Ebay Hacked – Change Your Passwords

eBay has revealed that it’s online servers have been hacked and the personal details of 15 million British users (that would include the Republic of Ireland) have been stolen. Another press release has stated that all 233 million eBay users personal details and passwords are now in the hands of hackers. Ebay has urged anyone using the site to change their password but in my opinion you need to do much more than this. This article outlines some basic security practices you should employ to ensure that when a site you are using is hacked it has a minimal effect on your security.

Managing Passwords

Protecting your passwords is probably the most important thing you can do with regard to your internet security. I say passwords because you should NOT use the same password on more than one site.

This is key to maintaining your security as once a hacker gets access to your data on any site their first ‘port of call’ will be your email account. If the password is the same you’ve just given them everything they need to scam or steal from you.

Storing Passwords

 I do not recommend storing your password list on your computer or a usb key or flash drive. Use the old fashioned method – buy a copy book and keep them completely off your computer. When writing them down ensure you do not make it too obvious what the password is for. Keep the list secure, and keep a copy outside the house.  If you must store the passwords on your computer you should employ an encryption program such as Truecrypt(click here to visit Truecrypt site) to create an encrypted area on the machine or usb device for the password list. Because of space limitations I cannot address use of encryption here but may do so in a future article.

Changing Passwords

Change your passwords at regular intervals and never reuse a password either on the same account or another account.

Password Format

You should ensure your password contains upper and lowercase letters numbers and extended characters. Don’t use personal information such as your date of birth as this is easily guessed. For example say we want a password of tin can alley. This is how you might actually create this password  tiN*caN#alleY@4026. Note the use of upper and lower case letters, extended characters *#@ and numeric characters. Avoid use of similar items across passwords and do not reuse numeric codes. Remember the hacker will have one of your passwords and will be working from that premise.

A Very Nasty Virus Coming Your Way

It was bound to happen and now it has. The nastiest computer virus I have ever encountered has hit Ireland and it’s coming your way. This is no ordinary virus in fact it’s revolutionary and it will set a trend which is likely to continue. It’s reported that one group of four individuals controlling it netted 27 million dollars from victims between October 15 to December 18, 2013.

Say hello to Cryptolocker potentially the nastiest virus to hit Windows computers to date.

What This Virus Does

This virus is different very different because it does one thing and one thing only, it secretly encrypts data files including documents and spreadsheets with a password and then demands a ransom of between 300 and 500 dollars. If you don’t pay there is no way to get your files back and you get a time limit after which the virus controller will delete the password to your files meaning they are gone forever. Even if you do pay the ransom you may not get the password to unlock your files.  Removing the virus from your computer is possible but it is not possible to unencrypt your files. 

What Files It Targets

The virus and variants are known to encrypt documents, spreadsheets, Outlook email and a host of other files. The virus will search and encrypt files on your local computer, network shares, usb connected devices and cloud storage if connect via a drive letter.

Infection Method

Currently the virus is known to spread via email messages which either contain the virus loader or else invite you to click a website link where the virus will automatically download and execute on your computer. The email will come from what appears to be legitimate source or it may come from a friend who has recently had their email hacked.

Defending And Preparing For It

There is only one viable defence for this virus, Frequent offline backups of your important data. To protect the backup disconnect it from the computer after the backup otherwise if you get infected the virus will encrypt it also. Do not rely on your anti-virus software to protect you. The risk to your data is simply too great.

Wikipedia article on this virus Click Here 

Oliver Reidy is a computer technician and has been in the industry since 1981.You can contact him via email at help.desk@reidyonline.com or at the telephone numbers listed on this page.

The End of Windows XP - Part 2

This is the second article in the series The End of Windows XP and will deal with replacing, should you so wish, your XP Computer. I’ve put up a series of webpages dealing with how to secure your XP computer post April 8^th which you can find at www.reidyonline.com/endofxp.htm

Replacing Your PC

Before you rush out to the store and plonk down a wad of cash on a new desktop or laptop you should take the time to consider if this is really necessary. The end of XP support from Microsoft does not mean you have to replace your computer provided you take the steps to protect it correctly. Having said that if you decide it’s time for a new pc you need to proceed with caution.

What’s Available and What NOT To Buy.

