Monthly Mini-Bytes - December 2024

 

Yes, Your Info is on the Dark Web. Now What? The dark web sounds scary, and all the anti-virus, malware, and endpoint monitoring companies do their very best to scare you into thinking that it is where your data and identity go to die. It's a place where all types of illegal information is shared and traded. It is not a place you want to go. But the truth of the matter is that everyone's data is on the dark web in some form or another. It could be as simple as old user names and passwords, to maybe things a little more concerning. There have been data breaches at companies going on for decades, and there are ones that have happened that no one knows about yet. There's probably a breach happening right now that won't be publicized for a few years, if at all. It's the actual reality of the internet. The important thing to know is that you are not powerless to protect yourself. Truth be told you have all the power, and that's a good thing. But digital security is not automatic. You cannot download an app or apply to a service and expect everything to be okay. It won't. You must take control. It takes effort and diligence, but it's not too difficult either. Here are the basics that you can do right now to protect yourself: Take Control of Your Passwords: The only passwords that you need to know by heart are your Mac computer password and your unlock code for your iPhone. If you use a third-party password manager, you will need to know that, but that's it. If you can remember your other passwords, then they are just too easy. You must use a different password at every website. That unique password should be complex and difficult to guess. Apple has the new Passwords app that makes creating, managing, and even sharing passwords easier than ever. There are also third-party password managers out there, but if you still use a spreadsheet or a notebook, it is all still the same process. Turn On Multi-Factor Authentication: This is where you get a text or an email when you log into an account. You want to turn this on at every website or service that you use if it is offered. Set Up Alerts: Most online accounts allows you to set up alerts. These could be if someone tries to log into your account, purchase something, or whatever else. Set Up Recovery Information: Make sure that you add a recovery email or phone number to your accounts in the event that your primary email or phone number gets compromised. It will allow you to reset your password and get access to your online accounts a lot quicker and easier. But what about Passkeys? Passkeys are the new kid on the block and promise to be more secure than the old systems of authentication. But passwords still linger in the background, even with passkeys enabled, meaning password management AND the management of the passkey come into play. There is a mix of good and bad that we will have to cover in a future article. Bottom line is that they don't absolve anyone from the best practices mentioned above.

The M4 Mac mini: Best Mac Value Ever? With the introduction of the M4 powered Macs, the mini burst onto the scene with a diminutive form factor, powerful configuration, and an attractive price. Starting at just $599 it can be paired with a 3rd party monitor, mouse, and keyboard to come in for a full Mac desktop computer for less than $1000. If you don't need the iMac's 4.5K display, then take a look at the mini for your next possible Mac computer. Because it doesn't lock you into a display, you can choose the monitor of your liking, add multiple monitors, or even swap monitors every year... or something. To learn more, visit: https://www.apple.com/mac-mini/

Huge Telecom Breach

If you have not heard, there is a massive breach of eight telecommunication systems here in the U.S. This includes all the major mobile phone providers, and it seems it may have started as long as two years ago. It appears that targets of the hack are specific people in government, but it is so broad and ongoing that it's best to keep up with the news on this one. How can you protect yourself from these types of things? Always be careful of sending personal and confidential information electronically whether by text or email. Using encrypted services when sending this type of info is always important. This is why you will see secure upload options offered by your accountant or broker.  To learn more about this breach, check out this article from Newsweek: https://www.newsweek.com/us-telecom-firms-targeted-chinese-hacking-campaign-white-house-1995794

Monthly Mini-Bytes - November 2024

 

The M4 Macs Are Here: Do You Need One? After stuffing the latest M4 chip in the new iPad Pros, we had to wait a bit before Apple got around to updating the rest of its lineup with the new processor. The M4 is the latest and greatest, and as with the other M-Series Processors, allows interested users to run Apple Intelligence. But do you need one? If you still have a Mac running an Intel processor, sooner or later you will have to upgrade. The new processors from Apple are faster, more power efficient, and have enough gusto to run all the A.I. you can handle. We are on the 4th iteration of Apple Silicon, so if you are looking for more speed and compatibility with more advanced features, then yes, I think you should strongly consider one of the new M4 Macs. If you have an earlier machine with the M1 processor, the only reason to consider upgrading is if you want one, or are now using software that requires a Pro, Max, or Ultra variant. The venerable old M1 is still miles faster than the Intels and are still up to the tasks at hand including compatibility with Apple Intelligence. If you have any of the Ms in Pro, Max, or Ultra then there's no compelling reason to get the M4 unless you need more RAM, more storage, or extra ports for expandability. A well configured M1 Max or Ultra will still be able to handle all the Adobe, 3D tasks, and 8K video editing that you can throw at it. To learn more about the new M4 Macs, check out the links below: MacBook Pro: https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/ iMac: https://www.apple.com/imac/ mini: https://www.apple.com/mac-mini/

