I’m gonna go all techie on you for a bit here. Though it’s for your own good and online safety.
I just spent the last two weeks dealing with infected computers, compromised email accounts, as well as victims of online banking fraud. The first thing I noticed in every single case, is that people in general, take so little care of their own security. Mainly their weak passwords and the fact they never update their browsers. Two very simple things they could do that would likely have saved them all the headaches and panic attacks that is an infected computer or having their credit card or bank account compromised.
We all use our computers for everything from playing games, to paying bills and ordering services. Yet, a frightening number of folks don’t seem to think twice that their information is so readily available to others who are just looking for an easy opportunity to make a quick buck of off our negligence. I really mean it’s scary how simplistic folks make their passwords and how they never think to update their browsers to keep secure. While I do think that many of us who run our own websites can help with that. I actually do, if your browser is out of date, my website will actually tell you and suggest you update it. If you try to use a non-secure password when signing up for an account, my website won’t allow it. Now only if all website owners would do the same, it would help folks across the board.
It almost amazes me when I ask anyone to “Open a Browser”, that they haven’t the foggiest clue what I’m talking about. A browser is the software package installed on your computer that allows you to see and interact with websites. That is pretty much all they do, but it’s very important to keep them up to date. It helps keep them secure from any known issues, as well as allow you to be able to fully enjoy the newer content websites have to offer. Without these updates, you may be just handing your information over to someone just looking to make a quick buck. Also, you could be frustrated in wondering why a website isn’t behaving the way you think it should. This would be because your old browser can’t handle the newer fancy code that makes the website you’re trying to view work properly. Many of today’s browsers check for updates automatically, if they find one, they normally will install it. It may or may not prompt you to restart your browser. It’s as simple is closing the browser and re-opening it. For more information on keeping your browser up to date can be found at these websites: WhatBrowser.org or Browser-Update.org (my favorite) and this video:
This is so important and it’s so sad that folks don’t take a few minutes to create a half-decent password. What’s worse, is they use the same simple password for everything. This is saying a thief only needs to find the key under the front door mat to steal the house, the car, the family business and clean out all bank accounts. Making your password the name of a pet, friend or loved one is not a good idea. Neither is using important dates or phone numbers. They are too easily guessed.
It’s not actually hard at all to make a simple password a heck of a lot more secure by simply changing things like making it upper and lower case lettering. Also, change a vowel to a number and use a special character.
Example: password –> P@55W0rd
I changed the letter “o” to the number zero, the “a” to an @ symbol and the “s’s” to the number 55 and capitalized the P and W. While I would never recommend using the word password as your actual password, you should get the idea behind it.
Also, use a different password for different websites. You don’t have to commit them to memory, you can write them down. Just don’t store them in plain site is all.
Even this security expert in the video tells you this.
More information on making Secure Passwords by clicking HERE.
So in short, keep your browsers up to date and make your passwords secure (and keep your security software up to date as well), and you’ll only need me once in a while. I mean sure, I like making money off anyone who isn’t a friend or relative
But for my friends and relatives (and my awesome site visitors), keep yourselves safe
One of my biggest annoyances with social networking, is how we simply degrade the meaning of terms. Terms that once held, in what I would call, a higher standard before as opposed to the way it’s used today.
It’s funny how the term hacking has really lost most of its meaning. Hacking used to require skill to obtain the previously thought unobtainable. Now all one has to do to “hack” is wait for someone to forget to log out of their account and simply mess with openly available settings… I’m so very disappointed that just about anyone can be considered a hacker now. Back in the day, you wouldn’t even get called a hacker if you used a known exploit to obtain your objective. You were looked down upon as less than a hacker, and given names like “script-kiddies” or something along those lines.
To me, what is happening in most cases, should simply be referred to as a “prank”. The target person or so-called victim, didn’t pay enough attention to the fact that they forgot to log out of their account before walking away. Someone else simply took advantage of this situation to be mischievous. In the case of my nephew doing this very thing yesterday, he’s now being punished for hacking the account. He hasn’t discovered the password, he didn’t bypass any security measures and he is certainly not posing any threat to any other users on Facebook. He merely took advantage some someone’s carelessness in order to have a little harmless fun. I am certainly not against him being punished. However, punish a person for their crimes, not for the victims ignorance, and then label the perpetrator something they are really not.
