Category: XP

Reports are coming in that WPA is no longer secure!

Paul

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According to a media reports, Erik Tews and Martin Beck claim that they have found a way to unlock the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) key, used by WPA, to read data sent from a wireless router to laptop computers. According to the researchers, the key can be cracked in 12-15 minutes.

[via Sophos]

According to Sophos, they are claim that people can now watch what you are doing on a Wireless router to a laptop. Although this isn’t to be unexpected this is a very serious out come. It is now easier to watch what people are doing online. So does that mean people can see everything you do? Not necessary. According to some people this is harder than it seems, most of the websites you visit are not encrypted, but websites that use the “https” protocol are more safer to use online. You should be safe if you are buying things online as long as you are sure it is secure. Some other steps to take to help make it harder to unencrypte your wireless single is to use Roboform promotion codes you will get for 10% or 20% off the purchase price!!

[ad#ad2-right]Some other steps to consider are:


If you have a wireless router and want to be secure with any transactions online you might think about hooking up to the internet via the CAT5 cable.  This is one way to prevent anyone from seeing what you are doing online and protects your privacy.  Although this too can be overcome in certain circumstances they are much harder to do and implement so you are safer this way than with most others.

Peek Email tops Time Gadget of the Year!

Paul

[ad#ad2-right]I’ve not seen this yet, I will do my research on this Peek Email Device. This is fascinating that I didn’t know that there was something I’ve never heard of.   Anyways, I can’t beleive they don’t have a netbook or the new Gaming Laptop.  Please, a WII fit, Now how did they get there too?   How did The T-Mobile G1 get number 5th in the list.  I’m surprised that the GameBoy Advanced wasn’t one to be on there, After all they sold so many this year.   Why not the Xbox 360?  It seems people can still vote but don’t expect anything to change.

Go Vote and lets make our voice heard!!

Windows update is getting a revision!

Paul

[ad#ad2-right]According to Computer World, dated Oct 31, 2008 and I’ll quote:

“Over the next couple of months, we’ll be rolling out another infrastructure update to the Windows Update agent (client code),” said an unidentified Microsoft employee on the Windows Update team’s official blog. “This update makes it possible for users to install more than 80 updates at the same time.”

[via Computer World]

Now if your like me and have several computers who need to be updated at a given schedule, you sometimes worry about these updates that come along that might just break your system. I have been using a program call Offline Updater, which does what Autopatcher does really nicely. So why is Microsoft sending out this patch? Two reasons, one they want you to be able to update your operating System without hurting your system integrity.

Now lets talk about the integrity of having to reboot your system. You see, every time you reboot the system, it causes the system hardware some strain.  It is something like having starting up a car, sooner or later you will have the starter go out, because of to much start up.

[ad#ad2-left]Second reason for this is, basically the update software needs to be update yet again for any security flaws or features that might be exploitable.  I am sure there are some and Microsoft probably knows about that we do not.   So that is the second reason, which it is the most obvious reason yet to push out another revision of the Windows update.

What about stopping the update from effecting your system.  The only way that I know of is to prevent Windows from checking for updates.  Which is simple:

Windows XP Version:

[Category View and Classic View]

<Start> / Control Panel / Security / Click Windows Updates

For Windows Vista:

<Orb> / Control Panel/ Security Center/ Windows Update / click “change Settings”

With both ways, you will be able to control four ways to handle Windows updating and they are:

  • Automatic – Will download all necessary updates and install them without your permission or knowledge.  Note some of the updates will automatically reboot your system.  Most commonly they are set to do this every day in the 12am to 4 am period of time.   So when you wake up you would see an log in screen.

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  • Download updates but let me choice which ones to install and when –  This is most commonly used by people who don’t want to bother having to check manually.  It will check and download, then it will let you know.


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  • Check for updates but don’t Download them –  This is like the previous one but this will only tell you.  The rest of the decision is in your hands not the computer.  This is good for people who have limited system resources, like Hard drive space.  It still reminds you like the previous one but won’t download any updates.


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  • Never check for updates –  This is used for people who don’t want to be bothered with updates and have a way to update manually.  This is commonly used by businesses who have several systems on and don’t want to risk an update causing trouble or weigh down the companies internet by downloading updates un-necessarily.   This option is not to be messed with because it leaves your system with quite a lot of vulnerabilities.  You do this one if you have a set schedule to update each and everyone system. (Extremely Dangerous to do)

With what I talked about, I am hoping you find this useful and to share your discoveries with other people who might want to be able to change how Windows updates are handled on other systems.  If you have comments or questions, please post them in the comment section and someone will be more than glad to help you out.

Time to Change your clocks.

Paul1 Reply

Time to change those clocks of ours


[ad#ad2-right]Having been looking at one of my old clocks that would automatically change for Daylight Savings Time, I’ve had to keep reminding myself that it is an hour off. Starting tonight at 2 PM, it will be right. So I thought I would help people keep there computer clocks up to date by suggesting some good programs to us to keep your system having the right time.  So people know what dates are being affected according to the Greenwichmeantime they say  this:

Beginning in 2007, Daylight Saving Time is extended one month and the schedule for the states of the United States that adopt daylight saving time will be:

2 a.m. on the Second Sunday in March
to
2 a.m. on the First Sunday of November.

So that saying goes it “Fall back, Spring Forward”  So now here are some great programs to better help you get your computer clock up to snuff:

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Worldtimeclock Atomic Clock Sync Program – It is a free program for you to use with your Windows.  Although you have to make sure your selected the right timezone once it is installed all you will need in an internet connection to sync your windows time with the atomic clock.

PC Atomic Sync – It is an atomic clock synchronizer with some useful features (time offset, synchronize periods, etc.). The main idea of the program is to synchronize your PC’s clock in the most reliable and resource-saving way.

These programs will help keep your system from having the wrong time.   Don’t forget to install the Microsoft updates(Window XP and Server 2003) to fix your operating system with the new Daylight Savings Time dates.