Virus, malware, and security in general
Understanding DNS DNS stands for Domain Name System a protocol that is set by your internet provider. DNS is responsible for translating our human expressions like www.google.com into a unique IP address that computers use to communicate over the internet. Whenever you or a program […]
I got a laptop with the following window open. “Windows Defender Security Has Disabled Your Computer” with a 1-800 number to call – obvious fake. It showed a Windows security screen with what looked like everything disabled. It seems to have disabled the mouse as
Windows Defender Security Has Disabled Your Computer Read More »
Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday update that rolled out in February 2024 addresses no less than 73 security flaws, including two that are known to be actively exploited. Of the 73 flaws, 3 are rated as moderate, 65 as important, and 5 as critical. The two flaws
You are likely aware that the web address you type in your browser is called the URL (Uniform Resource Locator). It’s a unique place on the web such as an HTML page, a CSS document, an image, etc.. The most common exception would be a
Ashampoo WinOptimizer 26 Winners Announced! This contest has now expired. Winners will be notified by email. Congratulations to the Winners and Thank You to everyone who participated! Our friends at Ashampoo have given us five licenses for their new version 26 of WinOptimizer. These licenses
A collection of four short items. Overview Here are four short items, none of which is long enough for a separate article. The first is an update to the Sports Illustrated article I wrote last month. The second is a preview of a new AI-generated
Scandal, Fake News, Covert Surveillance, Passkeys Read More »
I was watching a video on password-protecting documents in Microsoft Word. Very brief summary – Save file, Then go to File -> Info -> Protect Document. Put in password, Reenter, and that’s it. I was curious if OpenOffice and LibreOffice had any similar features. They
Password Protect Documents OpenOffice/LibreOffice Read More »
For the last five years, NordPass has been releasing the 200 most popular password list. They have just released their latest issue. In 2020, Jim Hillier reported on the NordPass list. Not much has changed since then. Methodology NordPass compiled the list in partnership with
Fraud and scams are rampant on today’s Internet. And, scammers are getting better at tricking people into giving up personal information, credentials, and money. In the United States, a Federal Trade Commission report estimates that consumer losses from fraud increased by 30 percent between 2021 and
Overview VirusTotal is an online scanning tool many Daves Computer Tips readers use to scan for malicious content. However, DCT readers need to be careful when using VirusTotal. VirusTotal The Spanish security company Hispasec Sistemas created and launched the VirusTotal website in 2004. In September
The practice of injecting malicious code into legitimate software and then distributing same via fake websites has been increasing over recent times and is fast evolving into one of the most significant threats facing home users. Trojanized Version Of CPU-Z CPU-Z is a popular free
Beware: Legitimate Software Infected With Malware Read More »
Recently, I received a letter from the fine folks at Gallup and Google offering me the chance to participate in their Online Insight Study. By doing so, I can earn up to $130 in gift cards each year. Where do I sign up?! But it
Overview Many DCT readers use the open-source Bitwarden to manage their passwords. I have been using the premium version of Bitwarden for years, while Jim Hillier recommends the free version of Bitwarden if you do not need the premium features. Bitwarden is a secure password manager
Fortect is a PC repair and optimization service that is being heavily promoted across the web, but is it legit? I’ve previously looked into and exposed the notorious tech-support scams Reimage Repair and Restoro and in this article, I’ll be putting Fortect under the microscope.
