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Terminal Tidbits, Customer Log-In Message
Whether you just want to have fun or if your want to put a message up for users, you can create a customer login. An individual can do something creative, or if your a business maybe you want to put up an “if found” message or even a “this property belong to” message to help ensure your Mac is returned to where it belongs.
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow LoginwindowText “In case of loss, call 555-555-5555.”
In this example you can put any message in between the quotation marks and it’s really that simple. Just follow the syntax above and you have your own custom login message.
Security, A Never Ending Battle or Is It?
It’s your friendly neighborhood consultant and philosopher, Moses here. Today I bring you the news that nothing is safe. Ahem, what I mean is, securing your identity and personal data is difficult. Have no fear, there is a lot that you can do to rile against the ever-growing industry of malicious social engineering that has eroded our trust using network accounts and even just browsing the web. It’s no surprise some folks have machines they only use for network access that are completely separate from any media or documents. I hear stories just about every day of folks allowing “tech support representatives” full access to their machines via Remote Desktop, LogMeIn, GoToAssist and other screen sharing and remote access programs.
We have a service for AdWare removal service and that is the most surefire way to ensure your machine is not compromised and that it’s fully updated and secured with the built-in Firewall and even Apple’s FileVault encryption software. However, if you’d like to learn a few tricks for keeping AdWare and Malware at bay, here’s a rundown of what I usually do:
# Check Log-In items in Systems Preferences > Users and Groups
# If you have a solid state drive ( SSD ) you can enable FileVault encryption to secure all data on the machine without slowing it down. It’s the only way to protect data on the machine. Please do make sure you understand FileVault before you enable it.
# Remove any illegitimate LaunchDaemons and LaunchAgents in the library and System > Library folders.
# Reset browsing history, clear cash and cookies on all browsers installed on your computer.
# I recommend making sure your search engine is Google.
# Consider installing a program such as “MalwareBytes”:https://www.malwarebytes.com to prevent the installation of malicious software.
# Lastly, make sure to always have a current back up and ensure you’re running the most current version of MacOS your machine can run. I strongly recommend running at least 10.11 El Capitan. Running out of date versions of the MacOS can make you more vulnerable to security breaches.
When it comes to network accounts like e-mail , cloud accounts, etc you can do the following to help keep those accounts secure:
# Use random passwords with a combination of uppercase, lowercase and numbers. Avoid using the same password on multiple accounts.
# Reset passwords often
# Use password management software such as “LastPass”:https://www.lastpass.com or “1Password”:https://1password.com to keep all your passwords organized
# Set up 2-step verification whenever it’s available for an account. This is a must for many accounts and is one of the best lines of defense preventing unwanted access to your accounts. It does require a cell phone and text messaging capabilities for it to work.
Some tips for securing your home wireless network.
# Reset Wifi passwords regularly just like you would with your on-line accounts.
# Consider a hidden ( SSID ) network where you have to manually enter the name of the network and the password.
# Set up a guest network if your router supports it. This allows users to use your network without access to your devices.
These are some basic things to check, but you can certainly dig deeper and do even more to protect your devices from unwanted access. There are many layers of security and I’ve only brushed upon the topic in this article. Ensuring you use TouchID whenever available will also help to keep your devices more secure and as a bonus makes logging into sites significantly quicker. With older machines, FileVault is your best line of defense along with running a current version of MacOS like El Capitan or Sierra and changing passwords often. You do not need to live in fear while browsing or creating online accounts, but following some basic steps can go a long way to keeping your information and accounts secure.
Summertime Advisories
Summertime is just around the corner, and when Mother Nature decides to cooperate, those hot summer days spent basking in the sunshine are not far off. Living in the information age, naturally we love to take our portable devices with us everywhere we go. How else are your friends going to know you spent your day on the beach sipping margaritas in the sunshine if you don’t bring your phone or tablet and snap of few photos of the occasion?
With this in mind, it’s crucial to be conscious of the effects direct sunlight and excessively high temperatures can have on your electronic devices. iPhones for example are designed to run from 32-95 degrees Fahrenheit. However, prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can raise the temperature to critical levels if left unattended and unprotected for too long. This can cause a number of issues in both the long and short term. Issues ranging from a sharp decrease in overall battery life to permanently damaging the display.
However, if you happen to notice your device is hot to the touch here are some steps you may consider to prevent long term damage:
* Remove your device from any protective cases
* Close out of applications you don’t need running
* Turn off Bluetooth/Wifi
* Keep it out of excessively warm environments
* Do NOT put your device in the refrigerator or freezer to counterbalance the temperature issue.
Lets keep those devices cool and dry this summer!
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Learning
A lot of people have been curious about where I’ve learned so much about electricity and electronics. I’ve had very little formal schooling on the subject, so I thought it might be interesting to go over some of the resources I’ve used and things that have helped me learn. I think these subjects are a lot more accessible than people realize.
When I was 10 or 11, my aunt got me an electronics project kit. I suspect these kits are still available, but I had mine for at least 8 years. They were basically a board made of plastic or cardboard with springs sticking out. The springs were connected to various components (resistors, LEDs, capacitors, etc, etc). This made it easy to bend the spring sideways and slide in a jumper wire. The kits came with booklets complete with all kinds of circuits. In my earlier years, my dad had to help me build them and show me how to follow the instructions. One of my favorite circuits was the electromagnetic radiation detector. This circuit used the tuner coil on the board and the tiny little earpiece. The tuner coil was placed in a circuit so that it would be sensitive to ambient electromagnetic radiation. This was fascinating to me because I learned that our CRT TV at the time output a lot of stray electromagnetic noise. It was quiet compared to the microwave though.
Once I became more comfortable with how circuits worked and what various components did, I started to get myself in trouble at home by disassembling various electronics. Eventually I started finding scrap electronics instead of things that worked. I learned how to repair a few things. I remember repairing a flashlight I had that didn’t work anymore. I also remember disassembling a motor in a toy submarine I had and fixing it so that the brushes worked again. I think all of my tinkering had a lot to do with what I ended up learning, especially about the limits of various electronics.
As I got older I was able to follow along in books and videos online. A few very basic courses in high school and college helped me to get a handle on some of the fundamentals, but school was never a big part of what I’ve learned about electricity. Some of the things that really helped me a lot were books designed for trade schools. I always found these books easiest to follow and most practical. Another great resource is old US Army instructional videos on youtube. Most of them are from the 1940s or 1950s and were designed to help teach people in the army how to do things. For having no special effects, simple graphics and all in black and white, these videos are incredibly instructive. Some companies, like General Electric, also made similar videos at the time. It was one of these videos that finally got through to me on how induction motors worked. The great thing is that what they talk about is fundamental and hasn’t really changed in the 60-70 years since the videos were made. Motors still generally work exactly the same way. I also found a youtube channel that was particularly helpful in demystifying some of the more complex digital and signals processing parts of electrical engineering. “**Jerri Ellsworth**”:https://www.youtube.com/user/jeriellsworth helped me understand a lot. Plus she had videos on fabricating a race car (another interest of mine).
Beyond instructional things, I’ve found the best way to learn about this stuff is to just do it. I learned a ton from building my own solar power station. Everything from different battery chemistries to how to size wiring based on load. I think it helps a lot to break things down into individual pieces. An entire system might be complicated, but maybe you can just focus on what is required to calculate the correct fuse size or how DC breakers work. Eventually all of the little things add up. It’s important to me to show others that despite how daunting and complicated this subject might seem, most people will be able to figure it out. Plus, lifelong learning is awesome! Hopefully my articles are contributing to that for readers.
