Malware Sent via PDF Attachment

A new attack has been detected that attempts to spread data-stealing malicious code via an email with the subject “setting for your mailbox are changed.” Users should not open this email or the attachment. The email includes an infected PDF attachment called “doc.pdf,” which, when opened, runs a set of scripts and executables on the recipient’s computer that infect or spoof various Windows programs and services. The methods used do not require JavaScript in order to execute. Once infected, the machine will then periodically contact malicious Web locations to download and update itself with any of the latest malicious and data-stealing viruses.

If you have IndigoGUARD you are protected.

If you do not have IndigoGUARD please contact BWS Technologies.

Fake anti-virus software

Fake anti-virus software that infect PCs with malicious code are a growing threat, according to a study by Google. Its analysis of 240m web pages over 13 months showed that fake anti-virus programs accounted for 15% of all malicious software.

Scammers trick people into downloading programs by convincing them that their PC is infected with a virus. Once installed, the software may steal data or force people to make a payment to register the fake product.

10 Tips To Search Google Better

Just guess, you probably use Google many times a day. But, like most people, you probably still use Google in its simplest form. The list is by no means comprehensive. But, by learning and using the 10 tips below, you’ll be able to get better results faster. The search tips are intentionally short as you will more than likely learn more simply by trying these tips yourself. I suggest you bookmark this article, then they will be on hand during a desperate attempt to find something..

How To Protect Yourself against Credit Card Fraud

Credit card fraud haunts every credit card holder. It can strike at any time, and without warning. It can be merely annoying, such as having to call and cancel your stolen card, to the downright catastrophic, such as identity theft. So, it pays to know what the most prevalent types of credit card fraud are, how victims are tricked, and how you can protect yourself.

Six most serious threats

1. “Card Not Present” Orders
2. Application Fraud
3. Account Takeover
4. Phishing
5. Skimming

Six protection tips

1. Don’t Habitually Leave Home With Your Card
2. Use Virtual Credit Cards
3. Shred Your Mail
4. Do Not Submit Credit Card Numbers to Bank Emails
5. Shop Only at Trusted Merchants
6. Review Your Billing Statements Periodically

Read more at BillShrink

Facebook always asks me to update my email address

Every time I resubmit an email address it tells me its invalid. Could this be a problem with my email?

Yes and No :^)

Yes > Some users are seeing a "Please update your email address" message after logging in because their email service provider is most likely treating Facebook emails as spam. To resolve this issue, please contact your email service provider and let them know about your problem receiving emails from Facebook.

No > It appears Facebook never sends the confirmation emails out. It is a bug in their system and it has been reported. Just keep trying.


Facebook FAQ

Who makes the most reliable laptops?

There's nothing worse than buying new gear that malfunctions shortly after you purchase it. If you're in the market for a new laptop, the warranty company SquareTrade released a research paper late last year analyzing failure rates for over 30,000 laptops covered by their warranties. The report is full of good information worth considering before your next big purchase.

Goodbye 3.5-inch floppy disk

The days of the 3.5-inch floppy disk are now officially numbered. Sony has delivered floppy disk's last rites. Sony, which boasts 70 percent of the anemic market, announced Friday that it would end Japanese sales of the ancient storage medium in March 2011.

via cnet

Facebook: The Community Page Push

Facebook is now prompting users to edit their profile information to link either to official Pages or to Community Pages.

Community Pages are intended to capture public-facing topics, concepts, themes and anything else that doesn’t fit either as something “official” or as a narrowly-focused Group. Examples can be anything from geographic locations to types of cuisine to whatever else you can imagine. Many unofficial Pages are being converted into Community Pages, with one key difference being that Community Pages don’t have owners if they get big enough. This also means they don’t get out into the news feed.

The new Pages started going live on April 1, but the company didn’t reveal much about it then. Now we know more. Facebook has both designated some existing Pages as new “Community Pages” and it has also created 6.5 million on its own, it tells us. These new Pages include a live stream of all recent relevant Facebook information from your friends — as well as public status updates — in addition to relevant information about the Page as drawn from Wikipedia. There are a few other bells and whistles here; pages about locations, for example, often include maps.

via insidefacebook.com

Yes, Facebook Apps Have Your Data... and how to delete them

Facebook seems to change up its interface, and its settings, every few months, so if you thought you knew the easy way to remove an application entirely before, you might want to take a quick refresher. Not all Facebook applications are out to mine your personal stats for nefarious gain, but if you've kept an app or two hanging around because you thought there wasn't much exposure.

Earth Day - Electronics Recycling Facts

Only 13.6% of the consumer electronic products generated into the municipal waste stream (meaning, that people tossed out) were “recovered” for recycling in 2007. This compares to the overall recovery rate of all categories of municipal waste was 33.4% in 2007.

Do I need a hardware firewall/router?

YES. YES. YES. If you have an "always on" cable or DSL broadband connection, you need one.

What does a router (hardware) do?
It sits between your modem and your computer or your network. It is hard to hack your computer or a network when it is hidden behind a hardware box.

Quick Tip: All always answer no to...

All always answer no to..."Would you like to install the X toolbar to make searching easier?" Don't be that person—the one keeping Ask.com in business. Always watch during software installation to see what it's asking you to install and make searching easier.

Facebook Fixes

Hide application notices: Are you sick of Farmville, Mafia Wars, and other Facebook apps cluttering your feed? Mouse over the entry, and click Hide. You'll block those alerts from your wall.

Invite a list of friends to an event: You don't have to manually click a bunch of friends to send event invitations. Instead, create a list first. Click Friends in the left column, and use Create a List on top to pick certain friends. When making an event invitation, click the Filter Friends tab to show only the list. Click Select All.

Hide content from certain contacts: Keep your mom and work acquaintances from seeing messages intended for your inner circle. Click the lock privacy icon, and choose Customize.

From there, you can hide the post from specific people, or show it only to your entourage. For more on Facebook's privacy settings, read "Protect Your Privacy With the New Facebook Settings."

Cut to the core: The Lite version of Facebook strips away most of the clutter in the main design. It's great if you're on a slow Internet connection, browsing on a netbook, or just want to avoid the usual mess.

Browse to lite.facebook.com to give it a try, and click the link at the top of the page to toggle back to the full site.

via pcworld.com

How to: Spot Fake Online Reviews

Here are some warning signs that an online review is being left by a shill, or shills:

The reviews:

* Have zero caveats, and are full of empty adjectives and pure glowing praise with no downsides.
* Are all left within a short period of time of each other.
* Mainly tally off product features. (Real users talk more about performance, reliability, and overall value).
* Reviewers names are all variations of one another, i.e. happykat1234, happykat7593, happykat6687

Online reviews are just another data point to use when researching a product, and they're best when taken in aggregate. Skim a slew of them so that you get a general sense of the tone and to figure out if there's a common complaint, or piece of praise, that keeps cropping up.

via Consumerist

Secure password without having to remember anything complex

If you want a secure password without having to remember anything complex, try shifting your fingers one set of keys to the right. It will make your password look like gibberish, will often add in punctuation marks, and is quick and simple.

Let's take a look at how a few of those popular passwords fare when run through this method: * password => [sddeptf * letmein => ;ry,rom * money => .pmru * love => ;pbr

via LifeHacker

Make a backup copy of their important files

Reminder of the day: Loyal Friends and clients a reminder to make a backup copy of their important files and to store those copies someplace else. That’s because hard drives fail. (Not all that often, I grant you that, but they do die.) They can also get corrupted by malware, or erased by a virus or hacker. If you need assistance contact BWS Technologies at 358-6305

BWS Website