November Meetings 2021
November 4, 2021 - How Cell Phones Get Hacked, What is WireGuard? Search Like a Pro, How to Manage Your Online Reputation,
Unknown Links Don't Work Without Your Help -- DON'T CLICK THEM!
Club Questions
Unknown Links Don't Work Without Your Help -- DON'T CLICK THEM!
Club Questions
How Your Cell Phone Gets Hacked
These days it's hard to imagine our lives without a cell phone, they have evolved in amazing ways, controlling much of our modern lives. But cybercriminals are always looking for a way into our cell phones in order to steal our data. Knowledge is always your first line of defense, so here are six common ways that hackers try to compromise your cell phone, take a look at this article.
And if you're not sure if your phone has been hacked, here are some signs that it might have been, take a look at this article from security experts AVG.
These days it's hard to imagine our lives without a cell phone, they have evolved in amazing ways, controlling much of our modern lives. But cybercriminals are always looking for a way into our cell phones in order to steal our data. Knowledge is always your first line of defense, so here are six common ways that hackers try to compromise your cell phone, take a look at this article.
And if you're not sure if your phone has been hacked, here are some signs that it might have been, take a look at this article from security experts AVG.
What is WireGuard?
A VPN (virtual private network) creates an encrypted tunnel allowing information to travel between your computer and the Internet safely. The most common VPN protocol, OpenVPN, was created in 2001 and technology has changed a lot since then. WireGuard is a more recent development in VPN protocols. As with any new tech, there are up sides and down sides to using WireGuard. To learn more about how WireGuard is changing VPNs, take a look at this article.
A VPN (virtual private network) creates an encrypted tunnel allowing information to travel between your computer and the Internet safely. The most common VPN protocol, OpenVPN, was created in 2001 and technology has changed a lot since then. WireGuard is a more recent development in VPN protocols. As with any new tech, there are up sides and down sides to using WireGuard. To learn more about how WireGuard is changing VPNs, take a look at this article.
How to Google Search Like a Pro
There are billions of pages on the Internet, so chances are if you have a question, the Internet knows the answer. But finding your answers can often be difficult. Knowing just how to ask a search engine to find your answers is a trick worth learning. And even though the headline says "Google Search" the tricks you're going to learn work in most modern search engines. To learn more about how to search the Internet like a pro, take a look at this article. For those of you that no longer want to use Google search, here's a list of 15 alternative search engines from LifeHack.
And of course, there's always Startpage.com, the one search engine that uses Go0gle search results (arguably the best), but doesn't track its users the way Google does. And finally, for those of you that prefer to watch a video on the subject, Check out this video, and keep in mind all of these techniques work for most modern search engines.
There are billions of pages on the Internet, so chances are if you have a question, the Internet knows the answer. But finding your answers can often be difficult. Knowing just how to ask a search engine to find your answers is a trick worth learning. And even though the headline says "Google Search" the tricks you're going to learn work in most modern search engines. To learn more about how to search the Internet like a pro, take a look at this article. For those of you that no longer want to use Google search, here's a list of 15 alternative search engines from LifeHack.
And of course, there's always Startpage.com, the one search engine that uses Go0gle search results (arguably the best), but doesn't track its users the way Google does. And finally, for those of you that prefer to watch a video on the subject, Check out this video, and keep in mind all of these techniques work for most modern search engines.
How to Manage Your Online Reputation
Your rep is everything, especially online. To manage your online reputation, you first need to know what the Internet is saying about you, and that starts with a Google search in your name. From there you can do image searches, specific website searches and more to track down all the Internet knows about you. To learn more about how to manage your online rep, take a look at this article.
Your rep is everything, especially online. To manage your online reputation, you first need to know what the Internet is saying about you, and that starts with a Google search in your name. From there you can do image searches, specific website searches and more to track down all the Internet knows about you. To learn more about how to manage your online rep, take a look at this article.
November 11, 2021 - Digital Experts Help You Stay Safe Online, Use the Internet to Verify a Contractor or Tradesperson, Find Someone's Name Using Their Phone Number,
When You Don't Think, You Click on an Unknown Link.
Club Questions
When You Don't Think, You Click on an Unknown Link.
Club Questions
Digital Experts Help You Stay Safe
With a modern smartphone usually includes a lot of apps, many are third party apps (not from the maker of the phone) and with these apps come security issues. The digital experts at CNET have rounded up the most often heard concerns regarding app safety. It's a common sense list of dos and don'ts that all smartphone users should know. To learn more, take a look at this article.
With a modern smartphone usually includes a lot of apps, many are third party apps (not from the maker of the phone) and with these apps come security issues. The digital experts at CNET have rounded up the most often heard concerns regarding app safety. It's a common sense list of dos and don'ts that all smartphone users should know. To learn more, take a look at this article.
