Newsletter Archives

• Windows 11 erases Windows 10 digital-signature fix

  Posted on April 17, 2023 at 02:45 CDT by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 20.16 • 2023-04-17

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  A Registry tweak recommended by Microsoft to guard against malware in digitally signed files is wiped out in Windows 10 if you upgrade to Windows 11. As if that weren’t bad enough, at least one major software company has distributed to 600,000 customers worldwide a Trojan horse hidden in an executable file that’s certified by Microsoft’s very own digital signature.

  The fact that malware can be inserted into an executable file — without invalidating the file’s digital signature — casts doubt on the whole idea that you can trust digitally signed files.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.16.0, 2023-04-17).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  Public Defender Digital signatures, Newsletters, Trojan, Windows 10, Windows 11

• How to get the most out of Google Bard and Bing Chat

  Posted on April 3, 2023 at 02:43 CDT by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  Whether you like it or not, generative artificial intelligence — gen AI — is making its way into Google’s search engine, Gmail, and Docs. Its Redmond competitor is building OpenAI’s GPT-4 into Microsoft 365, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more.

  Other tech companies don’t want to go down the tubes like buggy whips, slide rules, and Silicon Valley Bank. So they’re all racing against the two software giants to bolt gen AI into their apps and gadgets. Who knows, you might get AI-driven responses from holographic humanoids in Facebook’s failed virtual metaverse.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.14.0, 2023-04-03).

  Public Defender Artificial intelligence, Bing AI, ChatGPT, Generative AI, Google Bard, Microsoft 365, Newsletters, OpenAI

• You’re fired if you don’t know how to use GPT-4

  Posted on March 27, 2023 at 02:45 CDT by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 20.13 • 2023-03-27

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  Mainstream media outlets are ablaze with news about GPT-4, OpenAI’s enormously powerful artificial-intelligence engine that will soon be shoehorned into every nook and cranny of Microsoft 365. Suddenly, knowing how to “prompt” (program) a generative AI app has become an essential requirement for your job or your life. God help us.

  We’ve all been instantly transported into the 25th-century world of Star Trek’s Jean-Luc Picard. You may think we’re still in the year 2023. But now — by entering just a few words — you can propel your personal starship through the galaxy at Warp 9. Or you can remain stuck in place and be assimilated by the Borg. Resistance is futile.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.13.0, 2023-03-27).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  Public Defender Artificial intelligence, Bing AI, ChatGPT, Generative AI, Newsletters

• TPM 2.0, required by Windows 11, is hackable. Upgrade now?

  Posted on March 20, 2023 at 02:43 CDT by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  Researchers have discovered flaws in TPM 2.0, a security microcontroller that Microsoft requires on a device (with exceptions) before Windows 11 will install. If your computer is affected, a hacker could bypass TPM’s security to read some of your data or overwrite cryptographic keys that the microcontroller is expected to contain safely.

  The news isn’t all bad. There are many ways you and your devices may be immune.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.12.0, 2023-03-20).

  Public Defender Newsletters, security, TPM, TPM 2.0, Trusted Platform Module, Vulnerability

• Can chatbots write code? Yes, but should you use it?

  Posted on March 6, 2023 at 02:44 CST by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  You’ve heard a lot about “chatbots” that can answer search queries and write essays that sound like some human had written them. But did you know that artificial-intelligence agents, if you ask nicely, can also write working computer code?

  Bots that can code include OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which Microsoft has tried — with great frustration — to integrate into its Bing search engine. (See my February 27, 2023, column on the freakouts Redmond’s AI has subjected users to.)

  Automated tools like ChatGPT have spawned a lot of hysterical commentary, such as “The sky is falling and human programmers are doomed.” But don’t quit your day job just yet.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.10.0, 2023-03-06).

  Public Defender Artificial intelligence, chatbots, ChatGPT, Newsletters, Programming

• How to jailbreak ChatGPT and Bing AI — to see their evil twins

  Posted on February 27, 2023 at 02:44 CST by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  The world has gone gaga for chatbots: text-based artificial intelligence apps like Open AI’s ChatGPT — which Microsoft is using for its new, gabby Bing AI.

  The power of these bots, which converse in a frighteningly human-like way, may be the greatest technology breakthrough since Gutenberg invented movable type, eliminating the tedious hand-copying of manuscripts.

