Cautionary Tales of Technological Slip-ups - Part Three

A warning against using poor-quality chargers and cables

Many retail shops and markets, as well as e-commerce sites, sell all kinds of charging cables and connectors, as well as power adapters (chargers), and other TV connectors such as HDMI or DisplayPort, network cables, or even USB-C cables. But these connectors and chargers are often from unknown manufacturers, giving shameful results and possibly causing damage to devices and phones. Therefore it is very important to buy from reputable companies that have weight in the foundations of manufacturing and care about quality and the standards of cables and chargers. As is well known, every connector has international standards and versions that differ in their quality and performance. Among the best and most important companies in this field is 'UGREEN,' then 'Belkin,' 'Sony,' 'Samsung,' 'Anker,' 'Huawei,' and 'RAVPower.' Each type of cable and charger has modern categories that we will address next time.

A warning against not covering the computer camera

It is no secret to many that there is never a completely secure system, whether Windows, Mac, or others, and that there is always a possibility, even if a fraction of a percent, that the computer could be hacked or the front camera opened by mistake, and you may not be in a state that allows you to appear in front of the camera. Therefore everyone should cover the cameras by any means. There is a sticker designed for cameras that opens in a nice and practical way.

A warning against not saving files with their latest edits

Many regret when something happens that closes the Office application in which they had been working on editing content, whether a letter, a circular, a research paper, or even a data table or a slideshow. One of the most annoying situations is when your effort goes to waste due to a sudden closure without saving the updates. Therefore it is best to use the automatic save mechanism, which must be enabled in Office programs, or to use services similar to Office from Google, which is one of the best options that enables you to continue writing across various devices with ease and saves all edits and updates instantly, with the ability for anyone to participate directly in shared writing, editing, or supervision. These features also exist from Microsoft, but they are paid through an annual subscription under the name Microsoft 365.

A warning against using cracked Windows and protection programs

Some may take lightly the use of a cracked version of Windows or protection programs (antivirus) or even a 'cracked' Office version. These programs are at the core of your device, and using 'crack' tools, which often contain viruses, spyware, and hacking software, is among the worst actions. You can buy original licenses from various electronic stores at nominal prices, and dispense with such bad practices whose harm is often greater than their benefit.

A warning against the sole technology employee

Some get entangled in many problems that may never be resolved because of an action that could have been avoided, even if it cost an additional sum. They bring in people they contract with to install systems, programs, and electronic services without the slightest documentation of the detailed procedures they carried out, recording passwords and their recovery methods and the email used in these methods, and drawing detailed diagrams. This is a great disaster from which many have suffered severe harm and incurred large losses due to this negligence. This worker may be an employee in the organization itself, but due to their absence through an accident, illness, dispute, or resignation, the organization loses complete control over its data and services. We have thousands of such cases.

A warning against not raising employees' technical and security awareness periodically

An environment that is periodically educated on the best ways to use technology and the principles of information security is among the most efficient and most productive environments, the least in need of technical support, and the least taxing on information security and technical support staff. Awareness must be continuous by all means: by email, courses, webinars (lectures over the internet), publications, and illustrated booklets.

A warning against not trying new technologies

It is human nature to use what one is accustomed to, and many do not like to change this routine for fear of not knowing how to use the new thing, or a belief that what they have is the best, or that their way is the optimal one and there is none better, or other reasons. But were it not for God's enabling and then the adventurers, discoveries would not have appeared, we would not have been able to reach space, nor would we have developed the desert. It is wonderful to try everything new as much as possible and to always strive to use the best and most suitable of it.

A warning against using electronic signatures from weak programs

The electronic signature has become a pressing need for everyone in this period, and it is an ideal and very practical solution that eliminates the difference of time and place and enables those authorized to sign from any place and any device. The biggest observation is the use of weak applications and means that paste an image of the signature onto the file, and this is among the worst things, and unfortunately the most widespread. Among the best means is using the UAEpass digital identity application for electronic signing, as well as the 'Circular' system, which attaches the imaged signature and a digital certificate to the page that disappears in the event of an attempt to tamper with it. These services are available within the country, which lends more security and higher credibility than others.

Engineer Ahmed Al Zarooni

Al Roeya UAE newspaper