Cool(ing)! 'Cause it's spring..and it's still cold

Hey all, I go to Utah State University... which means that it still feels cold a lot of the time even though it's almost May. And this has nothing to do with the article I read, but it had the world "cool" in it, which made me think of it (welcome to my mind?).

So! Cooling. Liquid versus Fans. Which one is better? Well, it depends on your needs. And budgets. And craftiness. Super sweet article at pcworld, and one of the easy benefits of liquid cooling is the sound. It's very quiet, especially compared to these fans we've been using forever. Air cooling benefit? Very cheap, reliable (hey, we've been using them for forever). More liquid benefits is the efficiency of it. The biggest drawbacks though are the cost and how much work goes into attaching it to the right parts correctly. If you've ever been curious about cooling options, this is an easy-read article, and you should check it out.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2028293/liquid-cooling-vs-traditional-cooling-what-you-need-to-know.html

Recycling

In honor of Earth Day (yesterday, yes, I forgot), I found an article about recycling your old tech stuff. It starts with properly removing all data so it's not recoverable (doesn't matter if everything is "deleted" if it can still be rebuilt), and it goes through all of the different ways you can recycle it. If you're like me (cough, or my family, cough), then you've probably accumulated a lot of junk. Like old mp3 players, old monitors, old desktops, and many other tech products like that. These are things you'll want to wipe properly and you probably don't want cluttering your house anymore. I recommend taking the time some weekend to do it, maybe as part of your spring/summer cleaning?? There are some helpful tips and steps listed in the article if you get a little lost or need some guidance. Happy (Belated) Earth Day!

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2035435/recycle-your-old-tech-gear.html

Skitch: I think I'm addicted to Evernote.

Skitch is one of those few apps that makes me really wish I had a tablet - or a larger smartphone screen. You've always been able to draw/take actual notes using the app, but one of those drawbacks from the Evernote app (and ecosystem) was the lack of being able to markup PDFs. Well, Skitch has now integrated that ability, and now you can take notes with it. This would have been really helpful during the leadership conference I attended last week in Arkansas (http://scweb.aisnet.org/), as I forgot a notebook and pen at one point and mooched off of a friend for a paper. These apps are what's making investing in a tablet/smartphone (LARGE smartphone, in my case) so appealing. They make it so easy to have a one-stop app, and the Evernote ecosystem integrate so seamlessly with each other that it makes it a much needed tool.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2036091/skitch-brings-markup-tools-to-evernote-pdfs.html

12 tips for PC users

I love these How-To articles on PCWorld. These are 12 PC tasks that you should do, but a lot of people don't. General maintenance will help you to get the best experience (and life) from your computer. I'll summarize them in a list here:

1. Clean your computer from dust and crumbs and gross stuff like that
2. Back Up your data
3. Guard against viruses and malware
4. Update Your Software
5. Organize Your Files
6. Remove files/programs that take up space (be careful!)
7. Encrypt
8. Change Passwords
9. Optimize Startup
10. Organize Your Inbox
11. Automate
12. Defragment Regularly

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2032032/12-must-do-pc-tasks.html

Microwaves and Computers - what?

Comparing a personal computer to a microwave seems almost heresy, but one writer managed to do it. And he did it well. According to many reports, the PC is dead, but Brad Chacos managed to express the reality in a better way. In a lot of consumer’s minds, you need a PC, but you don’t always need to have the greatest and latest. We look towards tablets and smart phones for our latest devices, and we buy them because we feel as though we need them. We generally purchase a new desktop or laptop when our previous one has given up the ghost. For example, my laptop will be three years old this summer, so now I am just waiting for it to break before I buy a new one. I’m like a lot of people and use my smartphone for most of my computer needs. There is definitely a place for computers (desktops, laptops, etc.) within each home, but it has taken a place where it’s standard, not a desire for the best. The hardware hasn’t changed much within the past decade, which is why it has gotten to this status within homes. There are changes coming, and the leader of it is Windows with their Surface tablets which are creating new ideas for hardware, such as hybrids, touchscreen notebooks, all-in-ones, and many others. I definitely recommend reading this article. It brings up a lot of really great points, and it definitely has a more positive spin than the “PCS are dead!” stuff you read everywhere.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2034820/pcs-arent-dead-theyre-microwaves.html

