Posts by Recluse

Microsoft is about to let Copilot loose on your file system

Re: Phoning home?

Very interested to hear that - do you have any links I could follow up to monitor developments?

Phoning home?

Hello Wade,

Welcome to my "tin foil" hat world - I had similar concerns about Microsoft bypassing DNS sink holing and phoning home (along with other "big tech" firms) to the extent I implemented additional countermeasures.

If you are likewise concerned, I suggest you investigate a free firewall called pfSense Community Edition (yes I appreciate the direction of travel Netgate are taking it is not good) and in particular a pfSense package called pfBlockerNG which has all the functionality of a piHole and much, much more.

pfBlockerNG allows you to block via IP address (to make life easier this can be via ASN, which means you don't have to add IP's via individual subnets - blocks can be added at a much higher level) It also has an auto update functionality (to cover when subnets are added/removed to ASN's)

Frankly pfBlockerNG is the only thing keeping me on pfSense CE otherwise I would have jumped ship some years ago to a similar (forked) firewall product.

Whilst there are undoubtably far brighter people than me out there (and total protection is a pipe dream) I aim to lose by the smallest possible margin.

Good luck!

Your cloud survived everything except the real world

Re: Sometimes something smaller than a missile will do the trick....

If you are happy with an electronic version, you can read it digitally via Zinio (note sometimes cheaper to subscribe directly on Zinio website, sometimes better from within the application - I use iOS app, presume there is an equivalent via Android)

Re: Sometimes something smaller than a missile will do the trick....

Yes - I recall that article.

He was acting as a Consultant at the time (I think he may have been an Exchange wiz) and had put on his best suit to attend a meeting with some form of financial institution in the City (of London, "up in the smoke")

He was asked to review the shiny new system and having been given a guided tour of the server room by the proud IT manager, they adjoined to the boardroom for a wrap up discussion with the big Cheese. Discussions moved onto redundancy and whether the system was adequate?

I think the general thrust was the only sure fire way of testing redundancy was to kill the live system and it was at this point he produced a chain saw and suggested cutting a server in half. The big Cheese thought it a splendid test and gave his assent, at which point the unfortunate IT manager said no - he was not certain it would work.

JH then turned to the big cheese and said there's your answer.

(BTW he is still writing for PcPro)

VMware swings its focus back to low-end server virt, promises vSphere Standard upgrade

Re: VMware: The trust is already broken

A marvellous considered summary of the state of play.

Thank you!

Self-hosted email is in steep decline, Microsoft and Google are taking over

Re: Use a relay service

Try https://simplelogin.io/

I believe they are now owned by Proton (of Proton Mail) so it's not going to come much better than that.

I've given up hosting my own email and now point my domain to Proton Mail via Simple Login)

As a bonus lf you are a Proton subscriber Simple Login is included within the whole package i.e no further fees to pay.

Google meets the neighbors and gets both barrels over its new UK datacenter

Re: The merest sniff of one of these in your area...

... along with the voltage of the local electrical grid feeding your home

LG monitors are using Windows 11 feature to serve adware

Re: CMA (UK)

"I hate ads but will sometimes grudgingly watch them e.g. preceding / during a YouTube video I want to see"

If you wish to avoid You Tube adverts, I suggest you investigate self hosting your own Invidious instance via a docker container.

https://github.com/iv-org/invidious

Listen up, England. The Health Secretary is going to be data controller for everyone's Single Patient Record

Re: NHS App

As with a lot of modern interactions these days (e.g.parking) without an appropriate phone, email address et al, you will be deemed a non person and ignored.

Count yourself lucky in so far HMRC have not (yet) demanded that you purchase a computer and pay a monthly subscription to a third party software provider to facilitate your tax returns.

Google'll grab your gigs if you don’t cough up your number

Re: Could be worse I guess

Email aliases are your friend - take back control

GoDaddy customer claims registrar transferred 27-year-old domain without any security checks

Remember 123 Reg ?

