Find yourself with a new Window 8 or 8.1 computer and wish you could take a chainsaw to it?
Are you tired of living in the land of apps when all you really want is a desktop?
Isn’t it great to have a touch screen designed interface on a device sold without a touch screen!
Do you just wish they left well enough alone and you could hop back to an experience you are familiar with?
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Windows 8/8.1 optimization and tweaking package promo.
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[av_two_third first av_uid=’av-58n9fj’]Computer Doctor of Hampden is offering a special package which will optimize the performance of your computer and return your desktop to its rightful place, and give you a real start button! Don’t worry your Apps will still be around just not in your face as much. While we have your system in the shop we will do a free hardware check and have a look at your security software.[/av_two_third]
The last thing most people think about when they unpack there shiny new Windows’s computer is… “Man, I really need to get a great security package on this computer before I start using it on the internet”. The fact is most people fly through all the initial prompts during setup and end up agreeing to everything in a mad dash to the desktop, and yes there really is a desktop in Windows 8!
I mention antivirus software because we have been seeing a recent trend of Windows 8 viral infections. While the actual virus that cripples the machine varies in each case, the one unifying thread is the fact that their Norton Antivirus 30 day trial had expired within the last 7 day.
One problem with the bundled antivirus is that it will disable the native (poorly rated) Windows Defender. That leaves folks wide open for malware infections.
If you are plagued with pop ups, stymied by internet searches brining lousy results and being redirected to the last places you want to be, chances are you may have a malware problem. Many times Computer Doctor can remotely connect to your computer clean the infection, optimize and tweak the performance of the computer, clean out the garbage software, fix the issues with your web browsers and install a new antivirus solution without the computer ever leaving your home or office.
The holiday season is a time of good will, but it also attracts a crowd decidedly lacking in that spirit.
“Holidays, like disasters, are a common time for scams to increase,” said Ed Mierzwinski, director of the consumer program at the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
With the convenience of online shopping, consumers need to consider the possibility of identity theft. Other holiday rip-offs might not seem as obvious — disguising themselves through advertisements, fake charities or gift cards — but they are a threat nonetheless.
According to an October National Retail Federation survey, one-quarter of consumers plan on completing 26% to 50% of their holiday shopping online this year. Mierzwinski recommends the use of credit cards — not debit cards — when shopping online.
If someone is a victim of identity theft using a credit card, they still will have to undergo an investigation to validate the fraud, but they won’t lose the money in their account.
“You have more rights by law with a credit card than a debit card,” Mierzwinski said.
Other important tips:
Holiday Shopping and Social Scams to be mindful of. Identity theft, credit card fraud and fake charities, oh my!
Be careful with gift cards: Consumers need to act cautiously because scammers can copy or use portable scanners to get the code of a gift card and place it back on the rack. When consumers purchase the cards and activate them, the thieves can discover the values and take advantage online or in stores.
Make sure your shopping sites are legit: National Consumers League executive director Sally Greenberg said consumers should check the legitimacy of online shopping websites, especially when buying from unknown stores, and read the return policies.
Be wary of cut-rate pricing: Online advertisements for merchandise priced well below the product’s typical cost are a trick used by scammers looking to get personal identification from consumers or to install malware — software that performs unwanted tasks and gathers private information — on their computers.
As a precaution, said John Breyault, a consumers league vice president who specializes in telecommunications and fraud policy, people should have their antivirus software up to date when shopping online.
Watch out for charity scams: Phone calls and websites can solicit information from donors by posing as charities, and then steal from those who fall for the trap.
Mierzwinski said potential donors should use websites to check the legitimacy of charities, including GuideStar USA Inc. (www.guidestar.org) and CharityWatch (www.charitywatch.org). Fraudulent charities can disguise themselves by using names and Web addresses similar to real ones.
In terms of phone calls and emails from charities, Breyault recommended hanging up and deleting the emails. “If you’re thinking about donating to a charity,” Breyault said, “go to that website on your own.”
Cryptolocker continues to spread havoc on unprepared and unprotected computer systems throughout the world. Thousands of business and residential users are either losing their data or paying a ransom to retrieve their files. To update where we are some five weeks from our last report, the virus continues to evolve. While the evolution of viral infections is not unheard of, the mutations usually come in the form of copy cats, the copy cats change the file slightly to avoid detection and often change the user interface along with creating different ransom destinations. What differs with Cryptolocker is the fact that the virus infection is treated as a business. The secret to the scam succeeding is that they have to actually provide the decryption service or no one would ever pay. Without the decryption the business plan falls apart. This is a much more sophisticated attack that is making them millions.
The evolution comes in maximizing the chance that the victims will pay up. Here are things that can sabotage their scheme and how they deal with them.
If your computer is infected and your data files encrypted here is how things go. After encryption you are presented with a desktop wallpaper that looks similar to this.
cryptolocker wallpaper
Things that can go wrong at this stage are:
Your antivirus program can remove the virus. While this sounds good, in this situation it is just the opposite. Your files are still encrypted and your pathway to be able to pay the ransom has been deleted.
