AOL software at risk and PBS.org hacked

I was one of the original users AOL, probably back in or before  1991, I actually don’t remember the date but it was before the one price all you can use internet, back then you paid by the time used. Since then I have grown to dislike AOL (and I have not used them since they went to the all you can use service).

With that aside, there are some vulnerabilities that need to be patched. Just as in a previous post I warned of JAVA and Adobe vulnerabilities we have some in AOL Radio AmpX and AOL SuperBuddy. Time to run you AOL updates. Continue reading

Installing Internet Explorer 8

Now that I have played with IE 8 for a while, I can feel reasonably safe in recommending that you install it. However, as with anything there is the caveat of taking the default settings.

When the program begins its installation, the first screen will ask if you want to “… improve Internet Explorer” I suggest you select “I do not wish to participate right now”. Continue reading

Fake security warnings are on the rise

Well, it’s that time again. What time you ask? The time for more mal-ware, crap-ware, spy-ware, trojans et al.

In the last 3 weeks we have received more calls per day than we receive in a normal month from people who have pop-ups claiming they are infected or who actually clicked on the pop-up and became infected.

Hacker and @#^&*%$ heads are using news events to spread these fake alerts and infecting computers.

The wild fire stories, the Obama speech in schools, Ted (I can kill and get away with it) Kennedys death, all have sprouted a flurry of fake security warnings, infected e-mail (Phishing attacks), and fake web sites.

Without creating a 3 hour seminar, here are the basics… Continue reading