COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE & SECURITY BLOG

PRACTICAL PARANOIA SECURITY ESSENTIALS WORKSHOPS AT UNM CONTINUING EDUCATION You don't need to be a Microsoft Engineer, Apple Genius, or Google Guru to know state-sponsored system penetration, ransomware, malware, hackers, pranksters, and even a whackadoodle ex or two are out there to get you. You includes your data, intellectual property, financial information, personal communications, web activity,…

Free Upgrade to Practical Paranoia macOS 10.13 Security Essentials In case you have been living in an ice cave the past few months, ransomware and hacker attacks are increasing faster than ever. A vulnerability on one computer can almost immediately lead to compromising all computers. Apple will be releasing its latest operating system–macOS 10.13, High…

Q: How do I trust a VPN service provider? It doesn't matter whether or not you trust them. Unless you do an onsite visit if their facilities, and are permitted full administrative access to their system, no way to have certainty. What matters is: Is the VPN provider located in a country that has no…

Q: Why does Apple charge more to repair an Apple Watch than what it is sold for? The cost of out of warranty repairs to Apple watches are posted at https://support.apple.com/watch/repair/service/pricing. Depending on model, out of warranty repair is as much as $100 less than replacement cost, up to 25% the cost of replacement. Original Post: https://www.quora.com/Why-does-Apple-charge-more-to-repair-an-Apple-Watch-than-what-it-is-sold-for/answer/Marc-Mintz-4?share=701ab32f&srid=hFp4n

Q: Could the FBI have requested a subpoena if Apple claimed a First Amendment right for not unlocking iPhones? Theoretical legal arguments are the domain of fools. Dozens of potential paths of argument. Zero potential to reach a conclusion. Apple has no need to risk a costly constitutional law battle. They had no back door.…

Q: What are the functions of a firewall? Every process on a computer that communicates with another computer (file sharing, printing, web server, etc.) communicates through a logical port. These ports are numbered 1–65,535. For example, when you open a browser page to Quora, your browser goes to the server named www within the Quora…

Q: How do you remove malware from a MacBook that locks you out? Much depends on what security precautions/protocols have been put in place on your Mac. If you have (another) administrator account, that user can log in, go to System Preferences > Users & Groups, and reset your password. If you don’t FileVault2 active,…

Q: How are circuits damaged inside an iPhone? Circuits are damaged inside an iPhone the same way they are damaged in any other electronic device: Water. More technically, adequate moisture to short out any two or more adjoining traces while voltage is running through the unit. Heat. Overheating can literally melt some of the chips.…

Q: If brains can be connected to computers, then how would a brain be protected against malware and spyware? Our brains are already connected to other systems, and have been for a very long time. Our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin pull in (or better, interpret) information constantly. This is used by advertisers to sway…

Q Is Windows Defender an Antivirus, or an Anti-Malware? A virus is a subset of malware. Malware is defined a hostile or intrusive software, and includes: Viruses, Trojan horses, Rootkits, Backdoors, Worms, perhaps more. The terms antivirus and anti-malware are often used interchangeably. If we are using the strict definition of the terms, antivirus is…

Gmail To Stop Scanning For Targeted Advertising Unless you have been holding out in an ice cave, you already know that I favor using Google for email. My reasons in favor include: Gmail for consumers is free G-Suite for Business is low-priced Huge storage allotment The best anti-malware scanning available Good anti-spam The best email…

Announcing Practical Paranoia Security Essentials Live Editions 1440, Johannes Gutenberg creates the first revolution in the written word by inventing the printing press. 2007, Amazon introduces the first e-book reader, Kindle, launching the second revolution in the written word. 2017, The Practical Paranoid LLC introduces Live editions for all current version of Practical Paranoia Security essentials, starting…

Free Desk Copy of Practical Paranoia Security Essentials Our staff has been chained to their grindstones over the past months tasked with updating our best-selling book series Practical Paranoia Security Essentials. The latest versions are now available in kindle, paperback, and live editions. If you are a high-school, college, university, or tech school computer science or STEM…

