Data Doctors Tech Tips

Last Friday, I explained the dangers of using the same password on all your online accounts, which then leads to th question: How am I supposed to remember all those complicated passwords? The answer is YOU CAN NOT; you need help from some for of password management system when using a differnt long, complicated passwords for each of your online accounts. Password management programs are the best way to generate and manage those passwords on all your devices and websites in the most secure manner. When you use them, you only have to remember a single password. They all use encrypted storage of your passwords and offer everything from password generators to auto form fillers to two-factor authentication, while integrating into the browser on your computer or mobile device. The setup process may seem a bit complicated for non-technical people, but once the program is setup, it really is very simple to use. One of our favorites for new users is called LastPass which comes in both a free and a premium version. The free version allows you to test it risk free and you will only need to pay the annual fee if you like the premium options. If you need help, ask for it because this problem is way too important to ignore! https://www.lastpass.com

Data breaches are truly nothing new, as they can be tracked back to the late 1800's in news articles describing the theft of important records. Today's cyber criminals go where the data is and as we all know, these past couple of years have been some of the worst on record based of the sheer volume and quality of the data exposed in the breaches. What is really important to understand is that when any account information is stolen, you can never ever use any associated passwords anywhere ever again. The criminals started creating huge databases of known passwords long ago, because they know so many people still use the same username and password for all their online accounts. When hackers target a website, they don't bother trying to guess what a password might be when they can simply cross reference the 'hashed' password against this massive stolen password database. Knowing whether any of your accounts has ever been compromised is important, so there are are lots of websites that I've posted at DataDoctors.com/radio that allow you to quickly check to see if usernames tied to your email address are part of the known breached sites. https://haveibeenpwned.com https://shouldichangemypassword.com How Many Times Has Your Personal Info Been Exposed?: https://goo.gl/1NzYFN Using a long password that's different on each site is critical to security, so on Monday, I will share password management tips with you.

We've all expect a certain level of performance when we're surfing the Internet these days, so when it doesn't work the way that we want them to, it gets frustrating. Sometimes it is because of your Internet connection and other times it may be your computer or some other confusing tech term like a 'DNS server' or firewall settings just to add to the fun. This problem can be even more a problem for road warriors, when work has to get done using coffee shop wifi or a slow hotel connection that isn't cooperating. An awesome free diagnostic tool for this scenario is available for the Google Chrome brower called the 'Connectivity Diagnostic' add-on. It's a really simple way to do what the name suggests: diagnose the variables that can impact using the Internet. Once you install the add-on, you simply click on it whenever you want to run an extensive test that will check nine connectivity points and then it lets you know which one may be causing your issues. Even if you do not know what the tool is telling you, the diagnostic info will come in handy when you call for help! http://goo.gl/H6VGqx

Do It Yourself home-automation gadgets that are affordable had a huge presence once again at this year's CES represented by a much larger number of companies promoting their options. While these low-cost, easy to setup gadgets can be really interesting, deciding on the wrong automation platform can become a big pain down the road. Major players such as Samsung and LG are already integrating smart home features into most of the appliances they're creating. If you are considering any type of DIY home automation, something you should look for are the more open standards that will support the various protocols and devices that are on the market. One of our favorites is still the SmartThings platform, now owned by Samsung, because they use an open standard that will work with over a thousand different automation gadgets including Phillips Hue lightbulbs and the Wemo line from Belkin. What makes the platform even more powerful is that users can generate new uses for the platform and share those ideas with the rest of the SmartThings community. A word of caution: since all of these DIY devices use your wireless network, it's critically important that you have properly setup security on your wireless router before you get started. Learn all about Smartthings at http://www.smartthings.com

Whenever you plan a trip to a new destination, it's always a good idea to try to get insider information, especially from people that have "been there, done that"! Well their's a website for that and it's called Viator. Viator specializes in providing research info on interesting activities around the world which has been developed by real travel experts over the past fifteen years. Using this resource is not about trying to find the lowest price on anything, although they do offer a price guarantee if you book with them. I am usually more interested in reliable local experts and operators that continue to get good customer feedback/reviews because nothing can ruin an awesome trip like a crappy experience while trying to save a few bucks. The recommendations are extensive and cover over one-hundred countries that also includes some 'VIP' tips if you are more into exclusive options. Each of the posted activities comes with an overview and highlights, what you should expect, reviews and vital logistical details so you are better prepared. At major destinations, you can also get a complete 'Insider's Guide' with events during your visit, the top attractions and what 'the insiders' like doing most in the area. Check it out for yourself at https://viator.com, that's spelled V I A T O R.

