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Kit Eaton over at Fast Company claimed that USB memory sticks were “facing extinction”. These are the same memory sticks that people today — in 2015 — still carry around and use every single day. In fact, the coffin in the nail of Kit’s claim is this: a 2015 report by Global Industry Analysts found that the global market for these little memory sticks is due to exceed over half a billion units by 2020. The reasons provided in the report for the surging growth of this market (despite the availability of so many alternative cloud solutions) were: · Rapid penetration of the USB 3.0 standard with high data transfer rates (1.25 Gbps to 5 Gbps). · Proliferation of mobile devices with microUSB ports are “lending traction to the USB flash drives market”. · An increase in the capacity of these drives, which are up to 256 GB right now. It isn’t even debatable really. People like that you can plug in a USB drive and quickly transferr files rather than waiting to slowly upload files to cloud services — services which are constantly marred with news reports of data losses, privacy issues, and hacker penetrations. The Many Uses of USB Flash Drives The popularity of these drives isn’t only due to superior speed and portability, but also because of the variety of things you can do with them. 1. Use USB Drives as Physical Keys If you travel a lot, then you probably use your laptop or tablet in airports, Internet cafes, and other public places. These are unfortunately the most common places where you’ll find thieves just waiting for unattended devices to steal. This is when a USB drive as physical key comes in handy. usb-memory2 There are a few ways you can turn your USB drive into a physical key. Predator is one of the most recommended applications out there. It locks your computer whenever you remove the USB drive. But more than that, Predator takes a picture any time someone tries to use your computer when you’re away, and it’ll issue a loud alarm if someone enters an incorrect password. The downside is that Predator costs up to $30. If that’s an issue, you might be better off using the next choice that is free. http://www.predator-usb.com/predator/en/index.php The free USB Raptor is an alternative to Predator. . Raptor may not have all of the bells and whistles of Predator, but it will lock your laptop pretty solid, even without the ability to enter a password at all until the drive is plugged back in. https://sourceforge.net/projects/usbraptor/ 2. Physically Secure Your Laptop An alternative to using a USB drive as a physical key is to use it as an actual security device. Sounds weird, but once you see how LAlarm works, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without it. (And it’s free!) How to lock down a laptop to a table – LAlarm – Free Laptop Alarm Security Software http://www.lalarm.com/laptop-lock-to-a-table/ How it works is ingenious. You fasten a thin metal cable or strap to the memory stick, secure the other end to a large table or another immobile device near you, and plug the USB stick into your computer. The moment you lock the Windows screen, your USB security system is enabled. It seriously gives new meaning to the phrase “locking down” your laptop. You can also customize the alarm sound the software makes if the USB drive gets pulled out, like an ear-piercing noise that’ll attract a lot of attention. The would-be thief is likely to put the laptop back down and run! 3. No Need to Remember Passwords The funniest thing I’ve seen is when visiting a friend’s house, my friend couldn’t remember his Wi-Fi password, so he went into his den and dug around in his desk for a while to find a small slip of paper he had used to write down his wireless credentials. He could have just saved his wireless credentials to a USB drive, in which case the USB drive would act like a physical key that can set up Wi-Fi access. The easiest way to do this is using the netsh command. Start by opening the Command Prompt and typing: netsh wlan show profiles Once you’ve identified the name of the profile you want to use, you can save it to USB using this command: netsh wlan export profile “” key=clear folder=”” Obviously, replace the and with the appropriate terms. Next, when you’ve lost your network connection, or someone has arrived at your home with a new laptop and they need your network connection settings, just plug your USB into their device and type: netsh wlan add profile filename=”” user=all Replace with the path of your USB drive and the XML file stored there. This will create the wireless profile with all of the correct settings and password to connect to your wireless network. 