A flaw in Microsoft’s anti-malware software was recently discovered that threatens the vast majority of computers running the Windows operating system. The very software included with Windows to protect users could actually be used by hackers to take over a computer: Devastating Flaw Found in Microsoft’s AV Engine This story reinforces the importance of keeping your…
Scammers only need you to say “yes” over the phone. According to Data Breach Today: The FCC says in a March 27 alert that the scam centers on tricking victims into saying the word “yes,” which fraudsters record and later use to attempt to make fraudulent charges on a person’s utility or credit card accounts. “The…
Take care before using that cool, new, Internet-connected gadget. Internet connected devices such as webcams, thermostats, home appliances, home automation systems, and much more, are known as “the Internet of Things” or IoT and these devices are susceptible to malware. Your privacy and safety may be at stake! The same camera that allows you to see inside your home…
Brain Krebs reports on a recent scam technique whereby scammers impersonate an existing customer at a cell phone store (identity theft). The scammers are able to make off with a new, expensive smart phone billed to the victim’s credit card. Worse still, the victim’s phone number is also hijacked in the process, and victims simply stop receiving calls on their…
The US Department of Health and Human Services maintains a public webpage that lists breaches affecting 500 or more individuals. Here are some extremely alarming facts for the month of July, 2016: Breaches reported for the month: 26 Total number of affected records: 335,082 Average number of affected records per breach: 12,887 Number of each type of breach: Hacking/IT…
If you handle your own website-based marketing, then you’re probably aware of Google Analytics, the free and essential tool for understanding your website traffic. The data captured by Google Analytics has become more and more polluted lately with junk data that skews analytics reporting and makes it hard to get a sense of real website…
There are plenty of articles online that cover the differences—pros and cons—of upgrading to Windows 10. But the question remains: will the upgrade to Windows 10 work correctly on your particular computer? In general we have seen fewer and fewer computers that have stopped working after upgrading to Windows 10. We believe this trend is…
Ransomeware is a type of malicious software (computer virus) that encrypts all of the data on a computer. In order to decrypt the data, the user is required to pay a ransom within a given period of time, usually one to two weeks. If not paid in time, the decryption keys are destroyed and the…
The best defense against computer viruses and other malicious software is learning to recognize risks and knowing how to handle them. Fortunately, a few basic precautions can make all the difference in the world. Email remains one of the easiest ways for your computer to become infected. The danger usually comes via an email attachment. The strongest defense against malicious…
Computer related scams usually start in one of two ways. The first is a random phone call from someone who claims to be from Microsoft. The caller claims he has information indicating your computer is infected and must be serviced immediately. He recommends that you permit him to check something on your computer and before…
