What can you do?

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Youtube video here I’m going to combine a bit of headlines with technology tonight. In watching the news tonight, it saddens me that we can’t all get
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Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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Myst, Michael432, klang, Mele20, Steve S., LH, Lars220, SueW, Microfix, Seff, Alex5723, Ascaris

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Susan Bradley wrote:

If you get hit by ransomware, know that chances are you are funding unsavory folks. So ensure that you aren’t a victim by having a backup. Always make sure that you can restore your data without having to give money to anyone who doesn’t have your best interests in mind.

Today, as I’ve done every Sunday morning for a few years now, I’ve transferred my drive images (that were created beginning at 2:00 AM by Task Scheduler and copied to my NAS) to two stored-offline HDD’s for safe-keeping.

Having a library of offline drive images is guaranteed protection against any and all unfortunate happenstances, whether malware, ransomware, hardware failure or other catastrophic event.  I have yet to see a PC problem posted here at AskWoody (or any other forum, for that matter) that would stand up to simply restoring a recent, known-good drive image.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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Good shout @bbearren, backup, backup and backup.
Then there’s more end-user checks irrespective of OS/ Browser or email client:

THINK! before you click.
Can’t stress this enough, especially emails with links/ attachments and unfamiliar websites that can divert to fake sites.
Use VirusTotal to check integrity of attachments and URL’s if in ANY doubt first.

Use multi-factor authentication on your accounts..

Use STRONG password combinations:
Alphanumericals, upper/lowercase and symbols.

Update your/ their software and keep AV suites up-to-date
MSFT patching a delayed exception to that rule

Optionals to assist home-users:
Password Managers..
offline over browser extensions IMHO but YMMV

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

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Myst, Kirsty

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Offline image backups are an excellent defense. Technically, it is possible for the hard drive or the BIOS to get infected such that a disk image restore does not fix the problem, but there is only so much a person can worry about.

Just as an FYI – a NAS does not have to be available 24×7. I have my single NAS turn itself off at night. If you make image backups at 2am, you might have the NAS off most of the time, turn itself on in time for the backup and then turn itself off at a time the backups are normally complete. Or have two NAS boxes, one just for the image backups that lives on the same schedule as the backups.

I also use my router to limit when/where the NAS can make outbound connections to the Internet, but that’s me. Not for everyone.

Get up to speed on router security at RouterSecurity.org and Defensive Computing at DefensiveComputingChecklist.com

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” it saddens me that we can’t all get along.” yes. thanks for these posts. besides taking special care as @bbearren suggests above, it is a good time to adjust our individual and collective psychologies to realize that this isn’t lala land and we need to be aware of that and take appropriate steps. Not doomsday, but to be prudent and practical in our everyday, and planned-for, lives.

thanks!

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Also let’s regard Susans advice to “Finally, consider donating to help people who have had to flee their homes.” Here are some ideas;

USA NPR National Public Radio has a good list of charities to help,
Want to support the people in Ukraine? Here’s how you can help
Updated February 25, 2022
“As the Russian military invasion of Ukraine has unfolded, so too has a humanitarian crisis that has forced civilians to flee their homes or take refuge in bomb shelters and subway stations throughout the country.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of organizations that are asking for assistance. Donations can be made through the links to their websites or social media pages.”
https://www.npr.org/2022/02/25/1082992947/ukraine-support-help
Also:
“The International Committee of the Red Cross – together with its partners in the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement – remains active in Ukraine, saving and protecting the lives of victims of armed conflict and violence. Our neutral and impartial humanitarian action supports the most vulnerable people: humanitarian needs are enormous, but together we can address them. Your donation will make a huge difference to families in need right now”
https://www.icrc.org/en/

Amazing Truths Revealed: Link to Simply Magnificent AskWoody Knowledge Bases

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Also the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, UNICEF and Doctors without Borders are good places to send money, with a reassurance that the money will be actually spent  in what it is intended for.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

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For me as a home user, my “get-r-done” discipline: Backup files/folders weekly or sooner. Full disk images monthly (just prior to Windows Updates) with differentials each week – or sooner if major installs or changes are made to my system. Plus detailed notes of actions taken between images so I can recreate my changes if I restore from any backup. Plus offline backups of all backups/images. HDD storage is inexpensive insurance.

What is happening to people caught in the machinations of war is very hard to fathom in my heart. I pray compassion and understanding will someday prevail in human political endeavors.

Win10 Pro x64 22H2, Win10 Home 22H2, Linux Mint + a cat with 'tortitude'.

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Put nothing past MS:-
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft-is-stopping-cyberattacks-against-ukraine-but-keeping-quiet-about-its-russian-business/

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I’m about ready to dump MS and go Linux.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astra_Linux

just not that one

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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OscarCP

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