Many viruses are re-engineered into other versions or variants from the original infection. Many of us feel protected by our security programs, but in all reality, they only protect what’s known. The zero day exploits are viruses that morph into a behemoth of panic and confusion. There’s no sure thing and the only defense is discipline.

Virus authors have full control and are always a head of the security front-line. They re-engineer their viruses with better penetration and more destruction to those who fall for the trap. Corporation IT departments are usually ahead of the casual home user, but they’re not close to being locked down from any exploit that has the potential of crippling a company at any moment.

In many cases the new virus variant can’t be removed like the original and additional steps are required to quarantine and remove the infections from the computer. You should always keep your security programs up to date. Most security programs give you the option to receive automatic updates which I would recommend selecting.

Your best defense against viruses is to stay with what you know is safe and browse reputable sites and merchants. If you are unsure if a site is safe or dangerous, than I would recommend that you install a link checker such as “Web of Trust” or “McAfee’s Site Advisor”. Both of these services provide ratings to your browser and search engine results. McAfee’s Site Advisor and Web of Trust offer free add-ons for Firefox and Internet Explorer. You only need to install one of these link checkers. I have been using Web of Trust for more than 3 years and I love the add-on!

The nice thing about link checkers such as the ones I mentioned, also provide you ratings for links inside an email.

Be safe online!

There’s an email, claiming to offer affordable mobile phones that directs recipients to a phishing web site that collects personal identifiable information to be used for unlawful activity and identity theft. The link to the malicious web site domain; (wjadserver.com) is well known for spamming and phishing personal information. If you come across an email like the one I pictured below, mark it as spam and delete it immediately.

The senders address (request@dollspeedsimplest.com) is a relatively new domain (June 2011). Cyber crooks registered this domain in order to send out malicious emails in an attempt to steal personal information. It’s common practice for cyber crooks to register hundreds or even thousands of domains in order to get passed spam filters and firewalls. Once a domain is blocked or listed on many of the spam indexes, the cyber crooks will launch a new domain and web site.

These crooks will copy images and content from legitimate web sites to fool users in thinking it’s the real deal. Be careful about opening unsolicited email or clicking on any links inside the email.

Phishing schemes are used to gather confidential information about an organization or an individual in attempt to use that information illegally.

Be safe!

Right out of the gate, let me make a disclaimer here.

This is NOT an advertisement nor am I “recruiting” Linux users.

Indeed, if you’re satisfied with Windows, or any other “non-Linux OS”, and have absolutely no reason to switch . . . fine.  You’re likely better off sticking with what you’re comfortable with.

However . . . if, like I was about 3 years ago, you are seriously angry with Microsoft’s practices (a discussion of why I was angry with Microsoft is NOT pertinent to this article . . . don’t want to turn this into a Microsoft bashing exchange) or otherwise want to experiment and have the motivation to try Linux, here’s what you might expect to encounter during the transition.

(Note:  I am writing this from a Windows user perspective . . . was a Windows user from the days of 3.11 up through XP.   What the transition would be like from any other OS, say MAC, I have absolutely no idea.)

First of all, the common perception is that Linux is not user friendly.  Depending on what you’re switching from, that may be true and it may not.  If you are a refugee from Windows, I think it’s true (at least it was for me).

If you’re used to manipulating Windows files, there’s a substantial difference in the way some file operations in Linux behave.  I’ll give some specific examples in a second.

OTOH, there ARE some similar behaviors, so it’s not ALL different.

Let me interject here that there are many flavors of Linux (Linux calls them “Distributions” . . . but they all have a common kernel, based on Unix . . . and so are the MAC OS’s based on Unix, but there are substantial differences in MAC OS’s and Linux, enough to consider a switch from MAC OS’s to Linux as a “transition”, though easier in some ways than the transition from Windows to Linux.)

There is Red Hat Linux, openSuse Linux, Fedora, Mint, Ubuntu (which also has more subdivisions, like “Kubuntu”, “Edubuntu”, and more) and other distributions I’ve left out.  Suffice it to say, there are many Linux distributions.  Some are heavy on Command Line Interfaces, and others have a desktop (e.g. “GNOME”, “KDE”, “XFCE” and more) that can offer a GUI similar to Windows.

