From Kim Komando:
"A new virus is on the rise, and this one is a doozy.
Dubbed the "Bladabindi," this is a multi-identity virus that has the
capability to fool your firewall by adding itself to the firewall
exception list and waltz right in. The malware then targets main
systems, like your keyboard, webcam, your browsers and your Windows
information.
Bladabindi then siphons your user IDs, passwords, computer name,
serial number and country, and steals personal information with no
one the wiser. It can also check for camera drivers to record and send
video wherever it wants.
This malicious malware is spreading through USB drives.
Bladabindi replicates itself into rootware and is disguised under a
different icon by the hacker. When the victim clicks on it, it runs the
Windows Explorer system as if nothing bad appears to have happened.
Bladabindi has mainly been attacking computers in India, and is
currently being tracked by the Computer Emergency Response Team - India
(CERT-In). CERT-In is trying to find a way to disable this nasty
software, but in the meantime there are a few things you can do to
protect your computer.
Scan your computer with a tough anti-virus software and a cleaner kit to determine if it's even on your computer. If Bladabindi is found, it's tough but not impossible to remove.
You should also scan and clean any USB or external drives that
you use with a USB cleaner. You should also keep all of your software up
to date and patched to beef up security.
And, I cannot stress this enough, you must follow the rules of
Internet safety to keep your information safe! Do not click or follow
unsolicited email attachments or ads, do not visit untrusted or sketchy sites, use tough passwords, and be vigilant about social media attacks
You can find more great safety tips here at my Security Center, and you can also use this program as a last resort."
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
I hate Google Chrome
I do not understand the fascination with Google Chrome, Google's attempt to replace Firefox and Internet Explorer as our browser of choice.
Let me say up front that I hate Google Chrome.
It is not just that I don't want Google to know everything I do on my computer. They pretty much own me already, and I am okay with that. I was an early Gmail user. I have several Google blogs. I do recognize Google as the best search engine, and on and on.
Why do I dislike Google's Chrome browser so much?
It's a very small thing. I installed Chrome versions right from the start, version after version, but never found the one feature, available in all other browsers, that I wanted so badly.
What is that feature? It is a simple thing.
Firefox and Internet Explorer allow their users to display a list of their Favorites (IE) or Bookmarks (Firefox) down the left side of the browser window.
Chrome has NEVER offered that simple feature and still does not.
I, along with thousands of others, begged Google to include this bread and butter feature, standard in all other browsers, in online forums or fora if you prefer. The response from Google - none at all.
I think that many of you whose homes I visit or whose laptops get dropped off at my house, have Google Chrome because of the fact that - if you are not careful - you will get it when you download CCleaner, one of the best free little programs I have ever seen. I recommend it to all of you and you should use it weekly.
When you download CCleaner and probably other programs as well, you may see a window offering a download of Google Chrome, and there is ALREADY a check mark in the box that says yes to download it.
Or maybe you are on the google.com web site and there is that very annoying download Google Chrome in the upper right hand corner.
Read the displays. Don't accept a check mark that was put in the box for you. UNCHECK IT! Don't ever click on an icon to download it.
There is nothing to be gained from using it. Most people I visit try to use it because it is there and this leads to much confusion on their parts.
The bottom line is that Google Chrome offers nothing that Firefox and Internet Explorer don't.
Let me say up front that I hate Google Chrome.
It is not just that I don't want Google to know everything I do on my computer. They pretty much own me already, and I am okay with that. I was an early Gmail user. I have several Google blogs. I do recognize Google as the best search engine, and on and on.
Why do I dislike Google's Chrome browser so much?
It's a very small thing. I installed Chrome versions right from the start, version after version, but never found the one feature, available in all other browsers, that I wanted so badly.
What is that feature? It is a simple thing.
Firefox and Internet Explorer allow their users to display a list of their Favorites (IE) or Bookmarks (Firefox) down the left side of the browser window.
Chrome has NEVER offered that simple feature and still does not.
I, along with thousands of others, begged Google to include this bread and butter feature, standard in all other browsers, in online forums or fora if you prefer. The response from Google - none at all.
I think that many of you whose homes I visit or whose laptops get dropped off at my house, have Google Chrome because of the fact that - if you are not careful - you will get it when you download CCleaner, one of the best free little programs I have ever seen. I recommend it to all of you and you should use it weekly.
When you download CCleaner and probably other programs as well, you may see a window offering a download of Google Chrome, and there is ALREADY a check mark in the box that says yes to download it.
Or maybe you are on the google.com web site and there is that very annoying download Google Chrome in the upper right hand corner.
Read the displays. Don't accept a check mark that was put in the box for you. UNCHECK IT! Don't ever click on an icon to download it.
There is nothing to be gained from using it. Most people I visit try to use it because it is there and this leads to much confusion on their parts.
The bottom line is that Google Chrome offers nothing that Firefox and Internet Explorer don't.
