Apple announces new Desktops on the way, Windows 10: The 10 biggest controversies and surprises in 2016.

Tim Cook says 'great desktops' are on the way for Apple

The death of the desktop computer has been touted for a number of years now with many people using tablets and smartphones for surfing the internet and email.  However for serious work you cannot accomplish (at least efficiently) the amount of work and creativity that you can with a desktop.  Now with iPad sales flagging Apple's Tim Cook recently told employees that new desktops are in Apple's future.  Read full article at following link;

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/tim-cook-says-great-desktops-are-on-the-way-for-apple/?ftag=TREb82e1fa&bhid=2219791

https://www.onsparks.com/flagging-ipad-sales-may-continue/


Windows 10: The 10 biggest controversies & surprises in 2016

Microsoft flagship OS has generated it's share of user backlash.  Some of the things Redmond has been accused of is tricking Windows 7 and 8 users into upgrading to Windows 10, forced updates, OS bugs and more bugs, spying on users.

Users who wanted to stick with Windows 7 & 8 were disappointed when they learned the legacy OSs would not be supported on new AMD and Intel processors.

Read more at;

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/windows-10-the-10-biggest-controversies-and-surprises-in-2016/?ftag=TREe09998f&bhid=2219791


Locky ransomware: How this malware menace evolved in just 12 months

As soon as Security companies add detection for known malware to their software and devices, the bad guys update their payload with new features to evade detection.  The Locky ransomware has received multiple updates in the past year.  Security company Check Point said that Locky is the second most prevalent malware worldwide and that several different groups customize the malware so there are multiple versions in use.  Read the article at;

http://www.zdnet.com/article/locky-ransomware-how-this-malware-menace-evolved-in-just-12-months/?loc=newsletter_large_thumb_related&ftag=TRE0fb9d06&bhid=2219791

http://www.zdnet.com/article/the-cost-of-ransomware-attacks-1-billion-this-year/



New 6th generation PCs available from DFS-Driving Force Software

Intel 7th Generation Notebooks

Yahoo Biggest Hack ever, Microsoft Surface sales Surge on disappointing MacBook Pro

Yahoo Suffers World's Biggest Hack Affecting 1 Billion Users

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/yahoo-hackers-stole-information-1b-accounts-44196851

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/yahoo-says-hackers-stole-information-221214183.html

The link below is to a site that allows you to check if your email address has been compromised and which sites your information was stolen.  I have already checked some friends and clients, some of which are at jeopardy.  Protect yourself and change your passwords.

https://haveibeenpwned.com/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamtanner/2014/04/14/these-sites-tell-which-of-your-accounts-have-been-hacked/#6db0eb2d4e8e

and from the I told you so file... a couple of posts ago.

Microsoft: Surface sales surge on "disappointment" with MacBook Pro

https://www.yahoo.com/news/microsoft-says-disappointment-macbook-pro-163640415.html

and for Apple the news gets worse.

Apple’s new TV app shows how painfully behind it is

http://www.theverge.com/2016/12/14/13938628/apple-tv-app-amazon-fire-netflix-cable-streaming

New 7th Generation Intel Core processors, 4K graphics, 3.5x performance and more

Intel has introduced their newest Core processors, the 7th Generation.

The processors are based on an industry leading 14nm manufacturing process that deliver significant performance gains and power efficiencie over previous generations.

The newest processors deliver much in performance.  You will experience

• Amazing 4K, 360 degree viewing and editing

• Native support for USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt 3 connectivity

• A new wave of thin and stylish devices

There are 2 new families in the mobile processor level

The Y-Series (mobile) which boasts extremely low power.

• Intel Core m3-7Y30 processors
• Intel Core i5-7Y54 processors
• Intel Core i7-7Y75 processors

1. The Y series are extremely low power, runs cool using (TDP < or = 4.5W).
2. This allows for fanless, quiet and razor-thin designs.
3. These are great for tablets and detachable 2 in 1 devices with amazing battery life.

Then there is the U-Series (mobile), ultra-low power

• Intel Core i3-7100U processors
• Intel Core i5-7200U processors
• Intel Core i7-7500U processors

1. Ultra-low power.  (TDP approximately 15W)
2. Premium performance, powerful possibilities.
3. For convertible 2 in 1 devices and sleek laptops with all day battery life.

If you are using a 5 year old or older notebook or device, there are many exciting reasons to upgrade.  Some of the performance improvements and new features are;

Compared to a 5 year old PC, a new 7th gen Intel Core processor based PC has

• up to 55% faster system improvement
• up to 3.2X faster Intel HD Graphics
• Intel IRIS graphics, improved performace with Intel Iris Graphics, integrated eDRAM

Compared to a 5 year old PC, a new 7th gen Intel Core processor PC is Lower Power and Energy Efficient.  It has up to 2.5X longer battery life than a 5 year old PC which means:  up to 10 hrs of battery life for a new PC.

