Apple Urges Mac Users to Update After Hackers Exploit Zero-Day Vulnerabilities

Summary

The article discusses Apple's urgent recommendation for Mac users to update their systems after hackers exploited zero-day vulnerabilities in WebKit and JavaScriptCore. The vulnerabilities could lead to unauthorized code execution and cross-site scripting attacks. Apple has released security fixes for the Mac, iPhone, and iPad to address these issues. The company is aware of reports indicating that the vulnerabilities may have been actively exploited on Intel-based Mac systems.

Full article: https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/apple-urges-mac-users-to-update-after-hackers-exploit-web-vulnerabilities/

Tech can help you take care of your aging parents. Or maybe yourself.

From Tech/Fast Company 11/12/2024

From fall detection devices to cameras, here’s what you need to care for your

older loved ones.

Most of us wish our parents would live as long as humanly possible, but some

challenges arise if our wishes come true. While every individual is different,

advanced aging usually brings about mobility issues and increased risk from

things that may not have impacted us too much when we were younger, such

as minor falls. The older a person gets, the more likely they will need care

around the house and require more frequent observation.

Yet even though we may want to be there at all times, making sure they

are okay, the simple fact is that work, other family commitments, and

distance can limit our ability to provide care. Thankfully, while not at all a

replacement for personal attention, there are now several pieces of

everyday tech you can use to help make sure your aging parents are

staying safe while also making their everyday lives more manageable in

the process.

Smartwatches with fall detection, like the Apple Watch

As someone with an aging parent, the biggest thing I worry about is them

having a fall. When we’re younger, tripping over a rug might just cause

bruising and minor embarrassment. For an older person, the same

accident can have devastating consequences—broken bones or even

death. A 2023 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report found

that unintentional falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths of

adults 65 or older. In 2021 alone, 39,000 older adults in America died due

to falls. That’s more than 106 fall-related deaths each day.This is why I got my mom an Apple Watch. All Apple Watches have built-in

fall detection. If a person stumbles, the Apple Watch can detect this, text

all their emergency contacts, and call 911. Should your aging loved one

fall, even alone, others will know they need help nearly instantly.

Recent Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel watches, as well as other

activity trackers, also offer fall detection.

Indoor security cameras like Ring

A security camera is probably the next best gadget for monitoring aging

parents. Of course, this comes with privacy issues, and it’s critical to get

your parents’ consent before you install one in their home.

What is particularly nice about many home security cameras, such as

Amazon’s Ring system, is that they feature motion detection. If you can’t

reach your parent, a camera’s motion alert can reveal where they were

last seen. While it’s understandable that people may not want cameras

surveilling them in every room of the house, it is worth talking with your

parent to see if they would be willing to have cameras pointing at areas of

particular risk—such as the bottom of a staircase or the driveway, where

they are more likely to stumble and fall.

Item trackers like AirTags

Some people’s minds stay sharp their entire lives, but others may become

more forgetful. If you find a parent telling you they always forget where

they leave their keys or wallet, an item tracker, like Apple’s AirTag, is a

nice, cheap gadget that could really help.

Item trackers can easily be attached to keys, purses, and remote controls.

To locate an item, the user simply has to open the tracking app on their

phone.

Smart plugs for lights and appliances

I once had a friend complain to me that whenever she went to her father’s

house, she would find nearly every light on, whether it was 10 a.m. or 2a.m. When she asked her father why, he said it was too much of a pain to

go around the house turning them on and off every day (her father had

mobility issues).

Leaving lights on around the clock can lead to electrical safety issues,

though, not to mention increased energy costs. So my friend went out and

bought smart plugs for nearly every lamp in her father’s house. A smart

plug is a small adapter that plugs into an outlet. When you plug a lamp

into it (or any other electrical device), you can turn it on or off via a simple

tap in the associated smartphone app. They can be found on Amazon and

in home improvement retailers like Home Depot.

My friend showed her father how to use the app, and the next time she

visited, she says only the lights he needed were on. She even put a smart

plug on his toaster oven so he could turn it off from the couch if he forgot

to do so after cooking his meal.

Smart speakers like HomePods and Echos

A final gadget that can really help an aging parent around the house is a

smart speaker, like Apple’s HomePod or Amazon’s Echo. Smart speakers

are a repository of information that can be accessed using just your voice,

and they can also help control other connected gadgets without having to

get up.

