News

By Tony Brookhouse on Oct 11, 2015 in News | 0 comments

A security researcher in the US has said his Netgear router was hacked after attackers exploited a flaw in the machine. Joe Giron told the BBC that he discovered altered admin settings on his personal router on 28 September. The compromised router was hacked to send web browsing data to a malicious internet address. Netgear says the vulnerability is “serious” but affects fewer than 5,000 devices. Mr Giron found that the Domain Name System (DNS) settings on his router had been changed to a suspicious IP address. “Normally I set mine to Google’s [IP address] and it wasn’t that, it was something else,” he said. “For two or three days all my DNS traffic was being sent over to them.” This means that the attacker could have tracked what websites Mr Giron was visiting, or even redirected him to malicious sites had they chosen to do so. He has decided to turn off the router and not use it for the time being. ‘Serious’ bug The vulnerability itself has been documented by security researchers at Compass Security and Shellshock Labs in recent months. “Is it serious? Yes it definitely is,” said Jonathan Wu, senior director of product management at Netgear, one of the top three router brands in the US. “Because whenever anybody gets access to your router, they can alter settings to direct traffic to places you don’t want it to go to.” The vulnerability allows attackers to gain access to the router settings without needing to provide login credentials, according to security researchers Daniel Haake and Alexandre Herzog of Compass Security in Switzerland. Mr Giron thinks that in his case, access was gained remotely because his router settings had been configured so that they could be accessed from outside his network. Imminent patch While a patch has not been available for the firmware on the affected devices to date, Netgear has confirmed to the BBC that one will be released on 14 October. Mr Wu said that Netgear router owners would be prompted to update their firmware if they logged into their router’s admin settings or if they had the Netgear genie app installed on their computer, tablet or smartphone. It’s problematic that firmware updates can’t be...

By Tony Brookhouse on Oct 8, 2015 in News | 0 comments

Elite 1to1 computer solutions you-tube page offers tutorial videos reply to this post with any comments or requests for videos that can help with your I.T requirements The Elite 1to1 link to you tube videos is :-...

By Tony Brookhouse on Oct 8, 2015 in News | 0 comments

Tips for Virus Detection and Prevention Do not open any files attached to an email from an unknown, suspicious or untrustworthy source. Do not open any files attached to an email unless you know what it is, even if it appears to come from a friend or someone you know. Some viruses can replicate themselves and spread through email. Confirm that your contact really sent an attachment. Do not open any files attached to an email if the subject line is questionable or unexpected. Delete chain emails and junk email. Do not forward or reply to any to them. These types of email are considered spam – unsolicited, intrusive messages that clog up the inboxes and networks. Do not download any files from strangers. Exercise caution when downloading files from the Internet. Ensure that the source is a legitimate and reputable one. Verify that an anti-virus program checks the files on the download site. Update your anti-virus software regularly. McAfee security software like McAfee Total Protection update automatically and continuously via the Internet. Back up your files on a regular basis. If a virus destroys your files, at least you can replace them with your back-up copy. You should store your backup copy in a separate location from your work files, one that is preferably not on your computer. When in doubt, always err on the side of caution and do not open, download, or execute any files or email attachments. Not executing is the more important of these caveats. Check with your product vendors for updates for your operating system, web browser, and email. One example is the security site section of Microsoft located athttp://www.microsoft.com/security. If you are in doubt about any potential virus-related situation you find yourself in, you mayreport a virus to our virus team.  information taken from Mcafee...

By Tony Brookhouse on Sep 27, 2014 in Blog, News | 0 comments

Create stronger passwords and protect them What does “difficult to crack” mean? A strong password: Contains at least eight characters. Does not contain your user name, real name, or company name. Does not contain a complete word. Is significantly different from previous passwords. Is different from passwords that you’ve used on other websites. The best passwords are the most unpredictable Get more advice on how to create strong passwords. 5 ways to protect your password Once you’ve chosen a strong password, you can protect it from hackers by following a few simple rule: Don’t share your password with friends. Never give your password to people who call you on the phone or send unsolicited email, even if they claim to be from Microsoft. Change your password regularly. Tell your children not to share your passwords (or theirs) with anyone. Check back tomorrow for more guidance on how to help kids create and protect their passwords. Evaluate password managers and other password tools carefully.  If they keep all your passwords in the cloud, they should use encryption. If the service has problems, understand that you might be locked out of your accounts. Here is Microsoft’s latest advice on having and keeping a secure password click HERE to see more...