The Cyber War: Do Not Be a Casualty

America is at war.

No, not just the war in Afghanistan.

There is a war underway that uses computers and software instead of guns and bullets, a "cyber war".

Last week the Washington Post (9/21/12) reported that Iran has been engaged in cyber-attacks against major US banks including JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America. The attacks include efforts to disrupt their networks and bring down their web sites through Denial of Service (DOS) attacks that flood their networks with messages.

Senator Joe Lieberman (I) is quoted as saying that he feels this was not independent hackers but a sophisticated effort by the Iranian military to disrupt key components of the American economy.

Iran has denied they caused the attack, but it is widely believed that the Iranians have stepped up the cyber capabilities since they were the victim of a computer virus that attacked their nuclear facilities, known as the Stutznet Virus. Just today, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard asserted that they are prepared for a "Cyber War" that he believes could cause more destruction than a "physical confrontation". (Reuters 9/25/12)

This is not a new phenomenon and it is growing. Gen Keith B. Alexander, head of the US National Security Agency asserted that cyber-attacks against US Infrastructure increased by a multiple of 17 between 2009 and 2011 (NY Times 7/26/12). These attacks have targeted infrastructure such the electrical grid, water supply, computer and cell phone networks.

The Iranians are certainly not the only foreign attacker. The Chinese are believed to be heavily engaged in hacking into American corporate and governmental networks. Although they seem more intent on stealing technology and gaining intelligence for economic gain, there has also been an ominous focus on oil and energy related infrastructure (CBSNews.com 9/20/12).

Should this matter to the average computer user or web site operator to do?

Well, besides the fallout from disrupting infrastructure and the economy the average person can be directly affected.

First, viruses intended for one target may hit other targets. There are some nasty viruses floating around that appear to have been intended for Mideast targets that have made their way to Europe and the US. Anytime you visit a web site and download a file you could be at risk. How do you know who really operates that site with those Kate Middleton pics?

Second, a common technique of these attacks is to enlist unwitting computer users into participating. This is called creating a network of bots, aka "zombie" computers by infecting and controlling a user's computer for nefarious purposes. Such "bonnets" are the number one source for sending spam email and Denial of Service attacks. The use of these computers makes it difficult to trace the original source and the computer owners may not even be aware that they are being used.

Zombies may be popular today in film and fiction but you do not want your computer to become one. You may "only" experience performance issues, but you could also be open to further infection.

What can you do?

First, all computer users should make sure they have the best available Firewall and Antivirus protection. That's true whether you are a home user, operating a corporate network or a web host. Home users should never be without protection because there are some very good free firewall and scanner systems available.

In managing corporate networks, it is helpful if you use "end point security management" systems that help you ensure that every computer on your network has the latest antivirus and firewall software that your company is using. A computer network is only as strong as its weakest link and most malware are unknown at the time they are unleashed.

That is why I believe the best antivirus software and firewalls use a whitelist system and sandbox technology. The way this works is the scanner only permits software to operate within your system if it is on a list of valid programs. If it suspects that any software has a problem, it will allow the program to run in an isolated system area called a sandbox. Based on its behavior in the sandbox, the AV software will determine if it is OK or should be deleted.

If you are the operator of a web site that exchanges personal information, such as an e-Commerce site, you probably know to use the Secured Socket Layer (SSL) that creates a secured encrypted connection between the web server and the browser. This will prevent you from unwittingly supplying malware to your site users.

However, this requires that you obtain and SSL Certificate and not all Certificates are the same. Beware of free certificates that are "self-signed". That means there is no verification that the web site the user is attempting to connect to is in fact the one it is purported to be. That means your users could be supply information to a hacker who will use it for nefarious and even criminal uses.

In addition, there are various levels of verification with SSL Certificates. Basic certificates just verify that the correct ownership of the web site, not that they are reputable. More advanced, enhanced certificates provide a higher degree of verification and protection.

If you do not want to be a casualty of the cyber war you need to make sure that you have best firewall and antivirus protection. Web operators who want to stay out of the line of fire need to use Enhanced SSL Certificates as well.

There is a cyber war underway and every computer user needs to be involved in the fight. by using the best antivirus software. Every web operator must keep their sites clean of infections and, if they exchange information with their visitors, use Enhanced SSL Certificates.

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Computer Virus Removal Expectations When Choosing a PC Technician

Computer viruses are so common these days that I don't know anyone with a computer that hasn't either gotten a computer virus on their own computer or at least know someone who has. But what is the quickest and wisest way to recover from a malware infection, such as viruses and spyware, without costing too much, losing your data, or having any headaches from hiring an inexperienced technician?

If attempting it yourself, prepare for some frustrations. I would add that the average person cannot truly know if their computer is clean, because they just don't have the training. There are many reasons why your security software may say your computer is clean when it really isn't, but I won't get into that here. I always say to save yourself a headache and call an independent, experienced technician. Just know that we aren't all the same, just like with Doctors, we all don't specialize in the same areas. Not to forget that there are good Doctors and bad Doctors.