For example, if you wirelessly connect your smart plugs to a smart

speaker system, your parent can tell Alexa or Siri to turn on the lights in

the dining room. Connecting smart plugs to a smart speaker system is

usually as simple as scanning a QR code on the smart device with a

phone’s camera, and once you’ve set it up, your parents won’t have to

mess with connecting them again. The resulting voice control ability may

be a better option than app-based controls for some people, especially if

they find using a smartphone app cumbersome.

Smart speakers can also make it easier for aging parents to contact you

or others should they want to talk or need help. For example, users can

instruct a HomePod to text someone or even initiate a FaceTime audio

call. If your parent has fallen and can’t get up, a smart speaker may allow

them to use their voice to call for outside help.

Why Not in Include Personal Details in AI Chats

We knew this would happen soon. Which is another reason Apple’s approach to AI is more private and secure… submitted by Frank Croft

PSA: Here’s another reason not to include personal details in AI chats

Summary

The article discusses the potential risks of including personal details in AI chats. Security researchers have discovered a malicious prompt that instructs an AI chatbot to gather and upload personal data to a server. The attack is disguised as a helpful prompt, making it difficult for users to detect. The researchers tested the attack method on two LLMs, LeChat and ChatGLM, and found that it was successful.

​Read at https://9to5mac.com/2024/10/17/psa-heres-another-reason-not-to-include-personal-details-in-ai-chats/

Why is my iPhone showing SOS? Here's what it means and how to fix it

Brandon Girod
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/local/2024/09/30/iphone-only-showing-sos-heres-what-it-means-and-how-to-fix-it/75451640007/

An elevated number of iPhone users across the country on Monday are reporting their phones have been put into SOS mode, cutting off their cellular service.

Over the past 24 hours, Verizon reported more than 105,000 users are reporting an outage, with a smaller number of users with AT&T, T-Mobile and United Cellular also reporting problems.

SOS and SOS only on iPhones are features that kick in when your phone loses connection to its cellular network, typically during a network outage. Rather than completely cutting you off from the world, however, SOS mode still allows you to call emergency services if necessary.

Here’s what to know about the feature and how you can potentially fix it.

My iPhone is showing SOS or SOS only

When iPhones aren’t connected to a cellular network, they will typically alert the user by giving an indication in the phone’s status bar. Those notifications usually say “No Service” or “Searching,” but your phone may also say “SOS” or “SOS only.”

When your phone goes into SOS mode, it can still make emergency calls. When you make an emergency call with your iPhone, it automatically calls the local emergency number and shares your location information with emergency services.

Pensacola severe weather:'This event will go from 0 to 100 very quickly': EF-2 tornadoes, 70 mph gusts forecast

Additionally, you can add emergency contacts under your phone’s medical ID options in the settings. Adding an emergency contact will alert them to your location with a text message after an emergency call ends.

How to get your phone out of SOS mode

In many cases, if your phone is in SOS mode, external circumstances outside your control could be responsible. However, there are some troubleshooting steps you can take on your end:

  • Make sure you’re in an area with cellular network coverage

  • Turn your cellular data off and then on:

    • Go to settings

    • Toggle cellular or mobile data off and then back on

  • If you’re traveling internationally, make sure your phone is set up for data roaming:

    • Go to settings

    • Tap cellular

    • Cellular data options

    • Toggle data roaming

  • Try restarting your device

  • Check your carrier settings for an update

    • Make sure your device is connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network

    • Open settings and navigate to General > About. If an update is available, you’ll see it here

  • Turn your cellular line off and back on

    • Open settings

    • Tap Cellular and see if your cellular line is turned on

    • Don’t see a cellular line in settings? Setup an eSim or reinsert your physical SIM card

  • Reset your network settings

    • Open settings

    • Tap General > Transfer or Reset [Device] > Reset > Reset network settings

    • Note: This will reset your Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, VPN and APN settings you used before

  • Update your iPhone to the latest version of iOS

    • Plug your device into power and connect to Wi-Fi

    • Go to settings > General and then tap “Software Update”

    • Choose the update you want to install

  • Contact your wireless carrier

    • If all else fails, reach out to your carrier to see if there are any outages in the area, ensure your account is in active and good standing and make sure your device isn’t being blocked from receiving cellular service

Fallen tree:Tree falls on Myrtle Grove home during storms leaving two with minor injuries

How SOS works on iPhones

Making an SOS call on an iPhone 8 or newer is an easy, two-step process:

  • Press and hold the side button and one of the volume buttons (either work) until the Emergency SOS slider appears.

