Computer Support Blog

Phishing attacks have become an increasing problem as of late both for everyday computer users and even major publications.  In the last month, there have been widespread phishing attacks aimed at both Apple and Twitter accounts.  These attacks come in the form of e-mails or web pages that seem as if they were from a service the recipient uses.  These e-mails trick recipients into giving over information, which then lets the cybercriminals access their accounts.

The phishing attacks aimed at Apple users mimicked an account verification page from Apple and prompted users to give their e-mail, credit card information, and account password.  This particular attack compromised over one hundred websites, which displayed the page that tricked Apple users into handing over their information.  Without proper Internet security service or software, it would be difficult to detect the attack for most people.  The intent of such attacks is to gain access to people’s Apple accounts.  Criminals will then sell the information or use it to compromise the accounts themselves. Read more »

No matter how good your product or service is, if you do not have the right team of people promoting it, the marketplace may never know the true genius of your work.  In the tech sector, especially on the Internet, this is especially true; the Internet is so cluttered with information and services, you need to make yours stand out.  Even an established and successful Internet-based company like Salesforce must continue to find new clients in order to keep growing.  For Salesforce, the person in charge of finding those new clients is Hilarie Koplow-McAdams!

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We all hate Spam. Not the processed meat in a can, the email messages that we did not want to receive. Whether they appear as advertisements for products we do not want or emails for services we have no interest in, everyone has received spam at some point. Sometimes, though, spam emails can be far more dangerous than annoying ads – they can contain phishing links that appear to come from a legitimate source.

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In the wake of news stories about viruses and identity theft, Internet security remains a very real concern for everyone who goes online today.  Internet security issues have created a big business for programmers in the virus removal industry. But with dozens of computer anti-virus programs available on the market, it is hard to know which provides the best virus removal and the greatest Internet security.  For that, the best response may be overkill.

Researching Internet security issues and virus removal protocols is enough to make the head spin of anyone who is not a trained computer expert.  Astute computer users who just want to check out what the current threats to their computer are become baffled by technical jargon.  Looking at reports from the major Internet security companies like Symantec are likely to leave the average computer user confused.  After reading their report on the Packed.Generic.340, most computer users will not know how serious a threat it represents to their computer or if they need any form of virus removal.

Many companies that specialize in Internet security rely upon more than one antiviral software product to ensure they are adequately protecting their computer or network.  Some of the leading Internet security companies take the time to test the leading products on criteria like malware detection and virus removal.  AV Comparatives recently released their report on their tests of anti-viral software.  Even that, though, may be too much for the common computer user to handle and process.  Their testing methods are rigorous, methodical and designed for the best minds in Internet security and virus removal to understand.

Businesses only survive online when they have adequate Internet security and powerful virus removal.  Thousands of businesses and home computer users use the Rescuecom Internet Security Suite.  Rescuecom has one of the most reputable Internet security and virus removal products on the market.  As a leader in Internet security and virus removal, Rescuecom has a proven track record for business and home computer users.  Even though the Rescuecom Internet Security Suite may have more virus removal options and greater Internet security provisions than the average user is likely to need, you have to ask, “If the professionals are using this much protection, shouldn’t I?”

The answer, of course, is that you should.  With the threats of identity theft, infections that require aggressive virus removal and emerging Internet security concerns, private computer users should not skimp on their anti-viral software: overkill is safer than being under protected.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

After a two-year investigation known as Operation Ghost, a group of Eastern European cyber thieves was caught by the FBI, according to an article by ABC News. The story is yet another reminder of some of the problems with global Internet security and the need to get professional virus removal. The group used a complex scheme that even infiltrated the computers of U.S. government agencies, which shows how susceptible Internet security can be even at the governmental level.

The group made $14 million in “illegitimate income” before the FBI put an end to the scheme, according to ABC News. The group infected over four million computers with malware that played an essential role in their advertising scheme. The seven hackers known as the Rove group compromised the Internet security of users and targeted sites like iTunes, Netflix and even the IRS, reports ABC News.

The malware that they used to infect the compromised computers sheds light on a serious Internet security and virus removal problem. According to the article, the malware prevented users from installing virus removal programs that could potentially defuse it. This is an example of an emerging challenge to virus removal programs, as it marks an increases level of stealth and sophistication on the part of malware. Not only are hackers writing malware to breach Internet security, but they are also programming it to strongly resist virus removal efforts. In other words, malware is becoming more conscious of the fact that it is malware, making basic virus removal much more difficult for the average user.

The hackers allegedly partnered with a variety of Internet advertisers to enact a scheme based on targeting users’ Internet security to generate profits, reports ABC News. Advertisers paid the hackers to generate traffic to certain advertisements and websites. They did this by using the malware that they designed to redirect casual Internet users to advertisement websites. By doing so, the hackers increased click results and generated profit from their partner advertisers.

This story also shows that threats to Internet security go beyond the programming level and into the field of international organized crime. Hackers frequently operate internationally, breaching users’ Internet security in one continent while operating in another.

