Technology Safety Archives - Mike Foster, CEH, CISA, CISSP

Mike Foster's IT Security & Best Practices Blog

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Can you Trust the Kindness of Tech Support Strangers?

If you place a call to tech support for your online accounting software or any program, and if the technical support representative on the phone asks you to download a diagnostic program to test your computer, think twice.

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Fix A Computer in Minutes and It Works Almost Every Time

I was stranded in the Portland airport last night because of a mechanical failure on the first flight. You’ve had similar situations for sure. What would your travel experience be like if the airlines could immediately reset a plane to be brand new if it breaks?

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Straw, Sticks, or Brick: How to Tell Which Your Network Is, and How to Improve It

Just yesterday, someone told me they think they are secure because they have anti-virus, strong passwords and a firewall. Last weekend, I asked my daughter to tell me a fairy tale. She chose The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf. As she told the story, it became so clear that organizations use straw, […]

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Finally, a Solution to Solve What May Be the Biggest Cyber Security Risk at Your Organization

It happens all the time: A user clicks on a link in an email message, and the computer gets infected. Ransomware can lock up the data on the drive or even your servers. Sensitive data can be stolen, wire transfers attempted, and other bad things can happen. When a user is tricked into clicking on […]

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How to Find Out if Your Password Might Have Been Hacked

You hear in the news that Yahoo, or some other company, got hacked and your username and password may be in the hands of attackers. There is a way to find out if your credentials were exposed.

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“This is Your Captain Speaking – No Samsung Phones Allowed”

Yesterday afternoon, I and some of the more than 100 other passengers on our jet were paying attention to the safety demo. Unexpectedly, the announcement included a statement that prohibited the use of a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phone. Additionally, charging such a device is prohibited too. Now that’s harsh… or is it?

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A Way to Control Consultant Access – Every Time

What if you’d like to know each and every time a consultant attempted to access your systems? And would you like the ability to approve or deny each attempt?

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Sleep Deprivation Makes Attackers’ Dreams Come True

Your team’s healthy sleep stops hackers. Often, an attacker’s primary goal is to trick your workers. Trick them into clicking a link, opening an attachment, or following instructions that supposedly come from their boss. So, one of the best ways to protect your company is

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No More Passwords

How do you feel about giving up passwords entirely? You may have that option soon.

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Cyber Security’s Three Essential Steps

In this time of gratitude, which is perhaps the most important foundation of happiness and success, it is important to thank you for helping make the world a safer place. Three controls, perhaps the most important three controls, help protect you from cyber-threats. They are:

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