Daniel Reeves

One practical point that gets missed: if you used MOVEit or got a notice from a company that did, don’t just watch for password resets. Check your email account for forwarding rules and recovery changes too. In Outlook on Windows, open Settings > Mail > Rules, and in Windows Secu

Yes, turning Java off in Apache OpenOffice is the safest default if you do not actively need it. That cuts out one of the common attack paths. In LibreOffice, the main fix is to update to a patched version and avoid opening odd spreadsheets from unknown senders, even if the previ

You’re right to be cautious, Linda. For a breach like this, the main things to watch for on a Windows PC are: 1. Unexpected password reset emails or login alerts 2. New accounts, charges, or address changes you did not make 3. Phishing emails or calls using your name and address

Pretty much, yes — but I’d keep it simple and stick to the basics. 1. In the VM settings, turn off shared clipboard, drag-and-drop, shared folders, and USB passthrough unless you actually need them. 2. Make sure Windows Update is fully current, including optional updates if they

Exactly, Ray. The fake ones rely on that quick glance and hope nobody checks the details. Hovering over the sender, the link, and any button before clicking is the right habit. If it was just an email, deleting it is fine. If you already clicked anything or entered details, that’

Updating is the main fix, but don’t stop there if HFS is exposed to the internet. Check the service account and the folder permissions too. In Windows Services, open the HFS service, then see which account it runs under; don’t leave it running as a highly privileged account unles

If money has already moved, I’d contact the bank first, straight away. They can try to stop or recall the payment much faster than police usually can. Then report it to the police and your local fraud reporting channel as soon as you can. If it’s only a dodgy email and you haven’

Good point. I’d add one more check: in the browser’s notification permissions list, remove anything already allowed that you don’t recognise. Blocking new requests is fine, but old permissions can keep firing long after the bad page is gone. In Edge or Chrome, open Settings, sear

One detail people miss: a credit freeze does not block existing creditors from checking your file, and it does not stop debit card or bank account fraud at all. If the suspicious activity is on a bank statement, freeze the credit file as a separate step, but also call the bank us

Yes, that’s the right instinct. If a browser update pop-up appears out of nowhere, I would treat it as suspicious until proven otherwise. 1. Close the tab or browser window, not the pop-up itself. 2. Open the browser from the Start menu and check for updates in its normal Setting

Aye, that’s the right instinct. A weird pop-up by itself does not mean the PC is infected, but it does mean you should check for the boring stuff first. 1. Run Windows Update and install anything pending. 2. Open Windows Security and run a Quick scan, or better, a Microsoft Defen

I keep them on all the time. Once you get used to seeing the full name, it becomes second nature and you stop trusting anything that looks like invoice.pdf.exe or photo.jpg.scr. Windows hides the useful bit by default, which is a bold design choice, really. If someone only turns

Usually no — uninstalling a program removes the main app, but it can leave behind folders, settings, or data in places like AppData or ProgramData. That’s normal enough; Windows doesn’t always sweep up every crumb. If you want a tidy removal: 1. Uninstall it from Settings > Apps

Yes, it’s worth doing for the important ones, especially email, Microsoft, banking, and any account that can reset other passwords. That’s the boring part of security that saves a lot of misery later. You do not need to turn it on for every random account if the site is low-value

Yes, the next built-in step I’d use is Microsoft Defender Offline scan. It’s useful if a download or pop-up may have dropped something that normal scans miss. 1. Open Windows Security. 2. Go to Virus & threat protection. 3. Select Scan options. 4. Choose Microsoft Defender Offlin

That’s the frustrating part — “analytics” is often where a lot of tracking quietly hides. On a Windows 11 laptop, the useful habit is to keep the basics tight: 1. Check browser privacy and site permissions. 2. Review and remove any extension you do not absolutely need. 3. Turn on

Yes — a full browser reset is often the quickest way to clean out the bits adware leaves behind after the obvious settings have already been fixed. It’s a bit heavy-handed, but sometimes that’s the point. That said, I’d still check one more thing after the reset: any suspicious e