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Home network safety tip: keep most devices on the “Guest” network

Home network safety tip: keep most devices on the
Malware from the manufacturer means bad times for everyone

It would be great if the stories of products sold by major retailers with baked-in malware were relegated to decades past, but the issue hasn't gone away. The Electronic Frontier Foundation reports that a low-budget kids tablet by Dragon Touch was sold on Amazon for the better part of a year despite having possible malware preinstalled from the factory.

There really is no clear and obvious way to prevent any instance of factory malware, but one thing that could help quite a bit is to keep your networks separate.

This is an example of a router with guest network functionality built in.
(See online!)

Many home routers these days offer "guest networks" which are intended to let houseguests or visiting friends access your Internet without exposing your home computers and files. It's convenient and easy to set up along with your normal network. But the best part is that you can use the same trick to keep untrusted devices away from your important data!

You'll need to look in the manual, instructions, or a handy Youtube video if you need help for your specific router (or buy a new one if your current one doesn't support it), but, once configured, it's simply a matter of asking: "does this device/thing need to connect to my home computers or backup systems? If "no", put it on the guest network!

Bottom line, you might have several computers and maybe a printer/scanner on your home network for file sharing or backup purposes, but why let the Playstation or Echo in the same space? They can still access the Internet on the Guest Network and that's really all they need

Moving forward, always put phones, tablets, and any other device stays segregated on the guest network where, if they become infected, they can't damage your real computers and important data.

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Removing bad LinkedIn jobs live with a browser plugin (and Indeed too!)

A good tool, but it could be great!

In 2023, extreme layoffs sent people scrambling for new jobs. As a tough market with far too many seekers and not nearly enough positions, it became a daily grind to load up job options and apply. Best case, the online tools are helping you rapidly find good options – particularly when you're paying for the "Premium" feature.

Spoiler alert: they don't.

So much for "Premium". Almost every job in this view is out of state.

The hidden secret of job hunters!

Except that it's not a secret… not by a long shot. Job searches start with location!

Why does this even have to be said? The first and most important factor of job hunting is finding something in range – whether that's local commute, fully remote, or some hybrid version of the two. It doesn't matter how amazing a job is if it's five states over.

The second secret!

Still not a secret; but we can't take jobs that don't even pay the rent! Or maybe we will, but it should be our choice to see those listings or not. Why can't I set a minimum pay value and not have to see jobs paying minimum wage when we make 10 times that normally?

And so on!

Ok, enough with the secret nonsense. Bottom line, these are the basics of the basics and I'm stunned that LinkedIn doesn't have them. I spent hours browsing job listings full of complete red herrings – things that weren't worth my time to read any more than it was LinkedIn's to collect the pixels to transmit them to me. I made several attempts to contact people at LinkedIn to ask if they were working on improving the listings, but why wait when we can hack(ish)!?

LinkedIn Fixer (and Indeed too!)

Lest I seem overconfident about things I didn't know about, I put myself to the test and built a TamperMonkey script to:

  • Strip out jobs that aren't in my area (or remote)
  • Dump anything that paid below my minimum salary (either yearly or hourly)
  • Drop certain companies by name that I definitely didn't want to work for or seemed scummy
  • Eject job titles containing keywords that were absolutely wrong for me (like Physician, Lawyer, Attorney, etc.)
The jobs are still listed if you want to click them, but they're FAR easier to ignore now.

Sound interesting?

Check out my code on GitHub Don't know how to use TamperMonkey? No worries! It's just a browser plugin and a few clicks and you're golden! Here's a video that describes the process. It's basically just a matter of installing the plugin, copying my code from the github page, and pasting it into a new script in the browser plugin. That's it!

EDIT: I forgot the last step – at the very top of the code are a few obvious variables where you can set your target salary, companies you don't want to see, the state you live in, etc. You'll need to manually edit those, but just follow the pattern that's there and you should be good! Leave any questions in the comments.

If pictures help, here's a pretty sloppy, but accurate list of the steps
Basically install TamperMonkey, paste my code, and save.
Removing bad LinkedIn jobs live with a browser plugin (and Indeed too!) – The Geek Professor Tags: , , , , ,

SIIG KVM and USB C hub – Managing remote work is so much easier now!

SIIG USB-C 2-Port KVM Switch MST Docking Station with PD 65W
(See online!)

So I put some effort into getting my home office put together. I have dual monitors nicely raised to the right eye height. I have a motorized standing desk, nice keyboard, mouse… the works! But the main issue was switching between my home computing and my work. I had one laptop for each (clean separation between the two), but moving all those cables is a non-starter.

The first thing I tried was a Thinkpad USBC hub. It's pretty straightforward – just plug everything into the hub, then plug the hub into the computer. The only problem is that I have to move the one cable between the computers when I want to switch (technically two because it was too slow to run both monitors so I had one HDMI cable I plugged directly into the computer for speed reasons). But the next thing I tried was the combo Hub/KVM. What an improvement!