Fantastic Media and Graphics;

WATCH

• User-generated 4K streams premium content with high fidelity
• TV on-the-go and next generation Blu-Ray.

CREATE

• Real-time 4K content creation
• Efficient transcode with hardware acceleration
• Faster 360 video creation

GAME

• Broad playability of Games on Intel processors with Intel graphics
• Many top games playable at 1080p
• Supports DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.4

With the new 7th Gen Intel Core processor, businesses will be able to achieve new levels of efficiency, productivity and collaboration and enjoy simple and convenient experiences by removing the burden of wires in these areas;

• Docking
• Wireless Display
• Charging

When coupled with an Intel Solid State Drive the new processors deliver the following;

Performance and Speed

• Boot 6.2x faster
• Launch Microsoft and Adobe applications 4.3x faster
• Save, copy and transfer files faster.

Power Efficiency

• Charge your device less often and get more life from your battery

Reliability & Cost Savings

• Your storage lasts longer.  Save money with built-in features such as Intel HD Graphics and less storage replacements.

Robustness & Security

• Greater peace of mind with built-in hardware-based security features and increased tolerance for shocks and vibrations.

How to identify 7th Gen Intel Core processors.

There's a new 7th gen Intel Core Logo

7th Generation Intel® Core™ Processor Intel® Core™ Brand i7

Brand Modifier 500 SKU Numeric Digits 7 Gen U Letter Suffix

6th Generation Intel® Core™ Processor Intel® Core™ Brand i7

Brand Modifier 600 SKU Numeric Digits 6 Gen U Letter Suffix

       

https://www-ssl.intel.com/content/www/us/en/processors/core/core-processor-family.html?cid=sem43700014032523809&intel_term=%2Bintel+%2Bgenerations&gclid=Cj0KEQiA4JnCBRDQ5be3nKCPhpwBEiQAjwN1bpy-1ZzsTzEDNUeuRF-t8nuQuRyIIJDEQ8Ac1KYl6JwaAoa-8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

Malware hits S.F. Municipal public Railway, Microsoft Ending Office 2007 support, Big Brother in Britain

Malware problems continue, San Francisco's Municipal Public Railway System brought down by Hackers

Hackers over Thanksgiving holiday have planted malware and gained control over S.F. public railways system.  The problem caused the ticket kiosks to go down forcing the railway system to make all ride free over the weekend.  The attackers reportedly demanded 100 Bitcoins, or roughly $73,000, in ransom.

"After two days of interrupted ticketing service and free rides for passengers, the railway’s station kiosks went back online on Sunday. A day later though, the hackers were still threatening to expose 30 Gigabytes of stolen employee and customer data."

read more at Fortune's Link;

http://fortune.com/2016/11/28/muni-hack-san-francisco/

http://www.zdnet.com/article/mirai-botnet-attack-hits-thousands-of-home-routers-throwing-users-offline/

When will Microsoft end support for your version of Windows or Office?

Are you still using 10 plus year old Office, operating system.  Will you continue or will Microsoft have to pry it from your cold dead hands?

If you are wondering or care, maybe don't give a rat's arse about your ebola infested OS... but if you do check out this link;

http://www.zdnet.com/article/when-will-microsoft-pull-the-plug-on-your-version-of-windows-or-office/?loc=newsletter_large_thumb_featured&ftag=TRE17cfd61&bhid=2219791

Microsoft won't provide extended support for Office 2007 products beyond October 2017 deadline

IT administrators take note: Microsoft's Office 2007/Exchange 2007 wave of client and server software is set to exit support in October 2017, and extended custom support agreements are going away.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-wont-provide-extended-support-for-office-2007-products-beyond-october-2017-deadline/?loc=newsletter_large_thumb_featured&ftag=TRE17cfd61&bhid=2219791

BIG Brother in Britain, 2016 going on 1984.

Britain enacts 'most extreme surveillance law ever passed in a democracy.'   It's 2016 going on 1984.

The UK has just passed a massive expansion in surveillance powers, which critics have called "terrifying" and "dangerous".

The new law, dubbed the "snoopers' charter", was introduced by then-home secretary Theresa May in 2012, and took two attempts to get passed into law following breakdowns in the previous coalition government.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/snoopers-charter-expansive-new-spying-powers-becomes-law/?loc=newsletter_large_thumb_related&ftag=TRE5575fdc&bhid=2219791

Opinion:  A Plethora of Windows devices vs the staid old traditional Mac lineup.

