How to delete what Facebook knows about your life

Ever wonder how Facebook knows everything about you?  Running this tool I found almost 500 apps and domains reported my history back to Facebook.  You should take a few minute and read this article on how you can "control" this reporting.  It will be interesting watch.

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Chinese hackers exploited a Trend Micro antivirus zero-day used in Mitsubishi Electric hack

According to ZDNet, the hackers involved in the attack against the Mitsubishi Electric have exploited a zero-day vulnerability in Trend Micro OfficeScan to infect company servers.

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A Zero-day vulnerability is a computer-software vulnerability that is unknown to, or unaddressed by, those who should be interested in mitigating the vulnerability. Until the vulnerability is mitigated, hackers can exploit it to adversely affect computer programs, data, additional computers or a network. - Wikipedia

This was NOT a zero day. It was a known vulnerability posted as CVE-2019-18187. Trend fixed the issue and notified customers that they should update the application. Interestingly enough Trend also published a blog article outlining the dangers of outdated security software in 2014

Microsoft recently issued a report showing the difference between having lapsed antimalware and nothing, though, was slim. For example, the infection rate for PCs with no security was 2.4 percent. It was only slightly better for PCs with expired or deactivated tools, at 2.2 percent, and out-of-date ones at 1.9 percent.

This sign from the University of Reading sums it up nicely.

Is Your "Security" Software Selling Your Browsing History?

An Avast antivirus subsidiary sells 'Every search. Every click. Every buy. On every site.' Its clients have included Home Depot, Google, Microsoft, Pepsi, and McKinsey.

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By it's very nature your AV processes everything you do.  Avast software decided to capitalize on that. The article says the data was leaked but since this a deliberate act on their part I'm not sure I'd call it a leak. They now prompt for an "opt-in" but don't provide any details on what is collected or how it's used. 

When your only tool is a hammer: my thought on EDC knives

I’ve read lots of posts about the best knife for EDC.  My personal preference is to select the tool that’s right for the job following the old proverb that if your only tool is a hammer then every problem looks like a nail. 

I was on a forum recently where in the “introduce yourself” thread they suggested you name one thing unique about yourself that folks might not know.  Mine was – I’ve carried a knife every day since the summer that I was 6 years old.  I grew up in a different time.  Boys carried pen knives to school. Heck I remember going hunting at a friend’s house when I as in high school.  I handed my cased shotgun to the bus driver. He gave it back to me when we arrived at school. I carried it into the office where they kept it until it was time to ride my friend’s bus to his house.  Different times……

I walked right past the no-questions-asked barrel when I went into basic training.  There was no way I was going to dump my prized case stockman in there for someone else to have.  Having the only knife in the platoon made me a popular person when we were out in the field.

The Barlow at the top of the picture is the one given to me by my grandfather when I was six.  After pestering him about it for weeks he handed it to me with these words of wisdom, “Don’t do anything stupid.” 

My old Cub Scout knife still finds its way into my pocket when I’m in the office. It’s light and the rounded edges are easy on the pockets.

I bought the “demo” knife when I was in AIT at Fort Gordon. I carried it the entire time I was in the Army and it’s still my go to knife when I just need to have something in my pocket or if I'm working around the house.  If I’m in the woods carrying a belt knife this is the knife that’s in my pocket.

The Schrade titanium replaced the Gerber below it as my Sunday dress knife.

I have worn the A. G. Russell neck knife on the left on all of my trips to Africa, Argentina and anywhere I feel the need to have a little something extra, like DC. The Kershaw assisted opener on the right is my current out in public knife.

Following my EDC principles I always have a knife but I refuse to limit myself to just one.

A lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path: EDC Flashlights

(Maglite, Surefire 6P, S&W "tactical" LED, $2 LED, LP200, UK4AA)

Over the years I’ve tried numerous types of flashlights.  I’ve received browning LED keychain lights and I’ve tried the Sapphire keychain LED which I liked but neither survived my pocket.  I’m not complaining. I have destroyed unbreakable plastic thermoses, ruptured a steel Stanley and once dropped a linked, stainless keychain that the locksmith claimed was unbreakable only to watch keys scatter everywhere. Heck, I’ve even had a standard key split-ring break.

I’ve also run though many different AAA and AA variations on pocket torches starting with the venerable Maglite 2-AA.  Most have a life expectancy of 18 months at best. 16 years ago on my first trip to Africa I carried a SureFire 6P with the 120 lumen upgrade light. At the time it was leading the pack in tactical lights.  That trip shaped much of what I look for in a light when I needed to find batteries they were expensive and very difficult to find. I spent most of that 28 day trip relying on cheap AA backup light.

 My current requirements for an EDC light are that it must be comfortable in my pocket. Many tactical flashlights have too many sharp edges and protrusions to meet this requirement. It must put out at least 35 lumens.  It should be powered preferably by a single AAA or AA battery.  Finally it must not break the bank.  Currently I’ve settled on the Lux-Pro 150 LP200.  It was $12, runs on one AA, is round and smooth and if I remember correctly it’s rated at 120 Lumens.  We’re somewhere around that 18 month window and it now needs a smack to get going from time to time.  It has a lifetime warranty (with receipt) but for $12 I may just buy a new when needed.

My second choice in lights is the UK4AA.  I have both the twist-on and front switch models.  I keep one of these in my laptop bag. While they are only rated at 38 lumens they are both completely waterproof and certified for use in hazardous environments. Even though they are little larger than I’d like, being flat, they are very comfortable to carry.  

Note that the only light here that I would consider ‘tactical’ is the SureFire 6P.  The specifications of a tactical light don’t meet my requirements for EDC.  Yes, I’m willing to spend more for a tactical light.  So why not just carry one as EDC?  Think about standing in a semi-dark server room, a foot or so away from the back of a rack of servers looking for the serial number on a device.  Now hit that area with a 250 lumen light with your face a foot away.  Good luck reading that number now that you've flash blinded yourself.  Keep in mind that I use a layered approach to EDC and switch out my gear to meet daily (mission) requirements. I carry a tactical light when and where it may be needed. Heading out to dinner; gear is swapped.

IS the pen mighter than the sword: EDC Tactical Pens

I haven’t quite bought into the whole tactical pen concept.  I like the idea that a pen can be used for self-defense but it wouldn’t be my first weapon of choice. The corollary to this thought is that tactical pens are best deployed when they are already in your hand.  I would consider LEO’s the demographic that would be most likely to actually deploy a tactical pen. The problem I have with this is that they (mostly) are not designed for this. Think about it. If you are writing a citation you want a click pen; something that you can use without tying up your hands or taking your eyes off your task.  But in reality wouldn't you rather drop whatever is in your hands and pull your primary weapon?

The Gen-1 pens all feature removable caps.  This takes two hands and changes the dynamics of the instrument. Twisty pens like the S&M Gen-2 are more suited to the task as long as they don’t take multiple revolutions.  Push button pens such as the Gerber Impromptu or SureFire EWP-2 would be better choices. 

I personally prefer a smaller pen.  From many years my EDC pen was the small, very worn pen in the picture that looks like a fisher space pen.  It’s not. It’s a twist pen that I picked up at an IT trade show.  It’s been replaced by the S&W twister pictured next to it.  I removed the fire starter crap that only weighted it down. Being in IT I usually have a sharpie on me. Even the plastic version has its uses for self-defense.  The gold dress pen was selected specifically for the flat end cap.  It’s perfectly adequate for self-defense. The two S&W pens in the middle came with stocking stuffer knife sets that I've received over the years. I usually carry one in my laptop bag and the other in my tool bag.