Robots - iPhone Robots

I was skimming through articles on Wired.com, and I saw one that said something about the common man’s robot being headless… so I decided to check it out. The article started out discussing how we have all these cool technological devices in our homes, but no robots, even though that was a big thing of the sci-fi future before. This group got together and created a base (with wheels, so it’s movable) for an iPod/iPhone. You download the Romo app (that’s what the robot is called), and it gives the device a face, and it’ll even change features and track you with the sensor. They’re working on creating a lot more advances for it, such as facial recognition between family members and friends, so that it has a “personality”. You can control your Romo with another iOS device, so you could potentially use your outdated phone as the “brain” and face of the Romo, and your current phone as the controller. It looked like they’re even attempting to bring this to the Android market, as well. I think it’s really interesting how our smartphones have become central to our lives, and this is just an example. Our phones are finding ever more uses in our lives and how they interact with us daily. The hardware and the software is there, we just have to learn how to apply it all in a way that is affordable for the “common consumer”. One of the great things about this is that the team opened up the software coding and everything to let other developers create programs that are compatible with Romo, and thereby making it even better and a bigger part of the consumer’s life. One of my favorite parts about the article was the video at the end that gave a spiel about Romo, which I have included a link to on this page.

http://www.wired.com/business/2013/02/common-mans-robot/
http://vimeo.com/51263340#

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office: the software that has always been “needed”. In fact, I’m using it right now for assignments such as this. I’m using the Office 2010, while the Office 2013 was just officially released. I have always loved Office, but as times are changing, I don’t think I will go for it again. They’ve turned it into subscription applications, instead of the buying-once perpetual license. If you discontinue your subscription, then you are unable to create or edit documents and you will only be able to view and print them. This makes your application almost worthless. You can store your documents on the SkyDrive, and you’ll have access to your documents in multiple locations. They’re not technically stored in “the cloud”, but it sure feels that way. So while I have loved Microsoft Office for years, when it comes time for me to upgrade, I will probably stick with a free source that performs the tasks I need, such as Google Drive or OpenOffice. I am not willing to go to a subscription service for my Office suite, while I am willing to shell out some extra cash to buy it and have that version forever. Maybe I’m old-fashioned that way, but it’s the way I bought all of my games and software before, and I loved it.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2026564/microsoft-office-2013-is-here-hands-on-impressions-and-buying-advice.html

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2026981/microsoft-office-subscription-plan-sparks-questions-and-here-are-answers.html

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2027057/four-reasons-you-dont-need-the-new-microsoft-office.html

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2026666/not-ready-for-office-2013-here-are-five-open-alternatives.html

Post-World Backup Day: Hardware

World Backup Day was last Sunday (March 31)! So it's been about a week. I found a handy article about backup drives (although it didn't include information about backup software). It recommends getting a backup drive that is at least double your hard drive size. So if you have a 500GB hard drive, then get a 1TB backup drive. The article also goes through some options of the hardware of backup drives. Maybe my next post will be about software? Now, speaking of World Backup Day... I think it's time for me to go and backup all my data. My laptop is a little aged, so it's always good to be prepared!

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2032508/in-honor-of-world-backup-day-how-to-protect-your-data.html

Note Taking Apps: 3 Big Options

I got on PCWorld to start reading through some articles, when in the top left corner there was a highlighted article that mentioned Evernote and OneNote. Both are products that I love to use. Then it mentioned something about “Google Keep”. Judging from the title of the article, I could guess what the purpose of it is pretty easily. The note-taking, notebook market is pretty much dominated by Evernote and Microsoft OneNote. Google has decided to enter the market, though, with their own app. This article compares all three products to each other to try and determine which ones are the best fits, and it even puts all the information in a handy table at the end of the article.

