Eugene Computer Geeks Blog

Advertisements on the world wide web are a nuisance, and in many situations they can ruin the experience of browsing the web. We all know what it’s like to be attacked by popups, and annoying ad’s that will sometimes even forward you to a different website, and keep users from seeing the content they intended to view.

Viruses and malware are now a bigger problem than ever, and a lot of this malicious software slips through sketchy ads. Not only is it beneficial to block ads because they are annoying, it’s also an excellent way to help prevent viruses, malware, spyware, and adware from entering your system.

Adblocking software is also capable of blocking most ads in videos, including the annoying commercials that play before the majority of most Youtube videos.

How To Block Advertisements in Firefox or Google Chrome

1. Open Firefox or Chrome and navigate to http://adblockplus.org/en/

2. Click the button that says “Install Adblock Plus – It is free, no hidden costs!”

3. Click the “Add” or “Allow” button and to add the extension.

4. The default settings will block the majority of ads, and is usually all a user needs.  You are also able to configure the settings for the add-on to add more lists, but is not necessary for the regular user.

5. If Adblock Plus misses an advertisement, right click on the ad, and click “Adblock Plus – Block Image”.

Aren’t Advertisements Important Sometimes?

In some cases displaying advertisements can be important to a web user. Possibly you have a website with advertisements, or have a job in marketing, and need to see your competitors advertisements.  Adblock has an icon that you can click which allows you to easily unblock ads on specific sites.  Another easy solution is to just have two browsers, one setup with Adblocking software, and the other without.

You should now have a better idea on how to block ads in Firefox or Google Chrome.  If you have any questions, please use our 100% Free Computer Advice Chat, a non-profit service provided by volunteer computer geeks.

Many people do not know that they can actually get spyware on their mobile phones, but the issue is becoming more prevalent as mobile users increase their mobile Web traffic, download and share files and otherwise compromise the safety of their phones. It is possible to enjoy all of your favorite mobile features on your without subjecting your phone to spyware and other risky issues, but it is important to take a few precautions in order to protect yourself and your information.

Install Security Software

Just as you can use anti-spyware and anti-virus software to protect your computer, you can purchase and download protection for your mobile phone. Although security software is not completely foolproof, it can help keep your mobile phone free of threats. Several moderately priced mobile security software options are available in the Amazon, Android and Apple mobile app stores.

Turn Off Your Bluetooth

Bluetooth literally opens your phone up to communicate with other wireless devices. Malicious users are quite adept at locating and infiltrating mobile devices whose Bluetooth settings are active; it takes very little time to install a malware packet for a savvy techno-hacker. Unless you are in the process of exchanging information with a known user or chatting away on a hands-free device, your Bluetooth should be disconnected.

Avoid Suspicious Websites and Text Messages

If you find a site on the mobile Web that makes you a bit suspicious, you are better off avoiding it altogether. Text messages received from unfamiliar numbers should be discarded immediately. Often, these spam texts offer links or downloads to receive exclusive deals or products. Unless you opted to receive text ads from a company, be wary of these messages.

Be Careful When Downloading

Downloading ringtones, games and other applications can put your mobile phone at a high risk for spyware. Although many websites offer legitimate products, a mobile app from a scammer may be hard to detect, especially in the Amazon and Android marketplaces, Google Play, as these have an open policy for submitting downloadable material. Apple’s app store offerings are tested prior to being listed, so iOS users have a lesser chance of contracting a mobile virus than Android users if they stick to the marketplace. Read user reviews and be sure that you trust the source of a download before putting any software onto your mobile.

Look For the Signs

There are several easily identifiable signals that may indicate that your phone has been compromised by malware or spyware. Thoroughly examine the software contents of your mobile if any of the following behaviors manifest:

– The screen randomly lights up when no one has touched it.

– It connects to the Internet randomly throughout the day.

– It makes strange noises during mobile voice calls.

If you have noticed any of these signs, you should take your phone to your service provider. Someone from your mobile phone company can completely clean out your phone and restore it to its original settings, which will get rid of any spyware which you may have downloaded.

by Jaye Ryan, a freelance author who enjoys writing about mobile phone security and safety for MobilePhones.org.uk.

