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Protecting your computer |
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| Alternative browsers need updates, too - Posted Tuesday, June 29, 2010If you believed everything you read on web sites, you might think that IE is the only web browser that ever has security flaws, and if you just use an alternative browser, you’re completely safe. Of course, the reality is very different. All browsers are vulnerable to security threats and need regular updating. So if your organization’s users are using different browsers, be sure they have the latest and most secure versions. On June 21, 2010 - Opera released version 10.54 that corrects a number of critical vulnerabilities: http://isc.sans.edu/diary.html?storyid=9055&rss On June 23, Mozilla released a new version of Firefox, 3.6.4, that addresses 7 vulnerabilities: http://isc.sans.edu/diary.html?storyid=9052&rss Safari 5, a major overhaul of Apple’s browser, was released earlier this month: http://www.macnn.com/articles/10/06/08/most.corrected.through.webkit.upgrade/ And Google’s Chrome version 5.0.375.86 includes security updates along with the incorporation of Flash: http://www.internetnews.com/security/article.php/3889846/Chrome+Gets+Security+Flash+Integration+Update.htm
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| Fraud Games & Links - Posted Wednesday, June 23, 2010 |
| Fraudsters limber up for World Cup themed scams - Posted Tuesday, June 01, 2010Can I click it? Yes you can (but probably shouldn't)
From theregister.co.uk Fraudsters as well as footballers are gearing up for this month's World Cup extravaganza in South Africa.
Football governing body FIFA has already warned supporters to be wary over various forms of scams that are likely to crop up in the run-up to the start of the tournament, which kicks off in ten days.
Story Here...
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| Google Street View snooped WiFi for personal data - Posted Sunday, May 16, 2010Google has said that its world-roving Street View cars have been collecting information sent over open WiFi networks, contradicting previous assurances by the company.
This means that Google may have collected emails and other private information if they traveled over WiFi networks while one of the cars was in range. More Details.
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| Keeping your software updated - Posted Wednesday, May 12, 2010Secunia.com has software called Personal Security Inspector which goes through your computer looking for obsolete & hackable versions of software. Sometimes, it can get complicated.
Mozilla.org today announced a feature that checks your computer for obsolete or insecure browser plug-ins. The page is at http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/plugincheck/
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| Learn what the Fake anti-virus sofware looks like - Posted Saturday, January 23, 2010Panda has a good .pdf file that explains what the fake anti-virus software does, and example windows that it displays. Visit Page If you are using the free version of AVG, your computer is only partially protected. 1USA recommends Trend Micro Internet Security or Vipre anti-virus software.
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| Microsoft Confirms 17-Year-Old Windows Bug - Posted Saturday, January 23, 2010Computerworld broke this story: Microsoft late yesterday issued its second advisory of the last week, warning users that a 17-year-old bug in the kernel of all 32-bit versions of Windows could be used by hackers to hijack PCs. The vulnerability in the Windows Virtual DOS Machine (VDM) subsystem was disclosed Tuesday by Google engineer Tavis Ormandy on the Full Disclosure security mailing list. Coincidentally, Ormandy received credit for reporting the single vulnerability that Microsoft fixed last week on its regular Patch Tuesday. The VDM subsystem was added to Windows with the July 1993 release of Windows NT, Microsoft's first fully 32-bit operating system. VDM allows Windows NT and later to run DOS and 16-bit Windows software.
Advisory on Microsoft TechNet
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| Batten down the hatches on your computer! - Posted Friday, December 18, 2009Another security hole has been found in Adobe software. Users of Adobe's Acrobat software and Adobe Reader software have a full four weeks to wait for Adobe to close a critical flaw that's being exploited in the wild to install malware on computers. It is unbelievable that the Adobe company would "hang you out to dry" for so long. "In the wild" means that scammers & thieves are actively using it to hack into computers. This means that if your computer has Adobe's brand of Acrobat or .PDF Reader installed, you might want to: a. Disable JavaScript in the Adobe .PDF file Viewer and in Adobe Acrobat software.
Disabling JavaScript is easy. This is how it can be done in Acrobat Reader: Start > Programs > Choose Adobe Acrobat or Adobe PDF Viewer Click: Edit -> Preferences -> JavaScript ... and uncheck Enable Acrobat JavaScript b. Alternative: Remove the Adobe programs mentioned above, then get new versions when released in a few weeks.
c. Alternative: Remove the Adobe brand of .PDF file viewer for good (good riddance!) and install the FoxIt brand instead (which is also Free forever). Disabling JavaScript is easy. This is how it can be done in FoxIt .PDF Reader: Click: Tools -> Preferences -> JavaScript > and uncheck Enable JavaScript Actions The reason that Adobe's software is targeted so often is because it is 50 MB to 85 MB on the hard drive, while the FoxIt brand is only 9 MB on the hard drive. It kinda makes you think "what's in all that extra programming code that Adobe puts in there?" Here in the 1USA office, we only use the FoxIt .PDF viewer. Adobe brand has been removed since 2006. The emails and websites that tell you "Adobe PDF Viewer is required to view their .PDF file" - is not a true statement; and they should be so informed. Adobe is a brand name ... like Ford or Chevy. Nobody requires you to drive a Chevy to drive on the Interstate.