As it is, I feel like Google Keep is very young. It has yet to form the powers and functions that put Evernote and OneNote at the top of their game. Google Keep needs some more time to realize how users will take advantage of a note-taking program. I love OneNote, but it’s very limited to the way I live my life: I mainly use my iPhone for all my note-taking needs, I don’t always have my laptop, and I don’t have Office 365 (I don’t know if I ever will). OneNote has the best text editor (think about who created Word… yeah, it’s good), but, as it is, it’s limited to my laptop. Google Keep isn’t quite as flexible yet, and it’s only available for Android, not Windows Phones or iOS. Evernote, on the other hand, has a web service, a program you can download on your laptop/desktop, a dedicated app for all devices, and an entire “ecosystem” of apps, such as Skitch, Evernote Food, Evernote Hello, Penultimate, etc. They all sync to your Evernote account, which can make it an indispensable tool in your life. I feel like Evernote is still the best option. Unless you’re a die-hard Google or Microsoft fan and will take anything they create over another product, Evernote allows the most flexibility while still providing a high-quality service. They have options for both personal and business organizational needs, and they provide a great managing system. Evernote has created a niche for themselves, and I feel like their software and apps will be used for a longer time than some of the “fad” apps.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2031818/google-keep-vs-onenote-vs-evernote-we-name-the-note-app-winner.html

Twitter Chat

Twitter is used for connecting. It is used for socializing, sharing, and speaking to the world around you. Hashtags such as #CloudChat used by IBM to discuss cloud computing, is an example of a Twitter Chat. It's easy to get a lot of input using it, and it's easy to share with the world your ideas. However, it's based on Twitter and all of those limitations that it implies. Twitter has 140 character limits, and it can be difficult to ask a complex question within that space, let alone answer it. It's easy to find ways around those limits, but it's not always ideal. I absolutely adore Twitter, though, so I think that Twitter Chat is a great tool for those of us who spend probably way too much time on it.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2032657/listen-for-the-next-big-thing-on-twitter-twitterchats.html

Shortened Links

This is definitely an article that I needed to read, so I'm glad that I took the plunge to click on it. It's about those handy little links that are abbreviated. Twitter uses it a lot, which is understandable since there's a limit of 140 characters per tweet. I never thought about the potential security risk these links could cause, though. You never know where the links could take you, as the usual obvious details are hidden, and they could be Trojan links. There is this really cool extension, though, called "Unshorten.it" for Chrome and Firefox. It allows you to right click on one of those shortened links, and you can "Unshorten this link...", which will take you to a new page where it can tell you all of the information about that link. It's a super handy extension, and there's a link to installing it within the article below. I highly recommend everyone at least consider using it for daily use.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2013522/peek-behind-abbreviated-web-links-with-unshorten-it.html

Downloading

This is by far one of my biggest pet peeves. Fake Download Buttons. It bothers me that so many people are unaware of which ones to avoid (they're usually the biggest and flashiest!), and it bothers me that it works. I would love to be able to help others to learn to differentiate between fake and legitimate downloading buttons. One of my favorite places to download programs is cnet.com, as they keep everything verified and you're less likely to accidentally click on a download button that takes you to a malicious site or downloads a malicious program. This article definitely has some good pointers of how to avoid clicking on those dreaded fake downloads: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2012958/how-to-avoid-fake-download-buttons.html. I suggest EVERYONE go and check this out. It's worth it.