  • Drag the Emergency Call slider to call emergency services.

If you continue to hold down the side and volume buttons but don’t make an SOS call, a countdown will begin, and an alert will sound. Releasing the buttons after the countdown will automatically call emergency services.

Making SOS calls on iPhone 7 or earlier is just as simple:

  • Rapidly pressing the side or top button five times will bring up the Emergency Call slider.

  • Drag the SOS slider to call emergency services.

How to end an SOS call you made by accident

You can easily cancel an SOS call you started by accident, even after the countdown begins. To do so on an iPhone 8 or later, release the side button and the volume button before the countdown ends. To stop an SOS call on an iPhone 7 or earlier, press the stop button and then tap “Stop Calling.”

If the call begins, don’t hang up. Simply wait until a responder answers and explain that you made the call by mistake. Otherwise, the dispatcher may send responders to your phone’s location.

How to add emergency contacts

Here’s how you can add emergency contacts to your iPhone:

  • Open the Health app and tap on your profile picture

  • Open Medical ID

  • Tap edit, then scroll to emergency contacts

  • Tap the add button

  • Tap a contact and add their relationship

  • Tap done to save your settings

How to remove emergency contacts

Here’s how to remove emergency contacts:

  • Open the Health app and tap on your profile picture

  • Open Medical ID

  • Tap edit, then scroll to emergency contacts

  • Tap the delete button next to a contact

  • Tap done to save your settings

How to turn on Wi-Fi calling

Here's how you can turn on Wi-Fi calling on your iPhone:

  • Navigate to settings

  •  Tap Phone

  •  Then tap Wi-Fi calling

You may need to enter or confirm your address for emergency services, according to Apple.

Once Wi-Fi calling is available, you will see "Wi-Fi" in the status bar while viewing the Control Center.

When cellular service is available, your iPhone uses it for emergency calls. If you turn on Wi-Fi Calling and cellular service isn't available, emergency calls might use Wi-Fi calling.

Your device's location may be used to aid response efforts when you place

Don’t ever hand your phone to the cops

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Images

You should never voluntarily hand your phone to a police officer.

It’s going to become increasingly tempting for the cops to ask and for you to comply, especially as more and more states adopt digital ID systems that allow driver’s licenses and state IDs to be added to Apple Wallet on iOS and Google Wallet on Android. Californians can now add their driver’s licenses and state IDs to their iPhones and Apple Watches in addition to Android devices, making the state one of seven — alongside Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Hawaii, and Ohio — to allow storing digital IDs through Apple’s system.

These particular digital IDs are so far pretty limited. California’s are for use at “select TSA checkpoints” and participating businesses, for instance — they aren’t meant to be used as identification in traffic stops or other police interactions, which means users are supposed to continue carrying their physical IDs. But other states — including Louisiana and Colorado — have rolled out their own digital IDs that can be used during traffic stops and other police interactions, which may have fewer privacy protections. And Apple’s vision for Apple Pay has long been explicitly to replace your entire wallet, which means that eventually, these IDs will be meant for use during police stops.

No matter what, teaching people they can add their IDs to their phones means some people will inevitably leave the house without physical ID, and that means creating the opportunity for cops to demand phones — which you should never, ever do. Technical details of your digital ID aside, handing your phone to a police officer grants law enforcement a lot of power over some of your most intimate personal data.

In Riley v. California, the Supreme Court unanimously held that police need a warrant to search through cell phones, even during otherwise lawful arrests. But if you hand over your unlocked phone to a police officer and offer to show them something, “it becomes this complicated factual question about what consent you’ve granted for a search and what the limits of that are,” Brett Max Kaufman, a senior staff attorney in the ACLU’s Center for Democracy, told The Verge. “There have been cases where people give consent to do one thing, the cops then take the whole phone, copy the whole phone, find other evidence on the phone, and the legal question that comes up in court is: did that violate the scope of consent?”

