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5 Things You Should Do Before Calling IT

We’ve all been there; the point of no return when technology has turned its back on us, leaving us high and dry. As frustrating as this scenario is, it is not uncommon, especially in the workplace. Keeping your cool when dealing with misbehaving or unresponsive technology is an important step on the path to staying sane at work. Although it is tempting to immediately call Information Technology (IT) when a computer crisis occurs, try following these steps before picking up your phone for quick and easy fixes.

1. Reboot: Yes, this idea is as basic as it sounds but you’d be surprised how many employees don’t try this simple step before calling for help. If your computer is giving you trouble, try turning it off and back on again. Believe it or not, at times computers get confused just like us. This confusion can sometimes result in the computer attempting an incorrect action and receiving an error message. The reboot will potentially clear your computer of confusion and save you an embarrassing phone call.

2. Check the plug: If you’re having trouble with one of the accessories attached to your computer, confirm that the hardware is plugged in and turned on. For example, if you are receiving error messages when trying to print, check out the printer. Is it plugged in correctly? Did you try plugging it back in? Is it turned on? If it’s a printer, does it have paper? Answer all of the basic questions you can think of because these are the preliminary questions IT will ask you. The closer you look at your hardware, the smoother your phone conversation with support will be.

3. Force quit: This quick and easy step may be the answer to all of your questions. For PC users, this command is known as Ctrl + Alt + Delete, while Mac users select Command + Option + Escape. Forcing your computer into this action will allow you the opportunity to look at your Task Manager. Task Manager will show you all the programs currently running, as well as those that aren’t responding or “frozen.” If you do have an unresponsive program, you will be able to manually quit via the Task Manager and, hopefully, free up your computer’s ability to run smoothly.

4. Support forums: Check out online support forums that offer general support and answers for your computer. Whether you’re a Mac or a PC, you should be able to find answers to basic questions others have had in the past. The research may also help you become more familiar with your technology, teaching you things you didn’t know before.

5. Gather information: If you have exhausted all other means and still need to call IT, know some basic information about your computer before dialing. Be ready to give IT the type of operating system you’re running, what applications were open when the error occurred, when the problem occurred, what error message came up during your issues, and what you were trying to do. Depending on your office policy, there may be other information you need to know, including warranty information, purchase date, and the serial number. When in doubt, gather what you can, call IT, and ask to call them back if you need to collect further information from your supervisor.

Without question, technology enhances life and makes our workload easier. That being said, it can also cause quite a few headaches when errors arise. Knowing these simple steps when trouble comes will save you time on the phone with IT.

Posted by Movin' On Up

Kids on the WEB - Internet on your cellphone & Risk of Infection

Article courtesy of Panda Security South Africa

In previous articles, it was pointed out that there are several risks that children are exposed to, when they are surfing the internet.  In this article, we look at Internet on your CELLPHONE.  Furthermore, we ask the question what is the Risk of Infection for me.

Cell phones with Internet: a new risk
According to a report by Frost & Sullivan, the increasing sophistication of cell phones will turn them into one of cyber-crooks' main targets over the next few years. According to the study, technologies like Bluetooth (allowing wireless file-sharing between devices) and fast Internet access are making these devices vulnerable to attacks.

Cell phones are now widely used by children and adolescents. The risks, therefore, that they face in this respect are similar to those commented above concerning PCs.

Firstly, instant messaging services for mobile devices are now widespread. Children can enter chatrooms from wherever they are, and the risks are the same as those detailed previously: identity theft, predators, malware infections, etc.

Spam is also beginning to hit mobile phones. SMS messages advertising all types of products and services have now been around for a few years. Many of these adverts are related to pornography. This means, that it is not just through their computers that children are exposed to this type of content, but also on their cell phones.

Parents therefore should also be controlling what children are doing with their phones. To this end, it is advisable, in the case of young children, to give them cell phones that don't include functions that could be a source of risk, and in the case of older children, advise them on how they should use their phones. Remind them that they should not answer messages from dubious sources or arrange to meet strangers.

The risk of infection 

We have seen in previous sections the different ways in which young users can infect their computers (links in emails or instant messaging, infected P2P downloads.). There are numerous dangers of having malicious code running on a system.

Firstly, as mentioned above, if children share a computer with their parents, they run the risk of infecting the PC with banker Trojans or other similar malware that could steal bank details when adults use the computer.

