TonyLamm's mysterious Stuff

10 things you should never post on Facebook

There is a way to stay out of trouble:

DON’T post anything inappropriate or controversial.

So here is the list:

1. Do not post how much you hate your job

2. Embarrassing pictures of other people

3. Your birth year, or your home address, or telephone number, or mother’s maiden name

4. Strong political or religious opinions

5. Curse words

6. Other people’s big news

7. Details of your vacation

8. Posts intended to make others envious

9. Drinking photos

10. TMI (Too much information)

Remember keep your posts appropriate and know that the whole world is “watching”. When it comes to posting things online, especially Facebook, the less information the safer you will be.

Changing to AT&T U-verse

Windows 8 – Just my professional opinion - Dont try this at home

Microsoft has just released the Beta of its latest attempt to take over the world, Windows 8.  One can almost hear the evil laughter coming from the corporate headquarters of Microsoft “Buwahahaha.” – My best Dr. Evil impersonation.  After downloading this almost 5 Gigabyte work of wonder, I began installing it.  I did not run a stopwatch to see how long it takes, but after what seemed like half an hour and a seemingly endless splash screen: http://twitpic.com/6me8dv I finally got a look “under the hood”.  Well, that is, after entering my “windows live” account information, so my “Windows experience” could be spread across multiple machines.  Whatever, I think it is just so Microsoft can collect more information about me than Google. 

The first screen I saw was a screen full of tiles.  There were tiles here and tiles there.  There was a tile for weather, a tile for Twitter, a tile for stocks, a tile for this and a tile for that.  Somehow I felt like I was trapped inside of a Dr. Seuss book.  I don’t remember what I did but somehow I managed to get to the desktop – oh yeah, there was a tile for that too.  I looked at the start button.  It was no longer round, it was back to rectangle, plain, simple, but it was there – my old friend the start button.  I looked around – the wallpaper – was that a Windows 7 wallpaper?  I would definitely have to do something about that.  Where were the icons?  Typical of Microsoft, I would have to add them to the desktop myself.  I right clicked on the desktop and changed that – pretty much just like Windows 7.  Maybe this would not be so much of a departure from the Windows 7 that I have come to know and love. 

I moved the mouse over the start button an abbreviated menu showed up.   Where the heck are my programs?  Then I thought back to that first screen full of tiles – oh I may be ill.  I don’t like change.  I was able to calm myself by thinking I did buy into the whole mindset that “change is good” and the only constant is change.  Maybe I will feel better after installing a few familiar programs.  Somehow I must have clicked the “wrong place” because the first screen of tiles showed back up.  I noticed some arrows down at the bottom of the screen.  I clicked the arrow to the right.  Almost nothing happened, so I did it again and again and watched as the tiles slowly slid left and new tiles showed up on the right.  One of the new tiles that showed up was one called Copper with a cute little robot on it.  I would have to remember to click this one later, maybe Microsoft has included a game for me, to soothe this savage.  After all I do love a good game.    

I somehow made it back to the desktop, and decided to add some icons.  I added them all, the “my computer”, the “network”, the “control panel”, the “this icon”, the “that icon”, and the “other icon”.  And while I was changing things I turned down the resolution so my mouse pointer could make some distance on the screen.  Yes I was warned that “Windows 8 is designed to be touchpad friendly”, but I was not warned that there would be so much desktop for the mouse to traverse.  My only guess is that Microsoft was planning on selling my desktop space – like a half crazed real estate agent standing on the courthouse steps on foreclosure day – to the highest bidder.   

Hang on I am going for a cup of coffee, I will be right back… And as promised here I am, back with beverage in hand.   

I installed a free antivirus – because being an IT manager I would never surf the internet unprotected – and neither should you – test machine or not.  I clicked on the installer.  And it promptly crashed.  Hmm maybe it would work if I run it as Administrator.  So right click it then run as administrator and off she ran.  Not another problem. 

Installed Office 2010, as I do use it and maybe a familiar face/icon amongst this sea of tiles would help ease the wave of newness.  Now where did it put those Office icons?  After all I do have to put in the installation code in for registration.

So it was back to the sea of tiles by clicking on the start button.  I clicked on the right arrow at the bottom right of the screen where my little clock used to be, and I am presented with a list of tools which included the command prompt, Remote Desktop, Task manager, and Remote Debugger – who uses that??? I right clicked on to the next set of tiles, which included the piano tile, tile puzzle, alarms, Zero Gravity, Picstream, and Treehouse stampede.  I kept going.  There was Sudoku, Memories of your life book, Flash Cards, Word Hunt, and Notespace.   Finally in the last section of tiles I saw some familiar icons, and suddenly the whole world seemed a little better.

I went on to install the activation code, and found a few missing hardware drivers.  The registration of the antivirus went smoothly.  Yes when I clicked on Internet Explorer it was IE9.    I tried to play the Copper robot game, but alas it was multi touch so I didn’t get very far, though I was able to shove a block around a little.  No, I did not write this article from the new machine, it is being written from my daily machine, only because my wife was looking at Windows 8.  I don’t think she is too impressed.

