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In the 1990s, a colleague took me to “Snake Alley,” Taipei’s red-light district, for a night of drinking with “entertainers” and some of their very muscled, serious friends. A good time was had by all, fortunately. Still, I was young, dumb, and lucky that I didn’t end up in any trouble. Some parts of the internet are like that, too. If you think you’ll be potentially surfing into a risky internet neighborhood — a knockoff shopping site, a little-known streaming service, or somewhere you’re just not entirely sure is legit — and you have a spare laptop lying around, you can always repurpose it to become what I call a “Paranoid PC”: a laptop hardened for additional privacy and security. In my case, I was able to do it for “free.” But it does require a version of Windows 10 or 11 that’s not that common, and an existing VPN subscription. I am also not claiming that this PC configuration will protect you from any and all malware and prying eyes, but it will certainly help. Further reading: If you don’t use these PC security essentials, you’re begging to be hacked Putting together a Paranoid PC What you’ll need: a VPN subscription and a laptop (16GB of RAM preferred) running Windows 10/11 Pro I’ve repurposed an older laptop to create my Paranoid PC. You can use your day-to-day PC for this purpose, but it also potentially exposes you to greater risks if anything bad slips through the security screen. In any case, it’s a good idea in almost any case to use an account without administrator access for additional security, and possibly a local account at that. To Get Sandbox, you`ll need this Windows 11 Pro The key, though, is to have a PC set up with Windows 10 or 11 Pro because of a feature it offers: Windows Sandbox. Sandbox has been around for five years (!), and I still feel like it’s one of the most underappreciated features within Windows. Sandbox creates a virtualized environment with minimal setup; essentially, it’s a Windows PC within your PC, protected by a “moat” that isolates it from your PC. Once you close Sandbox, the entire “PC” and anything it has within it is erased, permanently. That includes any malware that may have wormed its way in. Sandbox is an optional feature within Windows 10 or 11 Pro, and to access it you’ll need to turn it on. To enable it, you’ll need to go to the Windows Features control panel, which you can find by searching for Turn Windows features on and off within Windows Search. (We have a deeper dive into Windows Sandbox, here.) Once you enable Sandbox, Windows will update itself with the appropriate features, reboot, and open up Windows again. You’ll need to launch Windows Sandbox via the Start menu or the Search box. Sandbox essentially creates a PC environment within a window, but it’s a generic PC. You don’t need to log in, and please don’t! We want this PC to be as quiet and unobtrusive as possible. Windows Sandbox running within Windows 11 Pro. Note the two taskbars.PCWorld You can expand Sandbox to the dimensions of your screen, or leave it windowed. It’s up to you. Install the Brave browser I’ve argued in the past that Sandbox provides a powerful level of security and privacy, just by its lonesome. But we’re going to go further. What Sandbox allows you to do is use the built-in version of Microsoft Edge to download other software. And while Microsoft Edge is no slouch in the privacy department, we’re going to use Brave’s browser to provide an additional level of privacy and security. Brave offers tons of privacy settings, though it can be a bit aggressive.Mark Hachman / IDG Brave started off as a very privacy-oriented browser, and still is. Its reputation has soured a bit because of its ties to cryptocurrencies, but it’s still a good choice to download for surfing the deeper reaches of the web. If you want to use another browser, though, (or just Edge) you can. Just make sure to configure it the way you want, adding any plugins you choose. I still wouldn’t log in or otherwise identify yourself, however. Install a VPN I use a VPN because, well, it’s none of your business. And that’s the whole point. VPNs can be used to access content in other countries, avoid the eyes of authoritarian