Wanna Cry? Hope Not! How to Protect Yourself

The latest ransomware, named Wanna Cry, surfaced big time last week and caused major problems.  Unfortunately, another attack is building on this ransomware, called  Adylkuzz. With Adylkuzz, instead of locking the victims' computer with ransomware, the malware turns infected computers into a botnet of "miners," funneling large sums of digital currency. This causes your computer to run slow as its resources are used in the background.

What to Do?

Kim Komando has an article outlining what to do to protect yourself at http://www.komando.com/happening-now/401062/another-cyberattack-spreading-and-its-worse-than-wannacry

"The good news is, Microsoft released an update in March that fixes this flaw so it is CRITICAL that you have your Windows up to date. The bad news is, older versions of Windows operating systems are no longer supported and do not receive these critical Security Updates. However, Microsoft released an emergency patch for its no-longer supported operating systems after the WannaCry outbreak.

If you are running an older, unsupported version of Windows,
click here to download the available Security Update.

You also need to make sure that your gadget's operating system is updated regularly. Click here to learn how to have security updates installed automatically. It's also a good idea to have strong security software on all of your gadgets to stay protected from digital threats."

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Website that posts your home address -- Do you want it too?

Website that posts your home address -- 

Do you want it available so easily?

A new family tree website is up and running.  It is called Family Tree Now.  The most unique factor that sets Family Tree Now apart from other people search sites is the fact that all of the information here is available for free in one place, no registration required. Anyone who has just a first and last name is able to dig up anything: cell phone numbers, work information, relative’s addresses, and a whole host of other information. This information is publicly available if you’re willing to dig in and search for it at a variety of different sites, but Family Tree Now takes it quite a few steps further, putting it all in one place for free. 

According to Kim Komando, you would be able to opt out of having your personal information on this site as well as others.  Read this link for more information.  http://www.komando.com/tips/391215/how-to-opt-out-of-the-most-popular-people-search-sites

Another link that explains it more fully is at LifeWire.  https://www.lifewire.com/family-tree-now-4129031?utm_campaign=todaysl&utm_medium=email&utm_source=cn_nl&utm_content=9067687&utm_term=bouncex15

While it may be good for your search for relatives, you may want to think about what can be found out about you.  Ancestry and other family tree sites do not provide information on living people to the general public.