Deleting empty folders is often a good idea to keep a computer clutter-free and make it easier to see what you're actually looking for. But Microsoft has warned users not to delete an empty folder called "inetpub" in Windows. Although the folder is ... empty for most users, it's actually part of a security fix. The problem is Microsoft forgot to tell anyone about it. The folder shows up in the system drive. That's the hard drive which houses Windows itself. For many, and likely most, users this would be the C drive. Normally "inetpub" would only appear if you use a tool called Internet ... (view more)
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Infopackets Readers Jay S. writes: " Dear Dennis, Thanks for your article on How to Fix: Brave Browser Slow (High CPU, RAM) Script . I have a similar question, but this time it's with Chrome. As with the other user mentioned in your article, every ... so often Chrome starts to lag and become unresponsive / slow. When I check Task Manager, I often see some of the chrome.exe processes eating up 2GB+ of memory. I'm not using any extensions, so I'm not sure why this happens, other than perhaps Chrome is caching too much information or there is a memory leak of some kind. Anyhow, I would like to have ... (view more)
Google is doubling the minimum storage on Android smartphones to 32GB. It could affect both existing and new phones, though mainly at the ultra-budget end of the market. The minimum storage has been 16GB since 2022, when it doubled from the previous ... limits of 8GB. The change only affect Android 15, which was released last fall. Note that this is for storage space (like a computer hard drive) not memory (RAM). That means all newly made phones running the system must have 16GB storage, as will any existing handsets for which manufacturers want to roll out the upgrade. While many will have ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Ted S. writes: " Dear Dennis, Thanks for your article on How to Fix: pbeagent.exe 100% CPU Usage (Kill, Respawn Script) and How to Fix: Block YouTube Ads (uBlock Origin Dead) . I have a related question to both of those articles. ... Since I switched to Brave Browser a few months ago, I've noticed that after a while, Brave gets really slow and laggy - especially when I'm playing videos on YouTube . For example: when I'm browsing Youtube and if I see a video I like, I will press CTRL + Left Click on the mouse to open the video I want to watch in a new tab. That way I can ... (view more)
WhatsApp Windows users have been warned to check they are running the latest edition. A new update fixes a bug which could make it much easier to distribute malware. The issue is not with the more familiar mobile app, nor with the website version ... that's available by visiting https://web.whatsapp.com/ in a browser. Instead it's with the downloadable WhatsApp for Desktop Windows app that lets users make video calls and share their screen among other benefits. The security flaw involves the way users can send attachments. As The Register explains, such files come with accompanying data called ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Jill H. writes: " Dear Dennis, I purchased several uninterrupted power supply units dirt cheap for my home office (model APC 1500 SMX1500RM2U ). They work great - 1500VA @ 48 volts and a nice digital display. I downloaded ... PowerChute Business Edition which uses ' pbeagent.exe ' executable which is responsible for communicating between the UPS and my PC so that the PC can shut down safely during a power outage. The issue I'm having is that every so often the pbeagent.exe crashes and causes high cpu usage . When this happens, my computer's CPU fan is noticeably louder, and ... (view more)
Scams involving "look-alike" domain names have risen dramatically according to a security company. It suggests the attacks, which trick people into visiting or trusting a site based on what looks like a legitimate domain name, are up more than 400 ... percent in the past year. The report comes from BlueVoyant, a company which offers cybersecurity services to a range of companies. It looks at two main forms of look-alike scam. (Source: bluevoyant.com ) One is to replace characters in a domain name with easily mistaken characters such as MICROS0FT.com or goog1e.com. The other is to use the ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Jay P. writes: " Dear Dennis, I'm running Windows 11 on the latest version of Chrome. I watch a decent amount of YouTube and have been using the uBlock Origin ad blocker extension for years, but it's no longer supported with the ... latest release of Chrome. Now when I visited Youtube.com I'm seeing an overlay that says: Video player will be blocked after 3 videos It looks like you may be using an ad blocker. Video playback will be blocked unless YouTube is allowlisted or the ad blocker is disabled. Ads allow YouTube to be used by billions worldwide. You can go ad-free with ... (view more)
Google says it has fixed one of the oldest security and privacy issues affecting Internet users. Chrome will soon make it impossible for sites to exploit the way links change color after you visit them. While different sites can override the ... defaults, most web browsers will display links in blue. However, if you've previously visited a site by clicking on a link, browsers will often show it in a different color (purple, for example). The idea is to make it easier to avoid going back to a site that wasn't helpful, or to quickly find a site you've previously accessed when you're using a search ... (view more)
What's one of the best one-stop video/image quality enhancement and editing software available for Windows? Answer: Digiarty's VideoProc Converter AI! From the makers of WinX DVD Ripper and WinX Video Converter comes VideoProc Converter: a ... multi-award winning software program that is a one-stop video/image processing program that allows you to restore and enhance video image quality in 1 click, convert video/audio, rip DVDs, edit video, download videos, video to GIF maker ... plus much more! The latest version of VideoProc Converter AI includes the ability to restore blurry faces, colorize ... (view more)
Amazon is set to launch 27 satellites that will provide Internet services to consumers, businesses and governments. It plans an eventual network of more than 3,000 satellites. The idea is to provide a rival services to the existing Starlink, ... bringing competition to the market and offering an alternative for potential users wary about dealing with Starlink. Satellite Internet was originally designed to serve rural and remote areas where fixed-line broadband is expensive or unavailable and where using the cellphone network to transmit data is also difficult. However, developments to make ... (view more)
