How to Stay Safer Online

So to understand how you can protect yourself against the malicious attackers looking to install their malware on your PC, you have to know what programs attackers are exploiting. Keeping your software up to date with security patches is vital. The top applications that attackers are having success with when it comes to running exploits on your PC include the following:

1. Java Runtime Engine (JRE)
2. Adobe Reader/Acrobat
3. Adobe Flash Player

It is also important to know that these aren't the only things you need to update. Microsoft updates are important. If you don't already have them set to automatically download and install, you should do this. Updating applications like iTunes, QuickTime, Firefox, just to name a few.

It is also important to have some sort of anti-virus installed on your PC and it should be set up to scan on a regular schedule and keep the signatures up to date. I also recommend that you install a great malware removal tool called Malwarebytes Anti-malware. Download and install the free version. You can find it here.

Lastly, your actions can go a long ways in keeping malware off your PC. Knowing if you should click or not IS a really big deal. If something doesn't look right it probably isn't.

These are just a few steps you can take to keep malicious software from being installed on your PC. Protect your family and your financial health from the cyber attackers. Stay safe out there.

Microsoft Security Essentials

In the past, I would advise people to use the free version of AVG Anti-virus software. I have now officially changed. Anytime anyone asks about AV, I will steer them in the direction Microsoft Security Essentials. You can find the Microsoft download page for Security Essentials here. I personally use it on all my Windows boxes.

Verizonwireless Down

Appears that verizonwireless.com is down. Probably just temporary.
***UPDATE***
Probably due to this problem documented in the Internet Storm Center's post here. It is back up as of this morning.

MSN.com MSNBC.com Spreading Infections

Seeing some installations of fake anti-virus coming from both MSN.com and MSNBC.com this morning. I would avoid these sites at this time.

VMWare Workstation - XP Guest, Fails to find Hard Drive

I had got a new laptop and I was about to go to a class and had to get my laptop set up for the before leaving town. When I went to install my XP guest, I get this message. Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your computer. After some digging, I finally found a site that had a great video to give me exactly what to do. If you have this same problem, here is the link for you.

Click here for the answer you've been looking for.

Adobe Updates

Time to update again. Adobe has a patch available now for Flash Player and Adobe Reader/Acrobat will have an update sometime tomorrow. It is critical that you patch these as attackers are using exploits against Adobe applications to install their malicious software.

Firewall Disabled?

I work on plenty of Windows XP machines that have got malware installed on them. Sometimes after removing the malware, you have to go into services to enable to firewall to be turned back on. How do you do this? Go to START>RUN, then type in services.msc, then scroll down to Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing. If you right mouse click you should be able to start the service back up.