Computer Troubleshooters Cork South

Gadgets, productivity, Facebook timeline and more!

John Hardiman — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:54:15 +0000

At Computer Troubleshooters, we’ve once again braved the information-overload of the internet to find current trends, important alerts or general hints and tips from other sources. Here’s the best technology information of the month, relevant to small businesses. http://conta.cc/xBx97B

45,000 facebook accounts compromised by ramnit worm

John Hardiman — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 23:06:12 +0000

Over 45,000 facebook accounts are known to have been compromised by the worm Ramnit. This particular worm infects Windows executables, Microsoft Office and HTML files, according to a profile published by Microsoft. It steals user names, passwords, browser cookies and can also function as a backdoor, allowing a hacker to do other malicious actions on an infected computer.

The worm has now started spreading through Facebook as well as via email, a technique which is becoming more and more common. It steals your Facebook login details and your email address and posts a link on your facebook feed. Anyone who clicks on the link will then be taken to a website which will try to infect their machine with Ramnit which ultimately tries to steal other passwords you use including those for online banking. It is estimated that over 800,000 computers have been infected with ramnit between september and december, and this number will most likely increase with this latest development.

To protect yourself against this threat, make sure your anti virus is up to date and active. If you see a link from a friend on facebook that looks like it may not be from them, do not click on it, as they may have been compromised. Delete the item from your feed and alert your friend that they may have been compromised. If you think you have been compromised, run a full virus scan and change your facebook password from a machine other than the infected one. If you still think you may be infected, give us a call and we will be glad to asssist.

Can my phone or tablet get a virus?

John Hardiman — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 10:22:37 +0000

Gone are the days when all of your interaction with the internet was done at a computer. Our mobile phones no longer hold just names and telephone numbers as we now use them to access websites, social media and software applications. Tablet computers have also enabled us to use the internet while we’re on the move or from the comfort of our living room. So, if you have anti-virus software or security software to protect your computer, do you need it on your phone or tablet too?

The answer is a resounding YES. The creation of malicious software (malware) for Android in particular (the operating system found on many smartphones and tablets) has jumped significantly in recent months. This is mainly due to the creators switching their focus to Android, which now has a significant presence in the market. They also know that most Android-based devices are not running any security software. However, don’t think that your iPhone or iPad is immune either.

So what exactly is at stake here? Well, malware can allow hackers to gain access to any personal information on your phone or tablet, which can then be on-sold to identity thieves and also used to spam other device users. This can include your messages, your contact list, your photos, your location and any information you’ve created using an installed application (e.g. notes or documents). Phone malware can also be used to secretly send premium rate text messages or make calls to premium numbers from your account. As this activity does not show in your Sent folder or Call History, you won’t even know it’s happening until you get your account statement or run out of credit.

Most commonly, malware lurks in software applications (apps) that seem innocent but may actually be pirated versions of genuine apps, ‘free levels’ of popular games or even fake security tools. There is also a growing concern about malware hidden behind ‘URL shorteners’ (like bit.ly, t.co and cl.ly). These tools are used to display a short version of a long internet address and hide the target location of the internet site where you will actually end up.
Malware usually relies on your acceptance before it can install, so you can protect yourself with some good habits:
• Avoid installing apps that you’re not familiar with including software that wants to download and install automatically from websites.
• Be wary of free apps and those with prices that seem too good to be true, compared to their usual price.
• Confirm whether friends or family really did send you a message before clicking on any links.
• Be wary of online contests or promotions to win free gadgets, other products or services.
• Install a reputable anti-malware app. Learn how to use it and keep it updated and what the alerts looks like.

Latest phone scam

John Hardiman — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:33:38 +0000

We have just been made aware by one of our customers of the latest in phone scams… people pertaining to be from Microsoft phoning and insisting that “your Microsoft License is about to expire in 1 hour and your computer will crash”.

Please take note: Microsoft DO NOT phone computer users, nor should your Microsoft License expire.

We previously informed you of calls being made by similar people from “Microsoft” stating that your machine is infected and that they could remotely log in and resolve the issue. We have been assured from Microsoft Ireland that these calls are not coming from them. These calls are normally made to landline numbers and are randomly selected from an automatic dialer with an (01) prefix. Once answered, these calls are automatically routed back to a foreign country to be answered and dealt with from a call centre.

