ALERT: Old Phishing Tricks For New Victims

February 5, 2015 by The T By D Team Leave a Comment

ALERT: Old Phishing Tricks For New Victims

CyberCriminals are using old phishing tricks to find new victims.

Unfortunately, this phishing scam still works.

Scammers are attacking people with LinkedIn accounts using phishing emails.

These emails claim to be a LinkedIn Tech Support message. In these fake emails, they state that “irregular activities” are happening on your LinkedIn account, which require a mandatory security update of your account.

They then ask you to fill out an attached HTML form, which is a spoofed LinkedIn page. The form you fill out does not log you into the LinkedIn site. Instead, the information you just filled out gets sent to CyberCriminals who then hijack your account.

An easy way to recognize this as a scam, is that the email uses a lowercase “i” instead of a capitol “I” when spelling “LinkedIn”.

Note: Spelling and grammar mistakes are a huge Red Flag with scam emails.

The scam email looks similar to this:

As I said earlier, this is an old scam, but CyberCriminals keep using it because it keeps working.

The only way to stop phishing attacks, is to create a “human firewall” that is educated about these tricks.

Do your part. Tell others about these ALERTS!

Got Malware?

Call 1-204-800-3166

To Get Your Computer CYBER-EXTERMINATED!

Have you been affected by this email scam? Tell us your experience below!

CD/DVD Drive Not Reading Discs

February 2, 2015 by The T By D Team Leave a Comment

CD/DVD Drive

Not Reading Discs?

If your CD/DVD drive stops reading disks, the 1st thing to check is another disc. If it’s still not reading them, ensure that you are caring properly for your discs. CD/DVDs are affected by excessive heat, scratches, bending, or twisting.

The following steps will help you properly care for your disks:

When removing a disc from a hard protective case (a “jewel” case), push down on the centre hub, then remove the disc by handling only the outer edges of the disc. Never remove a disc by prying upwards on the outer edges.
Make sure when you place a disc into the drive, that it is placed properly into the drive. If it is not properly seated, when the drive’s carriage is closed it will bind up on the disc and possibly gouge or scratch the disc.
The single-sided disc is inserted into the drive with the title/artwork facing upwards.
Keep your discs away from extreme heat. Never store a disc in direct sunlight, such as on the dashboard of your car.
Clean your discs with a soft cloth slightly dampened with water. Never use any abrasive materials on the disc. When wiping, use straight-line strokes, from the inner circle to the outer edges of the disc. Never wipe in a circular motion. Be sure that the CD/DVD is completely dry before returning it to its protective case, or inserting it into the drive.
Do not stack discs on top of one another. Store them in their protective cases.

If the problem is not with the disc itself, try the following steps:

Go to “Start”. Right click on “My Computer”, then “Properties”, “Hardware” tab, “Device Manager”, “DVD/CD-ROM Drives”.
Right click on the correct drive, and select “Uninstall” from the menu.
Restart your computer.

This will uninstall, then reinstall the drive.

If this does not correct the problem, you will need to bring your computer in to have it correctly diagnosed.

Got Computer Gremlins?

Call 1-204-800-3166

Get Gremlin-Free!

ALERT: Child Predator Phishing Scam

January 30, 2015 by The T By D Team Leave a Comment

Just when you think CyberCriminals can’t sink any lower…they prove you wrong.

The new phishing scam preys on a parent’s fear for their child.

The scam email looks like a warning for parents about a child predator that moved into their neighborhood.

The email has a subject line such as

“Alert: There is a child predator living near you! This information is based on your local area zip code.”

But you don’t remember signing up for such a service (Red Flag!)

When you open the email, it ‘warns’ you that a predator has moved into your area and it provides a link to click on for more information. If you click on the link, you are re-directed through several sites to land on the “Kids Live Safe” website, which is a service that sells localized reports on sex offenders. They just send you there to try to look credible, and to distract you from the fact that your computer is now infected with malware that will steal your passwords, credit information, everything from your passwords up to and including your identity.

The email looks similar to this:

If your computer is infected with malmare, bugs, or other annoying critters,

Call 1-204-800-3166

For A Cyber-Extermination!

ALERT: FBI Warns About “Business Email Compromise”

January 28, 2015 by The T By D Team 1 Comment

The FBI and Internet Crime Complaint Enter is warning about a new global email scam that is targeting companies working with foreign suppliers and/or businesses that regularly perform wire transfer payments. Please send these people in your company a link to this blog post. Up until December 1, 2014, this email had scammed over 2100 victims worldwide, with a total loss of over 214 million dollars. The FBI is confident this amount will continue to increase.

