Triona's Tech Tips

Microsoft has released Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 (and, for those using it, Windows Server 2008 R2). If you have Windows 7 you will eventually get this update via Windows Update, or you can download it yourself at microsoft.com.

A service pack is a collection of bug fixes and security improvements for Windows. It’s important to be on the latest service pack for the best security and performance, although it’s equally important to investigate each new service pack to make sure it doesn’t introduce more problems than it solves. Fortunately Microsoft has gotten better at that over the years.

In the case of Windows 7 SP1, there are no reports of widespread problems. However, there are no pressing reasons to install it immediately either, other than the security aspect. Most of the fixes are minor and will probably not affect you unless you are using obscure features like XPS or HDMI. A handful of programs have reported incompatibilities with Win7 SP1. You can find information about those here.

That being said, I usually recommend that people install the latest service pack as long as there are no major problems reported with it. Service packs contain previously-released hotfixes (updates that fix individual bugs or security issues), so by installing the service pack you’re making sure you have everything you need. Also, future hotfixes may require SP1 before they can be installed. However, although problems have not been reported, it’s always possible that something could go wrong with the install. Therefore you should make at least one and preferably two or more backups of your system. But don’t feel you have to rush right out and download SP1; you’ll be fine waiting for Windows Update to give it to you.

Microsoft will eventually discontinue security fixes for any version of Windows not on the latest service pack, which is why Windows XP users should be on Service Pack 3 and Windows Vista users should be on Service Pack 2. Here’s how to tell which service pack you have installed:

• Windows XP users, go to Start, Control Panel, System.
• Windows Vista and Windows 7 users should go to Start, Control Panel, System And Security, then the System link.

A lot of people follow the “wait until the first service pack” philosophy on when to upgrade to a new version of Windows. If that’s true for you, you can feel confident that Windows 7 is ready for prime time (and has been for a while now). And, if you’re still on Windows XP like so many of us are, bear in mind that your days are numbered. Microsoft ended sales of preinstalled Windows XP last October (although you can still buy a Windows 7 computer and downgrade), and while they say they will continue to support Windows XP SP3 through 2014, in practical terms you will probably find it unusable long before then. Because Windows XP is so old, it is highly susceptible to viruses and cannot be secured as well as Windows 7. Also, newer software will not be compatible with it (notably Internet Explorer 9 whenever Microsoft gets around to releasing it). If you haven’t already made plans to upgrade, now is the time to do so. You can find out about Microsoft’s lifecycle policy here.

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Businesses and consumers alike find convenience in sharing passwords but doing so is highly risky, as demonstrated by a recent incident concerning wireless carrier Vodafone. Vodafone’s customer database was compromised using login information that was shared among employees. Shared passwords may seem convenient, but if you establish the proper procedures you can do without them while still enabling your people to get the job done.

When employees need network access, the proper thing to do is assign usernames and passwords specific to those employees, then grant or revoke permission to network resources depending on what the employees require for their jobs. Yet I routinely see companies setting up shared passwords. Because these passwords are typically not changed when people leave the company, it widens the potential for unauthorized access. Also, it muddies the audit trail. You should always be able to tell specifically who logged into what and when. It’s vital to establish a process for creating and deleting accounts as employees come and go, as well as mechanisms for altering access to network resources as appropriate. This is especially true if someone has administrative access to networks and servers. If you have an account that is not assigned to a particular person, say for shipping or vendors, you should limit who has access to that account and make sure the password is changed when employee duties are reassigned. Is that inconvenient? Perhaps, but ask Vodafone how inconvenient it was to have a journalist call them up and tell them she had access to their customer database, and imagine the damage if such access was gained by a competitor.

Shared passwords are equally risky for consumers. While it’s a good idea to make sure a trusted individual such as your spouse can access your accounts in an emergency, it is never a good idea to blithely give Aunt Gertrude access to your Facebook account so she can see your kids’ pics. Better for her to get her own account and friend you. It’s not that your family and friends intend to do harm, but a password once shared is a genie out of a bottle, and getting used to sharing passwords trends toward complacency in your computer security mindset. You should take your home computer security as seriously as any company does, if not more so. A company can lose face and revenue, but you can lose your own personal identity.

Don’t forget the rules of strong passwords, and remember they need to be unique on every system and changed on a regular basis. Again, inconvenient? Not when you compare it to the damage control you’d have to do if your company suffers a data breach, or if your individual identity is stolen.

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I’ve talked at length about how to create secure passwords, but how do you keep track of them? Many people use Word documents or Excel spreadsheets, but this is one of the most dangerous things you can do. Computer viruses know how to scan your hard drive for anything that looks like a password. If you’re going to keep your passwords on your computer, you should use a secure password manager.

Secure password managers encrypt your passwords, so you have the convenience of access without the risk. Some can even enter your passwords for you.

Agile’s 1Password is available for Windows, Mac, and mobile devices. Not only does it make password management easy, it offers a 1PasswordAnywhere feature. But be warned: if you forget your master password for 1Password, there’s no recovering it.

KeePass is free and open source, and also available for Windows, Mac and mobile devices. Instead of a master password to access your passwords, you can use a key file stored on a USB drive or CD. You can import and export from a variety of file formats.

An intriguing option is Splashdata’s SplashID KeySafe. Similar to KeePass’s key files, SplashID KeySafe is a USB drive that comes with both the Mac and Windows versions of the SplashID software.

Mac users may be interested to know that you can use the built-in KeyChain software (under Applications, Utilities on your Macintosh HD) as an encrypted password manager.

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If it seems like your computer is the dustiest thing in your house, you’re probably right. Computers attract dust through static electricity, especially on their internal components. But dust is death to a computer. Cleaning on a regular basis can increase the lifespan of your hardware.

For best effect you’ll want to clean your computer inside and out. This involves taking off the computer case. Most cases have a side panel that either unscrews or pops off. If you check your manufacturer’s web site you should be able to find specific instructions.

Use a can of compressed air to blow out the dust. Pay particular attention to the computer’s fan. If the fan clogs your computer will overheat and likely fail at some point. Also blow out any dust in the vents on the computer case, to keep air flowing and temperatures down.

The same can be said of other devices such as network routers and wireless access points. You won’t want to unscrew the cases for these, but you should blow the dust out of the vents to keep them from getting clogged. Printers gather not only dust but tiny particulates from paper. You can use compressed air to keep the paper path clean. For keyboards, a combination of compressed air and isopropyl alcohol works well.

What about your screen? Don’t bother with commercial screen cleaners. Instead, use a soft cotton cloth with perhaps a bit of distilled water but no solvents. Modern LCDs can be scratched by dust particles and damaged by alcohol-based cleaners.

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My article in today’s Northwest Herald talks about fake computer cleaning software scams. Like fake antivirus software, fake cleaning programs are scams trying to trick you into installing them on your computer. They show up in search engine results and are advertised via television, radio, and spam emails. You might even get a phone call urging you to purchase a fake software product. I encourage you to avoid any computer cleaning software unless you are positive it is legitimate.

My two favorite tools are CCleaner for Windows and Snow Leopard Cache Cleaner for Mac (which, despite the name, also works on previous versions of the Mac OS as well). I’m particularly fond of these programs because they work by giving you a convenient way to run the tools already built into your Windows or Mac computer. That makes them safe and reliable.

Of course, before you run any utility that might change your computer system, you should always make at least one backup (preferably two or three to different backup devices). These cleaning programs don’t run all the time like your antivirus software, but you can run them whenever you think your computer might be getting a little slow.

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