| Tech Corner |
 |
| Max Trenck“Live as if you were to die tomorrow.Learn as if you were to live forever.”-Mahatma Gandhi |
| NOV 3 – a note from Max on 23andMeSome of you may have read about 23 and Me in news articles over the past several weeks. Succinctly put, all but 1 of their directors have resigned, the company is now worth 5% of what it was worth at the peak. Basically, most of their customers pay once for the test and results and then for nothing else. I have read the firm may be sold, and the DNA data with it. Should this happen our/your/my DNA information could go to the buyer. I am not willing to take that risk. I will follow the links shared below to save what I can and remove my data and profile. I have sent this information to my 1C2R, whom I met through 23andMe. One News article on 23andMe:https://apnews.com/article/23andme-board-directors-resign-settlement-b3fda30fc8a95538f9391c5439c1cd52 Download the raw DNA file:https://www.dataminingdna.com/how-to-download-23andme-dna-an-illustrated-guide/ Download the match data:https://whoareyoumadeof.com/blog/how-to-download-23andme-dna-relatives/ Delete the raw DNA data:https://whoareyoumadeof.com/blog/how-to-download-23andme-dna-relatives/ Closing the account:https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/212170688-Requesting-23andMe-Account-Closure-End of 23andMe “article” Helpful Apps to Consider OpenTable: Use it to book restaurant reservations. You can plan ahead or grab last-minute tables. (iPhone | Android)AllTrails: Get walking, running, biking and hiking routes, and filter them by distance, views and dog friendliness. (iPhone | Android)Instacart: Shop online and have your groceries delivered. Pro tip: Choose stores that say, “Online prices are the same as in-store prices.” (iPhone | Android)Google Authenticator: It’s a more secure, time-based code to replace two-factor authentication and keep out hackers. (iPhone | Android)Libby: Access thousands of e-books and audiobooks from your local library, all for free. (iPhone | Android)Hallow: This Catholic app has Fr. Mike’s Bible in a Year, homilies, the rosary, daily prayers and reflections. (iPhone | Android)Merlin Bird ID: Perfect for birdwatchers or nature lovers, this app provides instant identification with photos and bird sounds. (iPhone | Android)Amazon: Get notifications when a delivery is coming and order right from your phone. You can also take a pic of what you’re looking for and search using your photo. (iPhone | Android)NYT Games: I take 10 minutes a day to play Spelling Bee, Connections, Wordle and Mini Crossword. (iPhone | Android)Virtual Keypad: It combines all your security systems in one app. I use it to control the alarms at my house in Phoenix, my studios and my home in Santa Barbara. (iPhone | Android) 5 more worth checking out Too Good To Go: Buy surplus food from restaurants, cafes and bakeries at a discount. The other day, I picked up a loaded bag of bagels and rolls at Whole Foods for $3.99. (iPhone | Android)Capo: My friend, Chris, raves about this iPhone app. It’s designed to help musicians learn songs more efficiently by slowing down tracks and providing chord detection. For Android, check out Chordify.Oko: Winner of Apple’s 2024 Design Award, this AI-powered iPhone accessibility app helps individuals who are blind or have low vision safely navigate pedestrian crossings. For Android, try Lookout.Crouton: This iPhone app lets you organize recipes from the web, books or handwritten notes from Grandma. For Android, check out Recipes Home.Facetune: It’s what celebs use to touch up their pictures. Whiten your teeth and smooth your skin with zero Photoshop skills. (iPhone | Android)-from Kim Komando newsletter, Nov 3, 2024 NOV 2Criminals are targeting your computer’s cookies for sensitive informationhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/criminals-are-targeting-your-computer-s-cookies-for-sensitive-information/vi-AA1tepVl?ocid=socialshare&cvid=c78f37cba43a44fca0df673c971d4bc3 NOV 1Passkeys are more popular than ever. This research explains whyhttps://apple.news/Af-XoXIH7TryMHLsBfmPvJw Max points to these ‘clips’ from the above article as critical to understanding passkeys: “Passkeys work by using public key cryptography, where each passkey consists of a private key stored locally on the device you used to create the passkey, as well as a public key that is stored with the company you created your account with. This means that even if there is a breach, cybercriminals can only access the public key, which is essentially useless without the private key.”Security is one of the main reasons people are gravitating toward passkeys and away from passwords. Passkeys typically rely on some form of biometric authentication (such as a fingerprint or Face ID), which is considered safer and less hackable than passwords. “Another day, another massive data breach. This time, it’s MoneyGram, a global mega-company that handles money transfers, bill pay and other financial services. They have digital platforms and retail locations, and they even power Walmart’s money-transfer service.