TweakHound

Computer stuff...

Eric (a.k.a. TweakHound)

Email Encryption Vulnerable

By

“A group of European security researchers have released a warning about a set of vulnerabilities affecting users of PGP and S/MIME. EFF has been in communication with the research team, and can confirm that these vulnerabilities pose an immediate risk to those using these tools for email communication, including the potential exposure of the contents of past messages.“

Attention PGP Users: New Vulnerabilities Require You To Take Action Now

Officially called “EFAIL”: https://efail.de/

A number of platforms are said to be vulnerable.
Quotes include, “Email is no longer a secure communication medium” and “can confirm that these vulnerabilities pose an immediate risk to those using these tools for email communication, including the potential exposure of the contents of past messages.”.
IMHO there seems to be a bit of hysteria going on about this this morning. On the other hand, I’m no security expert so what do I know.

Protonmail has stated,
“ProtonMail is safe against the efail PGP vulnerability. The real vulnerability is implementation errors in various PGP clients. PGP (and OpenPGP) is fine. Any service that uses our @openpgpjs library is also safe as long the default settings aren’t changed.”

I dunno, I never really believed anything on a computer was 100% secure or private and tend to conduct myself accordingly. Of course I’m just an average, boring dude so I’ve no idea why someone would waste the effort to read my email.

There is gonna be a lot more to read on this in the coming days.

Weekend Random Stuff…

By

This site was down yesterday morning. Something went FUBAR at my webhost. All seems to be good now.

Google Grapples With ‘Horrifying’ Reaction to Uncanny AI Tech
Wednesday I commented at Google screwing with us. Seems I wasn’t the only one commenting.
“Outside the Google technology bubble, critics pounced. The company is placing robots in conversations with humans, without those people realizing”
“Horrifying,” Zeynep Tufekci, a professor and frequent tech company critic, wrote on Twitter about Duplex. “Silicon Valley is ethically lost, rudderless and has not learned a thing.”

Drinking The Koolaid
Microsoft Build was last week. Developers and the Microsoft press were there.
Premium Paul Thurrott said. “Microsoft, Back on Track” (pay-walled)
iVerge, “But mixed within all of that were some exciting announcements: new Windows features, improvements for voice assistants, and helpful new cloud services.”
Cnet, “It’s all about AI and the web now.”
I don’t like here Windows is headed. I don’t like where Microsoft is headed. I don’t like where AI is headed.

‘Bout Time
IBM is banning removable media use for most employees, most of the time. IMHO most companies and government agencies should have done this a decade or more ago.

Off Topic
Stuff I bookmarked the last few days.

Yes, Pluto is a planet (great comment at Slashdot)

What Sunscreen Numbers Mean? Top-Rated SPF Products For This Summer

Map: The States That Drink The Most Beer In America (2018). I’m very disappointed in my state.

George Dickel Tennessee Whisky Releases New TABASCO® Brand Barrel Finish – A Partnership Made In The South. 2 of my favs, bourbon and Tabasco. Not sure how I feel about te combo but I gotta try it once. Did you know Tabasco is aged in barrels just like bourbon?

Cap2Cap Bike Ride
I’ve mentioned this before but we are fortunate in Virginia to have several great bike trails. The best one nearest me is called the Virginia Capital Trail.

“The Virginia Capital Trail is the product of a successful public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation (VCTF).
The Virginia Capital Trail Foundation (VCTF) is a nonprofit, 501 (c)(3) organization, with a mission to enhance, promote, and advocate for the continued development of the Virginia Capital Trail, a 52-mile dedicated multi-use trail connecting Richmond and Williamsburg along the beautiful and historic Route 5 corridor.“

Yesterday was the annual fundraiser Cap2Cap ride. Distances of 15, 25, 50, and 100 miles are options. I did the 25 miler. Granted it was only about my 6th ride of the year but I don’t know how you guys manage to do 100 miles. My hats off to you!

Android Scan To PDF

By

I needed a way to scan contracts to my phone. Google search brought up several options, Adobe, Camscan, and others. They either wanted yet another account for decent options or wanted you to buy a premium version. Turns out the best option for me was right there all along.
Google Drive has scan to PDF built in. I didn’t know so I thought I would share.
Scan documents with Google Drive (Android)
Scan documents with Google Drive (iPhone) – “You can’t scan documents with Google Drive on iPhone and iPad.” ROTFL

Wednesday Random Stuff…

By

***Patch Now***
Backup your computer with a disk image and run Windows Update.
Critical bugs are being actively exploited. These bugs were patched yesterday.

