Computer Tips -Tech Info

Tag: phone

  • Sony discs to be recalled

    It looks as though the uninstaller as claimed last night, does have more serious implications than the original rootkit, in Sony’s continuing DRM nightmare. Basically, the uninstaller will allow any web page to run arbitrary code and or remotely control your pc. Which is sort of the holy grail of remote exploits. The ActiveX control called CodeSupport that is required to get the uninstaller is the culprit here. It remains on system after uninstall and is marked safe for scripting.

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  • Some companies unable to secure your data

    It’s sad, but true. Some companies are just plain irresponsible with your data. Whether it be credit card information, or address and phone number there are those that aren’t good about keeping their databases private. The securityfix is reporting that a recent survey found 12% of people had been notified by companies that they did business with over a breach of security resulting in data loss. Apparently 20% of those, closed accounts subsequently.

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  • Automated phone support lines – find a human

    One of many people’s pet peeves these days is the automated phone systems that have you go through several trees worth of options to find tech support. These are called Integrated Voice Response systems (IVR) and sometimes getting to a “real person” is next to impossible. (Let alone getting to a person with which there is no language barrier.) Someone has made a list of ways to get a REAL LIVE person through these call systems and it was something I thought I’d have to link to.

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  • Google Mail now open for signups

    Google Mail (GMail) has up until now been open to signups by invitation only. It seems they’ve opened up their process a bit and if you have a mobile phone, you can signup using that. It’s interesting I was reading last night how the invitation process was perhaps a clever way to keep the spammers out.

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  • Phishing Phax ????

    The Register is reporting that a new phishing email is taking a different twist. Instead of directing you to a website, they instruct you to fax your information to a number in the email. (I wonder if phone numbers are harder to track than web servers?)

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  • Identity theft

    So, you don’t click on “phishy” links, keep your pc free from spyware, only bank at secure websites, do all the good things a cautious computer user is supposed to do to keep from having your identity stolen. Your safe right? Not entirely. I just found this in the Security Fix… Verizon Wireless Fixes leaky website.

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  • Google Guide

    I’ve not run across this resource before, but it looks to have been around for a while. When I have people ask how I’m able to search and find what I’m looking for online, I may suggest this to them because it covers a lot of features of Google. The resource is The Google Guide It all can be printed out to a 149 page tome, or can be perused online. It covers many facets of searching in Google.

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  • $20 cell phones?

    Cnet news is reporting a breakthrough in chip design that could reduce the cost of cell phones to the $20 mark. The chip design combines the function of several chips in just one.
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  • DSL competitor access to lines ending

    Among other sources, media law professors blog notes the FCC’s decision to reclassify broadband. Effectively the decision will remove the requirement of phone providers to allow for competitors to have access to their lines for the providing of DSL service.
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  • Google cache revealing critical personal infromation

    A while back I did an article on using Google search in some slightly more advanced ways, as well as a link to a site of specific Google searches. I’ve come across something in the Handlers diary at Incidents.org that is worth knowing about. The entry in question details that apparently someone made a BIG order for internet services that prompted the business to do a bit of research on the buyer. They found in Google’s cache a LOT of information – name, address, phone number, date of birth, credit card type, cc number, CCV2 #, credit card expiration, Social Security Number, bank pin number, account number, routing number, phone number, paypal email and password, drivers license number and state issued.
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