Just about all of us have social media accounts. It is a great way to keep up with family and friends that we may not get to see or talk to every day. We share good news, bad news, pictures, and videos. So much of our lives are shared on the internet. It’s important to consider a few things. 

• Be sure to clean up your friend lists.  

Sometimes your friends get hacked and just create new pages, leaving the hacker with access to all of your pictures, videos, and other information you only intended to share with people you know. 

• Be aware of what you post. 

It’s great to share pictures of that cool vacation but now someone knows you’re not at home. That is the perfect time for a thief to break in. Those “About Me” games seem like a good way to pass time but some of that information may give away answers to your security questions used for authentication.  

• Make your page private. 

If you’re posting pictures and videos, it’s best to have a private profile and share that information with friends. An open profile gives everyone access.  

• Keep your account secure. 

As always, remember to turn on two factor authentication and change your password regularly. Use a different password than your other online accounts. 

• Don’t trust, always verify. 

Never trust direct messages asking for money just because it’s coming from a friend. Always verify. Text them if you can. If not, ask some questions only that person would know the answer to (not something that could be found on your page or theirs). Do not click on random, “I think this is you in this video” type of links either. That is a sure way for your account to be compromised too. 

Social media can be entertaining but always play it safe. 

Just about everyone these days has a smart phone. Our phones and tablets contain so much of our personal information such as pictures, videos, passwords, emails, and text messages. This makes it a target for hackers. Mobile devices are susceptible to theft, zero-day attacks, and malware. 

Here are a few tips: 

• Set a lock screen password.  

• Activate the remote wipe feature if available.  

• Always install security patches as they will close security gaps that make your device vulnerable. 

• Never click links in text messages from unknown senders.  

• When installing applications be sure to only give permissions that are necessary.  

By adhering to these guidelines, you can safeguard your mobile device. 

Operating systems may frequently require an update. Many ignore them because…another update, really? Yes! Every day hackers are looking for a vulnerability in software that can be exploited. An exploited vulnerability in software can leave the door wide open for a hacker to steal your information or install malware. 

A zero-day vulnerability is one that has been identified but not yet patched. Vendors will release a patch to close the security gap. Once released it is important to install it immediately if you are using a home computer. In an enterprise environment it is usually tested before being pushed out to hundreds of workstations.  

Install all security updates as soon as possible. They are more important than you think. 

 

Malware is malicious software that is designed to intentionally attack and harm a computer system. There are several types of malware that each have different goals. Here are some that you may be familiar with.

• Potentially Unwanted Programs (PuP)

A PuP is sneaky. It actually obtains your permission to download but it is loaded with stuff you may not have even agreed to. Have you ever thought you were downloading software but had 20 toolbars in your browser by the time everything was done installing? That’s a PuP. It can be loaded with adware, spyware and other things you just did not want.

• Trojan horse

You may have thought you were downloading a free version of the popular video editing software, but it was really a trojan horse. Once you install the program and run it, malware is being installed in the background and getting ready to wreak havoc. Its goal could be to collect personal information, usernames and passwords, etc.

• Ransomware

With ransomware, your computer’s boot drive is encrypted thus locking you out of your system until you pay the attacker’s ransom. It is very important to never click links in emails without verifying they are legitimate nor download software from unknown sources.

Keep your antimalware/antivirus programs updated and scan regularly to remove existing threats from your machine.

The last person you would ever expect to be a scammer is tech support right? Yes, and that’s exactly what a scammer is counting on. Be on the lookout for a tech support scam. A tech support scam can start with a pop-up message on your computer when you visit certain websites.

This pop up appears on your screen with a message stating:

“Your computer has been infected! Call tech support at 555-555-5555 to have this issue resolved.”

Once you call the number and reach a “tech support agent”, they will ask for remote access to your computer. If you give the scammer access to your computer malware can be installed and your information could be stolen.

Scammers may also be placing calls to unsuspecting people and pretending to be from trusted tech support companies. Their objective could be to get money from you to “fix the issue”. They may also use a sense of urgency to make you act quickly and without thinking.

Be sure to scan your computer frequently for malware and use a trusted browser guard if possible. Stay vigilant.

Subscription based software is becoming increasingly popular among many big-name vendors. However, many customers are not onboard with the new pricing model. We often get calls from clients wondering why they are unable to purchase certain programs via a one-time fee like they used to. The idea of paying monthly or yearly just doesn’t sit well with them.

I can admit, I was slightly extremely annoyed with my most used program going to a subscription model. If you’re like me, here are a couple of positives that may help get on board.

• No more obsolete software
  • If you’re using the 2024 version and the company releases a brand new version in the next month, you’ll have access right away.
• A la carte
  • Oftentimes you’ll be able to purchase the components you need and possibly pay less.
• Extras
  • Vendors could throw in extra features or incentives that are only available when you purchase a subscription. For example, Microsoft offers 1TB of storage space with their subscription plans.

I was sold at the no more obsolete software, but we know it could take a little longer to get onboard. Hopefully you can find a happy medium.

A password is the first defense in securing devices such as phones, tablets, and computers as well as your online accounts. While we want the password to be easy for us to remember, we don’t make it too easy for everyone else to guess.

Commonly used insecure passwords are:

• 123456
• password
• 1234567
• 123456789
• pa$$w0rd
• dragon
• football
• basketball
• qwerty

It is recommended that a password be 12 characters or more and include a mix of lower and uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols. The longer and more complex the password, the harder it is to crack.

Use a different password for every online account. This ensures that if one password is compromised, the hacker won’t be able to gain access to your other online accounts. Use a reputable password keeper to keep track of them all.

Lastly, change your passwords regularly. Most sites force password changes after 30 to 60 days. If not, play it safe and change it yourself.

Artificial intelligence focuses on using computer systems for problem solving and decision making that would usually be done by humans. These machines mimic human-like capabilities such as reasoning, learning, perception, and interaction.

AI is everywhere. Have you ever asked Siri or Alexa for help? These virtual assistants are a form of AI. What else uses AI?

• Autonomous cars (those that can sense its environment and operate without human interaction)
• Search engines
• Online shopping and advertising
• Internet of things (Check our blog about iOT devices)
• Maps
• Auto complete
• Spell check
• Filtering of spam in your email

We have been using AI daily in some form or another and can definitely expect growth as the years go by. What’s your favorite use of AI?

The holidays are over. The tree and all the gifts are put away. There will be no more shopping for a while, we hope. Now is the perfect time for a post-holiday security check.

Check all accounts and statements for any unknown purchases. With the amount of shopping that has been done over the last few months it would be easy for an unauthorized purchase to go unnoticed. If you find any unknown charges dispute them with your bank immediately.

Update your accounts with strong passwords and enable two factor authentication. Two factor authentication will require a username & password along with a one-time passcode. These will help keep your accounts safe.

Remember to keep an eye out for unusual activities. Stay safe friends!

Happy New Year! We are so very excited about 2024 and everything it has to offer. Please be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with everything Crowned Computer Services.

There are always helpful tips, industry news and laughs. Through our social media pages, you can also book a service or send us a message. Connect and stay engaged.

As always, call us if you need us. We look forward to working with you this year!