Just a quick update on the malware issue reported by some members yesterday, Monday 25th.
It looks as if some members using Internet Explorer and with outdated software on their PCs experienced a malware issue yesterday. From our initial investigation it seems that the attack came in from either Google or Yahoo, whose facilities we use: it may have been embedded in an advert served by Google, or in Javascript files held for web use by Yahoo.
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[update]
We now think this was a Facebook hack, and they fixed it @ FB.
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This is not being reported today so it looks as if they found the problem and fixed it.
It cannot be emphasized enough that members who use an insecure browser need to be extremely vigilant about keeping their PC software updated and running highly efficient anti-malware apps. Please update and clean up your Java install and use a real firewall such as Online Armor, and a proven, benchmarked antivirus such as Avast. Do not use the trial apps supplied on new PCs as they are not benchmarked as being efficient, and are generally known as 'crapware' - delete them and install real apps that work. See:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/pc/security-tools.html
Do NOT use Outlook Express for email as it is wide open to malware attacks in downloaded emails. Do not use Windows firewall as it only works in one direction, it cannot stop spyware 'phoning home'. Do not use Windows Messenger unless you have a very secure machine, as it is a known conduit for many attacks. If possible, do not let your teenage children use your own personal PC as that is a recipe for problems...
Some notes on how to update Java
It looks as if some members using Internet Explorer and with outdated software on their PCs experienced a malware issue yesterday. From our initial investigation it seems that the attack came in from either Google or Yahoo, whose facilities we use: it may have been embedded in an advert served by Google, or in Javascript files held for web use by Yahoo.
-------------
[update]
We now think this was a Facebook hack, and they fixed it @ FB.
-------------
This is not being reported today so it looks as if they found the problem and fixed it.
It cannot be emphasized enough that members who use an insecure browser need to be extremely vigilant about keeping their PC software updated and running highly efficient anti-malware apps. Please update and clean up your Java install and use a real firewall such as Online Armor, and a proven, benchmarked antivirus such as Avast. Do not use the trial apps supplied on new PCs as they are not benchmarked as being efficient, and are generally known as 'crapware' - delete them and install real apps that work. See:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/pc/security-tools.html
Do NOT use Outlook Express for email as it is wide open to malware attacks in downloaded emails. Do not use Windows firewall as it only works in one direction, it cannot stop spyware 'phoning home'. Do not use Windows Messenger unless you have a very secure machine, as it is a known conduit for many attacks. If possible, do not let your teenage children use your own personal PC as that is a recipe for problems...
Some notes on how to update Java
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glad it wasn't my home pc
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