Traveling with Your Mac? Turn On These Two Settings The holidays once again have crashed upon the calendar and most of us will be moving about the country, or other relative near dimensions, with our precious Mac laptops. Keeping them safe means preparation, and here are two settings that you should enable to that end. Turn on FileVault FileVault encrypts your hard drive, meaning that if someone did steal or otherwise get a hold of your laptop, they would not be able to get at your data without your computer password. Yes, your data would sit behind your password, encrypted and safe from anyone without 2 million dollars and a super computer. To turn on FileVault go to System Settings -> Privacy & Security. Scroll down to FileVault and turn it on. We do recommend that you select the iCloud recovery option, but if you want the encryption key instead, write it down. Enable FindMy Mac In the event that your Mac laptop would get lost or stolen, the FindMy feature gives you the option of not only locating it, but also locking or even remotely erasing the computer. FindMy binds the device to your iCloud, and it will forever be associated with your account unless you release it by signing out. To turn it on go to System Settings -> [Your Name] -> iCloud. In Sequoia you will need to choose the "See All" option to reveal the setting.

The Apple Vision Pro is Finished

You know, it used to be that if you wanted to launch a new product and have it be successful you would look for a hungry market, fill the needs of those users, and then do it at a competitive price. It's Business 101 after all. Well, Apple did none of this with the Vision Pro. The VR market is and has been weak. Meta has been banging its head on the wall trying to light up and expand the user base to no avail. But here came Apple with the Vision Pro. It's priced 7 times -- [YES!!!] -- 7 times higher than Meta Quest 3, which is the most popular VR headset out now. It doesn't have any killer app, nor a stated use case from Apple, and since it only starts at $3499, after AppleCare, a case, and some more storage it is more like $4200. That's what a high-end Mac Pro costs! Well, it's done. Apple is all but ending production, which will see this halo product not even last a year. It's not good, and hopefully they will focus their energies on making it so the Apple Watch updates take less than six hours. C'mon Apple! To read more, check out this article from the New York Post: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/apple-s-vision-pro-flop-company-scales-back-production-of-3500-vr-headset-amid-lackluster-sales-customer-complaints/ar-AA1tXX7R

Monthly Mini-Bytes - October 2024

 

The Updates (iOS, macOS, etc.) and Apple Intelligence Stable but cluttered is how I would describe the latest round of updates from Apple. From macOS Sequoia, to iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS, all of the OSes are probably the most stable releases Apple has put out in recent years. macOS Sequoia is especially good and not only helps enhance the speed of the new M-Series processers, but also breathes life into the final crop of older Intel-based Macs. But then there is the clutter... Yes, messy is the new organization. For many things that took one or two clicks, now it's three or four, or even a couple of minutes searching for the option to do whatever that has been relabeled and shelved to another part of Settings. The Photos app on the iPhone has all the features that you asked for, but crammed in so tightly that you can't see or find anything. The good news is that you can spend some time tweaking it to get Photos usable again, but these types of annoying "enhancements" really stain what is overall a solid and stable base in the updates. And Apple Intelligence is now here! Sort of.... Only a few bits and pieces, and if you use anything other than US English for your language settings, then you are out of luck. With iOS 18.1 Apple unlocked a few features. You can now use AI to clean up images in Photos, much like the tools Google and Samsung have had on their devices for years. The Rewrite tool is just Apple's version of Grammarly. And your interaction with Siri will be a bit more natural. The real meat and potatoes of Apple Intelligence is still very much on the horizon, but at least they gave us a little taste. These features are only available on the iPhone 15 Pro or better, and any devices or Mac with an M-Series processor.

