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Security

Patch Tuesday

December 12, 2017, 15:58(EST) By Eric (a.k.a. TweakHound)

windows security

Time To Run Windows Update
Patches available for all things Microsoft. Full breakdown at the end of this post.
Windows 10 – December 12, 2017—KB4053580 (OS Build 15063.786)
“This update includes quality improvements. No new operating system features are being introduced in this update.”

Flash Updated
APSB17-42 Security updates available for Adobe Flash Player
Download for Firefox and Opera: Adobe Flash Player 28.0.0.126
Download for Internet Explorer: Adobe Flash Player 28.0.0.126

CCleaner 5.38 Released
***WARNING*** As of this writing only the standard build available. No portable or slim.
I am not downloading this until a portable version is available.
CCleaner Forums post about this:
“The devs have decided to delay the portable version until the slim release. it is unclear if this is just for this version or going forward but this is a test trial of this policy.”
I am considering switching to Privacy Eraser. If anyone is/has used this please chime in.

[Read more…] about Patch Tuesday

Tagged With: Security

Monday Random Stuff…

December 11, 2017, 16:11(EST) By Eric (a.k.a. TweakHound)

Another HP Keylogger
Security researcher Michael Myng found a keylogger on some HP laptops. There was one found earlier this year. This is on top of spyware found on HP devices.
Yikes!

GET OFF OF FACEBOOK
Another former Facebook exec rips social media:
“I think we have created tools that are ripping apart the social fabric of how society works…No civil discourse, no cooperation; misinformation, mistruth. And it’s not an American problem — this is not about Russians ads. This is a global problem.”
source: iVerge

Tagged With: Privacy, Security

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Just Got Owned

December 11, 2017, 15:06(EST) By Eric (a.k.a. TweakHound)

Many of the computing worlds pioneers and best and brightest took the FCC chairman to school. In a letter to four Congressmen and an attached document they laid out the case for Net Neutrality and why repealing it is wrong. I’ve read both the letter and the attached document (53-page document, 43 plus credits). They are works of art. IMHO all Computer Science majors should be required to read them. If you are remotely interested in your internet freedom you should read them. If you want to understand anything about this issue you should read them.
The basic premise is that the argument that Ajit Pai is making is… well, here are some key phrases:
“appears to lack a fundamental understanding”
“fundamental misunderstanding”
“fundamentally misunderstands”
“analysis is fundamentally flawed”
“inaccurately portraying”
“This analysis is fundamentally flawed and again shows a basic misunderstanding of how the Internet works.”
“displays a stunning lack of technical knowledge”

and my favorite:
“This interpretation of the role ISPs play in a customer’s online experience is so fundamentally alien to the standard conception of how the Internet works that a well-known April Fools’ joke addresses precisely this question.”

The signers of the letter are a Who’s Who of the internet and computing world including the inventor of the World Wide Web, and the co-founder of Apple Computer.
The folks that put the document together is darn near as impressive.

Letter: Internet Pioneers and Leaders Tell the FCC: You Don’t Understand How the Internet Works
PDF: Joint Comments of Internet Engineers, Pioneers, and Technologists on the Technical Flaws in the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rule-making and the Need for the Light-Touch, Bright-Line Rules from the Open Internet Order

Tagged With: Security

Random Weekend Stuff…

December 9, 2017, 12:39(EST) By Eric (a.k.a. TweakHound)

Disqus Acquired
I forgot about this. Comment system Disqus got bought out by a marketing firm.
I deleted my account.

Thinking About Building A New PC Soon
This will be my main PC. Intel i7-8700 based (Z370 chipset). I’m thinking no overclocking. May switch to Nvidia GPU. This also may be a Linux PC with Windows in VMs.
Dual M2’s (non-RAID) + a 4TB HD. 960 EVOs for the M2s as I do not think the Pros are worth the money.
This PC needs to last several years.
Any thoughts?