I’m sure when his mom figures out why I wrote this post, she will likely refer to me as a stalker. It seems everyone is a “stalker” now. All one has to do to earn this label today, is merely read what is publicly available to them. It used to be that this term, was a gross and disgusting label that was once given to only people, who literally had some mental issue that would instill fear in to their targets. I cringe every time I get called a stalker. It makes my skin crawl and turns my stomach, as I would never ever want to be labeled a stalker. I don’t think it’s remotely funny, I do not find it a cute term of endearment, or even think it should be referred to as someone who reads. That’s all it amounts too these days. What the hell happened to society. I mean, if you don’t want my opinion, reaction or want me to know something. Then don’t post it where I’m likely to see it. The object of social networking, as far as I know, is for community involvement in one means or other. The first and foremost is through commenting. This post actually started out as a comment to my nephew’s incarceration as it were. However, it turned into the straw that broke the camels back of my frustration with the flagrant misuse of these two terms, and has evolved into one of my “I hate how the world has become more ignorant and stupid”, rants.
…
I realize this is my own personal pet peeves with society in general these days. I also realize that the majority rules. So many people do this kind of nonsense thanks to the wonderful world of the internet and social networks. Everyone has to do something in order to make themselves feel cool now.
The question is, what’s next? Will I soon be considered a rapist because I “friended” (there’s another idiotic term…) the daughter of a close friend of mine, who just happens to be under the age of 18? Honestly, that would be a seriously sick accusation. Then again, I don’t think being called a stalker is much better.
Just as I predicted, Apples across the globe are becoming infected by malware at an alarming rate because of the mass mindset that is the Apple owner. The “My Mac does not need antivirus, it’s a Mac!” syndrome.
As I’ve said, “Security is still something most Mac users take for granted. They don’t understand that prevention is better than patching a known problem.”.
I also said, “As I’ve said before, Macs have viruses too. And with the current growth rate, the bullseye is only getting bigger on Apple’s flagship product. My personal opinion is if you have a Mac and don’t think you need an antivirus software, you’re an idiot.”.
If you think that your Mac laptop/desktop is safe, think again! The (misplaced) confidence of Mac users, about the security of its operating system may backfire, as happened again, recently in the case of the BackDoor.Flashback.39, also known simply as Flashback Trojan. More than 600,000 Mac machines have been affected and with no appropriate guidelines from Apple on how to counter that or stay safe, the count may be on the rise. It is said that the infection rates are comparable to the Conficker botnet, which infected many Windows machines.
Source and read more @ The Windows Club
This is one of those times when “I told ya so!”, makes me feel so evil and good at the same time
The mindset Mac owners have will be their undoing {evil laugh}
This is not by far the first virus for Macs and it certainly won’t be the last. However, I wonder what this will do for Apple’s growth rate on the market. I’m also curious when the iPads and iPhones will be struck next. Even though my phone is a Droid, I use antivirus. Not because there are known issues, but to prevent having issues. It’s called thinking ahead.
So, I’ve learned a few things the hard way about my recent situation at the mini-storage I chose to go with. The first is, make sure you have Renters Insurance. It’s cheap and not very hard to work with when trying to get your belongings back. Although, at first I had thought outside of the Windows 7 disc, I really had no reason to make a claim.
This leads me to the second thing I learned. When placing things in storage, make sure you take inventory of all the items you put in. Sure, it’s a pain in the ass. However this will save you from what I discovered yesterday. See, when I was standing there with the police officer who was making out the report, I was listing things off that I could recall that immediately come to mind. That’s because those items were the things important to me at the moment.