Data, Security Pros, Scary

I read this article because of the title: "Why IT security pros can be scarier than the 'bad guys'". I could understand why they can be, but this article took it in a direction that I wasn't expecting. Our data is always being used and mined for information, to the point where businesses can target us better. Even this post about the article will be used in some way. Because our information is being collected, we could always ask the companies to not track us, but sometimes that defeats the purpose of why you're using them in the first place. For example the article mentioned Pinterest, due to the growing usage of pinners. I have plenty of information, and I know data about me is being collected. However, I love the use of Pinterest in my life, from recipes to inspirational quotes, so I willingly give them my information. I don't think we need to be scared at the way information is being collected, I think we all just need to be aware that we are willingly giving them that information about us by utilizing their products.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2029705/why-it-security-pros-can-be-scarier-than-the-bad-guys.html

TrueCrypt vs. .Zip

I have never heard of TrueCrypt, but this article helped explain it to me. It's similar to an encrypted .zip file, but the author of the article really loves it. It's secure, and it's a "TrueCrypt vault' - which is seen as a virtual drive. There were a lot of pros and cons to it, such as the TrueCrypt vault is set in its size, while a .zip file can expand and compress as needed for which files are in it. The author of this article brought out some good points for both TrueCrypt and .zip files.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2016558/answer-line-truecrypt-vs-encrypted-zip-files.html

Windows 8

This was definitely an interesting article to read. For one, I am not rushing to get a computer with Windows 8. Once it's been more fine-tuned and worn-in, then maybe, but I'm not itching for it. This article was discussing the "hidden" security features built in with Windows 8, and that if you are thinking of getting it then you should purchase a new computer with updated hardware rather than just updating your OS. I understand where they're coming from, but it also felt like they were trying to "sell" the reader on upgrading their computer and spending more money (when we all know that this will be outdated quickly). I've had my laptop since the beginning of college, and my goal is to make it until graduation (whether from grad school or just with my undergrad is a different matter...). I've succeeded so far in my goal, but it's also 'cause I'm trying to take care of it and I won't be sucked in to buying a brand new laptop that'll be outdated immediately. Technology is growing at a rapid rate, and unless you have your heart set on one particular computer and have had it set on it for months, you have to be willing to bide your time before upgrading. Kind of like with cell phones... I really want a Galaxy SIII or SIV, but I also realize that by the time I need a new phone, there will be plenty of even greater options out there and it's not worth my money right now.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2027593/windows-8-put-its-hidden-security-features-to-work-.html

Evernote was Hacked!

Oh no! Evernote is my favorite ever! They are requiring every single user to go in and change their password, which is a smart move on their part. It seems that it was a coordinated attack and that Evernote blocked the attacked when it noticed the suspicious activity. According to their blog, none of the data was accessed, changed, or lost, and none of the payment information was accessed either. Evernote posted in their blog some basic steps that you can take to protect yourself, for those who don't have any experience with security, and they've made it so you have to login and change your password before you can access your data and sync it up again. For more information about this exploit, you just need to check out their blog and any articles that may be about it!

http://evernote.com/corp/news/password_reset.php
http://www.techhive.com/article/2029974/evernote-reports-hack-attack-tells-users-to-reset-passwords.html

I Love Twitter

So this article about Twitter implementing a standard to fight phishing is good news for me. I appreciate it (and applaud it) when companies implement strategies and software so that their consumers can have a better experience. I use twitter a lot, and I would prefer to not receive emails that could potentially hack my account. DMARC - the technology being used by Twitter now - is also being used by Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL, Facebook, Paypal, and Amazon. I was excited to see this news, which is why I am sharing it with you all. Going along with my security focus in this blog, be sure to always check thoroughly who is sending you an email, especially if they're asking you to re-login on a site. If you ever have any doubts about the email, contact the company directly and get verification. It's not worth losing access to your accounts and the data that you may have shared with any of them!

