If you’re using Windows, you might be familiar with Cortana – Microsoft’s adaptive virtual assistant. You probably wouldn’t be surprised that Cortana collects data about you. But did you know that it also collects speech and handwriting patterns, typing histories and more? Here’s how you can restrict the type of data that Cortana collects: Go […]

Data is constantly being gathered while we are searching the web, allowing companies to serve ads based around that data. Even Windows itself is capable of tracking you via your advertising ID. Luckily, you can turn this feature off. Here’s how: Open the Windows settings app. Go to Privacy > General. There will be different […]

User account control (UAC) is a feature of Windows 10 that prevents programs from changing anything in your operating system without your permission. This can keep you from accidentally installing a virus or malware. Every time you run a program, Windows will present a pop-up that asks you if you want to allow a program […]

Open your task manager on Windows frequently and take a look at your open programs and programs running in the background. You can access the task manager by hitting the Ctrl+Alt+Deletekeys at the same time. Check for any programs that are running that you don’t recognize. There’s a chance they could be harmful to your […]

Admin accounts are powerful. They extend certain permissions not accessible to other accounts on a device. The bad news is that if your device is lost, stolen or hacked, these administrator capabilities could be employed to cause a lot of damage. Think about setting up a second account for daily use, one without admin privileges.

Backing up the data on your computer every so often is recommended. It protects against malware or ransomware wiping out important data on your device. The more often, the better. You can enable automatic backups with Apple Time Machine or Windows Backup and Restore. This allows you to “set it and forget it,” enabling backups […]