The newest electronic fax systems are an innovative and dependable way to send documents quickly and securely. It combines the method of faxing with the modern email system, having advantages over both traditional faxing and email.

Advantages of Electronic Faxes

The core advantage of using an electronic Fax over traditional faxing is its capability for privacy and security. In a world where the security of documents is of paramount importance, an electronic Fax delivers a tested solution to the problem of confidential documents left lying in fax machines for any passing observer to see. Documents can also be securely stored online for free.

It’s also an ideal system for those working on the move. There is no need to wait to get to the office to send faxes when they can simply be sent and received via email. Depending on the service you use, you will be able to send your electronic fax from your iPhone, iPad and Android apps.

While it seems relatively simple, it’s best to pick from the bigger companies in the field, to ensure that you have a reliable, easy-to-use system. Getting a dependable system is a must and I have been looking at one of the biggest, eFax, used by around 11 million customers in 46 countries per day. This kind of consistent delivery is what I am looking for in the service, if it isn’t something I can rely on, I would want to find something that I can.

Electronic faxes are a low cost method compared to traditional faxing, eliminating the need for bulky and expensive fax machinery as well as paper, toner and a devoted telephone line . It is the perfect system for paperless offices and for any business, whether it is small, medium or large, wanting to cut back on unnecessary overheads.  If you are reluctant to cut the cord, make sure that you take advantage of any free trial offers so that you can try the system for a month before you consign the old fax machine to the bin.

Using an electronic fax

Electronic fax systems are easy to use. Any device that can be connected to the internet, such as a PC, laptop or smart phone, can send and receive faxes to and from fax machines. You can access your faxes as PDF or TIF attachments via a designated email account and they can be accessed away from the office anywhere an internet connection is available .

Sending faxes is just as simple and, if you pick the right service, you might also have the option to select your fax number from a wide range of local, non-geographic and freephone numbers based in cities worldwide. You get a number that is yours to keep and it can follow you anywhere that there is an internet connection. A basic account might provide up to 10 fax numbers assigned to your business, with the larger corporate accounts providing additional numbers for larger businesses. It is possible to port your existing fax number to your new electronic fax system, so that people sending and receiving faxes to your number can simply continue sending documents as they would to a traditional fax machine.

Nathan Morgan has been an IT professional for 14 years.

Wireless networks have become the norm for most households and businesses. The problem is the majority of WiFi networks are not setup properly, and attackers take advantage of naive users, steal their Internet service, or even spy and collect personal information.

Just because you have a wireless password set, does not necessarily mean you are secured. It’s important to use a strong encryption method with a very robust, long, and unique password. Here are some tips on common practices to secure your network.

USE WPA/WPA2 AND AVOID WEP

Use WPA or WPA2 for your password encryption. It doesn’t matter if you use TKIP or AES, as long as you are using WPA/WPA2 for your password. WEP is outdated and very insecure. The average attacker can crack any WEP protected network in 5 minutes, even if you use a 128 or 256 bit key.

USE A STRONG PASSWORD

It’s important to use a password that is long, unique, and robust. The password should be at least 15 characters, have upper and lower case letters, numbers, and characters. Make the password something nobody else on earth would likely ever use.

Attackers use software than can guess thousands of passwords per second. They will usually feed it through a gigantic list of common passwords, or commit a “brute-force” attack, where they guess every combination of characters. In some cases the attacker can use multiple computers and servers to crack the password so that they can guess millions of passwords per second. Having a long and robust password will stop attackers in their tracks.

USE HTTPS WHENEVER POSSIBLE, AND AVOID PROTOCOLS THAT ARE UNENCRYPTED

When browsing the web, if sending or receiving something sensitive, make sure the site’s URL has https:// instead of http://. If you use an e-mail program like Outlook or Thunderbird, ensure that you have your e-mail account setup with encryption.

MAC ADDRESS FILTERING AND HAVING A HIDDEN SSID ISN’T SECURE

A lot of users will have an open network or use a WEP password and for protection they use mac address filtering or hide the network SSID. These methods will stop the casual user, but it’s very easy for an attacker to circumvent both methods. It’s best to use a very strong WPA/WPA2 password. Adding extra security measures won’t hurt, but shouldn’t be relied upon for high security.

