Data Doctors Tech Tips

Data breaches can be tracked back to the late 1800's from news articles about thieves stealing important records, so they're nothing new. Cyber-thieves go where the data lives and the last couple of years have been some of the worst on record based on the volume of records exposed by data breaches. What's very important to understand is that when your account information is ever breached, you can't ever use the associated password ever again. The underworld started compiling huge databases of stolen passwords long ago, because they know that a large number of users will use the same password on many online accounts. When they target a site, they don't have to guess what a password might be, they can just cross reference the hashed password against the stolen password database. Knowing if your accounts have ever been breached is important, so there are couple of web resources posted at DataDoctors.com/radio that will allow you to check to see if you're e-mail address or username is part of the known breached accounts https://haveibeenpwned.com https://shouldichangemypassword.com Using long unique passwords on every site is key, so on Monday, I'll share password management tips with you.

When it comes to using the Internet, we've all become accustomed to a certain level of performance, so when things don't work the way that we expect, frustration sets in. Not knowing whether it's the Internet connection or your computer or some other confusing geek speak like a DNS server or a firewall preventing access just adds to the problem. The problem can be even more problematic on the road, when you have to get some work done using a hotel or coffee shop wifi connection that's just not getting the job done. A free tool for diagnosing these types of problems is available for Google Chrome and it can be a big help. The Connectivity Diagnostic browser add-on is a really easy way to do what it suggests: diagnose all of the variables that impact your surfing session. Once the add-on is installed, you just click on it to run an extensive test that checks 9 different connectivity components and lets you know if any of them is causing your issues. Even when you don't have a clue what it's telling you, the information comes in very handy when you call someone else for help! http://goo.gl/H6VGqx

You're surfing the Internet as you always do and suddenly an official looking warning pops up and claims that you're computer has been infected. Since it appears to look like an official Windows warning, you tap the OK button and the next thing you know, you're toast. The fake warning takes over your system and won't allow you to do anything else, but they do offer to fix your newly discovered problem for a small fee. This scenario is fooling folks into paying because they are very convincing and scary at the same time, which is causing a big increase in these types of malicious attacks in recent weeks. They often use program names like Windows Ultimate Booster and Windows Safety Master, but if you click on any part of the pop-up, even the cancel button, the program will still execute its attack. The next time you see anything unusual pop-up claiming to be an official warning, don't click on anything in the box to play it safe. You can sidestep the attempt by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del which brings up the Task Manager and the option to select the scam and end the process. If you're unfamiliar with this process for both Windows and Mac operating systems, we've posted a link to an instructional video at DataDoctors.com/radio http://youtu.be/LP09QSwKE5Y

Attempting to speak a foreign language can be truly intimidating, especially if you're self-conscious about the pronunciation of foreign words. Hearing others pronounce the words properly can go a long way to improving your confidence, but it's not very practical to call a bilingual friend every time you want help pronouncing a particular word or phrase. Well, a web resource called http://Forvo.com can become you virtual multi-lingual friend whenever you want help pronouncing words or phrases in over 300 languages. It's a crowdsourcing site that allows folks from all over the world to record how just how they say words in their native tongue. What's great about the collective is that even if a word or phrase isn't in the database, you can request to have someone record it for you. For anyone about to take a trip abroad, downloading the audio for words and phrases you plan to use can be invaluable. As a bonus tip, when you need to translate words from English before you use Forvo, just ask Google to translate first so you can get the authentic pronunciation from the site. You can now communicate with more confidence when you're faced with ordering a meal in a foreign restaurant with the help of your smartphone!

Have you ever found yourself being a little more productive at a coffee shop than you are at your home or office cubical? Is it the caffeinated water that's making you more productive or is it the ambiance? Some research is suggesting that it's possibly the ambient noise that can make you more productive or creative. It turns out that really quiet environments or really loud surrounding can be counterproductive, which makes the background noise in your coffee shop just right. Want to test out this theory out on your productivity without leaving your home or office? Well, there's a website and an app for that! A site called http://coffitivity.com has created a simple way to replicate the ambient noise common in most coffee houses, cafeterias and campus cafes whenever you're trying to be more productive. If you find the website to be helpful, you can even download the app for Android or iPhone smartphones so you can take the sounds with you wherever you go. Some users are enjoying Coffitivity as a way to drown out all the distractions in their work environment, although your mileage may vary!

