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How Can I Protect My Computer From Viruses and Spyware?

March 5, 2014 by

Viruses and spyware are probably the worst things that could infect your computer. Not only will they slow down your machine, but they will cause great security threats to your personal data. So how can you keep your data safe and protect your computer?

Fortunately there are a few easy ways:

  • Install an antivirus program – an antivirus program needs to be kept up to date to do its job well. There are a variety of options available that vary on price and amount of coverage. It is best to do some research about each antivirus program to identify which one is right for you.
  • Be mindful of which emails you open – if you do not recognize the email sender, it may be a scam or include a harmful attachment. If you’re not familiar with the sender of the email, don’t open it. Potentially it can be dangerous and cause a lot of harm to your computer system.
  • Use a pop–up blocker- pop-ups are smaller browser windows that can appear on any website you are using. While many are advertisements, others can contain malicious software designed to give you a virus. A popup blocker can prevent this type of window from appearing.
  • Keep your software system updated – companies such as Apple and Windows periodically send out security updates. It is important to keep your computer updated to protect it from the latest security threats.
  • Clear your browsing history – when you’re using a public computer, consider clearing the browser history when you are done. This will protect you from leaving any personal information behind.

Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Department in Baltimore!

At Working Nets in Baltimore, we support your business by providing top-notch Information Technology (I.T.) services to companies like yours: Companies that don’t need full-time I.T. services, but do need someone to turn to, when they are having a problem. We provide services like Network Design, Monitoring and Maintenance. We troubleshoot technical issues when they arise, and give you options for solving them. We help you use your technology investment to achieve your business goals.

At Working Nets, our focus is on your needs!

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

Source:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/how-protect-computer-from-viruses#how-protect-computer-from-viruses=windows-7

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Why Do Companies Keep Being Hacked?

February 25, 2014 by

Based on the frequency of companies getting hacked, you would think that there are no security systems currently in place. Recent companies that have been hacked include Snapchat, Kickstarter, Tinder, Target and Neiman Marcus. The motives of the hackers are understood, to make a lot of money in a short period of time without doing a lot of work. But why aren’t these hackings being prevented.

The answer is simple, certain hackings take place because not everyone goes the full length to protect their account. If someone chooses a simple password over a complex one, it increases their chances of being hacked. Here are some tips for creating a secure password.

Additionally, security should always be a priority when it comes to creating a website, store, app. But that is not always the case. Companies are more focused on delivering an app than delivering an app and protecting you at the same time. Security isn’t the first thing on a developers mind. What needs to be done is that security is integrated into stage one of planning something. Security has to be integrated in the beginning to really be effective.

Unfortunately, when companies lack important security features, the users end up getting the short end of the stick. For a consumer, the best way to protect your data is to continue making secure passwords.

Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Department in Baltimore!

At Working Nets in Baltimore, we support your business by providing top-notch Information Technology (I.T.) services to companies like yours: Companies that don’t need full-time I.T. services, but do need someone to turn to, when they are having a problem. We provide services like Network Design, Monitoring and Maintenance. We troubleshoot technical issues when they arise, and give you options for solving them. We help you use your technology investment to achieve your business goals.

At Working Nets, our focus is on your needs!

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

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How Can I Create A Secure Password? Tips from Your Baltimore IT Company

February 11, 2014 by

Creating a secure password isn’t that difficult, but why do so many people have a hard time doing that? Simple, because they don’t want to have to remember the difficult password. This is why so many people use ‘password’ as their password. It is easy to remember.

However, if a website is asking you to create a password, it is important that you create a strong password; especially, if you want to keep your sensitive information private (Bank Account, Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Below, your Baltimore IT company has compiled a list of tips for having a secure password.

  • It should be at least eight characters long
  • Does not contain your name or the username
  • Is not a complete word, use a phrase instead
  • Is not the same as all of your other passwords
  • Contains:
    • One uppercase letter
    • One lowercase letter
    • A number
    • A unique symbol (!@#$%)

If you feel you must write down your password in order to remember it, make sure you don’t label it as your password, and keep it in a safe place. The last thing you want is to become the victim of your accounts being hacked. The more confusing your password is, the safer it is.

Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Department in Baltimore!

At Working Nets in Baltimore, we support your business by providing top-notch Information Technology (I.T.) services to companies like yours: Companies that don’t need full-time I.T. services, but do need someone to turn to, when they are having a problem. We provide services like Network Design, Monitoring and Maintenance. We troubleshoot technical issues when they arise, and give you options for solving them. We help you use your technology investment to achieve your business goals.

At Working Nets, our focus is on your needs!

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

Filed Under: Computer Security Baltimore Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

What’s That Strange Charge On My Phone Bill? The Missed Call Scam

February 3, 2014 by

Scammers are always coming up with new ways to trick you out of your money. Their latest plan involves the missed call function on your cell phone. In short, a scammer will call your phone and then hang up immediately. On your phone, you will see a missed call and because you are curious you will call back. Then the scammer charges you for the call for every minute you’re on the line. This scam is called the “One Ring Scam.”

