Accused of sending spam? Use Hotmail? Start with the obvious.
Just been accused of sending out spam? Sadly, it happens a lot. Ok, not to me, but then the theory is I should know what I’m doing (tempting fate).
We’ve just had a laptop in the workshop that proves how easily it happens and how you should never forget the simple solutions. Now the owner of the laptop had been told that she was sending out spam and was able to check step one below. Her usual PC expert had checked step two. But as soon as we knew who her email provider was, we went for step three…
But first, the important question:
Does it matter? My friends will just delete it.
If there is something nasty on your PC that is sending out messages, or someone has access to your email, they could also be sending out your bank, credit card and PayPal details. They could be sending out attachments containing malware infections, or porn. Or worse. They could be sending it to your friends, your colleagues, your boss.
Then there is social engineering – the scams that rely on using you as a trusted friend. Imagine if all your friends received an email saying you were on holiday and had been mugged. You had lost your wallet and your mobile phone – could they please send you some money? They cannot phone you, so they may email to check that it’s a genuine request. But the person carrying out the scam has access to your email, they’ve changed the password and they are pretending to be you.
Sadly, this happens frequently so, yes, it does matter!
Anyway, back to those steps…
1) Make sure you’re not really spamming people
Obvious, I know, but sometimes the best intentioned emails, Facebook updates and tweets can seem perfectly fine to you, but spammy to everyone else.
2) Scan your PC
We’ve said it before, we’ll keep saying it, we highly recommend Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware for this task. The free version is great for cleaning up infected PCs, the paid for version is brilliant at preventing infections and helping you avoid those dodgy, password pinching websites.
3) Change your password
If you have access to a PC that you know is clean, this is the first thing you should do if your email account is sending out spam. It is also why your email password should always be different to all your other passwords and why it is worth changing it regularly.
Your password could have been captured by some malware. But even more likely, it has been collected from another website where you use the same username and password. That site could have been hacked or could have been designed to steal passwords from the offset.
An apple a day doesn’t always keep the doctor away
Just a little warning for your Apple users out there – you are just as likely to fall victim to a spoof or hacked website, so it’s just as important that you change and keep your email passwords unique.
How to change your Hotmail password
1. Click the down arrow next to your email address and select Account
First of all, login to your Hotmail account. In the top, right-hand corner of the screen you will see your email address and a small down-arrow. Click the arrow and select Account from the menu.
In the Account screen, the second block of information is about your Account Security. Your password will be shown as ‘*****’ and to the right there will be a Change link.
2. Click Change in the Account Security section
Finally, enter your new password.
Annoying though it may seem, it’s a good idea to tick that “Make my password expire every 72 days” box.
3. Enter a new password and tick to enable expiry
If you have trouble remembering complex passwords, a long but memorable sentence can be even more effective.
For example, something like “my dog loves grilled sausages” will stick in your head but be very difficult to crack.
If you use Outlook, Windows Live Mail, a mobile phone or some other application to check your mail, next time it tries you will have to enter your new password. But you already knew that, didn’t you?
Please share – 3 steps to make your computing in 2012 safer
Keep it safe in 2012!
Oh, the joy of New Year’s Resolutions. How many do you make? How many last more than a few days?
So, here are 3 resolutions you can make and easily keep, that could save you money and heartache over the years to come…
1) Passwords
We are constantly reminded (lectured) on having unique and secure passwords for everything online. But I know people struggle to have a different password for everything.
So, if I can at least encourage you to keep two passwords different from all the others, they are…
Your email password
If you use the same password for everything, whenever you register at any website you are giving away the access details to your entire online life. Even if you register at a safe website, if it gets hacked then your details are out in the open.
Keep your email password different to everything else, then it’s much harder for people to guess. Plus, if you need to reset passwords anywhere else, you need to know your email is secure to receive the updates.
Your online banking password
This one’s pretty obvious, after all, it’s where your money is kept!
2) Malware Protection
Whatever antivirus software you’ve got, it probably isn’t enough. To be fair, we hardly ever see PCs with a virus infection nowadays. Now it’s all about Trojans – programs designed to fool you into thinking they are something useful when they aren’t. They fool you so you give them permission to install, which is how they get past your normal security software.
Which is why all the PCs in the Dear Geek household are running Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Pro.
Apart from removing infections, which we rely on the free version for so many of our callouts, the full version provides constant protection, including blocking known ‘dodgy’ websites. The license fee is a one-off, not annual, payment of less than £20. Off you go, go and buy it now.
3) Backup
I go on about backup so often I think I’m turning into a parrot. But it is always worth repeating. Let’s give a real life example…
About a week before Christmas I was called out to a dropped laptop. The hard drive couldn’t be accessed. 9 times out of 10 I can hook the drive up to my kit and recover most or all of the data, but not this time.
So, with much gnashing of teeth, the drive was sent off to the recovery lab. They can recover the data 99 times out of 100, but charge £400+ to do so.
This was that one time out of 100 – the drive was beyond recovery. At least the customer had an external drive for their backups. It was safely tucked away in another room, in its original box. It’s original, unopened box. So, this client was to spend Christmas trying to recreate her entire business on her laptop.
Which is why we use, and recommend, Livedrive Online Backup from fmBackup – especially when it only costs £2 per month.
So, there you go…
3 simple steps to make your 2012 a much happier New Year. One free, two ridiculously cheap, all very easy.
Best wishes for a very prosperous New Year from your friends at Dear Geek, HDG and fairly marvellous.
x
The secret is out – GCHQ sponsored blogs :)
Secret Squirrel work going on
It’s on the Guardian, Telegraph and Daily Mail websites, even the BBC have given the game away – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15968878 – so I will too…
Yes, our cryptic sponsored post – Can you crack it? – was sponsored by GCHQ as part of a recruitment drive – crack the code and you’re invited to apply for a a job.