4. Carry Portable Apps With You USB memory sticks aren’t just about storing files. Sometimes they can be used to carry around a virtual briefcase of software for all of your needs. If you’re a writer, imagine having your favorite word processor and dictionary/thesaurus apps right in your front pocket. If you’re a software engineer, imagine having programming software and security apps so you can do your important work anywhere. There are many solutions for this. In fact, Mark has covered a complete list of portable apps that you can load up on your USB stick, but if you don’t want to do all of that work yourself, you can use the Portable Apps tool found here: PortableApps.com Suite and PortableApps.com Platform | PortableApps.com – Portable software for USB, portable and cloud drives http://portableapps.com/suite Here is a link to a review we have written on this tool and others. How Portable Apps Can Make Your Life Easier & Save Resources By Tina Sieber that we’ve reviewed before here at MakeUseOf. portable-apps Portable Apps offers a selection of over 300 apps ranging across categories like Education, Office, Internet, and Games. Can the cloud do this? Maybe, but it would be pretty hard to access these important apps during those times when you don’t have an Internet connection! 5. Boot Linux Live Another excellent purpose for a USB drive is to live boot a PC or Mac into any distro of Linux. What good is carrying around a live Linux distro? Well, just one glance at Justin’s list of 50 cool uses for booting live Linux should give you all the reasons you’ll ever need. You can find that list here. http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/download-50-cool-uses-for-live-cds/ You can do it to restore data, work on or recover a system, set up a temporary SSH or VNC server, and so much more. You can live boot a Mac into Linux using a USB stick as well. Can you do that with Dropbox or Google Drive? I’m sure some clever geek could come up with a way, but it certainly wouldn’t be easy — and again, useless without an Internet connection. USB Drives Are Here to Stay It’s clear that USB drives fulfill many different uses. In addition to the ones outlined above, USB drives are also perfect for all of the following: · Store and encrypt your most sensitive personal files that you don’t want to leave accessible from the Internet. · Be an IT superhero by keeping Windows maintenance tools or virus scanning tools right on your USB drive. · Run a portable web server off of a USB flash drive sitting in your pocket. · Run a Chromebook right off your USB drive using Hexxeh ChromeOS! · Keep your library of music right in your pocket and install WinAMP or some other player to play it on the go. There is a reason so many people continue buying USB flash drives year after year. They are cheap to purchase, fast and easy to use, and with so many valuable uses it’s impossible to own just one. 6. Install a portable screenreader on a USB drive such as NVDA, System Access, JAWS, Window-eyes, or Dolphen. 7. Install a portable screen enlargement software program suchas Zoomtext or iZoom USB by Issist for accessing the screen as a low vision computer user.]]>

http://www.ehow.com/how_8174783_make-organic-bug-spray-plants.html How to Make Garlic Spray http://www.ehow.com/how_7486169_make-garlic-spray.html +++++++++++++++ A Dan Thompson contribution Clean up indoor air pollution for kids with allergies & asthma January 30, 2013 Asthma and allergies are the most common chronic illnesses for kids in the U.S. and attacks are often triggered by indoor air allergens, such as mold, dust, animal dander, and chemicals in everyday products. If your kids have allergies or asthma, then follow these easy steps to reduce indoor air pollution in your home: • Ventilation is crucial. “The building of tightly-sealed houses over the last two decades has made it much easier for moisture and dust to collect in homes,” Harvard professor Dr. Douglas Dockery notes. Many vapors trapped indoors, from perfumes and air fresheners to formaldehyde from particleboard, irritate asthmatics. When it’s fresh or even cold outside, keep windows open a crack to circulate air. On hot days, close windows and use air conditioners to ventilate and filter out smog. • Don’t harbor dust mites. Microscopic dust mites and their droppings are a potent allergen and asthma trigger. One of the best ways to limit the amount of dust mites in your homes are to encase mattresses with impermeable covers (just be sure they’re PVC-free). • Eradicate cockroaches and keep clutter to a minimum. Piles of dirty clothes are an ideal environment for mildew, mold, and mites; piles of paper attract cockroaches. Keep things clean to keep these offenders away. • Maintain humidity below 50 percent. Dehumidifying is