Planning your spring break? I shared tips with WTAM 1100 Newsradio for keeping your devices safe on Wi-Fi networks at the airport, coffee shop, or cafe during your travel.
Tag: Security
#TechTuesday – Social Apps Your Teens Use
Teens will always find ways to use technology to socialize. Once upon a time, it was party lines, then chat rooms, and now apps.
In this week’s #TechTuesday episode on WTAM 1100 Newsradio, Bill Wills and I discuss a recent New York Times article on the range of new social media apps teens are using, including video messaging and anonymous sharing networks.
For parents who are not sure where to start with online safe behavior, I recommend bookmarking SafeKids.com and ConnectSafely.org.
In particular, consider printing out family contracts for online safety as a way to discuss the topic with kids and teens and ensure everyone understands rules and boundaries for their online behavior.
Every parent will have different approaches to their kids, but it’s important that you have these discussions early so that you can keep an ongoing communication about topics like cyberbullying and other unsafe behavior or threads online.
Protecting Against Ransomware
Map of computers infected by WannaCry ransomware via MalwareTech.com
In light of the WannaCry ransomware attacks, NPR provided these 6 key steps to protecting your Windows computer:
- Back up your computer and store the safety version in the cloud or on a drive that is not connected to your computer.
- Use robust antivirus software.
- Keep all the software on your computer up-to-date. Enable automatic updates.
- Never open attachments in emails from someone you don’t know. And remember that any account can be compromised.
- Enable the “Show file extensions” option in the Windows settings on your computer. This will make it much easier to spot potentially malicious files. Stay away from file extensions like “.exe,” “.vbs” and “.scr.”
- If you find a problem, disconnect your machine immediately from the Internet or other network connections (such as home Wi-Fi).
Is Your Tech Ready for School?
As summer winds down, students everywhere are looking for school supplies and picking out the perfect backpack. But just having enough pens and notebooks isn’t enough anymore. Students of all ages are finding they need some tech in their backpacks too. Now is a good time to ensure all that technology is ready to go back to school as well. Continue reading “Is Your Tech Ready for School?”
Spam Down, Email Threats Still High
Antivirus maker Symantec’s Intelligence Report for June shows a marked drop in spam received by business email users worldwide. Their metrics show businesses received a little less than half the spam they usually receive over a month. Perhaps the spammers are taking vacation days as well? Continue reading “Spam Down, Email Threats Still High”