Hello to a tech-marvelous Monday, friends! Let’s begin with trivia. Google once offered its employees an unusual perk. Was it ... A.) Their own goat, B.) DNA analysis, C.) Treehouse meetings or D.) A free electric vehicle? You’ll find the answer at the end.

❤️ Hey, you. Yep, you. You like this free newsletter, right? Help support our work by showing today’s partner, RYSE, some love. They’re changing the smart shade biz and wrapping up a new round of investments now. On to the news! — Kim

What if I told you that for just $12, someone could buy your Instagram login? Before you say, “So what, Kim? No big deal,” listen to what happens when your account creds are sold.

Armed with your username and password, that person could (prepare yourself — it’s a long list) read all your messages, spread malware, run a scam, blackmail you, access your Facebook account, use your stored credit cards, extort your friends and family for money, and, of course, lock you out of your account. (And good luck trying to get it back!)

WhizCase compared dark web marketplaces to see how much your online credentials are worth there, and their findings are grim:

• LinkedIn: $45
• Facebook: $14
• Instagram: $12
• Discord: $12
• Snapchat: $11
• X (Twitter): $10
• Pinterest: $9
• TikTok: $8
• Reddit: $6

It doesn’t seem like a lot of money per account until you know just how much damage can be done.

Why is LinkedIn at the top?

Take everything I said someone could do with your Instagram account credentials above and add these to the list.

With your LinkedIn login info, the attacker could impersonate you and contact your connections to spread misinformation or scams, decline job offers, respond inappropriately to messages, manipulate your job-seeking activities, and even launch sophisticated phishing attacks. And if they can access your contacts’ accounts, they can do even more sinister crimes.

Your biggest takeaway

Your online identity is constantly under attack, and it’s cheaper and easier than ever to hack. Now is the time to check your passwords (unique for every site, please!) and turn on two-factor authentication everywhere you can. That way, you get an alert if your account is accessed from a new device.

Action steps? I’ve got your back

Between data breaches, malware and other cyberattacks, your online accounts can’t be 100% safe at all times. But you can take steps to minimize the risks.

• Limit your number of online accounts: The more you have, the more exposed you are to data breaches and the like.
• Check your connections: Check your Google settings for a list of apps that have signed in lately through your account. If you spot anything strange, revoke your third-party app permissions.
• Be wary of links or attachments in texts or emails: Especially those with urgent warnings to change your password. It's a classic scam tactic.
• Modernize your credentials: Most browsers have built-in password managers, or you can upgrade to passkeys to use your fingerprint or Face ID to sign in.
• Stay vigilant: Want to find out if you’re a data breach victim at this very moment? Here's one option — and another.

💌 If you can’t do all this right now, use that email icon below to send this article to yourself (or a loved one). This way, you can easily save the steps for later. Heck, you can even print it, if you’d like.

Speaking of … I was once in a band called “Dark Web.” We were always on Tor. (Yeah, bad geek humor there!)

For startups like Ring, Nest and iRobot, securing large-scale distribution channels was pivotal to company growth and, ultimately, billion-dollar exits.

RYSE just secured distribution in Best Buy, and their product is being rolled out in 100+ locations across the country. It’s a game-changer for RYSE and the entire smart shades industry. No one else in the smart shade industry has gained mass adoption. It took a disruptor like RYSE to make smart shades affordable and easy to buy.

You still have a chance to invest in their groundbreaking patent-protected tech that’s powered by AI.

Def a head shaker: A Chicago woman's car was stolen from her driveway with her 2-year-old son in the backseat. Police called Volkswagen's Car-Net service to track it. The subscription had expired — so the customer service rep said, "Can’t help you. You need to pay $150 first." The kiddo was luckily found later that day, but the family is suing VW for delaying the investigation. I bet they win.

💈 3D print a new hairline: Amazing news for my bald readers who want luscious locks. Scientists successfully embedded 3D-printed hair follicles into human skin for the first time. They don't last long enough for hair shafts to develop yet, so in the meantime, embrace the shaved-head look.

Health care vs. malware: Hackers took control of popular remote desktop app ScreenConnect. They're using it to infect health care companies with malware. Outcomes One, which owns ScreenConnect, hasn't posted anything online about the hack yet — even though it began last month. PSA: If you use ScreenConnect, stop.

