Tag Archive for: PROTECTED

How to stay protected against screen hacking

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Anybody who connects to the internet is at risk of cyberattacks, hacking and scams that want to rip you off. Everybody knows it’s an inherent risk, but it’s not always easy to spot a hacking attempt. Millions of routers are at risk of hacking thanks to this bug.

Most people are familiar with phishing scams, where criminals urge you to click on a malicious link to steal your details. There are also government agency impersonators who make it their goal to steal your money. 

But there is another form of hacking that few know. It’s called screen hacking. Read on to see how this hack works and what you can do about it. 

Here’s the backstory

Hackers have found a new way to infiltrate your device. It’s called screen hacking and uses tech know-how to take advantage of touchscreen technology. The display’s touch capabilities initiate everything you do on your device, from opening and navigating apps to typing text messages.

Screen hacking lets criminals see everything you do on your device and, sometimes, initiate certain actions. 

Through electromagnetic interference (EMI), hackers can manipulate the electrical signals on your device. It seems like it’s from a sci-fi movie, but the displays on modern mobile phones use electrical signals to detect finger movements, making this a reality.

What you can do about it

It’s easy to think that you’ll never be the victim of a hacking attempt, but all it takes is an unsecured device and an internet connection. If a criminal steals your personal information, it’s easy for them to commit identity fraud and launch other attacks. All that hackers need is to get close to your display.

“People might place their smartphone face-down on the table in places like a cafe, library, meeting room, or conference lobbies. An attacker may embed the attacking equipment under the table and launch attacks remotely,” researchers from the Technical University of Darmstadt wrote in a study.

Is there anything that you can do about it? Well, there are a few options. 

  • Ensure that you…

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How to Use Windows Security to Keep Your PC Protected

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For many years, Windows users had to rely on a third-party security tool to keep viruses and malware at bay, but now Microsoft’s operating system comes with its own package, in the form of Windows Security.

It’s designed to run quietly and efficiently in the background, and you might not have even noticed it’s there—but it’s important to know how it’s keeping your computer safe, and the various options it gives you.

While you can add extra security software to Windows if you want, Windows Security should keep you well protected from danger. You can open it from the Start menu or by clicking its icon in the notification area.

Finding Your Way Around

Windows Security gives you an overview of your system’s status.

Microsoft via David Nield

Open the main Windows Security dashboard and you should see a grid of icons, all with reassuring green check marks next to them—if something needs your attention, these check marks will be replaced by yellow exclamation marks. You can click on any of the items on the grid, from Virus & threat protection to Protection history, to jump to the relevant section inside the app.

The navigation pane on the left gives you another way of jumping between the various parts of Windows Security: The Home option is the one to go back to if you need to return to the main dashboard. Choose Account protection, for example, for options relating to your Microsoft account and to the way you sign in to Windows on your computer (including face and fingerprint recognition, if available).

Firewall & network protection is where you can monitor the firewall put up around Windows, for devices on your local network and in terms of the wider internet. If you decide to install a third-party security package, Windows Security can monitor this too and make sure everything is working correctly—if no firewall is active, you’ll see an on-screen warning.

Choose Settings from the left-hand navigation bar to customize various aspects of Windows Security: These are mainly around the notifications the program displays, and any third-party security software you’ve installed. You’re also able to click Protection history here to see what Windows Security has been up to recently, whether…

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How to turn on Protected View in Microsoft Office

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There’s a scary new attack targeting Microsoft Office—and worse, it’s not patched yet. But you can keep your computer safe if you don’t click on risky files from untrusted sources. And even if you do by accident, Office’s Protected View feature can save your bacon.

Unfortunately, we all still click on Office documents emailed from “trusted” contacts, so the next line of defense is to make sure Protected View—the prompt that warns you a file originated from someone potentially insecure, requiring you to click a button to start editing it—is switched on in Office 365. It’s normally on by default, but some users may errantly switch it off. If you’re wondering if you have Protected View on, here’s the easy 5-step process to check.

How to enable Protected View in Excel 365

First, launch Microsoft Excel 365 and then select the Options button from the Home screen. If you’re already in a spreadsheet, you can click File and you should see Options in the lower left-hand corner.

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Once you’ve selected Options, select the “Trust Center option” on the left side of the window pane.

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After you’ve selected Trust Center, you should be able to click on the Trust Center Settings button on the right side of the window pane.

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Once you’re in the Trust Center, select the “Protected View” option.

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You should see three checkmarks under the Protected View section. All three should be checked, which is the default setting.

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How to enable Protected View in Word 365

The instructions are exactly the same for Microsoft Word, but since some people may only have Word 365 installed, we’ll walk you through the same dialogs. First click Options in the lower left corner of the Home screen, or if you’re in a Word document, just click File to see the Options option.

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How to Check Your Android Security Patch Level to See if You’re Protected Against the Latest Vulnerabilities « Android :: Gadget Hacks

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Numerous potential exploits are found for every operating system each month, and Android is no exception. Trouble is, lots of Android devices don’t receive timely updates — but many are now getting regular monthly security patches to at least shore up these vulnerabilities.

If you want protection from the latest dangerous hack, you’ll need to be on the newest security patch level. Google publishes these each month alongside a report on what’s been changed, but they can only guarantee the updates will be sent out to their own Pixel devices. For all other phones, there’s a chance you might not receive the security patch in a timely manner, but at least there’s a way to check.

Checking Your Security Patch Level

Different Android skins place their settings in varying locations, so we’ve divided this guide up by manufacturer. If your OEM is not listed below, try the Google/Stock Android method, as it’s typically the most universal.

1. Samsung

Samsung has taken so much criticism over the years about their poor update schedules that, in response, they’ve slowly become one of the best Android OEMs at updating their phones.

To check your security patch level on a Galaxy phone, open Settings, then scroll down toward the bottom and select About Phone. Inside, tap Software Information, then you’ll see the Android security patch level at the very bottom of the list.

2. Google/Stock Android

Google is responsible for the base-level patches for all of Android, but they also handle all software updates for both the Pixel line and any Android One device.

To check your security patch level on a Google-developed phone, start by opening your Settings app. From there, scroll down and choose About Phone towards the bottom. Next, tap Android Version, then your Android security update level will be displayed towards the top of the screen.

3. OnePlus

OnePlus’ lauded OxygenOS skin is close to stock Android, but it still reorganizes the Settings menu a bit. OxygenOS is also updated fairly frequently.

To check your security patch level on a OnePlus phone, open your Settings app and scroll down almost all the way to the bottom to tap About Phone. Here, tap Android Version, then you’ll see your Android security update…

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