If police do have a warrant to search your phone, numerous courts have said they can require you to provide biometric login access via your face or finger. (It’s still an unsettled legal question since other courts have ruled they can’t.) The Fifth Amendment typically protects giving up passcodes as a form of self-incrimination, but logging in with biometrics often isn’t considered protected “testimonial” evidence. In the words of one federal appeals court decision, it requires “no cognitive exertion, placing it firmly in the same category as a blood draw or fingerprint taken at booking.”

The court said its ruling shouldn’t necessarily extend to “all instances where a biometric is used to unlock an electronic device” because Fifth Amendment questions “are highly fact dependent and the line between what is testimonial and what is not is particularly fine.” And as Recode pointed out in 2020, a defense attorney could argue that any evidence found this way is illegal and should be suppressed — but that’s a risky bet. “It’s fair to say that invoking one’s rights not to turn over evidence is stronger than trying to have the evidence suppressed after the fact,” Andrew Crocker, a senior staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told Recode for that piece.

You might be thinking at this point: you’ve got nothing incriminating on your phone! And an officer may well come to that conclusion. But they could also find something you didn’t even realize was there. “There are a lot of laws on the books, and if a prosecutor or police officer decides to go after you, are you sure you didn’t do anything?” Jay Stanley, a senior policy analyst with the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, told The Verge. “You’re only opening yourself to abuse, to errors, to mistakes. There could be a coincidence that placed you at the scene of a crime that you weren’t even aware of.” Even if you assume most officers are acting in good faith, there are plenty of documented instances of officers abusing their power and facing no legal repercussions. There’s no reason to preemptively hand over something that could be used against you.

There are some minor protections built into Apple and Google’s current systems — you can display an encrypted ID without fully unlocking your phone, and various authorities can scan your ID wirelessly if they have special readers. But you don’t want to be in a situation where you’re searching the web for the technical and policy details of your digital ID system when a cop demands your phone — you’re much better off handing over your physical ID card.

Woman sent herself an Apple AirTag to help catch mail thieves

A California woman whose mail was recently stolen used technology as bait to track down the thieves, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office says.

Authorities in Los Alamos arrested two suspects on Monday with the help of an Apple AirTag locator device the woman had mailed to herself, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

YC Bookstore Now Apple Product Seller

The Yavapai College bookstore is now an official Apple product seller. Some of the computers must still be purchased online but it looks like they will have some of the smaller items as well as cables, chargers, adaptors, covers, tags, and iPods in stock. The prices seem to match those of the Apple Store, nice and handy.

https://www.bkstr.com/yavapaistore/shop/electronics/computers-tablets/apple?cm_sp=AppleFY25-_-PersistentComponentBTSPromo-_-218

Apple gives you one main reason to use Safari in new ad

José Adorno

In a new global ad campaign, Apple is highlighting the privacy features of the Safari browser. While Google Chrome is the most popular browser, Apple wants to ensure users of its ecosystem are aware of the benefits of its built-in solution.

In this almost two-minute ad, Apple shows pesky birds and bats transformed into security cameras. They hover around smartphone users while they browse the web on their Android smartphones. People try to avoid this surveillance at all costs by running, shouting, or hiding their phones.

However, the only way to actually protect themselves from this plague is solved by an iPhone user when they open Safari, and these cameras explode in mid-air. The ad ends with Apple’s slogan: “Privacy. That’s iPhone.”

See great article, but even better ad…


https://bgr.com/tech/apple-gives-you-one-main-reason-to-use-safari-in-new-ad/

Submitted by Frank Croft, Jul 17, 2024

MacOS TIP: Keychain vs Keychain Access

Author: You.com AI enhanced with Claude 3 Sonnet, July 14, 2024

Editor: John Carter

Apple's Keychain and Keychain Access have been integral parts of macOS for securely

storing and managing passwords, encryption keys, and other sensitive information.

Here's an overview of their historical and present usage:

Keychain

The Keychain is a secure storage system introduced in macOS (previously called Mac

OS X) to store passwords, encryption keys, certificates, and other sensitive data. It uses

robust encryption to protect this information, which can only be accessed with the user's

login password or a specific keychain password.

Keychain Access

Keychain Access is a macOS application that provides a user interface for managing

the various keychains on a Mac. It allows users to view and edit the contents of their

keychains, including passwords, certificates, and secure notes. Keychain Access has

been a part of macOS since its early versions, providing a convenient way for users to

manage their sensitive information.