I bailed from 123 Reg when they started automatically registering associated hosted domains I owned without prior consent

As it was many years ago can't remember the exact scenario, but essentially involved them registering, unasked, linked domains e.g. xx.co.uk added xx.uk to your existing registration. It was complimentary for the first year, but thereafter was chargeable. They did send an email, but was "spun" as some marvellous benefit protecting you from someone else registering a comparable domain. Many would have overlooked the small print.

Such unethical behaviour resulted in an immediate transfer out to Mythic Beasts who are exactly the type of firm I wish to ve associated with.

Funnily enough 123 Reg are now owned by ... Go Daddy

Sharks to be avoided at all costs

Age checks could turn internet into an ID checkpoint, complains Proton CEO

Apple joining in the game?

I may have missed it, but I have seen no article/comment on ElReg about Apple's recent introduction of age verification within their release of iOS 26.4 here in the UK.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20qwz9xzr9o

As it happened it was painless for me (credit card already on file therefore assumed >18) but given there was no forewarning and the potential for restrictions if not validated, it struck me as Apple (unsurprisingly) looking after their own interests and not necessary their captive customers.

I fear we are on a slippy slope. I wonder how long before (like a car) a nominated person will be held responsible for an internet connection (licensed node?) and everything that passes through.

French DIY etailer ManoMano admits customer data stolen

"In its notification, the retailer said it "immediately took all necessary measures to protect your data,"

And firmly shut the stable door after the horse had bolted?

Keir Starmer declares 'months' timeline for social media age clampdown in UK

Re: Limit VPNs how exactly?

Not using a UK domiciled VPN provider should circumvent this - the only way it might get challenging is if they block the payment method associated (and even then for the determined there are ways/means of circumventing)

At this rate of nannying I wonder how long it will be before the State requires you to provide full digital ID to have an internet connection installed, holds you personally liable/responsible for all traffic (I’m ignoring the added complication of static v dhcp assigned WAN addresses) and mandates the compulsory use of an “approved” gateway device (with appropriate snooping software installed)

We really are disappearing down a rabbit hole - personally I think it should all be dumped back on the parents to sort, after all they (literally) created the problem …

Discord to start assuming all users are underage unless they prove otherwise

Re: DIC - Data Industrial Complex

Good for you, if only more people were prepared to say “no” and push back.

Something as simple as having a new will drafted, has taken me down a similar path (it seems more a question of posterior covering than addressing the realities of specific situations)

I operate in a similar vein and have foregone my free bus pass as I don’t trust the Council numpties to store my photograph securely. Of course if/when digital ID’s are introduced, those of us valuing our privacy will be in a whole world of pain (non persons?)

Microsoft 365 outage drags on for nearly 10 hours during bad night for North American infra

Re: Confusion Was Rife...

There you go - try this lot (only connection, longstanding happy customer)

https://www.mythic-beasts.com/hosting

ATM maintenance tech broke the bank by forgetting to return a key

Re: A little tale from my former banking life .. (tenuous ATM connection)

Following on from my earlier tale (again ATM related - and attempting to answer your query) as far as I am aware there was a purge bin within the ATM so that any cash not removed within a specified time is pulled back into the machine.

If a customer complained as to non receipt this would be the first port of call - I vaguely recall that an entry was made on the journal roll, which would help substantiate any claim.

The ultimate test was to reconcile the cash held by the machine (not as mad as it sounds, as notes were inserted end on in £500 blocks (reversed and edge marked for easier counting)

ATM’s are a bit like servers and can be internally racked back on rails. Typically this would be done to allow access to replace the customer receipt roll which was located at the very front of the ATM.

When re-racking back care needed to be taken to ensure any associated electrical cabling did not obstruct the cash delivery shoot. On one memorable occasion a customer complained of non receipt and upon investigation it was found they were not the only customer so afflicted and that there was a considerable backup of notes stuck in the delivery slot.

