What is CryptoLocker?

CryptoLocker is the most destructive windows virus ever created in a series of ransomware Trojans. The combination of its high demand for money and the short space of time given to pay make it far more threatening than other similar viruses.

Hackers have managed to create a programme called ‘CryptoLocker’, a virus that encrypts your files and demands a ransom of $300. So let’s say you’re happily working on your computer and all of a sudden without realising, all of your personal files are quickly being encrypted without your knowledge. Suddenly you will no longer be able to access your files, and an alert will appears on your screen telling you that you have approximately 4 days to either pay $300 to get an encryption key, or have all of your personal files encrypted permanently. You are against the clock as you see it ticking before your eyes, counting down to the inevitability of your end decision. With CryptoLocker, there is no way of getting out of it other than paying the ransom which is so horribly charged. Removing the software from your computer only makes the potential of the encryption key being deleted, therefore getting your files back an impossibility.

How to prevent an infection

The CryptoLocker virus is being spread mainly as attachments on emails, usually hidden as an invoice, with the message that “your invoice is attached”. Be wary of emails from unknown sources, especially with an attachment. If in doubt delete it.

Most preventions of the infection would need to be done before you are actually infected in order for them to work. You can back-up your personal files onto USB sticks, CD’s, Hard drives and even online onto the cloud, which means that if you are unlucky to be struck by the CryptoLocker virus, then even though you may have your files encrypted on your computer, then a backup of them will be safe and sound on a device or online, un-touched and ready to be used.
It is always worth having anti-virus software such as AVG, McAfee or Sophos, in order to ensure the safety of your computer against most viruses, and to scan your computer regularly to make sure that there are no existing viruses that may be of threat to your computer.

If you manage to get CryptoLocker on your computer, it is advised to turn your computer off right away as this will prevent the spread of infection across your files. If you have backed up your files and have anti-virus then you are safe to remove it as your files will already be backed up and the virus will not be able to do anything once it is removed.

What if I have not backed up my files?

Unfortunately if your files aren’t backed up after you get the virus then there isn’t much more you can do other than pay the ransom, it has been reported by some victims that paying the ransom does work and is your best hope for getting the encrypted files back.
We need to make the internet aware of this virus as it is spreading like wildfire, make sure your employees, your friends and your family know that this virus is out there to ensure their computers are safe.

Free AVG anti-virus

Win an @Tab 7″ Tablet Computer

The @Tab 7″ Tablet features Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and Flash 11 Support. Packed with technology including a Dual Core 1.6GHz processor, 16GB storage and a 5 point multi-touch display, it’s perfect for web browsing, playing the latest games or keeping up to date with work on the go. With its HDMI out port you can connect the tablet to your HDTV for watching films or playing the latest games on the big screen.

@Tab comes preloaded with lots of must-have apps with loads more to download on the Play Store. Bluetooth 2.1 enables you to connect multiple devices wirelessly, or you can connect and charge devices with the USB 2.0 and Mini USB port. Online access is easy thanks to the built-in Wi-Fi connection, and when you’ve located your nearest Wi-Fi hotspot you can stay up to date with your emails and social

Technical Specifications:

Despite Yahoo’s best efforts, users of yahoo mail continue to be reporting incidents of email account hacking. Hackers continue to defy Yahoo’s efforts to boost security and fix vulnerabilities in its Yahoo Mail service. Yahoo Mail users first reported seeing their accounts compromised as far back as early January. We’re now in March, and it appears that Yahoo still has a big problem on its hands.

Behind Microsoft and Google, Yahoo is the third largest email provider in the world. Even if a small percentage of accounts are affected, this can account for millions of users having their personal information shared, stolen and exposed. The attacks typically involve users getting an email from a friend or colleague or even a completely unknown party containing a link. The link may lead to the account being hijacked and sending emails to the victim’s contacts.

Regardless of whether the flaws haven’t been patched properly or if these are new flaws, it’s simply unacceptable for Yahoo Mail users to have their accounts hijacked so easily and for Yahoo to stay passive for so long. Given the clear lack of a fix for the issue, despite Yahoo’s assurances that all is well, the company may see a large decline in users in the coming weeks.

On a side note, if you are a business and you’re using free email accounts such as Yahoo, Gmail and Hotmail, then for the future you should be thinking about and planning to switch your e-mail to a more professional account. As an example, if you own your own domain and have a website that is being hosted then you should think about an email address such as john@yourdomain.com. The main reasons why it is more advantageous to use this kind of account can be seen below.

