Ctrl blog

Microsoft has not stopped forcing Edge on Windows 11 users

2023-09-10T22:12:00Z

Microsoft published a blog post on the Windows Insider Blog in late August with a vague statement saying that “Windows system components“ were to begin respecting the default web browser setting. Windows 10 and 11 regularly bypass this setting and force-open links in Microsoft Edge instead. In my extensive testing, I haven’t found any changes in the new Windows Insider version.

The trouble with decommissioning a used FIDO security key

2023-08-08T12:56:00Z

Five years ago, I wrote about adopting security keys — small second-factor authentication token devices — to secure some of my most precious online accounts. In that article, I foresaw a future problem and detailed how I planned to mitigate it. The future is now, and I did not heed my own advice. 🤦‍♂️

The deafening problem with the FreeStyle Libre 3 app for Android

2023-05-01T14:11:00Z

I’ve finally begun using the Abbott FreeStyle Libre 3 continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system a year after I first wrote about it. The newer sensor has been a significant upgrade except for a few issues. One of those issues could be damaging to your hearing.

Phone Link relays your personal data through Microsoft servers

2023-04-07T13:43:00Z

The Microsoft Phone Link (formerly known as “Your Phone”) app for Windows, Android, and iOS lets you access parts of your smartphone from within Windows. However, Microsoft has not built the service with your privacy in mind. Instead, the software behemoth relays your personal data through its servers, despite the app only working while your devices are connected to the same local network.

Norway’s BankID undermines anti-phishing best practices

2023-02-05T21:38:00Z

Imagine a privatized nationwide authentication system used to access government services, confirm contracts and online payments, and everything else. Now, imagine that the system was designed to be extra friendly to imitation and credential theft (“phishing”). Here’s everything wrong with Norway’s BankID authentication system.

I’ve joined Vivaldi Technologies

2023-01-01T22:26:00Z

On November 1st, I joined familiar faces from my days at Opera Software and new colleges at Vivaldi Technologies. I joined as a Quality Assurance Tester working on the Vivaldi web browser product for mobile and desktop.

Sync issues finally drove me away from the Joplin note-taking app

2022-11-14T22:15:00Z

My note-taking app of choice for the last three years has been Joplin, an open-source note-taker for Android, Linux, MacOS, and Windows. As I discussed in my app review, the desktop app is good, but the Android app has some issues. In the last year, updates to the app have brought along more issues. I can no longer rely on it, and the time has come for me to migrate away from the Joplin app.

Don’t record your social life on an append-only social network

2022-11-08T22:29:00Z

Secure Scuttlebutt (SSB) is an alternative, self-governed, distributed social network without gatekeepers. You only see updates and mentions from people you follow, so moderation isn’t as much of an issue as on Twitter. However, the technology that powers the platform is ill-suited for sharing things with our ever-changing social circles.

First look at Microsoft PC Manager and its conflicting interests

2022-10-25T15:08:00Z

Microsoft is testing a new app to compete with the many dubious “PC cleaner” software available on the market (like CCleaner and CleanMyMac). However, Microsoft’s new app looks out for the company’s interests before its customers’.

The frustrating RouterOS–WireGuard VPN peering bug

2022-10-21T13:13:00Z

I’ve wanted to move my home virtual private network (VPN) server from a virtual machine onto my physical MikroTik router. I use the VPN to connect back to my home network to reach internal devices and services when I’m out and about. The router runs the RouterOS operating system, which supports WireGuard, a modern VPN protocol. I wasted several afternoons and late evenings but didn’t manage to set it up. It would turn out that a bug caused all my hardship in the MikroTik web configuration interface.

TP-Link network equipment hijacks some DNS requests

2022-10-15T12:23:00Z

TP-Link network products — including Wi-Fi routers, repeaters, and access points (AP) — use deep packet inspection (DPI) to intercept specific domain name system (DNS) requests. Each product looks for one or two domain names and will hijack the request to issue a local response containing its own internet protocol (IP) address.

I miss del.icio.us – the web’s discovery-engine and link classifier

2022-10-10T10:34:00Z

Delicious (stylized after its domain del.icio.us) was a social bookmarking website. It might not sound all that interesting, but it was one of the best websites in the early 2000s. Here’s why I miss this defunct website so much.

A Sony Headphones app feature kills your phone’s battery life

2022-10-09T12:20:00Z

I recently bought a pair of Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones. Many of the headphone’s capabilities are unlocked using the Sony Headphones Connect (SHC) companion app. Unfortunately, the SHC app slashes hours off my phone’s battery life. Here’s what the app did wrong and how to rein in its energy consumption.