SERVICE: CNN LIVE VIDEO steals your bandwidth silently

Friday, February 6, 2009

http://windowssecrets.com/comp/090205/

Watch a live video, share your PC with CNN
By Brian Livingston

*** begin quote ***

Many people who watched live streaming video of the inauguration of U.S. President Barack Obama on Jan. 20 may not realize that their PC was used to send the video to other PCs, too.

*** end quote ***

Watch the CNN Live Video, and you too may get booted by your ISP.

This is worth a five minute read about the “dirty pool” being played on users and ISPs. (I’m no fan of ISPs, but in this case they are being taken advantage of as well.)

Argh!

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SERVICE: VERIZONWIRELESS webservice changes silently?

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Chat InformationPlease wait for a site operator to respond.

Chat InformationYou are now chatting with ‘Stephanie’

Stephanie: Hello. Thank you for visiting our chat service. What kind of help do you need with My Verizon Log in or Registration assistance?

reinkefj: trying to login and it looks like it doesn’t remember me.

Stephanie: I’m more than willing to assist you in any way that I can. Your cell phone number did not pull up for me. Do you mind verifying that number again please?

reinkefj: xxx-xxx-xxxx

reinkefj: ?

Stephanie: I do understand how frustrating it can be not being able to log into your online account. It is okay and I am here to help you today by walking you through a password reset. First, can I get you to verify the Account Owner’s last four digits if the Social Security number?

reinkefj: xxxx

Stephanie: Thank you so much for verifying that information Reinkefj. May I have your full name please?

reinkefj: sigh, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Stephanie: Please scroll to the top of the page and hover your mouse over “My Verizon. Choose Account Type and then click on “Forgot Password,” under the log in section.You will be prompted to enter in your mobile device number. Please enter your mobile device number, and do not include any dashes or spaces. Once entered, please click “continue”.

reinkefj: say not registered with myverizon

Stephanie: Ok. Please scroll to the top of the page and hover your mouse over “My Verizon”. Click on that and you’ll see a blue link that says “Register”. Then click on that link. Next enter your mobile device number, and do not include any dashes or spaces. Once entered, click “continue”.

reinkefj: I don’t want to go thru a reregistration. I was registered already. Has it all been lost?

Stephanie: Which number did you enter?

reinkefj: xxxxxxxxxx

Stephanie: The number ending in yyyy is registered as the account owner. The Account Owner has access to all account management functions. This includes viewing and paying bills online, upgrading equipment, account and calling plan changes.

reinkefj: When I logon to the site I use reinkefj and my password. Now it doesn’t work. Explanation?

Stephanie: Your online password is between 8-20 characters, should contains at least one (1) number and one (1) letter. With spaces or special characters. ‘

reinkefj: My online password is eight characters and has a number in it. Has Verizon changesd its password standards and that is why it doesn’t work now?

Stephanie: No that I am aware of. What I can do is walk you through a password reset to help you access your account. Is that ok?

reinkefj: yes

Stephanie: Please scroll to the top of the page and hover your mouse over “My Verizon. Choose Account Type and then click on “Forgot Password,” under the log in section.You will be prompted to enter in your mobile device number. Please enter your mobile device number, and do not include any dashes or spaces. Once entered, please click “continue”.

reinkefj: It says “not registered”.

Stephanie: The number ending in xxxx is not registered. The number ending in yyyy is what was registered.

reinkefj: Not unless some one changed something. aaaa, bbbb, and cccc are the numbers I use. My car has a number. And, my VWBB has a number. But, that’s it. xxxx is the main number.

Stephanie: I can change that for you, but as of right now the xxxx is not registered.

reinkefj: Thanks. I quit.

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Argh! Here’s a half hour of my life I’ll never get back. So what once worked, doesn’t. And, I, as the customer, have to jump through hoops. Great!

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SERVICE: CARDSCAN is down for more than 24 hours

Sunday, February 1, 2009

FROM EMAIL

Dear fjohn,

Sorry about the delay in getting back to you. we are still trying to catch up from the move Cambridge MA to Stamford, CT… We have done some major repairs and updates to our website recently so this may be why you were having problems signing in. I just tried and was able to sign in under your profile. It shows your 8100+ names are available .

Mike Bouffard
CardScan Support

[JR: At least, some response. Some warning would have been nice. Best, avoid it entirely.]

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UPDATE: 20090202 @ 0815 Back up; no explanation
200902010934.jpg

And, since it responds, it fools http://www.downforeveryoneorjustme.com!

So much for “cloud computing”!

