@gjacobse said in Windows 11 Remove PIN and Only Use Password Instructions:

@scottalanmiller

I may have an account I have forgotten about
But I continue to use local only. I believe they call it an “Offline Account”

On my personal Windows laptop, I use my Microsoft account (MFA'd). It makes things all around that way more convenient for me. To avoid passwords, and because I want that separated, I use Windows Hello (fingerprint or PIN). Then BitLocker (TPM 2.0+), and of course the BitLocker Startup PIN.

On my personal Linux laptop, basically the same thing as above, but SW level encryption.
I'm looking forward to trying Ubuntu's TPM-backed Full Disk Encryption soon! I haven't had time yet.

Wyze

The next company to add to your blacklist due to poor security incident handling and response.

Wyze says camera breach let 13,000 customers briefly see into other people’s homes

@scottalanmiller said in Define Air Gapped Networks:

@Obsolesce said in Define Air Gapped Networks:

@DustinB3403 said in Define Air Gapped Networks:

When using terminology like "Air Gapped" what is your first impression of it?

When I see someone say they have an air gapped network, I think it to mean that the network is separate from the rest of the organization (through a physical disconnect), and that Air Gapped, does not imply the lack of internet.

Air Gapped != Without Internet

What's your opinion?

An air gapped network is indeed physically isolated from other networks, but the key yiur missing is that it is also isolated from the Internet. The primary characteristic being lack of any connection to outside networks, including the internet.

It's not the "connection to the outside" that violates the air gap, the issue is that if BOTH networks connect to the Internet or any shared network, it clearly isn't air gapped. Air gapped systems can never talk to each other without a different mechanism passing messages in between that crosses the air gap.

You misinterpreted what I wrote. Coupled with the first sentence, it's clear. Also, outside being outside said network, not necessarily public networks.

@DustinB3403 said in Define Air Gapped Networks:

When using terminology like "Air Gapped" what is your first impression of it?

When I see someone say they have an air gapped network, I think it to mean that the network is separate from the rest of the organization (through a physical disconnect), and that Air Gapped, does not imply the lack of internet.

Air Gapped != Without Internet

What's your opinion?

An air gapped network is indeed physically isolated from other networks, but the key yiur missing is that it is also isolated from the Internet. The primary characteristic being lack of any connection to outside networks, including the internet.

@JasGot said in Options to securely deliver electronic documents?:

We have a customer that is asking about delivering documents to their customers; securely.

Much like a bank would do it. They send you an email with instructions to visit their site, login, and download your file.

Anyone aware of a service that does this?

What do they define as delivering documents securely?

You'd need to host a site they can log in to, or use something else that requires an account they already have, such as requiring them to log in via a known MS or Google email. For example, send them a link of the doc(s) in OneDrive or Google Drive that requires them to authenticate.

Any other service that does this, you're just trusting that the correct person signs up for that "other service" to access the documents.

It works well for the bank because when your own bank does it, you already have an account to use to sign in and get get the doc.

In the case where a company wants to provide a document to a customer, then it needs to be with a service that the customer already has an account with or is capable of verifying the person before they create one to access it. If the company can, ideally they would make the document available via the service (OneDrive, Google Docs) to that specific customer's email. Then they'd be forced to sign up (if they don't have already) or use that email to access the docs.

@DustinB3403 said in Need new webhost:

@Obsolesce a 5 day window to try and migrate a bunch of sites isn't unrealistic, but it is a tight timeline to avoid getting billed.

Have you called and spoke with them about the bill and see if they'll do anything to reduce it? Surely they would want to keep a customer vs lose one..

Not concerned about the migration timing and all that. Just concerned about not renewing because I've hopefully found a better option.

I'm looking for a new webhost to host a hand full of sites, mostly WordPress sites, a couple which are larger and more accessed. Ideally something that offers the same thing or better as the Dreamhost Shared Unlimited plan. The less I have to do in regard to site migration, maintenance, etc., the better.

It feels like Dreamhost is ripping me off like crazy, being a customer for many years, and having to pay 5x more money than if I was a new customer.

