March 25th, 2014
A primary concern for computer users is avoiding malware. Unfortunately, not all users make it a priority and often put themselves at risk by foregoing proper security tools. Surfing the web without antivirus or anti-malware applications in place is asking for trouble. But, with so many options available, how do you know which security tools are most effective? As Larry Seltzer of ZDNet reports, a recent test conducted by AV-Test Institute set out to find the anti-malware programs that are most trustworthy for Windows 7 users.
AV-Test Institute brought in a total of 34 anti-malware products to test with 9 being for business and 25 for consumers. The testing involved malware detection, zero-day exploits with no signatures detection, performance impact and false positives.
A good anti-malware program will be able to operate without slowing down your system. It’s also capable of detecting malware before it infects your system and capable of spotting zero-day exploits based on suspicious characteristics. The product that scored the best in these tests was Trend Micro’s Office Scanner 10.6. The top scoring consumer product was Bitdefender Endpoint Security.
Multiple products were able to detect all of the malware used in the test. On average, 94-percent of the zero-day malware was also detected.
Bitdefender’s consumer entry was able to detect all malware with no false positives and tied for the top score in the performance impact testing. Trend Micro’s Office Scanner was also able to detect all malware and scored the highest possible score on performance impact, but wasn’t able to make it through testing without any false positives.
For a full list of results and products tested, visit AV-Test.
With an effective anti-malware program in place, like many of those tested, users can feel secure and know that malware will be detected before it can do any real damage. Security programs need to be updated constantly, however, to give them any hope of detecting the latest malware threats.
If you’ve been infected by malware or would like to explore your options for better security, either at home or the office, call Geek Rescue at 918-369-4335.
March 25th, 2014
Last year, HTC introduced the One as its flagship smartphone. Even with critical acclaim, the device wasn’t as big a hit as the company hoped. This year, HTC will try again with the release of the One M8. Brian Bennett of CNet reports on the specs and features that could make the HTC One M8 your next smartphone.
The first thing you’ll notice about the M8 is the solid body completely constructed from aluminum. The sealed chassis isn’t waterproof and it prevents users from removing the battery, but it also makes the device feel solid and definitely not cheap. The screen is a full 5-inches across, which is a slight upgrade over even the original One’s screen. There are dual, front-facing speakers branded by HTC as BoomSound. They’re regarded as capable of producing some of the best sound available from a mobile device. You’ll also find a state of the art 2.3 GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor and 2 GB of RAM. Most notably lacking from the M8 is a fingerprint scanner. Certainly not mandatory, but a little surprising considering Apple and Samsung have begun including them in their top of the line phones.
The display on the huge screen is an IPS LCD with full HD resolution. The pixel density is actually a little lower than the original One because of the slight increase in screen size. The most recent Samsung devices offer more vibrant colors and truer blacks, but the M8’s display is regarded as more than adequate.
Perhaps the biggest difference between the One and the M8 is the improvement in the camera. The M8 features dual lenses and a dual-LED flash. Both lenses are located on the back of the phone and while the larger of the two tackles the heavy lifting of picture taking, the smaller is for depth perception. This allows for users to re-focus images after they’ve been captured. While this is a neat trick, unfortunately the images captured with the M8’s camera are a little underwhelming. There’s no sharp focus or vibrant color, which means images appear soft. Varied lighting conditions are also a problem.
With it’s brand new processor, the M8 was able to break records in benchmark testing. There’s no lag with this device in everyday functions, which includes photo editing. Call quality didn’t wow as much as the processing speeds, but didn’t disappoint either. With its large, 2600mAh battery, the M8 also enjoyed nearly ten hours of use during CNet’s battery testing.
The M8 runs the latest Android operating system, version 4.4.2. It’s scheduled to be released today at a launch party and made available at stores soon.
Whether you’ve bought the latest smartphone or still have an older model, Geek Rescue fixes whatever goes wrong. For malware infections, broken hardware and more, call us at 918-369-4335.
March 24th, 2014
Regardless of what mobile operating system you use, there’s bound to be some security flaws. The latest issue is a way for malicious apps on Android devices to receive elevated privileges without a user’s knowledge. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes of ZDNet reports on these so-called “Pileup flaws”.
Pileup is short for privilege escalation through updating, which adequately describes this type of attack.
Each time an update for a device’s current operating system is installed, which can be as often as every few months, a user is at risk. Updates require thousands of files to either be replaced or added to a device. This includes carefully adding new apps without damaging or changing any existing apps. This method creates a vulnerability.
If an existing app is malicious in nature, it’s developer can request additional permissions that are only available in an updated operating system. Those permissions won’t affect users before they update and an app may seem legitimate. Once the user updates, however, those permissions are automatically granted with no warning or verification required from the user.