Microsoft devices continue to wow and win new users by including design innovations not found in other offerings and simply providing a device in any form one needs to accomplish their creative needs.  The Apple realm while trying to keep up continues with their same iMac offering, adding a new bar that changes with the open application replacing the Function key row.  It's like perfume on a pig though.  No wonder kids consider the iPhone to be the Grandparents phone and consider iPads, well not at all.

Hopefully the next year's iPhone 8 will offer something new and perhaps Apple can find a way to put some fire into their Mac lineup.  Otherwise, old men may continue to be Apple's leading demographic.

http://money.cnn.com/2015/10/29/technology/apple-customers/

An American made iPhone, Cloud spending rises again, Free Remote Access Software

Cloud computing: This is how much you'll be spending on it next year

Enterprises will spend a third of their total IT budget on cloud hosting and services next year as they increase their reliance on infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and software as a service (SaaS) providers.

Driving Force has moved 3 clients this year to Exchange 365.  It is a great alternative to having an Exchange Server onsite.  Not only do you have your email hosted but anti-spam and anti-virus is provided.  At two clients we have been able to incorporate the cloud to provide backup to their onsite server as well as offsite access to their data.  Check out the plans and give Driving Force a call to find out about implementing a solution at your company.

https://products.office.com/en-us/compare-all-microsoft-office-products?tab=2

http://www.zdnet.com/article/cloud-computing-this-is-how-much-youll-be-spending-on-it-next-year/


Could Trump be the catalyst for an all-American iPhone?

Apple's CEO Tim Cook has started looking at moving manufacture of it's iPhone and computers back to the USA.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/could-trump-be-the-catalyst-for-an-all-american-iphone/?loc=newsletter_large_thumb_featured&ftag=TRE17cfd61&bhid=2219791


16 Free Remote Access Software Tools

I get asked about alternatives to LogMeIn remote access software sometimes.  I use LogMeIn Pro, for $149 a year I get to install it on 2 computers and receive 1 TB of cloud space for storing data.

An alternative that I have used before to assist clients who do not have LogMeIn or GoToMyPC is Google Remote Desktop.  It works well but it requires someone to be at the remote computer to supply me with a code that is generated on their side.

Another that I have used is TeamViewer and it works well and does not require another person at the computer that you are accessing remotely.  This link lists 16 free programs, some I have used but in a local LAN environment.  TeamViewer is the best for remote access of the 16 listed.  Read more at:

https://www.lifewire.com/free-remote-access-software-tools-2625161

Windows 10 Major Update for early 2017: Creators Update. New Surface Studio, MacBook Pros, LogMeIn ends Free Cubby

The 8 biggest announcements from yesterdays Microsoft event.

At yesterdays big Microsoft event a major update for early 2017 was announced and several new products were introduced.  The tech behemoth's stock set a new high for the first time since the 1999 dot com bubble.

http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/26/13418262/microsoft-event-announcements-vr-headset-creators-update-surface-studio

Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Doubles Down With iMac-Killer

http://investorplace.com/2016/10/microsoft-corporation-msft-stock-surface-studio-event/#.WBEaXfkrKUk

https://www.cnet.com/products/microsoft-surface-studio/preview/?ftag=CAD1acfa04&bhid=21042726186831923270015874178287


New MacBook Pro to be introduced today.

Apple has its event to introduce new MacBooks today.  Already Apple has postponed the release of the Airpods until ??  

http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/27/13433320/apple-macbook-pro-hello-again-event-timing


Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Doubles Down With iMac-Killer

http://investorplace.com/2016/10/microsoft-corporation-msft-stock-surface-studio-event/#.WBEaXfkrKUk

The 8 biggest announcements from today's Microsoft event

http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/26/13418262/microsoft-event-announcements-vr-headset-creators-update-surface-studio

https://www.cnet.com/products/microsoft-surface-studio/preview/?ftag=CAD1acfa04&bhid=21042726186831923270015874178287

LogMeIn ends free Cubby November 16th.

LogMeIn has announced that it is retiring Cubby Free, the file sync & share offering that first debuted in 2013,

LogMein stated "Cubby has provided a unique file sharing experience for millions of individuals and businesses and this difficult decision was made after much deliberation and consideration."

Cubby Free users will be given until November 16th to migrate away from Cubby, and can choose to move to another free service – LogMeIn is recommending Dropbox and OneDrive – or a paid service, including LogMeIn Pro. 

Cubby Pro and Enterprise customers will continue to have full access to Cubby, both their files and full product functionality, through their account’s expiration date plus an additional 30 days to allow more time to evaluate options and complete the migration of their files.

https://blog.logmein.com/category/products/cubby-app

DDoS attack takes down East Coast Netflix, Spotify, Twitter, can new Macs revive Apple's reputation for innovation?

Cyber attack takes down East Coast Netflix, Spotify, Twitter

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2016/10/21/cyber-attack-takes-down-east-coast-netflix-spotify-twitter/92507806/

Has Apple given up on the Mac? 