For novices (like I was) making the transition, Ubuntu is one of the easier distributions to master, and the GNOME desktop will ease you into the transition also . . . though Linux Mint is giving Ubuntu a run for it’s money as far as ease of transition from Windows.

If you’re going to try the transition, I would recommend starting off with either Ubuntu or Mint, and the GNOME desktop.  (GNOME is the default desktop with Mint, and used to be with Ubuntu, but Ubuntu recently switched to a desktop called “Unity”, and Unity has gotten some bad reviews.  So now I might try Mint for the transition.)

I used Ubuntu, but that was in the days when Ubuntu came with the GNOME desktop (Version 8.10 is what I started with . . . I think it’s up to 11.x now)

OK . . . let’s get into some of the details.

The first intimidating effort is the Command Line Interface (“CLI”).  Linux relies on that much more heavily than Windows, but you can ease that transition by using the GNOME desktop GUI a little.

When I first started out, I was about 80% GUI and 20% CLI.  Now I’m at least 80% CLI (if not more) and about 20% GUI.  There are some significant advantages to using the CLI in Linux.  Many Linux programs do NOT have a GUI and can only be run in a CLI.  So, by learning to use the CLI (Linux calls that the “Terminal”) you have a lot more options.

Nevertheless, the CLI can be intimidating, unless of course you’re used to using it in Windows, and I don’t think many are because the point-and-click of the Windows GUI is so easy for many.

Now let’s get to those file manipulations I spoke of.

There are two major differences which make the adjustment to Linux difficult when it comes to file manipulations . . . identification of executables and installation of downloads (which Linux calls “packages”).

Let me stop right here and mention another essential part of a successful transition:  THE LINGO.  You’ll notice I’ve said, “Which Linux calls . . .” a lot already.  Switching from Windows, you’re going to notice a lot of these “different” terms.  So right off the bat, you’re going to want to use the University of Google a lot and find out what these terms mean.  For example, another one is “TSR” and “daemon”.  Windows calls programs, like your firewall, that run in the background “Terminate and Stay Resident” (TSR).  Linux calls them “daemons”.  (There actually are some small differences between TSR and daemon, but the beginner does not need to know what they are.)

If you don’t know what these terms mean, if you only have a vague idea, you could be headed down a road that will lead to substantial errors and difficulties.  So, to make the transition smoother, you would be wise to get these terms defined precisely right at the beginning.

This leads me to another problem you might have in the transition if you are making it from Windows.  As best you can (it’s not entirely possible if you’ve been using Windows for any length of time), STOP thinking in terms of Windows.

What I mean is that if you constantly ask “What would this be in Windows”, you’re setting yourself up for confusion.  For example, the Windows directory “C/Documents and Settings” is similar to the Linux folders “/bin” or “home/usr/bin”, but not precisely.  That “not precisely” part is what’s going to confuse you.  So drop the Windows mind-set as best you can.

Someone who’s first use of an OS is Linux, IOW Linux is the OS they learn on, will find Linux much easier to understand than someone who started out on Windows and is trying to make a transition to Linux.

OK, let me get back to file manipulations and then I’ll be done . . . though this is not a comprehensive guide to transitions . . . just a heads-up about the most difficult stuff.  I’m leaving a lot of things out.

In Windows, an executable can easily be identified by the .exe extension.  In Linux, there is NO .exe extension (Indeed, few file types have extensions in Linux . . . executables are identified in other ways . . . you’ll learn.)

So, for example, whereas most download installations can be performed in Windows by simply double clicking on a “setup.exe”, that’s not the way it works in Linux.

Which leads me to the second file manipulation caution I have:  Downloads and installations.  If you remember, I said these are called “packages” in Linux.

These packages come in many formats, from those called “RPMS”, Binaries, Source files in tarballs (lingo again) to many others.

For a novice the best thing to use, if available, is a “.deb” package.  You can double click on a .deb and it will install itself.  Actually, the best thing for a novice to use is the “Synaptic Package Manager”, which comes by default in the Ubuntu distribution.

