Dennis Faas

Infopackets Reader Bob S. writes: " Dear Dennis, ... [I run an accounting firm and was recently hit with a ransomware attack which encrypted over 70,000 of my files . I nearly lost everything, though I was finally able to overcome this and recover ... my data through your help] ... What I need is a comprehensive backup solution that will allow me to automate my backups - which means having the backup drive attached to my system 24/7 - yet, the backup drive must be protected such that ransomware cannot spread to the drive and encrypt my backup data. If that were to happen, my backups would be ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Tina A. writes: " Dear Dennis, I've been reading articles on the Internet about cyber criminals breaking into computer networks, encrypting files and then demanding a ransom. I've also read that if I leave my computer connected to ... the Internet, I could be susceptible to ransomware. I don't know what to believe. So my question is: is ransomware a threat? Is ransomware malware? Should I be worried? " My response: This is a pretty big question to answer. The simple answer is that: yes , ransomware is a threat, and yes you can get infected with ransomware just by having your ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Steve T. writes: " Dear Dennis, I recently upgraded my OpenVPN from version 2.3.2 (back in 2014) to the latest version 2.4.6, but now my OpenVPN server is broken. I checked the log files and it says ' SSL ... routines:SSL_CTX_use_certificate:ca md too weak ', followed by 'Cannot load certificate file /path/cert.crt'. I have tried embedding my certificates inside the server.ovpn file (rather than having it point somewhere externally), but that does not help. It simply won't load the certificate. I've researched this issue for days and keep coming across a forum post on the ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Abdul M. writes: " Dear Dennis, A few weeks ago my computer gave me a warning message that I was infected with virus and that I needed to call 1 800 208 0798 to fix the problem. The man I spoke to had an Indian accent and said he ... was from Microsoft. He then connected to my computer and removed the virus, then demanded $199 payment which I paid. He then forwarded me to another security specialist, who examined my system and said that my firewall was broken and it would cost another $350 to fix it. If I didn't pay it, he said hackers would attack my computer . At this point I ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Elliot D. writes: " Dear Dennis, I'm reaching out to you because I've been scammed by Live PC Experts (livepcexpert.com). Back in February this year an error message appeared, stating that my computer was infected and I needed to ... call 855 631 4214 to fix it. The tech I spoke with had a very thick Indian accent and said my computer was infected with the Zeus Trojan. They then offered me a 5 year support contract for $500 and said they would fix the problem; that was in February this year. I paid them by check because they said my credit card was being attacked by hackers and ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Bill K. writes: " Dear Dennis, Thanks for your excellent and concise explanations regarding VPNs (virtual private networks). I read with interest the latest article, ' Difference Between VPN Server and VPN (Service) ' and also ' ... Do I need a VPN? Are VPNs Safe for Online Banking? '. I was wondering if you could explain the difference between a VPN vs Proxy ? Which one is better? Can I use a Proxy with bit torrent or browsing the web anonymously? " My response: In this case, the term "proxy" refers to a "proxy server", which is a special use server online the Internet that is ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Kathy S. writes: " Dear Dennis, I have been researching the difference between a VPN server and a VPN , and I am super confused. I read your article entitled ' Do I need a VPN? Are VPNs Safe for Online Banking? ' and that has ... helped a bit, but I was wondering if you could explain which one would be cheaper for me in the long run? It is cheaper to have my own VPN server or should I pay for a VPN service? " My response: A VPN server and VPN (service) operate very similar because they use the exact same technology - however, using a VPN server vs a VPN (service) are two ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Jill A. writes: " Dear Dennis, I have installed Kodi media center on my media PC, which is connected to my HDTV in the living room. We use Kodi to play videos that we download off the Internet. I have two children under the age of ... 10 that I don't want accessing R rated movies and was wondering if there is a way to lock or password protect folders in Kodi ? I have searched for 'Kodi password protect folder' using Google but the instructions were confusing. Can you help? " My response: In a nutshell, it is possible to password protect folders in Kodi after first setting a " ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Larry O. writes: " Dear Dennis, I don't know what's going on but all my files on my external western digital 'My Book' are marked as ' READ ONLY '. I have tried formatting the My Book drive using File Explorer, but it tells me the ... drive is write protected. I have looked but there is no tab or switch on the USB drive to unlock or disable the write protect . I have also tried formatting the drive with Windows Disk Management but it fails. Also, if I right click the drive partition in Disk Management, the delete option is missing. I am at a complete loss. I have searched for ' ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Joe P. writes: " Dear Dennis, I have Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit. I am trying to install 'ON1 Photo Editor' on my machine which requires Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable. The installer package for the ON1 Photo Editor ... includes the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable as part of the installation. During the installation, however, the Microsoft Visual C++ hangs during the install and does not proceed. I have let it sit for over 24 hours and nothing happens - the installation hangs and ultimately fails . I should also mention that my Windows Update is also broken ... (view more)