governments, privately chat with friends, and so on. It’s akin to locking your door and drawing your shades, and most people do that in the real world. A VPN is a good idea to add to your Paranoia PC.Mark Hachman / IDG Running a VPN won’t necessarily protect your Sandbox PC from malware, but it does add an additional layer of anonymity protection. Some VPNs also include upgraded antivirus, too. (Sometimes Brave can get a tad too aggressive in blocking downloads and scripts. In that case, go ahead and use Edge to download a VPN instead.) You might be able to get away with running a VPN outside Sandbox, but just in case I installed it from within the Sandbox environment. the best vpn we`ve tested ExpressVPN Read our review Which VPN should you use for privacy? You can choose from either a less powerful free VPN or one of our more powerful paid recommended VPNs. I prefer a VPN that offers generous device connections to allow me the freedom to install it on multiple laptops, but there are plenty to choose from. VPNs are a category where you get what you pay for, though. Surf safely through the stormy seas Once you’ve installed Sandbox, Brave, and a VPN, you’re done. You can begin exploring some of the shadier parts of the web. Feel free, of course, to install other software. If you want to download a free or premium antivirus package for additional security, go for it. When you think about it, anything bad is going to have to break out of the Brave browser’s sandbox, then get by the antivirus, then crack Windows Sandbox. That’s not impossible, but pretty unlikely. There are a couple things to keep in mind, though. Pay attention to what environment your cursor is in. If you absent-mindedly open Edge in the standard desktop environment, that browser window lacks all of your Sandbox protections, and probably the VPN’s as well. It’s part of the reason I recommend Brave: Not only is it designed for privacy, but it’s not a browser many people use. Brave signals me that I’m within Sandbox’s protective embrace. I’m not recommending that you put Sandbox to the test by downloading malware. In this case, however, the EICAR virus is designed to act like malware without really being malware.Mark Hachman / IDG Brave also blocks ads and popups — which, in certain areas of the web, can be an avenue to malware. We still recommend that you surf safe and do not go clicking willy-nilly on anything you see. But, if you do download something malevolent, it should be cut off by Sandbox. In the worst case, where Sandbox’s “PC” becomes noticeably infected, you can simply close Sandbox down by closing the window. You’ll receive a notification that this will erase everything within the Sandbox environment, but that’s okay. All you need to do is open a new version of Sandbox, which will be pristine and untouched. You’ll then need to re-download Brave, the VPN, and any other software, however. And we’d recommend running an antivirus scan on your main Windows installation just to be safe. Sandbox does have one other feature worth knowing about: its File Explorer, which is sort of like an airlock. If you do happen to download something involuntarily, it will receive the normal protections from Windows Security. But anything you voluntarily download will land in the Sandbox Downloads folder. Downloads from within Sandbox go into the Downloads folder, which can be accessed from outside Sandbox. Just be sure it’s safe by checking it within Sandbox.Mark Hachman / IDG You’d be well advised to double-check the file by right-clicking on it. (In Windows 11, go to “Show more options” and then “Scan with Microsoft Defender” or another antivirus program. Or drop it in VirusTotal.com to check against multiple online antivirus programs.) Just check it (or run it) from within Sandbox! From there, you can cut and paste it into your main PC operating system. Security professionals, of course, will have more sophisticated protection available to them. But for the average surfer, this provides some strong additional protection. Think of this “Paranoid PC” as a bodyguard in a dark alley, with a big SUV waiting to whisk you back to the real world if things go bad. Further reading: These 10 simple security tweaks keep you safe Read...