This way, an app can lay dormant until the user updates, then take control of a device. With expanded privileges, malicious apps can control text messages, download malware and monitor activity.
In a similar attack, malicious apps with the same name as a trusted system app can be upgraded to a system app during an update. This gives malicious third party apps the power to access nearly everything on a device and control functions.
Researchers claim to have found six examples of Pileup vulnerabilities in Android devices, which puts about a billion total devices at risk. Google has been alerted about these vulnerabilities and has already begun patching them.
Discoveries like this reinforce how important it is to exercise caution when downloading apps. Only download from the official app store and, even then, be cautious about what you decide to add to your device.
If your device has been infected with malware or you’re having other issues, bring it to Geek Rescue or call us at 918-369-4335.
March 21st, 2014
There are many tools and applications available to keep your information and your network safe from attacks. When it comes to online accounts, however, security starts from the user’s end with effective passwords. A strong password doesn’t guarantee that your account will never be compromised, but it does protect you from a number of attacks a weaker password would succumb to. At About, Andy O’Donnell explains the characteristics of strong passwords so you can create one for all of your online accounts.
Do’s
Most brute force attempts at cracking your password involve guessing off of a set list of common passwords. The more random your password is, the less likely it will be guessed by an attacker.
Random is good, but not if it’s still overly simple. Passwords that only use letters or only use numbers are much easier to crack than those that use both. Adding symbols into your password will further strengthen it.
Longer passwords take much longer to crack than shorter passwords. The reason is simple mathematics. When a password is 12-characters long, there are 12 different blanks to fill in and millions of different combinations. A password that’s only 5-characters long drastically cuts down on the number of combinations possible.
Don’ts
Everyone has so many accounts online, it’s almost impossible to remember a unique password for each one. That’s why many users opt to use the same password for multiple websites. That creates the possibility, however, that if one of your accounts is compromised, all of them will be. Some sites don’t use as robust security as others. So, using the same password for your bank as you do for an online message board is creating an easier path for criminals to infiltrate your bank account.
Everyone knows that ‘12345’ is a weak password, but some users believe that “qwerty” is strong. It isn’t an actual word, but attackers know this is a popular password. If typing your password forms a pattern on the keyboard, it’s likely going to be guessed in the case of an attack.
Many websites have started demanding users use longer passwords by implementing a minimum character length. To get around that, some users simply put in the same password twice. That breaks a number of these rules, however. It forms a pattern and isn’t random.
There are a number of ways a criminal can break into one of your online accounts. More intelligent attacks are even able to circumvent the number of failed log-in attempts some sites limit you to. To stay safe, you need a strong password that’s changed regularly.
If you are the victim of an attack and need help getting rid of malware or implementing better security, call Geek Rescue at 918-369-4335.
March 20th, 2014
There are a number of resources online to help you protect yourself from malware infections. From security tools to tips and best practices for avoiding malware, it’s fairly easy to learn how to create an effective security infrastructure for your home network. What happens if malware is still able to get through, however? At the BullGuard blog, Kirsten Dunlaevy published a list of helpful signs that your computer may have been infected. Here’s what you need to watch for.
We’ve all experienced the frustration of having your computer freeze while you’re in the middle of working on it. That could be a one-time problem, a compatibility issue with an application or it could hint at a malware infection. If you’re seeing a growing number of problems like freezes, sudden shut downs or restarts and applications not working properly, the most likely cause of your problems is malware.
The internet used to run on pop-ups, but most legitimate sites have stopped using them. Now, if you see pop-ups, it usually means you’re on a site that’s not trustworthy or that you’ve been infected with malware. Especially if you see pop-ups when you aren’t using a web browser, it’s likely that there malware hiding somewhere on your system.
- Suspicious email and social media messages
Even if your computer is absent of any other signs of malware, your email and social media profiles may tell a different story. Be sure to regularly check the “Sent” folder of your email to make sure that everything that appears there is actually messages you’ve sent. If you see messages with suspicious looking subjects, it’s likely that malware has been used to hack your email and spam your contacts. Similar problems can plague your social media profiles. Facebook and Twitter are particularly at risk.
If your computer has none of the above problems and seems to run normally, it doesn’t necessarily prove the absence of malware. As threats grow more intelligent, they’re increasingly able to hide evidence of their actions. Some malware tampers with antivirus applications to make it appear that your system is clean when it’s not. Or, malware can even trigger a false positive to make you feel secure after dealing with the supposed threat.
Keeping malware from infecting your computer starts with putting security tools in place and practicing smart, safe surfing online. Then, it’s important to stay vigilant and watch for signs of infections. Also, be aware of actions you take that could potentially lead to a malware infection.