  However, that’s like saying the invention of the electric chair was a great advance for criminal justice over the older guillotine technology.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.09.0, 2023-02-27).

  Public Defender Artificial intelligence, Bing AI, ChatGPT, Newsletters, OpenAI

• How you can use generative AI images — legally

  Posted on February 20, 2023 at 02:44 CST by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  Suddenly, image-creation programs based on generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) have exploded into one of the most exciting tech breakthroughs we’ve seen in years.

  A big problem is that the developers of these capabilities — and perhaps you, if you use them — are being sued big-time. The charges are copyright infringement and theft of intellectual property from the artists whose works were “scraped” off the Internet to train the systems.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.08.0, 2023-02-20).

  Public Defender Art, Artificial intelligence, Copyright, Image Generation, Image manipulation, Newsletters

• How to fix File Explorer folder views in Windows 10 and 11

  Posted on February 6, 2023 at 02:45 CST by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 20.06 • 2023-02-06

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  There’s a common complaint about the file manager in Windows 10 and 11. You change File Explorer’s “folder view” to show filenames, dates, file sizes, and so forth. You’ve got them exactly the way you want. You select View, Options and use the View tab to click “Apply to Folders.” Then File Explorer immediately forgets what you said and shows folders any damn way it wants.

  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. But the anguish from this problem arises so often that it’s a wonder Microsoft hasn’t fixed it by now.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.06.0, 2023-02-06).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  Public Defender File Explorer, Newsletters, Windows, Windows 10, Windows 11

• Is the woman in this video real or a deepfake? Now find out.

  Posted on January 23, 2023 at 02:44 CST by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  There’s been an explosion in artificial intelligence (AI) that can create fake videos and compose passable writing samples. These computer-generated outputs are now good enough to fool the average person, who may absorb social media with an uncritical eye.

  The major media have exhaustively (but superficially) written about these AI programs. So I won’t bore you with the mind-numbing details of exactly how they work.

  Instead, I’ll tell you how to detect them and — hopefully — protect yourself against fakes of all kinds.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.04.0, 2023-01-23).

  Public Defender Artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, Deepfakes, Newsletters, Video

• Make Windows 11 as cool as your phone with Android apps

  Posted on January 9, 2023 at 02:44 CST by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  After many, many requests, Microsoft finally added the capability to run Android apps when it released Windows 11.

  Every iPhone and Android phone user knows how convenient it is to carry in your pocket or purse any number of apps that bring you weather, traffic, emails, texts, games — even rocket science, if that’s your thing.

  However, unlike the ease of use of a smartphone — where you can install virtually any app with just a few clicks — Windows 11 presents you with a series of “gotchas” that can discourage even the biggest Microsoft fanatic from adding an Android app.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (20.02.0, 2023-01-09).

  Public Defender Android, Android on Windows, Apps, Newsletters, Windows 11

• The best tech secrets of 2022: AirTags, TikTok, Twitter, oh my

  Posted on December 26, 2022 at 02:45 CST by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 19.52 • 2022-12-26

  Look for our BONUS issue on January 2, 2023!

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  Amid my efforts to help you protect yourself against some rather aggressive technologies, I’m glad to report that there’s been at least some progress this year on the worst aspects of our “labor-saving” devices.

  Please note: I’m not claiming that my columns by themselves caused any of the changes I describe below. I just report the problems. We can all celebrate when bad tech is improved, whoever may have developed a particular solution.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.52.0, 2022-12-26).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  Public Defender AirTags, Cryptocurrency, Newsletters, NFT, privacy, security, Surveillance, TikTok, Twitter

• Will the last tech worker who is fired please turn off the server

  Posted on December 19, 2022 at 02:44 CST by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  A wave of layoffs by the world’s largest technology companies is causing widespread fears. People are afraid that the growth spurt in online commerce that occurred during the coronavirus pandemic may be over — and opportunities for tech employment may never be the same again.

  Firings and separations are certainly ripping through the Internet at a rapid pace. But the impact of all this downsizing may not be exactly what you might expect.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.51.0, 2022-12-19).

  Public Defender Amazon, Facebook, Financial, Google, Microsoft, Netflix, Newsletters, Tesla, Twitter
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