Eight steps to a backup strategy using Windows own built-in tools, plus four more to handle Microsoft's plans to retire one of those tools.

Some hackers just go for the low-hanging fruit and try the most common passwords, and there is one scenario where brute force works very well.

Password-strength meters don't always agree. My take is to avoid them completely.

User Account Control, or UAC, pops up when programs need special permission to do something. I'll look at when those are, and are not, appropriate.

CCleaner, a popular Windows utility, accidentally included malware in its download for a time. Here's my take on what to be concerned about and what to do.

There are many, many alternatives to Microsoft Office. Whether or not they'll work for you depends on your needs.

You can rely on online services for many things, but it's unwise to rely on them too much.

One of the largest data breaches in history has left many wondering what to do next.

Even though an image backup contains everything, that doesn't mean you need to restore it all if you only need one file.

It's possible to get malware, even with anti-malware tools installed. Why the heck is that true?