But how a PC Technician approaches a virus removal job depends on what you explain your expectations and desires are, how difficult the job is, as well as how experienced the technician is.

Virus Removal Expectations

Some people think that a virus is the end of their computer, that they will have to buy a new one and all they want now is their data.

It's true that a virus infection can render your computer so useless that buying a new computer seems like the only option, but most viruses only affect your software which can either be cleaned or reinstalled.

The mystery for the consumer seems to be where to start, because in many cases, the computer is so unresponsive that the keyboard and mouse do not work. Just know that a good PC Technician should have the resources and training to resurrect computers with even the worst infections.

But some infections are so bad that the Windows Operating System may need to be reinstalled. In these cases, you will get your computer back working just fine, but most likely without all of the same programs and customizations you had before, meaning you will have some follow-up work to do. Hopefully, you still have the original software so you can build your computer back up yourself.

PC Technician Experience

It has always been my preference to maintain the original Windows installation so that the customer can get their computer back with all of the same programs and customizations they had before.

But not all PC Technicians can achieve this while maintaining good performance and stability in a timely manner. An inexperienced technician will almost always opt to run a System Recovery before they get in over their head trying to remove the infection while trying to maintain a stable Operating System.

Hopefully they'll back up your data first. There is nothing inherently wrong with running a System Recovery, but this is a feature that the computer manufacturers built in as a "User" feature you can do yourself. I admit, sometimes it is all you can do, but in my experience, maybe only 20% of the time. But for inexperienced technicians, they seem to use it 80% of the time.

So when you get your newly repaired computer home, you may find out that your printer is no longer setup, your network settings have changed, your email isn't setup, your wallpaper has changed, you don't have all the same programs you had before, and you may even be missing some or all of your data... but your computer works. I certainly wouldn't like getting all the phone calls about these problems. I call these types of technicians "reformatters".

How to Spot Reformatters

Anyway, the best way to spot "reformatters" is that they will skip straight to the explanation that they will have to perform a System Recovery.

A shop can turn around a lot of computers by doing it this way, but so can my 12 year old daughter. But take this into consideration when you are comparing services. Don't ever think for a moment that we PC Technicians are all the same. Don't think that just because someone charges more or less means that you are getting the same, best or worst service.
But be careful about someone who charges the least. I say this because anyone who knows how good they are will want to be properly compensated for it. They might not be greedy and charge the most, but they certainly won't want to charge the least. Besides, computer repair involves time consuming labor, and you can only repair so many computers a day.

Question the PC Technician's Experience Level

If you don't have any positive referrals to go by, I would question the experience of anyone that charges on the low end. I wouldn't get too detailed and lengthy like you might with a major purchase though. Just do some quick mental math for your local economy and try to estimate their overhead to see if he or she would be able to make a reasonable living repairing only a few computers a day at that rate. It is an unsustainable business model you will see come and go on Craigslist everyday, and by the way, I am not knocking all Craigslist PC Techs, just the obvious ones.

In some cases, maybe the customer doesn't care about their data, and all they use their computer for is to surf the internet and check webmail. In these few cases, running a System Recovery may be a good option.

The bottom line is that you should think about your expectations about how well you want to fare when recovering from a computer virus. Choosing the right shop or independent technician may make all the difference. And don't try to compare us all just by price, we aren't like a bag of Potato Chips where you can surely find a store that sells the exact same item for less, because when it comes to skills and experience, professionalism and work ethic, we are not all the same, and you will certainly pay for that difference.

Dale Powell is an independent PC Technician with ComputerAfterCare and Web Design operating out of Richmond, TX. If you would like to learn more about our virus removal services, visit us at:

ComputerAfterCare and Web Design
19840 FM 1093 Rd, Suite G6
Richmond, TX 77407
(832) 278-2721
http://richmondmobilecomputerrepair.com/

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Common Fixes for Virus Damaged Files

Most of us have experienced a virus attack that resulted in some damaged files. Usually, the files that are damaged the most are the.exe files and its affiliates. And when this happens, icons that are typically needed to start programs stop working and pop up appears inquiring what software or application you're choosing to make the program you're trying to run work. Instances like these can be solved fairly easily.

• During a virus attack, the "exe file association" is damaged so a registry file fix should be run to fix it. One quick and direct method of doing this is to use Google's "exe file association registry fix," and to attempt to look for the actual .reg files on the landing pages that you can utilize to fix the .exe dilemma. When you have downloaded and run the files, it will inquire if you want to "import into registry." Click "yes" and the problem's solved.

• Sometimes programs in the start menu as well as certain files disappear after a virus infestation. This makes some computer users think that their files are gone, so they reformat their computer in order to remove the virus. But in some cases, the files are still in the computer's system and are just hidden. Do some research or Google "unhide.exe." This is a file that can go through your system and attempt to recover the paths to your files and the missing programs.

• The Internet is still the best place to get information on how to repair files damaged by viruses. There are numerous websites that were developed specifically to counter this threat and where you can discover methods on how to get rid of viruses from your computer and how to fix the damaged files.