Opinion: Apple is rumored to be preparing a long-overdue update to its Macbook line, but will this be too little, too late? In the PC business, Microsoft is wearing the innovation crown these days.
READ FULL STORY

http://www.zdnet.com/article/has-apple-given-up-on-the-mac/?loc=newsletter_missed_content&ftag=TRE17cfd61&bhid=2219791


Apple to debut new Macs at October 27 'Hello Again' event

The company will host the launch at its headquarters, where it's expected to announce long-awaited updates to its MacBook computers.

https://www.cnet.com/news/apples-new-macs-are-almost-here-invites-out-for-october-27/?ftag=CAD1acfa04&bhid=21042726186831923270015874178287

Malware, 3.2 million debit cards compromised in India, Decryption tools and Blood Alcohol tests (I kid you not)

In this election year everyone has heard about the hacks experienced by Government agencies, the DNC and others.  The crooks and scam artists are very busy.  Government agencies and multi-national corporations are obvious targets and if they can be breached so can you.  It is important that you make sure your computer is protected, definitions are up to date and that your subscriptions are current.  It is also a good idea to have a scheduled scan to insure that nothing has slipped by.  A little prevention can save lots of money and headaches.  Strong passwords and periodically changing passwords should be a part of your security strategy.

Below are links to stories detailing attacks in the past week alone.

The cost of ransomware attacks: $1 billion this year

And it's only the beginning, with file locking malware only set to grow and take larger role in cybercrime, warn researchers.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/the-cost-of-ransomware-attacks-1-billion-this-year/

India experiences catastrophic cyberattack, 3.2 million debit card account details stolen

http://www.zdnet.com/article/india-experiences-catastrophic-cyberattack-with-theft-of-3-2-million-debit-cards-account-details/?ftag=TRE17cfd61&bhid=2219791

Millennials most likely to lose money from tech support scams, says Microsoft

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/millennials-most-likely-to-lose-money-from-tech-support-scams-says-microsoft/#ftag=CAD-04-10aag0g&bhid=21042726186831923270015874178287



Free Ransomware Decryption

http://www.zdnet.com/article/these-free-ransomware-decryption-tools-have-rescued-data-from-2500-locked-devices/?loc=newsletter_large_thumb_related&ftag=TRE0fb9d06&bhid=2219791


Wearable tattoo tells your smartphone how drunk you are before the cops do.  Researchers say a wearable tattoo can deliver accurate blood-alcohol level readouts to its wearer's smartphone.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/wearable-tattoo-tells-your-smartphone-how-drunk-you-are-before-the-cops-do/

Windows 10 installed 400 million computers, Malware, Catfishing, how to fix Windows 10 Startup issues and Shameless Plug.

Windows 10 installed base crosses 400 million as business become less cautious.

"Conventional wisdom says enterprise buyers take years before they even think of moving to a new version of Windows.  That playbook is changing with Windows 10."

Read more at;

http://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-installed-base-grows-thanks-to-business/?ftag=TRE17cfd61&bhid=2219791

Malware, "CatFishing" and other online scams.

Why ransomware is exploding, and how your company can protect itself
Ransomware represents a growing threat for the enterprise.  The first known Ransomware appeared in 1989, known as the "Aids Trojan."  This past year 40 percent of businesses worldwide were attacked with their data held ransom.  That's an eye opening number.  To read more click on the following link.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/why-ransomware-is-exploding-and-how-your-company-can-protect-itself/?ftag=TRE17cfd61&bhid=2219791

http://www.zdnet.com/article/what-are-the-legal-implications-of-your-business-being-infected-with-ransomware/?ftag=TRE17cfd61&bhid=2219791


How one Amazon Kindle scam made millions of dollars.

NEW YORK -- Emma Moore could have been the health and weight loss guru you spent your life looking for.

You might be forgiven for not knowing her work -- after all, she has a common name, one that she shares with other similarly successful authors on Amazon. Until this week, she had dozens of health, dieting, cooking, and weight loss ebooks to her name. She published over a dozen ebooks on Amazon this year -- five ebooks alone this month. And Moore would even work with other authors -- like Nina Kelly, Andrew Walker, and Julia Jackson -- who have all published about a dozen ebooks each this year as well.

Here's the snag: to our knowledge, Moore doesn't exist. None of them do.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/exclusive-inside-a-million-dollar-amazon-kindle-catfishing-scam/?ftag=TREc64629f&bhid=2219791


Windows 10 Anniversary Roll out upgrade continues.

Last week I was updated twice and ended up with version 1607 of Windows 10, the Anniversary update.  I have noticed some slow down in my computer and have had to reboot a couple of times to clear up issues.  Upon reboot it took a long time to finally become usable again.

