New MacBook Air

Apple Bytes: 

The Most Popular Mac Now Has Twice the Storage, the
New Magic Keyboard and Up to 2x Faster Performance

Apple yesterday (3-18-20) updated MacBook Air, the world’s most loved notebook, with faster performance, the new Magic Keyboard, twice the storage and a new lower price of $999. The new MacBook Air delivers up to two times faster CPU performance and up to 80 percent faster graphics performance, letting customers breeze through daily activities and play more games.

Now starting with 256GB of storage, MacBook Air allows customers to store even more movies, photos and files. With its brilliant 13-inch Retina display for vivid images and sharp text, Touch ID for easy login and secure online purchases, spacious trackpad, and all-day battery life combined with the power of macOS Catalina, it’s the best MacBook Air ever made.

Mac mini Also Updated Today

Whether they are using it as a desktop computer, a music and movie storage hub for the family, or as a code compile server for Xcode, customers love Mac mini. The standard configurations of Mac mini now come with double the storage capacity. The $799 configuration now comes standard with 256GB and every Mac mini is made from 100 percent recycled aluminum.

Read the entire news release > HERE.

NOTICE:

The club meeting scheduled for March 18th will not be held. (ORHA notice below)

Alan Marcus, President
Computer Technology Club, Inc.

March 16, 2020

The Oak Run Homeowners Association, with support from Oak Run Associates, Ltd., announce that it is prudent to cancel all Oak Run indoor activities and close indoor facilities effective Wednesday March 18, 2020 for the next 4 weeks (to be re-evaluated at that time). With the following exceptions:

    • Tuesday, March 17, 2020 the Palm Grove and the Orchid Club will remain open as polling places for the Florida Presidential Primary.

    • The Palm Grove Fitness center will remain open for residents’ use of the fitness equipment.  Please use the disinfectant provided to thoroughly wipe down the equipment before and after usage.  And follow other CDC recommendations (frequent hand washing, using hand sanitizer, maintain safe distance from others, stay home if you are not feeling well.)  Reminder all group exercise programs are cancelled.

    • The Aquatic Club (indoor pool) will remain open for individual activities.  Group activities have been cancelled.  Remember to  shower prior to and after using the pool, wash your hands frequently, maintain a safe distance, stay home if you don’t feel well, use hand sanitizer, etc.

Outdoor facilities will remain available for use, at this time.  Remember to disinfect equipment, wash hands frequently, maintain a safe distance from others, stay home if you don’t feel well, use hand sanitizer, etc.  Also, remember to shower prior to and after use of the pools.

On 3/15/2020, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a recommendation that all in-person gatherings of 50 or more people be cancelled or postponed for the next 8 weeks. On 3/16/2020, President Trump recommended that number be lowered from 50 to 10. Your ORHA Board of Directors feel it is in the publics’ best interest to cancel group activities.

We understand that card games, table games, ceramics, dancing, billiards, crafts, dinners, table tennis, just to name a few, are important aspects of our life here in Oak Run.  We did not arrive at the decision to cancel all these activities, and more, lightly. We do so out of caution and determination.

Thank you for your understanding and patience.  We wish our fellow Oak Runners the best of health.

Stay safe, be healthy.

Carol Kines, President,  ORHA Board of Directors

Emergency Windows 10 Critical Security Update

March 13, 2020

Just days after the monthly Patch Tuesday swathe of Windows security updates was released, Microsoft has issued an emergency "out of band" update for Windows 10 users in response to the leaking of a critical vulnerability.

Microsoft has urged Windows 10 users to "take action" as the out of band security update for CVE-2020-0796 is released. A critical vulnerability, named as SMBGhost or EternalDarkness by various security vendors, that is both wormable and affects the Server Message Block (SMB) network communications protocol. Yes, the protocol that enables shared access to your files and printers as well as serial ports. And, yes, the same SMB protocol that was exploited by the NSA-developed EternalBlue to such devastating effect during the WannaCry attacks in 2017.

Kieran Roberts, head of penetration testing at Bulletproof, said at the time of the leak that "SMB is the protocol used for sharing files, this is the same protocol that was vulnerable to the EternalBlue (CVE-2017-0144) exploit back which was weaponized into the WannaCry ransomware. It appears that this new vulnerability has several of the same hallmarks as EternalBlue. This means that this new vulnerability could result in a resurgence of ransomware attacks such as WannaCry and NotPetya, which both used the very similar EternalBlue exploit."

The reason that SMBGhost was disclosed would seem to be a miscommunication in the patching and disclosure process that led to some vendors thinking CVE-2020-0796 would have a fix included in the Patch Tuesday updates. They then accidentally published details of it in their update round-up blogs. Although those disclosures were quickly removed, details rapidly spread across social media, especially within the online Infosecurity community.

As was reported on March 11, the vulnerability sits in the SMB 3.0 network communication protocol, and if successfully exploited by an attacker could enable remote and arbitrary code execution and potentially take control of the system. Microsoft said that it had not yet "observed an attack exploiting this vulnerability," but recommended that users "apply this update to your affected devices with priority." There have, however, already been proof-of-concept exploits developed by security researchers. Which likely means it is only a matter of time, a very short period of time at that, before unpatched systems start being exploited by attackers.

