Quick cybersecurity step to take now

March 6, 2024

Spyware is malicious software that works quietly in the background, tracking almost everything you do. These sneaky downloads leave digital clues if you know what to look for.

FYI: If you see a name you don’t recognize, search for it online to see what turns up. Sometimes, these programs and background processes are legitimate and of no concern, even if you don’t know the name.

If you use a PC:

Open the Task Manager by holding down Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Under the Processes tab, you’ll see the apps and background processes running on your PC.
To close an app or process, right-click and hit End task. Check again later to see if it’s running again.

If you use a Mac:

Hit Cmd + spacebar to open Spotlight Search. Then, type Activity Monitor and press Enter. Check over the list for anything you don’t recognize.
Double-click to close out a program or process, then hit Quit.

Tags: apps, cybersecurity

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Name game: If you have multiple Amazon Echo devices, standard names like “Kim’s 3rd Echo” are useless. Send your music to the right place by changing it to something you’ll recognize, like “Kitchen” or “Den.” Open the Alexa app > Devices > Echo & Alexa. Choose your device, tap the settings cog and then select Edit Name.

It never hurts to ask: Your internet plan is expensive. Call your ISP and ask to talk to a “retention specialist” — aka the folks who can cut you the best deal. Heads up, most promos are valid for a year, so you’ll have to negotiate again.

Like having two computers: On Windows and macOS, you can create virtual desktops to keep things organized and switch between them using keyboard shortcuts. You could try separate home and work setups or a regular profile plus one you use for all your house renovation stuff, for example. Steps here if you want to try it.

Stop the snooze: No one needs an hour of snoozin’. Instead of relying on self-control, disable the option altogether on your iPhone. All you need to do is tap on an alarm in the Clock app. Toggle off the Snooze option. Rise and shine!

Password police: Change your Wi-Fi password once in a while, friends. It’s a pain to reconnect all your devices, but it’s worth it to kick off freeloaders who may have gained access — neighbors, friends, exes … the delivery guy?

It’s a stream-eat-stream world: Is your favorite streaming show on a break? Pause your streaming service, too. First, switch to a monthly subscription to hop between services as needed. You won’t even lose your viewing history — Netflix will remember you watched the last season of “Love is Blind” for up to 10 months (even if you wish you could forget).

Zoom-zoom: On YouTube, double-click the right side of a video to skip ahead 10 seconds. If the intro’s still playing, double-click again to skip it. Another option: Hit the right arrow to jump ahead 5 seconds.

Get fancy: Ever see an Instagram bio with a snazzy font? You can do it, too. On your phone, visit LingoJam, paste your bio and copy the one you like best. Open Instagram, go to your profile and paste it in. Voila!