“There’s no formal statement yet on exactly how many people were impacted, but we do know MoneyGram has over 150 million customers worldwide. The whole shebang, exposed“In their official statement, MoneyGram says an unauthorized third party (aka a vendor, hacker or group of hackers) accessed and acquired a ton of personal info between Sept. 20 and Sept. 22. MoneyGram didn’t discover the break-in until about a week later, on Sept. 27.“MoneyGram says the following types of customer data have been compromised:Social Security numbers and government ID documents Contact information, including email, addresses and phone numbers Birthdates Bank account numbers Utility bills MoneyGram Plus Rewards information and transaction information Criminal investigation information (like fraud) for “a limited number of consumers”“MoneyGram is working with external cybersecurity experts and law enforcement. It generally takes a few weeks or even months to discover the full extent of breaches like this and all those impacted. In the meantime, they’re providing customers with free identity protection and credit monitoring services for two years. Whenever a big breach like this happens“… It’s always a good idea to take a proactive approach with your credit file. If you’ve used MoneyGram before, place a security freeze on your credit report with each of the three major credit reporting agencies. Here’s how:Equifax: Visit Equifax.com and follow the steps to freeze online. By phone, call 1‑888‑298‑0045. For snail-mail requests: Print this and mail it to Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 105788, Atlanta, GA 30348‑5788.Experian: To do it online, visit the Experian Freeze Center. By phone, call 1‑888‑EXPERIAN (1‑888‑397‑3742), or submit your request in writing to Experian Security Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013.TransUnion: Add a freeze online on the TransUnion website. Call 1‑888‑916‑8800, or mail TransUnion, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094.“Once you’ve placed the freeze, you’ll get a personal identification number or password to temporarily lift or remove the freeze. Make sure you keep this info in a safe place. And there’s a fourth credit reporting agency now“When freezing your credit, include Innovis. Innovis also maintains consumer data that some lenders, insurers and other entities use to evaluate your creditworthiness. Visit the Innovis website to place a security freeze, call 1‑800‑540‑2505, or send a letter to Innovis Consumer Assistance, P.O. Box 1640, Pittsburgh, PA 15230.“Now, just use the website links, if you can. If you want to mail in your freeze request, you need to send it via certified mail and include your full name, address (current and previous addresses for the past two years), Social Security number, date of birth, a copy of a government-issued ID (e.g., driver’s license) and proof of address (e.g., utility bill). That’s a lot of your life in one envelope. |
Share:
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn
More Articles...
Stolen Surname
FamilySearch is a free nonprofit genealogy site with over 8 billion records. A built-in AI Research Assistant finds ancestors you didn’t know existed. ChatGPT,
Tracking You Since Day 1
Tracking You Since Day 1 ⚡ TLDR Your iPhone’s Significant Locations secretly logs every place you visit, with dates, times and duration. Android’s Google
Prep Your Digital Afterlife
Prep Your Digital Afterlife This is not a happy topic. But it’s essential advice, if you’re 30 or 90. If something happened to you tomorrow,
Holiday DNA Results: Navigating the Shift from “Pie Charts” to Proven Pedigrees
If you unwrapped a DNA kit this season, welcome to the community, you’ve probably gotten your results. Interpreting these results requires a transition from viewing
Tech NEWS
CUSTOMER SERVICE REP, HUMAN OR BOT? Quick question: When’s the last time you really knew if you were chatting with a real human on a customer