Turns out, I’m missing a whole lot more than I realized. Last night I decided to go pull out a few things and put them in the house for safer keeping, as well as it was about time to grab that extra pair of new shoes I bought a few months ago. Gone. Along with all the things I had bought and put away for when I get my own place to live. Like that nice matching set of silverware. The nice canvas dog house/kennel for Chase’s bed. These and an entire box of things that are probably now at the local pawn shop. And because I have no record of these items and I didn’t have renters insurance, I get the fine pleasure of replacing all these items again out of pocket. So as I remember them, I’m adding them back to my list. Of course, the more I think about it, the more I get pissed off as the S.O.B’s that did this to me. Wishing them a world of hurt and pain. Perhaps they were feeding a drug habit that will eventually leave them cold and dying in a ditch one day.
I am absolutely sick to death of this kind of thing happening to me. There are just enough useless losers in the world that always happen to be around me. First, my home got ransacked in 1990 in Grayling Michigan. Then the restaurant I had worked for in 1992 got robbed at gun point. (thankfully I had just clocked out and left prior) Then my home in Williamsburg got ransacked in 2009. Today I go to my Mini Storage here in Redneckville to find my lock was cut off, and some of my stuff moved, and stolen. Granted, it’s all been mostly small quick to move stuff. So, likely it was kids in this case. Or so the officer who wrote up the report thinks. They took all my video games (World of Warcraft, Grand Theft Auto IV, my Thief Series…). But what pissed me off the most was they took my Windows OS disc (which still has a good key on it). Plus they took some computer hardware that I had as spare parts. I’m so angry… But I’ll stop here and just let the steam roll before I say something that some overly sensitive little prick will decide to whine and cry about. Sure it’s not a lot, but it’s the principal of it all. Besides, I’ve got huge medical bills to prepare for, so having to replace shit right now is really the last thing I need on my plate.
Well, I finally went and did it. It’s actually a very big step for me. I’m actually out in public right now, writing up the draft of what will be my overview of owning a Mac for 30 days. (7/4 & 7/5) I’m at the local Starbucks by Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA. The social recluse is starting to go out into public. Let’s see if I can start making this a regular thing.
Go ahead Tyler. Snicker all you like.
Anyway, so it’s been 30 days since I first opened the white box and saw the machine I’m using right this moment. So what do I think? I can say my opinion of Mac’s has changed drastically. However, I’m not going to be the misled sheep that you so often find connected to one of these things. I’m also not the goof who will run around boasting I’m safer and better than everyone else. There are some limitations I have yet to overcome with this Mac. And yet, there is a world of good things to say as well. So I’m right now I think I am a level headed medium of computer ownership. It sincerely depends on what you want, versus what you need and can afford. Though mostly what you will do with the computer that makes the absolute difference. Though I can tell you that next time I sit to write a blog from a coffee shop, I’ll choose a more comfortable chair. This wooden one has already made my bum fall asleep from the lack of comfort.
The MacBook Pro is certainly designed to be elegant and yet super functional. Having worked in a Machine Shop for a couple of years and working with CNC machines, I can sincerely appreciate the dedication and time they put into making the Unibody. Though it’s far from being one piece in my opinion since the “body” should be all parts encompassing the inside parts. Though it surely cuts down on amount of parts and does give the laptop a huge amount of panache. It’s sleek and sexy and certainly says “Look at me”. And since I’m not very pretty, at least my Mac will turn some heads.
Again, the included software left a whole lot to be desired. When you spend $1800 for a computer, you’d like to see more productivity software included and not so much social networking. That should be left to the iPad and iPod Touch or the sub $1000 computers and laptops. Thankfully being a resourceful person and über-geek-extraordinaire, I was able to quickly overcome most of the obstacles. So I can have an office suite, coding and programming tools as well as some games to successfully waste time when I have it. Which lately, is a lot (and I’m on vacation
). I did have to purchase a decent Zip Program (File Compression) which I managed to catch at 50% off in the “App Store” for $9.99 and still need to pay for the Pixelmator (Photo Editing Program). I’m currently using in demo mode. While it’s not as nicely laid out or free like Paint.net (which is all I need on a PC), it is only $29.95 which is infinitely cheaper than Photoshop by Adobe. Which is currently going for a stomach wrenching $699. How do folks get duped into paying that much for software? If I were to pay for it, I had better get a life servant/lover out of that deal. I tried to use a Paint.net clone for Macs, Pinta, but it has miles to go before it can be considered a decent clone. Thankfully both of the programs I need to buy are worlds cheaper than their Windows PC counterparts. Odd huh? You’d think having to pay a lot of money for an American designed, assembled and supported machine, the software would also be astronomical. Thankfully it’s not. At least not the majority of it.