The fact that a group of seven hackers made approximately $14 million dollars by spreading malware is a scary reminder that the incentives to target Internet security is real and, for many, great. That is all the more reason to make every effort to protect our Internet security.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

A new Facebook app has been circulating the web just in time for Halloween, and it’s offering a spooky reminder of how susceptible our Internet security is these days.

The app is among the most sophisticated to appear on Facebook. A blue lollipop with a razor inside it greets users. “Connect to Facebook” reads the button beneath it. Next comes the usual permission request that asks users to grant access to their private information, in other words, to put Internet security aside. A few seconds later, a video begins to play. The scene opens to a dark, musty looking corridor with creepy music playing in the background. A dirty, sweaty man sits behind an ancient computer. He logs into Facebook, but what shows up on the screen is not his account. It’s yours.

For the next minute or so, he clicks through your photos and reads your actual wall posts as he appears to be tormented by some kind of rage, anger, or jealousy. Before long, he types in your location, pulls up an online map, and heads to his car. He’s coming for you.

The scariest part of the video is that the crazed man out to get you doesn’t hack into a network service in order to breach your Internet security. Nor is he even part of your immediate network. He has access to your information because it’s all public. Even when you think you’re protecting your Internet security by adjusting your privacy settings, “Take This Lollipop” is an example of how we frequently opt out of maintaining high Internet security to allow apps Facebook access. Every time we allow an app access to our information, we are essentially signing a waiver to allow our Internet security to be breached.

To generate the video, users need to access it from an external website that connects to Facebook. This shows that Internet security problems extend past internal Facebook apps, especially since we now regularly link Facebook to external websites. We also access it through a variety of network services. In fact, threats to Internet security don’t even need advanced network services anymore. Even a creepy stalker in a basement that shows no evidence of a sophisticated network service can access your private information.

As Wi-Fi and 4G become standard in so many devices, accessing Facebook has become a right, not a privilege. We now expect to find Facebook embedded into smartphones and tablets. The increased reliance on Facebook for even the most basic communication brings with it a heightened threat to our Internet security.

The name of the app is in itself a message against the dangers of careless Internet security practices. Allowing Facebook apps to access your account may not be a primary threat to your network services the way virus are, but it is still a major threat to your personal and Internet security.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

Approximately 300 billion spam messages go out everyday according to a recent Cisco Annual Security report. Over the course of a year, spam emails make up 90 percent of the world’s emails. Given such absurdly large figures, it is essential to maintain strong Internet security practices and to use secure network services.

Spam continues to thrive because it is an easy and cheap marketing tool for advertisers and other parties using it. Even when the vast majority of spam emails are ignored, the small percentage that actually reaches people can help improve the sender’s sales. Not all spam is advertising, though. A great deal of spam is laden with viruses and malware that can compromise a user’s Internet security and network services. In fact, most spam originates from network services infected with spam malware. So strong Internet security is essential to prevent machines from becoming spam hosts.

According to the Spamhaus Project, approximately 100 spam gangs taking advantage of the globalization of network services produce the vast majority of spam targeting the North America and Europe. The computers and network services that generate the highest spam emails are in Brazil, according to Cisco. Approximately 7.7 trillion spam emails originate in Brazil every year. The U.S. is a close second with 6.6 trillion.

Users can try to limit the amount of spam that they get by employing good Internet security practices, but even then, getting some spam is inevitable. The best Internet security measure to fight against spam is to be selective in giving out your email address. Just as you don’t go around telling random strangers where you live, you should protect your email address the same way. If you had to give out your address to a list of criminals every time you wanted a service, wouldn’t you say no? So why do we so readily give out our email addresses to facebook apps and other services?

It’s hard to say whether spam will actually disappear anytime in the foreseeable future. Spammers are already indifferent to laws governing Internet security, so it is unlikely that they will suddenly become concerned about their actions’ legality. Network service providers try to reduce spam, but their attempts are usually futile because of the dangerously simplistic nature of spam. Internet security services that are readily available in email, for example, have limitations. Even advanced ones like Gmail’s spam filter let spam through sometimes. On the other hand, spam filters often perceive harmless or real emails as spam, which can prevent authentic mail from getting through.

Spam is not only annoying, but it can pose a threat to your Internet security and harm your network services in the attempt to produce more spam. Improving Internet security against spam requires action on your part. No one is completely immune to getting spam, but safeguarding your email address is the clear-cut first step towards getting less of it!

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

It can be tempting to “share” songs via software like Kazaa or LimeWire rather than buying them. Such practices are not only illegal most of the time, but pose a serious threat to your Internet security. Downloading files using P2P (Peer-to-Peer) sharing software is one of the worst Internet security practices that users can employ. By downloading music or other files using such software, you could be inviting a conglomeration of malware to infest your computer. Even a small breach of your Internet security can cause you to spend lots of money on virus removal and, in some cases, identity theft problems.

Though LimeWire is no longer available for download due to legal reasons, users with older versions of the software on their machines can still use it, and can therefore still endanger their Internet security. Even when users don’t use LimeWire to share files, their Internet security is susceptible because the program automatically runs in the background, allowing strangers access to a user’s files!