How to Vet Tradespeople Online
When you're looking for a contractor or tradesperson to do some work for you, the Internet is a great place to start. There are sites like Angie's List and HomeAdvisor that will give recommendations, but you can never really be sure how honest the recommendations may be. "Pay to play" may be in effect on many of these 'honest' recommendation sites. The best place to start is with the government Department of Labor and Industries. This site lets you search via name, business license number or a variety of other parameters, and will give you the honest scoop on what sort of work record they have. To search tradespeople in the Vancouver, WA area, take a look at this webpage.
When you're looking for a contractor or tradesperson to do some work for you, the Internet is a great place to start. There are sites like Angie's List and HomeAdvisor that will give recommendations, but you can never really be sure how honest the recommendations may be. "Pay to play" may be in effect on many of these 'honest' recommendation sites. The best place to start is with the government Department of Labor and Industries. This site lets you search via name, business license number or a variety of other parameters, and will give you the honest scoop on what sort of work record they have. To search tradespeople in the Vancouver, WA area, take a look at this webpage.
Find Someone's Name With Phone Number
Ever got a call from a number you don't recognize and wondered who it was? There's several ways to track down the owner's name via their phone number. In this article, PocketLint gives you the skinny on several different sites that offer this service, some are free, others charge a nominal fee for their services. Think of these services as the modern day equivalent of the White Pages (remember them?). To learn more about how to find out the names of non ID'd callers, take a look at this article.
Ever got a call from a number you don't recognize and wondered who it was? There's several ways to track down the owner's name via their phone number. In this article, PocketLint gives you the skinny on several different sites that offer this service, some are free, others charge a nominal fee for their services. Think of these services as the modern day equivalent of the White Pages (remember them?). To learn more about how to find out the names of non ID'd callers, take a look at this article.
November 18, 2021 - Password Managers, More on VPNs, Find My Device on Android,
Unknown Links are Bad Hombres -- Don't Click 'em!
Club Questions
Unknown Links are Bad Hombres -- Don't Click 'em!
Club Questions
Password Managers
A password manager is just what it sounds like, it manages your passwords, and in this ever complicated Internet we find ourselves in, managing our passwords has become an Important task. Each password manager offers different options, most offer a free version, and all of them come with paid versions. To learn about the best of the password managers, take a look at this article from Forbes Magazine. We've also got a breakdown of password managers from CNET, which goes over what makes a good password, why you might need a password manager and what to look for when choosing one. The CNET article is here.
A password manager is just what it sounds like, it manages your passwords, and in this ever complicated Internet we find ourselves in, managing our passwords has become an Important task. Each password manager offers different options, most offer a free version, and all of them come with paid versions. To learn about the best of the password managers, take a look at this article from Forbes Magazine. We've also got a breakdown of password managers from CNET, which goes over what makes a good password, why you might need a password manager and what to look for when choosing one. The CNET article is here.
More on VPNs
VPNs (virtual private networks) are used to keep your IP address hidden and stop apps and websites from tracking you. So should a VPN track you? No, it's app would work just as well if it didn't track you, but selling your data can make them more money. To learn more about in-app tracking, how VPNs do this and what VPNs don't track you, take a look at this deep dive regarding VPN tracking from CNET.
VPNs (virtual private networks) are used to keep your IP address hidden and stop apps and websites from tracking you. So should a VPN track you? No, it's app would work just as well if it didn't track you, but selling your data can make them more money. To learn more about in-app tracking, how VPNs do this and what VPNs don't track you, take a look at this deep dive regarding VPN tracking from CNET.
Find My Device on Android
Losing your smartphone is a horrible prospect, but there are things you can do to mitigate the problem. Most Android phones come with "Find My Device" app pre-installed, if your phone doesn't have that app installed, you can just go to the Google Play Store and download it for free. Once installed, you can go the the Find My Device app and set it up so should you lose your smartphone, you'll have options to find it, track it or erase all its content. To learn more about how Find My Device works, take a look at this article and the accompanying video.
Losing your smartphone is a horrible prospect, but there are things you can do to mitigate the problem. Most Android phones come with "Find My Device" app pre-installed, if your phone doesn't have that app installed, you can just go to the Google Play Store and download it for free. Once installed, you can go the the Find My Device app and set it up so should you lose your smartphone, you'll have options to find it, track it or erase all its content. To learn more about how Find My Device works, take a look at this article and the accompanying video.
November 25, 2021 - It's Thanksgiving Day, you should be eating turkey.
Happy Turkeys Don't Click Unknown Links!
Club Questions
Happy Turkeys Don't Click Unknown Links!
Club Questions
Computer Club will be back in session, next week, Thursday, December 2, 2021
