Archive for May, 2012


New malware infects via browser

Posted on: May 31st, 2012

As technology and programs become more sophisticated, so do the viruses and malware that affect them. Traditional malware is transmitted as a program that users have to download onto their system. A new malware program has been developed to transmit over Facebook, and instead of infecting a system, it infects a browser, making it nearly undetectable to virus scanners.

The malware software is called LillyJade, and is available for download at underground websites. When a hacker downloads the program, they can modify it to meet their needs. They then release it as a browser plug-in (software that adds functions, e.g., the ability to automatically translate a website), to your browser. It transmits itself by sending messages to an infected user’s Facebook friends with a link encouraging them to download the plug-in.

At this time, the purpose of the malware appears to be to conduct “click fraud.” It shows fake ads on sites like Facebook, Yahoo and MSN. These ads are usually pay-per-click, which means that any time an infected user clicks on one of these fake ads, the hacker gets paid.

There are two interesting things about this program. The first is that it infects browsers, not systems. This makes it nearly undetectable to virus scanners, which scan for infected files on your computer’s hard drive. The second is that the program can be modified to run on nearly any browser regardless of the operating system.

Tips to avoid being infected Here are four tips on how to minimize the chance of being infected by malware like this.

  1. Keep your browser(s) up-to-date.
  2. Don’t click on suspicious links.
  3. If a friend messages you with a link, encouraging you to click on it, verify with them that they sent the link.
  4. Don’t install browser plug-ins, unless you’re sure they’re from a vetted source.
As with any malware threat, proper preventative measures will normally be enough to ensure that your system is safe. If you’re unsure if your system is secure, or would like to implement more robust security measures, please contact us. We have a solution for you.
Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

Minimize risk by backing up data

Posted on: May 31st, 2012

Business Continuity Planning (BCP) - a plan on how to keep your business operational during any adverse conditions - is an important process that every small business should implement. One of the major aspects of this is where you should backup your business’s data. Having a backup of your data is like an insurance plan for your company, with it, you’ll be able to keep operating during adverse conditions.

Here are the three main types of backup you can utilize in your company.

1. On-site backup. On-site storage is the practice of keeping a backup of your data in the same location that the original data is stored. If you have an external hard drive that you back your computer onto and it stays in the office, this is a form of on site storage. The main advantage to this is that if you need to restore a system, the data is right there and the backup can be started immediately. The main disadvantage is that if there’s a disaster, your backup data will most likely be gone.

2. Off-site backup. Off-site storage is similar to on-site storage, typically using the same form of hard drive to backup your data. The main difference is that drives are stored in a remote location, away from your business. The upside to this method is that if something happens at your physical location, your data is safe. The downside to this is that it takes time to travel to the storage location, retrieve the data, backup your system and take it back.

3. Online backup. Online backup utilizes the Internet to allow you to backup your data. The backups are kept on hosted servers (the cloud) and can be accessed through an application. The main pro of this method is that you can quickly and easily recover your data from any location, as long as you have access to the Internet. The downside is that if you have a lot of data, backups will use a lot of bandwidth, thus slowing your Internet speed down.

Regardless of the method, you should be backing up your business data at regular intervals. The best solution is to backup your data using all three methods. Use on-site for short term data storage (less than 1 week), off-site for monthly, and online as your main backup. That way, if one goes down, you have it covered. If you’d like to start backing up your data, or would like to know more about the different methods, please contact us.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

Customer service going social

Posted on: May 24th, 2012

Social media is a part of daily life for the vast majority of people and businesses. It’s the perfect platform for businesses to gain exposure to a large pool of potential customers, while being able to interact with their existing customers. One use of social media that companies are starting to adopt is social customer service.

Social customer service is a bit of an ambiguous term with no real established meaning. Before you pursue this strategy, you should be clear on exactly what it is and the benefits it can bring your company.

What exactly is social customer service? Think of the last time you had a problem with a program on your computer. Did you contact tech support? Or did you turn to your friends on social media? If you turned to social media, this is one of the main elements of social customer service.

Customers are starting to go to social media sites when they have questions, many times contacting the company directly. Having customer service elements on social media to answer these questions or field complaints is social customer service. A great example of this is OPEN Forum, run by AMEX. It allows customers to interact with one another, while giving the company a channel to feed technical help and information to them.

Benefits of social customer service There are four main benefits of leveraging social customer service in your business.