When you opt to participate in P2P sharing, you can’t normally control what files you share. This lack of control can lead to your participating in copyright infringement, having your device infected with malware, and consequently requiring virus removal.

Perhaps the worst part of getting viruses from P2P sharing software is that we willingly invite them in. It’s like volunteering to spend time and money on virus removal. Sometimes, Internet security problems are hard to identify, but when threats are this obvious, there’s no excuse to fall for them.

If you’re looking for free music, YouTube is a great alternative. Watching music videos on YouTube poses far fewer threats to your Internet security, as viruses cannot usually target media files. Internet security problems that occur while on YouTube might be related to bugs in Adobe Flash player, but these are rare. Besides, Flash is constantly updated to eliminate bugs and ensure Internet security.

On the other hand, if you’re feeling overtly philanthropic and want to support the music industry by more than just illegally downloading songs, then consider buying the music! Amazon and Apple both sell music by the song, as do dozens of other sites. The great news is, music services like these are legal and don’t come with the added expense of virus removal.

Given the time and effort needed for virus removal, it is always better to make sure you have strong Internet security and to avoid using software like Limewire and Kazaa. After all, paying for a song or three is a lot cheaper than paying for virus removal.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

Using the same password for most or all online activities may be convenient, but it is a dangerous Internet security practice that we should all avoid. Sure, recycling passwords makes remembering them easier, but it also makes it easier for cybercriminals to steal that information. Even when you’re using a trusted network service like your home network, having weak or recurring passwords is an unnecessary threat to your Internet security.

Along with monitoring how you use public network services and keeping your anti-virus updated, consider using a different and difficult password for each of your accounts. Varying your passwords is an easy way to increase the level of your Internet security. When cybercriminals learn one of your passwords, they may try to use it to gain access to your other accounts. Using significantly different passwords can drastically limit the damage to your overall Internet security.

To check the strength of a password (or even just for fun), consider searching for a list of the worst passwords and making sure yours isn’t on it! One online list includes the 500 worst passwords of all time, and among these are: 123456, password, eric, gandalf, rainbow, barney, and butter!

Even when passwords are not as ridiculous as these (barney?), Microsoft’s Safety and Security Center suggests changing them periodically. When coming up with passwords, keep in mind that you may have to enter them while using public network services where Internet security is not very high. The Security Skeptic also offers some easy ways to create better passwords to improve your Internet security.

To test a password’s Internet security level use an online service, and keep these tips in mind:

• Avoid common words
• Don’t use personal information such as a telephone number, address or birthday
• Use at least eight characters, the more the merrier
• Combine upper and lowercase characters
• Include numbers and symbols (%4#3*1)
• Start with a sentence and change it around (Somewhere over the rainbow/ SomeWhereOverDaR@inbow22)

If you’re worried about forgetting a password, write it down! Storing your passwords on paper isn’t necessarily a threat to your Internet security. Cybercriminals will try to target your information through your online network, not your desk. Still, keep your password in a safe place.

Prevent cybercriminals from infiltrating your Internet security, personal accounts, and network services by changing your passwords often and making them difficult. If a password is too difficult for you to remember, then it’ll certainly be difficult for a hacker or virus to figure out.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

Watch out for Free Wi-Fi

Many people find it hard to go even a few hours without an Internet connection. Shops, restaurants and a variety of other venues are adapting to this need by providing free Wi-Fi. Whether you’re at your favorite coffee shop, shopping at the grocery store, or waiting in an airport lounge, you’ll probably find that you have access to a free Wi-Fi network. If you decide to use it though, you should be aware of the dangers of using a network service without proper Internet security.

It may be tempting to quickly connect to a public network service and log into a social networking site such as facebook or check your bank account, but unless you can trust the network service provider’s Internet security, you should only do casual surfing. If you find yourself using a questionable network, avoid logging into websites and services that require you to type a username and password. Faulty Internet security leaves room for cyber thieves or hackers to infiltrate your network service and steal your private information without your knowledge.

Good Internet security practices can spare you potentially disastrous outcomes like identity theft. So when choosing a public network, always make sure you select a secure connection. If you’re at a Starbucks, for example, ask an employee to verify the name of the network service before connecting. Avoid using unsecured network services because they are easily prone to Internet security breaches.

Keeping your anti-virus software up to date and your computer’s firewall turned on are just two of the basic principles of achieving Internet security and using public networks safely. Besides, having anti-virus software does not guarantee your device’s safety; it’s merely a basic component of Internet security.

Another common Internet security problem occurs when cyber thieves record keystrokes, giving them access to your usernames and passwords. Changing your passwords periodically can help counter this kind of threat, especially if you use a public network regularly.

Even with these precautions, the strength of your Internet security can be hard to gauge, and networks that appear safe can still place your device at risk.  If you do suspect that a virus or malware has breached your Internet security, get professional help immediately.  Some viruses can seriously damage your device if they’re not caught quickly. In fact, because the average user cannot detect malware, it is essential to have a computer or network services specialist look at your system from time to time.

Always try to balance the advantages of using public network services and the potential threats to your Internet security that accompany them. What appears to be a free Wi-Fi service could end up costing you a lot in virus removal costs and privacy breaches.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com