It has always been a little 'iffy' to use a USB drive that you don't know anything about, but now it has gotten downright dangerous. Malware of all kinds has always been a threat from unknown USB drives but most up-to-date anti-virus software could detect and block any threats. But after a recent exploit was demonstrated at this year's 'Black Hat' conference showing a way for hackers to change the actual 'firmware' on USB devices where they can hide malicious code. This type of exploit is virtually undetectable by standard securityscanners and basically un-patchable, which means there's no simple fix for what is essentially a design flaw. With this now known, it is vitally important that you always avoid using any USB drive that you do not own or know the owner of and never, ever plug in a USB drive that someone else 'seems to have lost'. cyber attackers can drop infected USB drives on college campuses and near large secure businesses hoping to make it easy to gain access to those secured systems. Every business should be warning their employees about this new trick and setup very clear policies on USB usage.

You have likely heard of the wildly successful texting app called 'Snapchat' that allows users to send messages and pictures that disappear after being viewed by the recipient. You have also likely heard that it is a big hit with younger users and that you can take a screenshot of any message or picture that's send, making the self destruct feature pretty useless. There are times when you may want to send a message to someone, but the fear of what could happen to the message after you send it that may keep you from sending it. An alternative app called 'Confide' presents itself as "the confidential messenger" for business users. Whether you are in the middle of a legal battle or dealing with sensitive negotiations, keeping sent messages confidential and temporary can be comforting. Confide only allows text messages and the recipient must run their finger over each block to unveil a portion of the text underneath, so the entire message never appears all at once. Of course, the recipient could record a video while reading the text, so it isn't considered 100% secure, but it's a lot better than Snapchat. Anyone looking to communicate 'off the record' should checkout http://GetConfide.com.

Anyone that spends much time in the outdoors can find themselves in the middle of nowhere with no chance of having a cell signal. Generally speaking, that's a good thing, but sometimes you would like the security of connectivity if you get lost or need help. A device called 'goTenna' was designed to offer an option for communicating with your group when phone service isn't an option. goTenna allows you to send and receive text messages and share GPS coordinates with your friends that have the device as well. The range can be expansive; 1-50 miles, depending upon the surrounding terrain. Settings like a ski resort for example, would most likely give you better range than a downtown area that has lots of tall buildings. I just returned from a large music festival where having the goTenna system would have been a much better way to communicate because the cellular networks were almost useless because of the volume of traffic. To learn more about this device, visit goTenna.com for the details.

Twitter is a useful communication tool, especially in business, but it's still one of the most misunderstood social networks for casual users. As with any social platform, if you don't have some sort of strategy, it isn't going to create much value. With Twitter, evaluating who's following can be helpful in unlocking potential value and a website called SocialRank.com makes this easy. It's a free tool that will provide you with intelligence into your most valuable, most engaging and your best followers. Let's face it, Twitter is essentially a popularity contest and understanding who actually is popular that is following you can help to strategically engage in conversations. Location can also be a major factor, depending on the type of business you are in, so SocialRank allows you to filter your followers by location. You can also filter others by keywords in their bio, making it a lot easier to connect based on user backgrounds. If you have never thought much about connecting with others that are following you on Twitter, give https://www.socialrank.com a test run.

I have posted in the past about the risky use of images you randomly find online to use on your website or blog and it still continues to be a topic of feedback. It is clear to me that many people still don't realize that they are violating a copyright when they post 'public' images on their website. To avoid getting caught up in a costly legal situation, make it a point to review all the images you have posted on websites or blogs. If you're not sure where they came from, I would suggest you delete them and replace them with images that will not put you in harm's way. Services like Getty Images have opened up large libraries with images that you can use to embed on your site free of charge, as long as you follow their guidelines. Another option is to look for images that fall under the 'Creative Commons' license which essentially means that image owners have allowed you to use their images for free under certain conditions and uses. To play it safe, you can purchase images at sites like BigStockPhoto.com for a couple of dollars each. Taking image copyrights for granted will cost you thousands of dollars per image if you're caught, so don't take it lightly...the link to my advice column on image usage is posted at DataDoctors.com/radio http://www.datadoctors.com/help/columns/21988