Computer Tips Archives - Page 108 of 226

Warning: Your browser could be compromising your passwords

Posted on September 19, 2022

A new report from the security firm Otto details a very serious data breach situation that’s playing out daily with millions of unsuspecting computer users, and it’s quite possible that you are affected by it.

Otto’s research discovered that both Chrome’s “Enhanced Spellcheck” feature and Microsoft’s popular “Microsoft Editor: Spelling & Grammar Checker” browser extension for Edge capture every bit of data you enter into any web form and transmit it back to Google and Microsoft’s servers. [Read more…]

Always check Windows’ Firewall settings after removing malware from your PC

Posted on September 13, 2022

The security components of both Windows 10 and Windows 11 include a very important tool called Windows Defender Firewall.

In a nutshell, this firewall helps protect the PC from Internet-based attacks by blocking incoming traffic that could potentially pose a security risk.

The thing is, your PC’s firewall protection becomes useless if it happens to get turned off for some reason. [Read more…]

Scam alert: Avoid this very dangerous ‘Flash Player Update’ scam

Posted on September 12, 2022

Adobe Flash was one of the world’s most widely used computer and web-based tools for decades.

In fact, if you had a Windows PC or a Mac you probably used Flash in one way or another every time you turned your computer on.

But there was a big problem with using Flash: The Flash platform itself was extremely insecure, and that made it a favorite tool of hackers as well as legitimate programmers.

[Read more…]

How to block Windows apps from making phone calls

Posted on September 10, 2022

Rick’s Tech Tips Newsletter

Did you know some apps that run on Windows PCs have the ability to use your phone to make calls without you even knowing about it?

Well, it’s true. If you have a smartphone linked to your Windows PC, the permissions for some of the apps that are currently installed on your computer might allow them to place calls via your linked phone without you even knowing about it. [Read more…]

Why you should always travel with a portable surge protector/USB charger

Posted on September 3, 2022

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

If you’re a frequent traveler you’re probably well aware of just how scarce electrical outlets can be at airports and hotel rooms.

With all the gadgets we need to power and keep charged up these days, available outlets tend to get snapped up pretty quickly.

And of course there’s also the danger of using public USB charging stations.

Luckily, there’s on very simple and very effective way to avoid both of these problems at the same time… [Read more…]