Apr 5, 2018 | Uncategorized
So in the 1990s and much of the 2000s, us Americans thought we were IT support and technology. Many of us also thought nobody could touch us. Then China’s tech boom came along. Now I ask, “Will IT service turn into the united state of China?”.
So I read an interesting article. In the tech world, they’re demanding not American tech services, but China’s. One reason is due because of change in consumer habits and culture. Furthermore, people and companies tire of rising adverting costs, incompetent service, scandal, and potential monopolies (ahem…Google, Amazon, Apple), that seem to plague American technology. The world sees it. This is where China could come in.
First of all, China hardly went through the ‘trial and error’ that American techies did. They just ahem…borrowed…from us and everybody else’s. Now, well, since 2010, many of the world’s best companies came from China. Also, many praise China’s techies for their work ethic. Then look at their ad business. China’s tech companies, like WeChat, seem to have better ad revenue than our Facebook. They seem to be light years ahead of us in mobile shopping. On their Singles Day, kinda like our Black Friday, their Alibaba, kinda like our Amazon, raked in $25 billion. I doubt even our Amazon or Walmart can do that in one day.
So what then? I see it in our Boston computer service shop. There are some occasions, not many but a few, where we need a part from China. We’ve actually heard customers say, “I’m relieved. China has better parts anyway.”. Wow. So it sounds like our American tech companies better get on the ball. And now I’m reading about a trade war between the US and China. How will this work out for either nation? More so for us than for them. Will IT service turn into the united state of China?
Apr 4, 2018 | News, youtube
So yesterday, tragedy struck the You Tube headquarters in San Bruno, CA. A woman opened fire on You Tube’s main work campus. This forced hundreds of employees and managers to either flee the building or take cover under their desks. But who would do this? You Tube shooting: About the suspect.
So the suspect’s name was Nasim Aghdam. She was 39 years old and from San Diego, CA. I say ‘was’ because at the end of her shooting spree, she turned the gun on herself. Furthermore, we learn Ashdam was a You Tube’er. In fact, she had over 10,000 subscribers at one time. She used the name ‘Nasime Sabz’. On her channel, she did everything from Middle Eastern dancing and speaking to crusading for animal rights. She also promoted her vegan diet and lifestyle.
But according to reports, recently, You Tube stopped paying for her videos. This deeply cut into her primary income. Then, Aghdam complained You Tube added age restrictions and other filters. It angered her when these filters brought her viewership down. Aghdam’s father saw how upset she was. That’s why he got so worried when she went missing. In fact, the day before this tragedy, the father warned police she might go to San Bruno with with intentions. Nasim Aghdam’s page is no more. They deleted it immediately following the shooting. This tragedy hit the whole IT service and IT support community.
The You Tube shooting rampage injured three people. One is in critical condition, one in serious, and one is in fair condition. You Tube and their parent company, Google, assure they’re cooperation with authorities, and comfort those directly affected and their loved ones. This brings up You Tube headquarters’ security. In fact, CBS journalist said despite him having to get a badge, he still just walked through without a metal detector. But what about the suspect? We should never blame You Tube or Google for this heinous act. Nasim Aghadam is to blame. She is the only one who deserves blame. The fact she took her own life rather then face justice or the victims is a sign of a sociopathic coward. I do feel pity for Ashdam’s father, but this cowardly, murderous act forever tarnished whatever legacy Nasim Aghadam? tried to leave behind. Am I being too harsh here?
Apr 3, 2018 | Computer technology
So far this year, we hear a lot about Russia. We hear a lot of concerning things about Russia, like nuclear weapons. The US military’s DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Project Agency) wants to do something about it. Here it is. DARPA uses IT support and sea creatures.
So let me explain. DARPA actually wants to sea creatures like fish, dolphins, even coral and bacteria, to spy on enemy threats. But wait…there’s more. They also want to know which marine animal supports sensors that detect underwater vehicles. That means any of them, including, let’s say, one that can carry very harmful weapons. I think you know what I mean, then.
In, fact, if DARPA uses IT support on sea creatures could save them money. I say this because man made machines often break down. At least, that’s their reason for using sea creatures. However, it’s already happening. They’re already using some large ocean animal for work like this. But as you can imagine, not everybody is happy with this. This appalls environmental groups. One Greenpeace activist says marine mammals should not be involved in military exercises.? They insists they won’t use animals on the endangered spices list. That sounds like a step in the right direction, right?
However, this sounds more like two steps forward and two steps back. Because some reports say they want to…ahem…modify species to detect threats in our waters. To me, that either means one or two things, and neither are good. One is they’re either going to breed other species of animals. Or it could even mean they might try some trans-humanist experiments on animals. I hope that’s not the case. Look at how far technology has come in just this last decade. We can build voice assistants. We can build running robots. There’s even talk of building colonies on Mars. So if we can do all that, then can’t we build tools to secure our waterways without using sea creatures?
Apr 2, 2018 | Computer technology
So you have Amazon’s Alexa. Then you know you can do a lot with that system. Alexa can do anything from play your music to turn off your lights. But did you know Alexa can also do your good deeds? Alexa donates to charity: from your account.
