Phishing is one type of security threat a user may face on social networks. An attacker will steal login credentials through a variety of methods. One way for an attacker to phish login credentials is setting up a phony website identical to the login page of the targeted social network site. You will enter your username and password on the fake site, not noticing it’s phony, and instantly an attacker has your login information. Login credentials can also be intercepted when you access sites on a public Wi-Fi network at a restaurant, airport, etc.

Once your login information has been compromised, it can be abused many ways. An attacker can get more personal information about you from your profile, and sell it to other cyber criminals.  They can also send links or messages out to all your friends that appear to be trustworthy because they are sent from your account. However, by clicking these links, your friend can unknowingly install a malicious program, or to login to a phishing site themselves.

Another danger can arise when you use location-based services on Facebook and similar social sites. Over-sharing information on your whereabouts or frequently “checking-in” at places lets your friends know where you are, but this could also be dangerous if that information gets in the wrong hands. Pinpointing your location also lets potential criminals where you are NOT at (home or office) and if they know or can access your address, this can leave you vulnerable to a possible burglary or related attack.

Although there are many positive benefits to social networking sites, there are almost as many possibilities for cybercriminal attacks.  To protect yourself and prevent these attacks, be sure to take the following precautions:

• Always access the Internet on a secure network.
• Avoid logging into your email and social networking accounts while on public Wi-Fi hotspots.
• Make sure any site you are logging into has a valid SSL certificate and the domain name is not corrupted.
• Look for sites with https rather than just http in the URL. In Facebook and Twitter, you can now check your account settings to set SSL/HTTPS encryption by default.
• Don’t open any email or messages, or click on any links that seem suspicious, even if they’re from a friend.
• Set your social networking accounts to as private as possible, avoid frequently posting your location, and ask friends to not tag you at a location on these sites.
• Always log-out of your accounts, especially when on a public computer or network

The answer is simply NO.

People’s reliance on the old and familiar will trump any kind of new advancement a company like Apple may make in the portable area. There are and always will be people who refuse to, or simply can’t wrap their mind around a touch screen or a smaller, more compact screen. For example, hardcore gamers will never abandon their trusty desktop they’ve had and been upgrading since the days of Quake and Unreal for that optimal gaming experience.

The desktop is familiar, effective, and nowadays, inexpensive. Not to mention you can’t beat its muscle power. As advanced as Apple’s A4 processor may be or become, there’s no beating a custom built Intel i7 Sandy Bridge with the graphics chip to back it up.

Yes, we have microchips, we have microprocessors, and they can certainly get the job done. But the desktop is, was and always will be the powerhouse computer everyone knows and loves. Perhaps there is a future where everything will be wireless, integrated, and portable- we’re almost there now. So long as there are computers, the desktop will always serve as the standard in personal computing.

Now, lets ask, what exactly is an Anti-Virus product? Well, its a program designed simply to look for what it already knows. What this means is, the program can only attack what its programmed to attack, and therefore any new infection that the makers have not come across, it will consider a normal program (Unless it is very similar to another infection, in which case it would find it)

This works well if someone else’s computer has already been infected, diagnosed, and added to the list of known infections. However, if a person writes a new one that is unlike any other infection (Such as the TDL infections when they first broke out), the majority of Anti-Virus programs will be powerless against it until the makers analyze it, and add it to the database. This is the reason why we see a machine being brought in that’s infected, yet has an Anti-Virus program on it.

For us, this means that we must make sure we are not in the first wave of a new infection. By enabling features such as the NX-bit on CPUs (Also known as Data Execution Prevention) on Windows, GNU/Linux and UNIX-Like Operating Systems (Mac OS X’s DEP is enabled by default), as well being careful on non-major websites and other general safety procedures, we can help to mitigate these initial waves. So even if you do get an infection, the program will already know what it is and kill it before it even runs.