But malware is not just a threat to adults. It also carries risks for the children themselves. For example, adware could easily enter a computer. This type of malicious code is used to display banners, pop-ups and other adverts on infected computers. For adults, this tends to be more annoying than anything else (although watch out, because some also download Trojans onto infected systems), but the risk is greater for children and young people, as some display adverts linking to web pages with pornographic content. So children can find themselves with pornography on their own PCs, without even having looked for it.

Next is some practical tips for Parents / Teachers as well as our children.

Kids on the WEB - File-sharing, Social Networking & Blogs

Article courtesy of Panda Security South Africa.

In the previous article, it was pointed out that there are several risks that children are exposed to, when they are surfing the internet.  In this article, we look at file-sharing, Social Networks & Blogs.

The risks of file-sharing programs (Emule, Kazaa, etc.)
File-sharing across P2P networks is another major source of infections. A lot of malicious codes -generally worms- are copied in folders of these programs with enticing names (names of movies, programs, etc.) in an attempt to encourage other users to download the files and run them on their computers.

This is, to all intents and purposes, another variation of social engineering: the file names could be deliberately aimed at children or young people, who without knowing it, will be allowing malicious software into their computers.

That's why children should know which files they can download and which they should avoid. It is also a good idea to scan any such file with a security solution before opening it for the first time. If there is an error message or a dialog box asking for a license or codec to be downloaded, you should start to be suspicious, as the file almost certainly contains viruses or malware.

Social networks and blogs
Social networking sites (such as MySpace or Facebook) are widely used for sharing photos and videos, meeting and chatting with people, etc. along with blogs. A common component of these pages is the need to create a personal profile in order to access them. These profiles often contain data such as name, age, etc.

Children should be reminded, generally, that it is not necessary to give this information, and that simply an email address and name (which could be false) will do. They should not be giving out data such as their age, address, and in particular, photographs of themselves.
Many young people now use blogs as a kind of personal diary. As such, these online journals frequently contain far more information than is advisable. It is particularly important to avoid publishing any data that could identify the user as a young person, or that could reveal their address or place of study, etc.

Similarly, on certain social networks, such as MySpace, it is possible to share files with other users. Children should pay particular attention to what they share and who they give permission to view this information. There is no problem in, say, posting photographs, provided they are protected with a password which is only distributed among friends and family.
Parents should know about these new services as well as how they operate and what the risks are. They should also be able to instruct their children on how to use these tools safely and correctly.

Next in line is a new phenomena - internet on your cellphone. We also look at the Risk of Infection for the user.

Kids on the WEB - Instant Messaging and Email

Article courtesy of Panda Security South Africa

In the previous article, it was pointed out that there are several risks that children are exposed to, when they are surfing the internet.  In this article, we look at Instant Messaging and Email.

Instant messaging and email
Instant messaging (through programs such as MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk,.) has become a widely-used communication channel for young people. This phenomenon has not gone unnoticed by cyber-crooks, who have been quick to take it up as a main channel for their activities.

One of the most dangerous threats that children and young people using these tools face is identity spoofing (somebody pretending to be someone else to trick potential victims). In these programs users are authenticated through an email address linked to a password. So, if someone accesses the account of one of the contacts, there will be nothing that warns the targeted user that the person you are speaking to is not who they claim to be. If you have files shared with that contact, the attacker will be able to access them freely. That's why it is important not to share any confidential information (personal data, physical address, ID numbers, bank details, etc.) through insecure channels such as instant messaging.

Another far more sinister danger concerning identity spoofing is its use by pedophiles. Their strategy is to gain the confidence of young people and then arrange to meet them in person or persuade them to send compromising photographs of themselves. They try to pass themselves off as other young people, professional photographers and many other similar covers.

Education is without doubt the best way to protect young people from this particular threat. Advice such as 'don't talk to strangers', is just as sound online as it is in the non-digital world, and children should have sufficient confidence to be able to talk openly to parents or tutors if they have any doubts.

Another potential risk of instant messaging is infection by viruses or malicious code. Almost 60 percent of worms (malicious codes that can spread by themselves) detected by PandaLabs in the first six months of the year were designed to spread across instant messaging applications. Some of these are designed to capture passwords for online banks. The risk, in the case of infection, obviously affects parents as much as children, as it will be their bank details, and consequently their money, that will be in jeopardy.