The aim of these calls is to get remote access to your computer, run very little and then request payment by credit card for the service. Please do not entertain these callers, do not let them access to your computer or give out your credit card details.

We hope you have not been affected by these calls.

Please contact us if you have any questions.

How can the Internet really improve your business?

John Hardiman — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:33:03 +0000

It’s widely accepted that now most business cannot operate without an internet connection. Even industries such as manufacturing or trades have an element of their business operation that benefits from internet access. Some ‘internet-enabled’ business functions are now commonplace, such as communication via email and access to internet banking services. Unfortunately, the internet presence of many small business stops at a basic website. This month we look at a few others way that your business could take advantage of the internet.

Savvy consumers turn to the internet to check out the pedigree of a business, so it’s important to stand out from your competitors. An ‘online chat’ on your site would enable your prospective clients to ask a question & receive an immediate answer, provided by someone in a sales or administration role. Video content on your site (or linked to from YouTube) is great for engaging people instead of pages of text. Also, regular email marketing campaigns and newsletters are an easy way to keep in touch with prospects that aren’t quite ready to buy from you just yet. If a change to any of your website’s content means a call to your I.T. provider, look at a ‘content management’ based platform that allows you to make changes to text and post news updates without any coding knowledge.
Once reserved only for large corporations with big budgets, there are now a number of affordable solutions which allow secure remote access for your staff into your business network, to either access their files or even control their entire office computer and applications. This can give your staff a greater degree of flexibility with their work hours, leading to greater productivity. You could even consider ‘cloud storage’ or hosting of your business information to make your office ‘virtual’ and accessible from wherever you have an internet connection. Keep in touch with your remote workers with video conferencing software and an inexpensive internet camera and microphone. This virtual team concept can be extended to include your clients and suppliers too, removing geographical boundaries. If sharing files like documents or photographs with your contacts could improve your business, ignore the attachment size limits imposed on most email systems and look at an alternative solution for easy, secure file sharing.
Seek out suppliers and educational institutions that use the internet for online presentations (or webinars). These can be watched from the comfort of your own computer and may include a chat option if they are live. Some webinars are recorded, allowing you to inform or upskill yourself at your own pace, at convenient times. Could your clients benefit from a webinar group training presentation on your products or services too?

The internet can also supplement traditional I.T practices. It enables fast, remote support from your Computer Troubleshooter who can connect to see your error message first-hand, without having to drive to your location. It also allows for secure backups of your critical information to another location ‘offsite’, without having to transport hard disks or tapes. And if you haven’t looked at the cost savings of ‘Voice over IP’ yet, it’s worth considering instead of your traditional telephone service.

If this sounds a little daunting and you don’t know where to start, talk to your local Computer Troubleshooter for helping squeezing as much benefit as you can from the internet, or for any of your technology needs.

Watch out for these hoaxes and scams!

John Hardiman — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 22:01:55 +0000

If you receive an email message that sounds credible, do you check it out before you action it or forward it to your friends? Not everything you read is true, so let’s look at some common hoaxes and scams.

‘Send us your money’ scams, purely designed to get money from you:

Domain name scams – Watch for a renewal invoice asking you to pay for the continued registration of your internet ‘domain name’ (e.g. mybusinessname.com), except it’s not from the company that your domain name is registered with. Also, watch for a warning that someone else wants to register a domain name that resembles yours, and advises you to register these names yourself first.

Business advertising invoices – These invoices are sent to small businesses for advertising that was never purchased and, in some cases, doesn’t even exist.

Free iPhone or iPad – These state that you can get a free iPhone or iPad by completing a survey and giving out your cell phone number or by completing a number of ‘offers’. Read the fine print, as you may be signing up to a premium monthly service that will appear on your mobile bill. The offers are ‘affiliate links’ which earn the site owner a commission every time you complete one.

Surprise lottery win or inheritance – You’ve won a lottery you never entered, usually in a foreign country, or a long-lost relative has died and left you a lot of money. Either way, you need to send them money as a processing fee to release the funds.

Stranger needing money – The sender may try to build up a rapport with your first, before telling you a sad story about why they need money.

‘Forward this message’ scams are designed to generate large volumes of messages, which may actually crash some email systems. They rely on your good nature to warn your friends, or a special offer for tracking your email forwarding, which is not technically possible.