Apple Has a Passwords App! Finally! With the latest round of updates Apple has introduced its own Passwords app, and it is extremely good and easy to use. It integrates seamlessly across devices and makes managing passwords a breeze. You can also share passwords with other people in your Family Share. Need to get your guest on your Wi-Fi? Well. you can use the passwords app to generate a QR code for them -- no need to share your complex password to get them online and surfing. To learn more about the new Password app, visit: https://support.apple.com/en-us/120758

Beware of the iCloud Storage Scam

There has been an ongoing phishing scam where users are notified that they are running low on iCloud storage or their account has been locked due to lack of storage. Inaction will result in deletion of all iCloud data. This is a total scam. Be wary and don't fall for it. There is an easy way to check your iCloud storage. On your iPhone, go to Settings, choose your name at the top, and then iCloud. It will show your storage right there. If you are running low on space, just select the Storage and you will see an option to add more.

Monthly Mini-Bytes - August 2024

 

You Are Your Best Security When you talk about computers with anyone, the topic of security always comes up in one form or another. With all the scammers, spoofers, SPAM, AI generated voices, and just the regular alien high frequency mind control it's something that everyone is concerned about. But did you know that you are your best security? Yes, you are the one who has the greatest ability to protect yourself from all the bad actors, malware, and scams out there. No software can do it better. You are in total control of your online digital destiny. Now, this is for us Mac users. Windows PCs are a different animal. Having a Windows computer is like walking into a kindergarten class. You will walk out with some sort of virus. This is not the case for Macs, iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and all the rest of it. So, just focusing on the Macs today, here are three ways that you can get a handle on your personal digital security. 1.) Mind Your Computer Password Your computer password, sometimes referred to as your Mac administrative password, is the most powerful tool in your security arsenal. Absolutely nothing can be installed or added to your Mac without you entering in this password. That's right! No malware, virus, adware, or anything can be added to your machine without you installing it and allowing it with your computer password. When you get that pop-up asking for that password, read the prompt and take a minute to make sure you want to allow whatever it is asking. This simple step can secure your computer better than any software at any price. 2.) Get a Handle on Your Passwords You absolutely, positively need to get a handle on your password game. If you have weak passwords, use the same one for multiple accounts, or haven't changed your email password in a decade, then you are asking for trouble. Whether you use a spreadsheet, a third-party app, or Apple's built in password manager, you must have good passwords for all your important accounts. Apple will be enhancing its app called Passwords in macOS Sequoia that will be released in the fall. But don't wait until then. Good password management is just too important. 3.) Enable FileVault Encryption This is especially important if you travel with a MacBook Pro/Air. FileVault encrypts your data so that it can only be accessed with your computer password. It can also stop bad actors from encrypting and locking your drive, but this is extremely rare in the Mac world. To enable FileVault go to System Settings -> Privacy & Security -> FileVault.

Your Mac Does Not Back Up to iCloud I know I have mentioned it before, but it has come up in conversations recently so let me clarify: Your Mac computer does not back up to iCloud. iCloud is not a backup. It is a cloud syncing service that coordinates things like mail, contacts, calendars, notes, and potentially files and photos between your devices. Your Mac only backs up using a Time Machine backup. If you are not using Time Machine then you are not backing up your Mac. And since the new Apple M-Series computers put everything on the chip, when they fail it's complete and catastrophic. To run Time Machine you will need an external hard drive connected to your Mac. If you are running Time Machine and want to know the status of your backups, go to System Settings -> General -> Time Machine. To learn more about Time Machine visit: https://support.apple.com/en-us/104984

A Quick Word on MalwareBytes

Long ago there was an app called Adware Medic for Mac. It was free and it did a terrific job of cleaning up malware, adware, and junkware. It was purchased about a decade ago by MalwareBytes and we have been big proponents of this software. It does a good job of cleaning up malware from the machine and not taking up too many resources. But lately you may have noticed unwanted pop-ups and other alerts encouraging you to purchase things like VPNs and the like. This is very Windows-esque as ads are prevalent all over PCs, but us Mac folks are not used to it. We don't like it and you probably don't either. You have options like ignoring them or turning off notifications for MalwareBytes, but this is a disturbing trend for a software that we have really liked. They are also getting rid of the free version and moving to a paid-only model.  We will be investigating other solutions over the coming months, but if you have been annoyed by the pop-ups, just know that we have, too.

