Time is running out on these two operating systems from Microsoft. The end of support is slated for later this year on October 10, 2023. If you continue to use either of these operating systems after that date you are putting your business at risk. Security updates are available to those with an extended service contract from Microsoft. Another alternative is to move your server instance to the Azure cloud. If you want to continue using of your on-premise server, upgrading to Windows Server 2022 is recommended. More information from Microsoft is available here.
Apple Magic Mouse 1/2 or Magic Trackpad for Windows
I’ve worn out the scroll wheel on quite a few mice. Apple’s Magic Mouse 2 lacks the wheel, but it’s touch sensitive top allows for scolling and other features that many mice have. When my current Dell wireless mouse wheel started acting up, I borrowed the Magic Mouse 2 from my Mac. After the Bluetooth pairing process, I had it connected and working. The only problem being that I couldn’t scroll. Same mouse works under Boot Camp on my MacBook Pro, so I determined it to be a driver problem. Apple doesn’t offer drivers for Windows directly, only through there Boot Camp installer. I temporarily ended up using Magic Utilities which does work well, but it requires a subscription. Also, I didn’t most of the extra functionality it offers.
My solution to this was found on GitHub using a project called Brigadier by Tim Sutton. This will allow you to download the Boot Camp software without using a Mac. I’m posting the resulting drivers here to help out those who may struggle with the command line.
Phishing Resources
Phishing and ransomware are the two big ticket items in cybercrime. It seems many people still don’t know what to look for to determine if an email is legitimate or if it’s fraudulent. Here are some links to help educate yourself and others about phishing emails.
How To Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams – FTC.gov
Protect yourself from Phishing – Microsoft.com
I’d also like to add that account takeovers and ACH / payroll fraud have also seen a huge jump. Email is not a good conduit to conduct financial transactions. Avoid using email to send any account or banking information. Use email encryption if you need to send sensitive information via email.
Tesla Referral Link
I’m posting my Tesla referral link for clients, friends, family or anyone else that might be interested in Tesla products. I’ve become quite educated on the Model S, Solar Roof, and Powerwall products. If you are interested or have questions about these products feel free to contact me. – Ryan Leed
Microsoft Defender Offline Scan
There are times when malware can be so embedded in a system, then even a full scan will not be able to fully remove the malicious files, or worse yet, finds nothing at all. For those cases, running an “offline” scan is recommended or in any case where you need more confidence in clean bill of health from your antivirus software. This feature is built into Windows 10, but Microsoft also makes it available as a stand-alone product. I recently had a request to provide a clean bill of health for a system. I used it to perform a full system scan and provide the scan results to ensure the system was free of malware.
Here is a link to Microsoft’s Defender Offline page
T-Mobile 5G in Tucson
I had the opportunity to test the new T-Mobile 5G Home Internet service. The 5G/LTE wireless gateway (manufactured by Nokia) is included for free when signing up. Cost is $50 a month with autopay. If you’re looking for an alternative to your current provider, I would recommend giving the T-Mobile Home Internet service a try. They do have an address qualification to make sure they have good coverage in your area. Here’s the link to the eligibility checker.
https://www.t-mobile.com/isp/eligibility
If you have slow or unreliable service with your current provider, cellular is a proving itself to be a viable alternative for some. With an average signal of 3-4 bars out of 5, download speeds were between 200-300 Mbps download. That’s fast enough to outpace DSL, basic cable and most fixed wireless. Only upper-tier cable plans have more bandwidth, FttH is still a long a way off in the old pueblo.
Windows 11 Now Available
It doesn’t seem that long ago when Windows 10 started picking up steam and overtook Windows 7 to become the most mainstream Windows operating systems used. Well, it’s time to start counting a new statistic. Windows 11 is now available for installation for those that meet the system requirements.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11
System Requirements:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-specifications
Back to School with Google and ChromeOS
Lots to schools have opted to use Google Classrooms. Some have been given ChromeBooks by the schools, other may need to use to family computer. For a number of reasons, you may want to isolate your child’s OS and Internet activity to a separate device. To bridge the gap, Neverware has a free version of ChromeOS that works on many PCs and laptops. I was successful using a Dell Optiplex 9010 all in one.
Here’s a link to their site for more info.
Here’s a link to their USB Installer.
(WARNING! USB FLASH DRIVE WILL BE ERASED!)
WebChoices Opt-Out
Here you will find a list of all the web advertising companies that are currently tracking you.
iOS ZeroDay Mail.app flaw targets VIPs
It’s not very often a flaw of this magnitude comes along. If you have an iPhone or iPad and use the mail app for email, then you will want to patch as soon as possible.
The Register has an article with the current state of affairs