On a scale of 1 to 10 I give it an 8.5.  It has a good rhythm and you can dance to it.  It is definitely not a bad egg, but has lots of room for improvement.

Another Way to Catch a Virus... And not even know it

Another way to get a Virus or Malware…

…and never know you have been infected.

One of the great myths of computer security in 2011 is that if you’re infected with malware it’s your own fault. You shouldn’t have been searching for porn, downloading pirated software, or snagging bootleg DVDs from BitTorrent.

In a new case, the delivery mechanism was this ad, which may be found when visited a legitimate blog or web site.  An ad will appear at the bottom of a post or at the bottom of the web page or top of the web page with an animated graphic and a yellow bar designed to mimic the appearance of similar “missing plugin” messages from browsers.

Clicking the ad takes you to a page that uses similar social engineering to simulate the experience of a missing codec (program that allows you to view a video). The spinning wheel next to the word “Buffering” suggests that the page is trying to download a video but is being stopped somehow. 

The social engineering is to trick you into clicking the link. Xvid is a legitimate video codec, and the logo in the top left corner of the page is the same one used by the group that officially maintains the codec. Clicking anywhere on the page results in an executable file called XvidSetup.exe being downloaded.

What happens if you run that file? More social engineering, to get you to allow the computer past Windows built in defenses. 

•The installer certainly looks legitimate, and it even offers a choice of Express or Custom installations.

•The setup file does not have a digital signature.

•It does appear to install a version of the Xvid codec, but the installer omits the GNU General Public license that is required by the Xvid team.

Regardless of which option you choose you also get a few extras you didn’t count on:

•It installs Real Player, using an affiliate code that no doubt nets the distributors a commission on the installation. At this point it will perform a reinstallation even after clicking the Cancel button. 

•It downloads additional software and silently installs add-ons for all browsers it detects on your system, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome.

This status dialog box goes by very quickly, but you can clearly see what it downloads and installs.

If you look in Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or Internet Explorer, you’ll find that several add-ons have been “silently” installed as well.

At no point during this installation process are you a license agreement nor given any option to consent to the extras being installed. Even clicking the link on the initial setup screen provides no information about what the offered programs are, who they’re from, or what they do.

After installation, there few additional clues about what just happened.  The software is listed in Control Panel but there is no publisher name for the new programs nor are there help or support links.

If you want to install the real Xvid codec, look for these things: The Windows installer file contains the most recent version of the codec, is digitally signed, and presents a proper GPL license during installation. It also identifies itself properly in Control Panel.

So what do these mystery programs do? Are they malicious? Do they steal personal information? A couple months ago, Jerome Segura of Pareto Logic analyzed a nearly identical scam (same graphics, similar domain name) and found plenty to be suspicious.

In the meantime, unwanted components have been installed on your computer, such as this Browser Helper Object (BHO) among others.  One giant clue, when looking at the “Installing and Uninstalling” link at the bottom of the page that’s serving up this software is called ClickPotato.

What is ClickPotato? ClickPotato is a relatively new family of “multi-component adware” that displays pop-ups and ads. It often tags along with Hotbar.

After installing the “codec” you can return time and time again to the site but you won’t see any video…

The programs are set to run later so they are “time-bombed”, waiting a few days (or even a month) before triggering their payload.  The gang behind this scam appears to have tried to cover up its tracks—but you can bet they’re not out of business.

I hope this story makes it possible for you to recognize them if they cross your path.

definitions

Description of Malware

• Trojan
  A trojan is a malicious program that pretends to have a particular function, (slide show, joke, etc.) but that only shows its real purpose after you have fallen victim.  Running the programs is often destructive. Trojans cannot multiply themselves, which differentiates them from viruses and worms.

• Rogue
  A rogue program is a malicious program that is disguised, for instance, as trustworthy anti-spyware programs or registry cleaners. But these programs are only put on the market to scare you into buying these programs because they make exaggerated claims about the safety of your computer or, worse still, give erroneous scan results or put their own malware in your system.

• Backdoor
  A backdoor is a small malicious program that is used to gain access to a computer by bypassing the computer access security mechanisms. It gives the attacker almost unlimited rights. While it can be used to spy on a user, it is mainly used to install other malware on the system.

• Heuristic
  A technique designed to detect malware by empirical means but without having the specific data.

• Malware
  A generic name for all types of malicious programs: adware, backdoors, rogues, trojans, viruses and worms.

• Virus
  A virus is a small malicious program that easily multiplies and is able to attach itself to other programs after being used.  It is this replication that causes the damage to your computer.  How quickly you respond can determine the degree of harm to your computer.

• Worm
  A worm is a malicious program that will use a host machine to infect other machines. Therefore worms often create enormous damage on networks with multiple computers.

I need some new tools

I need some new tools

I have quite an extensive set of tools, but for some reason lately I feel like I have worn the sharp off of the axe, or bent the screwdriver using it for a pry bar.  Of course I am speaking metaphorically. 

 I had a friend of mine bring me his computer and it had been infected with a virus.  He told me all about how he thought he was doing the right thing when he clicked on the yes scan for viruses now button.  I had to inform him that was how he got tricked into letting the virus into his computer. 