Potentially one lucky punter (should the blockage give) may have been in line for a windfall. In such a scenario a cash reconciliation would disclose no error - the right amount of cash would have been dispensed albeit not to the correct parties.

Technology is great (when it works!)

Re: As little tale from my former banking life .. (tenuous ATM connection)

As I recall (it was a long time ago - we are probably talking 1980’s) the cartridges were identical and the notes stacked end on - there may have been a label on the outside, but I don’t recall them being keyed in any way, with the ATM I believe programmed to expect certain domination from specific drawers.

As little tale from my former banking life .. (tenuous ATM connection)

Many years ago (when I was but a whippersnapper) I worked in the urban branch of one of the big mainstream clearing banks.

Arriving one morning I was greeted by the Assistant Manager (AM) who complained of having his sleep disturbed overnight and recounted the following tale.

Early morning phone call received from alarm monitoring company to report of an alarm activation at the branch. As per procedure he rang the Police to arrange to be accompanied onto the premises to investigate.

Before proceeding I should flesh out the scene. Typically at the end of the working day, once the cash is locked in the main safe, the secure internal doors (in my time double air lock doors were utilised) are unlocked to allow the likes of a cleaner full unrestricted access to the branch. Whilst there are attack alarms available for use during the day, overnight the only thing alarmed are secure safes.

This particular branch had an external ATM machine but the back of it abutted inside the normally secure area of the branch. To visually neaten things up (as banks are want to do) it was boxed in with some nice mahogany wood with hinged doors to the rear to allow for the loading of cash etc. Obviously these doors were only opened when restocking (which only took place after the branch closed - it was that long ago that branches used to shut at 15:30 (whereas these days, they are just permanently shut!)

The Police and AM entered via the front door into the banking hall. All was quiet. However as they moved into the (currently open) secure area they noted that a number of drawers associated with the cash tills had been forced. This was needless destruction as although locked shut any (low value) coin float was held in a small safe under each respective till (subsequently, as a matter of policy, branches were instructed to leave the drawers open overnight)

They then noticed that the wooden cabinet doors around the ATM had been forced displaying the (substantial safe enclosure containing the ATM’s cash cartridges and workings) I cannot believe that the burglars (I can’t bring myself to call them bank robbers) expected to see a nice pile of stacked notes waiting to be pocketed.

They adjourned to the stairwell (it was a 3 story building) and by the rear fire door noted a smashed window (it must have taken some effort to break as was reinforced glass) and agreed this was obviously the means of entry.

As they ascended the staircase the sound of hammering could be heard coming from the machine room and lo and behold the Police caught three burglars in the act forcing the locks on various storage cabinets.

The burglars mistake (apart from rashly assuming the ATM cash would be readily available was not to notice the associated alarm cabling and reed switches on the ATM wooden cabinet.

So quite an exciting morning for the AM.

Of course banking was rarely this exciting, although it does bring to mind another occasion where a nameless person (cough) when restocking an ATM managed to stack the Twenty pound notes in the Ten pound note container and vice versa. Obviously this didn’t go unnoticed for long as customers were swiftly at the counter complaining they had asked for £20 and only received £10. That said it was observed in only a few minutes some who had asked for £10 and received £20 had been back for multiple withdrawals.

Thank goodness for journal rolls, albeit it was rather inconvenient having to raise manual debits to customer accounts to retrieve the funds.

Developer writes script to throw AI out of Windows

Re: An alternative method?

A possibly easier method is to go via Firefoxes normal settings, open Search Engine (where you were previously looking) and then choose “Add Search Engine” (depending on the version of Firefox the wording can be subtlety different e.g, “Add Another Search Engine”)

This will bring up the option to specify a search string or URL to use (again differs by version)

Paste into the search string section as I listed above (amended to suit your personal circumstances if you wish)

https://noai.duckduckgo.com/?q=%s&kp=-2&kl=uk-en&kn=1&k1=-1

Give it an appropriate label e.g.DuckDuckGoNoAI and then save and select this as your default search engine.