Yahoo and other free e-mail accounts are fine for personal use, but for businesses there are potential issues. There are two main issues with free email addresses, the first being when you send e-mails out to people you are more likely to end up in their junk mail because free e-mail addresses have a lot higher ratio of spammers than any other. This issue is an especially critical one if you are using a free e-mail address for sales and marketing as this will limit your potential reach for any e-mail marketing campaigns.

The second problem is that, generally other businesses or customers, depending on your market, will not trust a free email account if they have never met you before, because perception plays a crucial role in the consumer purchase decision process. How will they perceive you and your products and services if they see that your email address is a free internet one? Probably cheap and untrustworthy.

If you have been affected by your yahoo or other free email account being hacked, or if you feel that you need a better and more professional e-mail provider, then please feel free to give us a call and we may be able to provide you with a better option going forward.

We have recently heard that the supplier of the BT PC Backup service have gone into administration, affecting 3 of BT’s online backup services, which include BT PC Backup, BT Business Protect and PC Business Protect Multi. BT have emailed all their PC Backup customers explaining what actions are needed to protect their data.

The PC Backup services are currently running normally, and customers are being informed to retrieve their data as soon as possible. Full information may be found on their website http://business.bt.com/it-support-and-security/pc-backup/

What you need to do if you use the following backup services:

• BT PC Backup
• BT Business Protect
• BT Business Protect Multi

All customers are advised to backup their data to an external hard disk, USB drive or move to another online data backup service. Feel free to check our Data Backup Services web page, or telephone 0843 2893818 to speak to one of the team.

With prices starting at £5+VAT per month for 10GB of secure online data storage, our data backup service provides:

• UK Data Centres
• All files encrypted
• Backups only the data that has changed
• Stored in bunker conditions

According to research data recently published by Symantec Shows that almost a quarter of any businesses data is stored in the cloud.

The IT security firm claims 23% of all business information globally is held in a mixture of public, private and hybrid cloud infrastructure.

The IT security firm said it expected IT departments to shift workloads from on premise to off premise clouds in order to reap the benefits such as cost saving,  better data protection than on site data and easily accessible data while on the move or from home.

Get ahead of the curve by allowing Mad Computer Solutions Ltd to meet all your cloud storage and online business needs.

Microsoft Office 365

Office 365 is a cloud based service which is hosted by Microsoft. Office 365 is designed so that once you are signed up you will be able to work online from any device and from any location. Office 365 includes the standard Office applications, including Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint all provided as a simple monthly payment .

There are several different packages to choose from for your Office 365 subscription. These packages are designed to fit any size of business, whether you are a one man band, small business or corporate organisation. MAD Computers are able to help with advice to companies in Birmingham and the west Midlands, including choosing the correct package, configuration and training.

Starting from as little as £2.60 per user .

Secure Online Data Backup

Whatever the size of your company, imagine the cost of a loss of some or even all of your data. According to the Department of Trade and Industry, 70% of businesses that suffer a major data loss are out of business within 18 months. Offsite backup protects your vital information from all eventualities. A hosted backup solution removes these risks and brings your business complete peace of mind. Your business data is safe, secure and accessible, whenever you need it.

Your data is stored in UK based Data Centres which are geographically dispersed, to store your business information securely. The Data Centres replicate the services provided, holding identical copies of your data backups. Our backup solution uses advanced technology to replicate company data, ensuring that only new files and the changes made to old files are replicated, making your backup process incredibly efficient. The frequency is up to you.

With prices starting at £5 per month for 10GB of secure UK based storage could you afford not to?

A quarter of a million Twitter users have had their accounts compromised in the latest of a string of high-profile internet security breaches.

Twitter said in a blog post that the passwords were encrypted and that it had already reset them as a “precautionary measure,” and that it was in the process of notifying affected users.

The blog post noted recent revelations of large-scale cyber attacks against the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, but unlike the two news organizations, Twitter did not provide any detail on the origin or methodology of the attacks.

“This attack was not the work of amateurs, and we do not believe it was an isolated incident,” Twitter said. “The attackers were extremely sophisticated, and we believe other companies and organizations have also been recently similarly attacked.”

Privately held Twitter, which has 200 million active monthly users, said it was working with government and federal law enforcement officials to track down the attackers.

The company did not specifically link the attacks to China in the blog post, in contrast to the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, which both said the hackers originated in China.

