Online security and advice

First topic message reminder :

As of 8th April 2014 Microsoft will stop all forms of support for Windows XP. Bugs and performance issues will go unfixed, more importantly XP will also stop receiving security updates. Vulnerabilities that allow people access to your system will no longer be taken care of by Microsoft, or anyone.
 
Put simply Windows XP will cease to be a useable operating system, as it becomes more open to hackers.
 
There is the possibility to update to Windows 7 (if you move fast) or to Windows 8, but an older machine is going to creak under these bloated operating-systems.
 
A current desk-top computer is blindingly quick compared with your dust-collector XP which must be 8 or 10 years old now, but also investigate laptops and tablet devices, as you're in the market anyway - like it or not.
 
For general research on Capitalist tricks, begin by reading Vance Packard's 1960 book "The Wastemakers" on Controlled Obsolescence.

I'm not worried - I understand Mrs May is monitoring my internet use - I'm sure she will protect me from any fraudulent activity - and provide any print-outs etc I might need
;-)

Who is watching The Guards for us?

'Most or all' WiFi security hacked, potentially allowing any device to be broken into, US government warns

Anyone who uses a router for their home network is probably relying on the WPA2 standard, and any device you connect to it will be doing the same.

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/most-or-all-wifi-security-hacked-potentially-allowing-any-device-to-be-broken-into-us-government-warns/ar-AAtylHO?li=BBoPRmx&ocid=iehp

When you are at the keyboard, it may from now on be sensible to behave as though anybody else with a computer can see what you are doing.

https://s0.2mdn.net/4004703/1511522879610/970x250_v2/970x250/index.html

Click on this government link for a timely reminder. Let's be careful out there !