Monday, July 14, 2014
MVPS HOSTS File available for July
MVPS HOSTS File Update July-08-2014
The MVPS HOSTS file was recently updated [July-08-2014]
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm
Download: hosts.zip (131 kb)
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.zip
How To: Download and Extract the HOSTS filehttp://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts2.htm
HOSTS File - Frequently Asked Questionshttp://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hostsfaq.htm
Note: the "text" version makes a great resource for determining possible unwanted connections ...
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.txt (498 kb)
Get notified when the MVPS HOSTS file is updatedhttp://winhelp2002.mvps.org/updates.htm
Monday, July 7, 2014
Downloading Programs?
If you have a need to download a program, please use http://filehippo.com
I look at so many customer machines where I see what I consider "junk" programs. Many of these come along for a free ride when you download a program you want, but get from some other web site. For years I recommended download.com for downloads, but they have become so unfriendly that I strongly recommend that you switch now to filehippo.com.
Even so, when you download a program, regardless of source, you need to READ the screens that display when installing the program
Why? Here is one example. When downloading ccleaner from filehippo, one of the displays asks if you want to also download and install Google Chrome. I can't tell you how many installations of Google Chrome I have seen and the customes says "I don't know how it got there". I usually do know! The answer is in this paragraph, so READ the installation screens.
I look at so many customer machines where I see what I consider "junk" programs. Many of these come along for a free ride when you download a program you want, but get from some other web site. For years I recommended download.com for downloads, but they have become so unfriendly that I strongly recommend that you switch now to filehippo.com.
Even so, when you download a program, regardless of source, you need to READ the screens that display when installing the program
Why? Here is one example. When downloading ccleaner from filehippo, one of the displays asks if you want to also download and install Google Chrome. I can't tell you how many installations of Google Chrome I have seen and the customes says "I don't know how it got there". I usually do know! The answer is in this paragraph, so READ the installation screens.
Friday, July 4, 2014
Saturday, June 28, 2014
The top 10 Windows 8 questions everyone asks
A PC Doc customer just asked me yesterday if I would recommend a new Dell laptop with Windows 7 or with Windows 8. It turns out he has a desktop PC running Windows 7 and did not want to have to learn something new. I couldn't argue with hm on that point. Having 2 Windows 7 machines, I thought, made sense for him.
I am almost sorry I didn't make a pitch for Windows 8. Let me say that our two new (December 2013) Dell laptops are doing very well. Yes, they are different from what we were used to, but it turns out W8 is pretty easy to learn and it is rock solid - in our experience. It is simply a very reliable workhorse. For the record, my desktop is a W7 machine. I like having both because I support customers with both and I need to know both. And, once you get past what we used to call the GUI (graphical user interface) they are pretty much the same.
The customer mentioned above has an XP laptop now, and I cleaned and tuned it for him. It should get him through the summer. It has the same old problems most XP machines have: a slow processor and not enough RAM. His processor clains to be about 1 GHz (986 MHz I think it said), He has 1 GB of RAM and really should spend $40 for the upgrade to its maximum 2 GB, but I doubt the customer will spend the mney. "Good money after bad" or some excuse like that.
So this article I found today on pcworld.com is timely. In short let me say that W8 is rock solid and is here to stay for the foreseeable futire. Users should not shy away from it.
I am almost sorry I didn't make a pitch for Windows 8. Let me say that our two new (December 2013) Dell laptops are doing very well. Yes, they are different from what we were used to, but it turns out W8 is pretty easy to learn and it is rock solid - in our experience. It is simply a very reliable workhorse. For the record, my desktop is a W7 machine. I like having both because I support customers with both and I need to know both. And, once you get past what we used to call the GUI (graphical user interface) they are pretty much the same.
The customer mentioned above has an XP laptop now, and I cleaned and tuned it for him. It should get him through the summer. It has the same old problems most XP machines have: a slow processor and not enough RAM. His processor clains to be about 1 GHz (986 MHz I think it said), He has 1 GB of RAM and really should spend $40 for the upgrade to its maximum 2 GB, but I doubt the customer will spend the mney. "Good money after bad" or some excuse like that.
So this article I found today on pcworld.com is timely. In short let me say that W8 is rock solid and is here to stay for the foreseeable futire. Users should not shy away from it.
The top 10 Windows 8 questions everyone asks
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
SOS - don't be "Lernered"
Not meaning to be political. but I thought the news about the IRS losing Lois Lerner's e-mail and then later saying the e-mails of 6 other IRS employees had also been lost, was a bit hard to swallow.
I know from experience how much large organizations, but certainly the IRS, keep multiple copies of all computer data. Perhaps the IRS should contact the NSA. Surely they have copies of all of Ms. Lerner's data! This is sorta said tongue in cheek, but the whole mess is just so hard to believe.
