Tech Support

Did You Post that on My Wall?!

2011-01-21T22:59:00.001-08:00

I often see posts on my wall from people that did not actually do the post. An App is doing this on their behalf. Often you give an App permission to post on your behalf or gain access to information about you and your friends without even knowing it. When you see a post from someone you know you often trust and click on it. This is exactly what the creator of the App is hoping for since it can pass on a malicious program to your computer or gain access to info in your profile or even your friend’s profiles.

Check your app settings to make sure you do not have any that can post on your behalf. You can check your setting under Account Settings – Privacy Settings – Apps and Websites. When you are on Privacy Settings look near the bottom of the page and you will see Apps and Websites.

On the next screen you can edit the setting under “Apps You Use” and make sure you are not allowing Apps to do things without your permission. I think you are going to be very surprised when you see the default permissions Apps have and what information they have access to. Don’t forget to check these settings often to make sure new Apps are kept under control and that the settings of the other Apps do not change back to their original settings.

I recommend you scan the list of Apps and delete any that you do not want. When you delete an App it will complain that if you delete the App it or you will not have access to things it needs. Ignore this and continue to delete the App. Take a minute to make sure you do not want or need the App before deleting it. I have been able to delete every App in the list and have not had any issues with anything not working properly on Facebook.

Do it now, rein in those unwieldy Apps and put them in their place. Don’t just do it for you, do it to protect you and your friends.

Network Security - Conficker Launches Money-Making Scam

2009-04-10T19:29:00.000-07:00

Something told me that this was going to turn into a money making scheme.

Network Security - Conficker Launches Money-Making Scam

Press of Atlantic City.com | Cape May : Internet scam tries to rent out homes in Ocean City

2009-04-10T17:02:00.000-07:00

I have a house I want to rent. Actually, it is not mine but who cares about the small details.

Press of Atlantic City.com Cape May : Internet scam tries to rent out homes in Ocean City

Conficker wakes up, updates via P2P, drops payload - CNN.com

2009-04-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

It's back...
Conficker wakes up, updates via P2P, drops payload - CNN.com

Wireless Tech - FCC Asked To Apply Open Internet Rule To Skype

2009-04-05T18:52:00.000-07:00

This is going to be interesting.

Wireless Tech - FCC Asked To Apply Open Internet Rule To Skype

Microsoft Security Advisory (969136): Vulnerability in Microsoft Office PowerPoint Could Allow Remote Code Execution

2009-04-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

Microsoft Security Advisory (969136): Vulnerability in Microsoft Office PowerPoint Could Allow Remote Code Execution

Deep Computer-Spying Network Touched 103 Countries - Business Center - PC World

2009-04-03T20:18:00.000-07:00

Folks, we need to do a better job of protecting our networks.

Deep Computer-Spying Network Touched 103 Countries - Business Center - PC World

Conficker - Are we there yet?

2009-04-03T17:23:00.000-07:00

Conficker has come and gone. It seems like a dud… or is it.

This worm got the attention of everyone from security experts to you. So what was all the hype about?

Was this done just to get some fame and recognition? Maybe the person or persons responsible for this wanted to show their ability. Maybe this is like a badge of honor in their circles.

Maybe the person or persons who amassed the number of infected computers did so to sell their collection to another for profit.

Maybe the intent was just to show how vulnerable we are and that this was a wakeup call to do a better job to protect ourselves.

Maybe this was a way to make us drop our guard, like when they weather guy breaks in and tells us that the perfect storm is coming only to fizzle out or go in a different direction. Only to find the next time the real one is on the way and you ignore the warnings… and then it hits and you are unprepared.

Whatever the reason this worm did not attack is beside the point. I think it was an eye opener for people to scan their computer and to backup their data. It is sad that people wait until an event like this to do what needs to be done on a regular basis.

Our office was overwhelmed with calls. Many wanted to know what to do to check their computer and others that wanted to know how to get rid of it.

So are we done with Conficker? I am not sure but I am concerned that someone would go through all this trouble just let their hard work go to waste. I think we still need to keep our guard up and use this experience to convert our straw homes to brick. I feel that the big one is coming and only those with brick houses are going to weather the storm.

What are your thoughts?

'Conficker' Worm Wakes Up, But It's Quiet - News and Analysis by PC Magazine

2009-04-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

'Conficker' Worm Wakes Up, But It's Quiet - News and Analysis by PC Magazine

The 7 Most Important Things to Know About Conficker - Security Watch

2009-03-31T09:48:00.000-07:00

Great Article from PC Mag. This article also has links to 7 differnt cleaners.

The 7 Most Important Things to Know About Conficker - Security Watch

Protection Center - Windows Live OneCare safety scanner

2009-03-30T15:57:00.000-07:00

This is the Windows Live OneCare scanner.

