Colorado Flood Victims Get a Break with $500 Relief for Data Recovery

Here is a very generous offer from my hard drive recovery partner DriveSavers.   Please feel free to forward this to someone who might benefit from it. 

Residents of flood-stricken towns in Colorado have experienced unthinkable devastation. Now, DriveSavers is stepping in to help them put the digital pieces of their lives back together. From irreplaceable family memories to critical tax documents, we're reaching out to people who've lost their important data due to flooding and water damage. Until December 1, we're offering $500 off of our data recovery services for single hard drives: one recovery per person and one recovery per business.

To start the data recovery process, call me at 303-997-2719 and leave your name and contact telephone number.

Cryptolocker is the next big threat

The newest threat is very, very bad.   Cryptolocker has no real fix, here is what wikipedia has to say, 

When CryptoLocker infects a computer it encrypts in place files on the target computer and then displays and ransom message demanding payment within a certain amount of time. Unlike many other strains of ransomware, CryptoLocker is well done and does exactly as it says. The files are securely encrypted and the decryption key is never on the host machine and so can never be decrypted unless the ransom is paid. The files are reliably unencrypted upon payment and the countdown is real, payment can not be made after it expires. There are several different variants, each with a different ransom amount (either 100 or 300 USD) and countdown times (100 or 72 hours).

Removing the virus does not restore the encrypted files and may make it more difficult to pay the random. Most anti-virus software does not catch it until it is to late and the encryption is fully or partially complete.

Wikipedia 

If that was not depressing enough, check out Microsoft's response, 

Trojan:Win32/Crilock.A

That's right, restore from back up is the only option, IF the back up is not corrupted, or pay the ransom and hope that you get it restored.  If you get the infection, or happen to know someone who may have it, please contact me, I would be happy to see if there is anything that I can do. 

My Favorite Malware and Toolbar Cleaner

There have been a lot of different Malware and Toolbar Cleaners, but by far the one that I find the most effective as of late is AdwCleaner. This write up pretty much sums it up for for me, 

"Many antivirus programs and uninstaller programs can handle browser toolbars and other crapware, but sometimes, even they can't uninstall all the pieces. Heck, sometimes you aren't even sure what you're looking for. AdwCleaner is a portable program that finds every last bit of crapware on your system for you, with just one click."

From Lifehacker

I strongly suggest that you check out AdwCleaner, but remember that once it gets this easy to remove Malware and Toolbars, you may no longer think that they no no longer a issue.  Check out the download site here, 

AdwCleaner

Warning, certain Xerox scanners/photocopiers can switch numbers on scans

I came across this article recently, and it is my worst nightmare come true.  I have always been a little circumspect when coping and scanning documents, but never thought that it would actually happen.

Based on this report, certain Xerox photo copiers have a habit of changing numbers.  

 The full story is here,

 Xerox Work Centers Switching Numbers when scanning

Here is a sample of the problem, 

This looks like a limited problem on a couple of models of Xerox machines, but once this becomes better distributed I can only imagine the fall out.   The site article is definitely worth a read, and Xerox is very focused on resolving the problem, but one can only imagine the problems that might, or have arisen from the issue.  

Be sure to review the list of the affected printer/copier/scanners.   The last thing that you would want is to have this issue befall you after it has been discovered.

Is your web cam taking pictures when you do not want it too?

I am not usually the paranoid one when it comes to invasion of privacy via or on the internet, I am of the mind that privacy in this zone was compromised from day one.   Even so I am concerned by the increasing frequency of hacks and compromises concerning web cams and mobile cams.  

Most recently this hack appeared, 

Smile! Hackers Can Silently Access Your Webcam Right Through The Browser (Again)

Even though it is reported to have been fixed,  I am more concerned of its existence in the first place.

Further to this you have the Arron's Computer Rental spyware, 

How spyware on rental PCs captured users’ most intimate moments

and the FBI in this case, 

FBI denied permission to spy on hacker through his webcam

These instances have prompted me to to even more vigilant when it comes to who can access my computer and why, and has even made me think about taping up my web cam.  What are you thoughts?