The best way to configure your wireless network is by typing the local IP number of the router into your web browser. In Windows you can go to the command prompt and type: “ipconfig”, and write down the IP address located next to “Default Gateway”. You then open your web browser and type in the IP number into your browser, just as if it was a website. Consult your router manual for more information including the default password.

BEWARE OF ROGUE NETWORKS

It’s very easy for an attacker to setup a Wifi network with the same SSID (wireless name) as yours. They then use software to kick you off your network, and have you auto-connect to their Rogue network. Attackers can only do this if the network is open or if they have the wireless password. The best way to prevent being a victim of a Rouge network attack (Also called a Man in the Middle Attack), is to use a very strong WPA/WPA2 password.

For assistance you can try our FREE Tech Support Chat Room.  I also recommend consulting the manual for your router and read it thoroughly. You can also try calling the technical support phone number of the manufacturer of your router. Most companies will assist you for free if the router isn’t over a year old.

If your router is also a modem that you are renting from your Internet service provider, then they should be able to assist you with router problems or questions.

Recognizing Vundo and Preventing Attacks

Malware or malicious software is used mostly to disrupt computer operations, collect private information, and access private computer systems. Trojan horses, viruses, worms, spyware, and adware all fall under malware, and an infected pc is vulnerable to identity thefts and crashes.

One of the most dangerous malware today is the Vundo (specifically Win32/Vundo.QP as of August 7, 2012) which is also known as Virtumonde or Virtumondo. This malware, which has both adware and Trojan properties, can wreak havoc on your pc if infected.

Your PC can be infected by:

• Visiting an infected site
• Opening infected emails
• Downloading infected programs

Once infected, a pc can behave in the following ways.

• Displays pop-up ads even though pop-ups have been disabled. In addition, the pop-ups lead to sites promoting suspicious computer software such as fake anti-virus and anti-spyware.
• Search links are directed to rogue software sites.
• Windows updates are permanently disabled. If this happens, there is no way of changing the settings until your pc is reformatted.
• Screensaver and background are missing.
• Anti-virus is automatically disabled and is used to spread the virus throughout your pc system. It may also make your anti-virus flash prompts to enable its phishing filter feature by itself. Once you allow this feature to be turned on, more malware will be downloaded by your antivirus.
• The Display option (Control Panel) has no background and screensaver tabs.
• Some websites will be completely inaccessible and webpages will fail to reload.
• Downloading is impossible.
• Registry editor, msconfig, and task manager are disabled when you try to remove the virus or intervene with its operation.
• Explorer.exe crashes regularly.

Vundo affects your pc’s memory, so using an anti-virus to get rid of is virtually useless. Once you try to remove the virus from your pc, the screen will permanently turn blue and the desktop icons will not appear (blue death). Once this happens, your whole system is in deep trouble.

Since Vundo is very difficult to get rid of, prevention is your only solution. (Note: This is not true. You can now easily remove Vundo by booting to “Safe Mode With Networking” and download, install, and run malwarebytes to remove.) The following tips are ways which can help you prevent future attacks.

• Enable firewalls. However, don’t use 2 firewalls simultaneously because they could interrupt each others’ operations.
• Install updates for your OS. These updates will keep your computer sage from security threats.
• Be vigilant when surfing the web. It’s tempting to download free stuff, but if you are not sure whether the program is safe or not, then you should find out more about it. It won’t hurt to do a little research. In fact, checking out whether programs are safe or not can prevent future headaches the Vundo can cause.
• Avoid file sharing services at all costs (Unless you really know what you are doing). Imagine how easy it is for an attacker to inject the virus into the latest software application, movie, or music so that you, the unsuspecting victim, will download it because it’s free.
• Check your e-mail carefully. Don’t trust content that has any attachment or link, even if it was sent by people you know.
• Make sure that your anti-virus has an anti-malware component. In addition, it should always be turned on and regularly updated. Running the program regularly should also keep your system on the safe side.
• Switch to a Apple Computer or ditch Windows and switch to the free operating system Linux. Getting a virus or malware on Linux in the desktop environment is almost unheard of.
  