The infamous Windows "blue screen of death" is to turn black. Microsoft has also downgraded efforts to help users identify and solve a problem. The screen, which dates back to the very first editions of Windows, is formally known as a critical error ... message. It appears only when Windows has experienced a problem that means it's no longer safe to operate, meaning it can't simply display a warning message overlaid on the various open windows and desktop. Error Code Confusion Depending on the version of Windows and the problem, the user seeing the blue screen of death would have to either ... (view more)
Microsoft has released updates to fix a frustrating problem where certain printers connected via USB started printing random text after Windows updates were installed earlier this year. If your printer began acting strangely, spewing nonsense, you ... can now install an optional update to resolve the issue. The problem emerged following Windows updates released starting in late January 2025. Users reported that their printers, particularly certain types connected by USB cables, would unexpectedly start printing streams of random text and data, sometimes including network commands or unusual ... (view more)
Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, has settled a significant legal challenge in the United Kingdom regarding its ad tracking practices. It's also considering expanding a paid subscription option to use Facebook and Instagram without ... advertisements. The company agreed to stop using the personal data of a specific UK user, Tanya O'Carroll, for targeted advertising after she invoked her "right to object" under UK data protection law. (Source: techcrunch.com ) The legal case involved Ms. O'Carroll, a "tech accountability advisor" who formerly worked for ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader 'Oadby' writes: " Dear Dennis, I recently received a spoofed phishing email from my own email address. But Outlook won't let me report it as it thinks it's from me! Is there a way to report them? I know it's probably useless but I ... try to do my bit. Also, why don't email programs and services provide a simple way to see where an email has originally come from in order to prevent spoofing? " My response: Thanks for your message - I'll explain how to report a spoofed or phishing email below - but first, let's understand what some of the terminology means for those who might ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Tyler M. writes: " Dear Dennis, I just came across your article on Facebook Dating sextortion article - thanks for that. I have a somewhat different issue, though similar. While on vacation in Thailand, I met a beautiful local ... woman at a bar in Bangkok. She offered to be my personal guide (plus benefits!) and promised to show me around for the duration of my visit. I was skeptical at first, but knew that this type of ' transactional relationship ' was common in Thailand. After a few drinks I gave in - we exchanged numbers and added each other on Instagram. Everything seemed ... (view more)
Genetic testing company 23andMe has filed for bankruptcy protection, leaving millions of customers questioning the fate of their sensitive DNA data. The firm, once valued at almost $6 billion, faces lawsuits and regulatory scrutiny over privacy ... breaches as experts warn users to secure their genetic information. (Source: reuters.com ) From Boom to Bust: The 23andMe Bankruptcy 23andMe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 23, a legal process that lets companies restructure debts while attempting to stay operational and potentially find a buyer. CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcicki is stepping ... (view more)
Google has confirmed users who are completely locked out of their Gmail accounts after an attack can still recover their access. However, they have just seven days to act after the breach. The issue involves cases when an attacker not only gains ... access to an account, but then changes security and recovery settings. These can include an alternative email address or a phone number. In both cases the idea is that if a user knows their account is breached, they can issue a password reset request. They will then be able to choose a new password and regain access. This will at the least limit the ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Jenna M. writes: "Dear Dennis, Thanks for your article on Being Harassed on Instagram - it was a very informative read. I have a much more complicated issue: I separated from my husband last year and recently decided to give ... Facebook Dating a try. A few days in, I matched with a man who said he was an architect from a nearby city. He was attractive, polite, and claimed his wife had cheated on him. He told me he was originally from Germany and his daughter lives there. His profile said he lives in Minnesota - but his phone number has a New York area code. Not long after ... (view more)
Alexa devices will send all recordings of user voice commands to Amazon from March 28, 2025. The company is removing (and overriding) a user setting that stopped this happening. The change affects devices such as the voice controlled Amazon Echo. ... Until now, these devices had the capacity to recognize and understand what a user was saying using only local processing. That allowed the devices to have an optional setting to stop the recordings being sent outside of their home. Amazon says the change is a byproduct of what it's calling an improvement. Alexa is being replaced by Alexa+, a system ... (view more)