Ancestery DNA Testing
At a Christmas party talking to a guy with the same last name as me. He says his Dad just got an ancestry DNA test and he was only 10% Welsh and 90% Western European. We discussed issues like migration and conquering being factors. I asked him what he thought about the privacy implications of the DNA test. I got a blank stare. I explained that you basically sign away all rights and that you’ve no idea what they are doing with your data. This could have profound effects not only for his Dad but, his Dad siblings, him and his siblings, his children, and their children… Not sure if what I was saying got through and I moved the conversation on to another topic.
I don’t agree with Chuck Schumer on much of anything but he had a great quote a few days ago:
“When it comes to protecting consumers’ privacy from at-home DNA test kit services, the federal government is behind. Besides, putting your most personal genetic information in the hands of third parties for their exclusive use raises a lot of concerns, from the potential for discrimination by employers all the way to health insurance,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “That’s why I am asking the Federal Trade Commission to take a serious look at this relatively new kind of service and ensure that these companies have clear, fair privacy policies and standards for all kinds of at-home DNA test kits. We don’t want to impede research but we also don’t want to empower those looking to make a fast buck or an unfair judgement off your genetic information. We can find the right balance here, and we must.”
Schumer added, “There is no point to learning about your family tree if your privacy gets chopped down in the process.”

Gillette Fusion Manual Men’s Razor Blade Refills, 12 Count – $23.95
Must clip $6 coupon (see pic below)
Amazon will tell you it is a total of $24.04 off but this is $29.95 at Walmart.com so the net savings is actually $6.

Tagged With: Security

Wednesday Random Stuff…

December 6, 2017, 16:44(EST) By Eric (a.k.a. TweakHound)

google chrome

Google Chrome Updated
” The Chrome team is delighted to announce the promotion of Chrome 63 to the stable channel for Windows, Mac and Linux. This will roll out over the coming days/weeks.
Chrome 63.0.3239.84 contains a number of fixes and improvements — a list of changes is available in the log. Watch out for upcoming Chrome and Chromium blog posts about new features and big efforts delivered in 63.
This update includes 37 security fixes.
”
Download

Battle For The Net
https://www.battleforthenet.com/
“The new chairman of the FCC was a top lawyer at Verizon. Now he’s calling for a vote to kill net neutrality. We’re protesting at retail stores across the U.S. to demand that Congress stop Verizon’s puppet FCC from destroying the Internet as we know it.”
Join The Protest

Tagged With: Security, Software

Monday Random Stuff…

December 4, 2017, 16:01(EST) By Eric (a.k.a. TweakHound)

intellogo

The Intel Management Engine Issue
Most Intel chipsets have the Intel Management Engine. We will call this IME. IME is in a separate, tiny microprocessor on your motherboard. IME does stuff “during boot-up, while the computer is running, and while it is asleep”. You’ll need to do a little reading to fully understand it but security and privacy experts say this is a security and privacy risk.
PC manufacturers are now selling systems with IME disabled.
You can try and disable this yourself. There isn’t any way in h-e-double-toothpicks I would attempt it.
Got IME?
Download, extract, and run the following. It will tell you your IME version if you have it and check for the current vulnerability.
Intel-SA-00086 Detection Tool
Further reading:
Intel Management Engine Flaws Leave Millions of PCs Exposed
Intel’s Management Engine is a security hazard, and users need a way to disable it

The Net Neutrality Discussion – What The Tech (FF video to approx the 47 minute mark)

Tagged With: Security

uMatrix Firefox Add-on

November 24, 2017, 09:20(EST) By Eric (a.k.a. TweakHound)

windows security

I’m trying a new add-on called uMatrix. It is from the same guy that brought you uBlock Origin.
“uMatrix: A point-and-click matrix-based firewall, with many privacy-enhancing tools.
*For advanced users.*
uMatrix put you in full control of where your browser is allowed to connect, what type of data it is allowed to download, and what it is allowed to execute. Nobody else decides for you: You choose. You are in full control of your privacy.
”
As stated above, this is for advanced users. Like Noscript it can make using the web difficult at first until you train it.
If you are using uMatrix, or you try it please let me know what you think.
In the pic below I have disabled my usual extensions of Noscript and uBlock Origin so I can get a true picture of what is going on.

***I’ve said this before and I will say it again.
Do not whitelist 3rd party ad servers on any site, including this one. I know other website operators beg you to whitelist for their site. Ads track you, ads often get caught serving malware. I have Google Ads because I average enough per month to help keep this site going. I hope you are smart enough to never see them. How I finance my site is my problem not yours. You do not need 3rd party connections to have an ad on your site. I reference the Torguard ad in the right sidebar. I created it. Readers see the unintrusive ad and can click on it if they are interested. There is no connection to a 3rd party.