Why? Because I use SOS Online Backup (http://www.sosonlinebackup.com/). With SOS I know all of my data is safe and secure on the SOS backup systems in the cloud. I check it periodically and have retrieved data from my backups successfully.
It almost seems impossible to me, but I have been an SOS customer for over 3 years! I mean, the time has just gone by so quickly.
I started with SOS in March of 2011. At first I backed up all of my data on the SOS cloud. I had nearly 100 GB of data so the initial backup process took some time - a matter of days. After that I ran the backup program on a daily basis. It would back up any new data I had created that day. In a matter of months, maybe weeks, I realized that I didn't really have to do this every day and switched to weekly backups. I have been running weekly backuos for years now and am very confident that every photo, every song, every document is backed up in the SOS Cloud, and I know I can retrieve any item in a matter of a minute or less. I have tested this, and the system works.
I know there are other backup services out there. I can only state that SOS works! Give it a try and don't be "Lernered"!
I know from experience how much large organizations, but certainly the IRS, keep multiple copies of all computer data. Perhaps the IRS should contact the NSA. Surely they have copies of all of Ms. Lerner's data! This is sorta said tongue in cheek, but the whole mess is just so hard to believe.
Why? Because I use SOS Online Backup (http://www.sosonlinebackup.com/). With SOS I know all of my data is safe and secure on the SOS backup systems in the cloud. I check it periodically and have retrieved data from my backups successfully.
It almost seems impossible to me, but I have been an SOS customer for over 3 years! I mean, the time has just gone by so quickly.
I started with SOS in March of 2011. At first I backed up all of my data on the SOS cloud. I had nearly 100 GB of data so the initial backup process took some time - a matter of days. After that I ran the backup program on a daily basis. It would back up any new data I had created that day. In a matter of months, maybe weeks, I realized that I didn't really have to do this every day and switched to weekly backups. I have been running weekly backuos for years now and am very confident that every photo, every song, every document is backed up in the SOS Cloud, and I know I can retrieve any item in a matter of a minute or less. I have tested this, and the system works.
I know there are other backup services out there. I can only state that SOS works! Give it a try and don't be "Lernered"!
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Comcast is turning your home routers into public Wi-Fi hotspots
We had Comcast recently for a very short while. It was AWFUL in so many ways. We have the luxury of being able to choose between Verizon FIOS and Comcast. Verizon service was fantastic but their pricing was out of sight. We quit Verizon for Comcast. I think it lasted maybe 60 to 90 days before I realized that, although less expensive, it was simply horrible in so many ways. I got a "please come back letter" from Verizon, and a week later another one. They offered a better rate than I had been paying them before, and in fact, their monthly package, including 50 MB/S download and 25 MB/S upload and cable TV (Prime) came in $34 per month cheaper than Comcast! It was an easy decision to switch back to Verizon FIOS where we once again are experiencing true high speed internet. As a part of my negotiating with Verizon, they waived all of those nonsensical installation fees, the ones the like to spread over 3 months to make them seem smaller!
It took me about 5 seconds after Comcast installed to realize what they were doing with MY router. I fixed that quick.
Here is the story as found today on bgr.com:
"Comcast has a brand new feature for its Internet subscribers called Xfinity Wi-Fi, but it’s going about it the wrong way, likely making even more enemies in the process. SeattlePi reports that Comcast is turning some of the Wi-Fi routers placed in the homes of subscribers into a “massive public Wi-Fi hotspot network,” but it’s doing so without giving customers the opportunity to opt out before the service is rolled out.
It took me about 5 seconds after Comcast installed to realize what they were doing with MY router. I fixed that quick.
Here is the story as found today on bgr.com:
"Comcast has a brand new feature for its Internet subscribers called Xfinity Wi-Fi, but it’s going about it the wrong way, likely making even more enemies in the process. SeattlePi reports that Comcast is turning some of the Wi-Fi routers placed in the homes of subscribers into a “massive public Wi-Fi hotspot network,” but it’s doing so without giving customers the opportunity to opt out before the service is rolled out.
In theory, Xfinity Wi-Fi sounds like a neat idea, as it can provide
free Internet access to other Xfinity subscribers as long as they’re
within reach of such an Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspot. Moreover, the extra load
on the router does not affect the bandwidth of the customer who houses
it, as the device creates two independent networks, one private, and one
public, using additional bandwidth for the public one.
As such, any users on the public Xfinity Wi-Fi network will not slow down customers’ connections, according to the company.
Comcast apparently informed its subscribers about the move in the mail a few weeks ago, and then email notifications go out after the service is turned on for each user. The company on Tuesday turned 50,000 Comcast Internet customers into public Wi-Fi providers in Houston, with 100,000 more hotspots to be activated by the end of June.
Users only have the opportunity to disable the service after it’s activated. A Comcast FAQ section further details Xfinity Wi-Fi, while the following guide, as listed by SeattlePi, should help Comcast customers disable the new Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspot feature:
As such, any users on the public Xfinity Wi-Fi network will not slow down customers’ connections, according to the company.
