Michael Thompson-Brown

Cybersecurity Expert

Michael Thompson-Brown is a Cybersecurity Expert based in Portland, Maine. He is the owner and founder of PCRescue!, a company that provides cybersecurity and data management solutions to small businesses and individuals. Michael has over 25 years of experience in the IT industry and is a certified ethical hacker. He founded PCRescue! in 2002, and is passionate about helping clients both protect their data and systems from malicious attacks, and optimize their online presence and reach.

Education

  • Western Governor's University, MS, Cybersecurity and Information Assurance
  • University of Phoenix, BA, Business Administration

Certifications & Organizations

  • Master of Science, Cybersecurity and Information Assurance (MSCIA)
  • Certified Ethical Hacker Certification (CEH)
  • Association of Computer Repair Business Owners (ACRBO)

Favorite Piece of Advice

Use a unique passphrase for your email and protect it like it is gold. Back up your devices locally and remotely. No legitimate company sends an alert that you have a virus, and they will help if you call them.

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Co-authored Articles (32)

2 Easy Ways to Activate a Windows Product Key

This How.com.vn teaches you how to enter your Windows product key and activate Windows on your computer. Product activation tells Microsoft's servers that you have purchased a legitimate license.. 06 March 2024. On Windows ...

How to

Fix Windows 10 when It Is Very Slow and Unresponsive

Is Windows 10 lagging or failing to respond at all on your computer? There are lots of fixes for your computer running slow or laggy. This How.com.vn article will show you how to fix Windows 10 when it is slow and unrespons...

How to Move the Start Menu Back to the Left in Windows 11

If you don't like that the Windows 11 Start button moved to the center of the taskbar, you're in luck—you can move the Start menu and other app icons back to the left corner in a few quick steps. And while it's no long...

How to Install Puppy Linux on a USB Drive or PC

Run a lightweight version of Linux without the commitment Do you want to try Linux without committing to a full installation? Unlike other Linux distributions, Puppy Linux doesn't require a full installation—it can boo...

How to Start Windows 10 in Safe Mode (Using the Command Prompt)

If Windows 10 isn't behaving properly, you can boot into Safe Mode to run scans, uninstall software, and access the Command Prompt.. 06 March 2024. Whether you're trying to get to the Command Prompt in Safe Mode or you w...

How to Install Linux on Your Computer

Install Linux as a dual-boot or stand-alone operating system.Do you want to install Linux on your computer? Linux is an open-source computer operating system that has been around since the 90s. Because Linux is open-...

How to

Fix a Cyclic Redundancy Check Error

A step-by-step guide to troubleshooting a cyclic redundancy check error quicklyA cyclic redundancy check (CRC) is a data verification method your computer uses to check the data on your disks (hard disks like your hard d...

How to

Recover a Dead Hard Disk

This How.com.vn teaches you how diagnose and potentially recover a dead or dying hard drive (also known as a hard disk). Keep in mind that following these instructions does not guarantee that you'll be able to recover your ...

How to

Tell if Your Computer Is Infected by a Trojan Horse

A trojan horse is a type of malware that can infect any computer. Trojans find their way onto computers by hiding in software downloads, making them easy to (unintentionally) install. You can also get a trojan horse by v...

Mirroring Your Screen on Windows: Wired and Wireless Options

Project your PC display to a second monitor or projectorThis How.com.vn teaches you how to view your computer's screen on an external display such as a TV, monitor or projector. You can connect your computer to a display vi...

How to

Format a USB to FAT32 on Mac

FAT32 is one of the most commonly used file system formats for USB drives because it is compatible with the widest variety of devices and systems. You can use FAT32 to transfer files between a PC, Mac, Linux, and other ...

What Partition Scheme Should I Use on a Mac?

When you erase and format a disk drive using Disk Utility on macOS, you are asked to choose from one of three partition schemes. You are also asked to choose a format for your hard drive. This How.com.vn article will teach ...

Simple Steps to Install Linux on Your Chromebook

Easy-to-follow steps to enable Linux on ChromebookWith the latest updates to ChromeOS, you can enable Linux in the developer settings. This will create a Linux environment you can use to install Linux apps and run Linux...

How to

Check an IIS Event Log on Windows

This How.com.vn teaches you how to find a list of all the saved log files for IIS (Internet Information Services) events on your computer, and view an event's recorded logs, using Windows.

3 Ways to Access Windows XP with a Blank Administrator Password

Are you locked out of your Windows XP Administrator account? When Windows XP is installed on a PC, the Administrator account is not given a password by default. This means it's incredibly easy to log in to most Windows X...

2 Simple Ways to See an HFS+ Formatted Drive in Windows

Easily browse HFS+ formatted Mac volumes in WindowsBecause Windows can't read Mac-formatted drives, connecting an HFS-formatted drive to a Windows PC will usually prompt you to format it. However, using third-party softw...

How to

Register Internet Download Manager (IDM) on PC or Mac

This How.com.vn teaches you how to register your copy of Internet Download Manager (IDM) with your personal serial number, and start using the full version of the app on your computer.

How to Fix .LNK Extensions in Windows: 6 Easy Methods

If all of your files suddenly have the .lnk extension, you can't open apps by clicking their shortcuts, or you're seeing non-stop errors about .lnk files, the issue might stem from a malware infection or Windows Update g...

How to

Bind Keys on Windows

This How.com.vn teaches you how to reassign your keyboard buttons and select a different function for any button on your keyboard, using Windows.

How to

Disable Router Firewall

This How.com.vn teaches you how to turn off your Wi-Fi router's firewall. Keep in mind that doing this may increase the risk of encountering virtual intruders and malware in your network.. 11 January 2024.

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