Tagged With: Security

One Of My Congressmen Responded To My Pro-Net Neutrality Email

November 22, 2017, 14:04(EST) By Eric (a.k.a. TweakHound)

I’m going to post a picture of his email to me. It will be followed by the text of his letter as well as my response.
[Read more…] about One Of My Congressmen Responded To My Pro-Net Neutrality Email

Tagged With: Security

Battle For The Net

November 22, 2017, 08:35(EST) By Eric (a.k.a. TweakHound)

Tagged With: Security

Net Neutrality

November 21, 2017, 17:34(EST) By Eric (a.k.a. TweakHound)

Google news search – net neutrality

The FCC has announced it will repeal Net Neutrality. They are ignoring the will of the people.

EFF – Today—and Every Day—We Fight to Defend the Open Internet
“Today, we heard from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) about its plans to devastate Network Neutrality. Instead of responding to the millions of Americans who want to protect the free and open Internet, the FCC instead is ceding to the demands of a handful of massive ISPs, like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T…
The FCC’s new approach invites a future where only the largest Internet, cable, and telephone companies survive, while every start-up, small business, and new innovator is crowded out—and the voices of nonprofits and ordinary individuals are suppressed. Costs will go up, as ISPs take advantage of monopoly power to raise rates on edge providers and consumers alike. And the FCC’s proposed plan adds salt to the wound by interfering with state efforts to protect consumer privacy and competition.
”
There is a link at the bottom of this article to help you contact your Congressmen. It took me about 3 minutes to do it and that was with a custom message. PLEASE take 3 minutes to protect the future of the internet.

Raw Story – What is net neutrality? FCC to roll back Obama-era rule
“If the internet is a data highway system, internet service providers like AT&T, Comcast or Verizon are supposed to function as road crews, not toll booth operators. “Network neutrality” means that all internet service providers must treat data that travels over their networks “without discrimination in favor of particular apps, sites or services.” In other words, net neutrality prohibits the internet service providers from slowing down, blocking or speeding up certain content in favor or detriment of other content. It also prevents the giant internet service providers from stifling competition from other enterprises such as Netflix or Google.”
Thanks Scott!

New York Times – FCC Plans Net Neutrality Repeal in Victory for Telecoms
“The Federal Communications Commission announced on Tuesday that it planned to dismantle landmark regulations that ensure equal access to the internet, clearing the way for companies to charge more and block access to some websites.”

NPR – FCC Unveils Plan To Repeal Net Neutrality Rules
“The vote is expected to repeal so-called net neutrality rules, which prevent broadband companies from slowing down or blocking any sites or apps, or otherwise deciding what content gets to users faster.”

The Washington Post – FCC plan would give Internet providers power to choose the sites customers see and use
“Former Democratic FCC chairman Tom Wheeler, who drafted the 2015 net neutrality rules, called Tuesday’s move “tragic,” adding that “if you like your cable company, you’ll love what this does for the Internet.
“The job of the FCC is to represent the consumer,” he said in an interview. “Tragically, this decision is only for the benefit of the largely monopoly services that deliver the Internet to the consumer.”
”

iVerge – FCC announces vote to destroy net neutrality next month
“This is a puzzling plan and one that the FCC has to be well aware will not offer any legitimate consumer protections. Companies’ terms of service and related policies aren’t meant to protect consumers, they’re meant to protect companies — and they can change at a moment’s notice. While it’s entirely possible that a company could violate its own policies and get in trouble with the FTC, a company could also just promise open internet protections until it doesn’t feel like following them any more, rewrite its policies, and then implement new and potentially discriminatory practices.”

Popular Mechanics – FCC Is Revving Up to Destroy the Internet As We Know It
“The Federal Communications Commission, under Chairman Ajit Pai, is preparing to completely undermine the founding principle that has defined a free and open internet since the foundation of the World Wide Web. The FCC has today released a plan to completely roll back all net neutrality legislation under the guise of “restoring internet freedom.“

Tagged With: Security

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