Phishing Email - Shopper's Drug Mart Customers Day

For the record, this is a Shopper's Drug Mart phishing email attempt that is recently going around.  What to do?  Report them, goto bottom of page.

From : Shoppers Drug Mart <###christophep@cpixxi.com> Subject :  Shoppers Day Mart Customers!

PHISHING LINKs;

1. http://u9779008.ct.sendgrid.net/............

How to tell this is a Phishing email ?

1. Check email address in full, if it's not from originating company then it's phishing.
2. Hover over all links in email, if it's not from the  company's website then forget it.
3. The best way is to 

How to examine Email Message Source ?

Now lets look at message source

1. Outlook.com->Actions->View Message Source. 
2. Gmail.com->More (down arrow to top right)->Show original.

Check for suspicious links, anything that does not originate from apple.com.

Report Phishing Email (not as Spam)

1. Outlook.com->Junk (at Top)->Phishing Scam
2. Gmail.com->More (down-arrow to top right)->Report Phishing 

Report Phishing

If you have recievied this email take further 

1. https://www.google.com/safebrowsing/report_phish/

Report phishing at Microsoft and government agencies

1. http://www.microsoft.com/security/online-privacy/phishing-faq.aspx

How to Delete Microsoft Edge Crash Reports (.dmp) Files

How to Delete Microsoft Edge Crash Reports (.dmp) Files

MS Edge .dmp hole

This post will deal with Microsoft Edge Crash Reports (.dmp) Files which get generated when Edge crashed and this report is generated and sent to Microsoft. 





BTW You can turn off that feature in Settings, search for "crash reports", and you get the following setting. A restart is required of the browser to take effect.

d data about how you use the browser

Improve Microsoft products by sending crash reports and data about how you use the browser

Microsoft Edge Crash Reports (.dmp) Files are generate in the following directory 

%HOMEPATH%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Crashpad\reports

These file are about 504Kb in size, but are not being cleanup. The good news is that these files can be analyze and viewed using WinDbg, check the following links; 

• https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/315263/how-to-read-the-small-memory-dump-file-that-is-created-by-windows-if-a
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/debugger/debugger-download-tools

A deep discussion of these files is located at the Chromium Dev Group discussion, see

https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/forum/#!topic/crashpad-dev/2YZHzOpeAT8

Here's how to do some spring cleaning of your Microsoft Edge Crash Reports (.dmp) Files.

DMP files are generated in following directory

%HOMEPATH%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Crashpad\reports

Copy and paste following batch file code and save it with .bat extension, and run it from a command line. 

REM Removing Microsoft Edge Crash Reports (.dmp) Files in a Batch Program
REM Wed 29-Jul-20 1:52pm MetadataConsulting.ca
REM DEL COMMAND
REM /P  Prompts for confirmation before deleting each file.
REM /F  Force deleting of read-only files.
REM /S  Delete specified files from all subdirectories.
REM /Q  Quiet mode, do not ask if ok to delete on global wildcard
REM /A  Selects files to delete based on attributes
REM attributes  R Read-only files S System files H Hidden files A Files ready for archiving - Prefix meaning not
echo. Begin Edge Crash Reports (.dmp) Delete
cd "%HOMEPATH%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Crashpad\reports"
DEL /F /S /Q *.dmp
echo. End *.DMP Delete

C# .NET How to convert IPv4 mapped to IPv6 CIDR address

Converting IPv4 addresses that have been mapped into the IPv6 address as follows; 

Source: http://www.tcpipguide.com/free/t_IPv6IPv4AddressEmbedding-2.htm

Here's how to convert the IPv4 mapped to IPv6 address CIDR value 

Example:   222.1.41.90/23  maps to  ::FFFF:222.1.41.90/119

C# Code to convert CIDR from IPv4 to mapped IPv6 address

        public static byte ConvertIPv4toIPv6CIDR(this byte CIDRIPv4)
        {
            //IPv4 CIDR - https://www.keycdn.com/support/what-is-cidr
            //IPv6 range for IPv4 conversion, startfrom bottom
            //https://www.easycalculation.com/other/cidr-blocks-table.php

            if (CIDRIPv4 < 1 || CIDRIPv4 > 32) return 0; // /1-32 range accepted for ipv4

            int CIDRipv6 = 128 - (32 - CIDRIPv4); //lower is 96
            
            return (byte)CIDRipv6;
        }

How to get back Local User and Group Management (lusrmgr.msc) snap-in for Windows 10

If you have tried to add back Local User and Group Management (lusrmgr.msc) and it fails on Windows 10 Home and Education versions. Below is solution.