I analyzed my startup items and found a Google (7) entry that was causing a high impact upon my start up.  The seven (7) indicated that Google was loading 7 items, upon disabling that and restarting my computer behaved much better.

Why the apps I use insist on configuring my computer for their environment is beyond me, I would think Google would be more responsible than to take over my computer.  Below is a link that describes in further detail the issue and how to resolve it.

http://superuser.com/questions/842210/many-chrome-processes-scheduled-on-windows-startup

Google isn't the only offender, there are many more that jockey and fight for your computer resources.  The following link tells you about 10 non-essential but common annoyances found in the start up items of many computers.  The article provides you instructions on how to configure your Windows 7/8/8.1 start up items.  Although the article is before Windows 10, the same instructions for Windows 8/8.1 applies to Windows 10.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/make-windows-start-faster-10-non-essential-startup-items-can-safely-remove/

this link is for Windows 10 only;

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/windows/how-change-windows-10-startup-programs-stop-apps-opening-3615075/


Shameless Plug

DFS - 6th Generation Intel Computers

Windows 10 Anniversary Update - August 2, 2016

August 2nd - Windows 10 one year Anniversary Update

On Tuesday, August 2 Microsoft will begin rolling out the second major update to Windows 10 since it's release a year ago today.  This is an update contains fixes for performance, reliability, bug fixes and contains some new features that Microsoft has come up with since last fall.

Windows Hello, Cortana and the built in Edge browser all have additional uses and enhancements.  The Edge Browser supports extensions and a dedicated Microsoft Ink capability makes using digital pens easier and more interesting.

Please visit the following link to read about all the new enhancements;

http://www.zdnet.com/article/first-look-microsofts-windows-10-anniversary-update/?ftag=TRE17cfd61&bhid=2219791http://www.zdnet.com/article/first-look-microsofts-windows-10-anniversary-update/?ftag=TRE17cfd61&bhid=2219791



Lock in your free Windows 10 upgrade and keep using your old Windows version

What if you aren't ready for Windows 10 yet?

I know this info is a little late and if you aren't technically savvy it can be a little intimidating because it involves installing Windows 10, typically 1.5 hour ordeal with a fast internet connection, recording the product key it installs for later use and then uninstalling the upgrade reverting to your previous version of Windows.


The Windows 10 free upgrade offer is, quite literally, in the final quarter.
The year-long offer expires today, July 29, 2016.  Afterwards unless a new offer of some sort materializes, you'll need to pay for a Windows 10 upgrade at the prevailing retail price, $119 for a Home upgrade or $199 for the Pro edition.

But what if you're not ready to upgrade yet? Here's how to claim your upgrade so it's available at no cost when the time comes.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-lock-in-your-free-windows-10-upgrade-and-keep-using-your-old-windows-version/?ftag=TRE5369823


New Generation 6 Intel Processor based Workstations

Windows 10 Free Upgrade Deadline looming, July 29, 2016

What happens to those free Windows 10 upgrades after July 29, 2016?

We're nearing the end of Microsoft's unprecedented free upgrade offer for Windows 10. The offer officially expires July 29, 2016, on the one-year anniversary of the operating system's initial release. But what happens then?

Microsoft's stated goal a year ago was 1 billion devices on Windows 10 in the first few years.  I have seen estimates as high as 400 million thus far.  To reach their goal a lot depends on the free upgrade program slated to end July 29, 2016, one year after it's release.

Windows 10 is a robust stable OS with features and capabilities not found in prior OSs.  Should you upgrade?  It depends upon if you have devices or software not supported by Windows 10.  You should run/read the compatibility report to decide if you want to proceed or not.  I have an old Canon MFC printer not supported by Windows 10.  I circumvent this by attaching/sharing the device on a Windows 7 computer that allows access by my Windows 10 devices.

If you have a very old machine, and remember only legit Windows 7/8/8.1 machines qualify, you may not wish to upgrade.  However, I have users with 2006/2007 era quad core machines who upgraded and tell me their system performs better.

If you are running Windows 7 and use XP Mode to run old software that is still needed, do not upgrade.

Will Microsoft extend the deadline?  This according to ZDNet's Ed Bott;

The fine print on the Windows 10 upgrade offer, as of June 2016.

Here's the translated version of the fine print:

1. The free upgrade offer ends on July 29 and will not be extended.

2. Any upgrades completed before that date will be valid for as long as the device lasts.

3. There is a possibility that Microsoft will introduce some new upgrade offers after July 29, but don't count on it.

In fact, Microsoft's real goal with this upgrade offer isn't just to get its installed Windows 10 base to a billion. The long-term goal is to help close the books on Windows 7 in an orderly fashion before its extended support commitment ends on January 14, 2020.

