No Power = No Internet = Desperate Times!

No Power = No Internet = Desperate Times!

For those of my readers in Hamakua Hawaii who experienced the Honokaa-area power outage the week of February 10, 2019 you felt the pain of losing access to electricity-dependent devices, appliances, and machines. In our case, we had no power for a week!

We are located right on that strip of highway between Honokaa and Paauilo where several of the power poles were destroyed by high winds and tree branches. We greatly appreciate the efforts of Helco, Isemoto and others for working 24/7 to restore power asap, even in the pouring rain. Would have baked them cookies, but alas, no stove! 

Home camping
A week without power was "interesting". It was like camping at our house. No hot showers, no appliances, no lights at night, etc. We made do with a "navy showers" and showering at a friend's house, using our camping stove, ice for the fridge, and plenty of flashlights. Compared to the lives of millions of refugees around the world our experience was trivial of course. 

Internet Withdrawals
The real problem for me as a home-based IT tech was no power or Internet. I had to make use of WiFi at Starbucks, McDonald's, client offices, my cell phone's hotspot, and the public library. The Honokaa public library has a charging station for laptops and devices, which is a much-appreciated service. The librarian even served coffee to patrons who used the library during the power outage. Now that's aloha!

I was feeling the withdrawals of not having easy access to TV news and weather, and to Netflix - it was interesting to see in me that mental twitch of addiction. One night my wife and I watched a DVD on her laptop. Then her battery died so we switched to mine, which has no speakers, so we used subtitles. Desperate measures for desperate times. 

Community counts
The beauty of not having power is to see what we take for granted, to witness community support, and to be resourceful in getting work done - as in my case hopscotching between WiFi services. I caught up on some reading on my Kindle at night (it had a charge because I rarely use it), and went to be earlier, which is always a good thing. We also enjoyed a meal with our neighbors, prepared on a propane camping stove. 

Routine upended 
I played catch-up with all kinds of computer-related stuff the day after power was restored, streamed a Netflix movie, had a hot shower, and we made meals on the kitchen stove again. The access to Internet and my computers was missed during the outage. But what I found the most unsettling was the change to my daily routine. It wasn't just one thing - it was the overall disruption and uncertainty. 

Resiliency training
The power outage was a good opportunity for resiliency training. Goodness knows what's coming down the pike for humanity in the years to come. I'm certain of this at least: we'll all need to be more flexible, resourceful, and community-oriented. In essence, that's what civilization is all about.  

Thanks for reading!
-Sam

Maintenance is Security Too

Maintenance is Security Too

The triad of computer security are Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (CIA). 

For now, I'll skip Confidentiality and focus on Integrity, which means integrity of data. One part of attending to Integrity is keeping devices that store data maintained. And as for Availability, if a device storing data isn't well maintained, the data won't be available for as long as hoped, if at all! 

So here are some maintenance tips that are key to observing the Integrity and Availability aspects of the CIA triad. 

Keep the uptime rolling
Be sure to have your desktop computers connected to a UPS (uninterrupted power supply), which includes a strong surge suppressor and battery. This helps condition the power from the wall outlet and allows the computer to keep running during a power sag or outage. Also, a sudden power outage can cause data loss and/or corruption on a hard drive.

Keep them cool
Check portable devices for excessive heat. If a device is very warm or hot to the touch, turn it off for at least 5 minutes so it can cool down. If after cooling and restarting it the device is still running too warm have a professional check it out. Or you can investigate replacing it, hopefully under warranty. In some cases the problem can be isolated to a defective battery. An overheated device can damage data.  

Also, keep all devices and equipment out of the sun. Don't leave phones and tablets in the car sun-exposed. And protect equipment that is sun-exposed via windows at home or offices. This can cause overheating and damage functions, and possibly lead to data damage.   

Refresh is best
This tip is more for performance than security: Shut down your devices once each week. This means turn off, not just restart. Turn off your computers, phones, tablets, modems, routers, Blu-ray players, etc. This clears out all memory buffers and enables the devices to start up fresh. Before doing this on phones, tablets, and computers, I recommend closing all open programs and apps. And be sure to not just put your device to sleep - shut it all the way off. 

