Has this ever happened to you? You’re getting ready to watch TV or have a get together. Your phone rings. The person of the other end says they’re from Microsoft, a certified partner or professional. From there, they’ll tell you you’re computer is seriously infected or thousands of errors. They will then request to take over your machine remotely and clean your computer out. If you haven’t received this call, please note that this is a scam. If you receive this call, there are many different ways this could go. The best way is to get off the phone with them and call us because they may have put spyware on your computer to get your information. If you have decided to go further, and let them into your computer, you may have even more issues because not only do they have your information, but now can hold your computer hostage for a high sum of money.
Computer Geeks is a well known computer repair company located in downtown Boston. We never solicit outbound calls to people telling them their machine is infected. We rely on customers to call us when they have a problem. The next question you may have is how do I know if I have a problem? In this blog, we’re going to tell you a few things to look out for that could tip the hand that your computer is infected with viruses, spyware, and/or malware.
The key to knowing if your computer is infected is just like any other illness and infections, knowing the symptoms. If your computer is running slow and is under three years old, you could be looking at an issue where your computer is infected. There is always a slight chance you’re overusing your resources by having multiple applications begin at the start of Windows without you even knowing. Another symptom that you may be infected is that you are not going to the websites you have requested to go to. If your computer is redirecting your web browser to another site your computer is infected. If you’re getting multiple pop-up ads, your computer is infected.
According to news reports, hackers have used traffic signals to play pranks in cities from California to North Carolina. In San Francisco, traffic signals talked of “Godzilla attack! Turn back!” On a North Carolina highway, signs read, “Hacked by Sun Hacker.” It’s said they learned how to break into traffic systems through a website using defaulted passwords embedded into software. Homeland Security’s ICS-CERT (Industrial Control System Cyber Emergency Response Team) advised highway operators, local governments, and highway electronic sign makers like Daktronics, to be on high alert and take necessary measures to avoid, or at the very least, minimize future attacks.
I believe they should heed Homeland Security’s warning. Now I like a good practical joke as good as anybody else. I’ve given some out and I’ve been ribbed some. But some jokes just aren’t funny, especially when you’re putting innocent people in danger. It’s a miracle no major car accidents or injuries have happened because of this. And what if these hackers have more evil intentions? What if they turn off all the traffic signals and lights just to cause chaos? Think about what that can lead to. I’m not trying to scare anybody or spread sensationalism. I’m just trying to give caution, so maybe something can be done. Or if you are that hacker whose playing with traffic lights, think twice before someone gets hurt or worse. What if it was your loved one that got hurt because of this danger?
Vodafone is one of the biggest cell phone companies in the world. I don’t know if it was out of force or out of respect, but they gave it’s customers a huge revelation.
They warned of secret wires allowing governments to listen to customer’s conversations in 29 countries. The majority of these countries are in Europe. They say these wires are linked to other telecom companies to allow security agencies to listen in on peoples’ conversations. Sometimes they even track the customers locations. Surveillance can work like this because no warrants are required. The biggest culprits were Italy, Spain and Czech Republic.
How interesting these revelations come to light about a year after Edward Snowden first revealed the NSA and other government agencies were watching our computers and smartphones. I wonder why Vodafone remained quiet was over. Other top online/phone companies let us know where they stood not long afterwards. I look at nations most impacted by this. Spain has been dealing with terrorists on two fronts: from Islamic militants and the separatist Basque party. Italy has taken a major economic hit, and that has led to social problems. Even the US, when you look at what we’ve going through over the last 13 years, of course people are going to be more willing to give up privacy and governments are going to be more willing to take privacy. Do you think surveillance would be this prevalent if we were back in the1990s?
Earlier this week, the Queen made the strongest decree against cyber crimes I have ever read.
The UK government wants life imprisonment for any cyber crimes that leads to someone’s death, serious injury or illness, or major national security threat. It doesn’t stop there. There’s a call to strengthen their Computer Misuse Act of 1990, giving stiffer penalties for hackers found guilty of business espionage. This includes a maximum of 14 years for cyber attacks that cause social, economic or environmental chaos or disruption. Such attacks already carries a 10 year maximum sentence. They’ve talked about the mega virus Heartbleed and other security concerns. But I wonder if there is a deeper matter here.
This proposal starts off well: cyber crimes that leads to death or injury or illness. We’ve all read cyber bullying that has lead to someone’s suicide. We’re all concerned that one crazed act by one cyber sociopath can lead to a major catastrophe, such as a war or pandemic. So I get that. But the part of national security threat and business espionage concerns me. On paper that sounds great, and in some cases it is. But when I think about the NSA/Edward Snowden scandals and other things taking place, the cynic in me kicks in. Are they really going to go after cyber terrorist, or are they going after people they just don’t like, or after people that don’t conform to their agenda? I know it sounds like a Harrison Ford movie, but look at what Snowden had to endure. And what about censorship issues? Will this proposal lead to the UK government block websites they don’t like in the name of security? There are a lot of questions here I don’t have the answer to, and I don’t think too many people do. Are these new law proposals good for security or do they infringe on people’s liberties and rights?
China is preparing for an anniversary, and this is by no means a celebratory one. But how is the Chinese government marking the event?
For the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protest turned massacre, online censorship in China will intensify.? There’s already been reports of increased blockage on Google services like search, Gmail, You Tube and translation. Linkldin also walks a fine line. They set up a Chinese professional network, but yet they’ve been venerable to this new censorship.? The Tiananmen Square march started when university students demonstrated against the communist party. This June 3-4, 1989 protest lead to the massacre of hundreds. Who can forget the man standing in front of the tanks? So they chose this sensitive date do further limit international online influence. Now add a slowing economy, ethnic tensions, and international tensions with nations like Japan and Vietnam. I don’t see China’s censorship of media going down, not even after this anniversary is over.
But is this the message China wants to send, especially at this time? It seems to me the 25th anniversary would be a time where you loosen censorship, not intensify it. If they take down these barriers and create an open and free Internet, that would say, “Look at how far we’ve come since this tragedy.” But to increase censorship during a time this only reminds us the more things change, the more they remain the same. What do you think companies like Google or Linkldin should do in this case?
It’s the fastest rising crime in the US: data breach and ID theft. Why isn’t more being said or done about it?
This time, I’m not focusing on the hackers, stores, or security agencies. This is a focus on the consumer. According to a Consumer Reports survey, one in seven Americans were told told their online data was compromised. Sixty-two percent of those did nothing about it, not report it, not take steps to improve privacy, not anything. In 2013 alone, over 11 million Americans fell prey to email phising schemes that led to malware infection.
Keep in mind this comes during some dangerous times: Target breech, Heartbleed virus, sextortion, and NSA revelations, among others. Consumers were warned about Windows XP closing. Weeks after that, 25% of users were still using Windows XP. There’s a tendency in human nature to think something can’t happen to you and you’re not going to even get a hangnail, let alone your whole computer wiped out. But believe me, it can. Several simple steps can be done: constant password changes, hiding your IP address, going anonymous on blogging sites and social media, removing digital footprints, use anti-viral software. If you do get hit, get a professional. Virus, spyware and malware removal is the first thing we’re taught, so it’s textbook for us. Or is there just a culture of apathy when it comes to online security and safety?
