The Instigators: A Review
So, with very little sports on the other night, I thought I would watch this Matt Damon project I’d been hearing about, The Instigators. The first challenge was remembering on which streaming service it was airing. Oh yea, Apple+.
Here’s A Brief Explanation Of The Plot Of The Instigators
The movie stars Matt Damon and Ben’s brother Casey Affleck as a couple of non-descript guys each in their own way driving through life. Damon’s character confesses to his therapist that he has contemplated suicide while Affleck’s character is just out of jail after taking the rap for a crime his brother committed.
They get involved with participating in one more crime, robbing the corrupt mayor of Boston.
The crime goes horribly wrong, an officer is killed, and Damon and Affleck’s characters are on the run.
Now to this point, it sounds like a pretty serious movie. It’s not, really. Damon and Affleck’s characters are self-deprecating, and that aspect kept my interest when it began to wane.
I like Matt Damon. Like everyone, I enjoyed the Bourne series of movies, but I honestly like him in just about everything he’s in.
So I don’t know if it was fact that I thought he was a little too big of a star for this, or if that it was on a streaming service or that I thought it’s run time was a little short, but the movie just left me wanting a little more.
More Characters On The Instigators
I think one of the sneaky good performances comes from Hong Chau, who plays the Psychiatrist of Damon’s character. She’s re-inserted into the plot and, in my opinion, makes the most of it.
The movie also stars Alfred Molina, Ving Rhames and Ron Pearlman, who by the way, looks like a Marvel villain without any help from CGI.
If you find yourself with nothing else to watch, flip this on. It’s a harmless 90 minute “buddy/crime/comedy” movie.
Top Mistakes That Can Get You Hacked
Reusing Passwords
Many of us are still using the same password across many different accounts. While it’s pretty common, it’s not a good habit to have. If you’re reusing passwords for multiple websites and accounts, a hacker could potentially use that password to log into those accounts. Nobody wants to have to remember a 16-digit password for every single one of their accounts, especially when getting locked out of a computer or platform at the most inconvenient time. But if a security breach were to happen, that’s one less problem to worry about. Like, remembering which accounts are at risk of a threat.
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Oversharing On Social Media
Personal data exposure is really a thing. When you share personal information on social media, you expose yourself to the risk of identity theft and fraud. According to the New York Institute of Technology, Cybercriminals can use the information you share, such as your full name, date of birth, and location, to impersonate you or launch targeted attacks. Most people know that sharing sensitive information such as your car information, address, work history, or phone numbers can make you vulnerable. But some people forget that this information can also be identified through pictures and innocent as sharing your new car photo or your child’s first day of school photo.
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Using Unsecure Wi-Fi
Hackers can use unsecured Wi-Fi connections to distribute malware. If you allow file-sharing across a network, the hacker can easily plant infected software on your computer. Free public Wi-Fi is available almost everywhere at places like restaurants, hotels, airports, bookstores, and even retail outlets. But public wi-fi comes with risks. “Hackers can also use an unsecured Wi-Fi connection to distribute malware. If you allow file-sharing across a network, the hacker can easily plant infected software on your computer,” said Kaspersky, a tech company. Some people highly recommended looking into a VPN to encrypt internet traffic and keep your data hidden.
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Clicking Suspicious Links
Clicking on a suspicious link or phishing link can sometimes set off a malware download that often contains malicious files. According to Aura, a credit monitoring platform, these links are capable of collecting information stored on your device. Hackers can steal credit card numbers, bank account numbers, usernames and passwords, and other personal information. If you’ve clicked on a phishing link, Cyber Tec Security suggest completely disconnecting from the internet.
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Out-Of-Date Software
The last thing many of us want to do is update our software. But there are many reasons why it’s important to do so. Software updates not only fix and improve problems with your software it also helps you avoid hackers. According to the University of Idaho, software updates often include patches that fix vulnerabilities or bugs that hackers can exploit to access your system or data. “By installing the latest updates, you can reduce the risk of cyberattacks and protect your personal and business information,” they said.
Ralf Hahn/ Getty ImagesNot Using Multi-Factor Authentication
One of the most effective things you can do to protect your online accounts is turning on multi-factor, or two-factor, authentication for as many of your accounts as possible. This method often uses a piece of information such as a code generated by an app or sent to your phone alongside a password. Two-factor authentication adds an additional layer of security to the authentication process. According to Tech Target, using multi-factor authentication makes it harder for attackers to gain access to a person’s devices or online accounts. Most companies have this in place for their employers but it’s something you can use for personal emails too.
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