In the shops you’ll find laptops and a few desktops all running Windows 8. I do not recommend buying a pc with windows 8 unless you like to get upset. As an operating system it is just dreadful. Windows 7 Professional is still available but you will have to buy online and it appears only to be available on the higher priced models.

Processors

A good solid processor is the intel I5 coupled with 8 gig or more of ram. Don’t skimp on ram as windows, in all it’s variants, needs lots of it to run efficiently.

Disk Space

For the vast majority of users a 500 gig drive is more than enough space unless you plan to store your entire movie collection on your pc. You can save a few bob by selecting a model with a 500 gig drive.

Laptop Desktop or Tablet

I’m still a fan of desktops and believe they offer the best roi (return on investment) for the consumer. Tablets are good at what they do but will not meet all the needs of a traditional xp computer user.

Software

If you are an office user you may need to figure in the cost of a new office system which is not cheap. Gone are the days of cd’s for office. You’ll have to download it from the website and if you’ve got a poor connection this can be very time consuming. If the download fails you can purchase a dvd from Microsoft but they will charge you extra for it.

The End of Windows XP

Microsoft has announced that from the 8^th of April 2014 windows xp will no longer be supported and is officially obsolete. Microsoft is also ending support for Office 2003 on that date. This article outlines what steps you may need to take if your computer is currently running XP and also what impact the end of XP support may have on your system. You can read what Microsoft has to say by visiting Visit http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/enterprise/endofsupport.aspx

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Steps You Need To Do Before April 8th

Audit Your PC

If you are running a small business on your xp computer you should audit the machine to see what programs, other than Microsoft office, you are using. Payroll, accounting packages, anti-virus packages, etc will all be impacted by the end of support from Microsoft.  Once you have a list then you should contact the suppliers to see if they will continue to support the software on xp after April. If they are not you’ll need to decide if you can continue without support and updates from them after that date. Bear in mind that many accounting and payroll packages require updating each year after the budget.

Decide Your Response

Based on the results of your audit you’ll need to decide to either maintain your xp computer or purchase a replacement.

Maintaining Your XP System

There are a number of solutions available if you need to continue to run xp applications after April. All of the solutions I have looked at require technical assistance and should not be attempted by non qualified personnel.

In the industry the primary fear is that once Microsoft stops providing support and updates the hackers and virus writers will search for any remaining weak spots in XP and use them to attack xp computers. This is a real threat and is not to be taken likely and without the correct solution there is a real chance your xp machine will be compromised.

Browsers and Java.

Many of you will be users of Java for online banking and Revenue on line. If Sun decides to stop providing updates for Java on xp you will be unable to use these sites. Likewise if sites such as your online banking require you to have a version of internet explorer greater than version 8 you will not be able to use these sites.

Replacing Your XP Computer

Next month I’ll deal with the issue of replacing your xp computer before the April deadline.

Beware Wolves Bearing Gifts

This is the first in a series of articles dealing with the every growing threat posed to you by the internet. It seems like every day now I hear of some unfortunate soul who has been scammed in one way or another by someone on the internet. Protecting yourself from their clutches involves some work on your behalf but if you follow the advice contained in this series of articles the chances of them getting into your wallet will be seriously reduced. “Knowledge is Power” so take the time to read these articles.

Fake Websites
Fake websites rely on our inherent tendency not to fully read what we see on our computer screens. As creatures of habit if the screen appears to be something familiar we automatically assume it is legitimate. Internet thieves depend on this flaw to fool you into thinking you are visiting one of your regular websites.
Fake websites pretending to be :Banking sites, Hotmail, Gmail and Paypal come on line everyday.

 To get you to visit the fake site the scammers rely on two primary methods:
Fake emails and fake links within emails.

How To Avoid Fake Websites
1.    Do Not respond to an email asking you to reset or change your password to any of the websites where you transact money or your gmail or hotmail accounts.
2.    Do not accept any telephone calls where the caller claims they work for Microsoft or some other computer company and they have detected a problem on your computer. No computer company will ever call you in this manner. Do not engage or talk with these individuals – hang up!
3.    Suspect all emails which tell you that something is wrong with your online accounts and never click on any link within these emails or respond to the email. Delete it.
4.    If you get a email telling you a friend has been injured, is in jail, needs your assistance, or is in hospital ignore it. Call the friend if you need assurance. Internet thieves once they have hacked an email will immediately send out these types of emails to all contacts in the hacked address book.
5.    Always check the address of the website at the top of the screen before your login. A favourite tactic of thieves is to download spyware to your computer and change your favourites in your internet browser to point at fake websites.