The trick here is when the scammer calls you, your phone only rings once. So you still have the missed call notification but they don’t have to pay for long distance charges.

When you call the number back, you get charged once to connect to the call, and then additional charges incur for every minute you’re still on the phone.

This one is fairly easy to avoid getting sucked into, but below are a list of tips so you can avoid getting scammed

  • If you don’t know the number, don’t call it back
  • Google the number before calling it back, if it’s a scam someone will identify the number as a scam and save you the fees.
  • Check your phone bill for charges that you believe are fraudulent.

Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Department!

At Working Nets, we support your business by providing top-notch Information Technology (I.T.) services to companies like yours: Companies that don’t need full-time I.T. services, but do need someone to turn to, when they are having a problem. We provide services like Network Design, Monitoring and Maintenance. We troubleshoot technical issues when they arise, and give you options for solving them. We help you use your technology investment to achieve your business goals.

At Working Nets, our focus is on your needs!

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

Source:

http://techcrunch.com/2014/02/02/missed-call-scam/?ncid=tcdaily

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Is There An Unexplained Charge on your Credit Card? You May Be a Victim of Fraud!

January 30, 2014 by

Unfortunately, credit card fraud has become increasingly more common recently. Target was hacked and so are countless other websites and apps. Last week, the Better Business Bureau issued a fraud alert for people to check their bank statement for unexplained charges of $9.84. When scammers steal your credit card information, they test your account by charging a relatively small amount and see if you detect it. If the charge goes undetected by you, the scammers now have access to your card and will begin racking up other charges as time goes on.

So How Do I Fix This?

Fortunately for you, if you noticed this charge then you are in good shape. Simply call your bank and report the fraud. If your bank does not offer you a new card, simply request one to prevent this from happening to you again.

It is important to be diligent in checking over your bank statements and make sure that all charges that appear are ones you have personally authorized. Unfortunately, scammers are not a thing of the past and your credit card information will always be at risk but as long as you know how to search your bank statements, you should be in good shape from a potentially disastrous financial scam.

Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Department!

At Working Nets, we support your business by providing top-notch Information Technology (I.T.) services to companies like yours: Companies that don’t need full-time I.T. services, but do need someone to turn to, when they are having a problem. We provide services like Network Design, Monitoring and Maintenance. We troubleshoot technical issues when they arise, and give you options for solving them. We help you use your technology investment to achieve your business goals.

At Working Nets, our focus is on your needs!

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

Source:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/27/984-charge-credit-debit-card-fraud_n_4675054.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009

Filed Under: Computer Security Baltimore Tagged With: , , , ,

The Data Breach at Target Affects More Than Originally Thought

January 15, 2014 by

In December, the retail giant Target reported that hackers had breached their collection of customer data and made off with credit and debit card numbers and affecting up to 40 million people. Now, Target is reporting that the data breach will affect up to 70 million people. In a statement, Target stated that the stolen data includes not only credit and debit card numbers, but names, phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses of customers as well. Target’s ongoing investigation into the matter revealed these new findings in the data breach, which occurred between Nov.27 and Dec. 15 of last year.

Target has attempted to contact every customer for whom it has contact information and inform them that their information was stolen. CEO Gregg Steinhafel apologized to all Target customers in a video statement. According to IT World, “Target has pledged to pay for the costs of any fraudulent charges related to the breach. The company is also offering one year of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection to customers who shopped at the company’s U.S. stores.”

Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Department!

At Working Nets, we support your business by providing top-notch Information Technology (I.T.) services to companies like yours: Companies that don’t need full-time I.T. services, but do need someone to turn to, when they are having a problem. We provide services like Network Design, Monitoring and Maintenance. We troubleshoot technical issues when they arise, and give you options for solving them. We help you use your technology investment to achieve your business goals.

At Working Nets, our focus is on your needs!

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

Sources

Filed Under: Computer Security Baltimore Tagged With: , , ,

Hackers Are At It Again – Their Target, Snapchat

January 2, 2014 by

Recently a major security flaw has been exposed in the picture messaging app, Snapchat. If you are unfamiliar, Snapchat is a mobile only app for sending pictures and videos that self-destruct after ten seconds. The point of the app is to be able to share images and videos without wondering who else will see them.

A group of hackers recently discovered a flaw in the app’s security and threatened to expose it if the founder of the app did not attempt to fix it. The app was not fixed and on December 31, 2013 SnapchatDB.info was born. On the site, there is a list of 4.6 million usernames and phone numbers of people that use Snapchat.

So you use Snapchat and you’re worried – now what?

Fortunately, the hackers don’t plan on doing anything malicious with the information they uncovered. But if you want to see if your personal information is safe. Head over to http://lookup.gibsonsec.org/ and type in your username. It will search the database to see if your username and phone number has been compromised.

If your information has been shared, the safest thing you can do is delete your account. Unfortunately, it will not remove your phone number from the website though.

Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Department!

