Mobile malware madness: Favorite target? Android. 3 free security apps

There is an incredible increase in malicious software targeting the Android OS. Using all the common-sense practices you already know is a good starting point. However, there are free resources that can help you keep your Android device free of malware. Check three free good ones here.

See on blogs.computerworld.com

Via:  Scoop.it - pdxtech-info

How to navigate Google’s privacy options | Naked Security

Via Scoop.it – Tech Info for Real Estate

Google is rolling out a new privacy policy on March 1st, 2012. In this article I sum up the changes and provide information on how to control your Google privacy settings.
Via nakedsecurity.sophos.com

Fix Your Security Settings of Facebook Photo-Tagging

The bad guys are exploiting the photo tagging feature to get facebook users to follow links to infected pages or other dubious deeds.

They generally post a picture and tag multiple people, including you, even though you are not in the picture. To combat this latest threat, you may want to consider a few changes to your privacy settings.

 

While the functionality of approving a photo tag before you are tagged is not available in facebook, you can follow the next steps to make it harder for others to tag you without your approval.

 

• Customize your privacy settings so that “Photos and videos I’m tagged in” is set to “Only Me.”
• Set your notifications so that you always know when someone tags you in a photo or tags one of your photos. You can control this setting from the “Notifications” tab on the Account Settings page.
• Click “remove tag” when viewing the photo in which you are tag, and don’t want to be.

Windows shortcut exploit, the solution

Since the public became aware of the latest Windows flaw in the form of an icon/shortcut execution exploit, there has been a lot of chatter as to what is the best way to get protected against it.

Microsoft released a work-around that was dumb (although effective) that blanked out the icons making them ugly white boxes. August 2nd they release an actual patch but with mixed results, all the way from successful to blue screen of dead.

The effectiveness of the patch is only one issue. The actual procedure to install it has gotten mixed results depending on whether you applied the work-around or not. Some say to reverse the work-around before installing the patch, others say reverse it after. Too confusing and unclear as Michael Horowitz describes on his post at http://blogs.computerworld.com/16677/when_to_install_a_patch_is_not_always_obvious.  But we are not ones to give up. We found a better solution. Even though Microsoft doesn’t endorse third party apps this one works. The great folks at Sophos.com created a Windows Shortcut Exploit Protection Tool. Feel free to download and install it. They have made it available free of charge.

If you want a full explanation of the bug and fix, watch the video below, then install the fix. You don’t want your computer hacked, do you?

Symantec’s Norton Rates Cities For Cybercrime Risk

In a recent article published in InformationWeek, Portland, OR ranked # 10 in the list of cities most at risk for cyber crime. Not a surprise since we are, after all the Silicon Forest, and we have a higher percentage of citizen participating in online activities.

Symantec’s Norton Rates Cities For Cybercrime Risk | Security | InformationWeek SMB.

Also here is a link to the iC3 2009 Annual Report on Internet Crime. http://www.ic3.gov/media/2010/100312.aspx Interesting read also.

Take the look at the sources at tell me what you think.

Strong Password Security

I was reading an article this morning by Sarah Beckham about password security. It was a good reminder to freshen up my security by changing my passwords. Sarah gives a couple of simple tips but most importantly serves to remind us.

You may want to also to take three minutes and watch this video by Graham Cluley at Sophos (the authority in security) talking about the same important subject.

“Failed to deliver” delivers malware

Following on the heels of a similar attack claiming to be from Western Union, now there is one claiming to be from UPS. This one appears to be a bit more sophisticated as the tracking number seems to chane over time.

As with the previous attacks, please exercise your best judgment and delete any suspicious emails. I am sure you don’t want to spend the rest of the week indoors with this glorious Portland weather.

You can read the complete post from Sophos here.