So basically, the KVM works just like the hub, but it's faster so I haven't had HDMI problems even when playing games. And because it's plugged into both machines at the same time, all I have to do is click a single button to swap between the two computers. All my devices and monitors swap semi-instantly and it's just such a better process that it makes my workday so much better! If I remember something I need to do on my home computer (or on an account that I don't want to log into on my work laptop), it's a button press, get the work done, button press again to go back to the work machine.

If you have two computers for your home office and want to be able to rapidly switch between them while using the same peripherals for both, this is a pretty sweet way to do that!

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Netflix Misses the Easy Marks

Netflix! Bro! You can be SO much better than this.

One of the reasons that Google because THE Internet search engine (though DuckDuckGo is better because it protects privacy) is because they have clean, no frills interface and they WORK. They get the job done. Those two key features made it the juggernaut that it is. Netflix is basically on the same path except for a few obvious design flaws.

Autoplay

The first is auto play. I really don't need to say much else: it's a feature almost no one wants or needs and they shouldn't have shoved it down our throats. If you want to "opt-in" fine, but making it the default and forcing us to turn it off (which doesn't even work fully) is obnoxious to say the least. Don't play, don't preview, don't do anything at all until and unless I tell you. No one wants an interface that goes rogue and has a mind of it's own.

Originals

This one is probably petty, but it ticks me off when I see something labeled as "Netflix Original" that is neither. They slap that label on Anime that they didn't create, produce, or otherwise do anything with other than make it available. Giving it a "Netflix Original" label is much like seeing Apple juice in the store labeled "100% juice!" when in reality, it only has 10% apples in it.

I'm 100% aware there are some linguistic and legal shenanigans at foot that make this not technically fraud, but I don't care. It's dishonest and manipulative.

Watch forever

Recently I've been enjoying something that is actually Netflix original: Netflix comedy specials. It's fun to have on when I'm working on other stuff, but I'm not interested in watching the same show multiple times in a short period. Much as I might like Dave Chappelle or Gabriel Igelsias, it's going to be several months or years before I can really enjoy seeing it again. Meanwhile Netflix keeps showing me the same stuff over and over with no way to filter it or even indicate which ones I've seen.

I contacted Netflix about this and they said I could either check the watch history in my profile and manually keep track or thumbs down my favorite things instead. So my current choices are to build a crime-scene wall of watched photos to keep track myself or gut-punch my recommendations (and favorite shows) with undeserved thumbs-downs. I think they can do better than that.
No indication of what's been seen before. No option to filter. Really?

Pandora has a neat feature where you can say "I'm tired of this, shelve it for a while" which would be great. Or if I could just say "seen it" and filter it to only things I haven't watched before, that would help me find new stuff instead of accidentally starting the same John Mulaney special 5 times in the course of a week. The thing that kills me is that it would be so easy to do. It's not difficult to have a little icon marking "watched this". Maybe even a counter, but WAY better would be a way to push them aside if I don't want to see it again for a while.

To prove this is as trivial as I claim, I wrote a greasemonkey script to give basic ''watched that'' functionality. It's pretty basic, but it's better than what Netflix is giving you.

Installing

Click here to learn more about Greasemonkey and how to use it. If you already have GreaseMonkey (or similar), you can get install my script by clicking the install button on this page. Otherwise, here's the raw script if you prefer:

// ==UserScript==
// @name	Netflix saw it button
// @author	TheGeekProfessor
// @description	Fix netflix thumbnails so you can mark them as watched
// @include	https://www.netflix.com/*
// @require https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.4.1/jquery.min.js 
// ==/UserScript==

// license	Creative Commons Attribution License


$(document).ready(function() {  
  $('[data-ui-tracking-context]').each(function(){
    // It's  query string that's actually JSON that's actually an array
    id= JSON.parse(decodeURI($(this).data('ui-tracking-context')));
    id = id.video_id;
  	if(localStorage.getItem(id))
      $(this).closest('.title-card-container').addClass('g_watched');
  });
  $('[data-tracking-uuid]').closest('.title-card-container').append('<div class="watched_eye">&#128065;</div>');
  $('.watched_eye').click(function(){
  	$(this).closest('.title-card-container').toggleClass('g_watched');
    id = $(this).closest('.title-card-container').find('[data-ui-tracking-context').data('ui-tracking-context');
 	  id= JSON.parse(decodeURI(id));
    id = id.video_id;
    localStorage.setItem(id,$(this).closest('.title-card-container').hasClass('g_watched'));
    console.log(id);
    console.log(localStorage.getItem(id));
  });
 
  $('head').append( `
    <style>
    .watched_eye {
      font-size: 57px;
      padding: 10px;
      position: absolute;
      bottom: -40px;
      left: 0;
      background: gray;
      border-radius: 6px;
      height: 30px;
      line-height: 30px;
    }
		.watched_eye:hover {
			opacity: .3;
			cursor:pointer;
		}
		.title-card-container.g_watched {
			opacity: .3;
		}
    </style>
  ` );
 
});
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OnStar To Spy On People

(Image used under: Creative Commons 2.0 [SRC][Mod][Comp])

OnStar was recently admonished by several senators for its plan to spy on people (even non-customers).