The FBI calls it the

“Business Email Compromise” (BEC)

The FBI states “Victims may also first receive “phishing” e-mails requesting additional details of the business or individuals being targeting (name, travel dates, etc.). Some victims reported being a victim of various scareware or ransomware cyber intrusions immediately preceding a BEC scam request.”

The intial phishing emails and/or ransomware attacks are used to drop keyloggers and trojans on the workstations of an employee. With these credentials, they tunnel into the network and put keyloggers on C-level executive workstations. After studying the traffic, the cybercriminal craft an email that is carefully and artfully spoofed, to look as legit as possible.

Your C-level executive receives a business email from an existing, well-known vendor who requests a wire transfer to a specific bank account. The email looks legit, and it comes from a known, trusted business associate, and is about a recent delivery or transaction.

The wire transfers rapidly get forwarded and transferred several times, usually ending up in Hong Kong banks (Chinese Cyber mafia).

There are 3 different versions of this scam, targeting different businesses, but the characteristics are the same:

Businesses and personnel using open source email are most targeted.
Individuals responsible for handling wire transfers within a specific business are targeted.
Spoofed e-mails very closely mimic a legitimate email request.
Hacked e-mails often occur with a personal email account.
Fraudulent email requests for a wire transfer are well-worded, specific to the business being victimized, and do not raise suspicious to the legitimacy of the request.
The phrases “code to admin expenses” or “urgent wire transfer” were reported by victims in some of the fraudulent email requests.
The amount of the fraudulent wire transfer request is business specific; therefore, dollar amounts requested are similar to normal business transaction amounts so as to not raise doubt.
Fraudulent emails received have coincided with business travel dates for executive whose emails were spoofed.
Victims report that IP addresses frequently trace back to free domain registrars.

How Do You Prevent CyberCriminals from Accessing Your Network?

Alert executives to this scam.
Most of these scams start the same way – “phishing“ emails. Make sure you (and your coworkers, colleagues, employees, etc) don’t click on any suspicious emails.
Read the IC3 Alert in full, and apply their Suggestions For Protection.

Bugged by viruses, malware, ransomware?

Call 1-204-800-3166

For A Cyber-Extermination!

Worst (And Most Popular) Passwords of 2014

January 26, 2015 by The T By D Team Leave a Comment

I admit it. I get lazy sometimes. You’re logging onto a new site, and it asks you to create a password. ANOTHER ONE! I have so many passwords it’s not funny anymore. Not at all. I feel the urge to rebel and punch in “1 2 3 4 5”.

But I resist. Because I know that’s one of the most used, and worst passwords. AND most likely one of the 1st ones that hackers will try.

When hacking into a personal computer, Cyber Criminals usually don’t have to break a sweat trying to guess our “clever” password, that’s so secretive no one will ever guess it!

Here is the complete list from SplashData’s Annual “Worst Passwords” List. This list was compiled from a list of 3.3 million leaked passwords. Superheros and fantasy sports entered the list for the first time. However, some of the top ones have staying power – “123456” and “password” have occupied the top 2 spots for the past 4 years.

123456, no change from 2013
password, no change from 2013
12345, up 17 spots
12345678, down 1 spot
qwerty, down 1 spot
123456789, no change from 2013
1234, up 9 spots
baseball, new
dragon, new
football, new
1234567, down 4 spots
monkey, up 5
letmein, up 1 spot
abc123, down 9 spots
111111, down 8 spots
mustang, new
access, new
shadow, no change from 2013
master, new
michael, new
superman, new
696969, new
123123, down 12 spots
batman, new
trustno1, down 1 spot

This list shows that many people continue to put themselves at risk by using weak, easily guessable passwords.

“Passwords based on simple patterns on your keyboard remain popular despite how weak they are,” says Morgan Slain, CEO of SplashData. “Any password using numbers alone should be avoided, especially sequences. As more websites require stronger passwords or combinations of letters and numbers, longer keyboard patterns are becoming common passwords, and they are still not secure.”

Tips from SplashData:

Don’t use sequences on your keyboard, such as the letters on the top row, for your password.
Don’t use a favorite sport as your password. “baseball” and “football” are in the top 10, and “hockey”, “soccer” and “golfer” are in the top 100. Don’t use a favorite team either. Many are in the top 100.
Don’t use your birthday, or especially just your birth year.
Don’t use your children’s names for picking passwords. Many common names are in the top 50.

