Computer Support Blog

SYRACUSE, N.Y., October 8, 2010 – Stuxnet, the most sophisticated piece of malware ever, highlights the dangers of malware.  Stuxnet’s method of infection and the likelihood of imitation put everyone’s Internet security at risk. RESCUECOM’s computer support experts explain what you need to know about Stuxnet, Internet security, and protecting yourself.

Most malware targets an individual’s Internet security, but Stuxnet worked on a much larger scale.  Stuxnet targeted industrial computers, intent on compromising their Internet security and taking control of them.  “It’s larger and more sophisticated than most other pieces of malware,” says RESCUECOM CEO David Milman.  Read more »

A new Internet security attack spread through email Thursday, though it came in somewhat old packaging.

The attack, dubbed “Here you have” after the subject line of the phishing attack emails, was reminiscent of attacks from 2000 and 2001.  Those attacks, the ILoveYou and Anna Kournikova worms, were the last significant mass email attacks, until now.  The Kournikova worm even used the same “Here you have” subject line. Read more »

The number one cause for concern among Internet security and computer repair experts is malware.  A little known threat just a few years ago, these malicious programs can slip past Internet security and bring on extensive computer repair costs.

But what is malware?

Malware involves several different kinds of programs:

• Trojan Horses
• Rootkits
• Viruses / Worms
• Data Thieves Read more »
  

For users of Windows and its associated applications, the news is not good this morning.

Noted Internet security researcher HD Moore, of Rapid 7, reported Wednesday that 40 different Windows applications have serious security vulnerability.

The vulnerabilities are, according to Moore, similar to one found in Apple’s iTunes for Windows.  Apple has patched the vulnerability in that program. Read more »

SYRACUSE, N.Y., August 16, 2010 – McAfee, a top Internet security company, recently announced that malware attacks are at an all-time high.  According to McAfee, 10 million new pieces of malware were cataloged during the first half of this year.  With this Internet security threat reaching such significant heights, Rescuecom offers these tips to protect your computer from such an attack.  Read more »

Facebook users may have been victimized by yet another scam.

Internet security firm Sophos has release information on another ‘clickjacking’ scam that hackers recently used to defraud Facebook users out of $5 a week.

While that may not sound like a very big scam, multiply $5 by even a fraction of Facebook’s 500 million users, and the totals add up quickly. Read more »

A new scam has begun spreading virally through Facebook, based on the often requested ‘dislike’ button.

Facebook, which allows users to ‘like’ posts, pages, and other content, has yet to create or approve a ‘dislike’ button.

Now a new scam spreading throughout the site tricks users into installing a rogue application which claims to be a dislike button.

Instead, the application uses each user’s account to virally spread itself, much like the “hot” and “funny” video scams which have plagued the social networking site in recent months.

Those attacks were designed to steal information from users, including their login credentials.

Protect yourself from this scam by avoiding any links, even from friends, that claim to provide a dislike button.  If you’ve already been victimized, deactivate the application, delete all posts referencing it from your wall, and eliminate it from your ‘likes’ and ‘interests’ in your profile.

As with the previous scams of this sort, changing your Facebook password is also recommended.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

Those funny videos on Facebook can actually be a major cause of computer repair problems.  Accessing viral content increases your chances of needing computer repair or computer support.

Just how extensive has the “viral video” craze gotten?

This week, a website called The Chive posted a series of pictures of a young woman quitting her job via dry erase board messages emailed to her co-workers. Read more »

Internet Security News:  Hackers Move to the Cloud

Earlier this week McAfee reported that malware has reached previously unheard of levels, with over 10 million new pieces of malware cataloged over the first half of this year.

Unfortunately, not only are hackers developing more and more new bits of malicious code, they’re also developing new ways to deliver them.

Late last month, database security company Imperva discovered a “master hacker” phishing attack that indicated the hackers has based their attack in the cloud. Read more »

Google is the “King of Search”.  Now, it has another, less flattering title: “King of Malware.”  Google search results have become an Internet security threat.

The Barracuda Labs 2010 Midyear Security Report studied search engine results for ‘trending’ topics, and showed significant flaws in Google’s Internet security.

According to Barracuda, Google searches resulted in far more malware infected links – 69% – than results for Yahoo, Bing, and Twitter combined.  Read more »