Keep it clean
This one is not security related either but can ease your stress about not getting quality output from your printer. Run the maintenance program on your printers monthly. This can usually be found on the printer screen; otherwise, check the printer software installed on your computer for a maintenance routine. You can improve print quality by doing this, which usually includes nozzle cleaning and alignment. 

Thanks for reading!
-Sam

Best and Worst of Times

Best and Worst of Times

Working with my clients on tech issues day in and day out, I usually take for granted all the various ways IT has wormed its way into every nook and cranny of our lives, regardless of one's age or occupation or lifestyle.

The way we were
However, this ever-present IT condition is quite noticeable in contrast to the way things were at the end of the 20th century. When you watch movies from the 80s and 90s you can't help but notice how "antiquated" the IT stuff seems. We are also reminded that cell phones were used primarily by business executives, government VIPs, or spies!

Nowadays anywhere you go you see smartphones in use by kids from one to 92. Handling a smartphone typically means using Internet apps or texting, and not so much talking. I expect these devices won't be called phones much longer.

Tail wags the dog
So, it's a sign of the times that smartphones are ubiquitous. It's also a sign that nearly every home I visit has Internet and Wi-Fi, however rural. And it's the case that we can't stand to not know some little obscure factoid anymore - we have to Google it right away! The tail is indeed wagging the dog, meaning tech is running our lives.

Hooked on the vids 
Sure, tech keeps me in business and has many valuable uses. That's obvious. And as much as we complain about the times our tech doesn't work, we truly revel in it when it does. Some of my clients in their 70s and 80s are hooked on watching Netflix and other streaming video services nightly. When their streaming device goes down, they are not happy campers. They miss their video fix!

Speaking of which, one of my clients recently suffered an outage on his steaming device and remarked that he and his wife had an actual conversation the night it was down. That's funny, and head shaking, and startling. What kind of creatures are we turning into?

No one is safe 
The other sign-of-the times issue is the escalating cybersecurity concerns. Company's large and small are being hacked, which for us means our data is exploited. This translates to our financial accounts, emails, passwords, personal and private information, lifestyle habits, etc. being used for nefarious purposes. And when we get hacked on our home systems the perpetrators can even erase our precious files, such as family photos. 

Human-ish?
It's the best of times and the worst of times, truly. And now AI (artificial intelligence) is looming as a promising problem-solving partner and a creepy concept. How will we know we're thinking for ourselves anymore while we're streaming so much information to our brains from various computer resources?

Love thy planet! 
As it's the new year, I'll propose a toast to all the counter-culture movements out there that may just keep humans alert to being fully duped by our tech overlords. Let's be mindful that information technology is only a tool. We still need the human mind and heart to be appreciative of our special planet in order to guide all things tech, including AI, to work on more noble pursuits than addicting our vulnerable brains to technologically abstracted reality. Though that is fun...

Thanks for reading!
-Sam

Downsizing Your Online Identity

Downsizing Your Online Identity
We all have the physical identity we present with our bodies and attire when we interact with others. There's another kind of identity we in 21st century possess as well: the one we create online. It's a composite of our social networking accounts, our email accounts, our memberships with various online services, etc. The more accounts we have, the more data and detailed "personality" we create for ourselves, and hence a unique online identity.

Carnival junkies
We have only ourselves to blame as we fall victim to the dizzy carnival-like playground we call the Internet. We get dazzled by the bright lights, the colors, the clamor, the intense energy, and so what do we naturally do? We buzz like moths near the flame. It's instructive to get our wings singed a few times to help wake us up - in this case to the risk of being hyper-exposed online, to growing an overinflated online persona. The more exposed you are, the easier it is for hackers to target you.

Zap the unwanted accounts
The good news is the online identity that we have wittingly or semi-consciously created for ourselves can also be dismantled by us, the owner of the identity. We have the power to close our accounts at any time. Goodbye Facebook! Sayonara AOL! Adios newsletter subscriptions! There are consequences and trade-offs, but we can do it.