Historical Usage

The Keychain system and Keychain Access app have been integral components of

macOS since its inception. They have evolved over time to enhance security and

functionality:

1. Early Versions: In the initial releases of Mac OS X, Keychain Access was a basic

tool for managing passwords and encryption keys.

2. Improved Security: With each subsequent macOS release, Apple has

strengthened the security of the Keychain system, introducing features like access

control lists (ACLs) and better integration with other Apple services.

3. iCloud Keychain: With the introduction of iCloud Keychain in macOS Sierra

(2016), users could sync their passwords, credit card information, and other secure

data across their Apple devices.Present Usage

In the latest versions of macOS, Keychain and Keychain Access continue to play a

crucial role in password management and secure data storage:

1. Password Management: Keychain Access stores passwords for websites,

applications, and services, allowing users to autofill login credentials securely.

2. Secure Notes: Users can store encrypted notes, such as credit card information or

secure documents, within their keychains.

3. Certificate Management: Keychain Access manages digital certificates used for

secure communication and authentication.

4. iCloud Keychain Integration: iCloud Keychain synchronizes passwords, credit

card information, and other secure data across a user's Apple devices, ensuring

seamless access.

While the terminology and specific features have evolved, the core functionality of

Keychain and Keychain Access remains essential for macOS users to securely store

and manage their sensitive information across devices and services.

Creating a New Keychain:

When you create a new keychain using Keychain Access, it serves as an additional

secure storage location separate from the default keychains. To create a new keychain,

right-click in a blank part of the left sidebar of Keychain Access and select an option

(new or add) from the menu.

The main reasons for creating a new keychain include:

1. Separate Password: You can set a different password for the new keychain,

distinct from your user account password. This can provide an additional layer of

security if your user account password is compromised.2. Selective Access: You can control which applications or services have access to

the new keychain, allowing you to isolate sensitive information and grant access

only to specific applications.

3. Backup and Portability: New keychains can be easily backed up, copied, or

transferred to other Macs, providing a convenient way to manage and share

specific sets of credentials or secure data.

4. Organization: Creating multiple keychains can help you organize your sensitive

information based on different categories or purposes, such as separating work-

related credentials from personal ones.

While the default login and system keychains are essential for storing and managing

your day-to-day passwords and credentials, creating additional keychains can offer

more flexibility, security, and organizational benefits, depending on your specific needs.

1. Selecting "New": When you choose "New" from the "File" menu in Keychain

Access, it allows you to create a brand new keychain file. This is essentially a

separate container or database that can store passwords, certificates, and other

secure items independently from your existing keychains. You can create a different

password for each Keychain or use the same password used to log in. All Keychains

are stored in ~/Library/Keychains (where “~” is the user’s Home directory).

Creating a new keychain is useful when you want to:

• Organize your secure items into different logical groups or categories.

• Set a different password for the new keychain, separate from your login or

system keychain.

• Share or transfer a specific set of secure items with others by providing them

with the new keychain file.

2. Selecting "Add": When you choose "Add" from the menu, it allows you to add a

new secure item (like a password, secure note, certificate, or key) to an existing

keychain that is already open in Keychain Access.

Adding a new item is useful when you want to:

• Store a new password, secure note, or other sensitive information in your login

or system keychain.

• Add a new certificate or encryption key to an existing keychain for authentication

or encryption purposes.

• Organize your secure items within the same keychain by creating categories or

folders.

In summary:"New" creates a brand new keychain file, which acts as a separate container for storing

secure items.

"Add" allows you to add new secure items (like passwords, notes, certificates) to an

existing keychain that is already open and accessible in Keychain Access.

The choice between "New" and "Add" depends on whether you need to create a

separate keychain for organizational or sharing purposes, or if you simply want to add

new secure items to an existing keychain that you're already using.

The Proposed Apple Passwords App

Apple is set to introduce a new standalone app called "Passwords" that aims to

enhance and streamline the password management experience across its ecosystem of

devices and platforms.

Key Features and Functionality

Unified Password Manager:

The Passwords app will serve as a centralized hub for managing all your saved

passwords, passkeys, and verification codes across Apple devices, including Macs,

iPhones, iPads, and even the upcoming Vision Pro headset.

It will replace the current method of accessing passwords through individual app

preferences or system settings.

Cross-Platform Synchronization:

Passwords will sync seamlessly across macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Vision Pro devices

using iCloud Keychain.