There are simple measures that can be taken to prevent malicious code from reaching computers through instant messaging: Don't run any file or click any link that reaches you through this channel. At least not before checking that the person who has sent it really is who they claim to be.

Email is another source of risk for young people. In this case there are also several threats:
Firstly, there is spam. Very often, this kind of junk mail is used to advertise anything from online casinos to pharmaceuticals. Children are much more prone to believing the messages that these emails contain, with all the risks that this entails. They can access online casinos and become hooked on gambling, or they could buy pharmaceuticals or even drugs with serious potential health risks.

Next, there are false job offers. While this may not represent a serious threat to young children, it could be a danger to adolescents. These messages normally include what seem to be fantastic job offers. They promise large salaries in exchange for little or no effort. All that is needed is the number of a bank account to which money will be sent, and then, in exchange for a commission, the recipient is asked to forward this money to another account. It seems too good to be true, and any sensible adult would be suspicious. However, a young person looking for easy money could easily fall into the trap. They would then become unwitting accomplices to a crime, as the aim of these transfers is to launder money from criminal activity.

Another risk is that of viruses and malware entering computers. Malicious code distributed through these messages often aim to trick users into clicking a link or downloading a file (which causes the infection) using a wide range of enticing subjects: movie trailers, erotic photos, game downloads, etc. This technique is known as social engineering. Many adults are taken in by these techniques, so it's easy to see how children might take the bait.

The best way to protect young people against these threats is to encourage them to be suspicious of emails from unknown sources. They should be aware that much of what is written in these messages is false and that they should never run files or click on links in these types of emails.

Next, we will look at file-sharing, social networking and blogs...

Kids on the WEB

Article courtesy of Panda Security South Africa.

The amount of new malware (viruses, spyware and other malicious code) that appeared in 2007 increased tenfold with respect to the previous year. Moreover, cyber­crooks have found new tools such as instant messaging (programs like MSN Messenger or Yahoo! Messenger, etc.), file­sharing programs (like eMule or Kazaa) and blogs as a new way to infect users and steal their confidential data.

In other words, the risks of the Internet are increasing and children, as they have the least knowledge, are also the most vulnerable.

Below, we will explain some of the main Internet threats to which children are exposed, and also look at how best they can be protected in subsequent articles. Much of the onus of protection falls on parents and tutors, who must be able to control what children do on the Internet, instructing them in how to enjoy new technologies in a safe and responsible way.

Children and the Internet

According to a study carried out in 2004 by Kleiner and Lewis, 90 percent of children in the USA between the ages of six and ten, regularly access the Internet. In 2006, a study by the American Psychological Association (APA) put the number of American children that regularly surf the Web, enter chatrooms or use IM at between 75 and 90 percent.

Data compiled in the EU tells a similar story. The Euro-barometer reveals that 64 percent of children in Denmark, Holland and the UK are Internet users; in Sweden the figure is 63 percent, in Finland 62 percent and in Estonia 60 percent. With the exceptions of Greece (15%), Cyprus (20%), Slovakia (30%) and Portugal (31%), the picture is similar across the rest of the EU.
In absolute terms, and according to data from Save the Children, more than 13 million children in Europe have frequent access to the Net: four million are under 12 years old and nine million are between 12 and 17. The United Kingdom tops the ranking of children that use the Internet.
With respect to the risks, some 49 percent of children surveyed by Save the Children claimed to have come across Internet content that scared or worried them.

In short, the Internet is a part of children's daily lives. They spend many hours connected to the Net, either at school or at home. That's why parents and children alike must be aware of the risks and know how to mitigate them.

Main risks

Children and young people are exposed to a host of risks on the Internet, from infection of computers by malware to people using false identities to entice them into a physical meeting.

In the following articles we will look at a list of the main threats and discuss how parents and children can combat them.

Life...

This is my first blog....article/post/weblog...whatever you call this thingy.

Wandering into the world of blogging and just wondering what lies around the corner? A weekend of fun and great spirit with the BOKS kicking some AUSSIE Kangeroo ass...

Really don't know, or would my life change because of something or someone, doing something or not doing anything at all...

Life is an adventure so we have to live life to fully experience the joys and fun of life...

Yours truly
Kobus