OnStar is apparently hoping to create a new revenue stream by collecting data about the movements of OnStar-equipped cars. Obviously, this data set will be more comprehensive—and, therefore, more lucrative—if it includes data from former OnStar subscribers as well as current ones. In an announcement e-mailed to subscribers earlier this month, the company said that, starting December 1, it would continue collecting data from subscribers even after they cancel their service. OnStar also said it reserved the right to sell aggregated and anonymized data to third parties.
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RFID Chips in Hotel Towels

As anyone who reads much of my site knows, I'm not a fan of how RFID is being implemented. However, I'm not against the technology itself as it has many practical uses. For example, some hotels have begun putting washable RFID in the towels and bathrobes to keep people from stealing them.

Since the RFID towels have no privacy invading purpose at all and serve deter self-entitled punks who think it's ok to take hotel items, I will offer my tentative support for this. The main concern is feature creep meaning that depending how they implement this, they may also know which towels you used and when. I can't really see the hotels bothering to do so, but if they did, that would be crossing the line big time.

Source: http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/11/gee-how-did-that-towel-end-up-in-my-suitcase/ (H/T to The Consumerist for the link)

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Researchers Steal Cars With Wireless Ignition

(Image is used under the Pixabay license)

If you read this site much, you probably know I have a "guilty till proven innocent" attitude when it comes to new technology, particularly wireless technology. That's why it's no surprise to me (and hopefully no surprise to you), that they've discovered they can break into and steal cars that use wireless entry and ignition.

The researchers tested a few scenarios. An attacker could watch a parking lot and have an accomplice watch as car owners as entered a nearby store. The accomplice would only need to be within eight meters of the targeted owner's key fob, making it easy to avoid arousing suspicion. In another scenario, a car owner might leave a car key on a table near a window. An antenna placed outside the house was able to communicate with the key, allowing the researchers then to start the car parked out front and drive away.

Companies need to stop with this high-tech gadgetry until they commit to hiring brilliant security experts to design these systems for them. Even then, using simple wireless radio transmissions that any regular joe can produce with less than $500 of equipment is just a bad idea.

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TSA Pilot Refuses Naked Scanner – TSA Response

(Image is in the Public Domain)

Maybe you haven't heard of this yet, but a pilot working for ExpressJet refused to use the new nudie scanners installed at his airport. They offered to pat him down instead, but according to him:

"Pat down is misleading," Roberts explained. "They concentrate on the area between the upper thighs and torso, and they're not just patting people's arms and legs, they're grabbing and groping and prodding pretty aggressively."

I've written about this previously as it's been reported that refusing the scanner will get you a ''super-sized'' pat-down almost like a punishment and this experience seems to confirm that.

Peter Pietra, the head of privacy for the TSA is a reasonable guy who I met at a conference once. I asked him about this issue and he stated that the procedures seemed to work as intended. People have the right to opt out, but must be patted down in the process. I asked him about the "aggressive pat-down" and he said this:

There is no retaliatory pat-down for people who decline AIT. There used to be several types of pat-downs, but there are now only two (standard, and resolution). People who decline AIT or metal detector, for that matter, get the standard pat-down, but our standard pat-down changed about a month ago .... There was a flurry of media attention about a month ago on it, and some complaints following the news articles, but not a lot. My rough recollection is a dozen or fewer complaints specific to the new pat-down.
There is no retalitory pat-down…people who decline get a standard pat-down

Along with my previous talks with him, this is the second time he's assured me that there is no special treatment of people who refuse the scan. While I'm positive there are people who abuse their authority or make things tougher for people who they think make things tough for them (asserting rights which also makes their job harder), here's the thing:

There are two pat-downs and while I don't know what warrants the second, you should only get the first by refusing to be scanned. Therefore, if your pat down is more extensive than what you see old people with heart devices getting, it's time to complain and complain loudly (which is what I believe this pilot has done and good for him). Peter says he thinks there's no problem because he hasn't received many complaints. If you think you've been a victim of retaliation or excessive probing, make sure he hears about it.