Taking precautions like using the best antivirus software you can find and knowing what to be aware of is still the best way to prevent, or at least minimize, the risk of virus attacks. And some of these ways are easy to remember and understand.

• One of your best defense against computer viruses or malware is just to be conscious of what you're clicking on. Not even the most trusted or effective programs like Kaspersky can stop each and every virus, especially with the rise of rootkits and other embedding malware. So the best protection is to be aware of what the red flags are.

• Remember that no program that asks you to do a computer scan is safe. In all likelihood, that's not a reliable or the best antivirus program, it's a website that will unleash a malware on your computer system.

• Don't trust all the emails that you receive, even if it's from a friend. Check it carefully, especially if your friends don't normally send you emails with links or without a subject heading. Email your friend first to make sure that they really did send it, before opening it.

• Social media is also a minefield of viruses. Twitter and Facebook profiles are compromised daily, so be wary of posts or messages asking you to click on a link. These are traps and you'll end up on a landing page that's full of malicious software.

The bottom line is there's no need or reason for computer users to be vulnerable. Armed with the right information and tools, you can protect your information and bring back damaged files to their original state.

You can check out websites like http://www.best-antivirus.co/ for more information. And don't forget that the best defense, aside from a good antivirus software, is your own common sense.

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Getting Redirected From Google

All hacking is not dangerous. Some hackers simply do it because they can. They do not want to cause major disruption to your system, they do it because to their way of thinking its fun.

In a recent poll carried out involving those in the age group of 19 and under; the most common type of hacking activity was attempting to crack passwords of known acquaintances.

In general this type of hacking was done for harmless pleasure although extremely annoying for the victim, financial damage, was not the aim.

Rootkit viruses are a different animal. In general these are extremely malicious hackers, trying to cause as much damage to your system as possible. The criminal fraternity are using online fraud in a greater degree than ever before.

The reason for this is plain to see; home PCs are now being used for all types of online money transactions, the internet is used by plenty of people who really have little idea about online security.

As such, criminals will try to exploit the vulnerable. They are mainly doing this with rootkit Trojans.

Anti virus is of course hugely important, but in the case of rootkits; once you have unwittingly installed them on your system, anti-virus simply does not pick up them up.

In using rootkit Trojans, plenty of options are available to these criminals. The reason that rootkits are used is that not only do they hide Trojan activity, but the attacker has a right of passage into your system and can return at will.

The Trojan activity can involve a great number of annoying features:- browser redirection to malicious and fake sites. But the danger lies in the data that is in your private files such as passwords or private documents that can be read or altered by the attacker.

Keystroke logging is also a danger; imagine logging into your bank account, typing in your bank details and passwords, only to find that this information has been sent directly to the attacker, who could be anywhere in the world.

One of the main sources of redirect viruses is pirated software.

Looking at a company such as Microsoft they continually provide patches in updates, these are available for their licensed users.

On a smaller scale when downloading software from a legitimate source, the same thing happens; if any vulnerability is found in their software, patches and updates are provided.

In the case of pirated software these vulnerabilities are seized on by hackers and exploited.

The bottom line is when you download free software, that you should be paying for, you could be giving away a key into your system; perhaps the provider is under the impression that everyone should have free software, or maybe it's the start of an attack of your system. This is one of the risks that you take with illegal software. In general these criminals give you the software for free, with the intent of gaining your personal information; it really is not worth it. If you really want the software I suggest you go and buy it, as it could actually work out to be a much safer option.

Luke Clayhill is a writer who specializes in redirect viruses
Click here for more information on manual removal http://www.googleredirectvirus.net/manually.html

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Computer Threats and Security Solutions

The privacy of our personal information and authenticity of all data communicated is an important fact today. Antivirus is used to prevent computer viruses, adware, spyware etc. and can identify new viruses or variants of existing viruses. Antivirus software companies offer computer security which has many security suits such as Norton, Comodo, Kaspersky, Avira and AVG etc. Signature based detection and file emulation are the most common methods in virus detection. Many security antivirus provides protection against all existing viruses. Thus it acts as a powerful tool which increases the storage of flash memory devices. It has the defensive property against all existing viruses through its high-speed scanning mechanism. It gives the update of new threats in every hour.

Many free antivirus versions which assures a powerful real-time protection of your system. We have other free antivirus programs which include MoonSecure AV, DriveSentry, Microsoft security essentials etc. CalmWin is a free antivirus program for Microsoft windows 7/Vista/xp etc. We can use free antivirus download options through which it is possible to protect our PC from thousands of potential spyware, key logger and tracking threats etc. Malicious software or malware is described as cyber vandalism and the goal of viruses is to spread as much as possible. To protect our computer from crime ware it is essential to install security patches for operating system and applications.

Today each website has its own privacy policies. Web bugs are typically small images placed within the source code of the web pages of a site. It is used to measure the traffic of users who visit a web page. Similarly cookies are the small amount of information which can identify you as specific user. It allows you to save your personal and technical information just like the pages you have visited. If we do not wish to receive cookies we can configure the browser to get that effect. For system security it is necessary to reject cookies from certain domains.

