Several online retailers have weak password security!

Retailers makes it easy for hackers!

Dashlane releases their top 100 online Retailers and “The Illusion of Personal Data Security in E-Commerce” this makes it easier for the hackers to know the common passwords for sites.   Some of the retailers that are mentioned are:
  • Cafepress (affiliate link) — Although I have been a huge supporter for those really cool shirts and other personable merchandise.   They only require a 3 character password.  If your using a 3 character password, then you are just yelling to the hackers come get my credit card information and personal information!
  • Scholastic Inc — This one seem likes they allow this for kids, I just hope they don’t give out all that valuable information.   They two also only require a 3 character password for an account!
  • 1-800-flowers (1800flowers.com) — Only requrie a 1 character password, which means that you could use Q for your password and you’d be all set for someone to take your credit card information really quickly.

Those are only the few that I found that were really interesting.   I am calling out these retailers to make changes to their password lengths.  You can see the complete list of the 100 retailers with passwords length and various other data.   This link is thanks to Steve Gibson to see all the important stuff!

Password Length

I’ve talked about Lastpass in the past so I will not talk about it anymore.  I do recommend people use the maximum length you can have on sites that are really important to you.   This will prevent hackers from guessing real simple passwords.   Although you should have Higher, Lower, Numbers, and Special characters in your password to make password guessing even harder.  It is up to you to prevent your account from getting hacked or taken over.   No one can help you but yourself!

 

The Chromebook experience and the White Screen of Death!

White Screen of Death!

From: [ Version 32.0.1700.95 (Platform version: 4920.71.0)]

The latest update : [ Version 32.0.1700.103 (Platform version: 4920.82.0)]

Had a really strange effect on my system.   Whenever I started booting up the system right after the update, I would just go into a cycle of white screens or I would see the default background for a few minutes and then it would just turn all white!  It got so annoying, I started calling Acer Laptops about it and requesting a Chrome OS Ninja for help on this issue.   They said  I would have to send in my laptop and wait 7 to 10 business days for it to be resolved.   I didn’t have that time or luxury to not be without a laptop so I went back on my resolve to figure this little issue out.   The only thing I could come up with is to go download a new version of Chrome OS for my Acer Laptop by using Windows Recovery Option.   Strange Google should have a way for me to download an ISO of the latest version without having to having to do these steps.

Recovery Options

By Pressing Esc+Refresh then hold down the Power button.  I was able to bring up the “Chrome OS is missing or damaged” message and then after I made a new usb card for my device it booted without a problem.   I do not know what actually happened but it was quite frustrating and Google needs to start providing more ways to recover the system without having to go through so many hoops.   

Has anyone else had this type of problem?  I’d like to know!

Encrypt your Email with VPN4ALL the Chrome Extension! (Chrome OS Also)

 

VPN4All does It again!

Since VPN4ALL is a Sponsor, any links in this article supports my efforts in blogging!  They told me about this new product they developed.   At first it was on their website and I liked it but I am glad they made it to where you can use it with any Chrome web browser or even the Chrome Net books!  I installed it on my Chrome OS laptop and it works just as easily on it as on my Windows 7 system.

It was easy and very easy to encrypt your emails to prevent people who don’t know the password.   I had no problems with it encrypting or decrypting emails.   I tested this with two different email addresses and each one sent and receive the email.   I just had to right click and either encrypt it or decrypt it.   

A Simple Test!

I have thought hard and long and here is the easiest way to tell if your extension is working right.  Send an email to a friend or family and see what they see or say.   It seemed to work really well for my purposes.  I used Google mail web site with my this extension and it worked like a charm.   Just highlight what you want to encrypt and it and past the encrypted text in place of the text your are wanting to encrypt.

The Meta Data!

This however will not stop people from getting the meta data as some would say.   This is simply the normal stuff like:

  • Name and Email address
  • IP of where it was sent from and to
  • the Route the email went (Headers show all this stuff)
  • Anything else outside of the encryption such as signatures!

As you can tell VPN4ALL has proven time and time again that they want to protect your privacy.   They even allow you to have your own password to prevent NSA or any others from getting the emails and decrypting them.   The only ones who can decrypt the email is those who have the password and you have to tell those who you are intending to send email to with this encryption the password and a way for them to decrypt it.

Last thought is that you need to remember to have the password pretty strong and a way to commnicate that password through another channel other than email to prevent someone from grabbing that email very easily.

Unable to read SIM Card on the HTC Inspire 4G!

Reading the SIM card!

I’ve had one reader who says they are having an issue with the SIM card not being able to be read on the HTC Inspire 4G phone.   Some of the things that I have foundto be case are how people insert the card into the Inspire but we are going to give out a quick tip that will help keep that sim from sliding out ever so slightly.   This workd for me and while I do not use the phone anymore.

Best Hack ever!

This is some what a really good way to keep that sim from loosening the connection to the phone.  I found on SIM card that you can make them thicker. 

Use thin tap on the back of the SIM card.   Basically, you keep putting tape on the back until it is snug.   Usually on need to it once or twice but no more than that.   You can not put tape on the side with all the metal but only on the plastic.  It has to be tape that is really smooth so if you use use ruff tape it might not work as well. 

This will help those who have been problem. It might solve your problem but it also might not, it just varies from device to device!

Those really BAD passwords you shouldn’t use! The list is out for 2013!

Who uses these?

It isn’t everyday that I come across some really interesting passwords.   Among the list of the 25 that Spashdata has released!  The Ones that really stand out for me are: “trustno1” (Gives a new meaning to TNO), Adobe123 and my favorite “photoshop” are on the list of those the top 25 passwords you should NEVER USE.  I don’t know if people are just trying to come up with something no one would think of or if they really want there Facebook Account to be hacked in the first place!

Randomness is everything!

I keep telling people to go check out Lastpass to be safe but it some people will never learn.   I believe in Lastpass so much I pay for the mobile version for a year.   Only 12$ a year but it is for a good cause, and I am really happy with their service!  Lastpass is truely the Last password you will ever have to remember.  

I don’t know about you but I think it is time to go change some passwords!