To read more of Mr. Bott's Article and find out more about Windows 10, please use the links below;

http://www.zdnet.com/article/what-happens-free-windows-10-upgrades-after-july-29-2016/?ftag=TRE17cfd61&bhid=2219791

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_10

QuickTime fiasco: typical Apple, cut and run.

Adobe on QuickTime: You're up the creek without a paddle

Apple has to be the Teflon giant of American industry.  Now that their screwed up media player QuickTime has been found to be a security risk to Windows users, Apple has chose to cut and run with no resolution for millions of users.

“It always seemed as if the Windows version [of QuickTime] was designed by Steve Jobs to punish us. Bundled with iTunes for many years, annoying to install and update, unstable, and with crappy performance: It really sucked. So along with many other Windows users, I deleted it years ago and my online life was immediately brighter.”

This latest foul up along with the erroneous assumption that malware and viruses do not exist in the Apple realm and the fanboys still give it a pass.  Of course the majority of Apple users aren't using their computer beyond email and web surfing to begin with.  Only the cloud will enable the platform to become a viable platform for work.

If you have QuickTime and are not an Adobe Creative Cloud user go ahead and uninstall it.

Why this matters: On Friday the Department of Homeland Security advised Windows users to remove QuickTime once it became clear that Apple had washed its hands of QuickTime for good, leaving two outstanding security holes in it. But, although Apple’s own iTunes for Windows no longer depends on QuickTime, several of Adobe’s video-focused applications such as Premiere Pro and After Effects install QuickTime by default. 

Apple's iTunes for Windows no longer depends on QuickTime however a lot of Apple's software installs QuickTime by default.  As of Monday afternoon the download for QuickTime was still available on Apple's website.

For Adobe's Creative Cloud users there is no quick fix:

This hasn’t left the graphics community with a warm feeling.

Chris Dickman, founding editor of graphic- and design-focused website Graphics.com, had harsh words for Adobe after the news broke.

”Unfortunately? Let me paraphrase that for you: ‘We didn’t see this coming, your systems are compromised if you keep using our software and we will make no commitment to fixing this,’” Dickman said in a blog post. “Sweet. Of course, Windows users are just expected to suck that up. Although all hell would have broken loose if Adobe’s Mac-based video community had been put at similar risk,” he added.

It reminds me of one client, a heavy computer user who purchased a Mac last year but returned it after a couple of weeks.  "I thought they were supposed to be easy to use" he said.  They are if you're not doing anything to begin with.

to read more:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/3058312/security/adobe-on-quicktime-youre-up-the-creek-without-a-paddle.html

New 6th Generation Intel Processors

30x Better 3D graphics vs. a 5 year old PC

2.5x Better productivity vs a 5 year old PC

Get Creative, Play Harder,striking visuals in higher resolution, faster frame rates, Ultra HD 4K multimedia experiences.  With a 6th generation Intel® Core™ processor inside, you can watch, play, and game like never before.  Bring the action to life.

Microsoft Security Phone Scam

Microsoft's advice: Hang up on tech support scammers ...

In light of the second client to fall victim to Tech support phone scammers, I am writing this post today to warn everyone to hang up on anyone calling to tell you that your computer is infected or sending viruses/Trojans.  An alternative method used by these criminals is to send an email claiming to assist you in receiving the Windows 10 upgrade.

If you receive an email or phone call from someone claiming to represent Microsoft, press ‘delete’ or just hang up. Never give remote access to your computer to anyone you don’t know, and don’t click on unknown links or files.

If you are willing to lend an ear to the scammer the next step is they will request access to your computer via Remote Desktop.  Once in they will steal information, erase restore/recovery points and encrypt the SAM hive of your computer and upon restart you will be required to enter a password that you do not know.

How these scams work

• You receive an email or phone call claiming either that you can get a Windows 10 upgrade sooner, or, that there is some problem with your installation of Windows 10.
• You will be directed to click on a link or visit a website to download software.
• The software is ransomware which will lock you out of your computer and demand a payment.
• If you pay, you will lose every cent that you send. If you have clicked on an infected link or file, you may also compromise your device’s security in other ways.

The client yesterday had 2 computers compromised. I was able to recover one of the computers using System Restore, he had hung up on the scammer while he was working on this computer after being presented the cost to supposedly fix the computer.


The other computer was unrecoverable since the scammer had erased restore points, disabled all programs and upon restart the computer needed the unknown password. We had to do a new install of Windows 10 on this computer.

*Remember that Macs do get malware and it highly advised that you install an Anti-Virus product on your Mac.

Since these scams use a website, any device that has a browser can fall victim to this type of scam. They’re not OS dependent so if your internet enabled-toaster has a screen and a web browser it could get this type of alert! Joking aside, since it’s a browser-based scam, it’s advisable to have a backup browser installed just in case you have issues with your primary browser.