A learned ElReg poster has suggested using an html version of DDG rather than the no AI version I suggested and this might also be worth investigating (depending upon your paranoia levels)

An alternative method?

Of course an alternative method is to junk using Windows altogether …

Somewhat off topic but, this doesn’t solve the various search engines plugging/utilising the same, although thanks to a previous header from a learned ElReg reader I have managed to stop DuckDuckGo returning AI generated searches.

See here

https://duckduckgo.com/duckduckgo-help-pages/

And specifically

https://duckduckgo.com/duckduckgo-help-pages/settings/params

Example URL with explanation

https://noai.duckduckgo.com/?q=%s&kp=-2&kl=uk-en&kn=1&k1=-1

uk-en for United Kingdom

Safe Search

kp

1 for On

kp = -1 for Moderate; kp = -2 for Off

New Window

kn

1 for On

-1 for Off

Advertisements

k1

1 for On (default)

-1 for Off

Your smart TV is watching you and nobody's stopping it

Re: Look at the bigger picture

This is a somewhat lengthy ramble, forgive me if it’s not your cup of tea - please ignore me, rather than downvote me! :-)

In my preceding post (see above) I commented “we aim to lose by the smallest possible margin” which recognised that total privacy is unrealistic, short of unplugging from the internet (and throwing your mobile away)

Additionally everyone has their own level of paranoia (as you might have gathered mine is high - must keep on taking them pills) however I recognise that people are different and may decide the perceived risks do not justify the expense/effort. People lead busy lives and teenagers can be very demanding - why is tiktok not working!

My (somewhat) amateur setup comprises a Pfsense CE firewall (yes, I know, I don’t like the direction that Netgate are going with it) but crucially it incorporates the pfblockerNG third party package. It's this package that keeps me on Pfsense rather than exploring alternatives like OPNsense.

With pfblockerNG it’s possible to automatically create firewall rules to not only block sites based upon DNS lookup (I describe it as a PiHole on steroids) e.g. so adding via online blocklists and bespoke entries, but also block whole IP subnets et al based on ASN (i.e. IP ranges)

This is a very powerful feature as it (normally) defeats hard coded IP addresses in applications that attempt to bypass DNS blocking (both inbound and outbound)

However this approach does (unsurprisingly) break things - for example you find that portions of iCloud are hosted not on Apple infrastructure but sometimes with competitors! CDN’s are widely used with big players e.g. AWS so this can cause “issues”

So for instance, by default I block all ASN’s associated with

Facebook

Google

Microsoft

Adobe

and many others

and then create firewall aliases to allow access for certain network devices to access certain ASN’s. The control can be quite granular. As an example I run my own private (cough, cough) Invidious instance, but this is hosted on its own raspberry Pi that is allowed access to Google ASN’s but then proxies the service to devices on my local network, so this means by default Google is not enabled network wide.

Routing my personal devices back through my home network via VPN allows me to maintain the benefit of this infrastructure even when out and about on 4/5G (yes I know Apple and iOS seems a bit flaky as regards killing the connection when/if unexpectedly the VPN drops)

I should add that I also run a separate DMZ network for untrusted devices that need internet access to work - e.g. Tesla Powerwall gateway but these are fire-walled off from my trusted network. This approach allows me to use Hikvision cameras (which seem very good) but they are not allowed external access to the internet, so that stops any potential for phoning home.

The cat is truly out of the bag as regards privacy, there is no ultimate solution, only damage limitation. Mitigating steps to consider (forgive me if I am preaching to the converted)

If you don’t provide the information in the first place to a third party it’s difficult for you to be exposed to hacking et al.

Email aliases are your friend (so when the spam arrives, you know who sold out or has been hacked) It also allows one to delete the alias and the spam problem goes away.

