Be careful!

marshg246

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Computers and especially servers are under attack all the time. I have software running on my web server that prevents and reports on the attempted hacks and sends me a weekly report. Until this week, most attacks have been from Russia and China and they were from groups of computers. I permanently block them. This week there were MANY more than usual and about half were from individual computers in the US and about half of those were servers hosted by Amazon. Basically it means that the hackers (probably from Russia and China) are stepping up their efforts tor recruit US home computers and more importantly, Amazon hosted servers.

Generally speaking, hackers cannot do anything to your computer unless you allow/help them to! In fact, generally speaking they cannot "see" your computer from the outside without your help. Don't click links in emails or texts even from people you know unless they tell you they are sending the email with a link! If the account on your computer has administrator privileges, make another account that is not and use that for everything you can. Make sure you have virus protection on your computer. If a Windows computer, keep it up to date!

If your computer is working but has slowed down - it may have been turned into a hacker's zombie. You may be attacking others without even knowing it.
 
I've been running BitDefender virus/internet protection for past 6 yrs on my PC and wife's Mac. Seems to be doing a great job for the reasonable price.
 
My internet supplier (BT) recently changed their anti virus software provider from Macafee to Norton.
Not sure if it's the older, slower version with good back up, the later version with virtually no back up, but just hope it's not the latest version that doesn't appear to do anything..... as yet! :-)
 
Scammers/hackers everywhere trying to get money out of everyone, its been getting worst, if only these criminals put their talents to good instead of evil, but then there are countries trying to get into every ones business from GOV departments to Military secrets, every country has a spy services and some countries have factories set up for hackers working 24/7 chasing anything they can, everyone need to protect any device they use, don't rely on the inbuilt systems as they only give min. protection and always upgrade when reconmended by what ever anti virus system you run, you got to be smart in what you open and don't trust anyone they are even targeting our smart TVs, eyes and ears everywhere even big brother is watching.

Ashley
 
Heard on MSNBC's TRMS tonight that a russian on-line news outlet got hacked by a pair of ex-employees, no longer in country, such that all the on-line new stories for the day (Russian VE day at that), were replaced with pro Ukrainian, anti Putin stories and giving actual truthful accounts of russian aggression in UKraine. Also all the smart TV on-screen channel guides were hacked to display anti putin slogans.

So there are examples of hackers using their talents for good.
 
I just read recently that one should never use a USB charging dock in a public place, i.e. a hotel business suite or room. Your own charging "cube", run off the local electric outlet is fine should the USB dock be compromised.

Slick
 
I just read recently that one should never use a USB charging dock in a public place, i.e. a hotel business suite or room. Your own charging "cube", run off the local electric outlet is fine should the USB dock be compromised.

Slick
I haven't heard that but it makes sense. The primary purpose of USB is to transfer data to/from the device. A part of that is providing power and ground so small devices like memory sticks could be used without their own power supply. A side effect is that USB can be used to charge devices. Your own USB charger plugged into the wall is safe because you know it doesn't connect to another computer directly or indirectly.
 
Most phones should have a security feature on their charging/data ports that prompt you to allow file transfer via the port. Mine has this, making me go into security settings to permit image/file transfer whenever I need to transfer data. Otherwise it just allows charging. This is a Blackberry running Android OS.
 
Most phones should have a security feature on their charging/data ports that prompt you to allow file transfer via the port. Mine has this, making me go into security settings to permit image/file transfer whenever I need to transfer data. Otherwise it just allows charging. This is a Blackberry running Android OS.
My Samsung Galaxy 9+ (up-to-date Andriod OS) does not do that. I connect and disconnect it to/from my computer many times a day. That may be a Blackberry feature.
 
I never do internet banking. And the only accessible money scammers can get is by getting my password to Paypal. I sometimes get messages ostensibly from Paypal which claim my account has been hacked and offers a link. I never use that link. If I access Paypal, I always do it through Google. It would be easy to set up a fake Paypal page to get the password. I think Ebay saves that password. So I check my account now and then.
On very rare occasions, I have sent credit card details by email. I think that is dangerous.
I do not do money by mobile phone.
 
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I never do internet banking. And the only accessible money scammers can get is by getting my password to Paypal. I sometimes get messages ostensibly from Paypal which claim my account has been hacked and offers a link. I never use that link. If I access Paypal, I always do it through Google. It would be easy to set up a fake Paypal page to get the password. I think Ebay saves that password. So I check my account now and then.
On very rare occasions, I have sent credit card details by email. I think that is dangerous.
I do not do money by mobile phone.
When pay Pal sends you a email they always give your full name, fake Pay Pal emails will only address you by your email address, same with banks they will never ask for your pass word from email or phone contacts and of course you never never open attachments in emails, internet banking is safe through your bank as these days all local banks are closing their branches, I have done a few deals and sent money direct to the other persons accounts by internet banking, so simple but you still got to be careful who you send money to, do your home work first, there are scammer everywhere trying to get our money, you just got to be one step ahead of them.
Scam emails are easy to check where they are coming from by clicking on their email address as they will have more letters and number than the genuine address.
Always check your bank statements as well, if you find a small amount of money been taken out of your account every month without knowing who it or for get onto your bank and ask why as small amount you don't usually pick up and over time can all add up, happened to me my wife sign up for something for free and by the time I found it they had milked $300 over time the bank stopped it straight away and their fraud dept. investergated it they returned the $300 within a few hours of contacting the bank and they cancel the wife debit card, she had a new card a few days later, its a major problem these days cashless money and with internet banking you can check your account anytime of the day 24/7.
You just got to be one step ahead and be smart in what you do and have good virus protection on your computer.

Ashley
 
Also it's a good idea to watch a lot of the scam videos on you tube there is a lot of good guys on you tube trying to stuff them up some times with the police arresting scammers . I lot of them in India.
 
Last week, the attacks really accelerated. Attack counts from China and that area, Russia, the UK and the US remained about the same. Now there are attacks coming from Monaco, Romania, Germany, Brazil, and Belize. All told 96 new computers attempted to log onto to my web server. When you consider that I permanently block all new attackers each week, that's a lot. Can you imagine the attacks on big, well-known sites?
 
2 step verification is essential for any on-line accounts, but even that isn't unhackable

Ya, I use three factors. The most important on being that you can only logon from my IP address or from the console. I monitor those trying and block them forever from reaching the server at all. I also monitor web site hacking attacks - one try and they are forever blocked from reaching the server at all.
 
Thank You Greg,
That's really good for all of us, the efforts You have implemented. Being the old codger I am, that fortunately
keeps gettin' older, hadn't really considered how safe the site is. Actually my first time here the in 'the pub'.
Some good banter Fella's, Excellent site, great group that loves the same thing, being where I reside,
there are no other British bike people that live close to me anymore. Even then there were only 3 or 4 of us.
All of the collective knowledge found here, wouldn't be possible without the good side of the interwebs...
Dave
Ride.
 
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