You try and do a system restore or otherwise alter the system state of the computer to remove the virus. This has the same result as number one.
The program states you have 72 hours to pay by either Bitcoins or Western Union Moneypack. Both of these forms allow the recipient to remain anonymous. If the 72 hours has passed and you do not make payment they claim that the key needed to decrypted your files will be deleted.
As the developers saw potential “loss in sales” do to these variables they added some additional features to their extortion program.
There is a link on the desktop wallpaper to make payment as well as to download a new copy of the virus should you find yourself encrypted but uninfected do to scenarios 1. or 2.
While it is a contradiction to their stated policy of deleting the key after 72 hours. they have graciously provided a new “service” whereby you upload on of your encrypted files and the system will scour their database to find the missing key to allow you to decrypt your files. Naturally for providing such a level of customer service their will be an increase in the ransom from $300 to $2000. Ouch!
In the last five weeks their have been some developments in how we try to prevent disaster from striking.
The first course of action is a cold back up, identify the key data files that need to be saved and back them up to an external source that can be detached from the system.
Next make sure that all your systems are thoroughly patched and updated, now more than ever is a great time to move away from Windows XP systems which will reach end of life next year, to a Windows 7 or 8 system which offers much greater security.
Education! Everyone in your home or company needs to be keenly aware of potential scams, bogus emails, unsafe surfing habits and what to look for to stop an infection before it can open a door for crypto locker.
Malware protection, make sure you have adequate protection against virus and spyware. Free programs at this point are not cutting it. Not only must you have active antivirus but the definitions need to be updated and the protection modules need to be enabled.
Traditional virus programs as of this writing are hit or miss. The nature of crypto locker is to dupe you into installing it. In this scenario it by passes many of the current security programs.
Computer Doctor of Hampden has helped support the development of a specific software program that closes a big hole and has the potential to stop cryptolocker and many other malicious programs in their tracks. What makes this software different is that it prevents the malware from being able to install itself. We own the rights to brand and distribute the software and have kept the price point very low to give you a fighting chance should this malware strike you, your family or your business.
Crypto Inoculator creates over 200 group policy rules that block crypto locker from installing. The system requires installation and configuration by one of our technicians, this allows software that is desirable to continue to work, and to ensure that there are no active infections currently on your system. After the virus check, the process of whitelisting takes a few minutes and the whole procedure can be done via remote connection to our office in Hampden. The software runs daily updates and can be configured to send you or one of our technicians an email if the crypto inoculator blocks a file. This notification will give us insight into what has caused the security breech and how to avoid it in the future. Computer Doctor of Hampden offers unparalleled, secure, remote service done locally.
This is an old post from the Computer Doctor of Maine in Bangor. This could still be relatable to you today, but we can recover your lost data. In addition to this, solid-state drives, SSDs, have been replacing hard drives, for their improved speed, reliability, and at a cheaper price. Nowadays, many more computers use SSDs, but some of your older computers may still be using hard drives. Bring in your computer to the Computer Doctor of Maine in Bangor, and we can recover your data from your failed hard drive. Or, we can replace it with an SSD, greatly improving the productivity of your old computer.
So your hard drive just died, and you didn’t back it up. I’m so, so sorry. You can expect to go through the following five stages once you discover that all of your photos, files, and music are gone forever.
Stage one: Denial
“No. No, there’s no way. This is probably just a software issue, maybe if I try rebooting again it’ll work. I’ve only had this hard drive for two years, there’s no way it just died. I’ll get all that stuff back. This silly computer always freaks out but is fine after a reboot. Even though I’ve tried rebooting five times and it sounds like a fork is stuck in a garbage disposal in there, it’s probably just the CD drive.”
Stage two: Anger
“Are you kidding me, Western Digital? I’ve lost everything! I trusted you, and for what? How does a company that sells such crappy products stay in business? I will murder the first WD employee I see. And what the hell is wrong with me that I didn’t back this stuff up? I am the biggest idiot in the world and I want to punch myself in the face. I hate myself and don’t deserve to be happy.”
Stage three: Bargaining
“OK, so maybe I can download some software and boot this drive as a secondary drive and try to recover some stuff. I mean, I’ll have to go buy a new hard drive and install it and then figure out how to hook this one up as a secondary drive, and I’m not sure where my OS discs are, but hey, I’m a smart guy, I can figure this stuff out, right? Or maybe professional data recovery services have gotten much, much cheaper lately. Yeah, I’ll bet they’re affordable now, they’ve gotta be.”
Stage four: Depression
“All those photos. I’ll never, ever get them back. I’ll never see those faces again. And my essays from college, I was going to share those with my kids someday. And man, all that music, it’s taken me years to collect all that. Why did I even bother? It’s like the last ten years of my life have just been erased.”
Stage five: Acceptance
“Ah, none of that stuff was that important. Most of it was uploaded to various sites like Flickr, anyways. At least the really important stuff. Regathering all that music will be fun, too! And hey, you know what? Maybe it’s good to start fresh every once in a while. And man, hard drives have gotten a lot cheaper since I last bought one. This is really just a good way to put things in perspective; none of this stuff was all that important. Except for those photos. Why the hell didn’t I back them up?”