WoW!!  Just got back from a house call to fix an Email problem, I could not believe the amount of junk in the inbox.  Only about half of the messages were wanted, and the other half?  -What a mess.  There were ad’s from businesses, come-on’s for pharmaceuticals or quasi pharms.  They had requests from banks, e-bay and other online accounts that they did not even belong to.  My customer was asking me, “How could I have a Facebook account when I’ve never even visited the site before”.  That is a perfect example of “phishing”.  I did my best to clean-up the junk, and then passed on some tips on keeping the spam away from the inbox.  These tips and more I will pass on to you.

Maintain two Email accounts.

Yeah, I agree this can be a pain, but the pay-off is a drastic reduction in junk.  I recommend that you keep one account that you give to your friends, bank and most trusted web sites, and then have a second account that you use when you need to sign up for internet shopping sites, newsletters, and software downloads.  This will insure that your most important mail gets your attention and all the come-on’s end up in the other account.

Places you can create a secondary e-mail account;

Your ISP Wave Broadband, Surewest, Comcast, etc.

www.Hotmail.com

www.Gmail.com

www.yahoo.com

www.inbox.com

Un-Check those boxes!!

This is your opportunity to reduce the number of ads from sites you register for, or from companies whose programs you download.  During installs or when you register watch for the boxes asking for newsletters and ad subscriptions.  They are normally pre-checked, so un-check them.

Use a temporary account.

A temporary account is perfect for when you need an email account to register for services on a web site.  10minutemail.com or www.Guerillamail.com are just the answer.  You can quickly create a disposable account that is only good for the length of time you need it.  These will guarantee that your main account stays spam-free.

“Unsubscribe” is no help!!!

Taking the time to unsubscribe from junk mail is a sure fire way to let marketers know that your email account is active.  Just delete this mail, it’s easy, fast and it won’t be encouraging them.

Install some Anti SPAM software.

Ok, this can be a bit tricky, but if you use a mail client like Outlook, Live Mail or Thunderbird these programs may be just the answer if your ISP believes the Anti Spam fight is up to you.  A free utility like SpamFighter @ www.spamfighter.com will dramatically cut down on the amount of spam that comes to your inbox.  There are many other security suites that you can pay for that do a good job as well.

By My Wire Guy Tech – Rich Burger

(Photo Courtesy of Google)

With hundreds of new smartphones flying out of the factory each month, how do we know what to buy? With Android quickly gaining ground over the iPhone, should you consider purchasing one?
So, what is Android? Well, Android is essentially what Windows is to computers. It is the software that drives your handheld device, makes those important calls, and allows you to roam the entire web anywhere you go. What makes Android different however, is that unlike the iPhone, it gives the user a completely customizable interface, an extensive market (With more free apps than the iPhone, Blackberry and Palm stores), and advanced features not found(natively) on any other device. Take for example, you are on the go, need internet, and there is no WiFi available. Unlike other smartphones, you can transform your Android device into a portable WiFi Hotspot, sharing your 3G or4G connection with you and your friends.
Along with tethering, Android is highly integrated with Google and the digital world. If you are a current GMail user, upon purchase of a new Android device such as the Nexus One sold at our store, your contacts, and e-mail will be automatically imported onto your new device. If you do not use GMail, you can still import your contacts from your old phone with ease via Bluetooth, or from a vCard file, which will be synced to the cloud if you ever switch toanother Android-based phone.
Another great feature of Android phones is the fact that one can upgrade the storage space at any time. For iPhone users, once you fill up your storage,you must remove an app, pictures, or music before you can put more on. However,on Android, you can simply insert a larger microSD card and keep all your apps, data and put on even more!
On top of these great features is an intuitive interface that allows you to easily and gracefully launch, or swap between all of them, with a quick flick to bring down the notification menu.
If you are curious about what Android can do for you, stop by our store in the following weeks and try out one of our Android smartphones. My Wire Guy is now an official dealer of T-Mobile, meaning we can set you up with an affordable plan, as well as great Android smartphone (Or other phone), all at our store.

