| From: Don Green | 7/6/2024 7:17:50 PM | | | | | | A hacker just leaked 10 billion passwords. Here’s what to do nowYou should triple-check that your passwords are secure—or finally make the jump to stronger forms of authentication.
By Alaina Yee
Senior Editor, PCWorld Jul 6, 2024
News
 Image: Shutterstock / Gorodenkoff
Hacking into an account doesn’t always require deep expertise in exploiting vulnerabilities. Sometimes it’s a simple as taking leaked information and placing it elsewhere on the internet. That’s why the release of massive password collections are dangerous—and why alarms are now sounding over a drop of nearly 10 billion passwords.
First spotted in a forum on July 4, RockYou2024 is a compilation of 9.94 billion leaked passwords. The massive password dump includes entries from the RockYou2021 collection, data from newer breaches and leaks, and data cracked by the person who posted it. RockYou2021 released with 8.4 billion password entries, including millions related to social media sites. For comparison, the Mother of All Breaches contained 26 billion pieces of personal data that included information beyond passwords.
You can read up on the full details of RockYou2024 in Cybernews’ report, but this discovery’s biggest takeaway is that everyone should shore up their account security right away. If you haven’t changed your passwords for compromised accounts (especially after the big Ticketmaster breachin late May), or if you reuse passwords, you could become an easy victim of credential stuffing—which is when someone tries your leaked login info across the web, and sees what accounts they can get into.
 Cybernews
To better protect yourself, take these steps:
- Use a unique, random, and strong password for each account. Character strings that can’t be easily guessed are the way to go—think along the lines of pastaturnfriendlyamalgamation20, rather than gu3$$this.
- Set up a password manager. Good passwords can be hard to remember, especially if you’ve got many to keep track of. A password manager can help you keep track of your whole collection, and simplifies entering longer, complex ones into login forms. Dedicated password managers are more flexible and have more features, but the ones included with an antivirus suite or even Apple, Google, and Microsoft’s built-in password managers are helpful. (Just be sure to separately memorize your email password.)
- Add two-factor authentication to your accounts where available. You’ll have another layer of protection to thwart credential stuffing attacks. Because they can’t pass that second security check, hackers can’t login as you. These days, one-time passcodes generated by an app best balance simplicity and security, but you can also use hardware dongles as a stronger option.
- Upgrade to passkeys. Two-factor authentication improves password security, but it’s not fool-proof, since some 2FA methods are vulnerable to phishing attacks. You can sidestep this issue by using passkeys to log into an account instead. Due to how they’re designed, they inherently unique, don’t require you to memorize any information, and can’t be phished. If a hacker steals a website’s customer login info, that data can’t be used to get into that site or others.
I personally recommend switching to passkeys whenever possible—they require much less thought or effort than passwords. All you need is a good backup for your passkeys (in case you lose your phone or PC, which is where they’ll be stored). Good news is, many major password managers now let you store passkeys on them, too.
Author: Alaina Yee, Senior Editor, PCWorld
A 14-year veteran of technology and video games journalism, Alaina Yee covers a variety of topics for PCWorld. Since joining the team in 2016, she’s written about CPUs, Windows, PC building, Chrome, Raspberry Pi, and much more—while also serving as PCWorld’s resident bargain hunter (#slickdeals). Currently her focus is on security, helping people understand how best to protect themselves online. Her work has previously appeared in PC Gamer, IGN, Maximum PC, and Official Xbox Magazine. |
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| To: Don Green who wrote (1772) | 7/6/2024 7:25:00 PM | | From: Don Green | | | | How are passkeys different from passwords?
Passkeys are a form of "passwordless authentication," which means you prove your identity without a password when you log in to a website or app.
For the person logging in with a passkey, the process is simple. In some cases, you’ll use your fingerprint or facial recognition the same way you do when unlocking your phone. If you’ve saved a passkey in Dashlane, you’ll see a pop-up asking you to confirm that you want to log in to the site. After confirming, you’ll be logged in automatically.
But passkeys are also far more secure than the best passwords. Passkeys are a phishing-resistant way to log in. Unlike passwords, passkeys can't be stolen or guessed. Passkeys are always unique and strong and don’t require storing private information on servers.
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| From: Don Green | 7/15/2024 8:18:37 PM | | | | | | Want to edit a video on your PC? Microsoft would prefer you use its new Clipchamp tool, which is an online app complete with AI integration.
Recently, I shared how to find the hidden video-trimming tool buried in the Photos app. It's a great tool for quick video trimming. At the time, I said this was the last surviving video-editing feature in the Photos app.