There’s a lot I’m leaving out, but I don’t want to make this so lengthy that it will put you to sleep.  This should get you started if you want to try.

Two more cautions, and I’ll close.

First, Linux IS NOT IMMUNE to infections, though since it doesn’t have as large a part of the market as Windows, there is not as much malware written for Linux as there is for Windows.  BUT, there are some Linux vulnerabilities and there IS Linux malware in the wild.  Despite what some Linux users may arrogantly proclaim, Linux distributions can, AND HAVE gotten infected.  Security best practices are still needed with Linux.

Second, give your try more than a few days.  Ideally, you’ll want to give it about a month if you’re serious.

After about two weeks I was so frustrated I was about to go back to Windows.  But I hung in there and persevered, and after about a month I was comfortable enough that all thoughts about going back to Windows were gone.  Now I’m a 100% ‘nix kinda’ guy and glad I got over the two week hump.  Hang in there if you’re serious about it and expect some frustrations.

The information age, sometimes called the digital age, is the era of time characterized by very fast modes of data transference and access to information that was traditionally tough to come by, such as our access to tools like Google and amazingly broad knowledge databases like Wikipedia. Unbeknownst to many of us living in this age is that the actual term “digital” simply describes a method of transferring data as represented by discrete variables, nothing more. By this definition of digital, anything that represents something else in the form of a discrete variable such as a number, a letter, or any other symbol would be considered digital, including archaic devices such as the abacus, written text, or any other collection of variables which represent concepts. This may come as a surprise to most techies because when we hear the term “digital” in the age of computers we are usually thinking of devices that transfer and store information based on binary signals across on an infrastructure that isn’t mechanical.

Despite the above meaning behind “digital,” it is safe to say that the working definition for this term is more important than the overly broad one found in dictionaries. Digital devices and methods for data storage have evolved tremendously just like the definition over the last decade, but many of us aren’t very sure as to the path these devices and their concepts had to take to finally come into being as they are today. Tracing back through recent history we can find that there are a few links to this evolutionary process and we have these links to thank for the advancements in digital storage we have today.

The conceptual birth of remote digital storage came from the same man responsible for the development of ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network): Joseph Carl Robnett Licklider (J.C.R. Licklider). JCR once spoke of an intergalactic computer network through a series of memos back in the 1960’s and though JCR’s ideas were too advanced for the means available at his time, it eventually lead to what we can now call cloud-computing – Giving smaller computing devices the ability to use resources on stronger computing devices via remote access. The concept of hosting processing capabilities remotely also meant that a number of other computing factors would be hosted remotely including the computer’s memory.

The wide-spread use of the internet starting in the 1990’s is the infrastructure that was needed to generate companies that could provide both cloud-based services including remote digital storage. Back in 1999 one of the first digital online storage companies was born, FilesAnywhere, and has since spawned an industry of digital storage companies.

Here is a time-line of the progress that led to where we are now with digital storage since the internet boom of the 1990’s:

1999 – FilesAnywhere – One of the first cloud-based digital storage services and helped to start the movement toward outsourcing our digital storage services to other companies allowing us to remotely access our files from anywhere we have computer and internet access.

2001 – CloudMe – Owned and developed by Swedish company Xcerion, it is an online web desktop.

2005 – Box.net – A file sharing and cloud content management company founded as a college business project.

Mozy – An online backup service operated currently by VMware.

2006 – MediaFire – A free image and file hosting web site.

2007 – Dropbox – Started by two MIT graduates and is one of the most popular digital file storage companies to this day.

ADrive – Cloud storage and online backup, and file sharing.

Windows Live SkyDrive – Windows offering their own version of free storage to users that use the Windows Live suite of online programs.

2008 – Sugarsynch – Created from a company founded in 2004, it eventually was rebranded as Sugarsynch and is now offering digital storage and backup to users through them signing up and given a subdomain at the website.

2011 – iCloud – From Apple, allows users to store their music files on remote servers for download onto personal devices.

