Billions Of Passwords Leaked, Time To Change Yours?

Billions of passwords leaked is not a headline you want to see to start your day. One of the biggest, time crunching  headaches is having to change your credit or debit card.

Maybe there's an old vender account that you don't use anymore that's trying to take a monthly payment. Or maybe it's one of those questionable "malware services" that claims your computer is hacked, and giving $110.99 will solve it instantly. Today, cyber security for companies is as important as the product they sell, maybe more.

The biggest threat we may have during these modern times is Cyber Theft. I recently heard of one small city radio company that was hacked, and blackmailed. The cyber crooks hacked into the radio station and corrupted all of the stations recorded music and commercial wav files. So what did that mean? They could not play music or commercials. It was a disaster. You see, everything we do now, is on a server. Radio stations really don't have CD's anymore! Sure, we have two CD's of backup music just in case of an event where ALL of our systems, and redundant systems go down. But what about that poor little radio station that got hacked? Did they have backup, and a security? They did not. Having redundant and back up systems are VERY expensive. That little radio company did not, and they paid the price.

According to a report from Cyber News, billions of passwords have been leaked:

Billions of user records, combinations of usernames and passwords compromised in earlier data breaches, were left unprotected in an online database, available to anyone who knew where to look. 

Apparently, a digital risk protection firm called DarkBeam, who was simply doing their job, collecting credentials stolen in data breaches, to notify individuals affected, had a weak firewall. SO all of that data was exposed.

NOW, there is NO indication that bad actors found those passwords. But it maybe a good time to review your security at home, to make sure you are safe.

I use a backup cloud based service called Backblaze. For a very reasonable monthly fee, they back up all of your devices on a cloud, that automatically backs up your stuff in the background while you work.

You can hear Jaybeau each weekday afternoon on 1057 WROR, 80's and More Variety!

Government Shutdown?

Have you ever wondered what happens when the US federal government shuts down? Well, it might just happen this weekend.

And it's not just a matter of politicians bickering; it affects real people and real services.

First, government agencies stop in their tracks. That means no more national parks, no more passport processing, and no more small business loans. It's like hitting the pause button on essential services.

Government employees feel the hit too. When the government shuts down, hundreds of thousands of federal workers go on furlough. This means they're on unpaid leave until the government gets its act together. Bills still need to be paid, and groceries don't magically appear on the table.

The impact isn't limited to government employees. Small businesses that rely on government contracts can struggle. The economy takes a hit as consumer confidence drops and stock markets get jittery.

National security doesn't take a break. However, a government shutdown can strain security agencies. They may have to operate with limited resources, making it harder to keep the nation safe.

All this chaos happens because of political deadlock. When Congress can't agree on a budget, or the president and Congress can't see eye-to-eye, it leads to a shutdown. It's like a giant game of political ping-pong, and the ball is the federal budget.

People get frustrated when their government isn't functioning. National parks are closed, tax refunds might be delayed, and immigration services slow down. It's a recipe for public anger.

The good news is that government shutdowns don't last forever. Eventually, politicians find common ground and pass a budget to get things moving again.

In the end, a government shutdown is a complicated mess that affects everyone in the country

More than 125,000 people in Massachusetts could see cuts in WIC. (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.) The program serves about half of babies born in the nation, according to the White House. It wouldn't be immediate, because state funds could support the program, but if the shutdown lasts, there aren't any guarantees.

The White House  said about 10,000 children would lose childcare starting in October as a result of disruptions to programs like Head Start. And for those who rely on this childcare, it could cause a lot of chaos.

People who receive food stamps under the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program, or SNAP, would continue to receive benefits through October, CNN reported, but what happens after that is less clear, according to the Agriculture Department, which administers the program

SNAP funding problems could limit the ability of food banks to place new or and fulfill existing delivery orders.

"Federal reimbursements to Meals on Wheels programs could also be delayed, and some community-based services could have to suspend meal services, reduce the number of meals they deliver, limit hours or shut down altogether," program officials told CNN.

More than 1 million people in Massachusetts received SNAP benefits in fiscal year 2022, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

People won’t be able to visit Smithsonian museums or national parks during the shutdown.  Massachusetts does not have any national parks, and the Cape Cod National Seashore ended its fee season on Sept. 17.

The state does have several National Historic Parks, like the John F. Kennedy house in Brookline, John Adams house in Quincy and Lowell's textile mills. Those hours might be affected by a shut down.

More than 24,500 federal employees live in Massachusetts, according to the Congressional Research Service. Across New England, nearly 61,000 workers could be affected, WBUR reported.