BRITAIN'S biggest laptop repair stores are charging rip-off prices, losing your files unnecessarily, and making non-essential changes to your computer. That's according to an undercover investigation that revealed repair shops were overcharging by as much as £260 – and making serious repair gaffes, too. The Which? secret shopper investigation revealed that choosing a local independent computer store over a national chain can save you £74 on average. Which? looked into high street chain iSmash, Knowhow (which operates out of Currys PC World, Carphone Warehouse and Dixons Travel), and a series of independent stores. Researchers introduced identical software faults into 18 different Windows laptops. The report describes it as "a simple software issue that could be fixed in a matter of minutes" by an expert. Secret shoppers took these laptops to 18 different repair shops – six iSmash stores, six Knowhow outlets, and six independent locations. The lowest repair bill … [Read more...] about Laptop repair rip-off WARNING – Britain’s major chains overcharging by up to £260
Data recovery service hard drive
Even a dead hard drive can give away your private info. Here’s how to delete it for good
Rob Pegoraro Special for USA Today Published 1:58 p.m. UTC May 31, 2018 Reminder: Your data can survive on a dead hard drive. A hard drive crash is unnerving enough by itself—the tiny bundle of electronics that warehoused your data for years suddenly stops working, often with no warning. But when that drive is a backup volume that held your most sensitive data, you have an extra worry: That it’s not dead enough, meaning your information can be retrieved with specialized tools. “This is a typical scenario that we see from hard drives,” e-mailed Mike Cobb, director of engineering at the data-recovery firm DriveSavers. He added that his Novato, Calif., employer “wouldn’t be in business if we couldn’t recover from this scenario.” But what if you don't want to recover it — but make sure that information vanishes after you place it in the electronics waste recycling? You could keep the dead hard drive at home until the value of the … [Read more...] about Even a dead hard drive can give away your private info. Here’s how to delete it for good
National audit office identifies weaknesses in critical database care
Among other identified points of concern, Estonia lacks a legal framework for guaranteeing the safety and preservation of the country's critical databases, there are significant deficiencies in guaranteeing information security in several critical databases, and the special requirements needed to protect critical data have not yet been established either, according to a National Audit Office press release.Estonia has ten databases of critical importance as identified by the National Audit Office:e-File, Land Register, Commercial Register and Riigi Teataja — owned by the Ministry of Justice and managed by the ministry's Centre of Registers and Information Systems (RIK);Land Cadastre — owned by the Land Board and managed by the Information Technology Centre of the Ministry of the Environment;Information Centre of the State Treasury — owned by the Ministry of Finance and managed by the Information Technology Centre of the Ministry of Finance (RMIT);Register of Taxable … [Read more...] about National audit office identifies weaknesses in critical database care
‘Incognito’ browsing isn’t really private, and 4 other privacy myths
Share This Story! Let friends in your social network know what you are reading about Facebook Email Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest 'Incognito' browsing isn't really private, and 4 other privacy myths Some experts believe many of us think we’re taking the right precautions, when in fact we’re putting our info at risk. Sent! A link has been sent to your friend's email address. Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. 3 Join the Conversation To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs Marc Saltzman, Special for USA Today Published 6:56 a.m. ChT April 24, 2018 | Updated 8:27 a.m. ChT April 24, 2018 CLOSE Just because everyone uses public Wi-Fi doesn't mean you should. And you need to go the extra mile to wipe hard drives. Columnist Marc Saltzman has tips for making your surfing safer. Marc Saltzman, Special for USA Today CONNECT TWEET LINKEDIN 3 … [Read more...] about ‘Incognito’ browsing isn’t really private, and 4 other privacy myths
Wall Street’s Big Banks Are Waging an All-Out Technological Arms Race
Sunlight bounced off Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s glass-and-steel Manhattan headquarters on a warm August morning in 2013. Eyes locked on their screens, traders and engineers shifted in their seats as exchanges prepared to open.Unbeknownst to anyone, the machines were about to revolt.Bam. Bam. Bam. Dummy trade signals that were supposed to stay within the company’s electronic systems broke loose and slammed into computers at the New York Stock Exchange’s options markets. So many orders crashed through that by 8:44 a.m., safeguards within Goldman Sachs sprang into action, severing the connection between the company and the exchanges.It took ages for anyone to notice the anomaly. At 9:01 a.m. an employee finally saw the blockage and lifted it. A river of mispriced orders surged through the restored connection. Minutes later, the volume triggered another stoppage. And another. And another.By the time the trades were blocked for the last time, less than an hour after they … [Read more...] about Wall Street’s Big Banks Are Waging an All-Out Technological Arms Race