Can You Crack It?
A rather interesting challenge has been brought to my attention, in a rather interesting way.
A cyber code challenge, no less.
Perhaps the biggest hint of just how intriguing is the “Sponsored Post” link at the bottom of this page. But I’m not allowed to tell you who has really sponsored it.
It’s not a scam, not some way to take money off you. Nor is it your everyday competition to win some gadget or other, but success could open some rather exciting opportunities.
So, take my word for it, it’s worth trying this challenge – trust me, I’m a geek. But not geek enough to crack this one, I suspect.
Bletchley Park - Home of Colussus
The history of computing is steeped in code breaking. Indeed, the first electronic programmable computer was built for code breaking, but for years nobody knew because its very existence was a secret.
The Colossus at Bletchley Park was employed during WWII to crack encrypted German messages but for years it couldn’t take its place in computing’s history books – it wasn’t until the late ‘70s that information began to emerge.
Of course, computing power has changed dramatically since then, you’ll have far more power in your mobile phone today than computers had for years. And with all that power, codes and encryption have become stronger and all the more important. Whether it’s the password on your wireless router at home or the SSL technology used when you do your online shopping, encryption is everywhere.
And while hacking has evolved, brute force attacks have to become ever more brutish, the hacker mentality has remained the same. It’s still curious, tenacious, creative thinkers that are coming up with ways to create and break these codes.
So, do you reckon you are one of these people? The link below will help you find out, a code waiting to be broken.
Trade secret – protect your PC for pennies – RT to upset Norton et al!
Ok, this post is going to come across all a bit ‘word from our sponsors’ and, yes, the links in this post are affiliate links, I do get a little kickback. But I genuinely recommend this product, I buy it personally for all the PCs at Dear Geek Towers and to be honest, if everyone bought it then I’d get a lot fewer calls. That little kickback will offset a fraction of my lost income!
Want to know how to protect your PC for pennies?
My absolute favourite product for cleaning up PC infections is Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware (MBAM). The free version is brilliant, as it will do all your scanning and cleaning for you.
What’s even more amazing is that the paid for version is less than £20 per PC, not per year! If you keep your PC for at least three years, that means…
Great Malware protection for less than 2p a day!
The full version automatically updates and has a great active protection module. If MBAM spots that the website you’re on is trying to download something nasty, it will block it. I have seen it block sites frequently as I’m using my PC and I haven’t had even a hint of an infection since installing it.
How to get it
- Download and install MBAM – use this Ninite downloader to install it easily with the default options
- Go and buy your Malwarebytes’ Anti-malware activation code for less than £20
- Enter the code into the register section of MBAM and turn on the protection module.
MBAM is not a replacement for anti-virus
…but for many people, when combined with a free anti-virus package, is all they need to protect their PC. If you’re looking for a good, free anti-virus then I recommend Microsoft Security Essentials (Ninite downloader here) – it doesn’t slow down your PC as much as certain 3-letter-acronym anti-virus programs and is a rarity in the free protection world – it can be used legally for business as well as home PCs.
Scam Phone Calls – no, Microsoft aren’t phoning you…
Dear Geek,
I received a phone call from Microsoft the other day, telling me I had all manner of problems with my PC. Something didn’t feel right, so I hung up. Was I right?
Concerned of Canterbury.
No such thing as a small twitter campaign – big numbers from small intentions
We had a very simple idea to make a little splash for World Backup Day – offer a year’s backup for a very low price. Almost a loss leader, this would benefit us long term if people renewed at the full price plus boost our profile.
A couple of little tweets and a facebook post made sure that lots of people around Whitstable would know more about the service we offer plus hopefully they would benefit from a bargain offer. A nice little twitter campaign.
Incredible offer for @WorldBackupDay
You don't want to feel like this, do you?
Last week we told you about World Backup Day – the idea being, on March 31st you make sure that you are making backups and that you can restore from them. That way, if there is a disaster the next day, you won’t be an April Fool.
We also promised a special offer, so here it is…
For one day only, we are offering our unlimited online Livedrive backup solution at a ridiculous price – £1 for the first year (£24 per year after that).
This offer is only available on World Backup Day, so sign up for our online backup special quick!
World Backup Day – seriously?
Yes, seriously.
Those clever people over at Reddit have come up with World Backup Day for March 31st.
The idea being, on March 31st you make sure that you are making backups and that you can restore from them. That way, if there is a disaster the next day, you won’t be an April Fool.
Clever idea, anything to raise awareness of making backups is a good idea. Seeing people in tears when they’re worried they have lost all their family photos is not fun.
Which is why we’ve tried and tested many backup products before selecting our favourite, and worked hard to price it so that it really is a “no-brainer”.
Pop over and read more about HDG Livedrive Backup, see how you can make money by recommending it to others and take up a free trial.
If you sign up for a trial before the 31st, you will be eligible for a very special offer on World Backup Day…
Gotta love that Windows Home Server
My love for Windows Home Server is no secret, a subject I will happily explain to anyone. However, a little reminder just popped up convincing me of that fact.
We had a brief power outage at HDG Towers last night (us and a few streets around us had a minute or so without electricity). Now we plan for such eventualities of course, and expected no problems. But when I saw the “Network Health is Critical” pop up a few minutes ago my mind jumped to failing hard disks or other impending doom.
Not so. I’m fiddling with an application on one of my machines that required turning off the firewall briefly. And WHS just wanted me to know that. Anything untoward on any of my PCs and WHS just likes to make sure I’m aware of it.
I like that.