But a reader pointed out something to me: You can still find the classic Video Editor that Microsoft once offered in its old Photos app. You just have to know where to look.
And, unlike Clipchamp, you don't need to sign in with a Microsoft account to use these free video-editing tools.
This week's reader suggestion??? Microsoft is pushing Clipchamp as its modern video editor, and all you can do in the modern Photos app is trim a video.
But all those old video-editing features that Microsoft once included in the Photos app are still available. I'll show you how to find them.
?? This works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
? An anonymous Windows Intelligence reader wrote in and pointed out something I didn't notice: All those old video-editing features are buried in the older Photos app, which Microsoft still offers.
To get the classic Photos app, open the Photos app on your PC. Click the gear icon at the top-right corner of the window to view settings, scroll down to the "Photos Legacy" section, and use the button here to either get Photos Legacy (if it isn't installed yet) or open Photos Legacy (if it is.)
After installing Photos Legacy, you can also launch it from your Start menu. Yes, you'll have two different Photos apps on your PC: "Photos" and "Photos Legacy."
The Photos Legacy app has a convenient "Video Editor" tab on its main pane after you launch it. You'll find the classic Video Editor from Microsoft's Windows 10-era Photos app right here.
You can use this Video Editor to do a wide variety of things that the current Photos app can no longer do: Add multiple videos to a project and combine them, insert text, apply filters, choose background music, and more.
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| From: Don Green | 7/19/2024 10:01:25 AM | | | | | | These 7 Frightening Things Might Actually End the World, Scientists Say
 Photo by Noppasit Phothikolmonwat from Shutterstock1. Ecological collapseOne of the first calamities that can end the world is an ecological collapse. Ecosystems are fragile communities of living things, including people and animals, that interact with the nonliving elements of their surroundings, such as the air and water.
There is a point in time at which ecosystems can no longer withstand the effects of human activity, such as habitat loss or temperature rises, and the research suggests that we may be approaching that threshold.
Can a drought end the world? Well, let’s discuss, for example, Lake Chad, located in West Africa. This is the best example of an ecological collapse. The lake has decreased by 90% as a result of 60 years of drought, excessive water consumption, and the effects of climate change. The lives of almost 40 million people who depend on it in Chad, Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon have been severely impacted by its drastic depletion.
Who is really to blame for the end of the world? Well, humans are the primary change agents, the ones who are really changing everything and contributing to the overall damage to the ecosystem.
 Photo by Stokkete from Shutterstock2. Robots taking over the worldTechnology helped us in so many ways; that’s why there is doubt it helped us get so far. But at what cost? A lot of video games and movies depict various scenarios in which androids will end the world, and none of them is a happy one. But realistically speaking, there is no chance that AI will become malevolent.
Scientists estimate that by 2050, there is a 50% possibility that artificial intelligence (AI) will be as good as or better than humans in performing the majority of activities that humans do now. Maybe AI will not end the world; putting AI weapons in the hands of the wrong individuals will.
What is your opinion about this topic? Do you think we will be able to live peacefully with robots and artificial intelligence? Tell us in the comments section.
< 1 2 3 4 5 6 >
 Photo by Alones from Sutterstock3. Nuclear warOne thing is certain: nuclear war is going to end the world! Other dangerous things mentioned above may be easily avoided—not entirely, but still, we can’t escape from a nuclear war. In the 4 km-radius blast zone, a nuclear explosion from one of today’s most potent weapons would result in an 80–95% death rate, but “severe damage” may spread six times as far.
However, we should be more concerned about the nuclear winter than about mortality rates. At this point, the earth is covered in clouds of smoke and dust that obstruct the sun, perhaps resulting in a prolonged period of low temperatures.
A nuclear war between the US and Russia, who own the great bulk of the world’s arsenal, might result in the detonation of 4,000 warheads, which would result in an unknown number of deaths and an 8-degree Celsius reduction in global temperatures for four to five years.
Anarchy and bloodshed would break out if humans were unable to produce food. Remember that Mad Max scenario I was talking about? This is going to be the same. The worrying thought is that nuclear weapons can be released at any time and end the world in a matter of seconds…
Is it possible to save our planet and avoid the end of the world? This book How To Create A Better World will teach you how to make lifestyle changes, including changing your behaviors and adopting principles that will help you to live a different kind of life.
< 1 2 3 4 5 6 >
 Photo by myboys.me from Shutterstock4. Global epidemicsBack in the day, in 2020, we were all petrified about COVID-19. There was no cure for it; medical personnel didn’t know much about it, and this caused a huge panic worldwide. Can you imagine going through something similar again? If not we, our grandchildren and grand-grandchildren will do.