An unlocked phone is a phone gives you the freedom to truly choose who you want as your carrier. When you purchase a new phone from a provider such as AT&T, they do whats called “locking”, which means that they prevent you from ever taking that phone to a new carrier. So your stylish new $500 phone essentially has a chain on it forever to the people you bought it from, meaning that you must give up that phone to use a different provider. However, with an unlocked phone, you are free to go to whomever you choose. For example, if you purchase one of our unlocked phones, and decide to change carriers, you could switch to AT&T, T-Mobile, or another service provider  and use that same phone, saving you time and money.

Are there other benefits to having an Unlocked Phone?

If you are a traveler and wish to head to a foreign country, but still want to be able to make calls whilst you’re there, an unlocked phone is your best friend. Unlike a locked phone, which would cost you significant roaming charges abroad, an unlocked phone would allow you to use a foreign carrier whilst you are there. This would allow you to spend only what you needed, for how long you needed, and would prevent a nasty bill showing up at the door from roaming costs (Which can be in the thousands if you use data!).

Up to (6) six ½ hour Remote Support Sessions per year. Value $240.00

All Virus Infections removed. Includes a reformat of Hard Disk Drive and re-installation of the Operating System if necessary.** One (1) time. Value $195.00

Total Value $484.95

All For only $10.00 per month! ***

Savings $364.95

Computer must be considered in satisfactory condition by My Wire Guy Computer Services before contract is purchased. The “My Wire Guy Maintenance Contract” is good for a period of One Year after contract purchase date.

*A required service to keep your contract in force. Can be done In Store or by Remote Support

** Does not include data recovery. Does NOT cover Data Loss

*** Paid in advance. Monthly w/Credit Card $12.00 or $144.00 year

What is this Clear Wireless Deal?

Clear Wireless has a mainstream use most people are familiar with; they offer a wireless device that provides 3g and 4g internet connection for people on the go. Example: When you are on the road you need a wireless internet connection for your notebook computer. Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and others all offer this.

What makes Clear different?

Because CLEAR® WiMAX technology transmits signals through the air — not through wires — you get wireless internet speeds as fast as you’d get with a home broadband or home DSL connection. This is a very cool alternative to the other companies who can only offer “the fastest internet connection”.

CLEAR download speeds average between 3-6Mbps, with bursts exceeding 10Mbps. I am currently using CLEAR Wireless to provide internet access for my Computer Classes. I use their Home Modem through a conventional wireless router for this application. Eleven (11) computers! And I can unplug the Modem and take it to a different location if I would like. When I take my computer classes on-site to different locations, what a great solution!

I needed to add a phone line for my computer classes. I simply ordered a Clear Voice Adapter, plugged it into the Home Modem and for less than $20 month I have another phone line, no Long Distance charges either.

And then there is the “Hotspot”. A battery powered device, looks like a cool hockey puck. Battery powered, USB powered or A/C powered. Hi-speed Internet you can take with you. Bring your internet with you. Need wireless internet for a business meeting? Bring it. 5 computers can log in to your device if you wish. That’s flexibility.

No longer do you have to switch Internet providers because of your location. And your email addresses follow you!Hope that Clear’s the air about CLEAR.

Network Enabled Printer
Some printers contain the necessary hardware that enables them to be connected directly to the network. The product description of the printer will include the words “network printer” or “network capable.” Once connected to your network, the printer will be visible and accessible by the computers on the network. This is the easiest solution for setting up a shared printer, but may be the most costly if you have to replace an older printer that does not have built in network capability.

Dedicated Print Server
A print server is a hardware device that links your printer directly to the network making it accessible to any user on the network. A print server can cost around $50. Alternatively, your network router can have a built in print server. These routers run about $20 more than the ones without a print server. Make sure the print server you buy supports your printer.

Host Computer/Server
The most common solution for sharing a printer is to connect the printer to one computer and designate it as a “shared” printer within the network. One disadvantage of this is that the host computer that is physically connected to the printer must be powered up before the other computers can print.

If you would like assistance setting up your home network, please call us at 916-625-0141.