Generacion 4.0 is a new antisparm version which has special features like collective intelligence engine, motors using signatures and engine heuristicos etc. Engine heuristicos is the automatic defense mechanism which acts against new malicious codes. It identifies viruses, worms and trojans that are not present in the database. A virus signature can copy a portion of the executable code to reproduce the infected host applications. There are pleomorphic viruses which are not detected easily so that the heuristic method is used for this purpose. Collective intelligence engine is also help to detect and disinfect viruses.

To protect your computer from cyber threats it is essential to update your security software regularly. You will get free version of security antivirus for one year.

Welcome to Neo antivirus gratis, here we provide Free antivirus protection for your system. You can enjoy the browsing safely by using our neo security antivirus. Want to know more information about Antivirus Gratis and descarga antivirus gratis feel free to browse our website.

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System Progressive Protection

A New malware threat has just been released called System Progressive Protection. Like many other malware clients before it, this new malware client just has a different name.

Malware clients like this are nothing new. This threat is the exact same as several before it including Smart Fortress 2012, MS Removal Tool, Smart Protection 2012, Personal Shield Pro and Live Security Platinum. The purpose of these kinds of malware clients to scare the infected user into making a purchase of the program by using false scan results and error messages. This method of scamming people is several years old but still seems to work for the makers of these virus programs.

What makes these kinds of threats hard to remove is all most all programs will be blocked from running. You will most likely not be able to run an antivirus program while this virus is running. This virus threat is not stealing any personal information or banking information. You will get false warnings about all kinds of virus threats and that someone is stealing your personal data. These warning messages are false and only meant to scare you into making a purchase of the bogus program.

You can however boot into safe mode with networking and download and install an antivirus client and run a full scan. However many users will find that they are unable to get online because this virus puts in a proxy setting to block your outgoing internet traffic. This setting is easy to remove and can be done by simply re-setting your web browser or removing the proxy settings that the virus has setup.

How Did I Get Infected In The First Place?

When it comes to malware there are many different ways a end user can get infected. In many cases the end user had security holes that where exploited from not having the latest security patches for the software installed on their computer.

Often times a good paid antivirus client can block these kinds of malware threats. Another sad truth in today's world is end users really need a paid antivirus client to be properly protected. Free clients just won't cut it in the new complicated world of high end rootkits and malware threats.

Even with the best antivirus client out there users can still be tricked into installing malware threats. They may be trying to watch a video and are told they need to update their video software by downloading a program and installing it. It's not really a video program but a virus that the user is installing.

Bottom line is you should only download and install software from sources you trust and even then you should use caution.

For a detailed System Progressive Protection removal guide and vidoe that covers how to remove this threat check out this System Progressive Protection removal guide. You can also find out information on hundreds of other virus threats and great how to guides on the removevirus.org website.

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Anti Spyware: A Brief Look and the Latest in the Industry

Spyware is a kind of malicious software installed on computers that assembles information about users without letting them know of it. This kind of software, though, is typically meant to monitor the computing of users, its malfunctions can actually go beyond just monitoring and be used to access sensitive data like habits of surfing, user logins, information about credit/ debit cards etc. It can even interfere with the controls of a computer user by installing added software or re-directing web browsers. Spyware often slows down internet speeds, changes browser settings, or certain software settings also. It can create unwarranted CPU activity, disk usage, network traffic. It can overall make a system unstable by freezing applications, boot failures, even crash down systems. Certain lethal spyware can disable the firewalls of the system as well as the anti-virus software, thus making the system vulnerable to further possible infections.

It also happens that sometimes genuine software includes spyware and this could come from some official software vendor. So, as users are becoming more internet savvy by the day, they are potentially exposing themselves and their computers to an assemblage of online security risks. Now since with time the spyware and other malware will only continue to enhance and become bigger, efforts need to be put in order to fight them. Anti-spyware software is a potent tool that strives to protect computers against spyware, and a variety of other malicious software. To combat this quick evolution of spyware, many security companies have sprung up and this is an industry in itself today. The software serves real-time protection by scanning and blocking the incoming network data for the threat and warning they detect for spyware. These programs examine the contents of the Windows registry, files of the operating system, the installed programs, eliminates files and entries that tally with a list of common spyware.

Now, what to look for while one is selecting anti-spyware software?

The anti-spyware should carry out effective scanning, should be able to detect and eliminate malicious software. Also, running them should not significantly slower down the usual running of the computer. The following bullet points could be handy while choosing anti-spyware software:

• Effectiveness of protection: It should be effective and smart enough to detect a wide range of key loggers, root kits, spyware and any other potentially malign software.

• Effectiveness of removal: After a thorough checking and identification of the risks, the spyware should be proficient enough to eliminate and eradicate the malware.

• Usability: Utilization of the disk space, the memory usage, and the specifications of the machine required to successfully run the anti-spyware tool, all these need to be checked.

• Help & Support: A properly documented built-in help & support guide should be an integral part of each of the software that is sold. The option of online/telephonic support should be a part of the application package as well.

