With today’s technology there is great emphasis on media creation and files are getting larger by the minute. Even the kids’ music players are recording video. This media is often also irreplaceable. As I always say, “If it’s not in at least two places it might as well not exist.” Backup is imperative, but where to put it all.
In this post I would like to talk about whole house backup. There are many solutions both local and in the cloud for individual machines, but what about the kids and other machines in the house that store valuable one of a kind information. If you pay a subscription fee for online backup you need to get one for each machine or buy enough space to hold it all.  If you have a large centralized backup location in the home or office then everyone can copy their stuff to their own folder on that space.  If you still need off site backup to quench any paranoia for a natural disaster wiping out both your source computer and the backup because they are in the same location then you can  purchase just one subscription for the whole house because technically you only have one device to backup.
The central storage would have to be on all the time, so not everyone can use a computer unless they are going to leave it on.  There are also devices now that are basically hard drives that connect to your home network.  These can be left on all the time and hopefully go to sleep when not in use.  These devices usually come with some software to load on all the machines in the house to automate the process of copying the files to the central backup.  You can also use other software like Norton 360 which has a backup feature built in.  You can pick important folders like My Documents, Pictures, Music, and Videos.  The software can be set to run daily or weekly to copy the files to the backup.   The files on the central storage device can be accessed from all of the devices on your network so when one of your computers is down or in the shop you can access its backed up files from one of the other computers on the network with ease.  If you ever had to recover from a system crash you would just have to reinstall whatever backup program you were using, like Norton 360, and then tell it to restore from the central device.
A note about backing up programs.   Most windows programs need to be installed from their original media and can not be simply copied to a backup source and copied back.   The installation media places files in multiple locations within windows along with letting the system know about any special configurations need and registers custom code libraries to run the program if needed.  If you would like to backup the programs along with your files I recommend creating an ‘image’ of your system and storing it on the central device.   An image is a snapshot of your entire computer and works like those discs a computer manufacturer uses to ‘restore’ your system.   The image would take your entire system back to the moment you created the snapshot.  This is an excellent backup because if your system were to crash you could take it from blank to fully operational with all your programs, data, and settings by restoring from your image.   To accomplish this you only need to get better software like Norton Ghost or Acronis Backup.  I recommend still backing up your files to the central location in case you just need a few things recovered without wiping your system back to a previous date.  You can set your new image making software to make a snapshot maybe once a month or manually make a snapshot every time you install a new application. Place this image file on the central backup drive for safe keeping.  Remember these whole system images will be enormous in size containing everything on your main drive in your computer.   Your central backup will have to have twice the size of each main hard drive you will be backing up.   So if you have 4 machines with 250GB hard drives then you should get at least 2TB for your central backup to be sure you have plenty of space to copy everything.  In the past I only used system images for creating my own ‘system recovery’ set after installing windows, drivers, and my initial applications when building a new machine.   Now that huge drives are dirt cheap I can finally attempt to make an image of my current configurations.  I will let you know how it goes.

Here are some links:
Norton 360

Norton Ghost

Acronis True Image

Seagate GoFlex Network Attached Storage

Posted in Home Computing, networking, Software, Uncategorized - No Comments

A USB drive was brought to me because the files on the drive could no longer be accessed. I was all ready for the usual speech about corrupted files or the ever popular bent USB plug.  To my surprise there was actually something interesting going on.  All of the files showing on the drive were shortcuts (.lnk).  They had different icons like folders and a text file.   I investigated the properties of these shortcuts looking for the usual symptoms of copying shortcuts to the drive instead of the actual files, but I found something completely different.  All of the short cuts lead to the same file that was named with a random six characters.  It was a .scr or screen saver file which is executable when run under windows.  A virus, sweet!  My excitement was not because I found something I now get to fix, but due to the creativity of it all.
So here is the deal.  This virus gets on someones computer and sits there waiting for a USB drive to be inserted.  It then will copy its self to the drive using a six random character file name with an executable extension (.exe, .scr, .com…).   It will add the hidden file attribute to its self and all of the files and folders you currently have on your drive.  This means you would actually have the setting ‘View hidden files and folders’ set to on in your folder options in order to still see your stuff.   This is not on by default.  Anyway, it then will create shortcuts with the same names as all your stuff with the same icons except the little shortcut arrow on the corner.   It also adds some of its own fake folders like pictures, audio, and videos.  It will also add a shortcut that looks like it leads to a text file called passwords.txt.  So what it wants you to do is insert your drive and just click on one of the folders that you always click on to get to your stuff, but it will then run the virus file which would infect whatever machine you are currently on and then subsequently infect more and more machines passing via USB drive.
I looked up this virus and it is marked dangerous because there is another part of the virus residing on the infected computer that does other things like download malware and stuff.
In this particular situation there is anti-virus involved so I don’t think the bad stuff part is happening and also whenever I put the USB drive in my machine my anti-virus would delete the executable, but what it didn’t do is delete the shortcuts and un-hide the folders and such.  So even if your infection is cleaned you still may not be able to access your stuff.  All you will see is a bunch of shortcuts with the same name as your stuff and when you click on them nothing happens because the executable file has been deleted by your security software.

