Security

News stories of data breaches, stolen identities, hi-jacked accounts and other cyber-crimes are at this point no more odd than those of fires or car accidents - they occur on a daily basis and don't seem to have any end-all solution in sight, at least not anytime soon. Just as one keeps a fire extinguisher and wears a safety belt for prevention and protection, so should one use every available tool to protect against cyber-crimes. One of the simplest yet most effective tools that can beef up your online security and privacy is two-factor authentication, also known as 2FA.

Perhaps you've decided to finally take control of the giant mess of passwords you've made over the past decade or two. You've downloaded a password manager and now you need to figure out what services you have passwords for, what the passwords are and what your username is for each login. Safari provides an easy way to view your passwords, but if you've mostly been using Chrome, well you're in luck, as the latest version of Chrome lets you export your passwords in CSV format for easy viewing.

Security is always (or should be) a primary concern with any information you have online, including data from your social media accounts. Somebody with access to your Facebook account could wreak havoc on it, not just by spamming your friends, but by potentially gaining access to other online accounts and payment methods. With stories like the Cambridge Analytica data breach in the news, privacy and security are once again on the public mind.

Apple released a relatively minor update to iOS 11.3 yesterday. iPhone owners may be wondering if installing iOS 11.3.1 is necessary to keep their devices operating in peak condition. Generally speaking, all iOS updates are important and should be installed. iOS 11.3.1 is no different, with several bug and security fixes included in the package.

Renewed attention has come to the iOS passcode in recent days. New tools such as the GreyKey iPhone unlocker are popping up in the news, already in use by law enforcement. Of course, it could be a matter of time until such devices are widely available.