ALERT: ISIS Warns Police

January 20, 2015 by The T By D Team Leave a Comment

PHISHING SCAM:

ISIS WARNS POLICE ABOUT ATTACKS IN 2015

A major phishing campaign claiming ISIS attacks, has been found in Australia.

Although you may think that this does not affect you, being on the other side of the globe, but think again! Cyber-Gangs use very modern techniques like Agile software development, beta testing and more. English-speaking countries like Australia and the U.K. are used to test and fine-tune malware campaigns. Once they’ve perfect the ‘art’, they unleash the campaign on the U.S. and Canada.

The good thing is, we get advance warning when Cyber-Gangs do this, and have a short period of time to warn co-workers, employees, colleagues, and everyone you can think of. Because if they find just 1 victim that clicks, it will spread quickly!

Cyber Criminals are using hoax “breaking news!” events more and more to get people to click on links or open attachments. At the moment there is a scam email which claims that ISIS has warned Australian Police about new attacks in Sydney during 2015. The email asks recipients to open an attached Word document to read a detailed news story about the supposed attack threats.

The claims in the email are bogus and the attached document is infected with malware. There is no credible news or police reports about such a warning from ISIS. You are very likely to get scam emails claiming ISIS attacks like this at both home and business email.

Do Not Open Them, Do Not Click Links, Do Not Open Attachments.

DELETE THESE EMAILS IMMEDIATELY.

Got Malware, Viruses, or Bugs?

Call 1-204-800-3166

To Get De-Bugged!

Not Receiving Email Attachments

January 19, 2015 by The T By D Team Leave a Comment

Dear Geek,

I can’t received any email attachments. What’s up?

Sincerely,

Un-attached

Dear Un-attached,

Most likely, it’s time to delete some of those cute cat videos, or joke emails you’ve been saving. If your email box is full of other email messages and/or your storage space is inadequate, it’s possible that the attachment being sent cannot be received. Quite often, the person sending the email will get a notification that your email box is full and/or has exceeded its allocated size. Most joke emails, or cat videos (or similar videos) take up a lot of space in your email folder. So don’t keep them, or you could be losing out on receiving email that is actually important.

One other possible culprit, is the file extension being sent. Computer viruses and other malware are usually distributed through email. So many email service providers, companies, and email programs prevent certain types of file extensions from being distributed or received through email.

ALERT: Court Notice Scam

January 14, 2015 by The T By D Team Leave a Comment

Email Claiming To Be From Law Firm Delivers Malware Instead of Justice.

“Internet scammers are sending emails claiming to come from a real law firm called ‘Baker & McKenzie’. The email states you are scheduled to appear in court & should click a link to view a copy of the court notice.

The email is NOT from Baker & McKenzie, and has NO connection to the firm. It is an attempt by cyber criminals to trick you into trying to prevent a negative consequence. If you click on the link, you download and install malware.

In the recent past, there have been a series of these “court appearance” malware attacks that claim to be from law firms or government entities.

If you get one of these scam emails, DO NOT CLICK any links or open any attachments.

DELETE THESE EMAILS IMMEDIATELY!

Think you have malware, spyware, or a virus?

Call TbyD at 1-204-800-3166

We’ll get you bug-free in no time!

S…L…O…W Computer

January 13, 2015 by The T By D Team Leave a Comment

Dear Geek,

My computer is slower than molasses this month. I’m a student, so I don’t really want to take it in for repair, if they’re just going to tell me my computer’s too old. What steps can I take to find the problem, and fix it?

Sincerely,

My Computer’s Going To The Back 40…

Dear Back 40,

We get it. We don’t like spending money when we don’t need to either. Why take it in to a tech, when you could fix it yourself, or be saving for a new computer?

Unfortunately, computer speed can be affected by a whole lot of things, and without the computer here in front of us, it’s impossible to give a specific diagnosis.

Let’s go through the steps to see what the problem could be:

**Note: If you are unexperienced, or unsure of what any of these steps are, or how to do them, we highly recommend taking your computer to an I.T. professional.**

