Skewer Tea II
The washing dried yesterday. In fact it dried so well I was able to peg out a second lot, this time towels, and they dried too! It's amazing the difference the wind makes at this time of year. I mentioned that it's been unseasonably warm the past few weeks. So much so that H was sat at the computer (second coldest seat in the house) yesterday in his shirt sleeves. Today he is sniffing and sneezing around the place, but not over the computer screen or keyboard, please. Get a tissue and use it for goodness' sake!
Last night we watched a BBC Panorama programme about how hackers can steal your ID (see also BBC iPlayer for the next 7 days) or even your life. It was a bit chilling, specially when they got onto how various Big Companies (looking at you, Talk Talk) are subject to hack attacks every day and have to try to keep their customer data secure - with varied results.
Some of the hackers are in it 'for the rush' - just so they know that they can and have hacked into somewhere. They tend to like to be called 'Crackers', because they 'crack' the systems. Others don't care and are most definitely in it for your money and it's apparently frighteningly easy to hack into too many sites.
Some of the more enlightened sites, realising they are up for hacking whether they want to be or not, are now employing hackers to regularly test their security protection and to tell them when they 'get in' and how so that things can be tightened up. Other places, eg: the Pentagon, go in for chasing down the hackers and trying them. Which is ok, I suppose, but far better to tighten up you security. Better, too, to have the hackers on your side hacking away than on the outside doing it for kicks or the data they can 'liberate', surely?
Anyhew, what to do to protect yourself?
The yarn for Niece's cardigan has arrived. It doesn't look all that much, hmmm, hope there's sufficient. It's Drops Alpaca Boucle (80% alpaca, 15% wool, 5% nylon) in two shades of brown (darker and lighter!) and off white plus some Drops Big Merino Mix (100% Merino superwash wool) in a burnt orange/pumpkin shade. Right, off to knit a swatch, pocket linings I think.
Y'all have a good, and safe, day now!
*If someone does ask for your details then asks you to put down the phone then ring another number - wait at least 15 minutes, preferably a whole hour, before you do so. If the 'someone' is a scammer they'll keep the line open so that you'll actually be phoning them back, probably speaking to another scammer. Try not to get caught.
Last night we watched a BBC Panorama programme about how hackers can steal your ID (see also BBC iPlayer for the next 7 days) or even your life. It was a bit chilling, specially when they got onto how various Big Companies (looking at you, Talk Talk) are subject to hack attacks every day and have to try to keep their customer data secure - with varied results.
Some of the hackers are in it 'for the rush' - just so they know that they can and have hacked into somewhere. They tend to like to be called 'Crackers', because they 'crack' the systems. Others don't care and are most definitely in it for your money and it's apparently frighteningly easy to hack into too many sites.
Some of the more enlightened sites, realising they are up for hacking whether they want to be or not, are now employing hackers to regularly test their security protection and to tell them when they 'get in' and how so that things can be tightened up. Other places, eg: the Pentagon, go in for chasing down the hackers and trying them. Which is ok, I suppose, but far better to tighten up you security. Better, too, to have the hackers on your side hacking away than on the outside doing it for kicks or the data they can 'liberate', surely?
Anyhew, what to do to protect yourself?
- Use a different password for each account you have. Use alphanumeric strings for your passwords, not real words or dates which are significant to you - these sort of passwords are too easily guessed.
- Change your passwords occasionally for something completely different. Don't just go up or down a number or letter.
- NEVER allow anyone remote access to your computer. Especially if they ring up appearing to really be from some service provider you use a lot. Remember this one particularly in the days after an internet breach for a service provider has been revealed, eg: the recent attacks on Talk Talk.
- NEVER click on links in emails unless you are absolutely certain that they are genuine websites. Even then it might be better to type the actual url into your browser.
- Your bank will NEVER ring you asking for account or card details*. NEVER give them over the phone - hmmm, so much for phoning up a supplier to buy stuff!
- If you have a wi-fi network - make sure it's password protected, with a 'safe' password, and change the password at intervals.
- Remember, and use, point 1.
The yarn for Niece's cardigan has arrived. It doesn't look all that much, hmmm, hope there's sufficient. It's Drops Alpaca Boucle (80% alpaca, 15% wool, 5% nylon) in two shades of brown (darker and lighter!) and off white plus some Drops Big Merino Mix (100% Merino superwash wool) in a burnt orange/pumpkin shade. Right, off to knit a swatch, pocket linings I think.
Y'all have a good, and safe, day now!
*If someone does ask for your details then asks you to put down the phone then ring another number - wait at least 15 minutes, preferably a whole hour, before you do so. If the 'someone' is a scammer they'll keep the line open so that you'll actually be phoning them back, probably speaking to another scammer. Try not to get caught.