Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Hacked Passwords


Currently it happens way too often that passwords of email accounts get hacked. The compromised accounts get used to send out spam emails that will one way or another make money for the crooks behind this scam.  Mainly affected are accounts that end with
  • @yahoo.com
  • @hotmail.com
  • @aol.com
  • @att.net
  • @sbcglobal.net
AT&T and SbcGlobal accounts are affected because AT&T subcontracted Yahoo to technically handle their email accounts. This is true for our local area. In other parts of the country other email accounts may be affected as well.

Affected accounts are used to send out spam email that look mostly like that:
this is rather awesome http://www.eudonews.net/biz/?read=6036326
The leading text and readable part of the link can be different but so far the general format has been similar. I expect that sooner or later (I am afraid sooner) the crooks will replace the leading text with more intriguing and/or salacious creations.

Again and again I have to say: Even when such an email seems to come from someone you know DO NOT CLICK on the link! The sender address in an email is NOT trustworthy, it can easily be faked to show whatever the crook wants you to see!

The links always lead to known malicious and untrustworthy websites. One way or another the crooks make money, lots of money. Some gang that recently got busted had collected about 14Million dollars.

The accounts could get hacked because the passwords were too short, simple, easy or any combination thereof.

In April 2011 I wrote an article about "Passwords too simple - What to do about it". It still is valid!

Just as an example: A collector of classic cars uses the password "fordbuff". Eight character length is by some technicians considered to be a fairly good password. BUT see this from passwordmeter.com:



Had he chosen "I am a Ford buff" it looks like this:

And now look at the result for "Driving 2 Fords":


Impressive differences, aren't they? And where come these differences from? Example two contains capital letters and special characters (spaces), example three contains an additional number.

If you have not yet done so please read my April 2011 article about "Passwords too simple - What to do about it". It still is valid! 

And another possible reason for your account passwords being hacked may be that you have a password sniffing virus on your machine. Do you already run Microsoft Security Essentials or are you still on Avast, AVG or Avira, "the other" free anti-virus programs? 

Conclusion: A simple little sentence with a number somewhere in it is way better than any single word!

As usual I welcome comments and suggestions right here in the blog. Thank you in advance.

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Tuesday, May 15, 2012

DNS Changer - as promised on the last radio show

Well, I have gotten a few calls because of the ridiculously exaggerated comments and reporting in the press.

If you want the low down and the details please grab a cup of Joe or a beer or whatever else you like, settle in your favorite chair and head over to this article on the Windows Secrets newsletter dated May 2nd. 2012.

You'll have to read oll the way to the end to find the link to the web site that is testing your computer for an eventual DNS Changer infection. SHOULD against all expectations your computer be infected and if you can't get rid of the virus yourself then I would be more than willing to help.

As usual I welcome comments and suggestions right here in the blog. Thank you in advance.

Click here for a categorized Table Of Contents.
 

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Bing Desktop in Windows Update . . .


. . . seems to be Microsoft's latest and (so far?) most desperate attempt to get you to use it's Bing search engine.

As another blog said:
... Bing Desktop, one of the most annoying apps you may install that isn't a virus.
I don’t use Bing very often. Neither does the majority of the Internet — a fact that must upset Microsoft. In the last 14 years, Google has snapped up the vast majority of the search market by being the fastest, cleanest, most accurate way to search. ...
Typically what I don't like about Microsoft: They act as if they know better how I want my desktop to look and that they know better what search engine I want to use and what I want my homepage to be.

That is preposterous to say the least, invasive and absurd; it is yet another Big Brother attitude of the worst kind!

So what does Bing Desktop do? It is nothing but a big and in my opinion ugly search box in the middle of the desktop. Plus they can show you varying desktop backgrounds and naturally they change your home page and your default search engine.

After the installation Bing Desktop gives you the choice of three options:

 In the default install naturally all three options are selected. My personal take on these options is so unfavorable that I better not say that here publicly.

Why does M$ (Microsoft) do that? Just look at Google; Google makes billions of $ with their search engine and M$ desperately wants to get a larger slice of that pie.

Enough ranting now. How do we get rid of it?

If you are still in Windows Update right click on the "Bing Desktop" update and then click on "Hide update".  

If Bing Desktop is already installed go to Control Panel, Programs and Features; find Bing Desktop in the list, highlight it and then click Uninstall to remove Bing Desktop.

As usual I welcome comments and suggestions right here in the blog. Thank you in advance.

Click here for a categorized Table Of Contents.