Further reading,

http://www.computerworld.com/article/2998175/security/microsofts-advice-hang-up-on-tech-support-scammers.html

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch001385.htm

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-security/does-microsoft-or-a-microsoft-call-center-ever/33968898-8371-e011-8dfc-68b599b31bf5

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/mse-protect_scanning/phone-call-scams-claiming-to-be-microsoft/aefc50a4-d7a4-4c79-8db5-2fafcd6ad196?auth=1

New 6th Generation Intel Processors

30x Better 3D graphics vs. a 5 year old PC

2.5x Better productivity vs a 5 year old PC

Get Creative, Play Harder,striking visuals in higher resolution, faster frame rates, Ultra HD 4K multimedia experiences.  With a 6th generation Intel® Core™ processor inside, you can watch, play, and game like never before.  Bring the action to life.

Windows 10 now running on over 270 million devices

Microsoft says Windows 10 is now running on 270 million devices.

The Windows 10 product launch has now surpassed 270 million devices and projects over 1 billion devices sometime in 2018.  This is based on data indicating that there are more than 600 million PC users who are operating on a machine that is over 5 years old.

I know many of you have been dealing with the annoying Windows 10 upgrade icon which doggedly prods you to upgrade from either Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 to Redmond's latest offering.  I have witnessed some instances where users got upgraded without their permission.

The truth of the matter is that it is an upgrade you should want.  There are new features in the OS that one does not have in Windows 7 or 8 and eventually support for Windows 7 will end and updates for that OS will cease.

The free upgrade offer ends on July 29, 2016.  Afterwards you will pay for Windows 10 Pro, currently $139.99 for the OEM version at Newegg, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832588491  ... and this is the OEM version which is only available on a new PC.

Caveat emptor, I have clients who have had issues with Windows 10 upgrade.  One company has multiple branches that use a VPN connector which the upgrade broke on every workstation that was upgraded.  It was a simple fix but required my assistance to remotely recreate the VPN connectors.  Another client had to reconfigure her Dragon voice to text device.  In my own case, my old reliable Canon MFC laser was not supported by Windows 10.  I connected the Canon to a Windows 7 machine and created a share thus circumventing that issue.

The facts are Windows 7 has been out since 2009, Windows XP which cannot be upgraded to Windows 10 was released in 2002.  I have clients now with new Tesla's and Lexus' who have to attend a class to learn how to operate.  Change is not without some challenges.

If you are using Windows 7, Windows 10 will be familiar.  If you are using Windows 8/8.1, I don't know what you are waiting for.

Windows lifecycle fact sheet

more Windows 10 news

Windows 10 will bring your Android phone notifications to you PC

Ubuntu (not Linux) on Windows

New 6th Generation Intel Processors

30x Better 3D graphics vs. a 5 year old PC

2.5x Better productivity vs a 5 year old PC

Get Creative, Play Harder,striking visuals in higher resolution, faster frame rates, Ultra HD 4K multimedia experiences.  With a 6th generation Intel® Core™ processor inside, you can watch, play, and game like never before.  Bring the action to life.

Ramsomware - Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital pays $17,000 to unlock computers. ABC news reports.

Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital pays $17,000 to unlock computers

I have previously written posts regarding Ransomware.  Ransomware is malware that once on your system encrypts your data preventing you from being able to open or use your files.  Files targeted include Microsoft Office documents, PDFs, your pictures (jpeg) files and many more.  You will then see a message that your files have been locked and that you must pay a ransom to receive the key to unlock them.

I had reported previously about ransomware after seeing in the regional news about local businesses and police departments that had been hit by ransomware.  This past week ABC national news reported the news that Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital had paid $17,000 to a hacker to stop an attack on it's computer system.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/hospital-hack-spotlights-medical-devices-systems-risk/story?id=37032717

One ransomware threat that has been in the news quite a bit lately is Crytolocker.  I have witnessed this attack twice at 2 different clients.  It often arrives via email disguised as a PDF or Zip file.  The people behind this attack have been emailing it to large numbers of people and it often arrives with a variety of other bad news, backdoor trojans, downloader, spammers and password stealers.  However email is not the only way these threats spread.

Another way the spread of Ramsomware is accomplished is by hacking a website and uploading a script which automatically generates hidden frames within a visitor's browser, this acts as a gateway between the visited site and a server that contains the Exploit Kit.  Wordpress and now Joomla, two open source web publishing tools have been exploited to spread the ransomware payload.

Once you receive the message it is too late.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/02/22/ranscomware_scum_add_joomla_to_their_list/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joomla

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WordPress

Things you can do to protect yourself is to be sure you have a well thought out backup plan that includes having multiple dates of backup, i.e. if you are backing up to the same media and overwriting the previous days backup that is no good.  If you are hit by a cryptovirus and don't catch it prior to the backup you may end up having a backup of worthless data.

