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USB Security Flaw –

A newly discovered fundamental flaw in USB design means increased security risks for PC users. The issue derives from the fact that USB, by design, is incredibly versatile. The designers of USB technology (the USB Implementers Forum) sacrificed security in favor of versatility.

USB Controller ChipEssentially the flaw, dubbed BadUSB by Security Resarch Labs in Berlin, takes advantage of the fact that every USB device has a controller chip to manage the connection between your computer and your device. The controllers have firmware which can be reprogrammed to change the function of the device. This reprogramming can do a whole host of malicious things and is almost impossible to detect. More importantly there doesn’t appear to be an immediate fix.

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Safe Computing Best Practices

Safe computing best practices are intended to help ensure the integrity of your computer and data.  A few of these will be old news to some of you, but I feel that it is important to compile the list as a point of reference for our customers and blog readers.

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Which Web Browser – Safe Surfing

There are a lot of topics in the realm of the internet and computers which can spark heated debates between computer techs.  I like to call them “Ford vs. Chevy arguments” because, in the south at least, there are lots of guys who like one and despise the other.  Web browsers are no different.  There are staunch supporters of Firefox, Safari and Chrome.  The one opinion that most techs agree upon is that Internet Explorer is the pits.

I really hate to disparage anyone about their technology choices, and for years I’ve told people to use what they know.  If you like your browser and it works like you think it should, then stick with what you know and like.  To some extent I still agree with this advice, but… C’mon, you knew there was going to be a “but”  …but, with all the problems I’ve seen my customers have with Internet Explorer, and with the recent developments which sparked Microsoft to release a security patch (even for it’s now dead XP operating system) I am starting to change my tune.

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