Cars, Security and a Peek into my Life
For when I’m taking heat for being into cars, “you? Really? But you’re so… blonde.”
Why?
Because that model year doesn’t exist. It jumped from 2015 to 2017.
LOL, yup.
Take it if you like it.
Blog tag = 2017 Audi R8
It was a busy Monday, Car Swap Day always is. Today’s was 190 km.
Me right now.
I’m scrolling my phone’s photostream, and it’s beautiful.
Here’s some highlights from upcoming posts.
Said goodbye to Mazda, been with them the last 2 weeks. It was my first time testing a 2016 Mazda3, quite liked it.
Here’s its interior – ergonomic, quality finishings and materials, and especially like how the dash feels.
Two-tone interiors always photograph well, but I’ve never been sold on their real-world practicality.
And this 2016 Chevy Tahoe.
A long-time Top 5 Favourite Vehicle , and after this week, debating altering my Top 3…
It’s just so fashionably-funtionable.
See the button that activates the coolest feature ever? Exactly.
There’s a post about DAB radio.
Learning about auto security by passively testing Ford’s all-new Sync3 infotainment system (results are positive.)
And I still haven’t told you about helping to break in a 2016 Porsche Cayman GT4.
There’s a bunch of little posts about it, but ya.
That was weeks ago.
As was the launch of the all-new 2016 Honda Civic. It will start arriving in showrooms around now.
Short review – the Civic will remain Canada’s best-selling-car for the 18th consecutive year, this all-new model is lights out great.
Like how the styling received some needed aggression.
Plus the photos are all #NoFilter
Then there’s this upcoming post… oh guys, wait till you see what car adventure happened this time.
Ya I did.
Look closely at the exhaust…
… it’s a 2017 Pre-Production German-Spec Audi R8 V10.
Tracked it at Mosport.
A Multi-Staged Attack – usually a phishing email, followed up by a phone call.
It works because like Michele says…
A call will come in, and a stranger will have a believable story that relies on the email they sent you.
What they’re asking of you won’t seem like a big a deal… maybe they’re seeking a little piece of information, or for you to perform a seemingly mundane task on their behalf.
The call will have a sense of urgency, a realistic reason why they need you to do something ASAP. It will seem logical.
The attacker will be slick with words, and you’ll start to feel like helping them
“People don’t want to be rude, it’s a social faux pas. This attack exploits our natural instinct to be helpful” says Michele.
– don’t click any links in the email they’re referring to
– ask yourself if the call is coming from an expected source?
– be the outgoing call
– buy yourself time. Say something like, “I’d happy to help, but you caught me in the middle of something. Let me finish it and I’ll call you right back, what’s your number?”
Did this for years back in the early days of the internet – not for nefarious reasons, but for sales. It was amazing how many strangers would take my call.
Chain of Events
Search for companies who would benefit from buying advertising on my site > copy/paste sales email that concludes with, “I’ll followup with you in a couple days” > send, then wait 2 days > phone them, “Hi it’s Keri, I’m calling to followup on the email I sent, sure I’ll hold for the manager thanks” > close sale
This has been Part 3/3 in a series with Michele Fincher of Social Engineer, Inc., a premier consulting and training company which specializes in the art and science of social engineering (SE.)
Meet Michele here
Blog tag = social engineering (25)
Each year Jeep creates a collection of concept vehicles to showcase its skills, and the Mopar and Jeep Performance Parts that are available to buy.
For 2015, Jeep produced 7 concepts. They were then driven on the 49th Easter Jeep Safari, an annual week-long off-road adventure through the rugged trails of Moab, Utah.
Of the 7, these are my 2 favourites. Both are manual!
A nod back to the 1970s full-size Jeep Cherokee, with a surfer twist.
Powered by a 3.6 L Pentastar V6 engine, paired to a 6-speed manual transmission.
Bet this Chief would sell like crazy.
And people would lose their minds over the tiki-guy gearshift knob.
A salute to Jeep’s military service vehicles.
That this one is my favourite should surprise no one.
Same engine as the Chief – a 3.6 L Pentastar V6, paired to a 6-speed manual transmission.
Looks old, but is all-new.
Spotted in Utah while I was there off-roading the 2015 Jeep Cherokee.
I don’t like most new auto technology – I think it encourages lazy, distracted driving – but HUD, oh I am SO into HUD.
HUD – Heads-Up Display – a holographic technology used to communicate information directly into the driver’s field of vision.
There’s 2 types of HUD. Both are visible in direct sunlight… somehow. It’s kind’ve amazing.
The image is projected through a lens in the windshield, making it appear like it’s floating above the hood directly in the driver’s vision.
Use the hard buttons to customize that image. As seen above – display the current radio station, which direction the vehicle is travelling, the posted speed limit, what the cruise control is set at, and navigation instructions appear here too.
2/6 of my last press cars had HUD.
This 2016 Cadillac Escalade.
While HUD was once reserved for luxury vehicles, some automakers are bringing it down to entry-level cars, like the 2016 Mazda3.
The image is projected onto a screen located just below the driver’s field of vision. While still effective, usually this type isn’t as customizable as the projection HUD.
The added bonus though, is when the car is turned on the screen rises dramatically from the dash, like a fighter jet video game.
Mazda calls it which Active Driving Display.
Found on the 2016 Mazda3 GT (top trim.)
Learn more in my column – HUDs are Good