Comcast apparently informed its subscribers about the move in the mail a few weeks ago, and then email notifications go out after the service is turned on for each user. The company on Tuesday turned 50,000 Comcast Internet customers into public Wi-Fi providers in Houston, with 100,000 more hotspots to be activated by the end of June.
Users only have the opportunity to disable the service after it’s activated. A Comcast FAQ section further details Xfinity Wi-Fi, while the following guide, as listed by SeattlePi, should help Comcast customers disable the new Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspot feature:
- Log into your Comcast account page at customer.comcast.com.
- Click on Users & Preferences.
- Look for a heading on the page for “Service Address.” Below your address, click the link that reads “Manage Xfinity WiFi.”
- Click the button for “Disable Xfinity Wifi Home Hotspot.”
- Click Save"
Monday, June 9, 2014
How to boost home WiFi for PCs and more
If only one of these tips helps improve your response time, it's worth reading. I saw the Kim Komando article on her web site not too long ago, and today I found it on USA Today.
"Sometimes Wi-Fi doesn't seem to make any sense. You're trying to connect to your home network but you're getting a stronger signal from the neighbor's router than your own router.
Inconsistent coverage is one of Wi-Fi's big problems. It always seems to stop just short of where you need it. Even when you do connect, the signal is spotty and unbearably slow. Fortunately, there are several tricks to boost a Wi-Fi signal. Even better, most of these tricks are free.
Choose the right location
Most Wi-Fi antennas are omni-directional: the signal goes every direction equally. So if you put the router along an outside wall, you're wasting half your signal outside. In fact, many times that's why you get such a strong signal from your neighbors. They're making the same mistake.
Cool trick: If you need to send a Wi-Fi signal a long-distance in just one direction, you can add a parabolic reflector to your antenna. If your router has an internal antenna, a sheet of curved aluminum foil set behind the router can work as well.
For the best all-around signal, you want your router as close as possible to the middle of the house, or the middle of the area where you need it. That means if you live in a two-story house, you want it either on the first floor near the ceiling, or on the second floor near the ground.
You should also pay attention to what's around the router. Putting it right next to a wall or inside a bookcase can partially block the signal. And definitely keep it away from metal, a microwave or a cordless telephone.
Change the channel
If you've moved the router and it didn't help as much as you'd hoped, then you might need to tweak a router setting. This mostly applies to 802.11g and older 802.11n routers. If you have an 802.11n router purchased in the last few years or an 802.11ac router, it should do this for you automatically.
To access the settings, open your computer browser and type in the router's IP address. The IP address will be in your router's manual, which will also tell you the default router username and password so you can log in.
Important side note: If you haven't changed your router's default password, you're leaving it wide open for hackers. So, be sure to change the password while you're in the settings.
Once you're in the settings, you can adjust the router broadcast channel to reduce interference with other routers. Most 802.11n and g routers are set to channel 1, 6 or 11, and you should stick to one of those. For example, if your router is set to channel 1, try switching to 6 or 11 and see if that improves your signal.
If you want to see what's really happening in the invisible world of radio waves, grab a program like Vistumbler for your laptop or the Wi-Fi Analyzer app for your Android gadget. Both will show you the routers in your area and what channels they're using.
You don't want too many routers using the same channel. See how many routers are using channels 1, 6, and 11 and use whichever channel is least crowded.
Upgrade your router
If you do have an 802.11b, 802.11g or older 802.11n router, it might be best to upgrade to a new router. Newer routers often have better range, faster speeds and extra features like guest networks.
You can also buy a Wi-Fi booster or range extender, but unless you have an especially large house those shouldn't be necessary. If you do buy a new router, you might be able to use your old router as a range extender.
On the Kim Komando Show, the nation's largest weekend radio talk show, Kim takes calls and dispenses advice on today's digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks. For her daily tips, newsletters and more, visitwww.komando.com. E-mail her at techcomments@usatoday.com."
"Sometimes Wi-Fi doesn't seem to make any sense. You're trying to connect to your home network but you're getting a stronger signal from the neighbor's router than your own router.
Inconsistent coverage is one of Wi-Fi's big problems. It always seems to stop just short of where you need it. Even when you do connect, the signal is spotty and unbearably slow. Fortunately, there are several tricks to boost a Wi-Fi signal. Even better, most of these tricks are free.
Choose the right location
Most Wi-Fi antennas are omni-directional: the signal goes every direction equally. So if you put the router along an outside wall, you're wasting half your signal outside. In fact, many times that's why you get such a strong signal from your neighbors. They're making the same mistake.
Cool trick: If you need to send a Wi-Fi signal a long-distance in just one direction, you can add a parabolic reflector to your antenna. If your router has an internal antenna, a sheet of curved aluminum foil set behind the router can work as well.