New Nvidia Drivers
Nvidia Geforce Game Ready 397.64 WHQL Drivers are out.
“Provides the optimal gaming experience for Destiny 2: Warmind, Conan Exiles, and Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire”
Download | Release Notes

Roger, Over And Out
Some dude asked, “Is Google crossing a line with new AI that pretends to be human?“.
Crossed the line? They cut the line into little shreds and torched it.

You’ve Got To Be Sh**ing Me
Someone is upset because people aren’t talking nice to Amazon Alexa.
“When you’re a child, you should respect a grown-up — even if she’s in a little black cylinder”
It’s not a grown-up, it’s a fracking box.
“Hearing a child boss around a digital assistant could be disconcerting”

Off Topic

KIX Celebrates 30th Anniversary Of ‘Blow My Fuse’ With ‘Fuse 30 Reblown’

He searched for his Japanese birth mother. He found her — and the restaurant she had named after him.

Patch Tuesday

By

Windows Updates Available
You got Windows, you got updates. (Microsoft Security Update Summary for May 8, 2018) below)
May 8, 2018—KB4103721 (OS Build 17134.48)
*Until further notice my advice is to wait a week or so to see what the fallout is over the latest updates. It seems every single update breaks something anymore.

Of Course
What would Patch Tuesday be without Adobe patching another flaw in Flash Player?
APSB18-16 Security update available for Adobe Flash Player
Version 29.0.0.171 is out.
for Firefox, Opera
for Internet Explorer
Flash for Edge, IE 11, and Chrome update automatically with the browser.

Off Topic

Equifax confirms data breach included driver’s licenses and passports
Jail. Someone needs to go to jail.

The average American works more hours than a medieval peasant
I wonder if it is all worth it? Some synonyms for peasant: boor, bumpkin, hayseed, hick, oaf, peon, rube, serf.

[Read more…] about Patch Tuesday

Windows 10 Game Mode And Ultimate Performance Power Plan

By

In prep for the upcoming revision of the Win10 Tweak Guide I have some thoughts about Game Mode and the Ultimate Performance Power Plan.
Lemme give you my conclusion right out of the box. IMHO, for performance Game Mode and the Ultimate Performance Power Plan are pure snake oil.
[Read more…] about Windows 10 Game Mode And Ultimate Performance Power Plan

Monday Random Stuff…

By

You Can’t Opt Out Of Sharing Your Data, Even If You Didn’t Opt In
“So does that mean that, in addition to locking down our own privacy choices, we need to police the choices of our friends and family? No, said Cohen, Gillmor and Viljoen. In fact, the privacy of the commons means that, in some cases, your data is collected in ways you cannot reasonably prevent, no matter how carefully you or anyone you know behaves.”
Sad fact.

Microsoft’s Satya Nadella Said
Lot’s of articles out there quoting (often wrongly) what he said at the MS Build Conference. So I went looking for the transcript.
You can download it here: Satya Nadella: Build 2018
“We ensure that when we use data, it is to benefit the user.”
Look, I don’t know much about the man but he really needs someone to look over his speeches. The “It’s for your own good” excuse is just lame and frankly a little insulting.
Then he said, “We ensure that the user is always in control of their data and its use.”
I’m…uh…hmmm…
I…um…that’s…man o man…

Windows Commands Reference
A PDF containing an overview and alphabetical listing of Windows commands.
Download

You Don’t Say…
A new report says the Chinese government is behind a decade of hacks on software companies.
Is there anyone that is even remotely surprised by this?

Personal privacy vs. public security: fight!
Good read on this topic. Recommended.

Off Topic

AT&T/Verizon lobby asks FCC to help raise prices on smaller ISPs

Android P will finally restrict apps from monitoring your network activity

How Robin Williams was being torn apart and couldn’t fight back
My name is Wil Wheaton. I live with chronic Depression, and I am not ashamed.

Lyme Disease Is On The Rise Again. Here’s How To Prevent It