I'll be billed in 5 days for another year, but hopefully there's something better?

@NetworkNerd

1. Identify the Cause of High Disk IO and CPU Wait

• MariaDB Activity: Since mariadb is showing high IO during the problematic window, it's crucial to identify the queries causing this load. You can enable the slow query log in MariaDB to capture queries that are taking an unusually long time to execute.
• Scheduled Tasks: Check for any scheduled tasks (cron jobs) on the server that run around 5 AM CST. These could be system tasks, WordPress cron jobs, or database maintenance tasks.

2. Systemd-journald Failure

• The failure of systemd-journal-flush.service suggests that the journaling system is overwhelmed, likely due to the high IO load. Investigate the journal logs (journalctl) for any errors or warnings that occur around this time.

3. Review WordPress Plugins and Activities

• Plugin Behavior: Even though plugins like Updraft Plus are scheduled for different times, they might be triggering background tasks. Verify plugin behavior and logs.
• WordPress Cron: WordPress has its own cron system (wp-cron.php) that can sometimes trigger resource-intensive tasks. Review the WordPress cron events.

4. Server and Database Optimization

• Database Optimization: Run a check and optimization task on your MariaDB database. Over time, databases can become inefficient and slow.
• Upgrade Resources: An e2-micro instance is quite limited in resources. If this issue is related to resource constraints, consider upgrading the VM instance type.

5. Monitoring and Logs

• Enable Enhanced Monitoring: Tools like sar, iotop, or atop can provide in-depth system metrics. Make sure they are configured correctly.
• Access and Error Logs: Review NGINX, PHP-FPM, and MariaDB logs for any anomalies during the problematic time frame.

6. External Factors

• Traffic Spikes: Although Jetpack stats show low traffic, consider checking the access logs for unexpected traffic spikes, which might be bots or crawlers.
• Network Analysis: Use tools to monitor network activity. Unexpected external connections might be contributing to the load.

7. Testing and Isolation

• Isolate Components: Temporarily disable certain components or plugins during the problem window to see if the issue persists.
• Test in a Staging Environment: If possible, replicate the setup in a staging environment to test without affecting the live site.

@Obsolesce said in Astrophotography:

I finally had a clear night since getting my new camera. Although I wasn't prepared for the surprise clear night, I still got out for a few minutes to get a decent shot of M 42 (Orion Nebula) before my portable power unit died.

I'm excited to report that with only less than 20 minutes of data via EAA live stacking, I was able this get this awesome shot in my insanely light polluted area thanks to the L-Pro filter.

This gives me a lot of hope that once I am able to get out there and get a couple hours of data, I'll be able to get something awesome.

Below, M 42, an ad-hoc 18 minutes of data with a blown out core and a satellite streaking across (thanks Elon).

Hoping for some more clear skies in the near future and a trip to some darker skies!

Updating with an auto-stacked photo ~58 minutes of data, and some minor post-processing. I want to stack properly, get some more data, add in some calibration frames. Going to add in here to track progress and compare.

I finally had a clear night since getting my new camera. Although I wasn't prepared for the surprise clear night, I still got out for a few minutes to get a decent shot of M 42 (Orion Nebula) before my portable power unit died.

I'm excited to report that with only less than 20 minutes of data via EAA live stacking, I was able this get this awesome shot in my insanely light polluted area thanks to the L-Pro filter.

This gives me a lot of hope that once I am able to get out there and get a couple hours of data, I'll be able to get something awesome.

Below, M 42, an ad-hoc 18 minutes of data with a blown out core and a satellite streaking across (thanks Elon).

Hoping for some more clear skies in the near future and a trip to some darker skies!

@nadnerB

I tried another browser with no extensions, and it worked. It isn't bad aside from the insane amount of ads. If you look past that aspect, it's actually a pretty nifty service. I wish I had thought of it. Though, I'd have done half the ads and would give an option to pay for no ads + 24/7 server uptime.

