Ga. Computer Depot Computer Corner

Most Users Don’t Use Windows Update Properly:

A new report suggests that many Windows users do not use the Windows Update feature to download and install the latest security patches from Microsoft.

Windows Update gives users two options: manual and automatic updates. With the manual option, users must initiate security downloads themselves, which can be carried out when it’s most convenient. The automatic option begins the download and installation process without requiring user input. Many people delay security updates because they don’t want to lose access -- even temporarily -- to their computers.

Updates Delayed for Days

There have been occasions in the past that Windows Updates created problems.

Microsoft had to issue new patches to correct the problems (this is why many industry experts leave their computers on manual update).

Malware Scam Hits Yahoo, AOL, and Match.com

Some of the web’s most popular sites, including Yahoo, AOL, and Match. com, were recently hit by a wave of malicious advertisements linked to ransomware.

The attack was carried out using vulnerabilities in web browser plugins. File- encrypting software Crypto Wall is automatically (and silently) installed on victim’s PCs. We recommend Firefox as a browser because it seems to be less susceptible to Viruses and Malware as long as it is kept up to date.

The malicious advertising appeared on 22 websites, including realestate.aol.com, and sev- eral Yahoo pages, including Yahoo Finance and Yahoo Sports. Three million visitors per day were exposed to this malware threat. Between mid-March and August 24, 2014, nearly 625,000 systems were infected with Crypto Wall,” the Dell Counter Threat Unit reports.

Crypto Wall infected more than half a million systems last year, netting cyber crooks an estimated $1 million USD. Crypto Wall is a form of ransomware that takes control of a system, encrypts files, and then demands a ransom. Victims are forced to pay large sums ($400.00 and up) to regain access to their files.

The infected advertisements used were imitations of legitimate ads for Microsoft’s Bing search engine, retailer Fancy, and manufacturer Case Logic.

GCD recommends that all users keep their browsers, operating systems, and browser plugins up-to-date to prevent Viruses and Malware. GCD has the ability to repair this problem, but it is very important that we receive the infected Computer as soon as you lose the ability to access your files. The damage gets worse as time goes on.

Home Depot Alerted by Secret Service

The Home Depot did not learn of the security breach until notified by the U.S.

Secret Service, which told the retailer that hackers were selling stolen credit card numbers on the black market. The Home Depot then initiated an investigation which revealed that malware had been installed on a store computer, and then later deleted it.

Reports suggest the hackers behind the attack gained access to the retailer’s systems by exploiting a security flaw in Microsoft Windows.

Although that vulnerability has reportedly since been patched, The Home Depot has taken recent action to ensure its highest-ranking employees are no longer using Windows. According to The Wall Street Journal, The Home Depot’s IT department recently purchased several dozen secure iPhones and MacBooks for seniorlevel executives.