2015-02-02 WTKM Talking Points (February 2nd 2015)

Confirmed sensation: Microsoft will allow all Win 7 & 8 users to upgrade to Win10 for free – for one year (only?). But then the licensing will kick in? A rented operating system? Home user be careful! Microsoft does not give anything away for free; that is the first concrete step to get us all to accept a licensing model, that means yearly payments. This way Microsoft will in the medium and long run make oodles of money more than by selling the software.

New dangerous bug in Adobe Flash Player is exploited via Facebook! Current version is 16.0.0.296!The catch: Many fake updates around! Mostly the user is tricked to download/install a fake plugin that then installs a keylogger to collect log in info & passwords. User beware!

Renewed warning: CryptoWall (new CrypotoLocker variant) spread through advertising networks.

When you see advertisements your computer is already infected!It is more important than ever to have a backup routine in place AND TO DO IT!

Finally: Microsoft takes on scam tech support phone call organizations (PDF).
If MS succeeds I expect the crooks to move off-shore and do the same from India.
Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit attorney Courtney Gregoire has an article and a video about these scams on this blog.

If anyone calls you and claims to be in any way affiliated with Microsoft IT IS A SCAM!
Here is Microsoft's own advice for such a case:

• Do not purchase any software or services.
   
• Ask if there is a fee or subscription associated with the “service.” If there is, hang up.
   
• Never give control of your computer to a third party unless you can confirm that it is a legitimate person you personally know and trust and/or are already a customer or when you personally  initiated a support call with Microsoft.
   
• Never provide your credit card or financial information to someone claiming to be from Microsoft tech support.
   
• Take the caller’s information down and immediately report it to your local authorities.

EBKAC errors are the most common ones and no program protects against that!

The supposed hack attack on French news media after the Charlie Hebdo shooting was no attack at all. It was a simple server cockup.

In Canada it is now illegal to install computer programs without consent. Why not in the US?

375 of the 500 largest companies do not protect their web sites from typosquatters. That causes real danger when you mistype a web address in your browser. Be careful!

As usual I welcome suggestions right here in the blog.

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