Ronnie Chung's Blog

The world goes by in a blur.

Till next time…

It’s been awhile since I posted anything so here’s some pics:

Shopping carts in front of T&S Emporium (sic). Taken with my phone.

Couldn't sleep so I took a picture.

Sea lions or seals (I don't remember) resting on a buoy. I'm pretty sure they're sea lions though.

Till next time…

Was looking through my “backup” hard drives and came across some old HDRIs that I did couple of years ago. Oh how I’ve progressed…

One of my first attempts at HDR back when I was still at Mt. Sac. I put the camera (Rebel XT w/18-55 II) on the roof of the car to get this shot.

I don’t remember how I processed this. I’m pretty sure this was done in Photoshop but I don’t remember.

Till next time…

Some more pictures that I’ve finally got around to “checking out”. These were taken in December if memory serves.

Trees in the park.

Pelican (I think) following our boat.

Till next time…

Disclaimer: This post is targeted to non-technical users. When I reference vulnerabilities or attacks, it is to be assumed that I am talking about known threats that those responsible for the software has patched and not zero day threats.

A couple of years ago, the number one thing for protecting your computer (Windows-based) is keeping Windows up-to-date. That involved either enabling automatic updates or manually going to get updates from the Microsoft’s website. Merely keeping Windows updated wasn’t enough but it did protect your system from a good amount of malicious attacks. Antivirus, firewalls, and above all else proper “training” and common sense help prevent attacks against your systems. Those good old days of simplicity are over. Today’s malicious attacks are using vulnerabilities in other software to gain access to your computer.

Microsoft has made great progress in making the Windows OS more secure and resistant to attacks in recent years. The most popular attack vector is no longer Internet Explorer or the Windows operating system (OS) but Adobe’s Flash and Acrobat Reader. It is estimated that 90% of all computers in the world have flash installed. And the popularity of PDF has only grown over the years, making it an attractive target. This is forcing attackers to find other ways to penetrate computer systems. I specifically mention Adobe’s Flash because most people know and use it everyday; it is also being targeted by the most recent wave of malware. And it allows malware and attackers to not only gain access to Windows-based systems but potentially any system that has these software installed.

Flash along with other third party software are quickly becoming one of the weakest part of the system (the human will always be the weakest). Keeping Windows updated no longer guarantees that you’re are protected from these attacks. Even with a fully patched Windows OS, you can still be infected by malware that target Flash or other software. It is important to keep not only Windows updated but to keep all the software on your system updated as well. So take the time every month or so to check and make sure you the latest versions of your software.

I can probably make a more convincing argument and provide more detail but I should be studying for my midterms. If this post seems half assed… it is.

Till next time…