Lenny's Techy Bytes: Your Staff is Your Best Security Asset!

In this month's featured video, Lenny talks about how your employees are your best security asset. Check out the video below:

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Monthly Mini-Bytes - July 2024

 

The CrowdStrike Fiasco: Is Security the New Vulnerability? On Friday, July 19th, CrowdStrike pushed out an update for its Falcon endpoint monitoring software and took out about a billion computers worldwide. Airlines had to cancel flights; hospitals couldn't perform surgeries or dispense medications; restaurants closed; websites went down; and the fix was far from user-friendly. In the paranoid rush to secure computer systems companies have unknowingly created a new, much worse, and much more structured vulnerability.  What is CrowdStrike and what does their Falcon software do?  Falcon is a form of endpoint monitoring software that proactively looks for attacks, breaches, and vulnerabilities. In order for Falcon to do this it is given access and permission within the Windows operating system so it can monitor the entire system. Yes, I know you are thinking it. Falcon looks at everything happening on the machine — it is monitoring every operation and can produce detailed reports on how a computer or server is being used. It is about as anti-privacy as a piece of software can get.  Thousands of businesses around the globe have purchased endpoint monitoring and/or managed device services from 3rd parties in the hopes of warding off sypware, viruses, hacks, and ransomeware. But the level of access and permissions needed for this type of software to function opens up a back door where bad actors could potentially take down hundreds or thousands of business at once by hobbling their computer systems in much of the way that CrowdStrike did with a simple line of bad code. Instead of protecting these companies these types of software can be just the achilles heel these businesses have been spending billions to avoid. What About Macs? The good news is the Apple Macintosh computer is architected completely differently from a Windows PC. On a Mac, the highest level of access is disabled by default, and protecting your administrator password is a simple way to make sure your Mac stays safe. This password is the one that you use to log into your computer. Just being mindful of when and for what you are entering the password for can secure your Mac more than just about anything else. What the CrowdStrike outage has taught everyone is that there is no simple answer to security. Just purchasing a piece of software and expecting some 3rd party to “just take care of it” is a recipe for disaster. Security takes training. It takes an investment in time, and it also takes a rethink of deploying Microsoft Windows, which we have learned over the past three decades is a difficult platform to secure. It is a complex issue, and one for which us Mac users are not totally immune. And that goes to my final point: It is important to take ownership of your personal digital security. You don’t have to be an expert — there is no need for that, but it does take effort from managing passwords to understanding when the computer is asking for your administrator credentials. It is the only way.

Apple Intelligence Delayed We all knew this was going to happen. Apple is delaying the launch of Apple Intelligence until later this fall. They already announced that Advanced Siri and all that goes with that won't be launched until the spring. It looks like it's going to be released one piece at a time, so if you were looking at jumping in the AI pool this September, you are going to be disappointed. Keep in mind that Apple Intelligence is only going to be available in its full form on the iPhone 15 Pros (and the 16) and computers running an M-Series processor. To read more, check out this article from ZDNet:  https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-reportedly-delays-the-first-apple-intelligence-features-until-october/

Does Your Computer Really Need to Support macOS Sequoia?

No. It doesn't. Apple is aggressively pushing some machines off the supported list for Sequoia, but you don't need to run the most current version of macOS to get the security updates and support that you absolutely need on a modern Mac. Apple actively supports the last three operating systems. That means when Sequoia is released, as long as you have a computer that can run macOS Sonoma or Ventura you are golden.  BUT! If you have a computer that will not run one of these three systems, then yes, you need to consider the purchase of a new Mac.

Lenny's Techy Bytes: Featured Video on CrowdStrike

Lenny has some hot takes on the CrowdStrike outage, attributing it to being a series of bad business decisions versus a simple tech debacle. Check it out in this month's featured video!

