainchild of Troy Hunt, and its purpose is to make sure you don’t use a password that’s already no good.  Simply type in the password you’re thinking of using, and the database will tell you if that password has been seen in a data breach.

Please do not try to check any current passwords through this site, though!  Giving a password that is still in use to any third-party site is not a good idea, even a site like this one.

Other services on Hunt’s site include Have I Been Pwned, where you can check to see if your email address has been caught in a data breach.  There is even an option to sign up to have the site notify you any time your account turns up in a future breach.  Of course, the service isn’t bullet-proof, but when large companies can take over a year, or even longer, to alert customers to a loss of security, this site could help you get a jump on anything affecting your accounts.  The sooner you take action, the safer your data is.

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By now, everyone knows that you should never shop over public Wi-Fi, or enter financial information on any website that does not begin with “https”. But there are other ways to create problems for yourself online, and they’re very easy habits to fall into.
1. Using Autofill
Autofill makes filling in forms online so much faster and easier. Whether it’s your name and address, bank information, credit card numbers, or passwords, you don’t have to remember anything, your browser remembers the information and fills it in for you! Isn’t it great living in the future? Well, maybe not, since autofill also makes it easier to steal your identity and money or gain access to your accounts. Typing everything in yourself takes longer, but it’s worth the little extra hassle.
2. Accepting All Friend Requests and Oversharing
These are two of the most dangerous things you can do on social media. Sure, everyone wants lots of friends, but if you accept just any request without verifying them first, you may unwittingly add an ill-intentioned person to your feed, where they may learn enough about you to do damage. Secondly, watch what you post that might give away sensitive details. It’s great to let your friends and family know about the beautiful sunset you saw from your hotel balcony, but keep in mind that would also tell potential thieves that you’re not at home. Maybe don’t document every moment in real time, just to be safe.
3. Using the Same Password
Pretty much everyone is guilty of this. It gets hard to remember all these passwords when you’ve got login credentials for everything under the sun! At the very least, never use the same password for your credit card or bank, your email, and your social media. Keep them separate and change them every few months. Another alternative is to use a password manager, which keeps all your passwords secure for you, while you only have to remember one login to get into them, but you’d still need to change that one regularly.

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Wi-fi has become ubiquitous. We expect to be able to connect wherever we are, whether in a doctor’s office, store, coffee shop, or restaurant, and most every place has obliged with a public wi-fi network. Convenient, sure, but everyone knows that public wi-fi networks are less than secure, and should be used with caution.
But there is good news on the horizon! CNET reports that the Wi-Fi Alliance, the organization responsible for setting standards for wi-fi safety, plans to introduce a new security protocol early this year. Wi-Fi Protected Access 3, or WPA3, is the next version of the familiar WPA2 encryption protocol. The improvements in this latest generation protocol are designed to protect users’ passwords, traffic, and connected devices, and take away some of the worry that can accompany connecting to a strange network.
Public wi-fi networks like those at hotels and coffee shops are a favorite target of hackers looking to steal people’s personal information, because the desire to serve as many users as possible leads to minimal security. The designers of WPA3 want to make public networks more secure without users having to think about passwords or complicated sign in procedures.
Other changes to wi-fi standards are planned for release alongside WPA3, in an effort to provide a better wi-fi experience in homes with more and more wireless devices.
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With another net neutrality vote in the news, this seems like a good time to review the issue. Most people are familiar with the term, but many people aren’t clear on the details. Here are the basics in simple language.

What is “net neutrality”?

First of all, “net neutrality” is not a law. It’s a concept, much like freedom of speech. “Net neutrality” is the idea that all content on the Internet should be treated equally, regardless of whether it comes from a large company, a small startup, or an individual blogger. Basically, an ISP doesn’t have the right to limit your access to online services.

It’s a simple idea, especially because it’s the only kind of Internet we’ve ever known. But without some regulations by the FCC, there’s nothing to say the Internet has to stay that way.

With so many people cutting the cord, an ISP that also provides cable tv service might slow their customers’ connections to streaming tv providers, to encourage people to use their tv service. Large companies that have more money for advertising and partnerships might make agreements with ISPs to prioritize traffic to their own sites over their competitors, making it much more difficult for small startup companies to get off the ground.

Why do ISPs oppose net neutrality rules?

Mostly because they see it as an overly burdensome regulation. The FCC’s rules made Internet access into a commodity service – like a utility – which is not always the most profitable product. ISPs are in business to make money, after all, and regulations tend to make that more difficult.