Try this first to bring back snap-in using; 

1. Open Run and type mmc.exe then press Enter.
2. Click File then Add/Remove Snap-in.
3. A small window should pop up, click Local Users and Groups then click Add >.
4. Choose Local computer for the Target Machine then click Finish and to complete it click OK.

This should add the Local Users and Groups Snap-in to lusrmgr.msc. It will fail for some Windows Editions.

Here's how to get lusrmgr.msc back for Windows 10

A developer has created a open-source version available here
https://github.com/proviq/lusrmgr/releases/download/1.6.1/lusrmgr.exe

Tip! How to clear/delete many/lots/bulk/hundreds of emails from Outlook.com online

Here's a tip about deleting emails from Outlook.com online. 

It seems due to the caching nature of Outlook.com, when you search for a email to delete, you have to wait for all the result to return. The very first search does not always return all the matched emails especially if there are over hundred matches. You have to search again and again.

Tip!

On average, I have found that search for the desired email a minimum of 3 times and scroll to the bottom of the window on the 3rd search to finally get all the matched emails 
and then choose Delete all button. This applies to approx. 75 matches or more and/or many pages. 

Searching for promo@... 3 times and scroll to end of page returning over 100 matches

How to clear cookies from Emacs

In Emacs, you can generally select a buffer and delete using the command C-x h C-w .

However, the cookie buffer .%* *url cookies* is read-only and you cannot delete it from inside of Emacs.

Here's how to delete EWW Browser cookies from Emacs.

Paste this into your into Run [WIN+R], to open the Emacs cookie folder or in Windows Explorer

%UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\.emacs.d\url

cache
cookies
cookies~

Delete cookies and cookies~ files. You can blow of the cache folder, if you need to. It contains downloaded images from pages you visit. It may contain 1x1 .GIF trackers. 


Here's how to install Emacs and browse
https://metadataconsulting.blogspot.com/2020/04/How-to-get-a-Text-Browser-for-Windows-7-10-Surf-the-web-in-text-only-no-ads.html

C# .NET IO.Path.GetExtension vs PInvoke Win32 PathFindExtension Native API Speed Comparison

Here's how to get a file extension comparing P/Invoke  Win32 API Native PathFindExtension with .NET IO.Path.GetExtension method.

Analysis 

P/Invoke PathRemoveExtension on 1st run is 'slow' due to overhead and loading metadata into cache. On successive runs, this drops down to 4 ticks. 

Likewise, Path.GetExtension on initial load is 'slow' to load metadata in cache. On successive runs this is 2 ticks. 

Using PrepareMethod to pre-cache a method call but the call costed to much, therefore for preformance gain, just call the method twice. 

Run results

Built-in Path.IO Get File Extension - 1st run
exe in ticks 14
Built-in Path.IO Get File Extension - 2nd run
exe in ticks 2

P/Invoke PathFindExtension - DOES NOT WORK?
C:\Windows\write.exe in ticks 1554

PrepareMethod Path.IO GetFileExtension Encapsulated Method - 1st run
exe in ticks 3969
Call Path.IO GetFileExtension Encapsulated Method - 2nd run
exe in ticks 4

P/Invoke PathRemoveExtension - 1st run
exe in ticks 131
P/Invoke PathRemoveExtension - 2nd run
exe in ticks 4
P/Invoke PathRemoveExtension - 3rd run
exe in ticks 4

Source Code (can't use online .NET Fiddle for P/Invoke calls) 

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.IO;
using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
using System.Reflection;

namespace GetFileExtensionPInvoke
{
    class Program
    {
        public static class MethodWarmerUper
        {
            public static void WarmUp(string methodName)
            {
                var handle = FindMethodWithName(methodName).MethodHandle;
                RuntimeHelpers.PrepareMethod(handle);
            }

            private static MethodInfo FindMethodWithName(string methodName)
            {
                return
                    Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly()
                            .GetTypes()
                            .SelectMany(type => type.GetMethods(MethodBindingFlags))
                            .FirstOrDefault(method => method.Name == methodName);
            }

            private const BindingFlags MethodBindingFlags =
                BindingFlags.DeclaredOnly | BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.NonPublic |
                BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.Static;
        }

        public static class IOMethod
        {

            public static string GetFileExtension(string s)
            {
                return Path.GetExtension(s); 
            }
        }
        
        
        // <summary>
        /// Removes the file name extension from a path, if one is present.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="pszFile">A pointer to a null-terminated string of length MAX_PATH from which to remove the extension.</param>
        [DllImport("shlwapi.dll", EntryPoint = "PathRemoveExtensionW", SetLastError = true, CharSet = CharSet.Unicode)]
        public static extern void PathRemoveExtension([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)]System.Text.StringBuilder pszFile);