Have you ever found yourself wanting to download a YouTube video so you can watch it offline or to capture the music into an MP3 file? Well, it's actually a piece of cake to do! There's no shortage of sites that can manage this task, but my personal favorite is a site called http://dirpy.com because it's super fast and simple to use. All you have to do is paste in the link of the Youtube video you want to download to get started. If, for instance, you only want the audio, you simply choose the sound quality you want and then click the download button. If you want the complete video file, you just choose which of the video resolutions you want with the lowest ones being the smallest then click the download button. Once the audio or video file is downloaded, you can watch it on your computer or transfer it to your mobile devices to watch or listen wherever you want. This can be especially helpful if you're about to go on a long road trip with young children because it's a quick way to download lots of content that'll keep them occupied for free without an Internet connection!

An important part of contributing to your community is getting involved in causes you believe in which often times means that raising money comes into the process. The traditional methods of raising money are certainly still quite valid but leveraging social media and other digital resources can dramatically increase your chances of raising the needed funds. A website called http://Razoo.com is specifically setup for those that need to fundraise online. Whether it's for a non-profit, a foundation, a commercial entity or for an individual, as long as it is a recognized 501(c)(3), Razzo's platform could be one of your best resources. In addition to being and easy system to setup and use, they're also one of the lowest cost platforms for crowdfunding campaigns, which allows for more of the donations to go to your cause. You can even embed your campaign onto a Facebook page or website so you can more effectively promote your campaign to get the word out. Razoo campaigns are all tax-deductible and they even offer a way to accept recurring donations if your campaign is ongoing. It's also a wonderful way to find local charities you may want to donate to!

If you know anyone searching for a home, condo or apartment to rent, today's tip could save them a bunch of time. Constantly searching through want ads and then trying to figure out where each on is actually located becomes a big time suck. While there are a lot of resources to find rental properties, a company called Lovely has both a website and a mobile app to make the search a lot easier. Lovely performs the duty of a traditional rental agent by monitoring all kinds of websites for rental properties and then maps them in the app or on the web. Time is of the essence when a new desirable property hits the market, so Lovely shows new listings in orange and provides alerts when new properties that fit your criteria pop up. For landlords, Lovely Pro offers tools that will allow you to List your property, search the database of potential renters and even run credit reports on those requesting to become renters. You can even setup your tenant with automatic rent collection through the system for next to nothing! Lovely takes all the hassle out for landlords and renters plus it is easy to use! The links to Lovely and Lovely Pro are both posted at DataDoctors.com/radio https://pro.livelovely.com/welcome https://livelovely.com

There's a critical element for navigating the Internet known as a DNS server that plays an essential part in getting you to the websites you seek every day. DNS, which stands for Domain Name System acts sort of like a traffic cop giving directions to your computer when you type in web addresses. Your specific DNS settings are determined by your Internet Service Provider by default, but you may not be aware of the benefits of changing those default settings. Both reliability and Internet speeds can be improved and if you're the parent of screenagers, you can lock down adult content or malicious websites for everyone in your household. One of my all-time favs is OpenDNS because it's free fast, super reliable and really easy to setup. It also gives you complete control over what everyone in the house has access to on every device. The best way to leverage this awesome tool is to change the DNS settings in the router in your home or business so that everyone has improved performance and the protection level you setup. If you're not sure how to do this, check with the support section of your specific routers website to learn how. The link to learning more is at: http://www.opendns.com/home-internet-security/parental-controls/opendns-home

Once again we were contacted by a frantic Gmail user asking for help because they were locked out of their own account. Google provides a number of resources for recovering a locked out account, but a security step he could have taken long ago would have prevented it from ever happening in the first place. It's called 2-step verification and it's really easy to setup. Once you turn on the 2-step verification option, even if someone else gains access to your password, they won't gain access to your account and here's why: Google tracks any strange computers that are trying to access your account and sends a special code to your phone when it detects new activity. Without the special code, whoever has your password won't get in and you'll be alerted to the fact that your password has been compromised. Think about it: If you suddenly get an a text code sent to you out of the blue, you'll know that it's time to change your password because someone clearly knows it. You can protect virtually every major online account using this method, so if you want the step by step instructions for setting it up, checkout the link we have posted at DataDoctors.com/radio so you can secure all your accounts today. http://twofactorauth.org