The digital movement as we know it from history has taken many turns and how we know it today will only resemble a shadow of itself years from now. It is no doubt that without the constant dynamic process that digital has taken on top of the infrastructure that the computer and internet has provided, mankind would still be using the archaic digital devices like the abacus, and still using discrete variables on paper to figure out problems.

Eric Greenwood is a technophile whose interests include all things cloud-computing related from online storage, to other aspects of the software as a service movement. Get more interesting tips, advice, and news at the blog Online Storage!

This is NOT the typical Microsoft bashing rant, nor is it intended to be.  Indeed, the 500 pound gorilla from Redmond, for all its faults and flaws, was instrumental in developing the tech revolution during the 70′s, 80′s, and early 90′s.

That history has helped to give Microsoft the stellar rep that it currently enjoys with novices.  And that’s the problem I saw recently when a friend called me and said one of his add-ons was missing (it was WOT, a link trustworthiness checker.)

So I fired up my team viewer RA and took a look at his problem.

Come to find out the add-on had been disabled, and further that the Microsoft Fix It Center utility (http://fixitcenter.support.microsoft.com/Portal/GetStarted) recommended disabling it “to speed up IE”.

Disclosure:  I’m a ‘nix kind of guy and not a Windows user and not a Windows fan, nevertheless as I said this is not intended to be a Microsoft bashing frenzy.  Browser wars and OS wars are a waste of time to debate.  The OS and browser you use is just a matter of personal preference.  I happen to prefer ‘nix and FF, but I’m not about to argue my preference is “better” than someone else’s.

My main caution with Microsoft Fix It, and other utilities of that kind, is directed to novices.  Very often these utilities have a “recommended” remark, and novices take this as “gospel”, especially if it’s from Microsoft.

Experienced users can and do make their own judgment.

But, my friend, who is a novice, commented that “If it’s from Microsoft, I just assumed it was right even though I had no idea what I was doing.”

(Of course I advised him that the Microsoft logo can be a fake sometimes.)

But my overriding concern is that, even if it’s a legitimate Microsoft product (which Fix It is), novices take it as something cast in stone.

In the example I detailed above, with my friend, it led to him disabling an add-on that enhanced his security (Disclosure #2:  I installed the add-on for him.) . . . and he did it because “Microsoft” said to do it (even though he had no idea what he was doing.)

So my message to novices:  Check with an experienced user BEFORE you take a Microsoft “recommended” action if you have no idea what it’s going to do.

It’s the perfect time of year to book a cruise because many are deeply discounted during the winter and early spring. Unfortunately, scammers know this as well and they’re sending out spam in an attempt to lure victims into believing that they’re getting a great deal. If you receive an email like the one pictured below, it is a scam out to steal personal identifiable information to be used for unlawful activity.

The email is purporting to be from valid travel agencies, claiming to save you money on your next cruise.

Actual Email

If you’re looking to book a cruise, it’s best to go to a well known agency in person, because they will be able to offer deep discounts on excursions, airfare and other bonuses. If you would like to book your cruise online here are some safe and reputable web sites;

• www.royalcaribbeanvoyages.com
• www.cruisesonly.com
• www.carnival.com
• cruise.expedia.com
• www.travelocity.com/Cruises

You know the old saying? “If it looks too good to be true, it probably is”

Be careful booking your cruise from unsolicited emails as these are likely to be scams.

There’s an email purporting to be from Ameritech, claiming that due to congestion, all ameritech.net users that don’t verify their accounts will be removed from the system. This is a phishing scam out to steal user account information to be used for unlawful activity. If you receive such an email like the one below, ignore it and delete it immediately.

Ameritech will never ask users to submit personal account credentials via email.

Actual Email

From: Ameritech © Mail Center <accjc@pacbell.net>
Date: January 17, 2012 2:48:17 PM CST
To: undisclosed recipients:
Subject: Account Verification (Response Needed)
Reply-To: s_team@aol.com

Due to the congestion in all ameritech.net users and removal of all unused Accounts, ameritech.net would be shutting down all unused Accounts, You will have to confirm your E-mail by filling out your Login Information below after clicking the reply button,

* Username:
* Password:
* Re- Confirm Password:
* Date of Birth:
* Country or Territory:

*After following the instructions in the sheet, your account will not be interrupted and will continue as normal. Thanks for your attention to this request. We apologize for any inconveniences.