enormously important, as many asthmatics are highly allergic to mildew and molds. This can be measured with a hygrometer purchased at a hardware store. Droplets of water (condensation) on windows, walls or pipes are a sign of humidity. • Minimize pet dander. Vacuum using a machine with a HEPA filter, dust frequently, wash drapes and rugs regularly, wash bedding weekly, and – for good measure – make at least one room a “pet-free” zone so your child has a reprieve. Of course, if anyone in your home is allergic to animals, you should reconsider having one at all. • Keep asthmatics away from gas stoves. Open the oven door and you get a blast of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Your asthmatic child should not sit in the kitchen doing homework if the oven is being used. Make sure that stoves are well-ventilated, too. • Buy safer products. Everything you bring into your home impacts your indoor air quality. Choose unscented products as much as possible. Let anything with a “new smell” air out in a well-ventilated space or outdoors. And, watch for reactions even from natural products (essential oils can trigger attacks, too). • Try air cleaning and purifying machines. Consumer Reports says a good air cleaner can help those allergic to dust and mold spores, citing the fan/filter models as most effective in removing airborne dust. The machine will help most in the asthmatic kid’s bedroom; but keep it at least six feet from the bed (it creates draft), and don’t place on carpet (it can kick up dust). But air cleaners & purifiers “only help if you’ve gotten rid of the risk factors first, like dust mites, mold and danders,” Harvard School of Public Health associate professor Dr. Harriet Burge warns. Warning: many asthmatics experience irritation from the ozone type of air purifier. Article Source: http://healthychild.org/easy-steps/clean-up-indoor-air-pollution-for-kids-with-allergies-asthma/ To subscribe to Dan’s tips or HotSpot with God Daily Devotional, send a blank message to dthompson5@mchsi.com and include “subscribe Dan’s Tips” or Subscribe HotSpot with God” in the subject line. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck and write them on the tablet of your heart. You will win favor, and a good name with God and man. Proverbs chapter 3, verses 3-4 No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG – www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4800 / Virus Database: 4257/8972 – Release Date: 01/21/15 Well, today I had a fight with ITunes and tried to take the matter into my own hands. Unfortunately, I manage to disable my audio card and much more via MSCONFIG. I had to have a sight friend come over and re- enable somethings I accident disabled. So that is why today’s tip is so late. Have a great day. Clean up indoor air pollution for kids with allergies & asthma January 30, 2013 Asthma and allergies are the most common chronic illnesses for kids in the U.S. and attacks are often triggered by indoor air allergens, such as mold, dust, animal dander, and chemicals in everyday products. If your kids have allergies or asthma, then follow these easy steps to reduce indoor air pollution in your home: • Ventilation is crucial. “The building of tightly-sealed houses over the last two decades has made it much easier for moisture and dust to collect in homes,” Harvard professor Dr. Douglas Dockery notes. Many vapors trapped indoors, from perfumes and air fresheners to formaldehyde from particleboard, irritate asthmatics. When it’s fresh or even cold outside, keep windows open a crack to circulate air. On hot days, close windows and use air conditioners to ventilate and filter out smog. • Don’t harbor dust mites. Microscopic dust mites and their droppings are a potent allergen and asthma trigger. One of the best ways to limit the amount of dust mites in your homes are to encase mattresses with impermeable covers (just be sure they’re PVC-free). • Eradicate cockroaches and keep clutter to a minimum. Piles of dirty clothes are an ideal environment for mildew, mold, and mites; piles of paper attract cockroaches. Keep things clean to keep these offenders away. • Maintain humidity below 50 percent. Dehumidifying is enormously important, as many asthmatics are highly allergic to mildew and molds. This can be measured with a hygrometer purchased at a hardware store. Droplets of water (condensation) on windows, walls or pipes are a sign of humidity. • Minimize pet dander. Vacuum using a machine with a HEPA filter, dust frequently, wash drapes and rugs regularly, wash bedding weekly, and – for good measure – make at least one room a “pet-free” zone so your child has a reprieve. Of course, if anyone in your home is allergic to animals, you should reconsider