Five Technology Gifts For Christmas

It’s that time of year again with Christmas just around the corner. As many of you will be working on limited budgets I am providing some suggestions on affordable technology gifts for your loved ones.

Gadgets To Boost Wireless Speed And Signal Strength
Boost Wireless Speed On Your PC/Laptop
Older laptops can benefit from the addition of a wireless N usb adapter. If your broadband router is less than two years old chances are it broadcasts a wireless N signal. Your laptop is probably equipped with a wireless G (54mbps) or worse a wireless B(11 mbps) adapter. The speed difference is dramatic with wireless N(600-900 mbps) providing  more than 10 times the speed of Wireless G and 50 times the speed of wireless B.

Tplink Wireless N adapter 300mbps model TL-WN821N cost around €15)

Add Wireless N To Your Broadband/boost Signal Strength
If your broadband router is not wireless N you can connect a wireless N access point(WAP) to it. The model recommended not only provides 
Wireless N but also a significant increase in the wireless signal strength.
(TPlink Wireless N Access Point: Model WA901ND 300Mbps cost Around €50-€60)

Gadgets To Cool Your Laptop
Overheating is one of the big killers of laptops and you can reduce the temperature on the laptop by using a stand equipped with fans. The fans are powered from your usb ports on your laptop.
(Costing from €15-€25 and available from Trust and Belkin.)

Gadgets To Protect Your Laptop/Desktop
Electrical spikes and surges are another killer and every year I see my share of machines that have fallen victim to electrical problems. A quality surge protector will reduce the chances of a surge or spike causing damage to your computer. Available in single and multiple port models I recommend units manufactured by Belkin. 
(Belkin Single port model cost around - €10, Belkin 4 port model cost around €15)
 
Gadget To Backup Your Data
There are a myriad of backup drives out there but my recommendation is the Adata dashDrive durable. This robust 500 gig usb 3.0 external backup drive is encased in rubber to protect it from accidental falls or knocks. I am a fan of these drives as they work flawlessly with but old and new laptops, which is not the case with other usb 3.0 drives. The drive is both waterproof and shockproof and is designed so that the cable attaches neatly to the drive.(ADATA Dashdrive Durable 500 gig Model HD710 – Around €70)

Protecting Your Data Part 2

This month’s article is part two of Protecting Your Data.

Rule 4. Restrict Access
I am baffled by how easily people allow their computer to be freely used by people they either live with or know.  Allowing access to your computer opens you to virus spyware infections and you have no control over what the person using your machine does. The internet is riddled with web sites that are virus and spyware infected and it takes only seconds, if you visit one of these sites, for your machine to be infected.

No matter what anyone tells you it is virtually impossible to be 100% protected from these attacks. The sensible approach is to avoid these sites completely.

Restricting access also includes preventing anyone from plugging in a usb key or external drive to your computer. Virus and spyware writers wrote viruses many years ago to use these devices as a means of infecting your machine. If you use a usb key to transfer data between machines ensure that you purchase and install a solid anti-virus program on your home machine. The anti-virus program should automatically scan usb devices each time you plug one in. Many of the name brand anti-virus programs fail to meet my criteria as being able to adequately protect your computer. Visit http://www.reidyonline.com/compareav.htm on my website and judge for yourself.

Rule 5. Rules For Multiple Users Sharing A Computer
Where you must share your computer among the family I advise that all users are restricted to standard users with only one account have full administrator privileges.
The administrator account should only be used when you need to add or update software on the machine. Thus don’t give your own account administrator status.
The administrator account should be password protected and regardless of the pleading and begging never give this password out to the other people sharing the machine.

A restricted account reduces the changes of a virus getting a firm hold on the computer but as with all preventative policies it is by no means foolproof. All accounts on the computer should have a password.

Rule 6. Activate The Guest Account Option
All windows machines come with a guest account option and if you decide to allow a guest to use your machine they should only be allowed to login via the guest option.
The guest account ensures you minimize the damage the guest  can do when they use your machine but again it is not foolproof.