  • Increased customer satisfaction. By offering a way for customers to interact with you on a medium many are already comfortable with, you’ll find customers to be more satisfied.
  • Meeting consumer expectations. Let’s face it, the majority of your customers are using social media with many now expecting you to as well. If you meet their expectations, there’s a higher chance they’ll stay your customers.
  • Increased loyalty. One of the main reasons companies should be on social media is that an effective campaign can help improve customer and brand loyalty. Social customer service is an extra service that can help further increase loyalty.
  • Decreased customer service costs. If you offer customer service on social media, you could potentially decrease your total costs. The expenditure required to setup and maintain the online service is fractional compared to the physical operation.
While there are some distinct advantages to social customer service, it’s not a good idea to shift all of your customer support onto social platforms. Rather it should be viewed as a supplementary service, or another way for customers to get in contact with you. If you’d like to know more about how to integrate social customer service into your company's social media plan, please contact us.
Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

Trojan could force users offline

Posted on: May 23rd, 2012

July 9. That’s the date the US FBI plans to shut down the Internet, for some users at least. In January, the FBI and Estonian authorities managed to shut down one of the largest malware infections seen to date. The major feature of this malware, called DNS Changer, is that it blocked users from conducting security scans. To circumvent this, the FBI established servers that allowed infected users to run scans to remove it from their computers.

While the source of DNSChanger has been removed, essentially killing it. There are still infected users out there who may have their Internet cut off in July if they don’t deal with it by then.

What is DNSChanger? DNSChanger is a Trojan that hijacks a user's Internet, at the most basic level, the DNS. If a user enters a web address, DNSChanger will return a similar looking page, but with ads that are owned by hackers. Thus allowing them to manipulate online advertising to make money, around USD 14 million by the time they were shut down.

Aside from that, it also prevents users from visiting security websites, like mcafee.com, and downloading program and OS updates. As many as four million computers, including some Fortune 500 and government computers, have been infected worldwide.

What’s a DNS? A DNS - Domain Name System - is a cruical service that converts domain names like www.google.com into code that computers can understand. The DNS essentially makes it easier for computers to talk with one another. Without it, any program or action that uses the Internet wouldn’t work.

What did the FBI do? Because the malware affects the DNS, the FBI couldn’t just shut down the servers that the infected users’ computers talk to, as they wouldn’t be able to access any Web pages. So, they replaced the DNS servers that the hackers used with new ones. These servers will go offline in July, at which time, any user still connecting to the DNS servers, or who is still infected irregardless of their location, could be affected.

What should I do? If you’re infected by this malware, and don’t remove it by July 9, your Internet access could be shut down. To prevent this, it’s important to contact your IT service provider and work with them to ensure your systems are clean, and security’s up to date.

Update

Google plans to warn users they are infected by DNSChanger. When a user accesses one of Google's functions, like search, Google will show a message informing the users they may be infected and give some tips on how to get rid of it.

If you think your systems or network aren’t secure enough, please contact us, we are ready to help.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

Is your iPhone showing it’s age?

Posted on: May 22nd, 2012

When the iPhone was released in the summer of 2007 it revolutionized the smartphone market. Each of the following models have added something new to the game. Despite a new version coming out more or less every year, many users still have older versions. These versions, while still being able to run many of the apps, can be a bit slow.

Here are five tips on how to speed up your older iPhone:

1. Clear multitasking tray The multi-task tray can be one of the most useful features of the iPhone, but it can also take up a lot of processing power. About once a week be sure to double click on the Home button, press and hold an app and select the minus (-) sign on all apps.

2. Delete pictures, music and apps As the majority of iPhone users use their phone for pretty much everything, they can run out of storage space astonishingly fast. To see how much space you’ve used, press Settings, General followed by Usage. You’ll see two numbers at the top of the screen. On the left is how much space you have left, and on the right is total space used. In general, the more space used, the slower your phone will run. It’s recommended to leave 10-15% of total storage space free for operations.

To free up some space, it’s a good idea to delete old pictures, music and apps you don’t use. To delete all your music at once, go to Settings, General followed by Usage and select Music. Tap Edit followed by the red circle with white line. This will delete all associated files. Alternatively, you can open your music player and delete individual songs by pressing and holding your selection, and then selecting Delete.

To get rid of pictures, you need to open the Photos app and select the album you’d like to delete. Press the icon on the top left of the album, and select which photos you want to get rid of. When you’re finished, press the red circle with the white line. Be sure to either upload your pictures to iCloud, or your computer before you delete them.

To get rid of apps, go to your phone’s home screen, press and hold the app you’d like to get rid of and select the black “X”. A window will pop up asking if you want to delete it, confirm it and the app will be deleted.

3. Clear Safari’s cache The cache is where your browser stores temporary files to decrease bandwidth usage and increase the loading speed of a page. To clear it, press Settings and select Safari. In the window that opens select Clear History and Clear Cookies and data. This will clear all browser related data including passwords. You’ll need to log in to services like Google again.

4. Factory reset If your phone is still sluggish, you could try a factory reset. This will wipe the phone and reset it to the way it came out of the factory. To do this: plug your phone into your computer and open iTunes. Select your phone, click Summary followed by Restore. Follow the instructions from there. Before you do this, it’s recommended that you backup your device.

5. Bite the bullet If a factory reset doesn’t work, it may be time to bite the bullet and upgrade. Talk to your mobile carrier to see if there are any deals or trade-in programs. Be aware that a new version of the iPhone is rumored to be released in October of this year, so if you can hold off until it’s released you’ll be better off.

A smooth running phone is important to all of us, and these tips can help extend the life your device. For more iPhone tips, please contact us.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.