If you’ve been infected with malware, or are just having issues with any of your devices for unknown reasons, call Geek Rescue at 918-369-4335.
March 18th, 2014
Phishing scams are a common threat of the internet. If users aren’t careful, they can easily be tricked into giving away log-in credentials and other valuable information without even realizing they’re being scammed. At Gizmodo, Adam Clark Estes reports on one of the latest and trickiest phishing scams to hit the web.
The reason this scam is so tricky is because it manages to avoid some of the usual tell-tale signs of phishing. It begins with an unsolicited email arriving in your inbox. The email has the subject line “Documents” and contains a link to Google Drive. On the surface, receiving an email from someone you don’t know that’s called simply “Documents” sounds suspect. But, the Google Docs link is legitimate and points to a google.com URL. What’s the harm in following the link and finding out if this document is really meant for you?
Unfortunately, that’s the thinking of many users. When you follow the provided Google Drive link, you land on an official looking Google log-in page. In fact, it’s an exact replica of an actual Google log-in page. The only difference is that it asks you to enter both your email and password, even if you’re already logged in to your Google account. Many users won’t think twice about entering their information, but noticing this subtle inconsistency is key to avoiding a scam.
Logging in to this spoofed page does take you to a legitimate Google document, but attackers already have your password.
This is another example of how online threats are becoming more intelligent and harder to avoid. For phishing scams like this one, it’s important to remember to avoid following links in your email. Many times, you can visit a website directly, rather than following a provided link. This way, you’ll be sure to land on the actual site rather than a malicious copy.
This scam uses Google Drive because users trust a page with Google’s recognizable logo and branding and because users can’t access a document in Drive without following the link. If you receive an email inviting you to view a file in Drive, be sure you verify who sent it before following the link.
If you’ve been the victim of an attack and need help recovering data, removing malware or improving security, call Geek Rescue at 918-369-4335.
March 17th, 2014
Each year, people gather in Vancouver for what’s called a hackfest. Experts attempt to break through the security of popular applications to reveal potential vulnerabilities. This year, web browsers were the focus with each of the most popular browsers being hacked successfully with at least one exploit. As Sebastian Anthony of Extreme Tech reports, Mozilla’s Firefox experienced the most security problems and four zero-day exploits were found.
A zero-day exploit refers to a way to successfully attack an application that’s discovered by someone outside of the manufacturer. These are dangerous exploits because they are revealed before the manufacturer has an opportunity to patch them. This leaves users vulnerable for days or weeks.
The vulnerabilities in Firefox are said to allow hackers to “do just about anything with your computer” when attacked correctly. These attacks all stem from convincing users to visit malicious websites specifically created for attacks.
Mozilla’s web browser has always been considered less secure than the other leading browsers. It was first included in the hackfest in 2009 and has been successfully exploited every year except 2011. In the past three years, however, all four major browsers, Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari and Firefox, have all been successfully hacked at least once. Seeing four successful exploits in a single year is still a surprise.
Experts point to Firefox’s lack of a sandbox for its primary security shortcomings. A sandbox is a way of segregating one application from the rest of the system. This way, a successful exploit on the application doesn’t make the rest of your system vulnerable. Chrome, Safari and Internet Explorer, since version 9, all have implemented sandboxes. Firefox still does not use one, which allows attackers to exploit the browser to gain access to other applications and functions of a user’s computer.
All of the exploits discovered during the three day hackfest are reported to the browser manufacturer so they can be patched. Even so, it’s important to remember that no browser offers you perfect security. All have vulnerabilities that can be exploited if you aren’t careful or don’t have the correct security infrastructure in place.
If you’ve been the victim of an attack of would like to explore better security options, call Geek Rescue at 918-369-4335.
March 14th, 2014
Once each month, Microsoft releases a batch of patches to close security vulnerabilities and fix bug and compatibility issues in their products. Last month, just days after the monthly patch release, an exploit was discovered and publicized for Internet Explorer 10. That exploit stayed vulnerable until this week when March’s patch release included a fix. This situation, as Antone Gonsalves of Network World points out, reveals the flaws in the current patching schedule for Microsoft and many other software manufacturers.
Not only was a known exploit unpatched for weeks, but that exploit was also made public. That means those with the means and motivation to attack unprotected users knew exactly how and where to strike.
After a few days, Microsoft did release a temporary solution in their “Fix It” tool. Unfortunately, very few users know how to access that tool, which leads to low numbers of installations. So, while a temporary fix was available, it was neither widely publicized or used.