For the best all-around signal, you want your router as close as possible to the middle of the house, or the middle of the area where you need it. That means if you live in a two-story house, you want it either on the first floor near the ceiling, or on the second floor near the ground.
You should also pay attention to what's around the router. Putting it right next to a wall or inside a bookcase can partially block the signal. And definitely keep it away from metal, a microwave or a cordless telephone.
Change the channel
If you've moved the router and it didn't help as much as you'd hoped, then you might need to tweak a router setting. This mostly applies to 802.11g and older 802.11n routers. If you have an 802.11n router purchased in the last few years or an 802.11ac router, it should do this for you automatically.
To access the settings, open your computer browser and type in the router's IP address. The IP address will be in your router's manual, which will also tell you the default router username and password so you can log in.
Important side note: If you haven't changed your router's default password, you're leaving it wide open for hackers. So, be sure to change the password while you're in the settings.
Once you're in the settings, you can adjust the router broadcast channel to reduce interference with other routers. Most 802.11n and g routers are set to channel 1, 6 or 11, and you should stick to one of those. For example, if your router is set to channel 1, try switching to 6 or 11 and see if that improves your signal.
If you want to see what's really happening in the invisible world of radio waves, grab a program like Vistumbler for your laptop or the Wi-Fi Analyzer app for your Android gadget. Both will show you the routers in your area and what channels they're using.
You don't want too many routers using the same channel. See how many routers are using channels 1, 6, and 11 and use whichever channel is least crowded.
Upgrade your router
If you do have an 802.11b, 802.11g or older 802.11n router, it might be best to upgrade to a new router. Newer routers often have better range, faster speeds and extra features like guest networks.
You can also buy a Wi-Fi booster or range extender, but unless you have an especially large house those shouldn't be necessary. If you do buy a new router, you might be able to use your old router as a range extender.
On the Kim Komando Show, the nation's largest weekend radio talk show, Kim takes calls and dispenses advice on today's digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks. For her daily tips, newsletters and more, visitwww.komando.com. E-mail her at techcomments@usatoday.com."
Friday, June 6, 2014
McAfee Anti-virus
Anyone who knows me knows that I don't spend money on anti-virus programs. I will stick with the Microsoft free products for now.
I received the e-mail below yesterday from McAfee. I received it because I am using McAfee on my new Dell laptop. The machine came with a free one year subscription. Knowing full well that McAfee has an excellent product I decided to stay with it for the year to gain some experience with their product.
I am very impressed. It is quiet, non-invasive of my activity, and seems to do the job one might pay for if one were so inclined.
More on this in the future if warranted.
I received the e-mail below yesterday from McAfee. I received it because I am using McAfee on my new Dell laptop. The machine came with a free one year subscription. Knowing full well that McAfee has an excellent product I decided to stay with it for the year to gain some experience with their product.
I am very impressed. It is quiet, non-invasive of my activity, and seems to do the job one might pay for if one were so inclined.
More on this in the future if warranted.
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Thursday, June 5, 2014
Time to update HOSTS file
MVPS HOSTS File Update June-04-2014
The MVPS HOSTS file was recently updated [June-04-2014]
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm
Download: hosts.zip (132 kb)
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.zip
How To: Download and Extract the HOSTS filehttp://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts2.htm
HOSTS File - Frequently Asked Questions
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hostsfaq.htm
Note: the "text" version makes a great resource for determining possible unwanted connections ...
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.txt (501 kb)
Get notified when the MVPS HOSTS file is updated
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/updates.htm
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Secret Global Strike Kills 2 Malicious Web Viruses
Wow, this is amazing! To me the most amazing part of all of this is the realization that there are so many very smart, no brilliant, people in this world. This is a NY Times story.
"WASHINGTON
— Federal agents over the weekend secretly seized control of two
computer networks that hackers used to steal millions of dollars from
unsuspecting victims. In doing so, the Justice Department disrupted the
circulation of two of the world’s most pernicious viruses and turned a
30-year-old Russian computer hacker into a most-wanted fugitive.
The
strike, coordinated with the European authorities, was aimed at malware
called GameOver Zeus, which is known to steal bank information and send
it to overseas hackers, and CryptoLocker, which burrows into computers
and encrypts personal data. The hackers then demand a ransom to unlock
the files.
“By
the time the victims learned that their computers had been infected, it
was far too late,” Leslie R. Caldwell, the assistant attorney general
in charge of the criminal division, said Monday.
Together,
the Justice Department estimates, the two malicious programs have
infected between 500,000 and a million computers and cost people more
than $100 million in direct and indirect losses.
Authorities
had been investigating the two viruses separately, but along the way,
they realized that GameOver Zeus was the main vehicle by which
CryptoLocker was spread, the Justice Department said.
They
also determined that the operations were run by the same man, whom the
Justice Department identified as Evgeniy M. Bogachev, of Anapa, Russia.
