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What is Malware and How Can I Protect Myself?

May 16, 2014 by

Just the word “malware” sounds bad. That’s for a pretty good reason. Malware can do some serious damage if hackers manage to somehow get it on your computer. Most people store important information or their computers that they wouldn’t want anyone else getting ahold of – malware can provide hackers and thieves with this type of information. Think of all of the passwords you use on a daily basis. Do you access your bank account from your computer? With malware and spyware, hackers can see your password and gain access to your accounts. It’s pretty scary. Learning a little bit more about how malware works and what you can do to protect yourself may give you some peace of mind if you take the advice to heart.

What is malware?
Malware is a program that you (unwittingly) install on your computer that allows others access to your information. Though you never plan to install malware or do it on purpose, you’ll find that sometimes simply clicking the wrong link can install malware. Once it’s there, that’s it. Unless you find it early enough, you’re probably going to find yourself in a tough situation and detecting it isn’t easy. You probably won’t have an idea that what you’re clicking on is spam and you likely also won’t know exactly how the malware got on your computer once you figure it out.

How can I protect myself?
There are a few things that you can do to make sure that you don’t end up with malware on your computer. First and foremost, make sure you keep it up to date. Most companies that manufacture computers and operating systems stay on top of the most prevalent scams and make patches to prevent against hackers each time they break through. You should also be careful about what you click on when you’re on the Internet. If you’ve been using the Internet for a while, you probably know that already. If you don’t know what something is or if it looks suspicious, don’t click on it. You should also invest in some software that can detect malware or help prevent it.

If you own a business, one of the best things that you can do to protect yourself is to outsource your IT. A company like Working Nets can help you to figure out if there’s something suspicious going on and keep you up to date on the latest malware scams so that you know what to avoid. 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.  If you have any questions about malware please contact us at 443.992.7394 or visit our website!

At Working Nets, our focus is on your needs!

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

Source: http://safeandsavvy.f-secure.com/2011/01/20/how-to-protect-from-malware/#.U3aMGfldXTo

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

Internet Explorer Bug Patched

May 2, 2014 by

The Internet Explorer bug popped up earlier this week. It was a particularly nasty glitch that no one had foreseen – in fact, it was a type of bug that no one had encountered before, which made it difficult for Microsoft to address it.

What is the Internet Explorer bug?
Imagine you’re surfing the Internet on a normal day, just clicking through links for interesting stories on your Facebook. Then, BAM, your computer has been taken over by a hacker. This is essentially what was happening with the Internet Explorer bug. Hackers were able to easily access information to people’s computers through the click of a link. Hackers were creating websites, and if you happened to click on the link to their website, you immediately became vulnerable to malware. Through the malware, the hackers were taking over computers, accessing sensitive information, and changing things. You can see where this would be a problem. People using Windows XP were especially at risk because Microsoft had already stopped sending XP updates.

How were people able to avoid the bug?
The easiest way to avoid the Internet Explorer bug was to stop using Internet Explorer. In the case of malware that only attacks a specific browser, switching browsers can eliminate the problem. The malware was mostly running through “add-ons” like Adobe Flash, so disabling these add-ons and extras was another way that people were combatting the Internet Explorer bug. Having malware protection is also helpful in cases like these, as is knowledge of how to keep your information secure on the Internet. Never click on a link that doesn’t seem reputable and always ask if you think your friend has been hacked and sent spam.

What does the patch do?
Microsoft has created a patch that will fix the security breach. Since most people choose to have automatic updates, there’s not much you’ll need to do to fix the problem. However, if you don’t have automatic updates, you’ll need to go in and manually update Internet Explorer to get the fix. Even if you’re still running Windows XP, the update will work. Microsoft made a special point to prevent this bug from becoming a problem for too many people.

As a future precaution, you should always make sure that your computer is protected from malware and spyware and use good, common sense while on the Internet. Never click a link if you don’t know what it is and make sure that the source seems reputable. If you’re unsure of what to do or you run a business and need to make sure that your information stays secure and safe, you should consider outsourcing your IT to someone who knows how to take care of cybersecurity.