An ideal anti-spyware software should be light running, should be able to detect & remove the spyware effectively, thus rendering a tight protection of the PC from spyware and malignant attacks.

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What Is a Computer Virus? A Brief History and Explanation

Getting a "virus" on your computer can be a simple annoyance or a devastating event depending on many factors, not least which bug you caught.

In short, what we call a "virus" is a computer program that can replicate itself and spread from one computer to another. The term "virus" is also commonly, but incorrectly used to refer to other types of programs, which include but are not limited to ad-ware and spy-ware programs that do not have a reproductive ability.

The first scientist to theorize about viruses in computers was John von Neumann in 1944, when he gave a series of lectures in which he contemplated the occurrence of self replicating computer codes.

One of the first viruses was "Creeper", written in 1971 by Cambridge, Mass. based programmer Bob Thomas. It was intentional, written in-house and deployed over a network without malicious intent. The code was able to replicate itself and spread to other computers on the ARPANET, which was a DARPA sponsored predecessor of the Internet. This virus did not cause much damage but it was proof of the theory regarding self replicating code.

The question of which has been the worst virus till now is open to a lot of debate, but certainly few will disagree that the ILOVEYOU bug has been the most damaging.

This is probably the most well-known virus of all time as it infected many home computers. The virus spread by sending an e-mail claiming to be a letter from a secret admirer. Once opened, the worm replicated itself and hid in several files on the computer. It opened an attachment called WIN-BUGSFIX.EXE, which, far from fixing the bug, was actually a password stealing application. The ILOVEYOU bug caused an estimated $10 billion in damages.

According to Eugene Kaspersky of the anti-virus company Kaspersky Labs, in 2011 new viruses and variants were being detected at a rate of 70 000 per day!

The collective term "malware" is often used for all bugs and includes viruses, computer worms, Trojan horses, most root-kits, spy-ware, dishonest ad-ware and other malicious or unwanted software.

Wikipedia defines Malware as; "Malware, short for malicious software, is software used or created by hackers to disrupt computer operation, gather sensitive information, or gain access to private computer systems. While it is often software, it can also appear in the form of scripts or code.'Malware' is a general term used to refer to a variety of forms of hostile, intrusive, or annoying software."

True viruses are sometimes confused with worms and Trojan horses, which are technically different. A worm can exploit security vulnerabilities to spread itself automatically to other computers through networks, while a Trojan horse is a program that appears harmless but hides malicious functions. Worms and Trojan horses, like viruses, may harm a computer system's data or performance. Some viruses or malware have symptoms noticeable to the computer user, but many are surreptitious or do nothing to call attention to themselves. Some viruses do nothing beyond reproducing themselves.

Since the term "malware" is also one that causes a lot of debate some security professionals prefer to call them "parasites". This broader description from biology defines a parasite as "an organism that has sustained contact with another organism to the detriment of the host organism." (The Art of Being a Parasite, by Claude Combus, 2005 )

As you can see, there are a variety of malware that can infect your computer, it is best to use a multi-pronged approach which involves using several software programs to find and remove them.

For the full story of the Creeper "virus" you can read "The virus of Bob Thomas"

For more free tips, info and advice that saves you money, and a free guide to clean a virus from your computer, visit GetValue

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How To Create a Strong Password in 2 Steps

Creating a strong password is a must today in order to help you safely protect your online transactions. Without it, you'll be left vulnerable to intrusions, stolen personal information, spam, viruses and more. You don't want to know that reason your friends and family are getting spammed, viruses is because your email account was hacked. Or imagine if this happens to your credit card or your bank account? The ramification can be devastating. So before it reaches this level, you can take some very simple steps to creating a strong password.

The question that most people ask is "How I can remember these long strings of letters, numbers and characters?" Well it is very simple and as you will see in this article, it will take two steps to get it done, really. And it may end up being fun. But before we dig in into how to create a complicated password, we are going to play a memory game.

Let's say we have these five objects to remember in order: car, frame, hammer, spoon and sun. The trick to remembering these words or items right away is to compose a sentence with all of them. It does not have to make sense. The sentence just needs to create actions. It will look like this: "In my car, I framed a picture with my hammer and hanged the spoon right over it under the sun." You have now composed a sentence with all 5 words and created actions out of them. If you picture yourself doing these actions, you will immediately remember all 5 words as soon as they are presented to you.

We will use the same analogy to create complicated password in 2 easy steps.

1. Select your favorite words, date/time (number) and a character.

2. Make a sentence with all of them.

Let's say I like colors, fruits and I have great (or bad) memories that happened at a specific time. Let's use the information below:

Words/Numbers/Characters: Red, banana, &,1975

The password will be: Redbanana&1975

Words/Numbers/Characters: Clown,scared,!,1999

The password will be: Clownscared!1999

Or something more fun:

Words/Numbers/Characters: In, 1975, I, became,*

The password will be: In1975ibecame*

Words/Numbers/Characters: @, 12PM, friday, ihave, $

The password will be: @12PMfridayihave$

Try using the first word in upper case; add some numbers, one simple character and you are done. These are strong passwords and you can make all kind of combinations. This will take about 10 minutes of your time but I can assure you, it will be the best 10 minutes you spent.