The other option for overcoming this particular vulnerability was to upgrade from IE 10 to IE 11. For most individual users, this was a viable solution. However, for enterprise level users, changing web browsers company-wide often takes more time and planning.
Meanwhile, attackers struck multiple websites in multiple countries on multiple continents.
Despite this specific shortcoming in the patch schedule, Microsoft is actually ahead of many other software companies in this regard. For example, while Microsoft routinely releases new patches and updates once per month, Oracle releases updates quarterly and Cisco releases updates only twice per year.
The best solution suggested so far is to remove Internet Explorer from this monthly patching schedule. While it’s more than enough to update most applications once per month, IE faces a high number of attempted attacks and exploits each day. It’s much more likely that a critical vulnerability will be found and immediately exploited in IE than other applications. Even with a faster patch release, however, some IT departments might struggle to stay up to date and fully patched.
For those companies affected by unpatched vulnerabilities, there are some ways to better protect yourselves while you wait for the application manufacturer. Segmenting network assets, limiting user permissions and using application whitelisting are all ways to significantly improve security and lower the chances of a devastating and costly attack.
For help implementing an improved security infrastructure, call Geek Rescue at 918-369-4335.
March 12th, 2014
In September, Apple released iOS 7. Since then, users have been waiting for the next update that would fix bugs and introduce new features. There have been plenty of stories predicting what the update would contain, but no one could know for certain. This week, iOS 7.1 was officially released and in just a couple of days, adoption is already close to 10-percent for eligible devices. Eric Zeman of Information Week reports on the iOS update and what’s new for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users.
Many users complained that their device reset unexpectedly after updating to iOS 7. This soft reset wouldn’t delete any apps or saved data, but would interrupt whatever activity the user was currently engaged in. One of the primary goals of the update to 7.1 was to fix this annoying bug. So far, users are reporting that the reset problem has been solved.
Apple’s virtual personal assistant received an upgrade in iOS 7.1. While Siri will still actively listen for voice commands, there’s an added option of manually control when Siri needs to pay attention. Users can hold the Home button down while they give a command and release it when they finish directing Siri. There are also a number of new voice options for Siri in a variety of languages.
Apple is still excited about the possibilities of iTunes Radio and continues to roll out new features for it. In iOS 7.1, users are able to make purchases easier from their mobile devices. Previously, users can now purchase music directly from the “Now Playing” screen in iTunes Radio and even buy entire albums. Users are also able to subscribe to iTunes Match directly from their iPhone or iPad. The search function for iTunes Radio was also tweaked to make it easier for users to access it quickly.
Perhaps the most anticipated addition included in iOS 7.1 allows iPhone and iPad users to integrate their devices with their cars. Before you get too excited, know that cars that support CarPlay aren’t even on the market yet. Some upcoming 2015 models are expected to include that feature. In the meantime, Apple’s devices are already ready to go. Users with CarPlay will be able to use Siri, navigation, messaging and access their music.
As always, it’s recommended that you back-up your device before installing a significant update like this one. Downloading and installing iOS 7.1 reportedly takes about 10-minutes over a WiFi connection.
If your device has issues that an update won’t fix, bring it to Geek Rescue or call us at 918-369-4335.
March 10th, 2014
A common piece of security advice is to regularly update your antivirus program to protect against the latest threats. New malware is formed every day and it’s difficult for security applications to keep up, but it’s impossible if they aren’t updated daily. Alastair Stevenson illustrates the need for up to date definitions with his report at V3 that three new threats emerge every second of every day.
That statistic comes from security company McAfee’s Threat Report from the fourth quarter of 2013. Part of that report reveals that McAfee learned of 200 new attacks every minute, which likely means that the number of new attacks being launched is actually even higher.
Overall, in just the fourth quarter in 2013, 200-million malware variants were found by McAfee. That’s 90-million more than was found during the same time span in 2012. Experts believe one reason for this significant increase in malware production is the increase in “Point of Sale” malware, which refers to variants that are available to be purchased online by anyone and used without a need for expertise. This allows nearly anyone to launch an attack.
Malware isn’t targeting PC users alone, however. The report states that nearly 2.5-million new forms of malware targeting Android mobile devices was collected. That’s significantly lower than the amount of malware targeting PC users, but it’s nearly double the output of mobile malware from just a year prior.
Ransomware, the malware that encrypts or locks down files on your PC and demands payment to give you access to them, also saw a large jump in number of attacks in 2013. After 1-million observed forms of ransomware attacks in 2012, 2013 saw about 2-million.
The clear lesson here is that security on your personal devices and your company’s network is becoming even more important as more attacks are being produced and those attacks are becoming more intelligent.
For help improving security or help recovering from an infection or attack, call Geek Rescue at 918-369-4335.