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2028993/twitter-implements-dmarc-standard-to-fight-phishing.html

Younger Attackers

Not surprisingly, more malware and viruses are being created by children and teenagers. According to an article on PCWorld, an 11-year old Canadian boy was the creator of a piece of malware that was being used to acquire passwords to games. There are easy interfaces being created that allow children and teenagers to learn how to program and engineer these pieces of malware, so of course they're going to take advantage of it. Being so young, they may not have any real malicious intent, but that will be most likely to change as they get older. Children play more and more games that require higher skills, and so they're tempted to try something with a little more "thrill" to impress their friends. Again, we all need to be sure that we are keeping our devices protected from all different types of threats.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2027782/malware-also-the-handiwork-of-children-security-firm-finds.html

Big Data...

It's all the rage, and this article points out the challenges that are being faced by companies when it comes to collecting data. Consumers (like me!) are realizing that they don't always want their data being collected and tracked, and they are limiting what companies will collect. However, some companies are starting to take advantage of that, by allowing customers to have control and willingly share information that they are comfortable with giving the company. It's brilliant, in my mind, because then companies will be able to gain more specific information that pertains to the consumer, and it will allow the company to focus more directly on what matters to the customer. The article mentioned that, and I think it's a great idea. Consumers are looking to keep their data private and secure, and they want to make sure that information about them isn't being used in a way that's not acceptable. I recommend reading the article, because as much as there is a demand for data analysts, I feel like it's going to subside at least a little bit due to consumers protecting themselves.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2027789/big-data-collection-collides-with-privacy-concerns-analysts-say.html

Protecting Your Wi-Fi

This article gave instructions of how you should change your wi-fi password. The nitty-gritty details weren't what I was too interested in, but I did enjoy that they pointed out that even the password to your network will need to be changed often, not just the ones to your accounts on online sites. People can still cause damage to you if you're not protecting the access to your network, so it's good to make sure that you have taken every necessary precaution to protecting yourself. It's not easy to have everyone in your household go and change their password, and they may all get really annoyed with you, but the protection that you gain from it is worth it.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2026340/change-your-wi-fi-password-on-various-devices.html

A Geeky Valentine's Day

Because it's Valentine's Day, I felt like it would be nice to share some fun articles I found for geeky/techy Valentines. I chose them because, well, I am a geek. Mashable's article is focused more on decorating/personalizing your gadgets, which is always fun. For example, I've had this phone case I bought last summer that holds my three most important cards: my driver's license, my debit card, and my room key. It's the coolest. Anyway, there's some cool cases and what-not on Mashable, so if you want ideas for gifts in general, it's a good place to start. PCWorld also did an article with 15 products they love. I love them, too. There's some really cool products there that I didn't know existed, like Up and Livescribe Sky, which I am now lusting after. They also pointed out the Steam platform (that I, of course, have) as one of the cool products. There's speakers, keyboards, software, and all sorts of fun stuff packed into their article. Go have fun with it!

Mobile Updates

Yes, I'm paying attention to the cell phone tech world right now, so we get another post about iPhones! Apple released an iOS software update, and I have been delaying on updating for weeks (no real free time to just let my phone update itself). I actually decided to look up reviews about the new iOS before I got any of the problems that may be contained, and I'm glad I did. It has bugs. Vodafone (UK iPhone carrier) has announced that the update is causing problems with 3G connectivity for the iPhone 4S. One of the other problems that has come to light is that the new update drains the battery, and it's a huge problem. This isn't an unusual problem, but I just noticed it on headlines and articles while scrolling through updates about iOS 6.1. People who used to get through the day on one charge now can't. I can't make it through the day anyway on one charge, and I don't want to see what would happen if I got the new iOS. I'd probably make it a couple of hours before needing a charge, and that's not a possibility for me. Hopefully Apple will get this fully fixed soon, and I can get my phone updated.

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2013/02/vodafone-warns-iphone-4s/

Jailbreak

For the longest time, I never quite understood what "jailbreaking" your phone was. And I didn't really care about it, as I was perfectly fine with using my iPhone with only iPhone apps, and I felt it was other people's choices to jailbreak their phones or not. I came across an article on Wired about how Apple was trying to prevent federal regulators from legalizing jailbreaking. They stated that it could bring about "'potentially catastrophic' cyberattacks", however all of the cell towers are still up and working. Jailbreaking allows users to run whatever apps they would like, rather than being limited to just that particular App Store, by giving root access to your device.