Notably, it will also sync with Windows PCs via the iCloud for Windows app, expanding

password management capabilities beyond Apple's ecosystem.

Improved Organization and Accessibility:

The app promises better methods for organizing and accessing your saved passwords,

logins, and other secure information.

It aims to provide a more user-friendly interface compared to the current iCloud

Keychain experience.

Security Alerts and Recommendations:

Passwords will likely incorporate security features like compromised password alerts

and recommendations for improving password strength and enabling two-factor

authentication.

Passkey Support:In line with Apple's push for passwordless authentication, the Passwords

app will support managing and using passkeys, which leverage public-key

cryptography for secure sign-ins.

Potential Benefits

1. Centralized Management: A dedicated app for managing passwords across

devices can streamline the user experience and make it easier to access and

update login credentials.

2. Cross-Platform Accessibility: Extending password synchronization to Windows

PCs addresses a long-standing limitation and caters to users who operate in multi-

platform environments.

3. Enhanced Security: Features like security alerts, recommendations, and passkey

support can help users maintain better password hygiene and adopt more secure

authentication methods.

While the Passwords app is still in development, it represents Apple's commitment to

improving password management and security for its users across various platforms

and devices.

-o-

Upgrading Your iPhone

If you plan to upgrade your iPhone, either now or perhaps later on, the following tips from the Malwarebytes newsletter might be helpful. The last sentence mentions using Malewarebytes on your iOS device as a security protection. I use, and like, Malwarebytes on my computers, but hadn't thought about using it on my iPhone or iPad. I plan to take a further look into doing this, as a security measure..

Jim Hamm

Upgrading your iPhone? Read this first

Posted: September 14, 2023 by Pieter Arntz

Apple's Wonderlust event on Tuesday saw the launch of the company's top-of-the-line iPhone 15 Pro Max with a titanium chassis and an improved telephoto camera, as well as other iPhone 15 models and new Apple Watches.

Also this week, Apple was reportedly banned from selling the iPhone 12 in France because the device's Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) is above the legal limit. France's National Frequency Agency (ANFR) stated the model emits more than the permitted electromagnetic waves, and the company must stop selling the device, starting immediately.

All this news may have caused people to entertain the thought of trading in their old devices for a new iPhone. If you are one of them, we have a few tips for you.

What to do while you still have the old one:

1. Transfer your data

You can use Quick Start to transfer information from your old device to your new device. But if you don’t have the new device yet, you can use iCloud to store your data.

  • Go to Settings > General.

  • Scroll down and tap Transfer or Reset [Device].

  • Under Prepare for New [Device], tap Get Started.

  • If you see iCloud Backup is Turned Off, tap Turn On Backup to Transfer.

  • If you don't have enough iCloud storage, you'll see a message that says you're eligible to get free extra iCloud storage. Tap Continue.

  • Wait for the backup to complete. You have 21 days to restore your temporary backup to your new iPhone or iPad before your temporary iCloud storage expires and your backup is permanently deleted. Do not erase your current iPhone or iPad until you restore your temporary backup to your new device.

Once you have your new iPhone:

  • Turn on your new iPhone and follow the onscreen steps to begin setup.

  • On the Apps & Data screen, tap Restore from iCloud Backup.

  • Sign in to iCloud with your Apple ID and password.

  • Choose your most recent iCloud backup.

  • Wait for the restore to complete.

2. Unpair your linked devices

Make sure you unpair devices like Apple Watch and headphones. 

3. Transfer your MFA apps

A step which is easily forgotten but very very important is making sure you transfer your account verification apps, like Okta, Google Authenticator, Microsoft 2FA, Authy, etc.) These instructions can differ per app and are almost never transferred to your new device without requiring additional actions.

4. Sign out of important apps

Sign out of iCloud and the App Store on your old device.

As Thomas Reed, Director of Core Technology at Malwarebytes and renowned Apple security expert puts it:

“I recommend users take a few minutes to disconnect from services like iCloud/Apple ID and transfer 2FA. It is much easier to remove a device from your account while you still have it in your possession.”

Should you forget to do this before wiping or giving away your device, that is no reason for panic. You can use the “Find My” app to remotely erase the device and then remove it from your account.

5. Remove the phone as a trusted device

Thomas Reed adds:

“Once you've added your new phone (and maybe once you’ve added another backup option such as personal email or home phone), make sure to remove your old phone as a trusted device. Go to Settings and click on your name. If you click on each device listed, there is a small disclaimer at the bottom of the screen that says “This device is trusted and can receive Apple ID verification code.” Simply tap Remove from Account for your old item.”

