Search
Monday, March 15, 2010..:: Tech Support Menu » Computer Security::..Register  Login
Site Navigation
  Events
  News
  Games

 Computer Security Minimize

1USA is more than a normal ISP... we're also Computer Gurus... and we help 1USA customers DAILY with their computer questions.

A good source to learn about computer security is at http://www.sans.org/top20/#s2


1USA is more than a normal ISP... we're also Computer Gurus... and we help 1USA customers DAILY with their computer questions.

A good source to learn about computer security is at http://www.sans.org/top20/#s2



 Print   

 Computer Security Announcements Minimize
Personal Security Education articles - Posted Thursday, October 29, 2009

Google has a blog with some articles about how to remain safe online.
The link is here.

 
Personal Security Education articles - Posted Thursday, October 29, 2009

Google has a blog with some articles about how to remain safe online.
The link is here.

 

 Print   

 Drive-by Downloads Minimize
News You Can Use.
Here is a real life situation where the gray matter between your ears is the best way to keep your computer free of infections.
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Susan & Larry Eshelman
To: Barry Z
Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 7:44 AM
Subject: computer

 
I called because somehow last night Microsoft tried to
"Add on:  Flash.ocx - Mac - Flash Player 7" as we were looking at an ebay posting.  We immediately shut the computer down and this morning when I started the computer that message has not shown up and everything seems normal.
 
How could that have happened? 
 
Sue
 
==================
Answer: 
 
Remember that Alt+F4 key combination is the Keyboard Shortcut to close a Window.
Hold down the Alt key and hit the F4 key at the top of the keyboard once.
Shutting Down the computer while it is writing data to the hard drive will corrupt the File Indexes on the hard drive!!
 
Many pop-up windows, even though they DISPLAY a frame, are frameless.  Sometimes there are FAKE windows frame with a fake X at the top right corner.  Even if you click on the Red X to close the window... it would still run the Installer that is trying to install the Malware. (Malware is the term for any kind of malicious program.)
So again, the best solution is Alt+F4
The 2nd thing to do is to Pull the internet connection plug out the back of the computer.
The 3rd thing to do is to Start > Turn Off the Computer > Restart.  The Shutdown process will 'abort' any of those Installer programs.  During Shutdown... windows may appear saying that "such and such program is not responding". Darn right.  Click on the Close button.
 
Regarding the situation above:  The web page programming displayed an "invisible" media file, and the web page contained instructions to load Flash Player 7
in order to read the media file.  Flash is WIDELY used on many websites.
Flash Player normally displays "Flash Movies" or Flash Animations on web pages - however it can ALSO link to obsolete and infectable versions of Flash Player. 
The original Flash was created by a company named MacroMedia Inc, which was then bought out by Adobe.
Adobe is up to Flash Player Version 11.
Older versions of Flash Player, especially Version 7, should not even be on the computer.  The old versions are dangerous - because they are used in Hack attempts.
 
You need to be on your toes - especially on websites were "the public" can write the web pages.
Ebay... Facebook... Blogspot... Geocities.com...
BECAUSE those websites allow Meta-Tag Refresh commands in web pages.... A Refresh can divert you to an infected web page "in an instant".
BECAUSE those websites allow <JavaScript> programs in web pages....  A javascript can call a LINK from an infected web page "in an instant".
 
Nowdays, few viruses are delivered via Email Attachments.  Most are caught visiting infected websites!
The author depends on visitors who "dont know anything about computers" and are apt to click on a Window just "because it appeared".
You did well by realizing what was happening.
 
Anti-virus software, even the expensive brands, cannot monitor what's in Memory, however they can block most attempts to INSTALL Malware software.  Some do it better than others.  This is one of the reasons why 1USA recommends Trend Micro Internet Security brand.
But again, knowing enough to realize what's happening "in the heat of the moment" like you did, probably saved your computer from catching some sort of infection.
 
To remove old, obsolete versions of Flash Player, Java, QuickTime Player, etc., visit PSI.Secunia.Com and install their software that tells you which obsolete / infectable software is on your computer.
 
Knowledge is power.
BarryZ
www.1USA.com National Internet Service
News You Can Use.
Here is a real life situation where the gray matter between your ears is the best way to keep your computer free of infections.
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Susan & Larry Eshelman
To: Barry Z
Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 7:44 AM
Subject: computer

 
I called because somehow last night Microsoft tried to
"Add on:  Flash.ocx - Mac - Flash Player 7" as we were looking at an ebay posting.  We immediately shut the computer down and this morning when I started the computer that message has not shown up and everything seems normal.
 