Are you infected and need help?  Try out our free Computer Chat, which is a service provided by volunteer technicians from around the world. 

Located in the Eugene, Oregon area?  Eugene Computer Geeks specializes in removing viruses of all types for as little as $30! On-site or drop-off virus removal services available. Please call (541) 357-7222

Your laptop is where you invest your secrets, in the form of data of course. The cyber verse and technological realm is full of all sorts of menaces and perils such as bugs, viruses, cell phone spyware, computer monitoring and the list goes on.

And while most of us are busy combating these irksome annoyances as a part of our daily cell phone diet, we tend to forget that there are other ways that someone can get at our personal and professional data… by simply stealing the laptop itself.

No matter what amount of internal security you may have come up with and managed , even if your laptop is a fortress of locks, passwords, and security, there always remains a high possibility that after theft, whatever information has been stored will be compromised one way or the other. And let’s not even go into how much money that would result in a loss of.

So having said that it’s important that we all focus on keeping the actual physical laptop safe too. Internal security will follow, or at the very least will be kept off the streets—quite literally too. So here are some simple tips and tricks to make sure those thieves don’t get their hands on your important device.

1.       Avoid being targeted.Think of yourself as an undercover agent and that you need to remain aloof and on your guard all the time. This may sound very ‘Bond’ and reek of espionage but it actually works that way.  Do not carry your laptop around in your hands while you travel when it can be avoided, especially while using train, bus or any other public transport. If you aren’t using it then keep it tucked away safely in a backpack. There is really no reason it should be out.

2.       Always keep it under lock and key. Even if you are at your office, in your home, or working from a hotel that your company paid for, you still need to keep your laptop locked up. A security locker is a good choice. If you think that is too difficult to get a hold on then invest on a laptop security cable. All you need to do is attach one end to your laptop and the other to an immovable piece of furniture like the table or the desk you work on.

3.       Keep computer monitoring software on your laptop. In the event that your laptop is stolen (though hopefully with these tips the chances of that occurring will dwindle down to zero) and your security is compromised, then at least with the help of monitoring software you may be able to keep track of what happens on your system and possible identify where it has ended up. And if you are in a fully fledged vengeance mode, there is always the option of hunting down the thief with blackmail, cops, and so on.

Laptop security is important simply so that you could keep your confidential information exactly that; confidential. But of course there is more to it than that. You have invested time and money into a device that you rely on for work, entertainment, storage, socializing, and the list goes on. So of course, we need to be responsible and look after our own things and not remain ignorantly unaware of the reality of theft.

Author Bio:

Natalia David, an author significantly contributes towards computer monitoring software, cell phone spy software and keystroke logger. If you want to know more about Natalia you can follow her on twitter @NataliaDavid4

Imagine what would happen if your entire research findings, photographs of your children’s special moments and business documents wipe out from your computer system. Horrifying, isn’t it? There have been incidents in which computer users have lost their entire data because of some malfunction in the machine. In order to prevent such disasters, backing up data is highly recommended by the analysts.

In spite of the pressing importance of having a backup for the data saved in the computer, only 7% of users practice the art of saving data, a poll carried out by Backblaze reported.

Creating backup data in external hard drives has been an old and traditional method used by the majority, which has been replaced by an online backup service called “Cloud”. The new method saves the user from carrying extra burden of devices, while it automatically stores the data once it is installed in the computer.  

Never forget, even the safest technologies have their drawbacks. Saving time is on everyone’s minds these days. However, saving data on Cloud can be quite time consuming when it comes to speed. The first time you backup data takes alot of time; while the updates take 10 to 15 minutes approximately.

Among the plethora of backup services in the market, the following five have been selected, which work both on Windows and Mac.

BACKBLAZE

Literally, Backblaze is a fire which is lit to protect damage caused by fire on a larger scale. For computer users this service works as a protecting wall against all disasters. This application is very simple to use with unlimited capacity to store data. On the flip side, the application saves selective types of files, which include music, photos, emails; whereas, program and Windows files are completely ignored.

The user has an option to keep the backup continuous, so that it picks up the new data whenever it is added to the system. However, the application does not have the capacity to save the archived files for more than a month. Moreover, the application does not allow sharing the files.