The Black Plague, which almost killed the world in the fourteenth century, has been a topic of conversation once more in recent months. Does anyone recall the cholera outbreak? or the measles?
The most terrifying scenario, according to several experts, would be the introduction of a strain that transmits so quickly that we are unprepared for it or that defies all chemical containment techniques, maybe as a result of human disturbance of the ecological balance.
Luckily, deadly diseases are pretty rare, but there is always a huge possibility for them to end the world. However, we must still try to develop new, stronger antibiotics by 2050 to be able to fight against various types of resistant bacteria.
< 1 2 3 4 5 6 >
 Photo by Marco Ritzki from Shutterstock5. Volcanic eruptionsAnother one on the list of frightening things that might end the world is volcanic eruptions. A big volcanic eruption can happen every 17,000 years, and if that’s the case, we’re past due—the last one we know of occurred in New Zealand 26,500 years ago.
On the other hand, neither scientist can predict when the next eruption will occur or how to lessen the chance that it will. However, one thing is certain: experts are keeping an eye on many dangerous regions, including Yellowstone in the United States.
6. Change of climate (global warming)The fact that the Earth is warming steadily every day is not surprising at all, and although we may not like to hear it, we are somewhat to blame. A warmer Earth may also help spread infectious diseases by giving parasites a better environment and expanding the spectrum of tropical infections, according to researchers like Harvard Medical School’s Paul Epstein, who has expressed concern about this hypothesis more recently.
These are regrettably really bad news since they might have a severe impact on agriculture, leading to starvation in the end. Earth may ultimately resemble Venus, where the average daily high is 900 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Asteroids hitting the EarthThe last, but not least, of the multiple causes that can end the world, are asteroids. However, what are the chances that this will occur soon? Yes, one asteroid is big enough to bring about a worldwide disaster, but it takes place once every 120,000 years.
Now, NASA declared a couple of years ago that it had mapped over 90% of space objects with a diameter of one kilometer or more and that none of them were likely to collide with Earth. Pfew good news! That means we can breathe a sigh of relief! However, if not a big asteroid, there are still many other small objects that can damage our planet in a matter of seconds.
You loved reading this article and now you’re hungry for more stuff about asteroids and things from outer space? That’s awesome because I have another great suggestion for you: 7 Things From Outer Space That Will End the World. |
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| From: Don Green | 7/27/2024 5:39:25 PM | | | | | | You can actually change the default File Explorer in Windows here's how
Story by Joo Carrasqueira
FWIW I use Directory Opus gpsoft.com.au
Microsoft's File Explorer is far from a perfect solution for managing your files on Windows 11, but you're kind of stuck with it. While there are plenty of File Explorer alternatives, including some we've taken a look at here on XDA, Microsoft provides no easy way to replace the default handler for file management.
However, just because it's not easy, it doesn't mean it's not possible. By hacking the Windows Registry, you can force Windows to open folders and drives in a different app. It's not a perfect solution, but it does work for the most part.
Related
4 reasons Microsoft should let you change the default file explorer in WindowsManaging your files could be so much better if Windows 11 gave you more options
Before you get started
There are a couple of big things to note before you make the changes we're going to mention here. First of all, a few file managers such as OneCommander and TotalCommander already provide built-in options for replacing File Explorer. Essentially, those apps do the registry hacks for you, so the process is a lot more seamless this way. What's more, each app can support additional arguments for handling file management more naturally. For example, they can ensure that new folders are open in an existing window rather than opening a new one each time. As such, if you can, you should try to look for the option to replace File Explorer in the app you're currently using. The steps below are meant for apps that don't give you this option, or if you just want a more general solution that works for any app.
Related
Files review: A more modern alternative to the Windows 11 File ExplorerThe Files app is what I want the Windows 11 File Explorer to look like, but it's not quite perfect. It's also limited by Windows in some ways.
There are still some limitations with this hack, particularly dialogs like Save As or Open will still use the File Explorer design. You can't circumvent that.
You'll need to manually revert these changes to the Registry if you end up uninstalling the file manager app you're using. You won't be able to open any folders if you don't.
Hack the Windows Registry to change your default file managerWith the introduction out of the way, it's time to make changes to the Windows Registry if you want to change your default file manager. Here's what you need to do:
- Find the file location of the app you're trying to use as a file manager. For this example, we're using OneCommander, which is stored in C:\Program Files\OneCommander by default. However, this will vary depending on the program you're using. For most apps, the best way to find this information is to right-click the desktop or Start menu shortcut and choose Open file location.