Withdrawal pains
The real challenge in downsizing one's online identity is the same any type of addict goes through when breaking free of that which usurps willpower: withdrawal pains. Physical pains are bad enough for drug addicts. But it's the emotional ones that linger, that haunt and torment, because the ego has to redefine its identity, which to any ego is an existential threat.

Google yourself
If you're up to the challenge of downsizing your online ego then besides scrapping any obvious and unwanted aspects of your persona try Googling yourself to learn what else the Internet knows about you. Then start unplugging from places you don't want to be.

It may take time to reduce your imprint, but for the average Joe and Jane, not too long. After all, a carnival doesn't want bystanders, it wants big spenders. Save your ticket money for the attractions you like best, not what others want you to see and do.

Get off the hackers' radar
As mentioned earlier if you head towards the down low you'll also reduce your visibility to hackers, which will lessen your anxiety and make life more fun, whether online or off. In the long run, that's a better high than any carnival can provide.

Here's a related article with step-by-step guidance on removing yourself from high profile sites:

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/remove-delete-yourself-from-the-internet

Thanks for reading!
-Sam

Use 2 Factor Authentication to Decrease Your Risk of Getting Hacked

Use 2 Factor Authentication to Decrease Risk of Getting Hacked


If you're even vaguely aware of the news these days about online account hacks - like the recent Facebook breach - then you know the importance of changing your password immediately if you're at risk.
 
Post breach, change password!
Changing your password asap after such a breach prevents a hacker from accessing your account, as long as you change it before the hacker logs in! Otherwise, you have to go through an often-stressful password reset process, during which you have to prove your identity by some other means such as email, phone, or security question answers.
 
Password reset game is no fun
I have helped many clients through this reset process and it's not fun. It's not hard, it just takes time and costs money: my billable time. Believe me, it's not a preferred IT task for either me or my clients. We get painfully reminded about the importance of locking down account access using multiple layers of identification.        
 
Use unique passwords 
While strong and unique passwords raise the bar for anyone trying to hack your account directly, they don't prevent the types of hacks Facebook disclosed. Yet if your Facebook password or any other online password is unique, and you change it right away after a reported breach, then your vulnerability is reduced.

Don't give the keys to the kingdom!
If, however, you use the same password on multiple sites and a hacker obtains info on you, such as your name, email location, and a precious password, you can bet they will try that same identify combination to crack your other accounts. That's why it's critical to have unique and complex passwords, not just variations of a theme like "mydogbruno" and "mydogbruno1".
 
2 Factor authentication boosts security
So, the first line of defense is strong and unique passwords for EVERY online account. The second line is two-factor authentication (2FA), which requires access to something besides the knowledge of a password, like a cell phone. (The password is considered something you know, a first factor. The phone is something you have, a second factor.) The phone lets you receive a call or a text with a code to unlock your account, so it authenticates you beyond your password.
 
2-Step Verification in Gmail
Not all accounts provide two-factor authentication, but for the ones that do, I highly recommend it. Gmail is one. Google calls it 2-Step Verification. Here is a simple scenario after you set this up in Gmail: You get a new device, you try to log in to your Gmail account on it, and Gmail won't let you until you receive a code texted to your phone. You type into your browser or Gmail app that one-time-only code, then you're given access to Gmail on that new device. You won't be asked again, unless something changes on that device to make Google not recognize it.  
 
After setting up 2-step in Gmail, if someone elsewhere tried to log in to your Gmail you'd receive a code on your phone. As long as that phone is with you, that person would have more difficulty accessing your email.
 
Set up 2 Factor where available
Besides Google, here is a short list of sites offering two-factor authentication: Facebook, Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL, and Twitter. If you have an account with any of these sites, take the time to set up 2FA.

Thanks for reading!
-Sam

Safer Cell Phone Use for Kids

Safer Cell Phone Use for Kids

It's back to school time again. Ah the memories… some good, some bad. The worst for me was dealing with the jerks who wanted to ruin your day.

Well, nowadays those jerks aren't just at school. Yes, they can be near - or far, far away... anywhere there's internet service.

Cell phones with internet access put kids in touch not only with the bully down the hall, but also a sociopath in Eastern Europe, or a creepy adult in town.