Password managers - use one, but self host your data (not “in the cloud”)

Encrypt all data not stored on your directly controlled devices (and also key data “in house”) and ensure you control the access keys (i.e. not managed by the third party provider)

Give the barest information necessary - online shopping, don't tell them your forename, initial only. Don't specify your sex (another contentious subject these cays!) Why do they want a phone number - they got your email (so if mandatory field use 01234567890)

Of course this approach does not work for those bodies that require your detailed data - be it for credit checking (damn there goes my date of birth) or official purposes (I seem to recall the voters roll data at a national level was hacked some years ago) DVLA, NHS and the like are impossible to protect yourself from. BTW did your (dentist/health provider et al) ever ask you if it was okay to store your data “in the cloud” or did it just sort of just happen?

Run your own fully resolving DNS server so you are going to authoritative source (and whilst at it) route outbound traffic via a trusted VPN provider (yes I know another can of worms requiring careful investigation)

I could go on, but you get my drift … and well done on making it this far.

Ps my most hated expression

“Your security of your data is of the utmost importance to us” <add relevant hacked company name here>

Look at the bigger picture

I totally endorse the general sentiments so far, however, whilst I am only an enthusiastic amateur (unlike most on here, whom I take to be hardbitten pro’s) surely the most important step to take (even for a non commercial environment) is to secure your local network. By this I mean having a robust firewall, that by default, blocks all outbound connections as well as the more normal inbound.

Whilst painful to setup and high maintenance (nothing in life is free) it’s amazing how many devices (e.g. some network switches) connect to random external IP addresses.

Obviously this approach can break a lot of things, but at least it is now your choice as to what is allowed out.

We aim to lose by the smallest possible margin.

How Microsoft gave customers what they wanted: An audience with Bill Gates

Off topic somewhat but …

Some years ago I had issues with my local UK domiciled Ford motor dealer (part of a chain of 3) Dissatisfied with the general level of service I looked up the company details for free on the Companies House site and after a bit of delving identified the ultimate owner of the business.

More in hope than expectation, I wrote a lengthy letter outlining the positives and also what I considered poor about interactions with his company. As I recall (as an example) a relatively minor item I listed was the absence of bell in the parts department (I’d previously visited and stood there for some minutes until some finally appeared to assist) There were also unsatisfactory warranty work issues.

The letter went off via Royal Mail Special Delivery and much to my surprise the business owner rang me at 9am the very next day to thank me for my letter and to advise he would speak to the local dealer. Minutes later my phone rang again and the Local Service Manager was apologetically rapidly resolving my outstanding issues.

Next time I visited the dealership I noted a new prominent bell in the parts department.

I had a similar experience with Wren Kitchens, when the local store were unwilling/unable to resolve an ongoing issues with my new kitchen. Letter to Operations director, who rang me, added his troubleshooting guy into our telephone conversation and the end result was him travelling from one end of the M62 to the other on a Bank Holiday to swap out faulty components and resolve the problem.

The moral of the stories (albeit it only likely to work for the smaller businesses - one of the reasons why I try and patronise the small guys) is if you are articulate, fair and polite and can find the right person to contact, there are still committed people out there, ready to help.

Companies house website is your (free) friend.

Waymo pings updates to San Francisco fleet to prevent power outage chaos 2.0

Eh?

“Waymo cabs lined up in streets with their hazard lights blaring”?

I suppose its a change from their horns flashing :-)

Google sends Dark Web Report to its dead services graveyard

Re: ACR technology

You don’t say where you are located (assumed UK?)

On the advice of the staff at Richer Sounds I purchased a LG TV last January specifically as LG (unlike Samsung) did not require online registration prior to use. Their staff advised that Samsung TV’s drove their pensioner customers to distraction - not unreasonably they just wanted to plug a terrestrial aerial in and turn it on.

Of course life might have moved on since - good luck in your search.