Free giveaways or cash donations – These scams promise that you will receive things for free if 1,000 people receive a copy of the email. The giveaways included cash, theme park tickets, computers, cars, phones and gift certificates for brand name clothing. A variation on this promises a ’10 cent donation’ to a sick child for every email sent.

Misinformation – Many warnings that circulate via email and social media are untrue. These include cell phone numbers being made available to telemarketers, alerts about fake computer viruses and warnings about changes to sites like Facebook.

Protect your own credibility and research any information before passing it on to your friends. Call your local Computer Troubleshooter if you’re unsure about anything that you have received or for any of your technology needs.

5 Things To Do Before You Lose Your Gadget!

John Hardiman — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:36:28 +0000

Tablet-style computers and smartphones provide convenient access to your information and to the internet, from wherever you are. Unfortunately, the downside to their portable nature is that they don’t stay within the secure confines of your office. They can be easily left at another location by mistake or even stolen. So, this month we look at the 5 things that you should do before you lose your gadget.

1. Add Identification - If you found someone’s tablet or phone, you’d look for any identification that told you whose it was, so you could return it. Just as parents label their children’s clothing, add some form of identification to your device. This could consist of a business card in your tablet case, a power-on message with your contact phone number or even engraving your phone number or business name on the device.
2. Password Protect – Most portable devices allow you to set a password or number that must be entered when the device is turned on. This will help prevent a stranger from gaining access to the information you have stored on it. You may also be able to set a ‘time out period’, which will automatically lock your device with the password after a period of time of inactivity.

3. Sync – Most tablets and smartphones copy (or ‘synchronise’) their information to another computer or to an internet-based service. Check that your synchronisation is configured and working correctly, with no errors. Then if you do lose your device, you’ll have somewhere else where you can log in and access a copy of your information.

4. Backup – Not everything on your tablet or smartphone may ‘sync’ to another location. A great example of this is contact information that is only stored on your phone’s SIM card, or information that you have entered into an application that only exists on your portable device (such as notes). Make sure you have a plan for regularly taking a snapshot of this information too and storing it in a secure place, just as you should for your office-bound computers.

5. Add Remote Control & Tracking – For tablets and smartphones that have a GPS function, applications have been developed that will show you where your device is located, based on its GPS data. Most of these applications need to be installed or configured before you lose your device. In addition to locating your device, some services will allow you to remotely lock your device or even remotely wipe all of the information on it. Check out Find my iPhone, Find my iPad, Where’s My Droid and Samsung’s DIVE. Security software manufacturers are also starting to release anti-virus software for portable devices with remote locate and remote wipe features.

Talk to your local Computer Troubleshooter about the best protection mechanisms for your portable devices, or about any of your technology needs … before it’s too late!

My Home, My Office (Part 2)

John Hardiman — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 22:26:23 +0000

Some businesses don’t need the presence of a formal office building to be successful. Last month we looked at computers, printers, the Internet, email and file sharing in a home office. This month we take a look at another 5 technology considerations for your home-based business.

Your backup strategy: Without your own I.T. department, you need to make sure that your important files are backed up and that they can be restored from those backups. A USB hard drive will provide a great second storage location in addition to your computer, which can be accessed fast to retrieve accidentally-deleted files. In case of fire, flood or theft at your place, duplicate your information at another location (e.g. the home or business of someone else you know well) or use an internet-based backup service. Invest in backup software that runs seamlessly and can be easily checked and tested.

Security: If you are the only person who uses the computer in your home office, don’t think that it doesn’t need a password. Passwords are an important part of your defence against hacking attempts, as well as helping to secure your information if your computer is stolen. Also consider the physical security of your home office and perhaps use window locks, security screens and a burglar alarm. If your home office can be seen from the street, use window blinds or curtains, especially if working at night as your computers can easily be seen from the outside when your lights are on.

Ongoing maintenance: Without an in-house expert to keep your computers running, their performance will slowly degrade and their security will be at risk if they are not maintained. It’s important to ensure that software updates are installing correctly when they are released and that tasks like temporary file removal, defragmentation and virus scans are all occurring regularly. Talk to your Computer Troubleshooter about how they can easily take care of this for you.

Comfort: You may not have a big corporate budget for desks, but if you spend a long time at your computer it’s important that you reduce your risk of overuse injuries. Look at an ergonomic, adjustable chair, a foot rest and a comfortable mouse and have your desk, keyboard and monitor all at the correct height. Also consider the placement of your desk in your office, to reduce any screen glare from your windows.