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Your PC will die, someday. Or it will slow down, generate error messages, or — worse still — get hacked. While you could always call a professional, why not solve the problem yourself? And you can, just by learning some basic Windows tasks yourself. You’ve learned how to take care of yourself in the real world. Your PC is no different. You’ll need to maintain it, protect it, and keep it fed with data at all times. Nothing in this checklist is particularly complicated or even hard. But it’s basic knowledge that you should already know. And if you don’t, we’re here to help! Manage Windows Update Windows Update governs all of the changes Microsoft brings to your PC. Some of these are critical updates to Windows itself, needed to solve some unexpected vulnerability or bug. Others are new features that Microsoft wants to add to your PC. Finally, Microsoft periodically adds new virus signatures and other improvements to the Windows Defender anti-malware system, allowing you to surf the web without fear. Windows Update.PixieMe / Shutterstock Most of the time, Microsoft’s Windows Updates take place in the background, without your intervention, as a convenience. But it’s important to know where to look (inside the Windows Settings menu, then in the Windows Update submenu) to understand what Windows Update can and can’t do. Would you like to try out the latest updates as soon as they’re available? Conversely, would you like to pause updates for a certain period, like during an end-of-quarter reporting period or exams? Or even roll them back? Would you like Windows Update to manage other Microsoft products, too? Windows Update is one of the least intensive tasks within Windows. But it’s also critical to the safety of your PC. Dig deep into Windows Settings For that matter, there’s more to the Windows Settings menu than just Windows Update. It’s here that you’ll find all of the features and functionality within Windows, organized into separate categories. Do you want to increase the size of the text because you forgot your glasses? See Settings > Accessibility. Want to pair a new set of earbuds? You’ll find that in Settings > Bluetooth & devices. Windows 11 Sound settings for a specific microphone.PCWorld The number of Windows Settings options may seem overwhelming. On the left-hand side of the Settings menu, however, is a small search box that can help find what you’re looking for. Unfortunately, the search box is looking for specific query topics. (Some alternatives are programmed in: In Windows, your monitor is called a “display” but the search box will recognize both terms.) It’s perfectly fine to complain about how Microsoft or Windows does certain things. But you owe it to yourself to at least see if you can solve the problem yourself. The Windows Settings can help. Stay safe online and within Windows Simply protecting yourself from bad guys is a combination of anonymity, smarts, luck, and common sense. Windows Defender is a solid though not totally foolproof way of protecting yourself online from downloadable malware, and thankfully Microsoft’s app pretty much manages itself. Chris Hoffman/IDG But protecting your digital keys — passwords — via a password manager or some other method is an absolute must in this day and age. The best VPNs hide and encrypt your digital identity, so you can slip surreptitiously past criminals and companies who have no rights to watch you as you surf online. Windows has tools like Windows Sandbox to provide even more protection. Finally, you need to bank on your experience and common sense not to click on every provocative link and email that you see, minimizing your online risk. best vpn overall ExpressVPN Read our review We’re not here to dictate that you must use a VPN or password manager. But there are risks to surfing online, and you should know what Windows provides, what it doesn’t, and what additional options are available to secure your PC — even if you don’t use them. How to back up and restore data Of late, Microsoft Windows has begun pushing hard for you to back up your PC into its OneDrive cloud. For some of you, this is a huge annoyance, as Microsoft has begun flipping on automatic backup by default: on your Desktop, Photos, Documents, and Video folders. That backup process can rob you of available bandwidth and impact the broadband data cap your ISP imposes. Foundry But knowing how OneDrive and backup works, and even restoring that data on a new PC, may save you enormous time and effort as Microsoft simply performs those tasks in the background. Likewise, understanding what apps and data might not be backed up should be something that you take time to learn about, too. Apps typically are not backed up; neither is their associated data. But many games are. To its credit, Microsoft has quietly simplified the process. Autosaving a Microsoft Office (Microsoft 365) document is almost automatic, and you can basically log on to any new PC and automatically provision it to authenticate you to Microsoft 365 and keep working. But it’s still worth knowing what works and what doesn’t. How to install and uninstall software and services These days, “installing” software doesn’t even require you to insert a disk or a DVD-ROM. You simply click an “installer” and the whole process proceeds from there. Windows generally allows installed updates to be uninstalled manually in the event of problems. However, this