Nap-busting machines, “augmented eating” and more
As we begin a new year, it’s a great time to give our brains a fun treat and look back at some of the strangest tech stories we heard about in 2018.
No sleeping on the job
Hoping to catch a few subtle Z’s in your cube between meetings? If you’re in Japan, you’ll have to get another coffee instead, thanks to a new system that senses if you’re sleeping—and blasts you with cold air to wake you up. The as-yet-named system, a collaboration between Japanese air conditioning manufacturer Daikin and electronics giant NEC, will use facial recognition technology to detect if a worker’s eyelids are making movements that usually happen before dozing off. Why cold air? An initial study found it was the best way to keep people alert (increasing room brightness and spraying aromas were also tested). Daikin hopes to release the system commercially in 2020, so grab your sweater.
Keeping up to speed with Hacker Lingo
Test your knowledge here
You already know what phishing and spyware are, but how about spearfishing? Shodan? Zombies? Here’s a glossary of some hacker lingo that you and your IT team should be aware of.
Brute Force Attack
When a hacker tries to guess your system’s password by guessing all the passwords with an intensive automated search. One of the biggest reasons the US and China are investing in quantum computing research is because quantum machines can, in theory, defend against this kind of barrage.
Doxxing
Exposing a person’s sensitive personal information on the internet. It can be anything from addresses and phone numbers to credit card and social security numbers. An example of doxxing specific to the business world is Whaling.
Evil Maid Attack
When a hacker goes in and hacks your device in person. This person has access to your space—the kind of access that a maid tidying your office might have.
Grey Hat
Black hats are hackers who are up to no good; White hats are cybersecurity experts who spend their time helping organizations defend themselves. (To make things more confusing, some white hats are good at their jobs because they used to be black hats.) Meanwhile, grey hats employ black hat techniques, but they don’t do it for profit or nefarious reasons; they’re hacking because they’re on a mission (that can be good or bad). If you are a grey hat, sometimes you are also a...
Hacktivist
People who hack to make a political or social statement. Prominent groups like Anonymous and WikiLeaks think of themselves as hacktivists.
R.U.D.Y attack
Short for “R U Dead Yet,” this is a slow-rate (also known as a “low and slow”) attack designed to exhaust a web server by submitting long-form fields until it crashes.
Sniffing
Capturing unencrypted data as it transmits over a network. Sniffers can be used to diagnose network issues—or steal sensitive information.
Spearphishing
A phishing scheme that targets a certain group within an organization. (Also see Whaling.)
Shodan
Shodan refers to Shodan.io, a site that scans entry-level devices connected to the internet (such as many IoT devices) and looks for vulnerabilities. Ostensibly it’s used to help you secure devices, but hackers will look for vulnerabilities to exploit them. (In Japanese, “shodan” refers to an entry-level martial arts belt.)
Whaling
A phishing scheme that takes aim at the very top of the c-suite food chain. Hackers collect executives’ personal information (and threaten to doxx them) or compromising information (such as their salaries) to blackmail them into paying a ransom or some other demand.
Worm
A type of malware that replicates itself automatically, spreading across the network.
Zero-day exploit
Also known as a zero-day attack. This is when a hacker finds a weak point in a system and releases malware before developers can release a patch. “Day zero” is jargon for the day the target learns of the vulnerability; in a zero-day exploit, the target has “zero days” to do anything about it.
Be Good to your PC
used with permission from HP Tech@Work
Here’s how to keep it in top shape
Let’s be real: You probably can’t swap your PC in for a new one as often as you’d like. A PC is an investment—and taking good care of it pays off in the long run. If your PC has a few years on it and you want to make it last—or you have a new machine and you want to treat it right—here are some simple ways to keep it running smoothly and extend its life.
Keep it clean
This may seem obvious, but seriously, do not let the Sriracha sauce from your lunch drip into your laptop—it’ll cause more problems than just a sticky keyboard. Make sure these other parts are spiffy as well for maximum longevity.
- Wipe your monitor. First dust it with a cloth, then wipe it down with glass cleaner. Better yet, use monitor wipes for serious cleaning.
- Inspect your tower. Check the air vents on the back and remove dust and buildup. If your tower opens, clean the inside with a can of compressed air.
- Keep peripherals tidy. Use compressed air on your keyboard and wipe it down with a cloth. Check over your mouse as well—if it has a roller ball, remove the plate and swab it with isopropyl alcohol to get the gunk off it.
The Computing Center Privacy Policy
No doubt you have been receiving updated privacy policies from anyone who you may have ever done online business with, received electronic newsletters, or signed up for additional information. The primary driver behind all the emails and privacy policy updates has been the European Union's (EU) "General Data Privacy Regulations" (GDPR). Although they have been in effect for the last couple of years, on May 25, 2018, there is now enforcement of those regularions by the EU.
As noted in our Privacy Policy, we don't market or sell to citizens of the EU. However, some of our clients may be EU citizens and therefore are covered by GDPR. Hence the need for an updated Privacy Policy and why all of the recent emails.
Most of our suppliers, vendors, and content providers have sent us "dry" versions of their Privacy Policies. A few have lightened things up with email subjects like: "But Wait, here is one more GDPR email", "Here are the Ways we keep your Info Safe!" and our favortie: "If you're happy receiving our newsletters, do nothing!"
So whether you take this seriously or light hearted, below is The Computing Center's Privacy Policy;
When's the Right Time to Embrace Innovation
We get asked about new technology products and innovations all the time. We also get asked whether and when clients should "make" the move. Sometimes the answers are easy. With others, how and when are not obvious. This article discusses an innovation that may be a while before it's in general use.
When is the right time to embrace innovations in technology? Today, tomorrow, or 2057? There really isn’t a specific time or universal formula that will reveal the answer to you, but with so much innovation happening on a regular basis, it’d be ideal to know exactly when and how to incorporate new technology at your business for maximum effect.
Don’t fret—we’re not here to crush the dreams of early adopters everywhere. Instead, take a look at what you can control to better time your adventures with “the next big thing.”
Do virtual currencies hold the answer?
Imagine a technology so disruptive it has the potential to change how you live—or at least how you spend. This exercise shouldn’t take much creative energy: We’re talking about cryptocurrency, of course. If you don’t have the slightest interest in cryptocurrency, don’t check out just yet—it can offer a surprisingly apt lesson in how to welcome innovations in technology, no matter the industry or vertical.
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