June 9th, 2010
Yes, there is a new form of threat out in the wild. Tab Napping! Sounds sinister…and it is.
Basically, there is a new class of malware that targets users that use multiple tabs. It monitors your browser tabs for activity and will hijack whichever one that you are not using. The hijack will try to replace the real site with a fake version. Usually, this happes with bank websites and the average user just suspects that the bank automatically logged them out for inactivity.
There are some steps you can take to protect yourself:
Aalways check the URL in the browser address page is correct before you enter any login details. A fake tabbed page will have a different URL to the website you think you’re using.
Always check the URL is using a secure https:// address even if you don’t have tabs open on the browser.
If the URL looks suspicious in any way, close the tab and reopen it by entering the correct URL again.
Avoid leaving tabs open which require you to type in secure login details. Don’t open any tabs while doing online banking – open new windows instead (CTL + N).
Reference Link here.
June 9th, 2010
In association with Ship and Shop and Embroidered FX, we will be having a “parking lot” sale on Thursday June 10th and Friday June 11th. We will have several refurbished computers, and a table full of clearance items on sale. Other items that will be sold by our neighboring businesses include Princess House items, clearance ink and toner, and more.
June 6th, 2010
PC Magazine (link) is reporting a new zero day vulnerability with Flash 10.0.045.2 and the current version of Adobe Reader for both PCs and MACs. Unfortunately, the only version of Adobe Flash that is not vulnerable is the 10.1 Release Candidate. Acrobat Reader 9.x is also vulnerable to this same zero-day attack. Adobe reports that the 8.x line of Adobe reader is safe from this risk…however, there are other risks that the 8.x version are open to.
This puts IT Professionals in a bit of a bind. We always try to ensure all systems are updated to the latest current release in order to provide protection. Release Candidates are not fully tested yet, so there may be some issues that can cause performance problems.
If you would like to try to safeguard your computer, please review the directions in the PC Mag link provided above. But, be aware that those same steps may need to be reversed when an update becomes available.
The safest way to protect yourself is to ensure that your anti-virus, anti-spyware, and your firewall is up to date and running properly.
May 27th, 2010
We are now integrating our blog with our Facebook page. Please feel free to catch up on our blog either here are http://www.twinpinestech.com/blog or our fan page on facebook. Simply search for Twin Pines Technologies.
May 18th, 2010
Because of the large number of requests we have been receiving for used computers, we have decided to start stocking some refurbished computers. The stock will vary, but every refurb computer will be fully tested and will come with a 30 day hardware warranty.
Stop in and see what we have on the shelf this week!
April 21st, 2010
For anybody that is using the corporate version of McAfee, make sure you are using the latest virus definition file. CNet is reporting that McAfee corporate editions released a bad DAT at 6 AM that mistakenly reported svchost.exe as a virus. This file is in fact a very crucial file and without it, your computer may not boot properly.
April 5th, 2010
I have received several questions about whether or not moving business and/or personal data and applications to the cloud is a good idea. Well, it is a tough choice. On one hand, going to the cloud promises monetary savings. However, on the other hand, you no longer have complete control of your data and there are security risks.
The ultimate answer has to be based on your risk tolerance. For a business with lots of propriatary data or customer financial data, I recommend against cloud services. For a home user that just needs to write the occasional word document, cloud services may be fine. I have found a document that describes the risks involved with moving to could based data storage and applications. Here’s the link. This document lists several risk points and explains how they apply to businesses.
For online backups, another item to consider is recovery process. How long will it take to download or retrieve all of your stored data. You need to look at how much data you actually generate and then think about how long it would take to retrieve all of that data in one shot. Also, talk to prospective online data backup vendors to find out what their retrieval policies are. There are several that charge for the creation of DVDs and the cost to ship them.
March 28th, 2010
Due to a death in the family, we will be minimally staffed this week.
All service orders on the bench will be worked on as soon as possible upon my return from the funeral.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
