Hello, and welcome to the Friday Tech Fix for June 5! My original goal has been to cover what I think are the “biggest” technology stories of the week, and why lawyers should care about them. But we are currently living in extraordinary times, and big technology news has been taking a backseat to, well…..more
Security
The Friday Tech Fix – May 15, 2020
It was another pretty quiet week in technology, which is probably why my newsletter, The Extra Mighell, is full of goats running wild and episodes of The Office appearing in Slack (you have to see it to understand it). But there were two stories that I think are important for lawyers, so here goes:…
Getting and Using a Password Manager, Part 3: My Recommendations
In the last two posts in this series, I have explained why I think everyone should use a password manager. In Part 1, Getting and Using a Password Manager – For Real, This Time, I made the case for why password managers are necessary – at least, until we find a way to get…
Getting and Using a Password Manager, Part 2: Requirements
In my first post, Getting and Using a Password Manager – For Real, This Time, I made the case for why all of you should be using a password manager – at least until something better comes along. In Part 2, having assumed I have convinced you of the need, it’s time to talk…
Getting and Using a Password Manager – For Real, This Time (a Multi-Part Guide)
Let’s get it out of the way: passwords suck.There’s not a single attractive thing about having to use them – except for the fact that in many cases they are guarding your most sensitive or confidential information, legal or otherwise. I keep looking, but I have yet to meet a lawyer who professes any level…
Introducing the Friday Tech Fix
I will wager that most of you don’t have a lot of time to keep up with the latest tech gadgets, apps, sites, and services. While I probably don’t have a lot of time for that either, I have come to recognize my tech addiction for what it is, and have accepted my need to…
Why are Passwords So Hard for Lawyers?
The subject of passwords is one that is both fascinating and frustrating to me. We know that it’s getting easier and easier for hackers to crack our passwords; just three years ago, a nine-digit password would take 44,530 years to crack, but today that same password can be cracked in less than a day…
How Strong is Your Password, Really?
I am a big fan of sites that tell you the relative strength of your password – rather than just let you pick out any old password, they show you the strength of your chosen password, in an attempt to guilt you into picking something stronger. But most sites just show “Weak,” “Good,” and “Strong,”…
Force a Secure Connection in your Browser
These days, hackers are finding it easier and easier to prey upon web surfers who access websites through traditional, insecure means. You know what I mean here, right? A website has no special security when it has the typical “http://” in front of the address. If you’re visiting a site that has confidential or private…
Give your Gmail security a tuneup
If you’re a Gmail user, you might want to to give this Gmail Security Checklist a onceover. It takes you through an assessment of security basics – on your computer, your browser, your Google account, and then your Gmail settings. And although this is designed for Gmail, many parts of this checklist apply just as…