The Tech Corner

The Tech Corner is a weekly technology news and advice column presented each week courtesy of Melvin McCrary at Ga. Computer Depot in Cedartown.

File Encryption Viruses

While most malware these days has to be “invited” in – by downloading infected files from any source including Dropbox and other cloud storage sites, or by opening infected email attachments – another older class of malware is still present: the network-based threat.

Network-based infections use local network connections to probe for other machines and devices, and then attempt to exploit any vulnerability on these devices. If you connect directly to the internet without any kind of protection (not the free versions), you are apt to have problems.

If your backup drives are connected physically or via the local network to the PC that gets infected with CryptoLocker, your backups may also be encrypted as well.

When that infection process is complete, the malware will display a pop-up message complete with a countdown timer that gives victims a short window of time in which to decide whether to pay the ransom or lose access to the files forever.

Individual Windows users should check out CryptoPrevent, a tiny utility from John Nicholas Shaw, CEO and developer of Foolish IT, a computer consultancy based in Outer Banks, N.C.

Johnny Kessel, a computer repair consultant, has been urging clients to move more of their data to cloud services offered by Google and others. File copying to the Google Drive can be set automatic so that no action is required by the user.

Keep malware and virus tools running and up- to- date. Network-based threats are only one type of malware.

Copying an infected file from another computer to a USB stick, and then placing that file on your own machine, is another way to compromise your machine.

Viruses are often spread through boobytrapped email attachments.

Windows Firewall Protects From Other Network Machines

It used to be the case that Windows Firewall was something most folks, myself included, disabled, as long as there was some other firewall, like a router or an anti-virus.

That’s no longer the case, for two reasons:

First, that advice was based on its impact on your system performance. That’s no longer an issue, and the Windows Firewall can be left on with negligible effect in almost all cases. Second, by leaving it on, you’re protected from malware on your local network.

Windows Firewall will also protect your machine from other computers that share the “safe side” of your router, like your mother, children or guests.

If these computers become infected with network- based malware, then your use of the firewall may stop it from reaching your machine.

Some WiFi routers now include two network connections: the primary connection to your local network, and a second one for the use of guests.

The two are then completely isolated from one another, sharing only the internet connection. The “guest” network can be for your children, mother, or other less risk-conscious individuals without putting your computers at risk.

There is also a way to add an additional router to your network which would accomplish the same result.

Windows 10 Store has a Serious App Search Defect

When Microsoft launched Windows 10, it made a point of telling developers that it was working to improve the capabilities and usefulness of the Windows 10 Store.

According to Nikolaus Gebhardt, developer of the open-source 3D engine Irrlicht, the Windows 10 Store’s search function is broken, almost to the point of being useless. He writes:

You cannot find my apps anywhere in the app store. Unless you know the exact name of my app, you won’t find it. You can type any of the keywords my apps have in their title, description or even in the list of keywords submitted to the store, and it won’t list my apps.

Instead, the app store will simply list 2 or 3 other, useless apps. Judging from the developer forums, there are many other developers with this problem.

When contacting Microsoft about this, they apparently sent the other developers a prewritten text, saying basically that “they have no control over the search results shown in the store”.

The response to Gebhardt’s post proves he’s not alone. Numerous developers have reported that their applications can only be found if you search for the precise name of the app. Developers have been asking Microsoft to address these issues for months with little success. If these complaints are any indication, developers may be less inclined to write code for Windows.

Chrome 48 released with Security Fixes and New Features

This release has 37 security fixes. In addition to problems discovered by Google’s auditing, there was also $10,500 paid in bounties to 8 external researchers for their security disclosures.

Some of our Favorite Free Software Titles:

Agent Ransack - Find files on your PC or network. It is free for both personal and commercial use. Much better than the search function built in to Windows.

VLC Media Player - Media player and converter.

VLC media player is the most flexible audio and video player available. It will play and convert almost any format while performing well with HD and BluRay.

WINRAR – Zip and Unzip program

FireFox - Safest browser

Super AntiSpyware and Malware Bytes – Best free Malware removers (We distribute the paid versions of both products for less than the online price)

Google Drive – 30 GB Free Cloud Storage

TeraCopy - Dramatically speeds file copying and transferring. Skips over and lists bad files instead of stopping the process.

CDBurnerXP – Best CD/DVD and ISO burner

Gimp – Adobe Photoshop clone

Please stop in at 516 Main St., or call 770-7480260 between 9:30 and 6:00 Monday through Friday. We are open Until 3:00 on Saturday. Advice and diagnosis are still free.

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