New Edition Just Released-Practical Paranoia iOS 10 Practical Paranoia iOS 10 is the best-selling, easiest, most comprehensive guide to securing your iPhone and iPad, data, intellectual property, communications, and personal identity. Period! Written for the non-technical user to secure their personal device, while covering everything that an IT professional needs to secure the enterprise mobile device. And…

New Edition Just Released-Practical Paranoia macOS 10.12 Practical Paranoia macOS 10.12 is the best-selling, easiest, most comprehensive guide to securing your Mac, data, intellectual property, communications, and personal identity. Period! Written for the non-technical macOS user to secure their personal computer, while covering everything that an IT professional needs to secure the enterprise computer. And while the Practical…

Q: How do I get Wi-Fi without knowing the password? A: You don’t. The design intent of having a password on Wi-Fi (a password is not required for Wi-Fi) is to prevent those without the password from accessing the Wi-Fi. Of what use is having a password protected and encrypted network if any fool can get…

Q: Is Windows Defender enough to keep my computer safe from viruses? I used to have Norton but my son says it is malware and all it does is use a big chunk of my cpu and slow my computer down. He claims to never have had a virus on his computer and that he…

Q: Can I have two anti-virus software apps in my computer? A: If you are using antivirus software that is operating in real-time scanning mode, then when you open a file, or download an email, the antivirus scans it then. If you have two such programs installed, it is possible they will each want to scan…

Q: How long would it take to crack an 8-15 character Wi-Fi password? A: If we take 15 characters as the longest the password could be, that gives a 62 character search depth (26 a-z+26 A-Z+10 0-9 possible characters). Doing the math on the permutations of all possible passwords up to 15 characters using any…

Q: Why can't we build public networks that don't require VPN to be safe? Is there any area of your life that is “safe” from the get go? Conversations you have in the privacy of your home can easily be overheard. Phone calls are recorded. Even trusted friends and family will occasionally rat you out from a…

Q: HOW CAN TWO DISTANT PARTIES CREATE AND SHARE A SECRET KEY FOR COMMUNICATION WITHOUT ACTUALLY SENDING THE KEY? If there is a single key to unlock a communication, that key must be known by the person doing the locking, and by the person doing the unlocking. At some point, both must know the key.…

Q: IF I USE COLLEGE WIFI, WILL THEY SEE WHAT I SEARCH AT HOME USING MY WIFI, OR ONLY WHAT I SEARCH ON THEIRS? Whoever has administrative access to the router can see what you are doing by viewing the router logs. So, the college can't see your home logs. But that is only part…

BACKUP EVERYTHING TO GOOGLE Google will release Backup and Sync on June 28, 2017. This is the progeny of Google Drive. Google Drive currently only backups up or synchronizes one folder per user to the Google universe. Backup and Sync will allow multiple folders, up to the entire user home folder/directory, to be synchronized with Google servers.…

HOW TO PROTECT AGAINST RANSOMWARE According to today's (Sunday May 14, 2017) statistics, over 200,000 businesses in over 200 countries have been hit by the most recent ransomware. This malware was able to take advantage of a vulnerability in the Windows operating system–at least those that had not updated in the past month. But more…

ACLU SOCIAL MEDIA PASSWORD RECOMMENDATIONS The ACLU released this message on Wednesday, April 19, 2107: Homeland Security is considering forcing some travelers to provide their passwords to social media accounts as a condition to enter the U.S. This would violate the right to privacy, undermine freedom of expression, and create numerous cybersecurity risks for all…

COMPUTER SECURITY MADE EASY: THE IMPORTANCE OF UPDATES Most people think that computer security is far too complex a topic to even think about. And yet there are very simple steps each of us can do to easily help ensure the security of our devices, data, and personal identity. In over 30 years of computer…

