Rules For Computer And Online Safety 2019
These are the rules for computer and online safety in 2019. You can download a copy here.
Only your vigilance will protect you against bad guys. You will be safe if you are cautious. Stop and think before you click on links, before you call unfamiliar phone numbers, before you install programs, and before you fill in passwords. […] continued
Read moreSecurity Tip: The Bad Guys Can Spoof The Sender’s Name And Email Address On Malicious Messages
Let’s start with two familiar security principles.
• The bad guys can make any name appear as the sender of a malicious email message.
• Frequently the email address does not match the name. It’s one of the indicators that a message is fake.
The screenshot above is an example. You should always look at the email address of the sender before you click on anything in an email message. […] continued
Read moreOutlook Tip: Paste Your Way To A New Email Message (And A Few Other Random Bits)
Outlook is full of hidden surprises and shortcuts. Here are a few tips for Outlook junkies that range from obvious to obscure. I know the first one (sent in by good friend BillG) took me by surprise, and I’ve been scouring lists of Outlook tips for a long time.
Create an Outlook message from the clipboard
When you’re at the Outlook Inbox, a tap of the Ctrl-V key instantly copies the contents of your clipboard into a new email message. […] continued
Read moreThe Password Lecture
We have to talk about passwords.
We’re going to start exactly where you expect: with a lecture about your sloppy habits, as if you’re a kid who’s about to be sent to the corner. I can’t avoid giving this lecture. It’s my job as a parent. You know you need it. […] continued
Read moreThe Bad Guys Do Not Have A Video Of You Looking At Porn
The bad guys know where you live.
The bad guys know your old passwords.
But the bad guys do not have a video of you looking at porn. They’re lying to scare you.
If you get an email asking for money and threatening to release an embarrassing video taken with your laptop camera, it is a scam. […] continued
Read moreMicrosoft Is Running FAST Searches In Outlook 2016
Microsoft has changed the way we search for mail in Outlook 2016. The changes are almost (but not quite) invisible, so the details are only important if you’re an Outlook power searcher. The rest of you can take a day off and rest up for the next article.
TL;DR
Here’s the short version. […] continued
Read moreMicrosoft Is Cutting The Ribbon In Word, Excel & Outlook
Microsoft intends to simplify the ribbon in Outlook, Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. It’s possible that Microsoft will work thoughtfully and carefully and you will be happy with the result.
Oh, stop it. I hear you laughing. I’m serious. Microsoft is saying all the right words. They want to make the ribbons (the tabbed toolbars across the top) simpler and easier to use, but they say there will be an easy way to return to the way they look now for people with strong muscle memory who don’t want to change. […] continued
Read moreSecurity Warning: Malicious Email Reaches Epidemic Levels
The onslaught of spam email with malicious links has reached epidemic levels. I’ve never seen it this bad. I hear from clients every day about dangerous email messages. I get 5 or 10 or 20 a day myself.
This is my new suggestion: Assume every message you receive is phony. […] continued
Read moreOffice 365 Tip: How To Turn Off Focused Inbox And Turn On Clutter
I don’t like Focused Inbox. I want my Clutter back.
Focused Inbox is Microsoft’s new method of filtering mail for Office 365 business accounts. Here’s more info about Focused Inbox.
The short version:
• Clutter and Focused Inbox are both ways to separate important messages from messages that are less likely to be important to you – newsletters, notifications, marketing and ads. […] continued
Read moreCh-Ch-Ch-Changes: Focused Inbox Is Replacing Clutter In Outlook
Microsoft just wants to be helpful. It’s eager to be helpful. It can’t stop itself from trying new things, just in case they’re a little bit better, even if you didn’t ask for any changes and you don’t really want new things.
Imagine that every six months you came home and Microsoft had rearranged your furniture without telling you. […] continued
Read moreSecurity Warning: Do Not Click On Links In Email Messages!
Do not click on links in email messages unless you are 100% certain they lead somewhere you want to go.
We are being assaulted by a torrent of phony email messages from criminals. The messages look legitimate. The links lead to fake websites that will try to steal your password or credit card number. […] continued
Read moreFIXED: iPhone/iPad Bug With Office 365 And Outlook.com
Update 09/26/2017: Apple has released iOS 11.0.1, which fixes the problem.
Update 09/25/2017: I’ve seen reports that Microsoft was able to take steps internally to resolve this problem. No confirmation yet, but with luck your mail will work fine after the iOS 11 upgrade.
There is a bug in iOS 11 that breaks the connection between the built-in Mail app on iPhones & iPads, and Office 365 & Outlook.com mailboxes. […] continued
Read moreOutlook And The Never-Ending Password Prompt
This is a frustrating story of a poorly-defined bug with no solution. Feel free to look away if this doesn’t apply to you.
Starting a month ago, Outlook began prompting a few of my clients for passwords. It has been prompting them a lot. At its worst, Outlook password prompts are popping up every ten or fifteen minutes. […] continued
Read moreThe Case Of The Missing Eye
Let’s track down a bad guy. Looking through the clues will help you catch the next criminal that tries to trick you with a malicious email message.
I received many reports last week of phony messages that appeared to be from Microsoft, Paypal, and others. There are some examples below. One of them was clever in an interesting way that will remind you of how careful you need to be. […] continued
Read moreIt’s Time To Improve Your Passwords! Scary Stories About The Bad Guys
The bad guys aren’t kidding around. They’re after you. Some day soon you will be walking down the street and a 400 pound hacker will galumph out and make a scary face and shout, “Give me all the passwords in your wallet!” and stomp off cackling and steal all your money from his couch. […] continued
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