Did hackers buy Roku devices — using your credit card?
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/did-hackers-buy-roku-devices-using-your-credit-card/
ISSUE 21.18 • 2024-04-29 PUBLIC DEFENDER By Brian Livingston In a pair of serious security breaches in the past two months, hackers tried username-password combinations found on the Dark Web. They attempted to log on to more than half a million accounts at Roku. Hundreds of users who had unwisely stored their full credit-card numbers […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/did-hackers-buy-roku-devices-using-your-credit-card/
ISSUE 21.18 • 2024-04-29 PUBLIC DEFENDER By Brian Livingston In a pair of serious security breaches in the past two months, hackers tried username-password combinations found on the Dark Web. They attempted to log on to more than half a million accounts at Roku. Hundreds of users who had unwisely stored their full credit-card numbers […]
Microsoft is not fixing its mess
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/microsoft-is-not-fixing-its-mess/
ISSUE 21.18.1 • 2024-05-03 By Susan Bradley Microsoft has now made it official. It does not plan to fix the mess it made with KB5034441. As you may recall, I was not pleased with how Microsoft handled this vulnerability. It took a sledgehammer to a problem that should have been handled with a precision tool. […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/microsoft-is-not-fixing-its-mess/
ISSUE 21.18.1 • 2024-05-03 By Susan Bradley Microsoft has now made it official. It does not plan to fix the mess it made with KB5034441. As you may recall, I was not pleased with how Microsoft handled this vulnerability. It took a sledgehammer to a problem that should have been handled with a precision tool. […]
The Windows 11 disconnect
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/the-windows-11-disconnect/
PATCH WATCH By Susan Bradley Despite my being a CPA, earnings calls are not usually a part of my technology coverage for Patch Watch. I’m making an exception. I read the transcript of the Microsoft Fiscal Year 2024 Third Quarter Earnings Conference Call and found myself concerned with CEO Satya Nadella’s remarks. In the call, […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/the-windows-11-disconnect/
PATCH WATCH By Susan Bradley Despite my being a CPA, earnings calls are not usually a part of my technology coverage for Patch Watch. I’m making an exception. I read the transcript of the Microsoft Fiscal Year 2024 Third Quarter Earnings Conference Call and found myself concerned with CEO Satya Nadella’s remarks. In the call, […]
DesktopOK — No more screaming when your icons get scrambled
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/desktopok-no-more-screaming-when-your-icons-get-scrambled/
FREEWARE SPOTLIGHT By Deanna McElveen I have two large monitors and a lot of icons filling those screens. It may look like utter chaos, but my brain knows exactly where each icon is located. So when some poorly crafted software leaves my icons all neatly stacked to the left side of my main monitor, I […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/desktopok-no-more-screaming-when-your-icons-get-scrambled/
FREEWARE SPOTLIGHT By Deanna McElveen I have two large monitors and a lot of icons filling those screens. It may look like utter chaos, but my brain knows exactly where each icon is located. So when some poorly crafted software leaves my icons all neatly stacked to the left side of my main monitor, I […]
Settings
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/settings/
WINDOWS 11 By Ed Tittel The Settings app in Windows 11 remains endlessly under development, with the transition from Control Panel and Microsoft Management consoles far from complete. With the introduction of Windows 8, Microsoft began a slow and deliberate changeover in how setup, configuration, and related settings are handled. In this first of a […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/settings/
WINDOWS 11 By Ed Tittel The Settings app in Windows 11 remains endlessly under development, with the transition from Control Panel and Microsoft Management consoles far from complete. With the introduction of Windows 8, Microsoft began a slow and deliberate changeover in how setup, configuration, and related settings are handled. In this first of a […]
Ethics and computing
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/ethics-and-computing/
ISSUE 21.19 • 2024-05-06 COMMENTARY By Michael A. Covington Computer ethics and AI ethics are easier than you think, for one big reason. That reason is simple: if it’s wrong to do something without a computer, it’s still wrong to do it with a computer. See how much puzzlement that principle clears away. Consider, for […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/ethics-and-computing/
ISSUE 21.19 • 2024-05-06 COMMENTARY By Michael A. Covington Computer ethics and AI ethics are easier than you think, for one big reason. That reason is simple: if it’s wrong to do something without a computer, it’s still wrong to do it with a computer. See how much puzzlement that principle clears away. Consider, for […]
May 2024 Office non-Security Updates have been released
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/may-2024-office-non-security-updates-have-been-released/
Office non-Security updates have been released Tuesday, May 7, 2024. They are not included in the DEFCON-4 approval for the April 2024 patches. Unless you have a specific need to install them, you should wait until Susan Bradley (Patch Lady) approves them and any problems have been reported. Remember, Susan’s patching sequence and recommendations are […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/may-2024-office-non-security-updates-have-been-released/
Office non-Security updates have been released Tuesday, May 7, 2024. They are not included in the DEFCON-4 approval for the April 2024 patches. Unless you have a specific need to install them, you should wait until Susan Bradley (Patch Lady) approves them and any problems have been reported. Remember, Susan’s patching sequence and recommendations are […]
MS-DEFCON 2: May updates are right around the corner
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/ms-defcon-2-may-updates-are-right-around-the-corner/
ISSUE 21.19.1 • 2024-05-09 By Susan Bradley Patch Tuesday is only a few days away. As usual, caution is in order. I’ve therefore raised the MS-DEFCON level to 2. Make sure your system is backed up and you have deferred updates. In addition, I urge you to take stock of the other software that is […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/ms-defcon-2-may-updates-are-right-around-the-corner/
ISSUE 21.19.1 • 2024-05-09 By Susan Bradley Patch Tuesday is only a few days away. As usual, caution is in order. I’ve therefore raised the MS-DEFCON level to 2. Make sure your system is backed up and you have deferred updates. In addition, I urge you to take stock of the other software that is […]
Are you into Widgets?