does not apply to all updates. Microsoft There’s nothing wrong with that. But understanding the nuances of software and services is a must. If everything on phones is an app, much of the PC’s “software” is a subscription. Understanding the difference between the “perpetual” version of Microsoft Office versus the Microsoft 365 subscription that enables it could save you literally hundreds of dollars. Likewise, there’s a difference between installing the “same” game via the Windows Xbox app and Steam; the latter offers timely updates, and the former sometimes doesn’t. You also need to know what apps are automatically backed up to the cloud (Microsoft apps, basically) and what isn’t (everything else). Finally, knowing how to search for and uninstall an app will get rid of space-clogging programs you don’t use, and save storage space that you can put to something else. How to reset your PC Resetting your PC is sort of the culmination of some of these tasks. If your PC is inexplicably slowing down, that may be due to any number of things, including just the accumulation of all the digital flotsam and jetsam from years of work. If all of your files have been backed up to the cloud or a backup drive, resetting a PC basically allows you to start over with a fresh install of Windows. All the clutter? Gone. Jared Newman / Foundry Resetting your PC isn’t something that needs doing every month. And doing so is pretty easy: It’s yet another Windows Settings option (System > Recovery). The process doesn’t take especially long, perhaps 20 minutes or so, depending upon your system. But knowing when to reset, what you’ll need to back up, and the benefits of doing so is knowledge you need. Access your PC’s BIOS/UEFI I doubt that you’ll have to access the BIOS of your PC more than once or twice. It’s the nitty-gritty interface between the operating system and the internals of your PC, a pre-boot environment that allows you to make some basic changes. I myself only used it recently to tweak some UMA frame-buffer settings to boost some performance in an AMD Ryzen system, but normally I leave it alone. Knowing how to tweak your BIOS is a slightly more advanced function, but you should at least know that it’s there, how to access it, and what it’s used for. BIOS on an Asus PC.Mark Hachman / Foundry Understanding browsers and plugins A large portion of our digital lives is lived on the web. On your phone, most providers encourage you to download an app. (Too many, in my opinion.) On Windows, a lot of what you need can be found on the web. But the web often needs some taming. You should know where to go to find browser plugins and/or add-ons: the Chrome Web Store, for example, or Microsoft’s own Edge extensions. Did you know that since much of the web is built upon the open-source Chromium engine, some plugins will work on multiple browsers? Or for that matter, Firefox has its own browser ecosystem of plugins? Many people consider a basic ad blocker a necessity. (Learn how to whitelist, and then whitelist PCWorld.com, while you’re at it.) Extensions for Google Chrome can be flipped on or off, or removed altogether.Marshall Gunnell/IDG Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are certainly fine tools to browse the web. But you should at least have a nodding familiarity with other browser options, what they look like, and what they can do for you. Imagine if every car in the world was free, but you only used a Chevrolet. Wouldn’t you feel just a bit like you missed out? Read...

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An Australian company called Cortical Labs has developed a computer powered by lab-grown human brain cells, Gizmodo reports. The computer, known as CL1, is described as the world’s first “code deployable biological computer” and is now available for pre-order — for a price in the $35,000 range. Don’t want to buy your own device? The company also offers “Wetware-as-a-Service” via which you can rent bio-computer processing power via the cloud. CL1 consists of lab-grown neurons grown on a glass-and-metal electrode array. They’re connected to 59 electrodes, creating a stable neural network. The system is encased in a life support unit that keeps the neurons alive by mimicking the body’s organ functions, including heart pumping, kidney-like waste filtration, and gas mixing of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen. According to Cortical Labs, the neurons are placed in a nutrient solution and receive their information from the company’s Biological Intelligence Operating System (biOS), which creates a simulated world in which the neurons receive sensory input and produce responses that affect the environment. CL1 is designed as a high-performance closed loop, where neurons interact with software in real time. The system can stay alive for up to six months and is compatible with USB devices. Cortical Labs demonstrated an early version of the technology by teaching the system to play Pong. They claim that biological computers can rival or surpass digital AI systems, especially when it comes to understanding the basic mechanisms of intelligence. According to the company’s Chief Scientific Officer, Brett Kagan, a network of 120 CL1 devices could give researchers insight into how genes and proteins affect learning. The technology can also be used in drug development and disease modeling by simulating neurological processes at the molecular level. Read...