Futurelawyer

#WhyIAmASolo. Lawyer...Represent Thyself.

Ransomware-how-clicking-on-one-phishing-email-left-a-whole-business-in-big-troubleDo you know what your BigLaw employees are doing at their desks? Do you know what emails they are opening, and what attachments they are viewing? Of course not. This is a cautionary tale about one employee at one company who opened a phishing email, and almost brought down the entire company. This could happen to your law firm. This could even happen to the FutureLawyer; but, since I am the only one here, I have a pretty good idea what is being clicked. If I ever got zapped with a phishing or ransomware attack, I have no one to blame but myself.

Google Chat, Meet, GMail Receive Enterprise Grade Security Tools

Google Chat, Meet, GMail Acquire New Security Tools. Google has the best software engineers in the world. GSuite, the paid version of their enterprise class products (Relax, it's cheap at $5 a month), has always provided better stability and security than the free consumer versions. Now, however, Google will protect users from forgers, spammers, and rabble-rousers looking to disrupt their communications. A BIMI badge or logo will be contained in messages from trusted domains. So spammers, and fraudsters won't be able to fake communications. In addition, new security controls will prevent hackers from gaining access to Google Meet chat rooms and video rooms. While there is no such thing as 100% security on the Internet, the Googleverse will be a much safter place to be.

GMail Problems? Or, Is It Us?

Spam Filter Broken In GMail? Whatever happened to personal responsibility? This piece in Forbes asserts that the sky is falling because many users have been getting spam and other bad emails in their In Box. I can remember when we didn't rely on far away computer algorithms to protect us from emails that we shouldn't be opening. Spam filters are certainly convenient. They separate a lot of chaff from the wheat when I am checking email. But, they aren't perfect, and I still need to look at the spam emails to determine if they contain a false positive. In addition, every user of email, Gmail or otherwise, should look critically at emails before opening links in them. Is this the apocalypse that the Terminator movie franchise predicted? Are we becoming so reliant upon our machines that we have lost the ability to think for ourselves? Use your brain. Make judgments about your In Box without the intervention of a search engine. Jeez.

Google Knows What You Are Doing...What Are You Going To Do About It?

Google Collects A Frightening Amount Of Data About You...Delete It. I know. You don't do anything hinky online. You only search sites describing Churches and Food, and you never email sketchy people. Even so, what if I told you that Google (which I use all the time, because it performs useful services) knows your name, your face, your birthday, gender, other email addresses you use, your password and phone number? What if it determines what is public and what is not? When a new site asks you to sign up using Google (much easier than entering a lot of data) you click through the permissions without reading them, don't you? The company records every search you perform and every YouTube video you watch.  Google Maps logs everywhere you go, the route you use to get there and how long you stay -- even if you never open the app. I have always considered that this was okay (what better alibi than your computer location record?) but then I read about the guy who happened to be in the area of a crime on a regular basis, and who got arrested. So, ghost your Google masters on a regular basis. You know who is watching. Make them turn off the recorder. Do it now.

Number One Thing You Can Do To Make Your Computer Use More Secure.

Two Factor Authentication. Come on, grasshopper. You know the answer to this one. I have been preaching it for years. I am on a holy mission from the god of computer security.  But, now, the rest of the world is getting it. Requiring a code to be sent to a device that is unique to you, like a Smartphone or SmartWatch, before you can access a website that contains your private data or information, or that of a client, is the best way to keep hackers away. Most websites that store your personal information, like banks and medical sites, now provide the opportunity. Some require it. This non profit site lists the websites in each category that do, and even lists sites that should do it, and allows you to pester them into providing security. The site lists the various security schemes, including those that permit the use of a token, like a USB key. Remember, the first line of defense is you. Be safe out there.

If You Don't Use Multi Factor Authentication, The Bad Guys Will.

https://ridethelightning.seif-you-dont-enable-multi-factor-authentication-crooks-will-do-it-for-you. Sharon Nelson, at Senseient, is one of the best security people on the planet, and she is talking today about two factor authentication, which, as my readers know, is the first security tip I give, and give often. But, she has an interesting take on it, which I share with you. These days, much tech support is automated, and it can be a nightmare trying to get to a human being. If you aren't using two factor authentication, and a hacker takes your identity, the first thing the hacker will do is enable, guess what? Two factor authentication. At that point, until you can reach a sympathetic human being, you are SOL. So, suck it up, buttercup. On every website you can, enable two factor authentication. You will be glad you did. Thanks, Sharon.  

Yes, Virginia, This Is Another Image Your Drive Reminder

PNY PRO Elite 1 Terabyte Drive. In the words of Prufrock: "I grow old. I grow old. I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled". I am weary of incessantly reminding you to image your drives on a weekly, if not more often basis. While most of you have SSD drives now, and no mechanical parts to fail, software and drives can still become corrupted, or trashed by hackers, or encrypted by ransomware. Anything can happen. The Stoics tell us to expect that fate will do anything it wants, at any time. Prepare for it. Expect it. Then, nothing is a shock. This little 1 terabyte drive has enough space for every piece of data you have collected in your life. It is smaller than a credit card; albeit, thicker. Below is a photo of mine. You can purchase it on sale online for around $140. It has a USB-C interface and connects to your computer with a short USB cable. It backs up my computer's 256 GB drive in under an hour. If you don't backup an image of your drive, I will not come to your house and say "I told you so" when your computer crashes or is attacked. You are on your own. So, get up and exercise some initiative, soldier. Get 'r done.

Your Smartphone Needs More Security Than Your Notebook Computer

Android Security. While I am on the topic of computer security, what is the least secure device in your possession? Of course, it is your Smartphone. It is mobile, small, and easily stolen or lost. It's only advantage is that, since it is usually in your possession (like, all the time?) you would immediately notice it was missing. However, if it is stolen, it is imperative that you have it secured with a PIN or comparable entry security. In addition, you need to keep it updated all the time, and, number one technique...encrypt the contents. Even if someone breaks in, you need to make the data incomprehesible to all. Do it now.

Windows Update Is Essential To Your Security

Windows Computers Aren't Getting Patched. The most recent Windows monthly security update patched 132 vulnerabilities. None of them had been exposed in the wild; but, if you need a reason why Microsoft OS defaults to getting the updates, and makes it difficult to turn them off, that is it. Operating systems ALWAYS have bugs in the system. With millions of lines of code, it is inevitable. I talk a lot about computer security and data security. For lawyers, it is essential, because we deal with confidential information every day. However, most of you have older computers still buzzing along that aren't being regularly updated. I talk mostly about two factor authentication, and other ways to limit risk when information is accessed or stored in the cloud; but, just keeping the computer software current is the first step. How long would your car run without regular maintenance? When that check engine light goes on, do you investigate immediately whether it is caused by something as simple as a loose gas cap? Go to Windows Update and make sure your computers, all of them, are running the latest version. Do it now. Tomorrow may be too late.

 

When Facebook Photos Become Google Photos

How To Transfer Facebook Photos To Google Photos. Do you know where your photos are? Probably scattered all over the place. If you have followed the FutureLawyer's advice, you have long since started using the best free photo aggregator and storage service out there, Google Photos. Just about every photo I have take for the last few years, and some earlier ones, are archived on Google's servers, and the service has gotten better every year. But, I also post a lot of photos to Facebook, and, while I can access them on the Facebook Photos page, they are nowhere near as accessible as in the albums and other ways I have them organized on Google Photos. So, check out this menu option the next time you are on Facebook, and preserve all that goodness in an organized fashion. You never know when you will have had enough of Facebook and social media. Backup, backup, backup.