Reboot. If you haven’t shut down, and rebooted your computer lately, do it.
Background Programs. One of the most common reasons for a slow computer, are programs running in the background. Remove/disable any TSRs and startup programs that automatically start each time the computer boots. *Note: To check what background programs are running, and how much memory and CPU they are using, open Task Manager. If you are running Windows 7 or higher, run Resmon to get a better understanding of how your computer is being used. If you have an antivirus scanner on the computer, spyware protection program, or another security utility, make sure it is not scanning your computer in the background. If a scan is in progress, it can slow down your computer significantly.
Delete Temp Files. As a computer runs programs, opens web pages, and in general use, temporary files are being stored on the hard drive. Deleting these temp files can help improve computer performance. First, we suggest using the Windows Disk Cleanup utility to delete temporary files and other files no longer needed on the computer. However, Disc Cleanup may not delete all files in the temp directory. We suggest also deleting temporary files manually by opening the “Start” menu and enter %temp% in the “Search” or “Run” field. Press Enter and a “Temp” folder should open. Delete all files found in this folder. If any files are currently in use, you can leave them in there.
Free Hard Drive Space. Check to make sure you have a minimum of 25% hard drive space free. This available space allows the computer to have room for the swap file to increase in size, as well as temporary files.
Bad, Corrupted, or Fragmented Hard Drive. To make sure there is nothing physically wrong with the computer’s hard drive, run “ScanDisk” or “CHKDSK“. Run Defrag to ensure that data is “arranged” in the best possible order. Use other software tools to test the hard drive for any errors by looking at the S.M.A.R.T. of the drive.
Scan for malware. These days, spyware and other malware is a HUGE cause of many computer problems, including a slow computer. Even if you have an antivirus scanner installed in your computer, we recommend running a malware scan on the computer. We personally use Malwarebytes. There is a free version available. However, the paid version of Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware is excellent at catching the droppers and installers that install the malware infections, BEFORE they are installed. It makes a great companion to your Anti-Virus (which brings me to our next point…).
Scan For Viruses. If your computer is infected with 1 or more viruses, this can slow your computer considerably. We recommend you install an anti-virus program for active protection against viruses. We personally use and sell Vipre. It’s the best antivirus protection from today’s online threats. There is a free trial version available.
Hardware Conflicts. Sometimes, hardware is just not meant to work together. Check that the “Device Manager” has no conflicts. Resolve any that exist.
Update Windows. Sometimes there are “issues” with computer software, which the manufacturers release updates to fix. Make sure you have all the latest Windows updates installed on the computer. Make sure all browser plug-ins are up-to-date. Out-of-date plug-ins can cause slow performance while using internet.
Update Drivers. Having out-of-date drivers can cause many issues, including slow computer performance. Make sure all drivers, including video drivers, are up-to-date.
Reboot, Again. If you’ve done any of the above steps, but your computer is still running slow, try rebooting your computer again.
Memory Upgrade. If you’ve had your computer for more than 2 years, you probably need more memory. We recommend a minimum of least 4GB of memory. That is if you’re using your computer for internet, email, etc. Just the basics. If you’re using your computer for anything more, we recommend a minimum of 8GB. If you’re using your computer for gaming, high graphics, etc., we recommend a minimum of 16GB. by having enough memory, your computer will not need to swap information stored within memory to the swap file. If your computer hard drive light is constantly active, its a good indication that your computer is swapping information between your memory and hard drive because of the lack of space in memory.
Hard Drive Upgrade. One of the biggest speed-killers is a bad hard drive. If your computer is slow (and none of the other items listed fixed the speed), or if you’re just looking for something to upgrade the overall system performance, upgrading your hard drive (along with RAM, if you’re not already maxed out), would be the recommended upgrade. If you’re looking to super-size your hard drive, upgrading to a Solid State Drive (SSD) will significantly improve the overall system performance.
Run Registry Cleaner. We normally DO NOT recommend registry cleaners. However, if you have followed all of the above steps, and your computer is still slow, a registry cleaner could do the trick. If you are going to run a registry cleaner, we recommend CCleaner. You can get a free trial version here. A lot of the others on the market will tell you that you have a bunch of problems in your computer, but then ask for payment in order to fix them.
Computer or Processor is Overheating. Excessive heat can cause a significant decrease in computer performance, and can eventually cause it to crash. Most processors automatically reduce the speed of the processor to help compensate for the heat related issues. Make sure your computer has enough space to allow it to expel hot air, and bring in cool air. A good general rule is to keep 1 foot on every side of the computer tower, in order to allow for transfer of air. Dust, dirt, and hair can also constrict proper air flow inside your computer, which can also cause it to overheat. Make sure the computer case (especially the air intake) is clean, and fans are not dusty or obstructed.
Erase Computer and Start Over. This is the last resort. If you have never done this before, or have important data or files that would be devastating (either emotionally, financially, or otherwise) to lose – DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS. Erasing everything and starting over is exactly that. It can increase performance by getting rid of old software or drivers that may be on the computer and causing the computer to be slow. Installing a fresh copy of Windows, software programs, and the latest drivers help verify there is no software-related issues causing your computer to be slow. Before thinking about attempting this, make sure you can find all your software installation disks.
Hardware Issues. If your computer continues to be slower than normal after going over each of the above recommendation (including erasing everything and starting over), its possible that your computer is experiencing a hardware-related issue (eg. failing computer component). This could be a failing hard drive, CPU, RAM, motherboard, or other component.
Old Computer. If your computer is older than 5 years, and you’re doing more than just email and text files on it, it’s definitely time to take it out to the back 40, and put it out of your misery. Computers advance in technology and capabilities, and new more advanced software programs come out to run properly on those advanced computers. Older computers are just not set up to run the newer programs, which can cause them to slow down. If you don’t want to buy a computer, then you’ll just have to accept the limitations (both in software and in speed) of your older computer.