FOR SALE: NETGEAR PROSAFE 24-PORT GIGABIT RACKMOUNT SWITCH Model JGS524v2 All ports support 10/100/1000 Mbps Condition: In box, very good condition, used only 1 month Full description on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-ProSAFE-JGS524E-Rackmount-JGS524Ev2/dp/B00GG1AD9A/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1485885761&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=netgear+jgs524v2 Asking Price: $75 $50 Contact: Marc 505.453.0479

FOR SALE: 2012 IMAC 27" 2012 Apple iMac 27” 3.4GHz i7, 32 gig RAM 1 TB Fusion drive Includes all original packaging, boxes, documentation Mouse Both wireless and wired keyboards Apple external USB Superdrive Current OS X clean installed Also includes Apple/Harmon-Karden Soundsticks and sub woofer Condition: mint, no scratches, dings or dents, no hardware or software…

FOR SALE: DROBO 5N (12TB) NETWORK STORAGE DRIVE BAY (NAS RAID) Condition: Like new - open box, used less than 1 month Capacity: 5 x 3.5" drives (3 x 4TB drives installed) Includes 250GB SSD for superior performance Highly scalable network storage array with 64TB filesystem support Gigabit Ethernet connectivity. Supports myDrobo Platform, DroboAccess encrypted-end-to-end…

HOW TO CHOOSE A VPN HOST In case you have been living in an ice cave (and how many of my discussions have started with that phrase), the US congress has authorized Internet Service Providers (ISPs)–such as AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Comcast, Time Warner, Verizon, dishNET, Windstream, etc.–to collect your Internet browsing history. This history includes…

WHAT FEATURES DO WIRELESS CARRIERS OFFER After my blog last week on how to enable Wi-Fi calling on iOS, I received a comment that an iPhone 6s did not have a Wi-Fi calling menu, and how to fix that. That was my bad... I neglected to state in my blog that each of the 44…

HOW TO PERFORM ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON MACOS 10.12 SIERRA Most of the high-value items that you purchase include manufacturer recommended service schedules. Your car may need oil changes every 5,000 miles. Your air conditioner should be serviced at the start of the season, even your bicycle requires routine maintenance. Except your computer. Not that your…

Using an Older Wi-Fi Router Kills Your Time & Profits This is an update to a 2015 blog. According to a 2013 AT&T poll, 98% of small businesses use Wi-Fi. And the poor performance of that Wi-Fi may be one of the most effective killers of the small business bottom-line. The solution is to trash your…

WI-FI CALLING-CALL FOR FREE ON YOUR IPHONE There are many ways to enable Wi-Fi calling on both Android and iOS. But iOS wins hands-down for the fastest and easiest setup. WHAT IS WI-FI CALLING The typical way that a cell phone works is to broadcast and receive using your carrier's cellular network. This is where your…

YES YOU CAN PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY Congress, the courts, and the president may be working hard to erode our right to privacy, but we are working even harder to ensure your ability to maintain your privacy. Over 30% of computers are infected with malware. <http://www.infoworld.com/article/2618043/cyber-crime/malware-infects-30-percent-of-computers-in-u-s-.html> 82,000 new malware threats found each day. <http://www.pcworld.com/article/2109210/report-average-of-82-000-new-malware-threats-per-day-in-2013.html> Over 80% of passwords…

KNOW YOUR MAC FIRMWARE PASSWORD Do you know your Mac's firmware password? If not, you may be in for a headache. Does your Mac have a firmware password? If not, you may be in for an ever bigger headache. MacOS has multiple layers of security built in to provide the encrypted at rest requirement for HIPAA, SEC, legal, military,…

PRACTICAL PARANOIA macOS 10.12 UPGRADE: CHAPTER 20 SOCIAL MEDIA Practical Paranoia macOS 10.12 Security Essentials has just released its latest upgrade to v2.4. This new version contains a full chapter on how to protect your security and privacy when using social media services. George Orwell had it wrong. Instead of the government installing cameras and watchers everywhere, we…

