Category: Security

Security, Software

Tis the Season to… PATCH!

Nick

There have been a lot of patches/fixes released recently for various applications and operating systems. It’s ALWAYS important to apply these patches as soon as they become available. Why? Because someone somewhere will be trying to compromise your computer via these unpatched weaknesses. Most often, simply browsing a web site can be enough to infect your machine. Some operating systems and applications are pretty good at automatically upgrading when patches become available. Others, not so much. One recently released, important patch is the fix for Internet Explorer’s latest security hole. If configured correctly, your Windows PC should’ve already downloaded and … Continue reading Tis the Season to… PATCH!

Public Computing, Security, Software, Tips

Important Security Warning for Internet Explorer Users

Nick

UPDATE: Microsoft has released a patch for this important security hole. Your Windows PC should’ve installed the patch already (indicated by a pesky need to reboot). If not or if you’re unsure, you can run Microsoft Update (or Windows Update) or go to the Microsoft Download Center. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A security exposure was recently discovered within Internet Explorer (IE) that could allow malicious software to be installed on your computer without your knowledge. There is virtually no limit to what this malicious software could do once installed but might include logging user keystrokes, stealing passwords, etc. Simply browsing an infected or … Continue reading Important Security Warning for Internet Explorer Users

Email, Security, Software, Tips

Open an Unanticipated PDF File, Infect Your PC!

Nick

Most everyone knows not to open executables (e.g., .exe, .bat, etc.) and documents (e.g., .doc, .xls, .ppt, .html, etc.) received via email when they’re not expected. However, did you know that Adobe Acrobat documents (.pdf) fall into the same category?? It’s quite straightforward for an attacker to invisibly modify a pdf document in such a way that it takes control of your PC when you open it. Unfortunately, anti-virus programs won’t always detect these malicious pdf documents accurately. There are two ways to protect yourself: 1. Make sure you have the latest version of Adobe software (go to Help and … Continue reading Open an Unanticipated PDF File, Infect Your PC!

Help Desk, Security, Software

Don’t Ignore the Windows Update Shield!!

Nick

If you’re a Windows user, did you ever wonder what the periodic appearance of a yellow shield on your task bar means? When you have Windows Automatic Update enabled (and you definitely should!), your PC will regularly check with Microsoft to see if any new software fixes or patches are available to download and install. Generally, Microsoft releases patches for Windows systems on every second Tuesday of the month (affectionately known, by some, as “patch Tuesday”). Your PC should detect the availability of patches on patch Tuesday and download/install them to your computer. Oftentimes, your PC will need to be … Continue reading Don’t Ignore the Windows Update Shield!!

Security, Students

Beware Free Videos from Friends on Facebook

Nick

According to security experts and anti-virus software vendor F-Secure, a new malware attack is currently being spread via Facebook pages. The attacks are propagated by a malicious worm which steals victims Facebook information. Users receive a message from infected friends with links to a YouTube video. If Windows users click on the link to view the video, they are prompted to first download an updated version of Flash. If the rogue Flash program is installed, the worm scans the newly infected users system for Facebook cookies and, in turn, sends new attack messages to the victims friend list. Since the … Continue reading Beware Free Videos from Friends on Facebook

Accounts and Passwords, Email, Security

Password Requests via Email = Bogus!

Nick

On a regular basis, the Swarthmore community receives emails from malicious individuals requesting their passwords and sometimes other personally sensitive information. These emails are often cleverly disguised to look like they originated from an official source such as ITS. These attacks on the community are known as “phishing”. {For more info, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phishing} Unfortunately, when community members respond to these bogus password requests, it results in their email accounts being used (almost instantaneously) to send massive quantities of spam to the Internet. {See a blog entry from this summer: Email, Spam & Undeliverable Messages } Further, this can result in … Continue reading Password Requests via Email = Bogus!