The good news for Windows 10 users is, assuming you have automatic updates enabled, no further action will be required as the system will apply the patch to protect against any exploit of this critical vulnerability. However, if automatic updates are disabled, then you will need to update manually and as soon as possible. Microsoft said that it's important to note that the KB4551762 update needs to be applied even if you installed the Patch Tuesday updates.

Likewise, if you implemented the workaround measures to disable SMBv3 compression in Microsoft Security Advisory ADV200005, you still need to install this out of band update. If you cannot apply the update, then that workaround is still recommended for organization admins who should also block TCP port 445 at the network perimeter. Everyone else should use Windows Update to check for updates and kick-start the installation process if required or download the KB4551762 update patch directly from the Microsoft update catalog.

The following versions of Windows 10 are impacted by this vulnerability:

• Windows 10 Version 1903 for 32-bit Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1903 for ARM64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1903 for x64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1909 for 32-bit Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1909 for ARM64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1909 for x64-based Systems

Credit: forbes.com

Apple Watch Help and How-To

Apple Bytes: 

Below are links to help you get the most out of your Apple Watch.

Apple Watch Users Guide > HERE

Apple Watch Support > HERE

• Set up your Apple Watch
   
• Update your Apple Watch
   
• Watch won't charge or turn on
   
• Watch isn't paired with iPhone
   
• Activate cellular on your Watch
   
• Set up heart notifications
   
• Take an ECG
   
• Track important health information
   
• Stay fit with Apple Watch
   
• Stay connected with Apple Watch
   
• How to install Watch apps
   
• See how Always On works
   
• Learn about the Compass app
   
• Using the Activity app
   
• Set up fall detection 
   
• Using emergency and safety features

Need help?  oakrunaug@gmail.com

Photo credit: apple.com

Executive Board Minutes

Computer Technology Club, Inc. – Executive Board Minutes
Mar 13, 2020

Alan Marcus, President, called the meeting to order at 9:00AM. Members in attendance: Jim Trimboli, Bob Kenlay, Ron Kenyon, Linda Tingley, Bob Leiner, and Alan Marcus.

Alan Marcus read a letter from Bill Cahill on his health condition.

Secretary’s report read by Bob Kenlay. No corrections or additions necessary.

Jim Trimboli read the Treasurer's Report. The current balance is $1438.04. Jim Trimboli suggested that the CTC give out cash instead of gift cards. It was agreed that the CTC could give cash or cards, whichever is easier for the current month. Jim Trimboli discussed further procedures for volunteers.

Future meeting topics:

Mar 18 - "Resolving Senior Scams" by Doug Hart, Seniors vs. Crime Project
Apr 15 - "How to Play CDs With no CD Player in Your Car" by Nick Burke

The meeting adjourned at 9:30AM.

Respectfully submitted,
Bob Kenlay, Secretary

About Log Out, Sleep, Restart and Shut Down On Your Mac

Apple Bytes: 

You can log out or put your Mac to sleep if you plan to use it later and at any time, you can restart or shut down your Mac.

Log Out
On your Mac, choose Apple menu  > Log Out.

If you don’t want the app windows you currently have open to reopen when you log back in, deselect “Reopen windows when logging back in.”

If your Mac is set up for multiple users, other users can log in after you log out.

Sleep
Choose Apple menu  > Sleep.

Or press and hold the power button until you see the restart, sleep, or shut down dialog, then click Sleep or press S (or use the Touch Bar).

To put a portable Mac to sleep just close the display.

To wake your Mac, press the Space bar, click the mouse or trackpad, or open the display.

For security, you can set an option to require a password after waking your Mac. You may be able to unlock your Mac with your Apple Watch or use Touch ID instead of entering your password.

Restart
Choose Apple menu  > Restart.

Or press and hold the power button until you see options then click Restart or press R (or use the Touch Bar).

If the pointer freezes on the screen or your Mac becomes unresponsive, press and hold Control-Command while you press the power button to force a restart.

Important: If you force a restart, you may lose unsaved changes in open documents.

If you don’t want the app windows you currently have open to reopen when you restart your Mac and sign in, deselect “Reopen windows when logging back in.”

Shut Down
Choose Apple menu  > Shut Down.

Or press and hold the power button until you see the restart, sleep, or shut down dialog, then click Shut Down, or press Return.

If you don’t want the app windows you currently have open to reopen when you restart your Mac and sign in, deselect “Reopen windows when logging back in.”

If your Mac won’t shut down, press and hold the power button for 6 seconds to force a shutdown.

Important: If you force a shutdown, you may lose unsaved changes in open documents.

A Mac is completely shut down when there is a black screen; some computers also don’t show an active power light or have any fan or drive noise.

You may also need to shut down before connecting or unplugging certain peripheral devices. If you are unsure, refer to the documentation that came with the device.

You don’t have to shut down your Mac when connecting or disconnecting cables, such as USB, FireWire, Thunderbolt, telephone, microphone, headphone, or Ethernet.

Important: If you have a portable Mac, wait for it to shut down completely before closing the display. If you close the display while the Mac is shutting down, it may not shut down properly and may start up more slowly the next time you turn it on.

Credit: support.apple.com