So this is how it works. Just tell Alexa how much you want to donate and which charity you want to donate to. For example, you could say, “Alexa, donate $30 to World Relief”. And Alexa donates to charity for you. In fact, it will even deduct if from whatever account you linked Alexa to.
You see, Alexa has a confirmation code can keep you from making an accidental purchase. Also, this is to protect you from literally your own household. What if you have a teenager who uses your Alexa account to go on his/her shopping spree. Your code prevents that. But what does this have to do with donating to charity? When, or if, you do use Alexa to donate, then you can know they won’t give away your credit info. However, it will give your name, email and address to the charity you chose. You can also track your donation at Amazon pay.
So as of today, there are over 40 charities you can donate to through Alexa. Some we know very well, like American Cancer Society. Then you have some lesser known and local charities, like Detroit Achievement Academy. But here is the list of all you charities under this new system, so far. Is this good for IT service? That depends on how much you trust Alexa. It sounds like she’s doing the right things to keep users safe. But you never know. Here around our computer service shop, I’ve seen so much stuff. So even if Alexa donates to charity is hack-proof, then I still wouldn’t do it. Doesn’t Alexa do enough already? Do we really want Alexa paying our bills and doing our charity work, too?
Mar 30, 2018 | internet, News
So Facebook can use some good news now. In fact, everyone in IT support can use some good news now. I found some. Facebook’s good news: Spamming paid off.
So it starts when Ben Taylor from Utah gets a Facebook message from Liberia, a small West African nation, asking for help. Most would dismiss this as a trick or scam. But Taylor replied, “How can I help?”.? Taylor wanted to see how they pulled these scams off. Then there is Joel. He’s the Liberian man who asked Ben Taylor for help. He asked for electronics. He would sell the electronics, then send some of the profits back. Still thinking it’s a scam, Ben sent a cheap camera, not expecting anything back. This is where it gets good.
Because Joel did keep his end of the bargain. Then Ben asked for pictures of Joel’s homeland. He made a book of Joel’s Liberia. Then, he made over $1,000 selling these books. Taylor promised Joel that $1,000, but with a catch. Ben made Joel promise to give half of it to charity. Once again, Joel proved Ben wrong. Because Joel send back proof that he did give $500 to charity. It gets better. Taylor, who claims he never left the US, went to Liberia and met Joel in person. This is a friendship that continues to this day and will probably continue for years to come.
Let me put a disclaimer out there. This isn’t an excuse to look to buy electronics from Africa. There are a lot of scams that originate from West Africa. In fact, several years back, someone at our Boston computer service shop got burned. Then why do I write about Facebook’s good news? Because we could use some. I report so much about malware, scams, rip-offs, wealth inequality, scandals, bullying, sextortion, etc. So it’s time to report on good news. It’s inspiring to see how a Facebook message can turn into a partnership and friendship around the world. Do you have any good tech news to share?
Mar 29, 2018 | Malware
So we all remember the WannaCry last year. Because in 2017, this malware virus tore a lot of things up, from hospitals to government agencies. It’s still around in 2018. WannaCry isn’t dead yet: They hit Boeing.
That’s right. So reports say their the malware started at Boeing’s? North Charleston, SC site. One memo wrote the virus hit automatic assembly tools, although he wrote it in code. Then, the memo said that ‘airplane software’ may be next. Very soon after they discovered the threat, they treated it with a ‘kill switch’ and patches. This did slow the virus, with significance. However, they may not kill the virus altogether. I say that because this may be a newer strain.
Boeing came out with a statement addressing this potential crisis. They admitted WannaCry affected dozens of machines, but it won’t interfere with their aircraft production. They also claimed the memo, and other news articles, overstated the threat. Yes, they admit the malware threat. But they assured they remedied the situation and it will not mess up production of any kind. However, we don’t know where the attack came from. Though a lot of people have a good idea.
That suspect is North Korea. They served as a thorn in the IT service world since The Interview movie fiasco back in 2014. And in the years that followed, the relationship between the west and North Korea got more intense. Many security experts claim North Korea is responsible of WannaCry. Some others say they’re behind this attack on Boeing. It wouldn’t surprise me.? I hope Boeing is telling the truth about this threat not being so bad. Over the years, this malware caused a lot of havoc on other IT support systems. I hope it causes none on one of the biggest airplane makers in the world. WannaCry isn’t dead yet. What will it take to kill it?
Mar 28, 2018 | Computer technology
So IT support can do lots of things. But can IT service give you better health? There’s an Irish start up company that thinks so. So do venture capitalist that support them. LetsGetChecked: Can IT support save your health?
The founder is Tom Foley, who started LetsGetChecked back in 2014. It’s lab building technology that focuses on health testing. Then there are the ventures supporting this thing. They include Chinese VC company Qiming Venture Partners. Recently, they raised over $12 million. They will use the money to add people to their clinical team. I also hope they use these funds to expand worldwide.
LetsGetChecked is what is sounds like. It’s a health testing kit you give right at home. This includes cancer screenings, sexual health and STD testing, even hormone and fertility issues. You get the test based on your health concern. You can only get it through their website, and only after a doctor approves it. Then they’ll ship the test to your house. You do what you have to do, then send the sample back, with your kit, to their facility. If the sample reveals a serious diagnosis, like cancer or STD, then a LetsGetChecked doctor will call you.