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SERVICE: FACEBOOK pops and an unusual message and I’m locked out

Monday, January 26, 2009

From: Facebook <password+frohghzf@facebookmail.com>

Date: January 26, 2009 2:20:49 PM EST
To: FJohn Reinke
Subject: Security Warning From Facebook
Reply-To: Facebook <password+frohghzf@facebookmail.com>

We have detected suspicious activity on your Facebook account and have reset your password as a security precaution. It is possible that malicious software was downloaded to your computer or that your password was stolen by a phishing website designed to look like Facebook. Please carefully follow the steps provided:

1. Run Anti-Virus Software: If your computer has been infected with a virus or with malware, you will need to run anti-virus software to remove these harmful programs and keep your information secure. For Microsoft:

http://www.microsoft.com/protect/viruses/xp/av.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/viruses/default.mspx

For Apple:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

2. Reset Password: Be sure that you use a complex string of numbers, letters, and punctuation marks that is at least six characters in length.

To reset your password, follow the link below:

http://login.facebook.com/reset.php?
(If clicking on the link doesn’t work, try copying and pasting it into your browser.)

3. Never Click Suspicious Links: It is possible that your friends could unwillingly send spam, viruses, or malware through Facebook if their accounts are infected. Do not click this material and do not run any .exe files on your computer without knowing what they are. Also, be sure to use the most current version of your browser as they contain important security warnings and protection features.

4. Log in at Facebook.com: Make sure that when you access the site, you always log in from a legitimate Facebook page with the facebook.com domain. If something looks or feels suspicious, go directly to http://www.facebook.com to log in.

5. Report Suspicious Activity: Please visit the following pages for further information about Facebook security and information on reporting material: http://www.facebook.com/help.php?page=420 and http://www.facebook.com/security

Once you have performed all these steps, your account should once again be secure. Please be sure to visit the Facebook Help Center for further information regarding these security issues and let us know if you need assistance.

Thanks,
Facebook Security Team
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TECHNOLOGY: Voting machines as compared to slot machines

Monday, January 26, 2009

CRYPTO-GRAM
January 15, 2009
by Bruce Schneier  Chief Security Technology Officer, BT

http://www.schneier.com

A free monthly newsletter providing summaries, analyses, insights, and commentaries on security: computer and otherwise.

*** begin quote ***

Comparing the security of electronic slot machines and electronic voting machines:

http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2006/03/16/GR2006031600213.gif or http://tinyurl.com/f4an8

Other important differences:

1) Slot machines are used every day, 24 hours a day. Electronic voting machines are used, at most, twice a year — often less frequently.

2) Slot machines involve money. Electronic voting machines involve something much more abstract.

3) Slot machine accuracy is a non-partisan issue. For some reason I can’t fathom, electronic voting machine accuracy is seen as a political issue.

*** end quote ***

Just be the one to count the votes and you control this psuedo democracy that we live in.

What a koke!

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SERVICE: PIPL to find people

Thursday, January 22, 2009

http://pipl.com/username/

Pipl – People Search

Welcome to the Deep Web

There are various reasons why you might need to search for people, you may need to find a lost relative, an old flame, a classmate or a business contact – but if you are using a search engine such as Google or Yahoo to search for people, you have probably realized by now that it might work in some cases but in most cases it won’t.

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Another tool?

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SERVICE: The Obameter — Tracking Obama’s Campaign Promises

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/

The Obameter: Tracking Obama’s Campaign Promises

Tracking Obama’s promises

   * Promise Kept 2

   * Compromise 0

   * Promise Broken 0

   * Stalled 1

   * In the Works 9

   * No Action 498

PolitiFact has compiled about 500 promises that Barack Obama made during the campaign and is tracking their progress on our Obameter. We rate their status as No Action, In the Works or Stalled. Once we find action is completed, we rate them Promise Kept, Compromise or Promise Broken.

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Be interesting to see how this shapes up.

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SERVICE: Generate safe passwords

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

http://www.safepasswd.com/  

I like it but I’d prefer if it would generate a page at a time.

Like a one time pad.

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SERVICE: SOUP — an easy way to collect, share, and comment?

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

http://reinkefj.soup.io/

Soup

* a blog

* collage of the web

* browser bar button adds

* aggregate

* Free! (?)

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Hey, if it’s free, I’ll try it. Argh!

Now what’s the “value”?

TBD

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SERVICE: Be careful where you put your data

Monday, January 19, 2009

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/01/03/journalspace-drama-all-data-lost-without-backup-company-deadpooled/

JournalSpace Drama: All Data Lost Without Backup, Company Deadpooled
by Robin Wauters on January 3, 2009

*** begin quote ***

Blogging platform JournalSpace (which I’d never heard of to date) has ceased to be, following a wipe-out of the main database for which there was no back-up in place. According to the JournalSpace blog, the database was overwritten as a result of a malicious act from a disgruntled ex-employee.

*** end quote ***

Stunning. Why isn’t the fellow in jail?

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