At Working Nets, we support your business by providing top-notch Information Technology (I.T.) services to companies like yours: Companies that don’t need full-time I.T. services, but do need someone to turn to, when they are having a problem. We provide services like Network Design, Monitoring and Maintenance. We troubleshoot technical issues when they arise, and give you options for solving them. We help you use your technology investment to achieve your business goals.

At Working Nets, our focus is on your needs!

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

Source:

http://techcrunch.com/2013/12/31/hackers-claim-to-publish-list-of-4-6m-snapchat-usernames-and-numbers/?utm_source=Daily+Skimm&utm_campaign=f5611fb713-daily_skimm&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_74efee6205-f5611fb713-23660825

Filed Under: Computer Security Baltimore Tagged With: , , ,

What Is A Nigeria Scam?

December 16, 2013 by

One of the most common types of Internet scams, a Nigeria or 419 scam is a type of fraudulent email in which the sender assumes the persona of an individual in need of help, sometimes a Nigerian Prince, hence the name Nigeria scam. The sender claims to need your help to access a large sum of money and offers the recipient a significant portion of that money for their help.

Recipients who respond to the initial email are then drawn deeper into the scam and will eventually be asked to provide personal information and pay fees required to allow the deal to proceed and procure the funds. In reality, the supposed funds do not exist and the scammer will slowly suck more and more money out of the trusting recipient. And in severe cases, scammers gain enough information to access the recipient’s bank account directly or steal the victim’s identity.

Believe it or not, these types of scams still work! Many people around the world are still being conned out of substantial sums of money each and every year.

Dealing with Nigeria Scams

  1. If you have received a Nigerian Scam Email: If you receive one of these emails, DO NOT respond. You can, however, report the scam by forwarding the email to the address supplied on the FraudWatch International website.
  2. If you have submitted Information to Nigerian Scammers: read the information about identity theft published by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
  3. If you have given Money to Nigerian Scammers: There is most likely very little you can do to recoup that money. What you can do, however, is inform your local law enforcement agency as soon as possible. You should also take the necessary steps to protect your identity. To do this, read the information about identity theft published by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

If you have any questions about Nigeria Scams and IT Security, please contact Working Nets by calling (443) 992-7394 or visit WorkingNets.com today!

Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Department!

At Working Nets, we support your business by providing top-notch Information Technology (I.T.) services to companies like yours: Companies that don’t need full-time I.T. services, but do need someone to turn to, when they are having a problem. We provide services like Network Design, Monitoring and Maintenance. We troubleshoot technical issues when they arise, and give you options for solving them. We help you use your technology investment to achieve your business goals.

At Working Nets, our focus is on your needs!

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

Filed Under: Computer Security Baltimore

Has My Password Been Compromised?

December 11, 2013 by

There is a new website which launched recently and the main purpose is to identify if you’ve been pwned.

Pwned is internet slang for the word ‘owned’ and is used frequently to describe dominance over someone regarding the internet.

When your computer has been hacked and your personal data is now available to someone that you did not give consent to having it, that is considered being pwned.  When your data has been compromised, passwords or otherwise, it is best to change your password as soon as possible to protect yourself.

By going to http://haveibeenpwned.com/ and putting in your email address it can check any recent major security breaches and let you know if your account is safe or it has been compromised.

The website lets users know if their passwords were compromised in high-profile attacks against Adobe, Stratfor, Gawker, Yahoo, Pixel Federation, and Sony. All told the website currently scans more than 150 million compromised accounts.

Staying safe online is important and this website is an easy way to keep yourself safe!

Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Deptartment!

At Working Nets, we support your business by providing top-notch Information Technology (I.T.) services to companies like yours: Companies that don’t need full-time I.T. services, but do need someone to turn to, when they are having a problem. We provide services like Network Design, Monitoring and Maintenance. We troubleshoot technical issues when they arise, and give you options for solving them. We help you use your technology investment to achieve your business goals.

At Working Nets, our focus is on your needs!

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

Be sure to check out all the information we have to offer about IT Services.

Source:

http://haveibeenpwned.com/

Filed Under: Computer Security Baltimore Tagged With: , , ,

Cybersecurity News: Los Angeles Creates Cyber Security Command Center

November 15, 2013 by

Around the world e-security is one of our biggest threats. In Los Angeles, steps are being taken to combat the risks. The Cyber Intrusion Command Center was created to secure all city agencies against cyberattacks. The mayor of Los Angeles wants to make sure that the city is protected from all future potential cyberattacks.

Technology allows the government to be more efficient at a lower cost, but security can be sometimes compromised. That’s where the cybersecurity command center comes in. The purpose of the command center is to protect the computer systems from potential hackers. Federal officials have warned city officials that the next terrorist attack could be through computers as technology continues to be more prevalent in society. The goal of the cybersecurity command center is to fight electronic terrorism.

The center will identify cyberthreats, ensure incidents are quickly investigated and see that information on the threats are sent out.

Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Department!

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

Source:

http://www.dailynews.com/government-and-politics/20131030/la-mayor-eric-garcetti-creates-cyber-security-command-center

Filed Under: Computer Security Baltimore Tagged With: , , ,
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