How to Protect your Computer from Hackers and Viruses

It’s important to use cybersecurity best practices to keep your data secure. Following these steps will help you to protect your computer from hackers and viruses:

1. Firewall Protection

Firewall protection software was developed to build a barrier between your data and outside interference. The firewall protects against unauthorized access from cyber attackers and alerts the system in case of any attempts. It’s important to turn on your firewall before using the internet.

2. Antivirus Software

Antivirus, also known as Anti-malware, is a program that protects your computer from viruses and malware. The removal, detection, and prevention of malware are all accomplished by antivirus software.

3. Anti-Spyware

Anti-spyware is specialized software that secretly monitors and gathers user data and information. It prevents direct interaction with malicious websites and blocks unwanted ads and search results directed toward the websites you visit. Some spyware collects financial information and passwords for every keystroke and can block all potential threats in real time.

4. Use Complex Passwords

A more complex password is the easiest method to protect your computer from being hacked.

To create a strong password, the best practices are using numbers, passphrases, password generators, and using 10 or more characters. Avoid reusing passwords and using easily memorable combinations like birthdays and other info related directly to you. If the information in your password can be found on your social media page or a simple Google search, remove it. 

5. Two-Factor Authentication

As you now know, passwords act as the first line of defense against cyberattacks. Enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) is the second. 2FA provides improved security by requiring additional authentication at the time of login. Usually, two-factor authentication sends a unique, one-time code to a personal phone number or an authentication application generates a code, both are required to be entered correctly in addition to a password to successfully access an account.

6. Backup Your Computer

If you fall victim to a data breach, it becomes nearly impossible to recover your data if it has not been backed up prior. It’s important to back up your data every 24 hours to ensure you do not lose important information. You should specifically back up your data to the cloud, an external hard drive, and the original device.

It is easy for hackers to delete or alter your data and/or destroy your system. Be prepared and keep your data safe. Backup storage is available on macOS “Time Machine”. While for Windows, it is accessible in “File History”.

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All-in-One Hard Drive Upgrade

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Cybercriminals Aim for Super Bowl Goal Posts

It is one of the most-anticipated sporting events of the year and it’s almost game time! However like any major event, the Super Bowl can be a breeding ground for malicious actors looking to scam you out of your hard-earned money or personal information. A large variety of scams target both spectators watching from the comfort of their homes and those cheering for their teams in the stadium. Here are some ways you can tackle security offenses that may be targeted against you.

Streaming from unverified sites

As a fan, sometimes you cannot attend the match of your favorite team, yet you want to cheer them on from the other side of a screen while they battle for that coveted trophy. To do that, you may resort to looking for a live stream of the match. A free live streaming website might seem like the most convenient choice, but these services function as a trap for unwitting fans.

These websites don’t just host live streams; they expose you to myriad risks such as malware downloads, personal data theft or even financial scams. One of the most dominant features is an onslaught of ads, which are not just exceedingly annoying but, in some instances, malicious as well. If you click on one of these ads it can redirect you to malicious website hellbent on stealing your data. Some ads will try to convince you that your device is already infected by malware and the only way to get rid of it is by downloading its tool.

Alternatively, there will be multiple play buttons floating over the web player and only one is the real deal, while the rest will redirect you to a malicious website. The Super Bowl isn’t the only event targeted. Every major sports event is an attractive playground for hackers waiting for eager sports fans to drop the ball.

Tickets from unofficial sources

Usually by this time most tickets and ticket packages have already been sold out. Yet some fans who forgot to buy tickets, or have a spur-of-the-moment decision they want to go are still on the hunt for the last few that haven’t been claimed. This is an opportunity for scammers to offer “bargain tickets” to the latecomers. No wonder, since fake Super Bowl tickets and merchandise are a US$24 million business, according to MarketWatch. As a rule of thumb, you should always stick to official channels through which tickets are sold, such as the official NFL website or any other official resellers or affiliates that comply with the NFL’s rules or are explicitly named on their website.

Another channel through which scammers may target you is informing you that you’ve won tickets in a raffle or lottery, much the same way they do during similar events like the FIFA World Cup. This usually takes the form of a sloppily written email, asking you to share your personal information or pay a processing fee. Alternatively, they may include an attachment or link that leads to downloading malicious code to your machine. The NFL does run an official lottery but, according to its website, it accepts submissions only between “February 1 and June 1 of the year preceding the Super Bowl.”

Apps and hotspots

To ease your Super Bowl experience, you may download apps to help you prepare for game day. Before the Big Game, there will probably be apps appearing left and right, trying to entice you to download them to your smartphone. As always, you should be wary of what you download and install onto your device. Scammers often target you with emails containing links to themed apps, but by clicking on the link, you may be exposing yourself to downloading malware to your device. You should always stick to the official stores, be it Google Play or the App Store.

If you’re one of the lucky few who made it to Hard Rock Stadium, we have a piece of advice for you as well. In an attempt not to use up your precious data plan, you’ll want to use free Wi-Fi hotspots that will probably be available in abundance at the stadium. We recommend you avoid them, since spoofing a hotspot is quite easy. If you connect to one created by a bad actor, you can open yourself up to a plethora of breaches.

Source article: here

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Super Bowl LIV Underground Technology

Aside from measuring forward progress in yards, golf and football don’t have a lot in common. But in both sports, the requirements for healthy turf are pretty much the same.

“Obviously, you have different mow heights, and different playability that you’re after,” says Brad Dennis, SubAir’s vice president of finance and project management. “What we do is give the superintendent or the groundskeeper the tools to keep the grass healthy and get it set up exactly as they want.”

Installed last summer, the system at Hard Rock Stadium is the first ever at a Super Bowl venue. It features 1.5 miles of drainage pipe, connected to a computerized control panel inside the stadium. That network of pipes pumps air in at roughly 60 miles per hour and can remove more than 18,000 gallons of water per minute — a drainage rate that Dennis says is 36-times faster than standard drainage systems.

A diagram showing the SubAir system underneath the turf at Hard Rock Stadium.


Unlike a golf course, where each green gets its own SubAir system, Hard Rock Stadium has a single, sprawling system. But Dennis says that when you do the math (using an average green size of 5,000 square feet), the amount of turf the system serves is about the same.

So is the purpose: helping keep grass in tip-top shape so athletes can do their thing.

“With this system in there, you should never get any puddling, even in a downpour,” Dennis says.

Please read the original article here.

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March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month

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Computer Vision Syndrome, also referred to as Digital Eye Strain, describes a group of eye and vision-related problems that result from prolonged computer, tablet and cell phone use. Too much screen time and not enough breaks can cause headaches, loss of concentration, neck pain, back strain, and dry eye.

Here are some ways to help reduce computer vision syndrome and keep your eyes feeling comfortable:

  • Positioning yourself at arm’s distance away from the screen for proper viewing distance when at a computer.
  • Reposition your screen. Adjust your screen to be at a right angle away from any direct light source.

  • Remember the 20-20-20 rule. This rule reminds you that every 20 minutes, you should look at an object at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
  • Rest your eyes for 15 minutes after two hours of continuous computer use.
  • Blink often to keep your eyes moist. If they feel dry, try some eye drops.
  • Increasing text size on devices to better define content on the screen
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