CARBONITE

Cabonite exhibits functioning of high backup software; offering several different services. Its most basic service, Carbonite Home provides unlimited backup to both Windows and Mac systems, HomePlus goes one step further in providing an external hard device to the online services it offers, while HomePremier offers a unique service of sending a copy of backup to the user. This application is also compatible with smartphone software.

MOBISTEALTH

Mobistealth provides spywares to monitor the data of the computer and smartphone. This application can come in handy to check if there are no malwares being intalled in the device while uploading data for backup. It works both as Adroid spyware and iPhone spy to track any unwanted activity.

CRASHPLAN

This application wins the competition because of the various options it offers to its users. The application is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux and Solaris systems, and can also be installed on iOS and OS.

The application offers a range of free to different paid packages. Although the free version does not offer online backup, the users can share the data with other computer systems. However, the paid version of CrashPlan does offer you the option of saving data on their inline server.

NORTON ONLINE BACKUP

Norton is commonly known for its anti- virus programs, but its backup service is also gaining lots of attention. This application offers services to Mac and PC, but not compatible with Linux systems. Among the cell phones, the application connects with iOS and OS.

This service is comparatively faster than the rest in the competition and backs up the system immediately, while informing the user with a mark if the backup has been successful or not.

Online backup of the system has gained lot of momentum, with more and more companies entering the market offering the same services. The competition among the service providers would give the user a chance to maneuver and get the best possible service with low price.

Author Bio:

Natalia David, an author significantly contributes towards PC security Software, iPhone spy and spy software for blackberry. If you want to know more about Natalia you can follow her on twitter @NataliaDavid4

Have you ever wanted to delete a file without it going to the Recycle Bin?  Very often PC users will want to permanently delete a file without having to empty the Recycle Bin

(NOTE: This is also useful for bypassing the annoying “File is being used” errors you sometimes get when trying to delete a file.)

If you are sure you want a file deleted without having to empty the recycle bin, then follow the simple steps below.

HOW TO DELETE A FILE WITHOUT SENDING TO THE RECYCLE BIN 

For Windows  8/7/Vista/XP/2003/2000/98/95

1. Highlight the file you want to delete.

2. Hold down the SHIFT key and while holding down press the DELETE key on the keyboard. (SHIFT+DELETE while the file is highlighted.)

3. A box will pop up will ask “Are you sure you want to permanently delete this file?” Click YES.

(WARNING: Be very careful with this command. If you have the wrong file selected and delete it without sending to the recycle bin, it can be difficult to recover, although usually possible with data recovery software)

If you want to permanently delete a file and prevent the file from being recovered by even the most sophisticated data recovery software, wipe the free space by using the free program CCleaner. Make sure the checkbox for “Wipe Free Space” is checked and click “Run Cleaner”.  This is useful for when donating your computer or hard drive, which will prevent a hacker from stealing your deleted data.

A new type of computer virus called “Scareware” (also called Rogue Viruses) has been spreading like wildfire.   The viruses try and scare the user into giving out their credit card number and paying to have it removed.

There are many different types of scareware that look and behave differently. Most scareware viruses will look exactly like legitimate antivirus software, and will report that the computer is infected. It will then ask for money to remove the “viruses”.

Another example of a scareware program is one that will lock the user out of the computer and bring up a window that warns that the FBI has locked their computer for breaking the law, and that you need to pay money in order to get your computer unlocked and avoid prosecution or jail time.  Obviously the FBI doesn’t lock people out of their computers, and they certainly wouldn’t ask for money to avoid punishment.

Scareware viruses all have one thing in common, the virus will try and scare the user into giving their credit card number.  It’s likely that once you give them your card, they will keep locking you out and charging you again.

The scareware plays on the fact that smart people will do stupid things when afraid, and the viruses are very effective and making a lot of criminals rich.

HOW DO I KNOW IF HAVE SCAREWARE?

1.  You are all of a sudden locked out of your computer and not able to load any programs or change most settings.

2. You are told that you need to pay money to fix the problem.

3. Some type of “scary” window pops up and warns you of a problem, but requires your credit card number in order to fix the problem.