Twitter, the social network known for its 140-character messages, could not speculate on the origin of the attacks as its investigation was ongoing, said spokesman Jim Prosser.

“There is no evidence right now that would indicate that passwords were compromised,” said Prosser.

The attack is not the first time that hackers have breached Twitter’s systems and gained access to Twitter user information. Twitter signed a consent decree with the Federal Trade Commission in 2010, subjecting the company to 10 years of independent privacy reviews, for failing to safeguard users’ personal information.

We highly recommend changing your password on a regular bases, and when such an event does occur that you change your password immediately.

German federal police are warning about a computer virus that accuses victims of viewing “juvenile pornography”.

It also displays an image that it claims reveals images of child sexual abuse have been viewed on a computer.

The Windows virus locks a computer and only returns control to its owner on payment of a 100 euro (£86) fine.

It purports to be collecting cash on behalf of German copyright authorities and the country’s national computer security agency.

The virus amounted to “digital extortion” and victims should not pay up, said German police.

The warning about the novel strain of ransomware was issued by Germany’s Federal Criminal police office (the Bundeskriminalamt or BKA).

The ransomware version found by the BKA uses a pop-up window that says the machine has been locked down due to “unauthorised network activity”. The window is crafted to look like it has been put together by Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BKI) and its society for prosecution of copyright infringement (GVU).

‘Emotional blackmail’

Text in the window claims that images of child sexual abuse as well as pirated content have been found on the machine. Also displayed is an picture of a child which it claims reveals illegal images have been viewed.

Rik Ferguson, director of security research at Trend Micro, said it was the first time he had heard of ransomware displaying images that users were accused of harbouring.

“It seems that they are attempting to increase the pressure of this kind of emotional blackmail,” he told the BBC.

Germany’s BKA said users should not pay the fine “under any circumstances” and added that neither the BKI or GVU collected cash in this way from those suspected of viewing illegal images or pirating content. Instead, users should use anti-virus and other security software to clean up their PC and deal with the virus.

“This is a form of digital extortion,” said the BKA in its alert about the virus.

Ransomware, which tries to make victims pay an on-the-spot fine, is becoming more prevalent but most strains simply accuse people of pirating movies or music. Others scramble data that is only unscrambled when a fee is paid.

Security firm Symantec said it was seeing more and more strains of ransomware and said it could be “highly profitable” for its creators. It estimated that ransomware makers were already making about $5m (£3m) a year from such malicious code.

An ambitious plan to update classic space trading game Elite has hit its funding target. Some of you may remember the old Elite game from back in the mid 80’s as being one of the first open world 3D space adventure games on the BBC Micro.

David Braben, one of the game’s original creators, sought £1.25m via crowd-sourcing site Kickstarter to fund the 21st century update of the 1984 classic. A last minute surge of pledges helped it reach its goal less than 24 hours before the funding deadline ran out.

Funding squeeze
Elite: Dangerous debuted on Kickstarter on 5 November and set itself 60 days to raise £1.25m. In November, Mr Braben said Elite was a game he had wanted to come back to for a “long, long time”.

Although some early work on the multiplayer title had been done at Mr Braben’s game studio Frontier Developments, but needed the cash to turn the code into a finished playable product. If the game did not hit its funding target then development work would stop.

Getting the cash via Kickstarter was preferable to using an established publisher because it gave Frontier and those who backed it total control over how the final game would turn out, said Mr Braben,

The finished game, he said, would keep the central trading, travel and spaceship combat elements of the original but add far better graphics, physics and feature a much larger chunk of the universe for people to play in.

Fund tracking site Kicktraq showed that after an initial surge the number of people backing the project tailed off dramatically. On its second day on Kickstarter raised more than £271,000. However, soon after pledge totals rarely got over £10,000.

A surge of pledges came forward in the closing few days of Elite’s fund-raising drive thanks to an appearance on social news site Reddit by Mr Braben and with the help of comedian Dara O Briain who urged his 1.2 million Twitter followers to back it.

When the funding target was passed, Mr Braben thanked all the backers via a message on Twitter.

“It is truly exciting, touching, and really wonderful,” he said.

The Ubuntu operating system has been adapted to run on smartphones.

Using a small piece of code which will easily replace the Android on a Samsung Galaxy or Nexus Phone. The Popular Linux-based software will allow users to run desktop apps on their handsets, allowing them to double for PCs when docked to monitors.