PRACTICAL PARANOIA WINDOWS 10 UPGRADE: CHAPTER 20 SOCIAL MEDIA Practical Paranoia Windows 10 Security Essentials has just released its latest upgrade to v2.4. This new version contains a full chapter on how to protect your security and privacy when using social media services. George Orwell had it wrong. Instead of the government installing cameras and watchers…

IS YOUR APPLE ACCOUNT VULNERABLE? If we are to believe both the CIO and Motherboard reports (both highly respected news sources), a hacking group named Turkish Crime Family has cracked more than 627 million Apple iCloud accounts. Of these, over 220 million have been verified to be working accounts. We don't know about the other 407…

PRACTICAL PARANOIA ANDROID 6 CHAPTER 5 SYSTEM UPDATES DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE Recent national and international events have made it clear that our communications and data can and will be harvested and used to monitor and manipulate us. Not only by marketers and big business, but by criminals and governments. It's time to take a stand for your…

PASSWORDS ARE NO LONGER LEGALLY PROTECTED Until today, one could not be legally compelled to provide their password to smartphone, computer, or other electronic device in a court of law. This has been one of my reasons to recommend to clients not to use their fingerprint reader–there is legal precedence to allow the court to force…

PRACTICAL PARANOIA WINDOWS 10 CHAPTER 4 PASSWORDS DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE Recent national and international events have made it clear that our communications and data can and will be harvested and used to monitor and manipulate us. Not only by marketers and big business, but by criminals and governments. It's time to take a stand for your freedom and…

THEY ARE WATCHING YOU–IN THE MOST INTIMATE AREAS As if it wasn't bad enough that our smartphones, TV's, computers, and video cameras are phoning home about our activities, now our most intimate activities may not be private. As reported by NPR on March 14, 2017, Standard Innovations, the makers of the We-Vibe line of  adult vibrators…

PRACTICAL PARANOIA macOS 10.12 CHAPTER 4 PASSWORDS DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE Recent national and international events have made it clear that our communications and data can and will be harvested and used to monitor and manipulate us. Not only by marketers and big business, but by criminals and governments. It's time to take a stand for your freedom and…

IPAD MINI 2 FOR SALE Rarely used iPad Mini 2 WiFi 32 Gig Space Gray Box, all original documents and accessories 2 cases made by Magpul, one in red and one in khaki No damage or flaws, in pristine condition $225 To purchase or inquire: Call Paul, (505) 358-0400

PRACTICAL PARANOIA IOS 10 CHAPTER 4 PASSWORDS DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE Recent national and international events have made it clear that our communications and data can and will be harvested and used to monitor and manipulate us. Not only by marketers and big business, but by criminals and governments. It's time to take a stand for your freedom and…

PRACTICAL PARANOIA ANDROID 6 CHAPTER 4 PASSWORDS DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE Recent national and international events have made it clear that our communications and data can and will be harvested and used to monitor and manipulate us. Not only by marketers and big business, but by criminals and governments. It's time to take a stand for your freedom and…

MARCH SPECIAL: $99/HOUR ALL STANDARD SERVICES You read correctly, all Mintz InfoTech standard support services are just $99 per hour through the month of March. This includes: New clients Existing clients Windows and Macintosh installation, maintenance, and repair Network and system security audit Routine monthly maintenance To receive your $99/hr special, all you need do is…

FBI USED BEST BUY'S GEEK SQUAD FOR SECRET PUBLIC SURVEILLANCE Just when you thought government surveillance couldn't get any weirder (or illegal), as reported in the OC Weekly on March 8 2017, the FBI has been found to be using Best Buy's Geek Squad to spy on their customers and customer's computers. This allows the…

PRACTICAL PARANOIA WINDOWS 10 CHAPTER 3 DATA LOSS DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE Recent national and international events have made it clear that our communications and data can and will be harvested and used to monitor and manipulate us. Not only by marketers and big business, but by criminals and governments. It's time to take a stand for your…