Well as I stated before, that has been a myth for years as documented by this fine website. Recent events have proven just how “not so” it is. Honestly, people should think about it. If such a thing were true, all the worlds governments simply need to switch to Macs and we can live in safe peace forever.
Seriously though. They claim to have safe guards in place, but why was my firewall turned off by default? Any known exploit would easily be used the moment an unsuspecting user connected directly to the net with their cable modem. You’d be surprised how many folks do not use routers. They have firewalls (turned on) by default. Cable Modem + No Firewall = Bad
These “safe guards” are only good if the customer ensures to check for patches for their OS daily. If an exploit comes along and they aren’t patched. The end user is going to be unhappy to say the least. Besides, “safe guards” still don’t account for lack of common sense to protect one self from Phishing, Identity Theft and Viruses. You still need security software. Just to prove it, I tested my Mac using the Beta of Avast! for Macs. Just to see if the little bugger worked. Avast as always, has never let me down and I’m still safe to say my Mac is still safe and sound even though I went looking for trouble.
As for using it, I’m more than comfortable using the Mac. I feel very confident I can start giving technical support and helping people make good choices for their Macs. And that was the goal for me. I’m 80% ready to go in that field. I’ll be 100% in no time. Maybe even get myself qualified as a “Genius“. I do frequently tout myself to be one for PC’s, why not officially for Macs too! We’ll have to see if my self training pays off first I guess.
I still struggle with the whole “command” “control” key thing and I sincerely miss my HOME, INSERT and END keys. I’m sure my fingers will adjust in time.
It’s certainly a beautiful machine. It is very impressive in design, video and play some mean 3D video games. I’m very glad I made the decision to buy it.
I do need to pay it off yet and still need to come up with another $350 to get the extended AppleCare Protection Plan. For a machine like this, it would be well worth the purchase as it’s built to last, both internally and externally.
So ah… Any website design or WordPress theme work would be welcome to help me pay for all this
Here’s a bit of wonderful news to add to my new Mac experience. The antivirus I’ve been trusting heart and soul for the past 5 or so years, is now making a free version for Macs.
I have to agree with the company Avast! for their reasoning for releasing such a product. They’ve had a Mac version for some time now but as they recognize, Mac users aren’t as safe as they are led to believe. I, myself have read some horrific stories in just the past few weeks how users of Macs are getting their systems infected with malware or hi-jacked to spy on people in the shower as noted in these stories: Updated rogue AV installs on Macs without password – Mac tech jailed for hacking webcams to spy on women
In my opinion, this primrose path of Mac users thinking that their machines are “safe from all harm”, has been walked too far for too long as it is.
As said by Ondrej Vlcek, CTO of AVAST Software:
“It’s time for Mac users to start thinking about an antivirus app and this beta shows what they will need for their protection. The Mac has long had a ‘cloak of invulnerability’ because its small market share made it a fringe target for malware. As Mac sales surge it is becoming a natural target for malware such as the Pinhead and Boonana Trojans or the MacDefender fake antivirus.”
Here’s a screenshot of the easy to use interface:
Before any of you go and say it; I know my rotting apple animation looks like shit. Just shows I don’t like Apple enough to care to make a decent looking one. Feel free to polish it up for me, but honestly, if you polish a rotten apple, it’s still a rotten apple.
As if I didn’t already have a million and one reasons to be Anti “i” anything…. iPhone, iPad, iPod, iDon’tGiveAFuck….. From the outrageously expensive iPhone to the ass puckering costs of their laptops and desktop computers and their over priced digital music players that are simply netbooks with a über tiny screen…. From the “We made it for idiots.”, to the “We sold it to idiots.”, and yet the “Idiots still can’t figure out how to use it.”…
Now news has it that the wonderfully constructed iPhone also has a neat little GPS feature that cannot be turned off and records every place an iPhone owner goes too and when. Wow.. How mighty big brother-ish… Excuse me, but what they are saying is that if anyone owns an iPhone they are no longer given rights to privacy. They most likely keep records of calls, texts and surfing activities as well.