HOW DO I REMOVE SCAREWARE?

(For Beginners)

1. Boot to “Safe Mode With Networking” by turning off the computer, turn it back on, and immediately tap the F8 key repeatedly.

2. Download and install SuperAntiSpyware and do a complete scan.

3. Then download and install Malwarebytes, (while still booted to Safe Mode With Networking). While installing Malwarebytes, at the end of the installation it will ask if you want to start a trial of the PRO edition. Don’t do the trial or there is a chance Malwarebytes will conflict with your regular antivirus software. Open the program and do the updates as suggested. Then run the “Full Scan”, and remove anything it detects.

4. Restart the computer and see if the problem still persists.  If so, use the advanced manual removal instructions located below.  NOTE: (You should probably uninstall Superantispyware after you are done, because by default the program will run in the background at all times and could slow down your PC, or possibly conflict with your Antivirus software.

(For Advanced Users)

1. Boot to “Safe Mode With Networking”. (See step one above for instructions)

2. Most scareware viruses will leave an icon on the desktop for the program and are almost always located in the hidden folder “AppData” or “Application Data”.  RIGHT click on the icon, and select “properties”. (DON’T left click or open the file!) A window will load that will give you the exact location of where the scareware virus is located.

3. Copy and paste the location, but remove the last part of the path so that you don’t include the executable file.  For example if the path for the scareware virus is located at “C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\aa88ee\12345.exe” , only copy the “C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\aa88ee” and manually punch in that path. For XP you can click “Start—-> Run”, and then type the path and press enter.  For Vista/7, click the “Start” button, and type the path into the search box and press “Enter”.

4. You will now see the virus, highlight the file or files, (Don’t open them!), and while holding down the “Shift” key on, press the “Delete” key which will permanently delete the file and bypass the Recycle Bin.

5. Now load up the “System Startup Utility”, (For XP go to “Start” —-> “Run”, and then type msconfig) (For Vista/7, go to “Start” and in the search box, type msconfig)

6. Select the Startup tab, and disable the scareware virus by unchecking it’s entry. (You can identify the virus by looking at the path’s since you know where the virus was located from using the instructions above)

7. Click the Services tab, and check the box for “Hide Microsoft Services”.  Look for an entry for the scareware virus and disable if possible.

8. Click apply and restart the computer. Boot to regular mode.

9. Run a full scan with Malwarebytes.

You should now have a much better understanding of what Scareware is and how to remove it. If you have any questions, please try our free Computer Help Chat by volunteer geek technicians.

The most underrated command that even expert computer repair technicians tend to forget is the “sfc /scannow” command. The command will scan and repair damaged Windows files. When a “checkdisk” and system restore have failed, it’s time to try the “sfc /scannow” command, which usually takes about 6 minutes.

This can be an excellent solution for fixing a damaged Windows installation, and can be run from “Safe Mode with Command Prompt” or in “Safe Mode”.

For Windows XP:
———-

1. Click “Start”, and then click “Run”.
2. Type “cmd” and press enter key. (The Command Prompt will appear.)
3. Type into the command prompt: sfc /scannow

(In some cases a Windows XP disc may be required.)

For Windows Vista and Windows 7:
———————–

1. Click the “Start” button, and click “All Programs”, then “Accessories”, then right click on the command prompt and run as administrator.  
2. Type into the command prompt: sfc /scannow

Other Ways To Repair Windows System Files
——————————————-
1.Do a System Restore to an Earlier Date:
Go to “Start”, then “All Programs”, “Accessories”, “System Tools”, “System Restore”, and restore to a previous date. (The system restore only restores settings, updates, drivers, and system files. It does NOT delete documents or personal files)

2. Do a Factory Restore: back up all of your files first, then do a full factory restore. A factory restore will WIPE your computer clean and restore to it’s original factory state. Your PC will look and behave exactly how it did when you turned it on for the first time. You will lose all your personal files and programs, so make sure you back up your files and have all the original installation discs or files for your programs you have installed. The commands differ from model to model, so please check your PC’s manual.

3. Reinstall Windows- You can also reinstall Windows, or on some versions a repair installation may be possible.