Remember to use a password for each one of your major account and try changing them as often as you memory can allow it.

Jacob Ouaknine is Sales Engineer and Account Manager at M6iT Consulting

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How to Protect Your Computer in 5 Easy Steps.

1# Use an Anti-Virus software

If you have a PC or Mac you must have an Anti-Virus and if you don't, get it now. Mac users please don't think you are safe because you have an Apple computer. Although it is technically true that Macs don't have Viruses, Mac treats are related to pirated software, social network scams (Facebook, Twitter), and socially engineered websites that can run malicious code on your Mac and collect your information.

What most Mac users don't know is that a Mac can still transmit and spread Windows viruses. If you have an infected file with Windows malicious code, and share it with your Windows friend, they will get infected. Be smart and protect your computer regardless of the Operating System you are using.

An Anti-Virus can help detect most malicious software before they affect your computer. Obviously having an Anti-Virus does not mean it will catch everything but better be safe than sorry. There are many softwares out there that will help protect your computer. Try to get one that gives you a complete protection. A software that has an Anti-Virus, Spyware, malware and web browsing protection.

For PC users you can use Microsoft Security Essentials. It is free and works just as good as any other Anti-Virus.

http://windows.microsoft.com

For Mac users you can use Sophos. It is free and will do a great job. http://www.sophos.com

Make sure you schedule the Anti-Virus to get updates regularly so you get the latest definitions.

2# Keep your softwares and operating system up to date:

Update your programs, operating system, and browsers regularly. It will help prevent many problems and patch security holes. Always update via Windows updates or Mac updates. While browsing the Internet, if you get a popup asking you to run any updates, it is a scam. See # 3 for more details.

3#Pop-up and email warnings:

Unscrupulous companies use pop-up ads to display false warnings about your computer. This is most common with pop-up warnings that you see while you're surfing the Web.

Do NOT click any button in the pop-up. Such as a "Close", "No" button or the "Close" box that may appear in the upper-right corner of the pop-up. Closing a pop-up that way might actually install a virus or other malicious software on your computer. To close a pop-up ad:

For windows, press Ctrl-W

For Mac, press Command-W.

You may receive an email warning that claims to be from a computer "expert" warning you of a virus. These are usually hoaxes. Do not follow the steps described in any email unless you're sure the threat is real.

4# Be aware of emails:

When you receive an email with an attachment that you are not expecting, do not open it. Simple rule: Don't trust but verify. If your email provider does not scan your emails before they are delivered to your mailbox, scans the attachments with your Anti-Virus.

If the email is not from someone you know and trust: don't open it, scan it (personally I will just delete it, especially if the subject or body is catchy). Do the same with emails that have suspicious links. If the attachment is from someone you know and trust but did not expect: Scan it.

5# Check your Firewall.

Every operating system comes with a built in Firewall to prevent unauthorized access to your computer. Make sure it is turned on.

How to turn on a firewall on windows: Start Menu /Control Panel / Windows Firewall

How to turn on a firewall on Mac: Apple Menu / system preferences / security and privacy / Firewall

These 5 little steps will not only protect your computer but will extend its longevity. By protecting your computers, you are also protecting your personal information but know that the rest of the responsibility falls on you. So make sure not to click and open anything without make sure it is a legitimate source.

Jacob Ouaknine is Sales Engineer and Account Manager at M6iT Consulting

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How to Keep Files Safe When Surfing the Net

We are immersed in a technology savvy world where most of our lives are consumed by the internet. Most of the population spends hours a day surfing, banking, paying bills, using social sites or even completing tasks for work or school related projects. There are wireless internet connections in almost every fast food establishment, coffee shop and library you can find. Computers used to just be an additional accessory that was optional but now it is a necessary component of our day no matter where we go. With the rapid growth of internet use come the increased chances that our personal information can be compromised. There are some actions that can be taken to make sure that your files and personal information are safe no matter where you surf the web.

Creating Passwords
One of the most effective ways to protect your personal information can be how you choose passwords. It can be tricky to choose a different password for every single site that you visit, but it is unsafe to use the same password on all the sites that you access. The danger in using one password for all the sites is that if someone obtains access to the password they would then be able to access all of the sites.

It is important to find the right balance when setting up passwords. They need to be easy enough for you to remember but too difficult for others to guess. It is unwise to use birthdays, phone numbers, or pet's names as passwords as others may be able to get this information too easily. There are some very useful programs which can help keep track of your passwords if you have difficulty remembering them. When creating a password it is best to use letters, numbers and at least one symbol. This will make it more difficult for someone to guess.

Password the Computer You Use
Another way to protect your personal information is to put a password on the computer. This will mean that you have to enter your password every time you boot up the system. While this can seem like it complicates the process, it can be a great protective measure. If you leave your computer sitting on a table a third party will not be able to gain access to any your computer or any of your documents if they do not know the password. This is a very important tool for those who use computers in a public place.