having one at all. • Keep asthmatics away from gas stoves. Open the oven door and you get a blast of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Your asthmatic child should not sit in the kitchen doing homework if the oven is being used. Make sure that stoves are well-ventilated, too. • Buy safer products. Everything you bring into your home impacts your indoor air quality. Choose unscented products as much as possible. Let anything with a “new smell” air out in a well-ventilated space or outdoors. And, watch for reactions even from natural products (essential oils can trigger attacks, too). • Try air cleaning and purifying machines. Consumer Reports says a good air cleaner can help those allergic to dust and mold spores, citing the fan/filter models as most effective in removing airborne dust. The machine will help most in the asthmatic kid’s bedroom; but keep it at least six feet from the bed (it creates draft), and don’t place on carpet (it can kick up dust). But air cleaners & purifiers “only help if you’ve gotten rid of the risk factors first, like dust mites, mold and danders,” Harvard School of Public Health associate professor Dr. Harriet Burge warns. Warning: many asthmatics experience irritation from the ozone type of air purifier. Article Source: http://healthychild.org/easy-steps/clean-up-indoor-air-pollution-for-kids-with-allergies-asthma/ To subscribe to Dan’s tips or HotSpot with God Daily Devotional, send a blank message to dthompson5@mchsi.com and include “subscribe Dan’s Tips” or Subscribe HotSpot with God” in the subject line. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck and write them on the tablet of your heart. You will win favor, and a good name with God and man. Proverbs chapter 3, verses 3-4 No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG – www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4800 / Virus Database: 4257/8972 – Release Date: 01/21/15 Well, today I had a fight with ITunes and tried to take the matter into my own hands. Unfortunately, I manage to disable my audio card and much more via MSCONFIG. I had to have a sight friend come over and re- enable somethings I accident disabled. So that is why today’s tip is so late. Have a great day. Clean up indoor air pollution for kids with allergies & asthma January 30, 2013 Asthma and allergies are the most common chronic illnesses for kids in the U.S. and attacks are often triggered by indoor air allergens, such as mold, dust, animal dander, and chemicals in everyday products. If your kids have allergies or asthma, then follow these easy steps to reduce indoor air pollution in your home: • Ventilation is crucial. “The building of tightly-sealed houses over the last two decades has made it much easier for moisture and dust to collect in homes,” Harvard professor Dr. Douglas Dockery notes. Many vapors trapped indoors, from perfumes and air fresheners to formaldehyde from particleboard, irritate asthmatics. When it’s fresh or even cold outside, keep windows open a crack to circulate air. On hot days, close windows and use air conditioners to ventilate and filter out smog. • Don’t harbor dust mites. Microscopic dust mites and their droppings are a potent allergen and asthma trigger. One of the best ways to limit the amount of dust mites in your homes are to encase mattresses with impermeable covers (just be sure they’re PVC-free). • Eradicate cockroaches and keep clutter to a minimum. Piles of dirty clothes are an ideal environment for mildew, mold, and mites; piles of paper attract cockroaches. Keep things clean to keep these offenders away. • Maintain humidity below 50 percent. Dehumidifying is enormously important, as many asthmatics are highly allergic to mildew and molds. This can be measured with a hygrometer purchased at a hardware store. Droplets of water (condensation) on windows, walls or pipes are a sign of humidity. • Minimize pet dander. Vacuum using a machine with a HEPA filter, dust frequently, wash drapes and rugs regularly, wash bedding weekly, and – for good measure – make at least one room a “pet-free” zone so your child has a reprieve. Of course, if anyone in your home is allergic to animals, you should reconsider having one at all. • Keep asthmatics away from gas stoves. Open the oven door and you get a blast of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Your asthmatic child should not sit in the kitchen doing homework if the oven is being used. Make sure that stoves are well-ventilated, too. • Buy safer products. Everything you bring into your home impacts your indoor air quality. Choose unscented products as much as possible. Let anything with a “new smell” air out in a well-ventilated space or outdoors. And, watch for reactions even from