Warning!!!: Account owner that refuses to update his/her account after two days of receiving this warning stands the risk of losing his or her account permanently.

As you can see the email isn’t from Ameritech and they would never use an email account from another ISP.

About: Ameritech was acquired by SBC Communications in 1999 which subsequently acquired AT&T Corporation in 2006, becoming the present-day AT&T Inc.

4G Wireless, short for “fourth-generation wireless,” refers to increased Internet connection speeds and is a technological innovation in mobile communications. Wireless Internet has made 4G (and even 3G) possible because of its mobility: now, any individual can carry his or her Internet on the go. You can have Internet everywhere you go, instead of just at home. The iPhone and iPad have popularized the idea of portable Internet access.

However, innovations in video surveillance are on the rise; and when it comes to iPad technology, the increased video surveillance streaming is a nice addition to the iPad’s long list of crime-fighting capacities. Special police vehicles are being built that come wired to stream real time in the backs of their trunks.

A policeman could have his or her vehicle parked anywhere on the side of the road, or even cross through a traffic light—and take a picture of someone who is not wearing his or her seat belt. Policemen could get the license plate numbers, etc., for those detected as committing crimes on surveillance, even if they are off the clock and driving around to enjoy a night on the town with a girlfriend, boyfriend, or spouse. Now, they can be both on the job and off the job, all at the same time.

What are the benefits of police vehicles that come with iPad video surveillance technology? One benefit is that policemen can now catch lawbreakers without having to chase down their cars. Traffic light cameras are a somewhat new technological innovation that detects speeding vehicles and snaps pictures of vehicle license plates; however, police have never detected drivers or passengers who do not wear their seat belts. iPad video surveillance shows lawbreakers that they will be caught.

The old speed tactic used to avoid a traffic ticket in the past (for example) no longer suffices. Another benefit of the video surveillance is that a policeman does not have to remain awake at all times to catch lawbreakers, nor stand guard every second to do so. A policeman can go on his lunch break and not worry about how many speeding drivers will escape his eye. He can sit and have a one-hour conversation without worry and let the video surveillance do its job.

Moreover, the iPad video surveillance installed in police vehicles can lead to all sorts of arrests and crime prevention. If video surveillance presents any encounter between two individuals as somewhat heated, a police officer can monitor the situation and see if it escalates into something more. That way, should the encounter take a wrong turn; a policeman can be on the case the first second it takes place. Criminals and lawbreakers will start to see law enforcement as powerful because of crime-fighting technology and be deterred from committing crimes so overtly.

Technology has had its wrong uses throughout the last twelve years of the twenty-first century. Criminals have used police detection scanner applications to know when the police were on their trail—so they could escape quickly. Others use technology simply to find out the latest gossip or newest rumor story to pass around in the neighborhood. Some community citizens like the latest gossip and find that technology provides material to feed their gossip habits. However, technology does have its positive uses, and iPad video surveillance just might rank at the top of the class.

The Article is contributed by John Smith; John is fanatical about latest technology like gadgets, cars, computer and IT which makes him a devoted writer, see his work at Aanbesteding politie and Politie aanbesteding for more.

In Europe, we are faced with many fake emails purporting to be from legitimate banks that want you to believe that they’re coming from your bank. At my company, we’ve received several phishing emails notifying the recipients to confirm/update their personal information. The text looks rather official and it’s supposedly coming from ING bank or ABN – Amro bank. ING is a global financial institution located in many other countries in Europe and across the big Atlantic pond.

This is a SCAM with the intention to phish your personal identifiable information!

The email notifies you that your bank is busy updating their address and or data files and asks you to confirm your personal information including your bank account number, log-in ID and your password to confirm that they are still valid.

NEVER DO THAT!

The Dutch government has started an info campaign on TV to warn the population against these fake bank emails that are phishing your personal data. Unfortunately that’s needed, many people are so naive!

They show you a funny film on TV where a group of fisherman are hanging around your house, in the backyard, on the street and sitting on the roof. They are everywhere and have hung their fishing lines in the chimney, through an open window and the letterbox in the door, waiting for something to catch.