Investigators were hunting for him even before they knew his name.
Inside the F.B.I., he has long been one of the government’s most
sought-after individual cybercriminals, through his screen name,
Lucky12345.
While both pieces of software are distributed through spam emails, they accomplish different things, each highly damaging.
Once
inside a computer, GameOver Zeus quietly tracks each keystroke. When
the software detects someone logging into a bank account, it records the
password. Armed with that information, hackers log in and drain the
account. Often they stole more than $1 million from businesses,
prosecutors said, with at least one theft exceeding $6 million.
CryptoLocker
spreads through emails that look like they are from legitimate
businesses, including fake tracking notices from FedEx and U.P.S. Once
inside a network, such as a company’s computer system, the virus can
spread from one computer to the next. As it spreads, the software locks
up computer files behind unbreakable encryption, then demands hundreds
of dollars in exchange for the code that unlocks it.
Investigators
say many people and organizations, including the police department in
Swansea, Mass., have paid to recover their files. Those who refused saw
their files permanently erased. Such so-called ransomware is a growing security threat.
Investigators
have targeted large malicious software networks, known as botnets,
before. In 2011, the F.B.I. hijacked a command-and-control server that
ran the similarly harmful Coreflood network. It then sent a shutdown
command to every infected computer, effectively killing the virus in one
stroke.
This
weekend’s takedown, which was months in the making, was far more
difficult. While CryptoLocker used a command-and-control server,
GameOver Zeus did not. Instead, it relied on a decentralized structure,
and it did not have a simple shutdown command."
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Scary new ransomware takes over iPhones, iPads and Macs
I saw this on Kim Komando's web site, komando.com
"A new wave of ransomware is specifically targeting Apple devices.
iPad, iPhone and Mac owners in parts of Australia are reporting that their devices are being held hostage. On their phones, tablets, and Macs, they are seeing messages on the screens demanding $50 to $100 to gain access to their gadgets
.
If you don't pay the ransom, you don't gain access to your device. There is a work-around. But first, how did the bad guys get in?
Time Magazine is reporting that it appears that whoever’s behind this has gotten ahold of people’s iCloud usernames and passwords, then used the Find My iPhone feature to remotely lock devices, demanding payment in order to unlock them. Now, that's pretty clever.
One iPhone user, a Fairfax Media employee in Sydney, said she was awoken at 4 a.m. on Tuesday to a loud "lost phone" message that said "Oleg Pliss" had hacked her phone. She was instructed to send $50 to a PayPal account to have it unlocked.
If you have a passcode on your device, you will be able to unlock it after the hacker has sent you the message demanding payment. Ignore the hacker's message and simply enter your 4-digit PIN.
Those who had not set a passcode are unable to access their device. Your best bet is to bring your phone, tablet or Mac down to the Apple store and ask them for help.
It's just a matter of time before this attack spreads beyond Australia.
What should you do?
Set up passcodes on your devices. Change your iCloud password too.
For your Mac, read this tip that shows you how protect from snoops.
You need security programs on your phone or tablet. Click here for the 5 best apps to secure your tablet or phone."
"A new wave of ransomware is specifically targeting Apple devices.
iPad, iPhone and Mac owners in parts of Australia are reporting that their devices are being held hostage. On their phones, tablets, and Macs, they are seeing messages on the screens demanding $50 to $100 to gain access to their gadgets
.
If you don't pay the ransom, you don't gain access to your device. There is a work-around. But first, how did the bad guys get in?
Time Magazine is reporting that it appears that whoever’s behind this has gotten ahold of people’s iCloud usernames and passwords, then used the Find My iPhone feature to remotely lock devices, demanding payment in order to unlock them. Now, that's pretty clever.
One iPhone user, a Fairfax Media employee in Sydney, said she was awoken at 4 a.m. on Tuesday to a loud "lost phone" message that said "Oleg Pliss" had hacked her phone. She was instructed to send $50 to a PayPal account to have it unlocked.
If you have a passcode on your device, you will be able to unlock it after the hacker has sent you the message demanding payment. Ignore the hacker's message and simply enter your 4-digit PIN.
Those who had not set a passcode are unable to access their device. Your best bet is to bring your phone, tablet or Mac down to the Apple store and ask them for help.
It's just a matter of time before this attack spreads beyond Australia.
What should you do?
Set up passcodes on your devices. Change your iCloud password too.
For your Mac, read this tip that shows you how protect from snoops.
You need security programs on your phone or tablet. Click here for the 5 best apps to secure your tablet or phone."
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Microsoft cautions against Windows XP hack
From cnet.com:
Microsoft is warning XP users to steer clear of a hack that installs security updates despite the recent end of support for the aged OS.
