Tuesday, October 21, 2014

5 Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle



Dr. Allen Mask was the keynote speaker at a recent conference. He made 5 suggestions for a healthy lifestyle.

1. Update Vaccinations


Flu
TDP (Tetanus, Diptheria, Pertussis)
Hepatitis A and B
Shingles
Pneumococcus


2. Get your Annual Screenings


Men -  PSA at age 50 ( Prostate Specific Antigen blood test)
Women -  Mammograms
Abdominal ultrasound at age 65
Eye exams
Executive blood panel
Urinalysis
Skin exams
Colonoscopy starting at age 50






3. Normalize your Weight


Body mass index should be 25 or less
Men's waist measurement should be less than 40 inches
Women's waist should be less than 35 inches



Get Regular Dental Care

4. Take care of your teeth and gums


Practice Safety during Household Chores

5. Be safe


Use bike helmets
Use seat belts
Use eye protection
Use precautions with firearms
Place fire extinguishers throughout your home
Use detectors for carbon monoxide, smoke, and radon
Learn CPR
Avoid falls that lead to hip fractures

Thursday, October 9, 2014

8 Factors that Increase your Cyber Security Risk




Virus, malware, and spyware risks increase with the following factors:


  • Sharing a computer
  • Using public WiFi
  • Using a computer while traveling
  • Using a Windows XP computer
  • Using Internet Explorer 8 (or earlier versions)
  • Storing business files on your computer
  • Having personal and financial data on your computer
  • Using a smartphone for traditional computer activities


Some of these are common sense while others are not so easy to understand. 

Now that Windows XP is no longer supported by Microsoft, security updates will not be provided. Since updates repair operating system aspects that may be exploited by a virus, this makes your computer more vulnerable.

The combination of Windows XP and Internet Explorer 8 is more of a risk than with other browsers because it, also, is no longer supported. The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) recommends using a third-party browser.

ZDNet has a good article about reducing XP security risks

Basic protection should include strong passwords and robust data back-up. Password strength can be measured on several websites like this.

Keep the list above in mind and reduce your cyber security threat by minimizing those factors.