Then the voice says: “This may look silly to you, but on the internet this is very common“. The second part of the film shows a screenshot of a fake email that is supposed to be from your bank that’s being opened by someone on a home PC. Then the voice says: “These emails are not real, don’t trust them. Your bank will never ask for personal information by way of email! Delete immediately!”

I can understand that this happens a lot even though our electronic banking and payment systems are more developed compared to the rest of Europe. We mostly use credit cards and we also have a system called PIN to make payments with. This system is being accepted in other countries as well. Paying in Holland with PIN is free for the owner of the card and the receiver of the money and has become a popular form of payment even with small payment amounts. Today, many people here rarely ever carry cash and they prefer to use PIN as a method of payment.

The Dutch payment and bank system is electronic and the European commission wants to standardize that in the whole EU zone. It provides more security to shops and such and prevents theft, because they don’t have much cash on hand.

So when there isn’t a lot of cash passing hand to hand, criminals have to force an entry to the electronic payment system to gain access to steal money. That explains these fake emails.

No matter what country you live in, your bank will never send you such emails. DON’T OPEN THEM AND DELETE THEM IMMIDIATELY!

Author: Peter B. “The flying Dutchman”. Peter is an advocate of internet and computer security and also an active member of Web of Trust.

There’s no doubt that emerging technologies help shape the world and increasingly in the 21st century the progress of technology is leading to significant changes in how we act, think and learn. Heading into 2012, we’ve seen in recent years how technology, used as part of our daily lifestyles, can have as much of an impact as more complex technologies, such as those used in medical science, for example. Mobile devices are constant companions for many people and social media had a significant influence on the events of 2011′s Arab Spring.

In many ways, modern technology’s largest boon is its ability to increase the accessibility in our everyday lives. For example, if you need information on a whole range of topics, from what to plant in your garden to what London Underground lines are currently out of action, modern technology enables you to access the precise information you need in a quick and generally simple manner. The internet, of course, is at the heart of this immense accessibility, providing the information, as cable providers in my area would no doubt tell you. But modern devices, such as smart phones and iPads, enable the ease of use with which we can log onto the net to make an inquiry. Don’t forget that in a more general way, the accessibility of the internet is also a result of the proliferation of broadband internet services that are affordable for the average person, coupled with Wi-Fi hotspots that enable fast net access.

Technology can play a key role if you’re trying to get your life organized, according to many cable providers in my area. All you need is a mobile device like an iPad or BlackBerry. A number of apps are available on each of these devices for download that enable you to organize your calendar, complete with meeting notifications, alarms and notes that serve as reminders spread throughout the day. Even a bog-standard third-generation phone can be set up to provide you with this information. Beyond the basics, mobile device apps can be found that help you to organize how and when you pay your bills and even to track the progress of any financial investments you might have. Professionals can stay in touch with colleagues and work on projects even while out of the office by using laptops and Bluetooth devices that enable long-distance contact.

Of course, technology is also proficient in enabling our social lives and family lives, as well as helping out with the working lives we now lead. Popular internet communications programs, including the text-based MSN Messenger and the video-call program Skype, enrich the way in which we chat to friends and family online and are even available on mobile devices. The availability of these programs for free means that people are more connected than ever before.

Meanwhile, social media is a juggernaut of connectivity, granting people all over the world access to content they’d never have had before. This content really runs the gamut, from photos of their friends on holiday to funny YouTube videos. Where social media can truly enhance your life is its ability to deliver all of this content in real-time. Setting up a Twitter page and following the feeds of local news outlets and commentators puts the most recent information at your fingertips from the second you wake up in the morning.

Technology has such a big part to play in modern business, industry and healthcare that it’s easy to forget the ways in which it enhances our everyday lifestyles. As the 21st century progresses, it’s likely our lifestyles will be boosted with further communications opportunities and information accessibility.

Author: Tamara Matthews is the editor of a renowned broadband technology company. Tamara likes to share her knowledge and ideas on broadband and cable providers. You can check her latest articles: internet providers in my area, cable providers in my area etc.