Tag Archives for Security

The Windows 7 end of life date is quickly approaching. If you’re still behind, you should mark your calendar. Microsoft is ending extended support for this popular OS on January 14, 2020. After this date, they will stop patching security holes. Users who do not upgrade will be exposed to an ever increasing number of […]

Many large organizations – specifically labor unions – struggle trying to keep their member data updated and accessible. Without a centralized database, the most up-to-date vital pieces of information often find their way into a collection of personal spreadsheets and sticky notes rather than somewhere useful. But what makes a centralized database somewhere useful in the […]

Good WordPress Administrator Names WordPress lets you select your administrator name and by default, historically we have seen ‘admin’ come up as the most often used name. But using ‘admin’ as your username for WordPress is a potential security breach in the making. When hackers try to brute-force their way into a site, the first […]

Scam of the Day: Facebook Password Reset Scam The Email: Many of the phishing scams you may see in your mailbox are designed to alarm you into clicking, but look genuine enough at a glance so you don’t look that close. In a rush to fix things and at a cursory glance, you just click […]

EMV Chip and PIN Credit Cards You may be receiving new credit cards this summer: the chip and PIN credit cards. Credit card terminals must be upgraded to the new technology, common in Europe, by October 1st or will be held liable for Credit Card fraud that happens in their establishment. The EMV chip and […]

Ransomware Ransomware, often going by the specific name CryptoLocker or Cryptowall, is a form of malware that, when installed on your computer, encrypts your files and locks them with a key. It then demands a ransom in digital currency within a set amount of time, or the key will be deleted and the files will […]

Masque Attack was a recent vulnerability involving Apple’s mobile operating system that would allow hackers to use web pages, text messages, and emails to trick people into downloading fake apps that disclose personal information. The concern is that fake apps resembling real apps such as banks or email program could replace genuine apps installed through […]

Cloud Computing Cloud computing seems inescapable. Phones and devices have cloud servers for files, any user can get free cloud backups for their own computers, and even federal and state governments are investing in cloud computing for their own data. But just what is it, and is it safe? What Is It? First, we had […]

Verizon’s Cookies and Windows XP Hackers Verizon’s ‘Perma-Cookie’ Is a Privacy-Killing Machine Apparently Verizon tracks your internet use and there is no way to opt out of it. When surfing the internet using Verizon’s internet, a string of about 50 characters is added to the end of every URL you go to. Verizon calls this […]

Cat Tech Tips – Computer Updates You’re merrily typing along or browsing Facebook when suddenly Windows informs you that it has updated and wants to restart – what’s that all about? If Windows needs to update this often, what ELSE needs to be updated? The answer is: Quite a few things! And many of those […]