In a statement sent to ZDNet on Monday, Microsoft explained:
"We recently became aware of a hack that purportedly aims to provide security updates to Windows XP customers. The security updates that could be installed are intended for Windows Embedded and Windows Server 2003 customers and do not fully protect Windows XP customers. Windows XP customers also run a significant risk of functionality issues with their machines if they install these updates, as they are not tested against Windows XP. The best way for Windows XP customers to protect their systems is to upgrade to a more modern operating system, like Windows 7 or Windows 8.1."
Microsoft turned off the support tap for Windows XP in early April, which means the software giant will no longer provide bug fixes, security patches, or other updates for the OS. That cutoff puts XP users at risk, so it's only natural that some would try to find a workaround to keep their XP computers secure.
As described by Betanews, the hack directs updates intended for Windows Embedded Industry and Windows Server 2003 to XP machines via a Registry change. But XP isn't quite the same as Windows Embedded or Server 2003.
Microsoft is warning XP users to steer clear of a hack that installs security updates despite the recent end of support for the aged OS.
In a statement sent to ZDNet on Monday, Microsoft explained:
"We recently became aware of a hack that purportedly aims to provide security updates to Windows XP customers. The security updates that could be installed are intended for Windows Embedded and Windows Server 2003 customers and do not fully protect Windows XP customers. Windows XP customers also run a significant risk of functionality issues with their machines if they install these updates, as they are not tested against Windows XP. The best way for Windows XP customers to protect their systems is to upgrade to a more modern operating system, like Windows 7 or Windows 8.1."
Microsoft turned off the support tap for Windows XP in early April, which means the software giant will no longer provide bug fixes, security patches, or other updates for the OS. That cutoff puts XP users at risk, so it's only natural that some would try to find a workaround to keep their XP computers secure.
As described by Betanews, the hack directs updates intended for Windows Embedded Industry and Windows Server 2003 to XP machines via a Registry change. But XP isn't quite the same as Windows Embedded or Server 2003.
Monday, May 12, 2014
Windows XP die-hards can slash attack risk by dumping IE
From computerworld.com:
The statistics
support the advice from security professionals, who have recommended
users run a rival browser to avoid some of the attacks aimed at their
unprotected PCs.
Microsoft stopped sending patches to Windows XP PCs last month. The ban also applies to any version of IE that runs on the aged operating system. But a tally of Windows and IE vulnerabilities patched from July to December 2013 shows that the browser poses a greater security risk to XP bitter-enders than does the OS itself.
During the six-month stretch, Microsoft patched 19 separate critical vulnerabilities in the versions of IE -- IE6, IE7 and IE8 -- that run on Windows XP. "Critical" is Microsoft's most-serious threat label, and indicates that hackers who successfully exploit such bugs can probably compromise the PC and plant malware on its drive.
Security experts, including those at Microsoft, have predicted that hackers will analyze the patches provided for other versions of the operating system to find flaws in XP. By conducting before- and after-patch code comparisons, attackers may be able to figure out where a vulnerability lies in, say, Windows 7, which will be patched, then sniff around the same part of XP's code until they discover the bug there. From that point, it will be relatively straight forward for them to craft an exploit and use it against unprotected XP PCs.
"After April [2014], when we release monthly security updates for supported versions of Windows, attackers will try and reverse engineer them to identify any vulnerabilities that also exist in Windows XP," said Dustin Childs, director of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing group, in an October 2013 blog. "If they succeed, attackers will have the capability to develop exploit code to take advantage of them."
Of the 16 critical Windows XP flaws fixed in the second half of 2013, 14 were also patched in Windows 7 and Windows 8, one was also addressed just in Windows 7, and one was found only in Windows XP. In other words, 15 of the vulnerabilities fit Microsoft's criteria as reverse engineer-able.
Cyber criminals will have an easier time locating bugs in IE, as IE6, IE7 and IE8 will continue to be patched on other flavors of Windows. Even IE6, which shipped before Windows XP, will be patched until July 2015, when Windows Server 2003 retires."
"Computerworld - By
switching to a non-Microsoft browser, Windows XP users can halve the
number of vulnerabilities that apply to the OS, according to a survey of
flaws Microsoft fixed in the second half of 2013.
Microsoft stopped sending patches to Windows XP PCs last month. The ban also applies to any version of IE that runs on the aged operating system. But a tally of Windows and IE vulnerabilities patched from July to December 2013 shows that the browser poses a greater security risk to XP bitter-enders than does the OS itself.
During the six-month stretch, Microsoft patched 19 separate critical vulnerabilities in the versions of IE -- IE6, IE7 and IE8 -- that run on Windows XP. "Critical" is Microsoft's most-serious threat label, and indicates that hackers who successfully exploit such bugs can probably compromise the PC and plant malware on its drive.
Security experts, including those at Microsoft, have predicted that hackers will analyze the patches provided for other versions of the operating system to find flaws in XP. By conducting before- and after-patch code comparisons, attackers may be able to figure out where a vulnerability lies in, say, Windows 7, which will be patched, then sniff around the same part of XP's code until they discover the bug there. From that point, it will be relatively straight forward for them to craft an exploit and use it against unprotected XP PCs.
