Keyboard shortcuts that are available in Windows XP

Do you ever need work on your PC in two different windows and its a pain to switch back and forth? For example, you may have an instructional document in Microsoft Word, and you need to follow the instructions to do some work in a browser window or another application. Switching back and forth is easy if you know the keyboard shortcut: ALT+TAB (Switch between the open items). For a full list of keyboard shortcuts that will save you time, go to: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/301583. Take a few minutes to identify the shortcuts that will help you and memorize the ones that will save you time. You'll be glad you did!

New Internet Worm Infects over 9 million PCs!

It took a while for hackers to get their attack ready, but now a new Internet Worm has infected an estimated 9 million PCs! Downadup -- which also goes by the name "Conficker" -- exploits a bug in the Windows Server service used by all the common Microsoft operating systems: Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Server 2003 and Server 2008. Although Microsoft fixed the flaw with one of its rare "out of cycle" patch releases on October 23, 2008, an estimated 1/3 of all PCs have not yet been patched, according to Qualys, an Internet security company.

The Microsoft patch is available at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS08-067.mspx.

Symantec has a removal tool posted on their web site: http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2009-011316-0247-99

Computer Slow? - Defragment Your Disk Drive

Is your computer slow? One thing to you can do yourself that's free and easy is to degragment the hard drive.

After a while, the hard drive on your computer starts to get full and cluttered. Without even being aware of it, we are constantly adding things to our systems - eMail keeps coming in, we install new programs, we try trial-versions of programs, and we keep creating documents and drafts. When the storage space on your system starts to get full, your drive will actually be quite cluttered. Sure, there is free space, but its in bits and pieces and very inefficient.

To degragment your drive (in Windows XP):

1. Go to "Start" and select "My Computer"
2. Right-click the local disk volume that you want to defragment, and then click Properties.
3. On the Tools tab, click "Defragment Now"

If you haven't done this in a long time, it will take hours, so choose a time when you don't need your system. When the process is complete, you'll see a graphical display of how much space was re-organized. This will really help your system work more efficiently, and its free!

MA Data Protection Law - Deadline Extended to May 1, 2009

The new law will affect just about all businesses in Massachusetts: 201 CMR 17.00: Standards for The Protection of Personal Information of Residents of the Commonwealth. The good news is that the General Compliance Deadline has been extended from January 1, 2009 to May 1, 2009.

The regulation states that "Every person that owns, licenses, stores or maintains personal information about a resident of the Commonwealth shall develop, implement, maintain and monitor a comprehensive, written information security program applicable to any records containing such personal information. Such comprehensive information security program shall be reasonably consistent with industry standards, and shall contain administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to ensure the security and confidentiality of such records".

"Personal information" is defined as: "(a) Social Security number; (b) driver's license number or state-issued identification card number; or (c) financial account number, or credit or debit card number."

"Person," is defined as: "a natural person, corporation, association, partnership or other legal entity, other than an agency, executive office, department, board, commission, bureau, division or authority of the Commonwealth, or any of its branches, or any political subdivision thereof."
Basically, this regulation applies to every business in Massachusetts.

In November, the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation issued a press release announcing an extension of the deadline:

• The general compliance deadline has been extended from January 1, 2009 to May 1, 2009
• The deadline for requiring written certification from third-party providers will be further extended to January 1, 2010
• The deadline for ensuring encryption of portable devices (other than laptops) has been further extended to January 1, 2010.

This gives all businesses some more time to comply.