How could that have happened? 
 
Sue
 
==================
Answer: 
 
Remember that Alt+F4 key combination is the Keyboard Shortcut to close a Window.
Hold down the Alt key and hit the F4 key at the top of the keyboard once.
Shutting Down the computer while it is writing data to the hard drive will corrupt the File Indexes on the hard drive!!
 
Many pop-up windows, even though they DISPLAY a frame, are frameless.  Sometimes there are FAKE windows frame with a fake X at the top right corner.  Even if you click on the Red X to close the window... it would still run the Installer that is trying to install the Malware. (Malware is the term for any kind of malicious program.)
So again, the best solution is Alt+F4
The 2nd thing to do is to Pull the internet connection plug out the back of the computer.
The 3rd thing to do is to Start > Turn Off the Computer > Restart.  The Shutdown process will 'abort' any of those Installer programs.  During Shutdown... windows may appear saying that "such and such program is not responding". Darn right.  Click on the Close button.
 
Regarding the situation above:  The web page programming displayed an "invisible" media file, and the web page contained instructions to load Flash Player 7
in order to read the media file.  Flash is WIDELY used on many websites.
Flash Player normally displays "Flash Movies" or Flash Animations on web pages - however it can ALSO link to obsolete and infectable versions of Flash Player. 
The original Flash was created by a company named MacroMedia Inc, which was then bought out by Adobe.
Adobe is up to Flash Player Version 11.
Older versions of Flash Player, especially Version 7, should not even be on the computer.  The old versions are dangerous - because they are used in Hack attempts.
 
You need to be on your toes - especially on websites were "the public" can write the web pages.
Ebay... Facebook... Blogspot... Geocities.com...
BECAUSE those websites allow Meta-Tag Refresh commands in web pages.... A Refresh can divert you to an infected web page "in an instant".
BECAUSE those websites allow <JavaScript> programs in web pages....  A javascript can call a LINK from an infected web page "in an instant".
 
Nowdays, few viruses are delivered via Email Attachments.  Most are caught visiting infected websites!
The author depends on visitors who "dont know anything about computers" and are apt to click on a Window just "because it appeared".
You did well by realizing what was happening.
 
Anti-virus software, even the expensive brands, cannot monitor what's in Memory, however they can block most attempts to INSTALL Malware software.  Some do it better than others.  This is one of the reasons why 1USA recommends Trend Micro Internet Security brand.
But again, knowing enough to realize what's happening "in the heat of the moment" like you did, probably saved your computer from catching some sort of infection.
 
To remove old, obsolete versions of Flash Player, Java, QuickTime Player, etc., visit PSI.Secunia.Com and install their software that tells you which obsolete / infectable software is on your computer.
 
Knowledge is power.
BarryZ
www.1USA.com National Internet Service

 Print   

 Not Logged In Minimize

You're not logged into this website.  
If you are a member on this website or a 1USA subscriber,
please log in.  
Others: $60 per year for website access, computer tech support, and a @1usa.com email address that stops the spams & scams.
Register Here
 


Don't have a @1usa.com email address?
No problem.


If you are reading the pages on this website... and you like what you see... but only have a @AOL, @NetZero, @Hotmail (etc.) email address, you can sign up with 1USA and retrieve ALL your emails in one safe place:

 - You can keep your other less-secure Email Address for any length of time.  Our 1USA Mail Servers can 'pull' emails from any other server.
Our 1USA server will 'import' your other emails and run them through our four different anti-virus & anti-malware scanners - where you can be pretty sure that the 'nasties' don't get into your In-Box.
To start, simply
Register on this website.
Still Confused? 
Contact us
.

You're not logged into this website.  
If you are a member on this website or a 1USA subscriber,
please log in.  
Others: $60 per year for website access, computer tech support, and a @1usa.com email address that stops the spams & scams.
Register Here
 


Don't have a @1usa.com email address?
No problem.


If you are reading the pages on this website... and you like what you see... but only have a @AOL, @NetZero, @Hotmail (etc.) email address, you can sign up with 1USA and retrieve ALL your emails in one safe place:

 - You can keep your other less-secure Email Address for any length of time.  Our 1USA Mail Servers can 'pull' emails from any other server.
Our 1USA server will 'import' your other emails and run them through our four different anti-virus & anti-malware scanners - where you can be pretty sure that the 'nasties' don't get into your In-Box.
To start, simply
Register on this website.
Still Confused? 
Contact us
.


 Print   

Copyright 2009 by 1USA.Com   Terms Of Use  Privacy Statement

Hosted at 1USA.Com