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.  If you have any questions about disaster recovery and data backup, please contact us at 443.992.7394 or visit our website!

At Working Nets, our focus is on your needs!

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

Source: http://time.com/85500/microsoft-fixes-internet-explorer-security-bug/#

http://money.cnn.com/2014/04/28/technology/security/internet-explorer-bug/

Filed Under: IT Tips Baltimore Tagged With: , , ,

How Can I Prevent Spyware?

April 2, 2014 by

Spyware is a prevalent problem for computer users today. With spyware, those behind it can gather sensitive data from your computer, change your computer settings, and peddle advertising to you without your permission. Occasionally, spyware can be an incredibly malicious piece of software that works its way into the depths of your computer and steals information. It tends to be very difficult to remove and can do things such as changing your homepage and invading your settings so that it’s not possible for you to change them back. Eventually, certain types of spyware can cause your computer to crash altogether. It’s important that you know how to protect your computer from spyware programs. We have some tips on how to avoid being a victim of spyware.

  • Install anti-Spyware software – As your first line of defense, this is a good one. Make sure that the software that you choose is trustworthy and will keep your computer safe from harm. The ideal anti-spyware would actually be anti-malware so that it can detect any kind of harmful program that comes into contact with your computer.
  • Use caution on the internet – The internet is full of viruses and programs looking to destroy your computer and gain information from you. Be careful to avoid clicking on links that take you to unknown sources. If something looks untrustworthy, it probably is. You should also avoid clicking on pop up ads, since they will frequently take you to places with malware.
  • Keep up with system updates – The more up to date your computer is, the better the chances that its equipped to deal with problems like spyware and malware. One way to make sure your computer stays up to date is to subscribe to automatic updates. Whenever a new update is released for your operating system, your computer will automatically install it.
  • Enable your firewall – Firewalls are meant to take down predatory programs. If your firewall settings are correct, spyware and malware will have a hard time getting through to your computer.

Your computer and information will be the safest if you’re prepared for anything. Make sure to take the above steps to avoid a spyware or malware invasion. It’s a fascinating digital world out there, and it’s important to know how to navigate it safely. If you have any questions regarding malware or spyware, please contact Working Nets by calling (443) 992-7394 or visit WorkingNets.com today!

Welcome to Working Nets – your virtual IT Department!

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

Sources: Spyware Prevention, What is spyware?

Filed Under: IT Tips Baltimore Tagged With: , , ,

Protecting Your Windows PC Against Malware

December 23, 2013 by

Over the past few months, a piece of Malware has been attacking Windows computers and extorting people for money in order to get their files back. The ransom is generally a few hundred dollars and if you don’t pay it, you can kiss your whole computer goodbye (unless, of course, you’ve backed up your files). Here are some things you need to know about CryptoLocker

  • It only affects Windows PCs. If you have a computer that runs Linux or OSX, you’re safe from CryptoLocker. As a Windows owner, though, you’ll want to protect yourself from this virus.
  • CryptoLocker is most likely to affect your JPGs, Word documents, PDFs, and PowerPoints. All of these files can be important for both companies and individual.
  • Unless you pay the fee that the malware asks for, you can’t get your files back. They are infected with no chance of recovery.
  • If a malware file is found early enough, it can be removed and stopped. However, once it has started to infect your files, there’s no longer any chance of recovery.

Now that you know a little bit about CryptoLocker, you’re probably wondering what you can do to protect yourself agains it and other types of malware.

  • Back EVERYTHING up. It’s not only malware that can cause you to lose your information. It’s best to have backups of everything that you create. As a good practice, you should update your backups at least once a week.
  • Purchase good anti-virus software. You’ll need something that will help ensure that your computer can’t be infected by any type of malware.
  • Make sure that everything that goes out or comes in is from a trusted source. Do not open any attachments from unknown or untrustworthy sources.

If you have any questions about Malware or CryptoLocker 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+.

Source:http://cir.ca/news/cryptolocker-malware-causes-headaches

Filed Under: IT Tips Baltimore Tagged With: , ,
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