- Right-click the EXE file for the app and select Copy as path.
- Now, open the Start menu or Windows Search and search for regedit then select the first option (or press Enter).
- Once in the Registry Editor, use the left-side panel (or copy and paste the text below) to navigate to: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell
- Right-click the shell folder and choose New > Key.
- Name the new key open.
- Right-click the open folder and, again, choose New > Key. Name this one command. The structure should look like this:
- Inside the new command folder, double-click the (Default) value to change its data.
- Enter the path you coped in step 2, followed by "%1". For our example with OneCommander, it will look like this: "C:\Program Files\OneCommander\OneCommander.exe" "%1"
- Click OK.
- Now, navigate to this folder in Registry Editor: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell
- Repeat steps 5 through 10 to create the same folder structure with the same commands.
With these changes, the program of your choice will now handle opening any drive or directory instead of File Explorer. However, if you try to open File Explorer directly using a shortcut or by pressing Windows + E on your keyboard, it will still open File Explorer. That being said, when you click a folder inside File Explorer, it will then open it in the app you chose.
Reverting the changesIf you change our mind and want to go back to opening folders in File Explorer, simply delete the open folders you created in Registry Editor. Be sure to delete them from both the Directory and Drive parent folders.
Related
FreeCommander hands-on: A File Explorer replacement with potential (and a few problems)This File Explorer replacement isn't it for me
Redirect the Windows + E keyboard shortcutIf you want to go all the way and also replace the app that opens when you press the Windows key + E on your keyboard, you can do that, too. There are a couple of ways you can do this, but the easiest one is to use AutoHotKey. Here's how it works:
- Download and install AutoHotKey from the official website.
- Open Notepad and enter the following text, replacing "C:\Program Files\OneCommander\OneCommander.exe" with the path for the program you want to use: #e::Run C:\Program Files\OneCommander\OneCommander.exe"
- Click File > Save as.
- Set the Save as type setting to All files (*.*) and name the file something like FileManager.ahk (you can change the name, but you have to keep .ahk at the end).
- You can now double-click the file you create to run the script, though you'll see a message asking but you likely want it to be running all the time so the shortcut is always functional. For that, go to the location where you saved the AHK file and copy it.
- Navigate to this folder in your file manager: %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
- Paste the file in this location.
Now, the script will run when your computer starts, so whenever you press Windows + E, you will be taken to the file manager of your choice.
It's not perfect, but it helpsWith all of these steps, you can now use the file manager of your choice as your default file explorer in Windows 11 (or previous versions, too). It's not a perfect solution since some dialogs still rely on the File Explorer UI, but this already goes a long way in making the experience better. Hopefully Microsoft introduces a way to change the default file manager in Windows at some point.
You can actually change the default File Explorer in Windows here's how © Provided by XDA Developers
Monitor displaying Windows 11 running OneCommander © Provided by XDA Developers
Screenshot of OneCommander advanced settings with the option to replace File Explorer enabled © Provided by XDA Developers
Screenshot of the Files app on Windows 11 with a green theme and a photo in the background © Provided by XDA Developers
Screenshot of File Explorer with a context menu where the Copy as path option is highlighted © Provided by XDA Developers
Screenshot of Registry Editor shwoing the option to create a new key inside the shell key © Provided by XDA Developers
Screenshot of Registry Editor showing the folder structure after creating the necessary keys to replace File Explorer © Provided by XDA Developers
Screenshot of Registry Editor with a value set to open OneCommander when opening a folder © Provided by XDA Developers
Screenshot of Registry Editor showing the contents of the Directory folder after configuring it to open OneCommander instead of File Explorer © Provided by XDA Developers
Screenshot of a Windows 11 desktop with FreeCommander displaying two folders with pictures © Provided by XDA Developers
Screenshot of Notepad displaying a script for AutoHotkey © Provided by XDA Developers
Screnshot of a Save As dialog with the file type set to All types and a file name ending in .ahk © Provided by XDA Developers
Screenshots of File Explorer showing a AutoHotkey script stored in the Startup folder © Provided by XDA Developers
 Related video: The "New" File System in Windows: ReFS (Viral Tech) |
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| To: Don Green who wrote (1779) | 7/28/2024 11:23:25 AM | | From: GROUND ZERO™ | | | | A QUESTION ON HEADSETS
Is it safe to keep my headset plugged into the desktop all the time or should I remove it each time after I done using it???
Many thanks for any good advice on this...
GZ |
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