Ford shifts gears to build batteries for datacenters

Re: I was actually looking into this over Thanksgiving

I suggest you look up Will Prowse on Youtube (“DIY Solar Power - with Will Prowse”) - he reviews tons of inverters and batteries (including ripping them apart)

The associated forum is an absolute goldmine of information and has very knowledgeable people therein whom I sure will point you in the best direction.

https://diysolarforum.com

Good luck!

Newly launched civil service pension portal from Capita is crapita, users report

Sounds a bit like trying to get any sense out of HMRC (whom only seem keen to speak to you when they perceive you owe them money and not vice versa)

Metropolitan Police hails facial recognition tech after record year for arrests

Just asking for a “friend” …

Would be interested if anyone could clarify the legal basis for this (or as with ANPR, it sort of just happened)

Is one obliged to undergo facial scanning (i.e. if masked/hooded is one assumed to be an automatic target for further investigation) I’ve often wondered (as with knife arch scanning) whether in such circumstances one is presumed to be guilty until you prove your innocence.

And no, I don’t subscribe to the edict, “if you have nothing to hide” …

Client defended engineer after oil baron-turned tech support entrepreneur lied about dodgy dealings

Re: Fairly Minor but...

I believe the formal request for payment is known as a “statutory demand”

The period of grace to respond is 21 days.

https://www.gov.uk/statutory-demands/how-to-serve-a-statutory-demand

Re: Fairly Minor but...

A winding up petition here in the UK is a commercial nuclear missile - ignore it at your peril!

Its been many years (decades) since I worked in banking, but as I recall the implication of a winding up petition (if it subsequently becomes a winding up order) is the bank is at significant risk of being liable to the company liquidator for any payments or funds received both into or out off the subject company account post petition issued date.

Upon learning of a petition - they must be advertised within 7 days of issue in The London Gazette (now known as The Gazette) most banks will immediately freeze the company bank account(s) to protect themselves. Unless the subject company has good lawyers and can swiftly revert to the court this essentially kills the business stone dead.

However its not all one way, as the petitioner has to provide an undertaking to the court to pay for any damages consequential to a failed petition. E.g petition issued, bank freezes account, company fails, petition dismissed - petitioner on the hook for a very big bill.

As with most things in life there are options, but they come with consequences and must be carefully considered. That said if you have a genuinely due debt, its certainly a way of becoming the (debtor) companies number one priority.

Bose kills SoundTouch: Smart speakers go dumb in Feb

Re: I have like $3k invested in these.

Time to investigate open source and self build - I have a whole home system based on Picoreplayer. There are additional plugins to extend functionality for the likes of BBC Sounds, Spotify etc.

https://www.picoreplayer.org/

Vodafone keels over, cutting off millions of mobile and broadband customers

Re: They unannounced most/all of their BGP routes.

Thank you - I knew I could rely upon a learned Register reader to rapidly identify the cause of this afternoons fun and games.

I bet Vodafone don’t fess up …

No account? No Windows 11, Microsoft says as another loophole snaps shut

Re: Seething with impotent rage

Yes most certainly that is a valid alternative but unfortunately (last time I looked) it did not have the equivalent of the must have add on Pfsense package pfBlockerNG. This is an essential for enhanced dns and ASN IP blocking. Without it my online life would be hell and Fiecebook, Goggle, Amazon et al would run riot.

We aim to lose by the smallest possible margin … b’stards all of them.

Re: Seething with impotent rage

It’s not only Microshaft buggering around …

From version 2.8.0 of Pfsense CE firewall (and their commercial offering) Netgate now requires you to be online to install the OS to your hardware of choice (offline installation media is no longer available)

https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/install/netinstaller.html

As to how this might work (for example in a data centre environment) the semi official suggestion is to utilise the last available downloadable image v2.7.2 and then update it when online

https://forum.netgate.com/topic/197601/pfsense-2-8-0-full-iso-img

Enshitification is absolutely the correct word …

UK secretly allows facial recognition scans of passport, immigration databases

Here we go again ….

