https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/ Notes on security and AI from the team behind Agamemnon and Synapse. en https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/public-wifi-and-encrypted-dns/ https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/public-wifi-and-encrypted-dns/ Wed, 28 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000 Security HTTPS has made café Wi-Fi far safer than the old warnings suggest. But a few real risks remain: fake hotspots, captive portals and the DNS lookups that still reveal where you go. Here's what to do about each. https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/what-infostealers-want/ https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/what-infostealers-want/ Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000 Security The most common malware today doesn't lock or wreck your computer. It quietly copies your passwords, cookies and wallets, then disappears. Here's how it works and how to stop it. https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/host-your-own-ai-model/ https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/host-your-own-ai-model/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000 AI From a model on your laptop to a private API your phone and friends can use. Four practical ways to host an open model, what each costs, and the security mistake almost everyone makes. https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/local-vs-cloud-ai/ https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/local-vs-cloud-ai/ Sun, 25 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000 AI Local models keep everything private and work offline. Cloud models are smarter and faster. What your hardware can actually run, and how to pick for each job. https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/clickfix-paste-attacks/ https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/clickfix-paste-attacks/ Sat, 24 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000 Security A fake CAPTCHA tells you to press a few keys to prove you're human. Those keys run malware. Here's how the trick works on Windows and Mac, and the one rule that beats it. https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/free-ai-api-keys/ https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/free-ai-api-keys/ Fri, 23 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000 AI You don't need a subscription to use powerful cloud models. Where to get free API keys, what the limits look like, what happens to your data, and how to keep a key from leaking. https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/how-antivirus-finds-malware/ https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/how-antivirus-finds-malware/ Thu, 22 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000 Security A look inside a modern antivirus engine: why a single hash catches millions of copies, what YARA rules are, and why watching behaviour is what stops brand-new threats. https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/badusb-keyboard-attacks/ https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/badusb-keyboard-attacks/ Wed, 21 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000 Security Some USB devices aren't drives at all. Plugged in, they announce themselves as a keyboard and type commands faster than you can blink. How these attacks work and how to protect yourself. https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/viruses-worms-trojans-ransomware/ https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/viruses-worms-trojans-ransomware/ Tue, 20 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000 Security "Virus" has become the word for every kind of malware, but the differences matter: they decide how something spreads and how you protect yourself. A short field guide. https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/backups-that-survive-ransomware/ https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/backups-that-survive-ransomware/ Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000 Security A backup that's always plugged in can be encrypted along with everything else. How to set up backups on a Mac or PC that ransomware, a stolen laptop or a spilled coffee can't take away. https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/prompt-injection-ai-agents/ https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/prompt-injection-ai-agents/ Sun, 18 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000 AI When an AI can browse, read your files or run commands, any text it reads becomes a possible instruction. What prompt injection is, why nobody has fully solved it, and how to use AI agents safely anyway. https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/cracked-software-risks/ https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/cracked-software-risks/ Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000 Security Free Photoshop, a game cheat, a 'portable' Office: the most common way infostealers reach home computers is a download people chose themselves. How the trap is set and how to get software safely. https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/how-much-memory-for-local-ai/ https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/how-much-memory-for-local-ai/ Wed, 14 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000 AI 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB or more: what each amount of RAM or VRAM actually lets you run, why Apple Silicon Macs punch above their weight, and a quick formula to check any model before you download it. https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/passkeys-explained/ https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/passkeys-explained/ Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000 Security Passkeys replace passwords with a key that lives on your phone or computer. What they are, why a fake site can't steal them, and how to switch your most important accounts in ten minutes. https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/quantization-explained/ https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/quantization-explained/ Sat, 10 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000 AI Download a local AI model and you're faced with a list of cryptic file names. What quantization is, how much quality each level really costs, and which file to pick for your computer. https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/spot-a-phishing-message/ https://athenesoftworks.com/blog/spot-a-phishing-message/ Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000 Security Phishing emails and texts no longer have spelling mistakes. Here are the signs that still give them away, and a simple habit that protects you even when a fake looks perfect.