I can definitely see the potential for attacks that this enables, but the jailbreak is able to be done by exploiting five bugs that are already in the code for iOS. I feel like if a person is serious about attacking others, then they wouldn't do it through their mobile phone or even their tablets. They would most likely want to use their laptop or desktop computers, but that's my opinion and I feel like I have more flexibility and control over my laptop than over my cell phone.

Apple has stated that they have put in these protection measures in the iOS devices to help prevent jailbreaking and the potential threats that accompany it. However, I feel like this needs to be treated similar to our computers. I have protective measures in place to help prevent myself from being attacked/exploited/damaged. I am sure that if I truly had the desire to attack others (which I don't), then I could. I don't have that desire, so instead I take protective and preventative measures to protect myself from those attacks. I would be okay with doing the same thing for my phone, honestly, if that would be what could help protect my data.

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/02/cell-towers-survive-jailbreak/

Surviving

I got a little "click-crazy" with searching articles... and I found a fun one about creating a "survival kit" with a flash drive. Seeing as how cheap they are and how most everyone has one, I thought that this would be a great idea to touch on. It kinda links back to the previous post about being prepared for disaster and having a back-up plan (or multiple back-up plans!). First, I learned that there are lots of portable apps! I don't know where I've been, but I was very excited to discover these. Second, you can use a second flash drive to store SystemRescueCD on it. It is a free live operating system, Linux-based, so you'll always be prepared.

Now I want to go buy a couple new flash drives and prepare!

http://rikkitechthoughts.blogspot.com/2013/01/encryption.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2021326/turn-your-flash-drive-into-a-portable-pc-survival-kit.html

Encryption

I found some really fun articles (when browsing through PC World) about how to encrypt your data and protect your laptop. They recommend passwords, but passwords can be easily broken, so even that shouldn't be your only protection. It's a basic protection procedure, much like locking your door in your home; it's not perfect, but it's a good first step.

There are some really great backup software possibilities out there, too! They mentioned Dropbox, and that is a great way to keep some documents safe. Again, though, that's typically protected by only passwords. Some other great backup software is Carbonite and Acronis. They're both going to cloud storage data, and I have heard amazing reviews for Carbonite. Check 'em out if you're looking for backup options!

My favorite back-up plan: I have an external 2TB hard drive that I use only for my backups of all my data. Only problem is when I forget to update it, which is when the cloud backups like Carbonite and Acronis come in handy.

Anyway, I hope that you guys have fun, and you should check out these articles!

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2025462/how-to-encrypt-almost-anything.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2025897/a-road-warriors-guide-to-locking-down-your-laptop.html

Zombies

Yes, zombies. We all love them (and if you don't, you still know the hype). But there's a different type of zombie - that a really great article pointed out to me - that we should all be aware of. These are "Zombie Accounts". This article pointed out how many of use create accounts, or link websites/applications, that has access to a lot of personal information. We all try to be safe, but I think we tend to forget about these accounts and that they exist. The author of the article used MySpace as an example, and how he doesn't use it anymore but it still has a lot of information about him stored in it.

I love these types of articles where it's reminding us of different ways we can improve on securing our information. There are a lot of obvious ways that most of us don't seem to realize, and it's good to keep up on how to protect yourself. This particular article is an easy and great read, and the comments after the article are also worth reading. As one comment mentioned, all we need now is a program to help us find all of our lost and zombified accounts!