"After April [2014], when we release monthly security updates for supported versions of Windows, attackers will try and reverse engineer them to identify any vulnerabilities that also exist in Windows XP," said Dustin Childs, director of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing group, in an October 2013 blog. "If they succeed, attackers will have the capability to develop exploit code to take advantage of them."
Of the 16 critical Windows XP flaws fixed in the second half of 2013, 14 were also patched in Windows 7 and Windows 8, one was also addressed just in Windows 7, and one was found only in Windows XP. In other words, 15 of the vulnerabilities fit Microsoft's criteria as reverse engineer-able.
Cyber criminals will have an easier time locating bugs in IE, as IE6, IE7 and IE8 will continue to be patched on other flavors of Windows. Even IE6, which shipped before Windows XP, will be patched until July 2015, when Windows Server 2003 retires."
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Microsoft Internet Explorer Fix Includes Windows XP
How's that again? Well whaddya know?!:-)
I saw this on wsj.com
"Microsoft announced Thursday it has patched a major security hole in its flagship Web browser, including old versions for Windows XP – a break from past statements.
The Redmond, Wash., software giant this weekend warned users that hackers were exploiting a new flaw in Internet Explorer, the default browser for much of the Web. The flaw attracted unusual attention because it also affected older versions of Internet Explorer used with Windows XP.
As of April 8, Microsoft no longer supports Windows XP and had said it would stop patching it. That means hackers, in theory, would be able to use those holes in cyberattacks in perpetuity.
But the company decided to make an exception in this case."
I saw this on wsj.com
"Microsoft announced Thursday it has patched a major security hole in its flagship Web browser, including old versions for Windows XP – a break from past statements.
The Redmond, Wash., software giant this weekend warned users that hackers were exploiting a new flaw in Internet Explorer, the default browser for much of the Web. The flaw attracted unusual attention because it also affected older versions of Internet Explorer used with Windows XP.
As of April 8, Microsoft no longer supports Windows XP and had said it would stop patching it. That means hackers, in theory, would be able to use those holes in cyberattacks in perpetuity.
But the company decided to make an exception in this case."
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
5 ways to test your computer’s security
This article was posted on Kim Komando's web site. I usually check her site every day, and so should you. You never know when you will find something that could help you! Kim's site is here; komando.com
The subject article, 5 ways to test your computer’s security, can be found here:
The subject article, 5 ways to test your computer’s security, can be found here:
5 ways to test your computer’s security
Saturday, April 26, 2014
April HOSTS File now available
MVPS HOSTS File Update April-22-2014
The MVPS HOSTS file was recently updated [April-22-2014]
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm
Download: hosts.zip (132 kb)
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.zip
How To: Download and Extract the HOSTS filehttp://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts2.htm
HOSTS File - Frequently Asked Questionshttp://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hostsfaq.htm
Note: the "text" version makes a great resource for determining possible unwanted connections ...
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.txt (500 kb)
Get notified when the MVPS HOSTS file is updated
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/updates.htm
Friday, April 18, 2014
XP Still going strong
Okay, enough of this. This'll be my last such post. A full 10 days after the cessation of XP security updates from Microsoft, my 2 XP machines are running fine. I do a Windows Update every other day or so, and have not seen any security updates from Microsoft. On the other hane, Microsoft continues to push out virus definition files, almost one a day, for its MSE, so that's good.
I also haven't heard of any XP-directed attacks.
I also haven't heard of any XP-directed attacks.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Windows XP lives on: Avast survey shows 27 percent of its XP users don't plan to switch
At least we know where we stand. I would think that more than 27% are sticking with XP. By the way, Avast makes a very fine free anti-virus.
"Microsoft may have ended support for Windows XP, but free antivirus software vendor Avast projects that for millions of users, that won’t mean squat.
Avast had previously reported that 23.6 percent of its users were still running Windows XP. In the days before Microsoft ended support of Windows XP on April 8, Avast surveyed close to 165,000 of those users. The results, released in in a blog post on Monday, indicate that 27 percent of Avast’s Windows XP users don’t plan on doing anything, even though Windows XP systems are theoretically vulnerable to attack from hitherto unreported vulnerabilities."
More here.....
"Microsoft may have ended support for Windows XP, but free antivirus software vendor Avast projects that for millions of users, that won’t mean squat.
Avast had previously reported that 23.6 percent of its users were still running Windows XP. In the days before Microsoft ended support of Windows XP on April 8, Avast surveyed close to 165,000 of those users. The results, released in in a blog post on Monday, indicate that 27 percent of Avast’s Windows XP users don’t plan on doing anything, even though Windows XP systems are theoretically vulnerable to attack from hitherto unreported vulnerabilities."
More here.....
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