6. Wipe the old phone

When you’re ready to finally say goodbye to your old iPhone, go to Settings and tap General > Transfer or Reset [device] > Erase All Content and Settings. When asked for your device passcode or Restrictions passcode, enter it. Then tap Erase [device]. If you're doing an in-store trade-in at Apple, they will help you with this.

If you're not trading in but are ready to get rid of your phone, it's worth reading our guide on how to dispose of your old devices safely.

7. Protect your new iPhone

Malwarebytes for iOS helps protect you from scams: It flags and/or blocks robocalls, and detects fake texts, phishy links, malicious sites, and ad trackers. It also now includes a full-featured VPN to help keep your connections private, no matter where you are. Try downloading Malwarebytes for iOS today.

Smartphone Radiation

You've possibly read that France may ban the sale of the iPhone 12 due to high radiation. Read the following:

"The ANFR recently tested 141 mobile phones and found that when the iPhone 12 is held in a hand or carried in a pocket, its level of electromagnetic energy absorption is 5.74 watts per kilogram, higher than the EU standard of 4 watts per kilogram."

Tech blogger Kim Komando posted the following info on smartphone radiation. You''l note in her report the iPhone 12 doesn't show the level of radiation as the above paragraph. Hmmm?..

Jim Hamm

Kim says nerd time: what is phone radiation? It’s measured in watts per kilogram of body weight. You don’t need to know all the details, just that the legal limit is 1.6 watts/kg here in the U.S.

These models emit the most radiation:
Motorola Edge – 1.79
OnePlus 6T – 1.55
Sony Xperia XA2 Plus – 1.41
Google Pixel 3 XL – 1.39
Google Pixel 4a – 1.37
Oppo Reno5 5G – 1.37
Google Pixel 3 – 1.33
Huawei P Smart – 1.27
OnePlus 9 – 1.26
Own a Galaxy Note? Congrats


And these phones emit the least radiation:
Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G – 0.19 watts
Samsung Galaxy Note10 – 0.21
Samsung Galaxy A80 – 0.22
LG G7 ThinQ – 0.24
Motorola Razr 5G – 0.27


What about the iPhone?
You guessed it: It falls somewhere in the middle.
iPhone SE (2020 version) – 0.98
iPhone 11 – 0.95
iPhone 12 – 0.98
iPhone 13 – 0.99
iPhone 14 – 0.98

Security Updates

Tech blogger Kim Komando just released the following security notices in her latest blog.

Jim Hamm

Microsoft

The September 2023 Windows security update includes fixes for 59 known issues, like security bypasses and information disclosure vulnerabilities, and patches for two zero-day flaws.

  • Go to Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.

Adobe

Download the patch here to fix a zero-day vulnerability in Acrobat and Reader.

  • Go to Help > Check for Updates, or download the full Acrobat Reader installer.

Google

Yikes. This is the fourth zero-day fix for Chrome this year. The good news is your Chrome browser should automatically check for updates and install them after a restart.

  • To double-check in Chrome, hit the three dots in the top right corner, then Help > About Google Chrome.

The Android September 2023 update is out, too.

  • Open Settings > System > System update.

Apple

For newer iPhones and iPads, download iOS 16.6.1 to secure your device from the latest zero-day vulnerabilities.

Have an iPhone 6, 7, SE or an iPad Air 2 or iPad mini? Download iOS 15.7.9 and iPadOS 15.7.9 to fix the same problem. You know it’s bad when Apple updates even its old gear.

  • If you have automatic updates enabled, you’re all set. To check: Settings > General > Software Update.

Apple also released security updates for its older operating systems, macOS Big Sur 11.7.10 and macOS Monterey 12.6.9.

  • Click the Apple menu > System Preferences > Software Update.

Smartphone Tips

If you have an iPhone, or other smartphone, this article has some tips on 5 bad habits you might possibly have with your smartphone, and which should be stopped to prolong the life of your phone. I've read elsewhere it is also a good idea to turn your phone off for a few moments about once a week -- and perhaps your iPad as well. And at least daily, close all apps running in the background, to free up memory and perhaps prolong battery life.

