Tuesday is my personal, security review day. It’s when I take a step back from my laptop and look at how well I’m protecting my work, my family’s information, and my clients’ information. Everything was looking pretty good as I went through my checklist (contact me through Monozukuri Arts & Technology for a free copy of this).
- antivirus and anti-malware systems are running
- network settings are as secure as possible
- virtual private network (VPN) is connected and not leaking information
- web browser is configured properly for best security and privacy
- laptop operating system and software are fully up-to-date with the best upgrades, updates, and patches
- and so on, until…
I opened the Bluetooth settings on my laptop and my phone. Scanning the local area for Bluetooth devices, I found, “Jeffrey Kaye’s Mouse” and “Jeffrey Kaye’s Keyboard”. Why care about this? People in the area can assume that someone named Jeffrey Kaye is nearby. I don’t normally walk into rooms telling everyone my name and I don’t like my computer accessories doing it for me. Worse, anyone can target me based on knowing my name.
There’s a simple fix on Mac and Windows. Just open the Bluetooth settings and rename your devices. I’ve already done this on my computers and phone. I was shocked that I missed my accessories. Thus is the path of continuous improvement. There’s always a way to get better.
- Renaming devices via Apple Bluetooth – https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205348
- Renaming devices in Windows 10 – https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-hardware-winpc/change-the-name-of-paired-bluetooth-devices/5ed2a2c9-ffd5-4ca5-93c9-9e7b1c524768