A Valentine Warning For You
By Cate Eales
Appeared February 12, 2009 on castanet.net
Just in time for Valentine's Day, a computer worm and
more annoyance-ware. How to avoid that; how to get rid of the old Java
versions hanging around on your computer, and more on the Web Of Trust.
Beware of Valentine's Day Malware
There are two known computer worms making the rounds, just in time for
Valentine's Day. The first is known as
Conficker,
which spreads via USB and other external drives, and via network shares.
Microsoft issued a patch to close a security hole which Conficker exploits
way back in October of last year. However, not everyone applied the patch,
and the worm continues to spread.
Computer security experts also warn that a spam with a Valentine's Day
theme has been spreading. The spam arrives via an email with lines like
"All my love" and "In your arms." The email doesn't contain any malware,
but if you click on the link in it, you'll be taken to a website with a
picture of some hearts on it. Just visiting the web page doesn't infect
your computer. But if you click anywhere on the hearts and download the
file that's offered to you, your computer will become infected.
click to enlarge photo
Take precautions! To prevent Conficker from messing with your computer,
make sure you have the Microsoft update
here. You should be checking for updates regularly anyway, via
Microsoft Update.
As always, be wary of clicking on links in emails, especially from people
you don't know. And if, for some reason, you find yourself looking at
those hearts, resist the urge to find out which one is for you --- don't
click on them, and don't download the file.
Get rid of those old versions of Java
If you visit the
Secunia Online Scanner, you might get a result that says you have
several version of Java installed. Generally, it's a good idea to get rid
of those old versions. The traditional way to uninstall them is via the
Add/Remove programs (XP) or Programs and Features | Uninstall (Vista), and
there's nothing wrong with that method. If you have quite a few old
versions piled up, though, you might want to try JavaRa. JavaRa will look
for the most recent version of Java, install it, and clear out all the
obsolete versions in one big whack. You can get it
here. When you're all
through, check the
Java
page to make sure you have the current version.
More about WOT
Last week's column generated
a lot of email about Web
Of Trust, most of it asking if WOT is compatible with other programs.
WOT is not an anti-virus or anti-spyware program like Norton, Ad-aware, or
Spybot Search & Destroy. Those programs offer some protection from malware
and viruses trying to get in. The also look for things that have gotten in
and don't belong there, and then try to get rid of them.
WOT doesn't do any of that, it just warns you about potentially dangerous
sites and discourages you from visiting them. It shouldn't interfere with
your anti-virus or anti-spyware programs; it's more of an enhancement for
them.
Do you need spyware/malware/virus removal? Do you need help with
your computer? With your printer/camera/music player? Do you
have a virus or a spyware problem? Do you have a new computer and
now you're wondering how to get the files from the old one over to the new
one? I'm here to help you and your computer get along! To ask a question,
make a comment or suggestion, or schedule a visit, email
cate@rlis.com. You can read previous columns
here. If you'd like to
subscribe to this column by email,
please visit this link. It's easy, and free. If you'd prefer the
RSS Feed, click here.
Links
Conficker
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conficker
Microsoft Bulletin MS08-067
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS08-067.mspx
Microsoft Update
http://update.microsoft.com/
Secunia Online Inspector
http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/online/
JavaRa
http://raproducts.org/
Java
http://java.com/en/download/installed.jsp
Keeping Spyware Out
http://rlis.com/columns/column184.htm
Web Of Trust
http://www.mywot.com/
Getting Along With Your Computer Column Archives
http://rlis.com/column.htm
Get Cate's column by email
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---
Cate Eales has been helping people make online computing safe, accessible
and fun for over 20 years. She lives in Kelowna with her husband, Eric,
and her dog, Sandy. Cate is a partner in Real Life Internet Solutions,
helping individuals and small businesses with virus, spyware and malware
eradication; personal computer training and management; digital image
management; music transfer; and website design, hosting and management.
Email Cate at cate@rlis.com with your
comments, suggestions, or questions. To browse the column archives, visit
the Real Life Internet Solutions website at
www.rlis.com.
©
Cate Eales 2009 – All Rights Reserved
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