A Scottish grandmother received an obscene and insulting message thanks to a complete fail by Apple's voice transcription. It completely misunderstood a voicemail left by a local car dealership. The call was made to Louise Littlejohn by a worker at ... the garage who intended to invite her to a promotional event for a new car. The call went to voicemail so he left a message. Apple then "transcribed" the call with an AI-powered system and delivered a text message, something that's meant to save users time rather than have to listen to the message. According to the BBC, which listened to the audio ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Sarah B. writes: " Dear Dennis, Please help - I'm being harassed on Instagram . A few months ago, I met a guy on Instagram claiming to be stationed overseas in the US Military. He moves from base to base, which makes it difficult ... for him to stay in touch with people. Initially, he was sweet, charming, and always had a good excuse for why we couldn't video chat - so we exchange some photos instead. At first, he just wanted someone to talk to, but not long after, he hinted that he was struggling financially. He needed money for things like Internet access, food, and other ' ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Mark R. writes: " Dear Dennis, I just came across your article on How to Stop Cyber Harassment and I'm reaching out because my teenage son is brutally being harassed online . He recently met a girl in a chat group on Reddit; she ... seemed nice at first, and claims to live nearby. They chatted for a few days, then things got more 'personal': she convinced him to move to Snapchat, where they exchanged some private messages and pictures. After that, the tone shifted instantly and now she's demanding money. She's taken screenshots of all of his Instagram followers and says ... (view more)
Intentional Internet shutdowns by governments reached new heights in 2024, according to a digital rights campaign group. Access Now recorded 296 shutdowns across 54 countries. The figures don't include shutdowns caused by natural disasters, ... technical errors, or other unintentional reasons. Instead, they specifically account for cases where a government or related authority deliberately blocked access. The statistics are likely most reliable as a measure of year-on-year change, showing a rise from 283 shutdowns in the previous year. More notably, the number of countries experiencing shutdowns ... (view more)
Smartwatch sales have reportedly declined for the first time, signaling potential challenges ahead for the wearable tech industry. Experts attribute this downturn primarily to slowing innovation and recent legal setbacks faced by Apple, a major ... market leader. According to Counterpoint Research, smartwatch shipments dropped 7 percent in 2024 compared to the previous year, with Apple's shipments notably falling by 19 percent. Given Apple's commanding market share - approximately one-quarter of all global smartwatch sales - this decline significantly impacts the market. (Source: ... (view more)
Google Pixel phones can now detect potential scams in text messages and voice calls in real time. The company says the technology runs locally on phones, meaning it shouldn't compromise privacy. After a beta testing program, Google is rolling out ... Scam Detection for messages to any handset running Google Messages . This app is available for download on the Google Play Store and can replace the default messaging app on most Android phones. Users who install it gain access to Google’s latest messaging features, including spam protection, end-to-end encryption, and AI-powered scam detection. ... href="/news/11523/google-ai-can-now-detect-phone-scams-real-time" class="more-link">view more)
Infopackets Reader Sam J. writes: "Dear Dennis, My teenage son got caught up in an online sextortion scam. He thought he was talking to a girl his age on Instagram, but it turned out to be a scammer who tricked him into sharing private photos. He ... already sent the blackmailers $500 in Steam cards. Now, they're threatening to send those images to his friends and family unless we pay more. He's terrified, ashamed, and deeply depressed. As a father, I feel completely helpless. How can I stop cyber harassment and online blackmail in order to protect my son? Please help!" My response: If you or ... (view more)
All 50 states have now introduced a "right to repair" bill aimed at making it easier for users to fix their own electronic devices. But only six have passed laws, with lawmakers in many states having abandoned their efforts. The specific wording of ... a right to repair bill varies significantly from case to case. Some of the most common principles include users having the legal right to source components or hire a third-party specialist to perform a repair. In other cases, users may have the right to access repair manuals. A common point of debate is what happens with warranties. In some cases, ... (view more)
Apple is reportedly working on a foldable iPhone with no visible crease in the screen. While several manufacturers have already introduced folding phones, Apple has seemingly held off, possibly due to concerns about design aesthetics. The ... introduction of an Apple foldable device could set a new benchmark in the industry, but it is expected to come with a hefty price tag. Folding Phones: Gimmick or Innovation? Folding phones have evolved from a niche concept to a somewhat legitimate category within the smartphone industry. The idea behind them is simple: they offer the compact portability of a ... (view more)
Apple has fixed a supposed bug that caused iPhones to mix up the words "Trump" and "racist". But a speech recognition expert says Apple's explanation was implausible. The issue was with the Dictation tool in iPhones that lets users speak and have ... their words transcribed ready to use as text, for example to send as a message. Numerous videos posted online by users showed them saying the word "racist" but their phone showing the word "Trump" before correcting the error shortly afterwards. Although Apple quickly fixed the issue after the videos went viral, it does appear the videos are genuine. ... (view more)
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My name is Dennis Faas and I am a senior systems administrator and IT technical analyst specializing in cyber crimes (sextortion / blackmail / tech support scams) with over 30 years experience; I also run this website! If you need technical assistance , I can help. Click here to email me now; optionally, you can review my resume here. You can also read how I can fix your computer over the Internet (also includes user reviews).
My name is Dennis Faas and I am a senior systems administrator and IT technical analyst specializing in cyber crimes (sextortion / blackmail / tech support scams) with over 30 years experience; I also run this website! If you need technical assistance , I can help. Click here to email me now; optionally, you can review my resume here. You can also read how I can fix your computer over the Internet (also includes user reviews).
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