Have "the Talk" 
Yes, cell phones are a great way for parents to keep in touch with their children before, during, and after school. But it's important to have a conversation with kids about potential risks.

Tips from the FBI
Here are six tips offered by the FBI to help keep your child safe on his or her cell phone. And for readers without kids, some of these tips apply equally to you. We're all more vulnerable online if we're not proactive about security and privacy.

1. Parents should know every password to every device, and every password to every app on that device. Parents pay the bill, and as long as that child is a minor, he or she is your responsibility. You should be able to login to all devices, sites, and services to check for safety issues.
2. Check all accounts for disturbing content. You and your kids should have a non-negotiable understanding that your access is a requirement for continued cell phone use.
3. Learn about how photos are geotagged. Do you want just anybody to know what school your child goes to or what field his team uses for soccer practice? You should be able to turn this feature off in settings. Here's a related link for changing geotagging settings for iPhone and iPads:
   https://www.techbout.com/turn-off-geotagging-for-photos-iphone-ipad-8738/
4. Teach your kids to never respond to calls, texts, or emails from unknown numbers or people. Scam artists and predators will victimize anyone, regardless of age.
5. Talk to your kids about what constitutes appropriate language and photos. One sexually explicit photo can change a life forever. It is crucial that your kids understand that just because something starts out as a private communication between two people does not mean that it can't be shared with thousands of people in seconds.
6. Teach your children to program the privacy settings on social media feeds to the highest level and to reject any "friend requests" from those they don't know and trust in a face-to-face relationship. Parents should also consider forbidding any new "friend requests" by their kids, without parent approval. Here's a link with info on Facebook privacy settings:
   https://www.facebook.com/help/325807937506242/

Thanks for reading!

-Sam

Make Patching a Priority

Make Patching a Priority

There are three things I recommend you do to keep your devices and software better protected from online attacks. 

1. Update
2. Update
3. Update
 
Yes, no joke. 

Don't Get Exploited
A top priority of hackers is to exploit known vulnerabilities in software and hardware devices. Software vendors like Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, etc. and hardware manufacturers like Cisco, Netgear, Linksys, etc. release updates a.k.a. patches to fix security holes and bugs. Microsoft, for example, releases patches on a regular schedule for Windows - the second Tuesday of each month. That day is called "Patch Tuesday" in the industry.
 
Updates for Mobile Devices
On our mobile devices, updates should be notifying you, or automatically updating if you have the auto-update feature enabled. 

Be Proactive on Your Computers
On your computers you will get notifications for updates to programs such as Adobe Reader, web browsers, security software, iTunes, etc. However, not all programs notify you. So it's up to you to be proactive. Check in a program's menus for the command to check for updates. This is often under the Help menu.  

Patching the Internet of Things (IoT)
As I alluded, it's not just software that needs patching; hardware devices like routers do as well, as do printers, watches, X-boxes, smart-TVs, Internet-connected cameras, etc. Any device connected to the Internet, or which can connect to it in order to download data or programming, such as medical devices (which aren't always online), is part of the "Internet of Things", or IoT. Almost every IoT device can and should be patched when the fixes are released. 
 
When in Doubt, Get Help
So, as laborious as it seems, and can be, do NOT ignore the update notices of software you trust, and notices for your IoT devices. If you are ever in doubt, ask a trusted IT guy/gal or local store, or check the vendor's website directly, such as hp.com, adobe.com, etc. Don't just Google "update my such and such". That's risky, because there are bogus sites out there that will infect your system or scam you.
 
Updates Change Features
Here's one caveat to installing updates, especially on Apple devices: Updates can change the appearance, features, and security requirements of the system. Apple, like all vendors, will implement changes per their discretion, which is not always pleasing to the end user. 

Older, Incompatible Systems
Also, some older hardware and operating systems won't accept the latest software updates; they are no longer compatible with the latest release. Ultimately, this can translate into a vulnerability for a system with known issues, like old versions of Windows, which can't be patched. It's best to keep such computers offline, or replace them. Otherwise, each is a honey pot for a hacker.   

Thanks for reading!
-Sam

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