The separation of home and business: Most home offices are also the place where the household bills are paid and are sometimes where the kids play computer games or do their homework. If your work computer is also your home computer, separate user ‘profiles’ can be handy to restrict your children’s access to your business files (e.g. to prevent accidental deletion). You might also consider extra security software or internet filtering software to prevent your children from introducing nasty malware onto your computer. Use a separate paper filing tray for the ‘paperwork of life’ to keep it away from your business documents. And a second telephone line or a Voice over IP number is a great way to stop business calls from coming through on your home phone. Then you can also switch on the phone answering system after-hours to enjoy some undisturbed family time.

If you are thinking of starting a business from home, or moving back home, or if you’d just like some advice on your current home office setup, talk to your local Computer Troubleshooter.

What should you expect from Computer Troubleshooters Cork South?

John Hardiman — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 09:05:26 +0000

People often ask what exactly makes Computer Troubleshooters different from anyone else? Well, apart from our unrivalled knowledge and resources, here is a list of the service standards we strive to every single day.

From your Computer Troubleshooter you can expect:

RESPECT

Everyone (customers, suppliers and colleagues) will be treated with dignity & respect at all times.

ETHICS

Everything is done honestly and ethically, including complying with software licence agreements.

ON TIME OR CALL

Your Computer Troubleshooter will arrive at your service call on time or you’ll receive a phone call if they are unavoidably delayed.

PROFESSIONAL

Your Computer Troubleshooter will dress professionally, act professionally and communicate professionally at all times.

EFFICIENCY

Your Computer Troubleshooter will use the technology tools available to them (e.g. remote support) to deliver your service as efficiently as possible, whenever possible.

RESEARCH

Your Computer Troubleshooter will check our extensive global knowledgebase to see if a resolution has been recorded for a problem similar to yours. If it hasn’t, they may share your problem (without acknowledging your personal details) with our group of over 1,000 technicians, to see if anyone has a suggestion. They may also share any resolution details so the answer is available for the next Computer Troubleshooters client.

FOLLOW-UP

You will receive a call after your service to confirm that everything is still working correctly.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Your privacy will be respected and your files will only be reviewed if they are necessary to completing your service. However, your Computer Troubleshooter is obliged to report any issues that may show evidence of a crime.

EDUCATION

Your Computer Troubleshooter will tell you your options for resolving your problem or for improving your technology. This won’t be a pushy sales pitch, but if they don’t tell you then you won’t know what’s possible.

REVIEW TO IMPROVE

Your service call will be reviewed by your Computer Troubleshooter to ask how the situation could be resolved better, faster or less stressfully next time.

New Home PC Backup

John Hardiman — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 14:46:13 +0000

Over many years now, people have looked at how they can make their computers, and computer data, safe from a virus, or a Trojan, or a worm, and taken precautions in the form of installing an antivirus product, or a PC security suite.

One other disaster that can befall computer users however, is often overlooked. Loss of data, or data corruption.

If you run a business, perhaps from home, how would you get on if you lost all your company data, customer files, invoices, even, heaven forbid, your vat records so you are unable to post your next vat return.

What if you are just a home user, and have taken years putting together that first manuscript of your autobiography, or if you are a student, your entire years coursework. Not a pleasant thought.

The way to ensure safety for these kinds of things, is to backup your essential data – those files, documents, emails, photographs – that you could not do without.

Many people use a USB memory stick to do this simple task, but they too can be lost or stolen. Others have installed an external hard drive and copy all important data to this. The importance here is to look at what is the really important data, the data that can change on a day to day basis, and make sure that it is backed up regularly, and preferably automatically.

To this end, there are a number of online backup solutions arriving on the marketplace just now, varying in price, up to hundreds of euros, depending on how much data you want to save.

In the next few weeks, Computer Troubleshooters will be launching a product that will automate your backup, so that it backs up your important files securely, and regularly. We have been testing this product for some time now, and we think that it meets the needs of our customers. We expect considerable interest in this, as we feel that it is a great product at an even better price. We are going to keep the monthly cost low – only €8 per month – and for this let you have unlimited storage for your data backup. We will also offer a special discount price of €85 for 12 months, a saving of more than 10%!

If you would like more information about this home PC backup offer, please email me, or use our contact form and I will let you have the details about how and when you can sign up for this.