I don’t recall any form of legislation to regulate the widespread collection/logging of vehicle registration numbers et al. It just seemed to come into operation via the backdoor and this seems to be more of the same. Slowly we seem to be sleepwalking into a total surveillance state - the killer move will be the withdrawal of cash as a means of payment.

The only (partial) solution is to not drive, don't go on holiday, or have a bus pass and to only leave your home with your shades and hood up.

Privacy is dead …

Sovereign-ish: Google Cloud keeps AI data in UK, but not the support

We don’t have the decryption keys?

“One solution from Google is customers keeping their own encryption keys, ensuring their data remains safe from prying eyes. It would therefore be up to the customer to decide if those keys need to be given up”

Interesting - wonder how long that’s going to work before the UK Government’s Home Office issues a technical capability notice requiring Google to decrypt the data (a la Apple and the ADP farce) and they are forced into a u turn.

Wouldn’t trust either with my data …

Marks & Spencer admits cybercrooks made off with customer info

Re: Checkout As Guest Option Must Be Mandatory

Just because fields are compulsory, doesn’t mean the information has to be 100% accurate.

E.g.

Non existent phone number 01234567890

Email address - use a bespoke alias (that post hack can be deleted)

Name - Use initials for your first name

Don’t specify your gender.

Don't store payment card details.

If you give them a DOB it doesn’t have to be true.

Obviously I accept certain elements can be difficult. Wrong DOB for a credit search aint going to work.

The problem these days its almost impossible to avoid leakage - your local pharmacy probably stores your prescription details “in the cloud” and this will cover your DOB. Ditto your dentist, your optician

I don’t ever recall being asked for permission to store my details electronically (a bit like ANPR) it just seems to happen.

The real fun is going to happen when HMRC/DVLA/NHS/Passport Office get hacked.

I have zero confidence that my information is safe, you just have to make the best of a bad deal …

Law firm 'didn't think' data theft was a breach, says ICO. Now it's nursing a £60K fine

Re: Compo

Funnily enough (it must be my age) but the first thought re the Compo reference was a certain character from “Last of the Summer Wine” (obviously dismissed by my brains logic processing section which suggested the more appropriate ambulance chaser mentioned above)

With apologies to any stateside Register readers (only the Brits have any chance with this comment)

In wake of Horizon scandal, forensics prof says digital evidence is a minefield

Re: It's not just a data integrity issue.

Might I nominate HMRC who seem to be claimant/judge/jury and executioner all rolled into one.

Naturally they are infallible (which is why their latest power grab is an ability to help themselves directly from your bank account without further ado)

Oh and they will only speak to you on their terms (and provided they are not on a WFH jolly day)

Windows 11 poised to beat 10, mostly because it has to

Re: GitHub → whipper-team/whipper

Thanks for taking the trouble to post this information. Its certainly of interest and I shall investigate further.

Re: When October comes

A very reasonable observation (speaking as one who has headed in the Apple direction).

That said given the cost of a basic Mac Mini (circa £580) and (at least) 5 years support, compared to the longstanding direction of Windows, its a risk I am prepared to take.

Re: How long...

I left Windows as my main home OS probably 6/7 years ago and migrated to Linux Mint, with a Windows 10 VM therein for a couple of programs - MS Money & an IMAP mail backup program. I don’t use it for internet browsing et al, so I am happy to run it unsupported. Microsoft ASN are blocked at my firewall and I decide when it can talk to the mothership.

I did have an old laptop running Windows 10 for the occasional time when a VM will not “cut the mustard” e.g. some CD (remember them?) ripping software - DBPoweramp. I’m very content with my Mint machine (as a user, rather than a tech) but I realised I do need to maintain a mainstream OS to allow wider support for certain applications that may appear on the scene and the impending demise of Windows 10 and the age of the hardware means new kit required.

