POST
Welcome to POST by ResTech Solutions
Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Every week we will bring you new content covering recent events and news related to technology, Microsoft, Apple, Google, tips & tricks, useful information, and more! To read the full articles in our newsletters you can either click on the image or article headline. We've had a great response each week to our newsletter and we've been hard at work to bring you even more great information this week. Please let us know what you've enjoyed thus far about our newsletter. To see past issues click on the archives link above.
Why the name POST? In the world of computers POST stands for Power On Self Test. This is the action computers take when they are first powered on to check their basic functionality prior to loading the operating system. We decided to take this same concept and to provide you with useful technology information at the beginning of your week to help get you started. POST is also a term associated with news as well and we felt this was an appropriate and fitting name.
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POST by ResTech Solutions
News
Microsoft announces June 24 event to show "what's next for Windows"
Image from Neowin
The latest round of news surrounding the next major Windows release is now pointing to a new version of Windows, Windows 11. Not much else is known at this time other than what has already been reported or speculated on. Microsoft is holding an event on June 24th. Stay tuned for more information.
neowin.net
Have I Been Pwned Teams Up With the FBI on Password Leaks
Image from Gizmodo
What does pwned mean? Here is a definition from Have I Been Pwned.
This is big news. Why? Because it shows at the federal level the seriousness being given to cybersecurity. With the FBI constantly investigating and finding compromised credentials and information they will now be sharing this information so affected users can see if their information has been compromised. This will be added to the data already publicly available. You should make a habit of checking to see if any of your information has been compromised either by checking the website, Have I Been Pwned, or subscribing to a dark web monitoring service.
gizmodo.com
Cyber Security
Ransomware attacks are closing schools, delaying chemotherapy and derailing everyday life
Image from The Washington Post
If you are still in the camp that doesn't believe ransomware is serious or feel that it won't affect you then I hope you will take this as a wake up call.
These crimes have resulted in missed chemotherapy appointments and delayed ambulances, lost school days, and transportation problems. A ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline in May led to gas shortages and even dangerous situations caused by panic buying. This past week, hackers compromised the JBS meat processing company, leading to worries about meat shortages or other key food providers being at risk. Last fall, the Baltimore County Public Schools system was hit with ransomware and forced to halt classes for two days, which were being held virtually.
You can no longer afford to sit back and do nothing. These cybercriminals are changing their tactics and now go after the low hanging fruit, they will get what they can and do not care. While you may sit there and say I'm too small to be targeted or my business is too small for someone to target it someone out there will...... regardless of what you think. Put another way, if your business gets disrupted due to a ransomware attack how will it affect others and other businesses that interact with your business? It's a ripple effect.
Please take a moment to consider this and then take action. Update and enhance your security and fortify your network to reduce the chance that you could become the next ransomware victim.
washingtonpost.com
Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack linked to a single VPN login
Image from Engadget
Many attacks are the result of one individual or compromised account. In the case of the Colonial Pipeline attack it was due to one account. How can you ensure all accounts are protected? The simplest method is to enable two factor authentication where it is available. This will require a second method or code to authenticate the login. What about individuals? The best way to protect individuals is to ensure they have proper cybersecurity training. The #1 cause of a system being compromised is through a person whether they are aware of it or not.
It is imperative that you take steps to prevent these issues before they occur.
engadget.com
Windows
How to Force Close a Program on Windows Without Task Manager
Image from MUO
If you've ever experienced the agony of an application becoming unresponsive then this "short cut" will be a welcome alternative to going into task manager. Checked out the linked article for full details.
makeuseof.com
How to Check Your Computer’s Hardware Specs Quickly
Image from MUO
Why do you need to know your computer's hardware specs? There are many reasons why. The two most common are:
- Verifying your computer meets the requirements to run a new piece of software.
- Confirming compatibility with new hardware that will be installed.
There are multiple ways to pull up this information. Check out the linked article for full details.
makeuseof.com
Tips & Tricks
9 YouTube URL Tricks You Should Know About
Image from MUO
If you are a regular user of YouTube then these URL tricks may come in handy. Perhaps you want to send a video to someone but want them to see a specific section or start from a specific point. Check out the linked article to learn how to do this and more.
makeuseof.com
How to Fix High CPU Usage Caused by System Interrupts
Image from MUO
If you ever experience high CPU or processor usage on your computer then you should find this linked article very useful.
makeuseof.com
Useful Information
H.266 Codec Promises to Reduce Video File Sizes by Half
Image from PCMag
What is a Codec? Here is a definition from TechTerms.
Nearly a year ago the H.266 codec was announced. This codec is able to reduce the size of a video file by up to half. This is a great development since many of us now rely on video streaming for most of our viewing. This will have reduce our data usage as well as storage. If you like downloading and saving video files you will not need as much storage capacity or you could store nearly twice as much with the current storage you have. Currently this new codec is still in the licensing stages but will hopefully be in use soon.
pcmag.com
FAQ of the Week
The 4 best ways to stop phone spam, scams, and robocalls
Image from Fast Company
Each week we will address a frequently asked question. This week we are looking at how to stop unwanted calls (spam, scams, and robocalls).
While there are multiple ways to blocks these callers, unfortunately there isn't a single method currently that will stop them all before they ring your phone. Check out the linked article for full details.
fastcompany.com