WEEKLY WHEATIES #2541
Post-Hack Steps, AI Updates, EV Price Drops, Reading Picks
In this newsletter:
📝 Post: What Should You Do After You’ve Been Hacked?
🗞️ In Case You Missed It: AI Updates
🗞️ In Case You Missed It: Electric Vehicle Price Drops
😎 Pick of the Week: The Joy of Reading
📦 Featured Product: Cable Ties
📝 What Should You Do After You’ve Been Hacked?
If you’re late to the party and missed the last two posts, there may still be time. Just be careful when clicking links in your email, and have a secure password for starters. But what if it’s too late? What if you have already been hacked? What should you do now?
First off, let’s assume you still have access to your main email account. If so, change your password as soon as possible to something you’ve never used before and is very complicated in characters and length. Once you are logged into your email account with the new password, look into your settings to “Sign out of your accounts on all devices.” This will basically kick out any device logged into your account. The process in general is the same for all email accounts, but here’s an example of how to Sign out from Gmail. This process is also good to practice every few months, too.
Next, change your passwords to your main bank accounts - with the same password rules for your email. I would even suggest logging in to your bank’s app and locking your accounts as best you can, and ordering new cards. You may even have to call or visit your bank to do this. I would also do the same for PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, and the like. By being proactive here, this will help should any of your accounts be flagged for any suspicious activity.
Then, move on to social media. You’ll want to change your login passwords, but also try to log out of any device currently logged in. Once completed, check your page and private messages for any suspicious posts or messages. Delete them as soon as possible, but potentially reach out to support to let them know your account has been compromised. Especially if those who had access made any posts or sent any messages. This will, again, help you be proactive and keep your accounts open instead of being shut down and blocked.
If your mobile phone number has been spoofed, you could visit your local store and ask for a SIM swap. Chances are, if your number was spoofed before, it would be even easier to spoof again unless you made any changes. However, before doing this, check your phone to see what apps have been installed recently and consider removing anything newly added. You could then also ask your carrier to perform a reset on your account, and you should completely shut your phone down and then power it back up before using it as normal. Lastly, in the mobile phone space, consider Setting up a Recovery Contact if on an iPhone.
Moving on, other things to consider would be setting up a credit freeze. This should be done for Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. There are a few ways to do this, but at least review this site on USA.gov. Check out Weekly Wheaties #2509 on services available that can do this for you, along with offering other features to keep your personal information private. There are other alerts you could set up based on accounts you have (fraud, identity theft, insurance, utilities, etc) - but monitoring for any aftermath can help issues escalate.
Once you have completed those steps and everything has cooled down a bit, go back to the start and verify that every one of your accounts has MFA turned on. While you’re checking each account, add your login information to a Password Manager. You can use a free one, but I think Bitwarden is worth paying for. As far as which Authenticator app to use, that’s up to you. There are a few popular (and secure) ones for all types of devices. Consider one of these:
While an authenticator app is an extra (and possibly more difficult) step in the process, it is exponentially more secure. However, be careful when installing this app and connecting accounts. In some cases, if you lose access to this app, you could be locked out of the given account connected. I suggest considering adding Authentication on two devices if able, or at least storing the QR codes to connect your accounts in a secure but accessible location.
As aggravating as password managers and authenticator apps can be, remember - they are they to help you stay secure online. On the spectrum of online safety, there are two extremes. There are some of you who use the same password for everything. This is obviously not the best plan of action. However, on the other end of the spectrum, I know someone who (on their most private accounts) resets their password to something ridiculously long and secure every time they log in to their account (and doesn’t save it anywhere). This can obviously become an extreme hassle and make things more difficult than they need to be, and arguably even less secure since probably receiving an email for a reset link.
What other steps should be taken when any of your accounts have been compromised?
🗞️ ICYMI: AI Updates
OpenAI launched apps inside of ChatGPT to allow them to connect other apps to (or within) ChatGPT. They also launched AgentKit to help developers build and ship AI agents. Their competitor, Google, launched the Opal Experiment to Build, edit, and share AI mini-apps using natural language.
While there are many updates happening across the slew of AI apps, consider reading The A.I. Prompt That Could End the World from The New York Times. As AI evolves and grows, so do the potential repercussions. If you really want to dive deep, check out 12 Last Steps, “Twelve irreversible steps that mark the end of human autonomy. Not theory. Not speculation. A sequence already in motion.”
With all of that top of mind, maybe you’re still bouncing back and forth between a few AI chatbots? One I’ve mentioned before - Perplexity AI - acts as one central chat hub to access multiple models (ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, etc). They inked a deal with PayPal that gives you one free year (worth $240) of Perplexity Pro just for connecting PayPal as a billing method for Perplexity. To take advantage of this deal, sign up at this Perplexity Link for a subscription. Then, after connecting and getting your account set up, simply cancel the subscription. You can always re-subscribe for the $20/month plan if you wish.
🗞️ ICYMI: Electric Vehicle Price Drops
Similar to the AI space, the EV competition is heating up, too. As expected, Tesla Revealed Cheaper Versions of Model Y and Model 3. The kicker is here, it’s essentially the same versions with ‘premium’ features missing (ventilated seats, less power/performance, and other minor luxuries). Early reports all seem to suggest the next trim up is worth the extra cost.
If you are considering an EV and would like to stray from Tesla, check out this YouTube video from MKBHD on The Best Alternatives to Every Tesla. Interestingly, he didn’t mention two other popular models, the best-selling Chevy Equinox EV and the Honda Prologue, with steep discounts.
😎 POTW: The Joy of Reading
Looking for something new to read? A place to visit from what you read? Or perhaps a new library to visit and find a new book to read? How about something to just buy for the shelf?
📦 Featured Product
Sometimes, it’s the simple things that make our days go smoothly. I recently re-organized a tech area, and having some Self-Gripping Cable Ties available work so much easier than standard twist ties, zip ties, or even tape. The two different sizes and color options should work for any situation to help keep your spaces tidy! An extra tip with these velcro-style ties - you can use one to connect a cable to another very easily.