@Obsolesce said in What Are You Doing Right Now:

@scottalanmiller said in What Are You Doing Right Now:

Trying out the free Minecraft servers from https://aternos.org

This makes things a lot more handy.

Why is it free?

I see. All about ads. It's not good enough that I have my adblocker turned off for their site, it's somehow seeing that I use one period. And it doesn't like that at all.

@scottalanmiller said in What Are You Doing Right Now:

Trying out the free Minecraft servers from https://aternos.org

This makes things a lot more handy.

Why is it free?

Decided to go the route of Python + Kivy / KivyMD for my app. Progress has been slow but steady. Doing things, then testing with a ton of data and finding out it's super inefficient, reworking things and trying different approaches, seeing the improvements in real time. Good times! The app is actually becoming functionally useful to myself while building it out.

@scottalanmiller said in What Are You Doing Right Now:

We've been using Acer and Asus for a few years now and are SO much happier. Hardware costs a fraction as much and just works. Just bought another laptop this week, $299. Can't beat that. And staff is super happy with that gear.

Curious on which hardware you're comparing? What are all of the specs of the $299 Acer/Asus hardware? What did you compare it against on the Lenovo side?

I've been looking at the ASUS Zenbook S 13 Flip OLED UP5302 (I'm an Asus fan), but that is over $1k. I looked at some Lenovo contenders, similarly priced to those specs. The Asus isn't exactly a fraction of the cost, but nonetheless I'd still go with the Asus.

@gjacobse said in ChromeOS vs Linux:

@travisdh1 said in ChromeOS vs Linux:

@gjacobse said in ChromeOS vs Linux:

The topic of ChromeOS and Linux has come up once or twice I believe.

I'm trying to help my brother deal with his 'wants' and 'needs' with using and older laptop for what he wants to do with his streaming provider (some cable company that rarely gets positive comments).

So, I have ChromeOS running on a older HP laptop.. no big deal and easy to have setup. No different than starting with any other Linux based system.

And now I am sitting here at the terminal window and all the commands I would expect to work in Linux are not the same in ChromeOS.

Have I managed to mislead myself in believing that the two - while different - are in a basic manner, the same?

Seems I need to know a different command base to perform things I already do in Linux on the x86 and ARM platforms...

That's why I picked up an Intel based Chromebook when I got one. I can load Ubuntu on it and work the way I normally would.

I've got no useful experience with with the ChromeOS shell.

I dont either. But he goal is not achievable under Ubuntu….

I wouldn't pick up a ChromeOS device for any other purpose than basic web browsing and regular Google Play Store apps.

@scottalanmiller update links?

Starting down the road of developing a personal .NET MAUI hobby project.

Here are some points to consider:

1. Consent and Notification: It's essential to have explicit consent from parents or legal guardians if students are minors. Even if students are not employees, they still have privacy rights. Proper notification to both students and parents is crucial.

2. FERPA Compliance: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy of student education records. Any monitoring should be in compliance with FERPA regulations to avoid violations.

3. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA): If the school is providing online services or websites to students under the age of 13, COPPA may come into play. It requires obtaining parental consent for collecting personal information from children.

4. Vendor Liability: If a breach of student private communications occurs due to IT or vendor mistakes, there could be potential liability issues. Schools should have agreements in place with vendors that address data security and liability.

5. Local and State Laws: Laws regarding electronic surveillance, data privacy, and education can vary by state and locality. It's important to consult with legal experts who are knowledgeable about local regulations.

6. Balancing Security and Privacy: Schools must strike a balance between ensuring network security and respecting student privacy. An overly intrusive monitoring system could raise concerns.

Ultimately, it's crucial to consult with legal counsel who specializes in education law and data privacy to ensure that the school system's practices comply with all applicable laws and regulations. Additionally, a transparent and well-documented approach to monitoring, including clear notification to students and parents, can help mitigate potential legal risks.

@scottalanmiller said in Miscellaneous Tech News:

SEC files fraud charges against SolarWinds and its CISO...

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/10/31/sec-solarwinds-ciso-accused-fraud-control-failures/

Are companies still using them?