natural products (essential oils can trigger attacks, too). • Try air cleaning and purifying machines. Consumer Reports says a good air cleaner can help those allergic to dust and mold spores, citing the fan/filter models as most effective in removing airborne dust. The machine will help most in the asthmatic kid’s bedroom; but keep it at least six feet from the bed (it creates draft), and don’t place on carpet (it can kick up dust). But air cleaners & purifiers “only help if you’ve gotten rid of the risk factors first, like dust mites, mold and danders,” Harvard School of Public Health associate professor Dr. Harriet Burge warns. Warning: many asthmatics experience irritation from the ozone type of air purifier. Article Source: http://healthychild.org/easy-steps/clean-up-indoor-air-pollution-for-kids-with-allergies-asthma/ _________________________ From the pages of Donna’s travel diary Hotels to remember There are hotels and then there are hotels and as a seasoned traveler who continues to travel extensively, I have been privy to staying in several hotels across North America and beyond. There is nothing better than being able to stay in a top notch hotel where you get your money’s worth and it sure helps to make your trip a more enjoyable one. On the other hand, there is nothing worse than when you stay at a hotel that fails to meet your expectations. For me, I have been very lucky to have the opportunity to continue staying at hotels that I really love but I must say that some more than others stand out in my mind. In the case of some it has all been for their location while for others it has all been for their customer service and today I am going to highlight those that have been truly outstanding because of their customer service. First up is the Southway Hotel in Ottawa Canada and in my humble opinion this hotel is one of the finest when it comes to customer service and accessibility for blind guests. My only regret is that this hotel will be closing in October 2015. The staff has always offered me service that is second to none. They have always been there to attend to my every need. They have been well trained in the rudiments of accessibility and they are always one step ahead of the game. At the desk, in the restaurant, and on the floors of the hotel and in the rooms; it has always been the same. I will be truly sorry to see Southway Hotel close and I wish the staff the very best in their quest for new employment. My second best hotel belongs to the ST. LUCIAN BY REX RESORTS Reduit Beach, Castries ST. LUCIA. This hotel is not only one with a terrific location; right on the sea, but it is also one that provides above excellent services to a blind guest. I have been staying at this wonderful gem of a hotel for the past five years now and this year will be my sixth visit. The staff is simply marvelous when it comes to providing services to me and my family. They are extremely conscientious, dedicated, and committed. I would recommend the ST. LUCIAN BY REX RESORTS Hotel to any blind person seeking a seaside vacation. My third best choice would be the Windermere Manor Hotel. Located in the beautiful Lake District of Windermere, this hotel really knows how to dish out the British hospitality and is a truly accessible hotel. I stayed at Windermere for a chess tournament in early 2014 and I could not find anything wrong with them. From the service desk to the rooms, dining room, and planned events, staff members were always there to accommodate my needs. They surely knew how to cater to the requirements of blind guests and if you seek a hotel in a beautiful location, then Windermere Manor Hotel is definitely for you. I would definitely return to this hotel as well and if you want a hotel to help you plan your vacation then this one is definitely it. I hope that my choices can help you on your next trip. I’m Donna J. Jodhan enjoying my travels. To learn more about me, visit http://jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author/ On your next trip you could enrich your down time with some of my audio mysteries. Take them with you wherever you go! In the car, on the plane, on the bus or train, at the beach, anywhere! Affordable, portable, (computer or i device) and you could either purchase or Subscribe for unlimited access to my library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html and you can now take advantage of our free downloads here. Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan And like me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan]]>