As I am "in the (computer repair) business", I had someone else come to me and tell me that she had forgotten her password to her laptop (because it had been so long since she used it).  I had to tell her about booting into safe mode by holding the F8 key while it was booting up then selecting safe mode from the menu.  If the Administrator account on the computer did not have a password on it then she could go in and change the password to her “regular” account.

This morning the power was out when I got to work, and as I walked in the door found out the power had been out for 30 minutes.  I walked into my office and the batteries were screaming and red lights were blinking.  I used my cell phone as a flash light and found the mouse in the dark and shut the server down, then turned off the battery backup units.  I proceeded around the rest of the office searching for other battery units that were still beeping.  Several people had shut their computers off, but did not turn off the battery backup units, while other people were still trying to check their email.  I wanted to notify everyone they should use their Iphones to check their email if it were so important, but I held my tongue silent.  The power was back on 10 minutes before our 2 hour "shut down the office policy" kicked in. 

My dad called and told me that 3 rings was just not enough.  I would have to make a trip out to his house where I setup an all in one printer for him that had fax answering capabilities.  It seems that the fax part of the printer was answering his phone calls before he could and he didn’t know how to set the number of rings before it answered.  I remote controlled in and set the rings to answer on up as high as it would go, I hope this helps.

I went downtown to one of my good clients.  As soon as I finished signing in to the visitors log (how I keep track of the # of hours), the director told me he had a project for me.  I told him I loved projects.  This client had been several months without a visit from me and I was looking forward to spending some time doing some much needed maintenance.  He took me down and showed me a copy machine that had printing capabilities.  He informed me that the project would be to run a network wire from the main hub down to this printer.  I looked at the wire coming out of the ceiling, and knew immediately I should be able to solve this issue pretty quickly.  I went down to the computer lab and sure enough there were 3 wires coming out of the ceiling almost above the currently active switch which gave internet access to the lab computers.  When I plugged in the first wire sure enough the printer woke itself up and started printing the queue.

Let’s see what today holds…

 Oh by the way if you have a Facebook Account you might want to check this setting:

Go to Account >Privacy Settings > Applications and Websites >Instant Personalization > Edit Settings, and un-check "Enable".

Scams to Watch Out for (and how to avoid them)

Netopia 3341 Modem Reset

Click here to download:

Netopia_Router_Reset.docx (157 KB)

(download)

Click here to download:

Netopia_Router_Reset.docx (157 KB)

Tab-jacking - Internet Threat

Tabjacking is a "new" form of Internet threat.  Many modern Internet web browsers have a feature known as tabs, where you can open multiple web pages at a time.  This has provided a way for "tabjackers" to send "new" malicious code into the browser. 

Tabjacking refers to the hijacking or incident where an internet web browser tab falls under the control of an external party.  The new tab is redirected to a webpage that an external party is supporting or marketing.  The controller of the code can also bombard the user with annoying advertising popups, worms, trojans and other malware.

The Tabs Feature has been around since before Microsoft introduced Internet Explorer 7.  Internet Explorer is not the only browser that has tabs which can also be found in Mozilla Firefox, and others.  Opening more web pages under a single window makes it easier for users to navigate through the web. When multiple tabs are left open allows users to quickly switch between active tabs.  This is also the source for bad guys to exploit. 

Here is how Tabjacking works: Upon opening a tab the user thinks they are viewing a web site that they intended to view.  After a certain amount of time the browser can tell that it is no longer the focus of the users attention.  This is when the malicious code changes the name of the web page and also puts up a fake login or other malicious items that the bad guy wanted to exploit. The tricky part is that this malicious code will most probably be hidden among legitimate web content.  Because of it being hidden in "legitimate" web content detection of the malicious code is difficult.

Internet surfers should be aware of what browser tabs they have open until "the experts" come-up with solutions and effective countermeasures. 

What is WiGig?

What is WiGig?

WiGig promises the standard will be so fast it will seem file transfers are "instantaneous",  wireless display and docking, and the streaming high definition audio and video on televisions, and MP3 players.  Although this is short-range wireless technology, it is ten times faster than today's 802.11 speeds.  This means that someone would be capable of downloading a full-length High Definition movie in about 45 seconds compared to about 45 minutes over today’s current 802.11 WiFi maximum speeds.

Many companies are supporting WiGig.  Some of the firms supporting the new technology are Atheros, Broadcom, Cisco, Dell, Intel, Microsoft, Nokia, just to name a few.  The WiGig Alliance has agreed to make sure that multi-gigabit devices will be backwards compatible with 802.11n devices.

This speed is made possible by using a new set of frequencies in the 60GHz range, currently the 802.11 wireless devices use 2.4 and 5GHz bands.

This is not the only new wireless technology soon to come to market.  Keep watching for a news about WirelessHD supported by the WirelessHD consortium  It is a multi-gigabit standard that can transfer data at speeds of up to 10Gbps at a maximum distance of 32 feet. Compared to WiGig's maximum speed of 7Gbps.