Make sure your voice is heard. You can connect with his office here: TSAPrivacy@dhs.gov

Support for the Pilot

There's been a lot of support for him in the airline industry (among workers not officially). Here are some of the industry forums where they're talking about him:

Jetcareers
Expressjetpilots
Flyertalk

UPDATE 2010/11/07

I recently went through the airport and also refused the scanner. I was patted down, but the TSA employee was very clear and professional. At no point did I feel uncomfortable.

It's a big deal if someone overdoes it and they should be called out, but it really wasn't a problem for me.

However, I was once told that signs would be prominently posted showing people they could opt out of the scan, but I found none anywhere.

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DC Online Voting Halted Due to Hackers

(Image is in the Public Domain)

From the Washington Post:

Last week, the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics opened a new Internet-based voting system for a weeklong test period, inviting computer experts from all corners to prod its vulnerabilities in the spirit of "give it your best shot." Well, the hackers gave it their best shot -- and midday Friday, the trial period was suspended, with the board citing "usability issues brought to our attention." Here's one of those issues: After casting a vote, according to test observers, the Web site played "Hail to the Victors" -- the University of Michigan fight song.

Whoah! E-voting not secure? Where have we heard that before!? And the best part is that it doesn't even take the vile hacker underground to do it. It's the college researchers each time.

No knock against college researchers, but for e-voting to work, it should take a vast conspiracy spanning several continents and special agents who jump from helicopters in the night to break into buildings through air-ducts not some mostly-sober frat boy. They obviously have no idea what they're doing and should stop. Now.

About the only ray of light in this whole story is that they were smart enough to challenge the public to hack them thus making their failure obvious (and therefore correctable).

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How to Save Your DVDs From the Kids by Ripping Them to Your Computer

(Image is in the Public Domain)

With the kids constantly losing, scratching, or breaking DVDs, I've been looking into building a home media center for a while. I'll get my DVD's, copy them to the computer, and play them from there (kind of like Hulu or Netflix on-demand). If you think that sounds like a great idea, check this out:

Are you looking to for a way to play your media DVDs without rifling through your collection and swapping discs? Today we’ll take a look at ripping a DVD to your hard drive and playing it with some popular media players.
There are some easy tools available for copying DVDs to your computer

This doesn't go into the particulars of how to build a good machine or hook it to a TV, but it's a great start for the software side of it. They recommend some software that costs money, but there are always alternatives or if it's good enough, it might be worth the money anyway.

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If you want to learn more about my professional background, click here to learn more.

Check out one of my guides/tutorials:

internet safety Tutorial
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General Safety

Avoid fake and nasty websites with my search engine trick.
Watch out for online addiction. Getting lost in fun online activities can be just as addiction as any drug.
So you want to write, publish, or share information online? Be careful. Things you say may be lost or forgotten, but things put on the Internet never are.
Don't fall for the well-known (or the new scams either) bad guys use to trick you into give away data or money.

Account Protection

Want to make an account with some online service? Read this first!
The newest, biggest risk online? Account hijacking! Don't become a victim by allowing your account to be taken over and learn to recognize when someone else has been.
Be sure transmission security is active before entering a name, password, credit card number, or other important information online.

... or check out any of my other guides and tutorials by clicking here!

DuckDuckGo - New Search Engine Choice or Dud?

DuckDuckGo.com
(Image is in the Public Domain)

Every now and then, there's a new search engine released that tries to play with the big boys, but they often fail. Usually its because of speed, maybe financial backing, sometimes user interface, but most often because they don't do the job well.

So here's one that may be worth some attention. Like Google, they focus on keeping very minimal and having a nice interface. But unlike Google, they make an effort to help you find what you are actually looking for:

They also include some summary information right in the search making it possible to skip visiting the site at all if you don't need to or at least getting a better feel for what the site is about before going. And according to their About page, they store NO personal information (which has long been a complaint of mine about Google).

So far, they're doing a lot right, but with Google having just released HTTPS for searches, the competition is even stiffer. I wish them luck.

Check them out yourself here.

How to Avoid Bogus Websites

There are bogus websites out there hoping you'll hit them by accident or using phishing to trick you into coming to them. Learn my simple trick to avoid these sites!

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Online Addiction

Concerned about online addiction? You should be. Learn the types, the signs, and the preventions.

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The Consequences of Posting Online

It's fun to post online. What you think, what you feel. But words typed and posted on the Internet can come back to bite you more than anything you could say with your mouth.

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Tricks and Scams

Just because you won't willing give up data doesn't mean that I can't trick you out of it. Don't fall for these well known tricks!

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Account Creation Tips

When you create an account with an online site, you should know a few things first.

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Account Hijacking

One of the newest threats we face is the risk of someone getting control of your online account and using it against you and the people you know. Do everything you can to prevent that from happening!

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Using HTTPS For Secure Login and Payment Online

Making online accounts is useful and fun, but doesn't mean much if someone can capture your login information and use it against you. Make sure to use this simple trick to prevent that from happening.

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