From XP and Beyond

This month I’ll cover the rather muddled topic of the “End of XP” and what that means for you as a computer user. I’d hazard to guess that in many of your homes is a solid xp computer now gathering dust. This article brings hope for that XP computer and dispels some of the hype currently being spewed by the technology pundits.

XP Computers

Firstly lets dispel the myth that XP based computers are obsolete. They simply are not. Microsoft may have stopped supporting XP but your XP computer is capable of running other supported operating systems. Microsoft or Harvey Norman won’t tell you that because it’s not in their interest but I will and I just have.

Alternatives To XP

Space prevents me from listing the alternative operating systems available for your computer but I’d estimate some 15-20 different versions depending on your needs. These Non Microsoft operating systems support web browsing ,email, word processing, printing, scanning and virtually all of the functions found on xp.

Costs For Alternatives

All of the alternative operating systems are free but unless you are computer technician you’ll need to have the software installed and configured for your particular machine. Your existing XP operating system and data will not be affected so should you decide you want to run xp on a given day you can.

Cons

Not all printers scanners and add on hardware is supported by all of the operating systems so in some cases you may lose some of the functionality you had with xp. In some cases some hardware may need to be changed (wireless network cards can be an issue for example)

I will expand on this topic in future articles so you might pause before you send that desktop to the dump.

Windows 10

If you have found yourself upgraded to windows 10 from windows 7 all is not lost!

I’m hearing reports from many customers of their dissatisfaction with Windows 10 and they would prefer to return to windows 7. With a little technical help and some safeguards Windows 10 can be uninstalled or if not then the machine can be cleared and windows 7 re-installed. I would not recommend you attempt it yourself as if you have lurking hardware problems these may surface during the process and cause the rollback to fail.

New Variant Of CryptoLocker Virus

This months article focuses on a new High Risk virus based on the 'Cryptolocker' virus which is being widely distributed on the internet, via various emails and infected websites, and is now infecting Irish computer users.
Virus Details:
This virus, as with the original crypto virus, is an extremely dangerous and damaging virus as it will encrypt your data and there is NO KNOWN way to unencrypt the data. This virus has the potential to effectively cripple your ability to access your data. The virus will encrypt data on your local computer usb devices and network shares and the encrypted files will replicate to cloud storage.  It operates in stealth mode(silently unknown to you) and will announce its presence only when the damage is done.
Currently no anti-virus software is capable of 100% defence against this virus and regardless of when it is detected it is likely it will have encrypted data.
Your Cloud storage will be affected by this virus as your pc will synchronize your cloud with the local files. Your smartphones and tablets will replicate the encrypted files to those devices effectively wiping out all unencrypted versions of your files.  Cloud storage SHOULD NOT be counted as a valid backup device with this virus. This virus targets photos,music and video files as well as a host of other files.
The authors have learned from the shutdown of the crypto virus and now rely on multiple unique web pages located on the dark web to thwart any attempt by police forces to shut down the operation. As payment is requested in Bitcoin this ensures it is virtually impossible to track the culprits. In coming articles I will explain in more detail  bitcoin, The Dark web, and encryption.
Method of Delivery
This virus relies on various methods for delivery including Microsoft word documents which when opened downloads the virus from the internet. Using this method the authors have been able to defeat the protection provided by your anti-virus software.  As the kit for this virus is being sold to criminals other methods will be employed to deliver it to you.

Hidden Dangers of Technology – Part 2

This month’s article is a continuation of Last month’s article which deals with the “Hidden Dangers of Technology”. You will find part one on the links listed at the bottom of this article. As outlined in part one the world of technology is riddled with myths, misconceptions and outright deceptions. No disrespect to used car sale people but compared to the “spin” that is going about with the regard to technology their spin makes them look like choir boys/girls. 

Myth #4 – I Won’t Be Hacked

I am not sure where this originated I suspect it was the fact that tablets ipads and phones were sold as being bullet proof against virus infection. In any case the old adage of “there being many ways to skin a cat” applies to how the hackers have adapted to your new devices. If you drop your guard you will be hacked this is without doubt. The hackers and scammers now use new methods to gain access to your data but these have been and continue to be very successful. My advice therefore is as follows:

#1 Avoid accessing your bank account or other sensitive data over unknown or free wireless access points.

#2 Use common sense when dealing with emails. I noticed recently that the scammers had already adapted and were promising me a refund from “eir” versus Eircom.

#3 Avoid “ropey” apps on your phone or tablet. By that I mean apps that are on the edge as they are gateways to adverts and sites where you will be hacked.