Ubuntu is amongst the most popular operating system to be based on the Linux kernel – the code that lets software and hardware work together. With an estimated figure of more than 20 million PCs already use it. In many cases these are older machines which benefit from the fact it is less demanding on computer power than Windows – and is virus-free.

The new version has been designed to work on last and current-generation Android handsets which share the Linux kernel. This means Ubuntu can re-use existing software drivers to control the hardware.There are already 45,000 native apps for the system – albeit with several notable omissions such as Adobe’s Photoshop and the Office suite, although alternatives do exist. In addition Ubuntu can run web apps written in the widely-adopted HTML5 language.

Ubuntu’s founder, Mark Shuttleworth, said he was in talks with manufacturers for devices to be sold with the system pre-installed within the year, despite questions from analyts wondering if consumers really want the power of a fully fledged computer on their phone.

iPhone 5S

It’s seeming to become a trend that Apple release a “S” update to their phones before moving up an integer.

Possible features? While not all of the features of this new mobile have been announced. It’s speculated by industry analysts that it should feature a new “super HD camera/screen, a better battery and NFC [near field communication – used in such things as contactless payment systems]”. Additionally it’s likely to be produced in a variety of colours.

When can I buy one? With the ever increasing speed of mobile phone advancement, it’s likely that it will be seen sometime around June.

Apple iTV

There has been speculation for some years that Apple would make a land grab for the TV market. Apple CEO Tim Cook recently remarked that turning on a TV is like going “backwards in time by 20 or 30 years”. That is, like the music and phone industry previously, it’s in need of an Apple update.

Possible features? Cult of Mac reported that the TV would feature both Siri and iSight to enable voice and face recognition – iPhones and iPads could also be used to control it.

When can I buy one? Gene Munster (industry analyst) has predicted that the Apple iTV will be launched in October 2013: “It should cost $1,500-$2,000 and come in sizes from 42 inches to 55 inches.” It is likely a UK version would only be released when licensing deals with British TV channels are finalised.

Xbox 720 / Infinity

Microsoft’s long-awaited follow-up to the Xbox 360, rumoured to be called the Infinity.

Possible features? Like the Kinect, the console will use motion detection technology and T3 recently revealed that Microsoft had filed a patent concerning projecting augmented reality 3D images on walls, which would require you to wear Wi-Fi-enabled 3D glasses. May also include a Blu-ray drive.

When can I buy one? A Microsoft executive did talk about a “new Xbox” but this statement was quickly withdrawn by the company; however, the company has placed job ads which mention the new console. A Bloomberg report says the XBox 720 is likely to be available from autumn 2013.

Amazon phone

The internet giant is said to be adding a phone to its range of Kindle readers.

Possible features? Don’t expect any revolutionary hardware, but the software will allow seamless integration between Amazon’s Appstore, Amazon MP3, Amazon Cloud Player and Kindle books. In short, it will be more of an multipurpose Amazon revenue-generating device than a phone. As PC Magazine has suggested, it’s likely to be cheap. This is because Amazon is expected to subsidise the cost of the handset and the monthly price plan using the revenue from the vast amount of Amazon media, electronics and whatnot you are inevitably going to purchase with it. It is also likely to come pre-loaded with a bar code scanner, which will point out how much cheaper everything is on Amazon. Yes, it does sound pretty Faustian.

When can I buy one? Your pact could start in mid-2013.

Augmented reality glasses

Google and a company called Vuzix are lining up futuristic specs for people who can’t bear not to be connected.

Possible features? More of a headset than a pair of spectacles, the Vuzix projects a small colour image in front of your eye, runs the Android operating system and connects via Bluetooth to your phone. The screen could show you text messages, emails or map directions.

What this device’s killer app will turn out to be is anyone’s guess. It could, for instance, use face recognition to remind you of fellow partygoers’ names, their CVs and their latest Facebook status updates and tweets – never be stuck for small talk again! A scary Charlie Brooker-scripted future is heading our way, basically.

When can I buy one? Summer 2013 for under £500. Google Glass isn’t expected until 2014.

Nest

A “learning thermostat” designed by two former Apple employees, it has already been described as the “iPhone of thermostats” by Wired.

Possible features? Via Wi-Fi, it connects with your smartphone, allowing you to control your heating whether you’re at home or not. Over time it learns your schedule and designs a heating or air-conditioning programme around it. It can detect when you’re not at home. And it looks pretty: it glows orange for heating, blue for cooling.

When can I buy one? They’re already available in the US for £250 – the manufacturer claims you will claw that back in utility bill savings in two years.