It is advisable to unplug external drives from the computer after a backup if that is your method.

Check your anti-virus and make sure your subscription is current and definitions are up to date.

The following link contains more detailed/technical info on protecting yourself.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/11-things-you-can-do-protect-against-ransomware-including-bill-hearn

Be proactive with your security and vigilant when surfing the internet.

New 6th Generation Intel Processors

30x Better 3D graphics vs. a 5 year old PC

2.5x Better productivity vs a 5 year old PC

Get Creative, Play Harder,striking visuals in higher resolution, faster frame rates, Ultra HD 4K multimedia experiences.  With a 6th generation Intel® Core™ processor inside, you can watch, play, and game like never before.  Bring the action to life.

Kaspersky Lab Details New Banking, ATM Attack Campaigns and other Tech News February 2016 - Kaspersky "Safe Money" PDF

Kaspersky Lab Details New Banking, ATM Attack Campaigns

Kaspersky Labs has reported 3 major threats to financial institutions, One Carbanak, is an evolution of an attack first reported in 2015, the other two (Metel and GCMAN) are new, "metel" translates to "snowstorm" in Russian.  Each threat is independent of each other although the later two are copycats of the Carbanak attack.

http://www.eweek.com/security/kaspersky-lab-details-new-banking-atm-attack-campaigns.html

Kaspersky first revealed the operations of Carbanak in February 2015, and the same group using the same tools created Carbanak 2.0, Golovanov said. After Kaspersky first reported on Carbanak, the group went under the radar but reappeared later in the year with functionality that allowed it to attack point-of-sale (POS) targets. 

"Carbanak 2.0 also has a different victim profile, moving beyond banks to target budgeting and accounting departments, using the same [advanced persistent threat]-style tools and techniques," Golovanov said.

The Metel attack campaign is also targeting financial institutions, though it has specific functionality for ATM withdrawals. Metel is able to roll back an ATM transaction automatically so that an attacker can steal money from a victim's account, but the rollback will reset the victim's account balance, tricking the bank into thinking that an account balance is unchanged, even after an attacker has made a withdrawal.

The initial infection malware has the primary goal of gathering information about a targeted system. The malware sends out info about the computer, processes and even takes screenshots to help cyber-criminals evaluate the value of a target.

While Metel uses malware to infect its victims, the GCMAN financial campaign is using legitimate penetration testing tools to exploit banks. Among the tools used by GCMAN are Meterpreter, a payload delivery tool that is part of the open-source Metasploit penetration testing framework.

The combined effect of the three attacks are having an impact on financial firms in Russia.  So far no attacks outside of Russia has been identified but experts think the exploits are much more widespread and financial firms around the globe are advised to check for infection.

Google's Chrome Browser May Soon Mark HTTP Sites Unsafe

This is really a good thing.  Too many users are infected by malware while happily surfing the web by visiting unsecured websites. Malware is uploaded to a compromised website and then delivered to the user by duping them into a download or slipped to them without their knowledge.  Always be vigilant when browsing the internet.

http://www.eweek.com/security/googles-chrome-browser-may-soon-mark-http-sites-unsafe.html

Google Discloses Flaws in Avast, Comodo and Malwarebytes Products

A lot of security firms are using the open source Chromium project to build their own browsers similar to Kaspersky's Safe Money add-in product.

http://www.eweek.com/security/google-discloses-flaws-in-avast-comodo-and-malwarebytes-products.html

For Avast, Google security researcher Tavis Ormandy reported that the Avastium browser, which is based on Google's open-source Chromium project, is at risk from a remote attacker.

Security vendor Comodo also has sparked the ire of Ormandy for its fork of Chromium, dubbed Chromodo.  In his bug report on Comodo, Ormandy wrote that Chromodo "disables all Web security." He called out the fact that Chromodo disables Chromium's Same Origin Policy, which is a key security feature.

"Malwarebytes fetches their signature updates over HTTP, permitting a man-in-the-middle attack," Ormandy warned.

Malwarebytes has issued its own advisory on the issue and is pledging to provide users with a patched update.

For more information on Kaspersky "Safe Money", visit the following link.

http://www.kaspersky.com/downloads/pdf/kaspersky_lab_whitepaper_safe_money_eng_final.pdf


New 6th Generation Intel Processors

30x Better 3D graphics vs. a 5 year old PC

2.5x Better productivity vs a 5 year old PC

Get Creative, Play Harder,striking visuals in higher resolution, faster frame rates, Ultra HD 4K multimedia experiences.  With a 6th generation Intel® Core™ processor inside, you can watch, play, and game like never before.  Bring the action to life.