And some of these tips would apply to your iPad as well -- especially the tip about frequently closing all running apps to free up memory. A case in point -- the other morning at breakfast I was going to read the news on my iPad, and couldn't get the NYT newspaper to open., It dawned on me -- I had forgotten to close all the running apps and didn't have enough memory left to open the NYT, which probably had some pictures, or some videos, which comprise lots of pixels. I closed those running apps, and life was good again!...😚...

So, remember to close those running apps.

Jim Hamm

Electrical Surge Protector

A computer club I belong to recently had a meeting via Zoom on household electricity, and how to check/protect your house against electrical problems/issues. I found the meeting very interesting and helpful, as electricity ranks very high as one item I don't understand very well. 

As a result of the meeting, we bought and had installed a whole-house surge protector, for around $640. It protects all our appliances in case we should ever get an electrical surge. Will we ever need it? Probably not, as we have very few storms in our area. But Zee and I feel better just having it, just as we have fire insurance on our house. Will we ever need it? Probably not. But having good protection is a good idea, I think.

If you should have an interest in watching the program, link below. It is long -- 2 hours -- but you can watch as much or little of the program as you want, if at all.

Jim Hamm

Surge Protectors and AC Wiring Problems, John Krout

https://youtu.be/YN9CcnzptdM

Malware Protection

FYI and possible interest, tech blogger Kim Komando had the following to say about you -- and me -- on being able to help protect against malware on a website or a file on your computer. It looks to be an intriguing tool to try. I've not tried it yet, but plan to do so.

Jim Hamm


Hidden malware, hackers and phishers are after your data and bank accounts. But what can you do when you need to visit a website and aren’t sure if it’s safe? We’ve found an online tool to check websites and files for digital threats before opening them. Keep reading to find out how to use it.

Can VirusTotal protect your computer from malware? https://www.virustotal.com/gui/home/upload
It can, and it’s straightforward to use. VirusTotal is a scanner that can be used on local files and anything you find online. Plug in a site’s URL to know whether it’s safe to visit instantly.

VirusTotal inspects items with over 70 antivirus scanners, URL/domain blocklisting services and tools to extract signals from the studied content. You can even select a file from your computer using a browser and send it to VirusTotal.

The site offers several file submission methods, including the primary public web interface, desktop uploaders, browser extensions and a programmatic API.

Upon first inspection, the in-browser UI is highly straightforward and approachable. You have three options: uploading a File, using a URL, or VirusTotal’s Search feature. Click on the most relevant tab to your needs and follow the prompts to analyze.

Give the site a few minutes after adding a URL or file you’re interested in. You’ll be presented with an extremely long list of standards and types of malware, complete with a column warning you if anything terrible has been detected.

There are a few other tabs depicting the properties of your file. Everything from MD5 and TLSH to more common information like the file type and size. This tool is highly versatile, allowing for various tasks and approaches. You can use a file’s hash to locate it or even search for possible exploits through its API.

Uploading local files and using a site’s URL are pretty self-explanatory functions. The third option, searching for files to scan, might not be. What’s the deal? Essentially, VirusTotal search is a tool that can be used to analyze and audit files on websites and entire domains. A simple search using a website’s URL will yield a surprisingly comprehensive report with many other details.

Everything from the website’s server type to meta descriptions and access control points will be presented through your browser window. This tool lets you play investigator, learning more about any website that excites or intrigues you. It’s an excellent tool for students learning computer science and anyone genuinely interested in how the internet and its many pages work.

Anything you plug into this online tool can later be translated into graphs, which is great for visualizing the situation. The complex stream of incoming data is commodified into something anybody can read and understand.

Never trust a file that gives you a funny feeling. VirusTotal allows you to confirm your worst suspicions or, at the very least, rule them out quickly. It’s free to use, so don’t take our word for it. Try it out on any file on your computer or website before visiting.

Phone Privacy

Here's an article on phone privacy you might find interesting. One of the apps which the author recommends removing from your phone is "Google Maps". This kinda surprised me, as I use it fairly often. Perhaps another similar app -- Waze -- https://www.waze.com/apps/ -- might take its place. I have Waze on my phone, but haven't really used it yet. Maybe I'll start using this instead of Google Maps.

Jim Hamm



I'm a privacy expert, here's how to stop your phone from listening and spying on you right now
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12436963/Im-privacy-expert-heres-stop-phone-listening-spying-right-now.html