        //https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/shlwapi/nf-shlwapi-pathfindextensionw
        // <summary>
        /// Returns the address of the "." that precedes the extension within pszPath if an extension is found, or the address of the terminating null character otherwise.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="pszFile">A pointer to a null-terminated string of length MAX_PATH from which to remove the extension.</param>
        [DllImport("shlwapi.dll", EntryPoint = "PathFindExtensionW", SetLastError = true, CharSet = CharSet.Unicode)]
        public static extern void PathFindExtension([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)]System.Text.StringBuilder pszFile);
        
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            string filepath = @"C:\Windows\write.exe";
            string ext = string.Empty;  
            StringBuilder sbExt = new StringBuilder(filepath); 
            Stopwatch sw = new Stopwatch();

            
            Console.WriteLine("\nBuilt-in Path.IO Get File Extension - 1st run");
            sw.Start();
            ext = Path.GetExtension(filepath);
            sw.Stop();
            ext = ext.TrimStart('.'); //add 1 tick
            Console.WriteLine(ext + " in ticks " + sw.ElapsedTicks);
            sw.Reset();

            Console.WriteLine("Built-in Path.IO Get File Extension - 2nd run");
            sw.Start();
            ext = Path.GetExtension(filepath);
            sw.Stop();
            ext = ext.TrimStart('.'); //add 1 tick
            Console.WriteLine(ext + " in ticks " + sw.ElapsedTicks);
            sw.Reset();

            Console.WriteLine("\nP/Invoke PathFindExtension - DOES NOT WORK?");
            sw.Start();
                PathFindExtension(sbExt);
                //Console.Error.WriteLine("Get Win32 Error = "+ Marshal.GetLastWin32Error());
            sw.Stop();
            Console.WriteLine(sbExt.ToString() + " in ticks " + sw.ElapsedTicks);
            Console.WriteLine(""); 
            sw.Reset();

            Console.WriteLine("PrepareMethod Path.IO GetFileExtension Encapsulated Method - 1st run");
            sw.Start();
                MethodWarmerUper.WarmUp("GetFileExtension"); //very poor performance
            sw.Stop();
            ext = ext.TrimStart('.'); //add 1 tick
            Console.WriteLine(ext + " in ticks " + sw.ElapsedTicks);
            sw.Reset();

            Console.WriteLine("Call Path.IO GetFileExtension Encapsulated Method - 2nd run");
            sw.Start();
            ext = IOMethod.GetFileExtension(filepath);
            sw.Stop();
            ext = ext.TrimStart('.'); //add 1 tick
            Console.WriteLine(ext + " in ticks " + sw.ElapsedTicks);
            sw.Reset();

            Console.WriteLine(""); 
            sbExt = new StringBuilder(filepath);
            Console.WriteLine("P/Invoke PathRemoveExtension - 1st run");
            sw.Start();
                PathRemoveExtension(sbExt);
            ext = sbExt.ToString();
            ext = filepath.Replace(ext,"");
            ext = ext.TrimStart('.'); //add 1 tick
            sw.Stop();
            Console.WriteLine(ext + " in ticks " + sw.ElapsedTicks);
            sw.Reset();

            sbExt = new StringBuilder(filepath);
            Console.WriteLine("P/Invoke PathRemoveExtension - 2nd run");
            sw.Start();
                PathRemoveExtension(sbExt);
            ext = sbExt.ToString();
            ext = filepath.Replace(ext, "");
            ext = ext.TrimStart('.'); //add 1 tick
            sw.Stop();
            Console.WriteLine(ext + " in ticks " + sw.ElapsedTicks);
            sw.Reset();

            sbExt = new StringBuilder(filepath);
            Console.WriteLine("P/Invoke PathRemoveExtension - 3rd run");
            sw.Start();
                PathRemoveExtension(sbExt);
            ext = sbExt.ToString();
            ext = filepath.Replace(ext, "");
            ext = ext.TrimStart('.'); //add 1 tick
            sw.Stop();
            Console.WriteLine(ext + " in ticks " + sw.ElapsedTicks);
            sw.Reset();


            Console.ReadKey(); 

        }
    }
}

How to Fix Visual Studio Installer blank screen

If you are getting a blank screen when launching Visual Studio Installer, you don't have to uninstall and reinstall. A blank screen may appear on some Windows 10 installation on older PC/Laptops. This is super frustrating since there is no awareness that this is an issue by Microsoft support and no command line options to disable the GPU.

How to fix the blank screen for Visual Studio Installer

Search and find Visual Studio Installer. Right-click and choose Open file location.

Right-click Visual Studio Installer icon and choose Properties. 

Choose Compatibility tab

Check Run this program in compatibility mode for: Windows 8