Choose the Sites You Access
It is so convenient to use one of the public WI-Fi systems. And more facilities are making it available for free which makes it even more tempting to use more frequently. It is important to refrain from accessing sites which use very sensitive or personal information. Banking should be done on your home computer only. Personal files should not be opened up in public places and especially not when using a publicly used computer such as the library.

Virus Protection
There are several very good virus protection programs available for reasonable costs. This is a very important step to protecting all of your personal files and information. Keep the firewall and anti-virus program that you choose to use up to date. This will protect the computer from damaging viruses but it can also protect against hackers. Most of them will also alert you before you go to a site which could be damaging.

These are a few tips to use to help protect your personal information from hackers or loss. If the security of your information is compromised it can not only be damaging but very time consuming trying to get it gathered back up. Always protect yourself and your information by following these simple tips.

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How to Protect Yourself From Facebook Hackers Who Contact You As Friends!

I was connected to Facebook the other day, and I received a chat message from an old friend of mine, someone I knew at the university, and to whom I never talked since that time, that is some 19 years ago.

After some chat about how each one was doing, he asked me if I could do him a favor: He needed a recharge card for a cell phone for someone in Paris, and he told me that he will transfer money to me via a money transfer service.

I was feeling that it was strange to receive a favor request from a friend to whom I haven't talked for ages, but it was maybe logical since his country of residence was not the same as mine. Thus, I asked him when he wanted the card, and he said "right now, today".

Then he added "I don't like to ask anything from anyone, but I really need it, and because you're like a brother to me, I am asking you... "

I was never like a brother to that person! Was there a secret virtual bond between him and me without me realizing?

Still, since the favor he asked for was not a big deal to me, and since I like to serve friends, I was going to follow. I enquired further, and he told me to get him a 3 months recharge card or 2 cards of 1 month, which is not very familiar to me because I don't know how the recharge cards process works.

All that happened through Facebook chat. Right after, and while I was preparing myself to go get the card, I started reasoning:

-What was the eventuality of a friend to whom I haven't talked for 19 years contact me suddenly and ask for a favor?

-Why would a friend to whom I was never very close tell me I am like a brother to him?

And then it came to me that it was not him, that it couldn't be him. It was someone using his account to request recharge cards from his contacts or other favors.

There was no doubt to me anymore that my friend's account was hacked, and that the person who contacted me was a hacker trying to take advantage of the bonds and relationships of my friend. Maybe if I asked him a question about my friend or how I knew him, etc. he could even answer because Facebook contains a lot of personal information.

I looked in my friend's Facebook page if any information about his mobile number or email was found (even though email is not even secure because the hacker may have reached his Facebook account from hacking his email, or he may have also hacked his email account) to contact him and tell him that his account was hacked, but I couldn't find any.

I then told the hacker that I will contact him to give him the card number, and as expected he told me that his mobile was not with him (under repair): actually I didn't even know the number, I was just bluffing. I told him that I couldn't give him the card if I couldn't call him, he first asked why, then he said that he will contact me.

In my case, and even though the friend that contacted me was someone that I haven't talked to for years, I believed at first that it was him. But the hacker could have done better, and read in the hacked account past chats or in the hacked account contact friends walls how the hacked account holder used to interact which what friends in particular, when, in which way, etc. and thus the possibility is there.

This is why I decided to write this post, so that:

- If a friend (even a close one) contacts you via email or Facebook or whatever electronic means (chat software, small messages, etc.), you do not communicate personal information to him or her until you make sure in a way or another that it is him or her

- If you feel someone is asking you for something strange or unusual, do not hesitate to be suspicious, because it is the right attitude.

- Most importantly, use different complicated passwords for all your electronic email and social accounts with a lot of special characters and a combination of numbers and letters both upper and lower case.

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Are We Really Fusing Information or Acting in a Synchronized Paranoia? A Homeland Security Topic

The other day, I was quite concerned because I learned of some of the things going on behind the scenes of the Internet. What we have is groups of people who are monitoring the Internet to look for certain types of behavior, and language showing up on Internet forums, blogs, comment posts, and even those little Digg and Facebook like buttons with comments attached. These same people who handle issues of the darkest challenges of the web, also relay that data to the fusion centers. Then they can quickly GPS the individual by their ISP, and if they think it is serious, they will actually have someone go and look into it.

They will also run the criminal records of which individual they think it might be making the comments, and they can even tell if it's someone who was making the comments under a false identity often enough. Now then, this might be very interesting, and perhaps a good way to catch terrorists, but how many people are we really catching, and how many false positives are we creating, and are we really fusing all this important Internet information together to protect the American people, or are we acting more like a bunch of paranoid NAZI Gestapo secret soldiers?

Are these special task forces really necessary, and what do they do when they have nothing to do, when there's nothing going on? Are they harassing people who are going about their lives and exercising their free speech online? Are they collecting all this data to use against these individuals later, just in case something comes up? The answer is yes to all of those things, and as an American this should rub us the wrong way because it is a complete violation of personal privacy. In other words, it is unacceptable and is not cohesively jive with the ideals that we stand for in this great nation. Therefore such activity is extremely problematic, nevertheless our government is doing this.