Monthly Mini-Bytes - June 2024

 

Apple Intelligence: A Security Nightmare? The biggest tech news of the month is that Apple finally dipped its toe into the Artificial Intelligence game. At this month's World Wide Developers Conference they announced Apple Intelligence... you know, AI. Despite the cute marketing, a lot of it is what you may have already seen with Samsung, Meta, Grammarly, ChatGPT, Gemini, Google, Adobe, and a whole host of other platforms that have integrated chatbots and generative technology into their devices and apps. Apple's AI will be able to rewrite text, summarize documents, generate images, and create emojis called Genmoji. I don't know if you ever wanted to create your own emoji, but you will be able to do it with Apple Intelligence. You will also be able to crop people and objects out of photos, and have image controls similar to what Google and Samsung have been doing for the past several years. The thing is that Apple is wrapping all of this inside its updated operating systems across devices, so you won't need to subscribe to a bunch of different apps or services to take advantage of these features. But the key part of Apple Intelligence is also its most concerning from a security standpoint. Siri will be enhanced to be a true digital assistant to help with prioritizing emails and texts, organizing and searching photos, and be able to take action across apps. But in order to do this, Apple Intelligence will need to develop what they call "Personal Context." Apple Intelligence and Siri will monitor every single thing that you do on your iPhone -- every app, every text, every interaction, right down to tracking your eye movements, and your movements in general. Your iPhone will be creating a comprehensive profile on you to a level that we have not seen done on any device. But don't worry, because that profile will only be saved on your phone... unless Apple Intelligence needs help processing your request. At which point it will communicate with Apple's super secure Private Cloud Compute. Yes, your data and your profile will be pushed out across the internet to a server farm that hopefully is as secure as they promised. Yet, we know that there is no 100% secure system, and the type of deep profile that will be developed as the backbone of Apple Intelligence will be a gold mine for hackers, identity thieves, and any number of bad actors. And it gets a bit worse. If Siri cannot process your request within the Cloud Compute ecosystem, it will ask to use ChatGPT. Yes, now more of your data will be sent to a third party company that doesn't have the security history that Apple does. It's supposed to be super-secret-extra-secure, but AI models improve by gathering data from their interactions with users. It is concerning. So, what do I really think about Apple Intelligence? I am disappointed. I had hoped Apple would "Think Different" and come up with something new with AI, but instead they have created a dystopian nightmare that will put users identity and information at risk. Most of these concerning features with Personal Context, advanced Siri, and ChatGPT integration have been delayed until 2025 and will only roll out to the United States. With the security concerns, you will bet that lawmakers will be looking at this and what Apple Intelligence may eventually look like will be very different. I for one, will not be using it or enabling it on any of my devices. Apple Intelligence will only be compatible with Macs or iPads running an M-Series processor or the iPhone 15 Pro or Max. To learn more about Skynet Apple Intelligence, visit: https://www.apple.com/apple-intelligence

Will Your Mac Support macOS Sequoia? Apple also announced its next version of its Mac operating system called macOS Sequoia that will be released later this year. The two biggest features are Apple Intelligence and they have finally broken out the iCloud keychain into a dedicated password manager called... Passwords. Yay marketing... (Powered by AI, no doubt.) If you have been a user of a third-party password manager, you know how hard it can be to integrate across apps and devices. The fact that Apple finally has a dedicated app is a big deal and will make having and maintaining secure passwords much easier. Here is a list of the Macs that will be compatible with macOS Sequoia: iMac 2019 and later Mac Studio 2022 and later Mac Mini 2018 and later Mac Pro 2019 and later iMac Pro 2017 and later MacBook Air 2020 and later MacBook Pro 2018 and later To learn more about macOS Sequoia, visit: https://www.apple.com/macos/macos-sequoia-preview/

Apple Vision Pro Cancelled!