I thought you would want to know about this e-mail virus. Even the most advanced programs from Norton or McAfee cannot take care of this one. It appears to affect those who were born prior to 1955. Symptoms: 1. Causes you to send the same e-mail twice. 2. Causes you to send a blank e-mail! 3. Causes you to send e-mail to the wrong person. 4. Causes you to send it back to the person who sent it to you. 5. Causes you to forget to attach the attachment. 6. Causes you to hit “SEND” before you’ve finished. 7. Causes you to hit “DELETE” instead of “SEND.” 8. Causes you to hit “SEND” when you should “DELETE.” IT’S CALLED THE “C-NILE VIRUS.” Have I already sent this to you?*]]>

both types to be safe. After following the steps below, the problem should be minimized for the most part. But even after applying these changes, you can’t be completely sure you one or two videos won’t slip by — some publishers use custom-made code to fool your browser into thinking it isn’t dealing with a video. Google Chrome As far as HTML5 is concerned, you’re going to need some third-party help to stop playback. From the extensions we’ve seen, Disable HTML5 Autoplay seems to be the most comprehensive and effective option, though a small number of users report that it doesn’t work. It effectively stopped clips from playing on YouTube and Facebook when we tested it. This can be found at the next link. However, google Crome must be installed to download any of the google crome apps. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/disable-html5-autoplay/efdhoaajjjg ckpbkoglidkeendpkolai/reviews?hl=en For the older Flash technology, you can block this at source, as it’s built into Chrome. Head to the Settings tab, open the advanced settings selection, and then click on the Content settings button. Under the Plugins heading, tick the checkbox next to “Let me choose when to run plugin content”. On some sites, this should be enough, but we found plenty of adverts getting through the net. To completely stop the flow, click Manage individual plugins and untick the “Always allowed to run” entry next to Adobe Flash Player This does mean you’ll have to activate Flash on sites that rely on it to work (like Rdio, for example), but this should be a one-time thing you can take care of via the blocked plugin icon that appears in the address bar — it’s a small price to pay for some peace and quiet. You can always go nuclear and disable Flash completely if you prefer. Mozilla Firefox (I do not use firefox or google crome. However a friend said these tips do work. I u sually like writing the keyboard commands and ask forgiveness for not supplying these this time.) In Firefox, HTML5 that can be disabled through the browser’s own settings. Type “about:config” into the address bar, click through the warning and search for “autoplay” options — double-click on media.autoplay.embed and the value changes to false. As for Flash, open up the Firefox menu and choose Add-ons; if you click on Plugins from the subsequent screen you can select Ask to Activate from the drop-down menu next to Shockwave Flash. Any Flash videos will then need to be clicked on before they play (as with Chrome, this may interfere with some perfectly useful sites as well). That should be enough to stop videos from playing, but sites and advertisers change their code on a constant basis and browsers don’t always manage to keep up. A variety of third-party extensions are available for Firefox too, from FlashStopper http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2016/01/how-to-stop-videos-from-auto-playing-in -four-popular-browsers/ to Stop YouTube HTML5 . https://addons.mozilla.org/EN-US/firefox/addon/stop-tube/ The former replaces both Flash and HTML5 content with a thumbnail, and you may prefer it to the rather rudimentary blocking features in Firefox itself. Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer With Microsoft Edge still at such an early stage in its development — and with third-party extensions not yet supported — there doesn’t appear to be any way yet for you to stop video content from automatically playing. If you go into the advanced settings for the browser, you can supposedly turn off Adobe Flash Player, but it had no effect on the sites we visited (your mileage may vary). As for the old-school joys of Internet Explorer, you can choose Safety and tick ActiveX Filtering to block some kinds of content; another option is to choose Tools then Manage add-ons to get access to the Shockwave Flash plugin. Right-click to disable it, or choose More information to remove it from one site in particular. The steps for IE described above are the ones most commonly recommended, and they stopped some auto-playing content, but plenty still got through — it seems that Chrome and Firefox are much more effective at blocking this behaviour than either the old or new browsers from Microsoft. If you know of a foolproof way that works, let us know. At the link below. http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2016/01/how-to-stop-videos-from-auto-playing-in -four-popular-browsers/]]>