People used to think that Bill Gates was trying to assimilate the human race with Windows and other products. Honestly though they give us freedom of choice and so far, no Windows phones or Droids have been noted in spying on anyone. Sure, Microsoft’s anti-piracy measures are a little over the top and should be rethought, but still, nothing so drastic as the sphincter tightening experience that Steve Jobs and his Apple minions are putting their consumers through.
Worst part is there was no press release, no warning, no notice of any kind. Just the recent discovery that “oh yeah, we’ve been doing this since June 2010 during one of our update releases”. Does Lucy gots some splainin’ to do?
I can just see it now… You’re going out on the town and every time you pass a major restaurant or store and you iPhone 4 starts going ape shit either calling or sending you text messages about the current specials and ads for the places you just “happen” to be nearby… Yeah… Steve Jobs is the Devil.
Having been robbed, and being an ex-thief myself, there are things one should remember to do. It’s a real pain in the ass, but make it a habit to walk around your house before leaving or going to bed; to make sure all doors and windows are locked. Remember that having a nice house and a nice yard is an invitation for not-so-nice people to take notice.
I live in Williamsburg, and sadly, there is a ghetto and I managed to move into it. Sometimes we forget about crime. Even honest people though need to think like a criminal in order to prevent being robbed of your possessions and having them quickly sold for someone else drug habit or to pay their bills. Having been on the bad side, I can tell you the following are all true:
(By the way I did not write these, but I easily could have.)
Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina, Oregon, California, and Kentucky; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs http://www.crimedoctor.com/ and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on the Job.
Keeping a can of Pepper Spray can also help prevent a successful crime and also prevent sexual assault.
Also, I’d finally like to thank Doc for sending me this. It’s the one forwarded junk email that was actually useful
This is the response you get from many software makers and publishers when you have difficulty downloading or running their software.
Try turning off your firewall and antivirus.
This is a disaster waiting to happen. You tell the average Joe User who most likely doesn’t have all his/her patches for their Operating System installed, to take it a step further and run on the internet without protection from hackers and rampant viruses/malware. Sure why not just ask them for their credit card info while your at it, and inform them that they will be used to buy vacations in the Caribbean for the company employees.
Several studies have been done over the years warning users to keep their Operating Systems patched, Firewalled and Antivirus/Malware software up-to-date to protect themselves. Yet right behind them, companies who produce software are telling the user to disable it so they may download or run the software.
I think that one would have to have been on an extended vacation from both computers and cyber space, not to have an understanding that the Internet is now the playground of cyber criminals and has been for a considerable time.
In many studies conducted in 2004 (here and here and many more), say that an unpatched and/or unprotected computer can be compromised with viruses or hijacked by a hacker in as little to 10-20 minutes.
Today it’s most likely even worse with malware and identity theft on the rise.
Yet, here’s the software maker RealmCrafter (screenshot taken from the official members forum – not seen to general public) who if you are having trouble downloading their software, this is their official advice (I took screenshots of these yesterday in case they decide to change their wording after I post this).

A game publisher for Rohan Bloodfeud has this to say about running the game and getting an error.

In all honesty, no one should ever have to put themselves, their identity or their computer at risk just to play a game, run some software or to just do something simple like download a file.
Honestly if these companies can’t make their software or website play nice with your security, then they don’t deserve any support from any customer. If a company asks you to disable your security to download or run the software, ask for a refund or stop using it and do not promote their business. They don’t deserve it. If they can’t create proper software or websites, or if per chance the end user is having issues with it due to an incompatibility between security and software/website, then it’s up to the company to assist or point the customer to a solution (should it be found that the security software is to blame – say have them contact the security software provider to fix the issue with the security software), not to further add insult to injury by asking the customer to put themselves at risk.