Thursday, November 10, 2022 – Q&A: Can I safely find out what’s on an unfamiliar thumb drive? – How to quickly lock down ALL of Windows 10’s privacy settings

Q&A: Can I safely find out what’s on an unfamiliar thumb drive?

Question from Archie: I received a USB thumb drive in the mail. There was nothing else in the envelope, just the drive.

And there was no return address on the envelope either, just mine.

I know I shouldn’t be, but I’m really intrigued about what could be on that drive.

Do you know of a safe way to check its contents without having to risk a virus infection?

Like I said, I’m really curious, but I don’t want to trash my computer just to find out.

Rick’s answer:  Archie, it’s only natural to be curious about what might be on a flash drive that just shows up in your mailbox.

But truth be told, your concern about the possibility of it being laden with malware is extremely valid.

I know you’d rather hear a different answer, but there really is no safe way to check the contents of that drive.

My advice is to just deep-six it and then forget about it.

Someone sent that drive to you for a reason, and the odds of them doing it with good intentions are pretty much nil.

The latest from Rick’s Daily Tips Tech Blog…

• How to quickly lock down ALL of Windows 10’s privacy settings

Windows 10 has dozens of privacy settings, and they are scattered in all kinds of different places. This awesome tool puts them all in one place.

• Why the best protection against malware is you

The answer could well be yes.

• Click here to see today’s ‘Picture of the Day’.

Every morning I post a new photo that I find inspiring, intriguing, or just plain beautiful to look at. Jumpstart your day by checking it out.

Rick’s Daily Pick…

Faracent USB-C 6-Foot Extension Cable (#ad)

Is the USB-C cable on one of your devices just too short? If so, you can make it 6 feet longer with this handy extension cable.

Today’s post from ‘My Daily Smile’…

Tidal Wave vs. Tsunami: How are they different?

Many folks think they are one and the same. They aren’t.

Tech news that caught my eye…

• New malware steals your Outlook, Thunderbird accounts

• Meta is laying off 11,000 employees

• Microsoft is going to clamp down on OneDrive data caps

• Support for storing your ID in Apple Wallet finally expands to another US state

• Instagram fraudster sentenced to 11 years in prison

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Thanks so much, and have an amazing day.

Your tech buddy,

Rick Rouse
https://www.ricksdailytips.com