Protection Center - Windows Live OneCare safety scanner

Malicious Software Removal Tool

2009-03-30T15:56:00.000-07:00

This is the software removal tool from Microsoft

Malicious Software Removal Tool

US-CERT Technical Cyber Security Alert TA09-088A -- Conficker Worm Targets Microsoft Windows Systems

2009-03-29T19:31:00.000-07:00

US-CERT Technical Cyber Security Alert TA09-088A -- Conficker Worm Targets Microsoft Windows Systems

I Stole My Friend's Identity - Solutions by PC Magazine

2009-03-27T20:52:00.000-07:00

I Stole My Friend's Identity - Solutions by PC Magazine

Geek Replaces Lost Finger With 2GB USB Finger - PC World

2009-03-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

This is just a little too wierd.

Geek Replaces Lost Finger With 2GB USB Finger - PC World

Protect Your Computer and Data from the Conficker Virus

2009-03-27T19:51:00.000-07:00

By now I am sure you have heard that there is a worm scheduled to execute on April 1st. The name of the worm is called Conficker and at the time of this post, it is unknown what the payload of this worm will be.

Here are some things you can do to help protect your computer from this threat. Since we are not sure what the intent of this worm is or even if it will actually execute on April 1st, you should take precautions to protect your computer and your data.

Make sure to do your Windows Updates. If you cannot do them, be careful since this can be a sign that you are infected. The virus disables Windows updates in order to protect itself.

Make sure your antivirus software is up to date. Run a full scan to make sure you are not infected. Use the online scanner from ESET since it is free and will clean infections found on your computer. www.eset.com

Run malware bytes from www.malwarebytes.com. This is a powerful utility and does an excellent job in detecting and removing even stuborn threats.

Use the DNS servers from OpenDNS.com. This is a free service and can stop the communication of the conficker virus with websites.

Backup your data. Since no one knows what this worm will do, it could be possible that it will be destructive and there is always a chance you could end up with data loss.

If you backup to an external hard drive, make sure to unplug this from the computer in case the worm is capable of detecting external data sources.

Don’t use a USB device such as a memory stick on another computer without scanning it for viruses. The worm is designed to spread using the autorun feature of Windows.

Make sure the Windows Security Center is working before April 1st. This virus will disable this component of Windows in order to protect itself from being detected.

I hope this helps you keep your computer and data safe.

Conficker: The Windows Worm That Won't Go Away

2009-03-27T18:59:00.000-07:00

Conficker: The Windows Worm That Won't Go Away

Tech Trends - What Consumers Cling To in Lean Times

2009-03-20T21:00:00.000-07:00

Tech Trends - What Consumers Cling To in Lean Times

World Wide Web - Chrome Is Like Teflon in Browser-Hacking Contest

2009-03-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

World Wide Web - Chrome Is Like Teflon in Browser-Hacking Contest

It's Official: Twitter's Popularity Soars - News and Analysis by PC Magazine

2009-03-20T20:47:00.000-07:00

It's Official: Twitter's Popularity Soars - News and Analysis by PC Magazine

eWEEK Labs' Tests of Microsoft IE 8 Show Web Browser Is a Must-Upgrade

2009-03-20T20:34:00.000-07:00

eWEEK Labs' Tests of Microsoft IE 8 Show Web Browser Is a Must-Upgrade

Watch Out For Wii Points Generators - Security Watch

2009-03-20T20:30:00.000-07:00

Watch Out For Wii Points Generators - Security Watch
Beware of these videos that can dump Malware on your system.

Symantec Support Gone Rogue - Columns by PC Magazine

2009-03-20T20:26:00.000-07:00

Symantec Support Gone Rogue - Columns by PC Magazine

The Associated Press: Stolen-data trove offers look inside a botnet

2009-03-20T20:14:00.000-07:00

The Associated Press: Stolen-data trove offers look inside a botnet: "Stolen-data trove offers look inside a botnet"

Open DNS

2009-03-18T08:12:00.000-07:00

Open DNS is a powerful tool that will help minimize the chance you will end up on a site that might include pornography as well as malicious software. This is done by using their DNS servers instead of the ones provided by your Internet Service Provider. They provide industry leading Web filtering, anti-phishing, DNS infrastructure and navigation services.

The product is free of charge and will work with your computers, a route or even a server in your organization. They have done a fantastic job at stepping you every step through the process of setting this up. Even a novice can make their way through setting this up in minutes.

If you sign up you can look at logs that will show you wat is going on in your network such as programs "phoning home." You can then use their tools to block these programs if you would like. Oh, did I mention it is free.

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Go to http://www.opendns.com

Hewlett Packard Laptop Crashes

2009-03-17T20:25:00.000-07:00

We are seeing a number of HP laptops failing to boot or having issues with the wireless not working. If you have an HP laptop you need to check this link to see if your system is affected. On the units we have seen with either of these issues, HP has replaced or repaired the unit. You will need to ship the unit back to them. Make sure you backup your data or image your hard drive to make sure you do not lose your data.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01087277&lc=en&cc=us