Cyber Hacking Group “DarkSide” Halts Top US Gas Pipeline
Colonial Pipeline, operator of a pipeline stretching 5,500 miles, was forced to shut down after a ransomware attack in early May. In a disturbing example of the vulnerability of the United States’ energy infrastructure, 45 percent of the East Coast’s fuel supplies were suddenly halted in an effort to contain the assault. Since the early… Read more
Yahoo Answers Is Gone Forever
Yahoo published a press release explaining that their “Answers” service is permanently shut down. “Once a key part of Yahoo’s products and services, it has declined in popularity over the years as the needs of our members have changed,” said the release. The site is no longer accessible as of May 4, 2021, but those… Read more
Why You Should Consider Using a Password Manager
Password managers are an essential tool in 2021. Most websites require a username and password to log in or use their services. The human brain cannot possibly keep up with dozens of different combinations. To sidestep this issue, some people use basic passwords like “123456789” or “thisismypassword” or even integrate pet, family member names, or… Read more
What Is 5G and How Does It Differ from Wi-Fi
What Is 5G and How Does It Differ from Wi-Fi After nearly a decade in the making, 5G is now a reality. Select cities throughout the United States received 5G mobile internet access a few years ago, and now, it’s readily available depending on your phone plan. The fifth generation of mobile broadband, 5G, will… Read more
CPS Wins the 2021 Best of Brighton Award for Computer Repair Service
Creative Programs and Systems has won the Best of Brighton Award in the Computer Repair Service category for the tenth year in a row! The award program was created to honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of businesses and organizations in and around Brighton, Michigan. The mission is to raise… Read more
How to Use Microsoft Office for Free
Microsoft Office is usually a necessity for most people, yet the suite isn’t exactly considered budget-friendly. Subscriptions are between $7 a month or $70 annually, and stand-alone versions of the set start at $150. Despite the fee, there are (thankfully) ways to use the software for free. Without using the professional version that has all… Read more
Data Shows Information Technology Jobs Grow, Showing Recovery
In January, the United States economy struggled, adding only 49,000 jobs overall. Despite the low number of total jobs, the past two months saw 55,000 new Information Technology (IT) employment, revised from the 18,000, which was initially reported according to research from Janco Associates, Inc. Compared to January 2020, total U.S. IT jobs have decreased… Read more
PC Sales See Biggest Upswing in Ten Years
Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home and shelter-in-place orders have driven Personal Computer (PC) sales to the highest rate in a decade. IDC, a PC company, said global shipments of PCs in 2020 reached 302.6 million devices, a 13 percent increase from 2019. The jump was the largest annual gain since 2010, with… Read more
Computer Scientists Say Super-Intelligent Machines Could Be Uncontrollable
Theoretically, it is impossible for humans to control a super-intelligent Artificial Intelligence (AI) machine. It is also nearly impossible to detect when such an AI is created. In 2015, Google developed AI software that was able to play – and regularly win – classic arcade games. Their findings were detailed in the journal Nature. In… Read more
Quantum Teleportation Achieves 90% Accuracy Over 27 Miles
Today’s internet is a hacker’s dream: from vulnerable communication links and incompetently secured cloud data, weaknesses are everywhere. Quantum physicists are looking to construct quantum networks in substantial full-blown glory where information is created, stored, and moved around in ways hackers could never replicate or trace. If implemented, these networks could rise to fruition with… Read more