Professional Computer Repair,Data Recovery and Networking in Dallas,Texas

Home

About Us

eShop

Blog

Scareware:Identical Attacks,Different Responses and Consequences

8/21/2010 5:52:40 PM

On my recent visit to a news website,a popup window announced that my computer was infected and asked me to agree to a scan.I paused,confident that my computer was not infected,I ignored the recommendation.Instead of clicking on the popup window,I opted for Ctrl+Shift+Esc and ended the application abruptly.Then it dawn on me that I have had an encounter with the dreaded ''Antivirus 2010".It is a scareware that employs deceit to sell a fake antivirus program and possibly steal your identity.It also crashes your computer as it produces a fake blue screen of death (BSOD).

A forthnight later,I receieved a frantic call from a client whose computer had been rendered inoperable.I interviewed him and he recounted what happened.What he told me was identical to what I narrated above with one exception,namely,he clicked on the popup window.

I was successful in removing the malicious software but it stole money from him.Therefore,it is important to review and monitor your financial statements in the wake of malware infection.

Daniel C.
Computer Consultant

0 comments

How to retrieve your CD/DVD from a jammed drive

7/18/2010 8:24:29 PM

I received a frantic call a fortnight ago from a client who could not retrieve a DVD containing three months of work.

In this post,I share the tip I gave her which made it possible for her to retrieve the DVD in the time it takes to dial a phone number.

I asked her to straighten a paper clip and push it into the tiny hole on the front of the CD/DVD drive.She did and the tray slid out with the very important disk!

Till next computer tips you can use.

Daniel C.
Computer Consultant

0 comments

Dust Kills Computers

6/10/2010 5:56:50 AM

Computers become inevitably dusty over time.Fans suck up dust,hair and other debris into the case and deposit them on the mainboard,heat sink and fans.The dust forms a lint-like material that hampers circulation of air.The result is overheating and ultimately hardware failure.

Dust can hold a small electric charge and this will eventually lead to degredation and failure of computer components.Cleaning the computer on the inside regularly prevents dust buildup,as a result,lowers or eliminates chances of damaging electrostatic discharge (ESD),as well as prevent damage to the motorized components.Cleaning your computer regularly,in sum, prevents overheating,the concomitant shutting down or malfunctioning of your computer and data loss.

Repairing a computer damaged by overheating or electrostatic discharge can be expensive.To prevent expensive repair and potential data loss,your computer should be thoroughly cleaned at least once a year.

Daniel C.
Computer/Network Specialist

0 comments

Router:Securing your network

6/8/2010 11:13:24 AM

Routers are commonly used by two or more computers to share a single source of internet service.Consequently,most people assume that they don't need a router if they have only one computer connected to the internet.You should deploy a router even if you have only one computer since the firewall built into routers protects your PC from port scanners that seek to find openings for attack.

Two features are important when shopping for a router,namely Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) and Network Address Translation (NAT).Stateful Packet Inspection keeps track of outbound requests or more specifically,packets,in order to determine legitimate inbound packets.Network Address Translation masks your internal network while making it possible to connect multiple computers using a single public IP address.

While deploying a router can protect your internal network ,it can also exposed it to dangers if your router is not configured properly.It is supremely important to change the router's default username and password.Furthermore,you should change the Service Set Identifier (SSID) and prevent it from broadcasting.While the previous measure can make it somewhat harder to discover your wireless network,it can be easily defeated by a skilled attacker.These steps are necessary to prevent intruders from fiddling with your settings and breaking into your network.

It is equally important to use the strongest Wi-Fi encryption.It is recommended that you harden your wireless network with Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA),AES encryption and MAC address filtering.Note that MAC address filtering can be easily defeated by spoofing it.I recommend WPA2 since WPA has been compromised.Failure to harden your network can expose you to identity theft and thus compromise your privacy.

Daniel C.
IT Consultant

0 comments

Signs of Malware Infection

6/8/2010 11:13:24 AM

Your computer may be infected if it has suddenly slowed to a crawl.The slowdown may be caused by malicious programs consuming your system's resources.Your computer is infected when you see pop-ups even when you are not browsing the internet.Your computer is infected if you are directed to a website you did not intend to visit (browser hijack).Your computer is infected if your search results are weird and irrelevant.Presence of toolbars on your browser which you did not install point to infection.If your computer is not protected,a visit to poisoned website is all it would take for your computer to be infected and taken over for nefarious activities.

It is important to emphasize that the absence of the aforementioned signs of malware infection does not mean that your computer is free of malware.This is because some viruses,trojans and worms operate surreptitiously.Malicious program writers are no longer interested in crashing your computer randomly;They want to steal your credit or debit card numbers and identity.

It has been estimated that one in every four computers is part of a botnet.A botnet,in this context,is a group of internet-connected computers that have been configured,after infection by malicious robot software,to forward spam and viruses to other computers without the knowledge of the owner.A computer in this group is called a zombie.

Malware infection can open doors to identity theft.Shield your computer from internet intruders and protect your identity.

Daniel C.
CCENT,Network+ Networking Professional,A+ Certified Professional

0 comments

5 items total