Below is some excellent information provided by the US Department of Homeland Security US-CERT Security TIP. Although this post from the Computer Doctor of Maine is a bit old, the information is still relevant today. You can bring your personal computer to the Computer Doctor of Maine in Bangor and have us install anti-virus software for you, so you can keep your information safe without the threat of a virus ruining it.
What does anti-virus software do?
Although details may vary between packages, anti-virus software scans files or your computer’s memory for certain patterns that may indicate an infection. The patterns it looks for are based on the signatures, or definitions, of known viruses. Virus authors are continually releasing new and updated viruses, so it is important that you have the latest definitions installed on your computer.
Once you have installed an anti-virus package, you should scan your entire computer periodically.
Automatic scans – Depending on what software you choose, you may be able to configure it to automatically scan specific files or directories and prompt you at set intervals to perform complete scans.
Manual scans – It is also a good idea to manually scan files you receive from an outside source before opening them. This includes:
saving and scanning email attachments or web downloads rather than selecting the option to open them directly from the source
scanning media, including CDs and DVDs, for viruses before opening any of the files
What happens if the software finds a virus?
Each package has its own method of response when it locates a virus, and the response may differ according to whether the software locates the virus during an automatic or a manual scan. Sometimes the software will produce a dialog box alerting you that it has found a virus and asking whether you want it to “clean” the file (to remove the virus). In other cases, the software may attempt to remove the virus without asking you first. When you select an anti-virus package, familiarize yourself with its features so you know what to expect.
Which software should you use?
There are many vendors who produce anti-virus software, and deciding which one to choose can be confusing. All anti-virus software performs the same function, so your decision may be driven by recommendations, particular features, availability, or price.
Installing any anti-virus software, regardless of which package you choose, increases your level of protection. Be careful, though, of email messages claiming to include anti-virus software. These messages, supposedly from your ISP’s technical support department, contain an attachment that claims to be anti-virus software. However, the attachment itself is in fact a virus, so you could become infected by opening it (see Using Caution with Email Attachments for more information).
How do you get the current virus information?
This process may differ depending on what product you choose, so find out what your anti-virus software requires. Many anti-virus packages include an option to automatically receive updated virus definitions. Because new information is added frequently, it is a good idea to take advantage of this option. Resist believing email chain letters that claim that a well-known anti-virus vendor has recently detected the “worst virus in history” that will destroy your computer’s hard drive. These emails are usually hoaxes (see Identifying Hoaxes and Urban Legends for more information). You can confirm virus information through your anti-virus vendor or through resources offered by other anti-virus vendors.
While installing anti-virus software is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect your computer, it has its limitations. Because it relies on signatures, anti-virus software can only detect viruses that have signatures installed on your computer, so it is important to keep these signatures up to date. You will still be susceptible to viruses that circulate before the anti-virus vendors add their signatures, so continue to take other safety precautions as well.
This is an old post from the Computer Doctor of Maine, discussing the release of the first Apple iPad. Since then, iPads have become more and more advanced. You can bring your iPad to the Computer Doctor of Maine in Bangor, and we can help with repairs, setup, data transfer, and more.
Phone screen too small to meet all your needs? Laptop or netbook too bulky to carry? You may be ready to delve into the latest tech rage of tablet computing…
Apple had been rumored to be developing a tablet device since the days of its Newton line of PDA’s. With the release of the iPad it has started a juggernaut of tablet development. Much more than a Nook or Kindle, the tablet device has great potential for those who would benefit from what it does well and whose form factor fits in with their lifestyle. Small, light, and dazzling, navigating pages effortlessly with a casual flip of the wrist, tablets must be experienced first hand to really get an appreciation for how they work and what they do. Pinching, zooming, auto screen rotation, multitouch features, while there is a lot of hype, there is just as much function and convenience if you need and will use it.
Sure the uber geek factor is tremendous, pulling out a tablet device in any social or business situation will always generate attention, but it’s when you start harnessing its power and not just checking Facebook that the devices truly begin to shine.
The year is 1991. The Gulf War rages on, Mike Tyson is arrested, and the world is dealing with the AIDS epidemic. For you, though, things are ok. Your PC is safe ...
Are you decreasing the life of your computer and putting your data at risk? We’ve all heard of the common threats facing our devices. Whether it’s a v...
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Are you tired of living in the land of apps when all you really want is a desktop?
creates over 200 group policy rules that block crypto locker from installing. The system requires installation and configuration by one of our technicians, this allows software that is desirable to continue to work, and to ensure that there are no active infections currently on your system. After the virus check, the process of whitelisting takes a few minutes and the whole procedure can be done via remote connection to our office in Hampden. The software runs daily updates and can be configured to send you or one of our technicians an email if the crypto inoculator blocks a file. This notification will give us insight into what has caused the security breech and how to avoid it in the future. Computer Doctor of Hampden offers unparalleled, secure, remote service done locally.
So your hard drive just died, and you didn’t back it up. I’m so, so sorry. You can expect to go through the following five stages once you discover that all of your photos, files, and music are gone forever.