Furthermore, these health kits are all over the place in cost. The cheapest cost $55. The most expensive costs? over $700. It depends on your test and your issue. Is it available in the US yet? I want to say yes. According to their website, they do have an office in New York City. They also have a US number you can call. They also have offices in their native Dublin, Ireland and another office base in Toronto, Ontario,Canada. I’d like to think if I ever used this kit, then it would stay at least in the US, and not go all the way to Ireland. Would you use a health kit like this?
Mar 27, 2018 | Malware, Security, Smartphone
So when it comes to Android fighting the constant battle against malware, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that they’re doing a better job keeping malware out of the Google store. But the bad news is hackers are finding new and creative ways to invade your Droid. There is Android malware in a code app.
This new malware strain is?Andr/HiddnAd-AJ. Yes, that’s the name of it. However, what is scary is how subtle and innocent it looks. Hackers slipped it into Google Play as a QR code and compass app. This is kind of like a repair man coming to your house, but you find out that repair man is a burglar. By the time you realize he knows the way to your house, it’s too late.
This tactic is nothing new, but is is slick and tricky. They buried a hostile code in a regular Android library. And it doesn’t mess up your system right away. In fact, it can take up to six hours before this malware does any damage. There is more good news. In the last 24 hours or so, Google found and cancelled this fake app that’s causing this. Google and security experts insists it’s safe to use and buy from Google Play.
I can only hope so. Myself, and many in our Boston computer service shop, a lot of us use Android. I will give Android credit. A few years ago, all we read about is Android getting hacked, and getting hacked often. Now, you don’t hear about that as much. That’s a good sign. But this doesn’t mean the hackers are going to stop trying. In fact, it means they’re going to try even harder. Any good IT service worker will warn you of such threats because they don’t want you going through it. That’s what we try to do here. Have any of you been impacted by Android malware in a code app?
Mar 26, 2018 | internet
So the year 2018 is not off to a good start for Facebook. First, many blame Facebook for ‘fake news’. Then, a movement starts calling for people to delete Facebook altogether. Now, an Ars Technica report says Facebook collects SMS data from Androids without users’ permission or approval. So this is Facebook embroiled in another scandal.
Keep in mind they already apologized for the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Now comes this. But this time, Facebook denies these new reports. In fact, Facebook denies ever logging in people’s call and text history. Then they explained the deal. Facebook said that on the Android Faceook app, it includes an opt-in feature. With this feature, they agree to use it. However, they can turn off the opt-in feature at anytime. When they do, that will release any call, text or any other data the app might share.
It didn’t take long for Ars Technica? to respond. They say that Messenger was never even installed on the Android devices they use. This came from their editor, national security editor Sean Gallagher. He further says in installed the app on tablet Nexus and Blackphone 2. It’s almost like he’s backtracking here. But is it too late?
Even on my Facebook page, I’m losing friends. It isn’t because of anything I posted (at least I don’t think so), but because some people are tired of the scandals. They’re also heeding peoples’ call to get off one of the most popular IT service sites in the world. That’s not good for Facebook. Stock markets are proving it. As of right now, Facebook stocks are down over 4%. This doesn’t include the downfall their stocks had last week. I don’t know if Facebook is right, neither does anybody in this computer service shop. We don’t know if Ars Technology is right. But we do know this article will do even more to Facebook. So here we have Facebook embroiled in another scandal. What do you think this one will do?
Mar 23, 2018 | Malware, News, Security
So many of us still have nightmares of WannaCry and NotPetya. Those are the malware viruses that nearly crippled British computer systems back in May 2017. But now Atlanta is under the gun. Ransomware hacks Atlanta: Is it SamSam?
Over the past 24 hours, malware crept into Atlanta’s IT service systems. Because of this, the city government can’t even do simple things. This includes processing payments and getting court case information. Then, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms addressed the attacks. She assured the Atlanta people the government will be open the next day (which is today). She also said this malware didn’t attack airports, public safety or services.
Mayor Bottoms stated she’s working with federal agencies to see who compromised what data. But here’s what we do know. SamSam ransomware sent a note. The note demanded $51,000 in Bitcoin to let go of the systems.They’re also demanding certain files. I cringe to think what those files are and what they want with them.? That’s almost six Bitcoin. SamSam is just one of malware systems that attack government and health care systems. Furthermore, SamSam has been doing this since 2015. They deliberately target these systems because they know how critical gov’t and health care are to the people. Thus, leaders are more likely to pay the ransom. These hackers also know they have better means to pay than individuals or small businesses.
But immediately after the attacks started, Atlanta tweeted the people of what’s going on. The mayor followed that with a press conference, and got federal agencies like FBI and DHS involved. Microsoft also helped out in this. So I applaud Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms for how she handled Ransomware hacks Atlanta. Hopefully, all systems are normal in Atlanta. Why does what happen in Atlanta affect Boston, particularly near our Boston computer service shop? If it can happen in Atlanta, what makes you think it can’t happen in Boston?