Who supports net neutrality rules?

A lot of tech companies, including Amazon, Google, Facebook, Netflix, and many more, support net neutrality because the open Internet is what allowed them to grow and prosper. They believe other small businesses and online innovators should have the same opportunites.

The two sides disagree on what the real-world effects of net neutrality rules would be. Proponents insist that keeping the Internet open will lead to economic growth and innovation, while opponents say that is an idealistic view, and that the regulations could have unintended side effects. The controversy continues at the FCC, with another vote expected in December 2017.

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The holiday season is fast approaching, and with it comes a spike in online shopping. More and more people are choosing to escape the crowds at brick and mortar stores in favor of shopping from the comfort of their couch. If you’re gearing up for cyber shopping this holiday, keep these tips in mind to make sure it all goes smoothly.
PREPARE
Before you jump into the holiday rush, take a little time to secure your setup. Update your anti-virus and anti-malware, as well as your security patches. If you plan to use digital wallets or shopping apps, put a password on your phone. Also, make sure any account alert features your credit card offers are active.
PAY WISELY
Using a debit card can be as risky as it is convenient. If a thief gets your debit card information, they can drain your bank account very quickly. Credit cards are less vulnerable, since most cards won’t hold you liable for any fraudulent charges and there’s no actual money involved. For even more security, use PayPal. You can either route your credit card payment through PayPal or use your PayPal balance so none of your bank information even gets to the site you’re purchasing from. This can also be useful if you’re trying to stick to a budget this holiday – put all your shopping money into PayPal, and only use that.
COMMON SENSE
Take all the usual precautions for online shopping. Never use public wi-fi networks, make sure the site is secure as indicated by “https” at the beginning of the address, and stick to reputable sites. Also, remember that if a price looks too good to be true, it probably is; either it’s a scam or it’s a knockoff of what you intended to buy.
BE VIGILANT
Keep an eye on your bank and credit card accounts so you can catch any fraud and deal with it quickly. Monitor your account alerts and check your statements weekly all the way through January.
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It actually happened to you. You’ve always been careful about what links you clicked on, only downloading things from trusted sources, but somehow, you fell for a phishing scam. What do you do now?
1. Don’t Panic.
Stay calm. Disconnect from your Internet connection, turn off your wifi. Doing this immediately will limit the chances of any malware being installed or any other parties gaining access to your computer. Make note of the URL you clicked on, or get a screenshot of the site or the email, and make sure you know what information you entered.
2. Change Your Passwords, Scan for Viruses
Your first line of defense on any account is your password. If any of your information has been compromised, change those passwords and make sure you’re not using the same password for multiple accounts (if any one of those accounts is compromised, all accounts that share that password are in danger). Once your passwords are secure, run an extra deep virus and malware scan on your computer to make sure that there’s nothing lurking there.
3. Tell the Right People
While your scan is running, get in touch with whatever organization was used to get to your information, whether it was your bank, your email provider, your employer, utility company, etc. A phone call is best for this. Explain what happened and that you’ve changed your password, and ask about anything else you might need to do to safeguard your account and information. Your bank might want to issue a new debit or credit card, an employer might need to scan their internal network or let other employees know to keep away from work emails for a time.

Those are the concrete steps you should take as soon as you realize you’ve been caught in a scam. In the space of a few minutes to an hour, you’ve done a lot to mitigate any possible damage! Over the next few weeks, look at your credit reports from all three credit agencies, and be ready to put a freeze on your credit if any fraud appears.
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Passwords are a necessary evil on the Internet. Every site requires a login, but we’re always cautioned not to use the same password for more than one site, as though anyone could remember several dozen passwords and which sites they match up to. Most importantly, perhaps, we are always reminded to make sure we use strong passwords that won’t be easily hacked, so we struggle to come up with eight or more characters, and include capital and lowercase letters, plus numerals and special characters. It’s enough to make anyone’s brain turn somersaults.
The practice of “random” passwords was recommended in a 2003 publication from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Due to a lack of current data, that publication was largely based on a paper from the 1980s, which, naturally, went out of date at the speed of the Internet. This same publication advocated changing passwords every few months, another practice that simply isn’t very practical today.
It turns out that the standard formula for a strong password might not be the best practice. Recent research has shown that longer pass phrases of four words or so are actually harder to crack than the mixed-character single-word passwords we’ve been using. Today, the NIST has changed its recommendations. They now suggest using a longer passphrase, which is easy to remember, and only change your password if you suspect the account has been compromised. Welcome to the new world of easy passwords!
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