, suggests to “Combine a personally memorable sentence with some personally memorable tricks to modify that sentence into a password.” So if your sentence is “When I was eleven my sister made me fight the neighborhood bully”, your password could be “Wiw11msmmFtnbully”. Obviously, don’t use that one, but instead come up with your own. Be sure to check out our password guide < http://www.cnet.com/how-to/the-guide-to-password-security-and-why-you-shoul d-care/> for more details on creating a secure password. Also, getting a password manager < http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-and-why-to-set-up-and-use-a-password-manager /> can make keeping track of passwords much more convenient. Sharon Profis/CNET Keep your email from getting hacked Believe it or not, even in the age of Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and text messages, people still use email to communicate. And as a consequence, emails still get hacked. As many times as computer users have been told not to click attachments from untrustworthy sources — or sometimes even from people you do know — apparently we still click on them. Which unfortunately can lead to your email being hacked or some nefarious program being installed on your machine. So seriously, stop doing that. If you get an attachment from someone you know that you were not expecting, check with the sender to confirm it was sent on purpose. Clicking on a malicious attachment can install malware on your machine, like a worm or virus. Here are no less than 10 other ways protect your email < http://www.cnet.com/how-to/what-to-do-if-your-email-gets-hacked-and-how-to - prevent-it/> from being compromised. Shopping online If you’re using your credit card to shop online, there is risk that your information will be stolen and used to buy something against your will. Here are a few things to keep in mind: Only use your credit on websites with the prefix, “https”. The “s” in https indicates that the site in question is using a secure protocol to encrypt communications between you and the website. You’ll see this protocol used on online banking sites and shopping sites if you’re looking at sensitive information. If you don’t see “https”, the chances of your information being compromised increases. For more detailed and specialized information on protecting your info online, check out our guides on shopping safely online < http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-shop-online-safely/ > and protecting your credit card online < http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-protect-your-credit-card-online/ > . Better account protection When most users log into their accounts, they enter their username and a password and they’re in. This is known as single-factor authorization and it is indeed secure, but there’s an even more secure way to log into important accounts. Tw0-factor authorization uses an additional security credential to access an account like a fingerprint or a unique pattern. This way, if someone does gain access to your basic login information, they’d also need access to your fingerprint or unique pattern to access your account info. CNET How To gives you a detailed overview on how to enable two-factor authentication < http://www.cnet.com/news/two-factor-authentication-what-you-need-to-know-fa q/> anywhere. If you’re looking only to enable two-factor authorization on popular websites < http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-enable-two-factor-authentication-on-popul ar-sites/> or two-step verification on the iPhone < http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-set-up-two-step-verification-for-your-app le-id/> , we have you covered there as well. Dig in to discover a simple way to make your accounts more secure. Josh Miller/CNET Protecting your mobile device Most of the tips outlined above can also be used on your smartphone or tablet, but for more specific mobile device security tips, check out these seven smartphone security tips < http://www.cnet.com/pictures/best-practices-for-smartphone-security/ > and our iOS 8 privacy guide < http://www.cnet.com/how-to/ios-8-privacy-settings/ > for some useful tips specific to the iPhone and iPad. Staying secure Look, there’s pretty much nothing you can do if someones wants to get your personal information and has the time and means. Sometimes it’s out of your hands; however, the tips outlined above are things you can control. Focusing on that is your best bet. http://www.cnet.com/how-to/cnet-security-how-to/?tag=nl.e757&s_cid=e757&ttag =e757&ftag=CAD2e9d5b9]]>