If you plan on purchasing a computer – give Technology by Design a call at 1-204-800-3166. We can give you a quote on a new or refurbished computer (we are a Registered Microsoft Refurbisher!), that is built to suit your needs, AND your budget.

Don’t forget: Unwanted and end-of-life electronics are not trash. We all have a roll to play to ensure usable electronics don’t end up in our landfill.

Please donate unwanted electronics to family members or friends.

If you would like your electronics to go to a worthy cause,

Give us a call! We’d be happy to arrange to pic, it up.

Call TbyD at 1-204-800-3166 or email marketing@tbyd.ca

We are a Microsoft Certified Refurbisher.

If we can tune it up, fix it up, upgrade it, and make it useable, we will.

We will then drop it off at a local charity.

If we determine that it is no longer useable, we will take it to an EPRA-Approved drop-off location.

If your electronics are no longer useable, please take them to an EPRA-Approved drop-off location near you.

For a list of location, please visit: EPRA Manitoba.

January 2015 TechTips Newsletter

January 8, 2015 by The T By D Team Leave a Comment

Don’t Get Hacked!

JANUARY 2015 TECHTIPS NEWSLETTER

The 1st newsletter of the year!

The beginning of a new year is a chance for a fresh start, clean slate, and…New Newsletter Format! Let me know what you think at marketing@tbyd.ca

TechTips Newsletter is published monthly, full of technology news and information (and other stuff!). If you’re not a Geek, not to worry, there’s tons of information for non-Geeks too!:

A serious I.T. threat that has the U.S. Government issuing warnings!
New Year’s Resolutions that cater to your inner Geek (I know you have one)!
Parents turn tables on kids
WestJet passengers get more than lost luggage!
Flubber makes a come-back
Is Reality Television going too far?
Brush your teeth twice daily…and check out your dentist 1st!

This and much more! You don’t want to miss this issue!

Get your newsletter HERE!

Keep Up-To-Date on the Latest Threats To Your Computer Network!

Regular weekly ALERTS on the latest security threats to your computer network

Check out the ALERTS here.

Do you have a question for our Resident Geek? Email it to: geek@tbyd.ca!

Like us on Facebook!

Follow us on Twitter!

EXPIRATION NOTICE:

An urgent security warning for businesses running Windows XP, Office 2003, and Microsoft Windows Server 2003!

Windows XP and Office 2003 are no longer supported by the manufacturer.

Server 2003 will no longer be supported by the manufacturer after April 2015.

If your business or organization is currently running Windows XP, Office 2003, Microsoft Server 2003, or Exchange 2003 on any computers or servers in your office, you need to know about a dangerous security threat that must be addressed NOW!

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ THIS IMPORTANT SECURITY ANNOUNCEMENT!

As your local Microsoft Partner, we are aggressively reaching out to all local businesses that use any of these programs to alert you to this serious security risk and inform you about what you need to do NOW to protect your company or organization!

WINDOWS XP AND OFFICE 2003 REPLACEMENTS MUST BE MADE NOW

WINDOWS SERVER 2003 AND EXCHANGE 2003 REPLACEMENTS MUST BE MADE BY JULY 14, 2015

Microsoft has officially announced that it retired all support for Windows XP and Office 2003 April 2014, and on the Server 2003 operating system on July 14, 2015.

This means any business or organization still running any of these programs will be completely exposed to serious hacker attacks, aimed at taking control of your network, stealing data, crashing your system, and inflicting a host of other business-crippling problems you do NOT want to deal with.

This is such a serious threat that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued an official warning to all companies still running these programs, because firewalls and antivirus software will NOT be sufficient to completely protect your business from malicious attacks or data-exfiltration. Running some of these programs will also put many organizations out of compliance.

CALL 1-204-800-3166

for a FREE QUOTE

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