Web-based password managers found to be insecure
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley tested several popular web-based password managers and found serious vulnerabilities. Although it’s a good idea to use password management...
View ArticleMicrosoft XML code vulnerable on many computers
A recent report from Secunia (PDF) highlights the unfortunate hole into which some versions of the Microsoft XML parser library have fallen. Numerous versions of this library are available for Windows,...
View ArticleCryptoLocker defanged at last
Security researchers have cracked the encryption used by the horrible CryptoLocker ransomware. Recall that once CryptoLocker infects a computer, it encrypts all documents it can find, making them...
View ArticlePassword management software now being targeted
If you’re not already using password management software, you should be. It’s an extremely bad idea to use one password for more than one service, which makes remembering all those passwords difficult....
View ArticleLatest Ouch! newsletter: all about anti-virus software
This month’s Ouch! newsletter (PDF) from SANS provides a useful overview of anti-virus software, including several helpful tips. Recommended reading for ordinary users.
View ArticleVPN services: how private is your communication?
In the wake of the Snowden revelations, there’s been a lot of new interest in Virtual Private Networks (VPN). A VPN service works by creating a secure, encrypted network that extends across the public...
View ArticleEMET 5.2 released by Microsoft
A new version of the Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) was announced by Microsoft on March 12. EMET is an application that provides an additional level of security for Windows systems by...
View ArticleClik here to view.
BitTorrent Sync loses its appeal
Up until recently, I recommended BitTorrent Sync (aka BTSync) to anyone who needed a simple way to share files between remote computers. I won’t be doing that any more. BTSync is now out of its beta...
View ArticleAvoid Hola’s free VPN service
In the wake of Snowden’s revelations, many people have started using VPN services to encrypt their online activities. Until recently, one popular choice was Hola’s free VPN. Researchers have discovered...
View ArticleBitTorrent removes limits from free version of Sync
Not long ago, I expressed my disappointment with BitTorrent‘s 2.0 release of their Sync software. My main beef was that they had introduced a ten-folder limit on the free version, thereby rendering it...
View ArticleDecember security and privacy roundup
Security and privacy stories making the rounds in December… Aethra modem botnet In February I wrote about hack attempts on several of my WordPress sites. Most of those attacks originated in Italy, from...
View ArticleEasily view pages with default colours and fonts in Firefox
I’m a fan of Firefox’s ‘Reader Mode’ feature, because it allows me to read web pages that use light text on dark backgrounds. My eyes have always been pretty good, but in recent years I’ve noticed that...
View ArticleEMET 5.5 now available
Microsoft’s Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) version 5.5 was released on February 2. EMET is not a substitute for anti-malware software, but it does provide an additional layer of security...
View ArticleGoogle axes another useful product
If you use Google’s image management software Picasa, you should start looking into alternatives, because Picasa is headed for the chopping block on March 15. It will continue to work, but it will no...
View ArticleTesting your computer’s stability
A post on Jeff Atwood’s Coding Horror blog describes the process Jeff uses to test the stability of new computers. It’s an intensive set of tests, and if your hardware is in the least bit flaky, this...
View ArticleTest your browser’s security
A new, free, web-based service from cyscon GmbH tests your web browser and reports any security issues it finds. Check-and-secure starts by checking your computer for open ports, then compares your IP...
View ArticleThe perils of using free services
RIP TweetDeck Twitter is pulling the plug on the Windows version of its popular TweetDeck application, pushing users to switch to the web-based version. Although they claim otherwise, the reason is...
View ArticleWas your account exposed as part of a breach?
It seems like every few weeks another web site or online service is breached. When that happens, user account information is almost always stolen, and usually published online. If you have an account...
View ArticlePassword managers
“If you’re not using a password manager, you should be.” You’ve heard the refrain, and you’re probably tired of hearing it. But we won’t stop saying it until people get the message. Rule #1 in online...
View ArticleMicrosoft to abandon EMET slightly later than planned
Starting in 2009, Microsoft’s Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) provided Windows users with an additional layer of security. It was designed to block specific, known types of...
View Article