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| Software that accompanies Memory Sticks and Digital Picture Frames found to contain viruses - Posted Tuesday, August 11, 2009 |
| 1/3 of anti-virus vendors fail to protect Vista - Posted Tuesday, August 11, 2009 |
| Fake anti-virus programs are being installed by people who don't know any better - Posted Tuesday, August 11, 2009 |
| How secure is that Lock & Key on the website you're about to give your credit card number to? - Posted Tuesday, August 11, 2009Researchers hack VeriSign's SSL scheme for securing Web sites
Story from ComputerWorld
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| Alternative browsers need updates, too - Posted Tuesday, June 29, 2010If you believed everything you read on web sites, you might think that IE is the only web browser that ever has security flaws, and if you just use an alternative browser, you’re completely safe. Of course, the reality is very different. All browsers are vulnerable to security threats and need regular updating. So if your organization’s users are using different browsers, be sure they have the latest and most secure versions. On June 21, 2010 - Opera released version 10.54 that corrects a number of critical vulnerabilities: http://isc.sans.edu/diary.html?storyid=9055&rss On June 23, Mozilla released a new version of Firefox, 3.6.4, that addresses 7 vulnerabilities: http://isc.sans.edu/diary.html?storyid=9052&rss Safari 5, a major overhaul of Apple’s browser, was released earlier this month: http://www.macnn.com/articles/10/06/08/most.corrected.through.webkit.upgrade/ And Google’s Chrome version 5.0.375.86 includes security updates along with the incorporation of Flash: http://www.internetnews.com/security/article.php/3889846/Chrome+Gets+Security+Flash+Integration+Update.htm
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| Fraud Games & Links - Posted Wednesday, June 23, 2010 |
| Fraudsters limber up for World Cup themed scams - Posted Tuesday, June 01, 2010Can I click it? Yes you can (but probably shouldn't)
From theregister.co.uk Fraudsters as well as footballers are gearing up for this month's World Cup extravaganza in South Africa.
Football governing body FIFA has already warned supporters to be wary over various forms of scams that are likely to crop up in the run-up to the start of the tournament, which kicks off in ten days.
Story Here...
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| Google Street View snooped WiFi for personal data - Posted Sunday, May 16, 2010Google has said that its world-roving Street View cars have been collecting information sent over open WiFi networks, contradicting previous assurances by the company.
This means that Google may have collected emails and other private information if they traveled over WiFi networks while one of the cars was in range. More Details.
|
| Keeping your software updated - Posted Wednesday, May 12, 2010Secunia.com has software called Personal Security Inspector which goes through your computer looking for obsolete & hackable versions of software. Sometimes, it can get complicated.
Mozilla.org today announced a feature that checks your computer for obsolete or insecure browser plug-ins. The page is at http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/plugincheck/
|
| Learn what the Fake anti-virus sofware looks like - Posted Saturday, January 23, 2010Panda has a good .pdf file that explains what the fake anti-virus software does, and example windows that it displays. Visit Page If you are using the free version of AVG, your computer is only partially protected. 1USA recommends Trend Micro Internet Security or Vipre anti-virus software.
|
| Microsoft Confirms 17-Year-Old Windows Bug - Posted Saturday, January 23, 2010Computerworld broke this story: Microsoft late yesterday issued its second advisory of the last week, warning users that a 17-year-old bug in the kernel of all 32-bit versions of Windows could be used by hackers to hijack PCs. The vulnerability in the Windows Virtual DOS Machine (VDM) subsystem was disclosed Tuesday by Google engineer Tavis Ormandy on the Full Disclosure security mailing list. Coincidentally, Ormandy received credit for reporting the single vulnerability that Microsoft fixed last week on its regular Patch Tuesday. The VDM subsystem was added to Windows with the July 1993 release of Windows NT, Microsoft's first fully 32-bit operating system. VDM allows Windows NT and later to run DOS and 16-bit Windows software.
Advisory on Microsoft TechNet
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| Batten down the hatches on your computer! - Posted Friday, December 18, 2009Another security hole has been found in Adobe software. Users of Adobe's Acrobat software and Adobe Reader software have a full four weeks to wait for Adobe to close a critical flaw that's being exploited in the wild to install malware on computers. It is unbelievable that the Adobe company would "hang you out to dry" for so long. "In the wild" means that scammers & thieves are actively using it to hack into computers. This means that if your computer has Adobe's brand of Acrobat or .PDF Reader installed, you might want to: a. Disable JavaScript in the Adobe .PDF file Viewer and in Adobe Acrobat software.
Disabling JavaScript is easy. This is how it can be done in Acrobat Reader: Start > Programs > Choose Adobe Acrobat or Adobe PDF Viewer Click: Edit -> Preferences -> JavaScript ... and uncheck Enable Acrobat JavaScript b. Alternative: Remove the Adobe programs mentioned above, then get new versions when released in a few weeks.
c. Alternative: Remove the Adobe brand of .PDF file viewer for good (good riddance!) and install the FoxIt brand instead (which is also Free forever). Disabling JavaScript is easy. This is how it can be done in FoxIt .PDF Reader: Click: Tools -> Preferences -> JavaScript > and uncheck Enable JavaScript Actions The reason that Adobe's software is targeted so often is because it is 50 MB to 85 MB on the hard drive, while the FoxIt brand is only 9 MB on the hard drive. It kinda makes you think "what's in all that extra programming code that Adobe puts in there?" Here in the 1USA office, we only use the FoxIt .PDF viewer. Adobe brand has been removed since 2006. The emails and websites that tell you "Adobe PDF Viewer is required to view their .PDF file" - is not a true statement; and they should be so informed. Adobe is a brand name ... like Ford or Chevy. Nobody requires you to drive a Chevy to drive on the Interstate.
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| Software that accompanies Memory Sticks and Digital Picture Frames found to contain viruses - Posted Tuesday, August 11, 2009 |
| 1/3 of anti-virus vendors fail to protect Vista - Posted Tuesday, August 11, 2009 |
| Fake anti-virus programs are being installed by people who don't know any better - Posted Tuesday, August 11, 2009 |
| How secure is that Lock & Key on the website you're about to give your credit card number to? - Posted Tuesday, August 11, 2009Researchers hack VeriSign's SSL scheme for securing Web sites
Story from ComputerWorld
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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. |
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