#4 Do NOT leave your laptop or desktop without a solid proven anti-virus that is fully up to date. The excuse of “I seldom use it” is no defence against being virus infected/hacked.

#5 Seek Professional Help if you suspect you have been hacked. Friends and Family are wonderful but when my car acts up or I suspect something wrong with it my first call is to my mechanic.

#6 Change Your Passwords often. Laziness is your enemy when it comes to passwords. If you use the same password across multiple apps you are asking for a “hiding” and in time you may well get one. Change your passwords regularly and keep them unique by app.

Hidden Dangers of Technology

This month’s article deals with an area which is increasingly becoming the hunting ground of the scam artists, No matter what anyone tells you the internet or cloud if you prefer is not a secure entity and neither is anything you keep on it. I am not one bit surprised as we have all be lulled into a false sense of security regarding technology and are easy prey if we drop out guard. In this article I will outline some common misconceptions and hopefully you’ll keep your guard up.

Myth #1 – The Cloud

There is no cloud, no such entity exists it is simply a marketing term for the internet but one which has been enormously successful. When you think of the Cloud you are immediately transported to some mythical place no doubt up there somewhere. It’s a complete falsehood. The cloud is nothing more than file storage servers hung off internet connections. Neatly wrapped in some front end software it appears magical. Its not. It hackable, crashable, and vulnerable. There is no special task force watching your cloud accounts. If I get your password and have your device I am you. It’s that simple and that dangerous. It is not now, nor will it ever be, a substitute for your own trusty hard drive stored in your drawer.

Myth #2 – Hacking is not as bad as reported.

Hacking is severely unreported. No company wants their customers to know they have been compromised and they will only admit when it is going to hit the news. You hear about those hacks where the hackers force the company to admit it or else they release the info onto the net. You do not hear about the undetected hacks. To quote Rumpsfeld you never hear about the “unknown unknowns.”

Hacking is big business and is not strictly the domain of a bunch of teenagers. Organized crime uses it, countries use it, and unscrupulous businesses use it. These entities are actively involved in attempting to breach security across the internet. Knowledge is power and spying has been around virtually since time begun. It will never go away ever.

Myth #3 – Hackers employ advanced software.

Most hacks are due to human error and laziness. Humans are creatures of habit and quite often employ easily guessed password. Once a hacker is inside a network gaining more and more access is simply trolling through data. Passwords are commonly transmitted over unsecured networks and easily intercepted with the right piece of software and equipment. Witness the ATM scams which never seem to go away despite the best efforts of the banks. Hackers and criminals spent their time thinking of new ways to get at your information and consequently your money.

Next month I’ll continue on this topic God willing. Stay safe.

Technology Tips for 2016

As I write this Christmas has still not arrived but by the time you read it that event will have come and gone and you’ll probably have some new technology in the house.

With that in mind I’ve put together a few tips to help you get the best from it and also hopefully avoid some problems.

Your Achilles Heel – Passwords

Of all the areas of security your passwords are you Achilles heel. Its not your fault it is the  nature of humans not to want to have a password such as Xxz!”£4523Gm4x. Instead it is much easier to hit on something familiar and stick with it. Be aware the hackers know this and have programs to generate possible passwords based on the most common methods used to create a password. My advice is NEVER to use a password on more than one account and change them frequently!

Don’t be afraid to keep a notebook with your passwords. There is little risk that some hacker is going to break into your house and steal it! Avoid the obvious temptation to use the more obvious passwords. Remember a password to any of your accounts compromises all of your security.

Disposing/Selling of Old Computers/Tablets/Phones

This is a common practice and is not recommended without taking precautions.

Disposing of Computers – Remove the hard drive and keep it even if you think the drive is no longer working. If you need assistance doing this seek professional assistance. Do NOT attempt to destroy a hard drive using any tool such as a hammer or drill as the risk of injury is very high.

Selling or Donating Computers – The hard drive must be properly wiped to high security standards unless you want to leave the new owner with the ability to recover you data. This happens both by accident and design as in fixing other issues on a computer is not uncommon for me to find myself faced with masses of data from a previous owner.

Deleting your data and account does not remove the data from the computer and even a novice can download a recovery utility to undelete the data.

Old Phones/Tablets – Don’t dump them. Put them in a drawer.

Selling Old Phones/Tablets – A very dangerous thing to do unless the phone has been security wiped. The default reset software on your phone does not do this. You should download and run the wipe security app and use it several times to ensure the data is completely gone. On phones data can be located in many locations so I advise you seek professional assistance.

Wishing you all a very happy and peaceful 2016! Stay safe.