When Apple announced the Vision Pro I was super excited up until they revealed the $3500 base price. That type of money can buy a very powerful Mac or a bunch of iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and accessories. It was a product priced 7 times higher than its competitor, the Meta Quest 3. And as such, the Vision Pro has been a sales disaster. Apple buried the sales numbers in their "Wearables" category that covers everything from the Apple Watches to the Airpods. Reportedly, Apple has notified at least one supplier that it has suspended work on the next Vision Pro and will instead focus on the less expensive model that they should have started with. But if Apple is not able to get in line with the $500 price tag of the Meta Quest 3, or at least come close, then their foray into Virtual Reality may come to an end. To read the full article from CNET, visit: https://www.cnet.com/tech/apple-reportedly-delays-next-apple-vision-pro-upgrade/

Lenny's Techy Bytes: Featured Video on iOS 18

iOS 18 will be the next big release for the iPhone, and beyond Apple Intelligence there are some interesting new features. Check out this month's featured video to learn all about it.

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Monthly Mini-Bytes - May 2024

 

Small Flightless Birds and the Cox Email Transition So, you may ask, what do small flightless birds have to do with the Cox email transition to Yahoo? Well, arguably they could have done a better job. Yahoo has been taking and hosting email domains from cable companies around the country for well over 15 years. Hosting mail is a pain with all the spoofing, SPAM, DKIM nonsense, and whatever new rule the EU cooks up to make everything worse. The move to Yahoo is usually seamless. Mail just moves and is hosted by Yahoo. On your Mac, iPhone, iPad, etc. you just select Yahoo when setting up your mail and it just works. This is not the case with Cox, so let's go over what you need to be aware of. You Must Use Webmail on Your Mac (For Now) Right now in order to set up your transitioned Cox email to work in Mail on your Mac, you first would need an app specific password from Yahoo. Once this password is generated you cannot see it again and you can only use it once. Then you would need to manually enter in the ingoing and outgoing mail servers. Sounds ugly, right? Well, it is and it is unstable. When and if it breaks you would need to delete that instance of Mail from your Mac, generate a new one time single use only for you password, and then set up email again. Ick. We are guessing that once all the Cox mail is moved and all the mail records point to Yahoo, you can just set it up as a Yahoo mail and you're done. In the meantime, just use webmail. Remove Old Cox Email from iPhone and iPad The good news is that the Yahoo mail setup on the iPhone and iPad now works for most everyone except those that use POP (you know who you are). It did not last week, but enough people burned up the phone lines at Yahoo that they fixed it. But, you will need to first delete your Cox email from your iPhone and/or iPad or the two accounts will bump heads. Then you can set it up as a Yahoo account. No More Forwarding If, like us, you forwarded your Cox email to another account, then know that forwarding is not available at Yahoo unless you pay $5 per month and sign up for Yahoo Mail Plus. This may be worth it depending on how you have been using your Cox email. Still, going from free to $5 per month for a forward kinda stinks. But if a Big Mac is now $18 then whatever.... The one good thing is that since your Cox email has moved and is now essentially a Yahoo account, if you cancel your Cox service you should be able to keep your email. This can be good with the advent of 5G internet. It's at least a silver lining.

New iPads are Here! Avoid the iPad Pro Apple finally announced new iPads earlier this month. The big news is that the iPad Air gets the M2 chip and also comes in a 13-inch model. The iPad Pros get the M4 chip, and are totally overpowered for what you can do on an iPad. The price of the iPad Pros is also ridiculous. If you want a new iPad then go for one of the iPad Airs with the M2 Chip. Avoid the iPad Pros. Check out this detailed video at Lenny's Techy Bytes about the new iPads:

Keep Your iPhone and iPad Cool this Summer!

This is our annual notice to be mindful of the hot temperatures this summer and how they adversely affect your iPhone and iPad. Did you know that you should not use your iPhone at temperatures above 95 degrees? That means we can't use our phones outside at all in Phoenix over the summer, and they don't recommend storing them at temps above 113 degrees. Yikes! Well, don't panic. Just use common sense. Don't leave your iPhone or iPad on the dash of your car, in direct sunlight, or in the oven... or Central Avenue in August. Here is a link to what Apple says about it and what to do if your device overheats: https://support.apple.com/en-us/118431

Lenny's Techy Bytes: Over 61 Helpful Videos Now Online!

This week's featured video is all about online privacy. It is a big subject and if you watch any videos on the subject you can quickly get overwhelmed, frustrated, and maybe do something rash like throw out all of your tech. Lenny's Techy Bytes will be featuring short, easy to digest videos about online privacy over the next few months. Here is the first video on how to get started:

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