ANSWERS TO CYBER SECURITY QUESTIONS:

“Somehow my cellphone number got attached to a (person’s name), so now I am getting calls and texts addressed to her. I block and report it as spam. Is there anything else I can do to “unattach” my number from her name or do I just need to change my cellphone number?”

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It’s possible she has activated a feature on her phone called “conditional call forwarding.” When turned on, calls and texts will be forwarded to another number (yours). Contact your carrier to cancel the feature.

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“How do I close down an old email address that I no longer use?”

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A dormant email account (or any online account) can be a security risk. Do a web search for instructions about how to delete it. You’ll need to know the password or be able to use other recovery options to proceed. Once in, if there’s anything you want to save, download it first. If you’re concerned about an old job-related or educational institution email address, contact the organization’s IT department to have it deleted.

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“I have an old iPad — the 3rd generation from 2012. Is it still safe to connect to my Wi-Fi and use it for listening to podcasts?”

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Use it till it dies! You can also use it as an electronic picture frame, second monitor, alarm clock, read recipes, or many other simple tasks. Apply software updates when offered. Don’t store sensitive information on it or do banking but reading books or listening to audio should be fine.