Happily there is also a MacOS version of DBPoweramp so the obvious solution - I’ve purchased a very competitively priced Mac Mini which comes with the bonus of allowing the installation of iMazing iOS backup software (not free) for my various iPhone/iPads (the impending withdrawal of Advanced Data Protection - ADP within the UK means iCloud is now out of scope)

So two benefits from one (relatively modest) purchase.

For me Windows 7 was the sweet spot for Microsoft OS’s and it seems to have been pretty much downhill since the abomination that was Windows 8 and subsequent additional telemetry et al. For the remotely techie the apparent imminent loss of local accounts should be a major red flag as to the direction of travel.

So goodbye and good riddance to Windows … can’t say I will miss fighting my PC as it randomly installs updates/reboots … and don’t get me started on Candy Crush

When even Microsoft can’t understand its own Outlook, big tech is stuck in a swamp of its own making

Re: Stop Talking to Each Other...

Given the tone of the article (with which I entirely agree) I suppose it was inevitable when I tried to open your second link (the enshittification one) I was immediately confronted by a Captcha, consequently it remains unread.

Sums things up nicely …

Amazon to kill off local Alexa processing, all voice requests shipped to the cloud

Re: The Alexa experience

I so agree - the use of the expression “New and exciting” engenders similar feelings with me

No peace for Gandi this past weekend, after storage SNAFU breaks email and more

If you are considering moving away, highly recommend UK domiciled ISP Mythic Beasts

https://www.mythic-beasts.com/article/about

Whilst I don’t have a website, they do host my main email. Been with them for a number of years, super responsive to email support requests, with no dramas.

Stuff a Pi-hole in your router because your browser is about to betray you

Re: Better solutions ? - try pfblockerNG (a PiHole on steroids)

No I don’t, I have no connection with Netgate (or any affiliates) As it happens I’m retired and live in the UK.

All the software I suggested is free (obviously you will have to source your own hardware) I’m sorry if you found my enthusiasm offensive. More than happy to learn of comparable (free) solutions from you.

Better solutions ? - try pfblockerNG (a PiHole on steroids)

Whilst the PiHole is excellent, for those who want to take it to a whole new level, I highly recommend utilising the free Community Edition (CE) of pfsense available via Netgate.

https://www.netgate.com/

Direct download link here (for those who don’t want to register)

https://atxfiles.netgate.com/mirror/downloads/

This is effectively (almost/is) a commercial grade firewall that you can run on your own kit (note Intel NIC’s strongly recommended) Obviously also has massive configurability as regards routing all types of traffic.

It has a longstanding third party package called pfblockerNG which is a piHole on steroids. Not only does it offer the functionality of DNS sink holing of the PiHole but it is also possible to block/allow IP’s (either via ASN or individual address) It also allows copious white/black listing at multiple levels (geographical/domain etc)

Certainly not one for the technically challenged, but given the target readership of this site, should be right up the average punters street.

Various links to pfblockerNG

https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/packages/pfblocker.html

https://forum.netgate.com/category/62/pfblockerng

https://nguvu.org/pfsense/pfSense-pfblockerng-configuration-guide/ (from 2020)

https://www.privacyaffairs.com/ip-filtering-pfsense/ (2024)

Personally without NoScript, UBlock Origin and pfblockerNG I would feel naked wandering around online.

Payday from hell as several British banks report major outages

My experience (of blocking various tracker sites - both at DNS & ASN level) is HSBC just refuses to work. Barclays is fine. Kent Reliance blocks access full stop (although I suspect this is more down to my use of VPN’s) Nationwide is okay.

The worst offender is Google Captcha (I block Google, so frequently don't even see the challenge and wonder why page has stalled) I hate Google …

As an aside found sometime ago an interesting article written by a developer analysing his Barclays account logon process. Whilst most of it goes over my head, some of the more technically accomplished amongst us may enjoy a read (note it was circa June 2021, so a lot could have changed since)

https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/security/732-uk-banking-protecting-you-by-exposing-you-to-risk.html