Have you gotten an email that begins:

I do know ( insert real password that you have used in the past ) , is your password.

I need your total attention for the upcoming 24 hours, or I will certainly make sure that you live  out of shame for the rest of your life.

Although this is not a new scam, I've recently gotten multiple calls about this email, and have even received one myself. It somehow manages to get past most email spam filters, which is probably a good thing, as you actually need to take some action here.

First the good news - the email itself is a total scam. The scammer doesn't have control of your computer, has no access to your webcam, and doesn't have any video to blackmail you with. That part of the scam is completely made up, and you can safely ignore any instructions, threats, or warnings. Additionally, just opening and reading the email is perfectly safe - there is nothing special in the email that can infect your system automatically. 

Now the bad news. The email grabs your attention because they are referencing a REAL password that you have used at one time or another, and may still be using. That means that somewhere on the dark web, a real password/email combination of yours is for sale. The source is probably a major hack at a large company, like LinkedIn or Facebook, that happened years ago. However, regardless of the source, and how long ago the hack occurred, this is a serious problem, and you need to take action. With a real email/password combination, hackers can use credential stuffing to try to gain access to your accounts.

What you must do, as soon as possible, is change the password at any sites where you are still using that password. In order to be safe, you should also change any closely related passwords, as credential stuffers can program in common variants, like the addition of a number or character. Additionally, you should implement two factor authentication whenever it is offered to you.

If you are no longer using this old password, anywhere, in any way, you should be fine. But if you are, and you need some help tracking down where, and how to change your password, I can assist you in a remote session, so please give me a call.  

With everybody working and schooling from home, not to mention attending virtual church services, yoga classes, charity board meetings, and family and friend gatherings, webcams have been getting a workout. That's led to a lot of calls and questions, so here are some webcam basics for you all to know.

What systems include webcams? Consumer laptops, All-in-Ones, tablets and smart phones almost always have webcams. Most business laptops have webcams, but some are configured without them. Every MacBook and iMac system has a built in webcam. If you are unsure whether your Windows 10 system has a webcam, type "camera" in the search box and open up the camera app. If you have a working webcam, you will be greeted with a live video of yourself. If you don't, you will get an error message of some sort.

What systems don't have webcams? Standard desktop systems, the type that consist of a tower on the floor with an external monitor, don't come with webcams. Neither do Mac Mini systems. If you have that type of computer, you will have to buy an external webcam of some sort, and attach it to your system with a USB cable.

My webcam isn't working, what can I do? Some All-in-One systems have a manual sliding door which closes the webcam for privacy, so if you have an All-in-One, first check to see if yours has that feature. If your webcam works but the image is blurry, locate the webcam lens and clean it gently with a paper towel sprayed with glass cleaner. If these easy fixes don't work, it's possible your webcam has been disabled, is broken, or needs updated software. I can probably diagnose it with a remote session, but will not be able to fix it if it's physically broken. 

Can I buy a webcam right now? Due to the incredible demand, webcams are pretty much sold out everywhere. If you generally use a desktop, but have an alternative system in your home, like an iPad or a spare laptop, using that for your video meetings is probably your simplest option. If you don't have an alternative system to use, you can purchase a monitor with a built in webcam, like one of these, in stock for reasonably quick delivery. Or, you can buy an inexpensive Android tablet to use for video conferencing. The least expensive solution I have found is this Wyse security camera workaround - I could set that up for you if you wish to give it a shot.

If you find yourself trying a video meeting and nobody can see or hear you, it is likely that you don't have a webcam, and will need a workaround of some sort. If you are unsure, feel free to give me a call!  

Apple is pretty good about keeping their portable devices up to date, but eventually older devices are no longer powerful enough to run the newest software. Apple's iOS is now on version 13, and your device needs to be able to run that version in order to get security updates and to use the latest apps. The oldest iPhone that supports iOS 13 is the iPhone 6s. If you have an iPhone 6, or anything older, it's time to get a new phone.

Apple iPhones are the gold standard for ease of use and build quality, but they are generally tremendously expensive. That's why the newly available Apple iPhone SE is so exciting. The iPhone SE combines the design of the 8 with the power of the 11, at an affordable starting price of $399. For most of you, this is all the phone you need.

Many cell phone providers are offering launch discounts on the iPhone SE. If you have been holding out upgrading your phone, now might just be the time to buy!