Small-biz owners, pay attention: Third-party tracking cookies are on their way out in 2024, and I bet most small businesses aren’t ready for what that means. Read up so your revs don't nosedive.

🤖 AI avatars: Microsoft’s Azure AI Speech is cooking up photorealistic avatars and voices — but also stirring deepfake worries. Anyone can script avatars from preloaded options or clone appearances and speech from uploaded footage. Microsoft says no, nothing to worry about here.

🔒 2023's worst passwords, according to NordPass: Surprise, surprise, "123456" and "password" top the list. To amp up security, mix uppercase and lowercase letters with symbols and numbers. Stop reusing passwords or think about moving to a password manager. My pick is Roboform* — save 50% now.

Who EU kidding? Microsoft is sprucing up Windows 11 to give folks in Europe more choice — and to comply with tighter European privacy regulations. With the EU updates, Windows 11 users there can finally remove Edge and Bing from their PCs. OK, when can this come to the U.S.?

🧠 AI will read your mind: Imagine gadgets directly tuning in to your thoughts. Well, brain-computer interfaces and wearables with sensors that can do just that are on their way. Their makers say they’ll elevate users’ focus, prevent accidents and reshape communication. But, uh, what about all the private things we think? If it doesn’t work, is it tele-pathetic?

Instead of giving holiday guests your Wi‑Fi password, post a QR code they can scan with their phones. It’s a secure shortcut with your password hidden inside. This is one of my best tips — seriously!

QIFI.org is a free online QR code generator for Wi‑Fi access that works with Apple and Android. You need three pieces of info to use it:

1. Look at the back of your modem for the SSID. It might be shown as “Wi‑Fi Network Name (SSID).” It’ll be about a dozen numbers and letters; type those where it says “SSID” on QIFI’s Code Generator page.
2. Choose your secure network type; the site defaults to WPA/WPA2/WPA3, but you may have WEP. (Really bad news if you do — get a new router.) If you don’t know, ask your internet provider or your home’s resident geek.
3. And, lastly, type in your router’s security key password.

☕ Print your unique code, and all you and your guests will need to do is scan it to join the network. Smart idea to use at your home or if you run a coffee shop or another biz with Wi‑Fi access!

😂 My urologist friend, Tom, named his Wi‑Fi, “It hurts when IP.” So funny, right?

Every morning, brush your teeth to my Daily Tech Update. You get fresh breath and fresh tech know-how in a minute.

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1️⃣ Just one: That’s all. When you get done reading today’s newsletter, forward it to one person and tell them to subscribe. It’s the best way for me to grow, getting more subscribers. Thank you!

🍽️ Holiday meal planner: Check out Samsung Food, formerly Whisk, for ideas. Look through 160,000 recipes, bookmark your finds and browse step-by-step culinary guides. Next, I’m sure it’ll tell you what you can make with the food in your Samsung fridge.

Alt + Tab: A Windows keyboard shortcut the pros know. Press those keys to cycle through all your open programs quickly. On a Mac, it’s Cmd + Tab.

Copy that: Before you share a Google Doc, make a copy. Rename it (by default, it’ll be called “Copy of” and your original file name) and share that. If you don’t, anyone with access to the original doc can review all your edits, changes and versions. Hit File > Make a copy. Reverse this idea to see someone else’s edits and changes.

🛍️ $200 gift card: From Nov. 24 to 27, snag an Apple gift card for up to $200 if you buy an iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch, HomePod or Beats headphones. Hurry, I bet these will go quickly. Btw, the deal is only good on Apple’s website, and I don’t get a penny if you take advantage of it, sadly.

Unless the line is full of Barbies — you know, a Barbie‑cue.

The answer: B.) DNA analysis. Yep, Google offered employees free DNA tests from 23andMe, a company co-founded by Anne Wojcicki, who was married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Doesn’t that seem crazy? I mean, your employer (Google) would know everything about you — health risks, inherited conditions, behavioral traits and a lot more.

✨ Be sure to click the link to check out today’s sponsor, RYSE. Rate this issue below and drop me a note if you want to see anything in a future newsletter. Thanks for being you! — Kim