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/are-you-into-widgets/
Coming up in the May updates are more widgets on the lock screen. Apologies for the slightly blurry photo but I took it from an iphone as I couldn’t grab a screen shot. Personally, I have the computer turn the monitor off when it sits longer than a few moments, so this “lock screen widgets” […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/are-you-into-widgets/
Coming up in the May updates are more widgets on the lock screen. Apologies for the slightly blurry photo but I took it from an iphone as I couldn’t grab a screen shot. Personally, I have the computer turn the monitor off when it sits longer than a few moments, so this “lock screen widgets” […]
Artificial minds
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/artificial-minds/
COMMENTARY By Michael A. Covington Artificial intelligence changes the ethics and computing scene. In my previous article, Ethics and computing, I discussed how the rise of personal computing created a break in our natural understanding of ethics. Now, the rise of AI adds further complications. Let’s delve into that a bit. Read the full story […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/artificial-minds/
COMMENTARY By Michael A. Covington Artificial intelligence changes the ethics and computing scene. In my previous article, Ethics and computing, I discussed how the rise of personal computing created a break in our natural understanding of ethics. Now, the rise of AI adds further complications. Let’s delve into that a bit. Read the full story […]
How to get through Microsoft’s sneaky Windows setup
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/how-to-get-through-microsofts-sneaky-windows-setup/
WINDOWS By Lance Whitney Trying to set up Windows 10 or 11? Microsoft steers you toward certain features and settings that will benefit itself more than you. Here’s how to make the right choices. In my job as a technology writer, I often must run through the Windows 10 or 11 setup to test and […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/how-to-get-through-microsofts-sneaky-windows-setup/
WINDOWS By Lance Whitney Trying to set up Windows 10 or 11? Microsoft steers you toward certain features and settings that will benefit itself more than you. Here’s how to make the right choices. In my job as a technology writer, I often must run through the Windows 10 or 11 setup to test and […]
Quantum computing is coming to you soon
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/quantum-computing-is-coming-to-you-soon/
PUBLIC DEFENDER By Brian Livingston A breakthrough by researchers at Oxford University makes it likely that you’ll be able to access the power of a quantum computing center — remotely from your home or office — sooner than experts previously thought. “Quantum computing” is an entirely different animal from “digital computing.” A quantum server harnesses […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/quantum-computing-is-coming-to-you-soon/
PUBLIC DEFENDER By Brian Livingston A breakthrough by researchers at Oxford University makes it likely that you’ll be able to access the power of a quantum computing center — remotely from your home or office — sooner than experts previously thought. “Quantum computing” is an entirely different animal from “digital computing.” A quantum server harnesses […]
Do you need antivirus for your phone?