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2026090/how-to-prevent-zombie-accounts-from-haunting-your-digital-identity.html

The Java Problem

It's been a little while since the zero-day exploit, but I decided to look up some articles about it now that Oracle has released an update. There were two vulnerabilities that created the opportunity for the exploitation, and Oracle released an update fixing only one of them. If attackers can find another vulnerability  then we are right back where we started. There is always the opportunity for more threats, so while it should be safe for users to have an updated Java (Java 7 Update 11), I have continued to leave my Java browser plug-ins disabled on my computer. I'd prefer to be a safe than sorry.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2025797/oracles-java-patch-contains-new-holes-researchers-warn.html

Chips for Students

A school kicked out a student because she refused to wear a lanyard with an RFID-chip student ID. Her reasons for it aren't really what caught my attention. What struck me curious is that these chips are associated with their Social Security number, and it monitors the students' movements all across campus. While I'm all for incorporating technology into our lives, this seems very "Big Brother"-esque. It also seems that the more personal information you have linked to the chip, the more chance there is that it could be compromised. I understand why the schools want to track the movements of the students - to get funding for the school - but it's also very invasive, in my opinion. I like my privacy, and I wouldn't want my movements being tracked everywhere.

So in hopes that someone else besides me notices how invasive this has the potential of being, I will hope for The Doctor to come and stop this (we have a Whovian over here!).

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/01/school-kicks-out-sophomore-in-rfid-student-id-flap/
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/11/student-suspension/

Facebook & Twitter!

Fun news! There are some filter-type software and monitoring programs for Facebook and Twitter! They will monitor and alert you to any malicious activity, such as when your friends' updates are spam and scams and what-not. There's also programs now to help monitor your child's Facebook and Twitter accounts to make sure that they are posting appropriate content (if you are a parent).

These seemed to point out to me that the attacks really can originate from anywhere, including your social networking sites. It's also a good reminder that you shouldn't put all of your information ("overshare" was the term they used in the article) up on your profiles, as some of it may be critical and can open your accounts to a higher chance of being compromised. One of those friendly articles that reminds you of how dangerous the internet really can be, and yet how wonderful and useful it is, too.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2010916/lock-down-your-social-media-with-essential-security-add-ons.html

The FBI should have hackers?

I was reading through wired.com today, originally I was working on another assignment for a different class, and I saw the article "The FBI Needs Hackers, Not Backdoors". It caught my attention, so I decided to read through it.

The FBI is saying that there should be "mandatory wiretap backdoors" in all of our new technological devices such as smart phones, tablets, etc. According to the article, "For the last few years, the FBI’s been warning that its surveillance capabilities are "going dark," because internet communications technologies — including devices that connect to the internet — are getting too difficult to intercept with current law enforcement tools". However, what the authors' of the article suggested is that the FBI should use the vulnerabilities that are in place already instead of creating new vulnerabilities with a mandatory backdoor. AKA the FBI should get better at hacking - or they should hire hackers - to solve their problem. There's a lot more information contained within the article regarding it, and you can find it here: http://www.wired.com/opinion/2013/01/wiretap-backdoors/

Happy reading!

Security of IS and What It Means to Me...

I needed to start a journal for my Security of Business Information Systems class, so I decided a blog would be appropriate for me. Now that I've attended class, here's some clips of what I thought about the subject during the first day, near the beginning, during, and after it finished (bottom to top):

Then I got my textbook, I read through the chapters, and I absolutely love it. I even took a picture of my "textbook" (it doesn't feel like a textbook to me) the day that I started reading it:

I love this subject, and I'm so excited to learn more. It's taken me a little bit to get this journal/blog up and going, but I'm aiming to post on Tuesdays and Thursdays about security and news articles and any of my thoughts regarding it. I loved learning about the different types of attacks (malware and everything else) that can happen to a computer, and I am looking forward to learning how to protect it better. I haven't felt this excited about a subject in a long time... and I think that this may be the start of something really good. Maybe the start of what I want to focus on, even, during my career. We'll see how the semester goes, but - as it is - I am so excited/passionate about this class, and I want to learn as much as I can during it. So until my next awesome post... have a great day!