Now then, it's great that they are able to catch terrorists, follow around the bad guys, catch a few drug dealers here and there, that's all well and fine, but at what expense to our freedom and liberties? Are we using this as some sort of intimidation, are we quelling free speech, are we using this to keep everyone in line while online? And what are the fine lines between becoming someone's red flag, and enjoying your free speech and opinion? And whose agenda are they running, those who work on these teams, which political side of the spectrum are they on, and what sort of politically correct filter, religious connotation, or sexual preference are they endorsing?

You see, when you have humans judging other humans online, they are more apt to red flag someone that they don't agree with. That's human nature, we are not going to be able to stop that. Next, if we are hiring people for these data fusion centers, and we have a shortage of qualified individuals who actually understand what the cost is, what a crime is, and what free speech is all about, then chances are we are going to get people who are working in these facilities who have an axe to grind and are going to take their personal preferences and push them onto the Internet.

How many people have they already falsely flagged? I think the American people have the right to know what the government is up to, and if they're up to no good, whether they mean to or not, or whether there are questionable folks running those systems amongst them makes no difference, if unjust activities taking away the guaranteed rights of our citizens are happening in this country, that is pure and simple unacceptable. It must stop.

If we have a secret group of people who are out there doing this, and we do not have a stated set of rules and laws, and if the users on the Internet don't know what is acceptable and what isn't, then we are engaged with a secret set of laws, and a secret police force enforcing those dictates. This should not happen in the United States, but I now fear that it is. Not necessarily for myself, but rather for my fellow man and fellow American.

We have some ideals to hold up in this country, and I expect each and every single individual involved in the enforcement and protection of the American people against terrorism and crime to do their duty to the best of their ability and not cross that line. We know that all too often enforcement personnel, police officers, and others who are in charge of enforcing that law have overstepped their bounds, it's happened in the past in almost every major city, why would it be any different this time, we are still dealing with humans.

They are the weak link, and not only of the criminal side, and don't kid yourself this isn't a perfect world, nor could we make it perfect by taking away the freedoms and liberties that this great nation stands for. It's time to start asking some tough questions, we must do better than this, and we must hold on to what we have.

If we are going to act like other nations then we are no better, in fact we are worse in that case because we are lying to ourselves and our citizens. This is pretty serious stuff, and it's time that we leveled with the American people. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Internet Privacy Issues. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/

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Why FBI Moneypak Should Be Avoided

The summer of 2012 will be forever marked by the avalanche of surreptitious and highly disturbing ransomware, one of which is FBI Moneypak - a deceptive virus that has already affected thousands of home systems all over the United States. It is impossible to start writing about this infection without mentioning that tens of different malignant programs based on the same attack methods could be analyzed alongside the virus in discussion as tens of analogous examples have been reported attacking computer owners in Canada and all across Europe, from Portugal to Sweden. Nonetheless, FBI Moneypak is a perfect model of the truly devious and dangerous applications which have been designed and distributed to trick regular Windows users into paying fines for crimes that actually have no legal reasoning.

FBI Moneypak is a ransom-ware Trojan better known by names Citadel or Reveton, and this infection can expose the registry to multiple malware components. Infected dynamic link library files, executables and other elements are programmed to take over Windows Registry almost immediately after ransomware infiltrates the computer. With reconfigured registry values, hijacked processes and removed administrative controls, schemers can immediately lock targeted computer's screen and present a bogus message. The fictitious notification is supposed to be represented as a legitimate warning from the Federal Bureau of Investigation - a well-known governmental agency, respondent to the United States Department of Justice.

The name and the logo of the department are used illegally for the malignant purposes of cyber criminals, a force that the FBI fights instead of taking its side. Schemers are smart enough to understand that only a strong, reliable and respectable name of the FBI could gather enough attention and trick more people into trusting completely fake accusations and eventually giving in by paying the aggressively demanded fines. The bogus alert, allegedly forwarded by the FBI, might be filled with statements about your browsing habits, pornographic videos' distribution, illegal music downloads and potential malware existence. Below these incriminating and intimidating claims you will be notified that unless you pay the demanded fine, your computer could be confiscated and you could be arraigned, facing a fine as big as $100,000.

Most infected computer users will find it difficult to remove FBI Moneypak even if they realize the scam because of the seemingly irreversible system's lock-down. Despite this, there are a few tricks that could be used to regain access and delete the vicious infection. Some users will be able to remove the Trojan using system restore function after rebooting their PCs into Safe Mode with Command Prompt, whilst others could try the Safe Mode with networking feature. In this case, one should download legal, automatic FBI Moneypak removal software, disable startup programs and install adopted tools within normal mode of the operating Windows system. Overall, it is tremendously important to delete the vicious cyber criminals' tool and refuse any bogus statements or accusations as they are completely simulated and can only bring financial detriment.

Research made in September, 2012
http://www.anti-spyware-101.com/

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