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/do-you-need-antivirus-for-your-phone/
ISSUE 21.20 • 2024-05-13 ON SECURITY By Susan Bradley For many years, I thought it silly to consider adding an antivirus program or other security software to our phones. Phones were seen as gated communities the bad guys couldn’t enter. Windows was the Wild West, where anything could be downloaded, and we found ourselves with […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/do-you-need-antivirus-for-your-phone/
ISSUE 21.20 • 2024-05-13 ON SECURITY By Susan Bradley For many years, I thought it silly to consider adding an antivirus program or other security software to our phones. Phones were seen as gated communities the bad guys couldn’t enter. Windows was the Wild West, where anything could be downloaded, and we found ourselves with […]
May updates for Apple and Microsoft
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/may-updates-for-apple-and-microsoft/
Yesterday Apple released several updates for Safari, iOS 17.5, iOS 16.7.8, Sonoma 14.5. Ventura 13.6.7, Monterey 12.7.5, WatchOS 10.5, tvOS17.5. On May 8, they also released iTunes 12.13.2 for Windows. Apple has backported a fix for CVE-2024-23296, a critical security flaw in the RTKit real-time operating system, to older iOS, iPadOS, and macOS versions. The #vulnerability […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/may-updates-for-apple-and-microsoft/
Yesterday Apple released several updates for Safari, iOS 17.5, iOS 16.7.8, Sonoma 14.5. Ventura 13.6.7, Monterey 12.7.5, WatchOS 10.5, tvOS17.5. On May 8, they also released iTunes 12.13.2 for Windows. Apple has backported a fix for CVE-2024-23296, a critical security flaw in the RTKit real-time operating system, to older iOS, iPadOS, and macOS versions. The #vulnerability […]
Patch List for May 14, 2024
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/patch-list-for-may-14-2024/
We’re still in testing mode for this month’s updates. So far there has been an acknowledged deployment issue whereby Windows Server 2019/KB5037765 may fail with error code 0x800f0982 when you have multi-language packs installed and do not have en-us language pack support installed. Microsoft is investigating. Microsoft is rolling out the lock screen ‘widgets’ on […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/patch-list-for-may-14-2024/
We’re still in testing mode for this month’s updates. So far there has been an acknowledged deployment issue whereby Windows Server 2019/KB5037765 may fail with error code 0x800f0982 when you have multi-language packs installed and do not have en-us language pack support installed. Microsoft is investigating. Microsoft is rolling out the lock screen ‘widgets’ on […]
So what do you use for Search?
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/so-what-do-you-use-for-search/
Many many years ago I used Altavista as my main search engine. Now I’m in evaluation mode for folks in my office that want a GOOD search engine but isn’t too geeky. The other day I tried to set up the Edge browser with the “home page” that gives recaps of news but WITHOUT the […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/so-what-do-you-use-for-search/
Many many years ago I used Altavista as my main search engine. Now I’m in evaluation mode for folks in my office that want a GOOD search engine but isn’t too geeky. The other day I tried to set up the Edge browser with the “home page” that gives recaps of news but WITHOUT the […]
Patch Apple, defer Windows
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/patch-apple-defer-windows/
PATCH WATCH By Susan Bradley Apple often seems to get its foot in the door first, and last week’s patch release was no different. One day before Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday, Apple released its security and feature updates. (Just as I advise for Microsoft, ensure your backups are up to date on any platform that receives […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/patch-apple-defer-windows/
PATCH WATCH By Susan Bradley Apple often seems to get its foot in the door first, and last week’s patch release was no different. One day before Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday, Apple released its security and feature updates. (Just as I advise for Microsoft, ensure your backups are up to date on any platform that receives […]
Sizer — When a window must be an exact size
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/sizer-when-a-window-must-be-an-exact-size/
FREEWARE SPOTLIGHT By Deanna McElveen If you must drag the edges of windows to resize them over and over while working, you are wasting minutes of your life that you can never get back. Sizer by brianapps.net is one heck of a free program I recently stumbled across that can resize any window (program or […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/sizer-when-a-window-must-be-an-exact-size/
FREEWARE SPOTLIGHT By Deanna McElveen If you must drag the edges of windows to resize them over and over while working, you are wasting minutes of your life that you can never get back. Sizer by brianapps.net is one heck of a free program I recently stumbled across that can resize any window (program or […]
Protecting yourself from AI deepfakes
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/protecting-yourself-from-ai-deepfakes/
LEGAL BRIEF By Max Stul Oppenheimer, Esq. It has been apparent for some time that developments in generative artificial intelligence present serious potential for harm. A recent example has made the problem concrete. On January 17, 2024, the Baltimore Sun broke the news with the headline “Baltimore County Public Schools investigating Pikesville High principal’s alleged […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/protecting-yourself-from-ai-deepfakes/
LEGAL BRIEF By Max Stul Oppenheimer, Esq. It has been apparent for some time that developments in generative artificial intelligence present serious potential for harm. A recent example has made the problem concrete. On January 17, 2024, the Baltimore Sun broke the news with the headline “Baltimore County Public Schools investigating Pikesville High principal’s alleged […]
Setting up MFA properly
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/setting-up-mfa-properly/
ISSUE 21.21 • 2024-05-20 MICROSOFT 365 By Peter Deegan Is that multifactor authentication setup complete and truly ready to handle any situation? Two-factor (2FA) or multifactor (MFA) authentication is just the start of securing your important accounts. All too often, I hear from people who’ve set up extra login verification and can’t get it working. […]
https://www.askwoody.com/2024/setting-up-mfa-properly/
ISSUE 21.21 • 2024-05-20 MICROSOFT 365 By Peter Deegan Is that multifactor authentication setup complete and truly ready to handle any situation? Two-factor (2FA) or multifactor (MFA) authentication is just the start of securing your important accounts. All too often, I hear from people who’ve set up extra login verification and can’t get it working. […]