Your files are still there!

All you need to do to get to your files is change your options to see hidden folders and files then right click on your stuff and change it back to not hidden.  You can also delete those shortcuts, but if you put it back in the infected computer then it will all be changed back.  So you have to first remove the virus from your computer then do the un-hideing and delete the shortcuts on your thumb drive.

This worm if left untreated will attempt to connect to a server and download other malicious bits to attempt to run your day so act fast.

Here are some links:

Microsoft Vobfus

Panda Vobfus

Posted in Home Computing, Security, Virus Removal - No Comments

Recently I have been receiving a new found volume of fraudulent emails so I decided to write you while I have these fresh examples. The term ‘phishing’ has been around for quite a while. In my opinion ‘phishing’ is when a fake attempt to capture real information is cast into your sea of emails. Or a trap is anchored hidden in an ocean of websites.
I will use the recent examples that I received to explain the email method and how to identify these potentially dangerous attacks. An email was sent to me addressed as though it was from Facebook. The subject mentioned that the website was updating their login system to become more secure. This email was clearly modeled from an actual email from the site notifying that a friend request had been received or something similar. There is a button in the email that is a hyperlink just like the button that would link back to Facebook to accept the friend request or whatever. So, looks like the real thing and it came from an email address at Facebook.com so I should trust it right? NO BEANS! From email addresses can be spoofed all day long so don’t trust them if the message content looks phishy. Watch out for any email that is asking you to follow a link to enter information. If it were legitimate it would direct you to visit their website, login, and then enter the info. Any of these emails that are so persuasive that you just have to double check, you can just open your browser and type in the web site or click on one of your own bookmarks instead of using the link in the email. The technical way to check if the link in the email is bait is to hover your mouse over it (in most cases) and look at the bottom of the screen for the address to which site it is actually switching you to. You could also use the menu in your email checking program to ‘view source’ on the message and you would see before the text of the link the actual address.
The traps that used to be here and there used a method where you would reach them with a miss spelling of a popular site or a miss leading ad on a popular search term. These sites would look familiar and try to get your info. Haven’t seen one in a while though. Most of these accidental visits direct me to tons of ads or the occasional malware attack.
Many of the leading brands of protection software offer protection against email fraud by warning you that a message could be potentially dangerous and also blocking the spoofed site if the link is clicked. The new Internet Explorer version also claims to help prevent phishing. You may remember a one time message asking you to enable this feature when windows update first installed the new version. Hopefully the information I am sharing will provide you with a truly effective method of protection… your own tuned skills of awareness.

Here are some links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phishing
http://www.symantec.com/norton/security_response/phishing.jsp

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Wouldn’t it be awesome if wireless routers had enough power to provide coverage to an entire home regardless of interference, distance, or building material.  Don’t trust the pictures on the box people.  Try it out yourself.  The best way to get the most coverage in your home is to setup your router in a central location on top of a shelf or desk where it is elevated above the furniture/appliance level.  Wireless technology is a line of sight transmission. The signal will not change direction to go through a doorway or open area seeking the path of least resistance.  It will try to go directly from point A to B attempting to penetrate any material in its path.  Many consumers that I speak to have either the problem where the router can not be conveniently located in a central area or they have building materials in their home that attenuate the transmission.   There are many solutions available at the retail level as this problem is growing more popular.  There are replacement routers that boast a larger range.  There is the  new ‘N’ wireless technology that has a wider range of coverage.  Yes, they do have a larger range, but yes they are still affected by the same physical obstructions that you may have.  There are signal repeaters called range expanders where you place the new box within your area of decent coverage and plug it into a wall outlet and it will forward the signal further.  This actually works in many cases, but there is no real way to tell if it is working or monitor its quality of signal so there is a question of reliability.  There are even devices that will send the signal over your power lines from one room to another which I haven’t really seen a good working model.  There are so many variables as far as age of household wiring, interference, junction boxes that degrade signal, even separate breaker panels within one home.  You could either continue to make trips to the electronics store making exchanges or just face the fact that a wire needs to be run.  Look to commercial installations for an example.  If they need to cover an indoor area they do not use a wireless router with a huge antenna on it.  They use what is called an access point.  An access point simply has one connection for a wire that connects to your router.  You can configure it to have the same name and security information as your router and it expands your coverage.  It is similar to a range expander as it needs to be plugged into power, but it is more reliable because there is a physical connection to the network.  Also, you can place this new bubble of connectivity as far as you can run a wire.  An out building for example.  Get help on this one, but you can bury a outdoor rated network wire out to your workshop, shed, gazebo, boat house, whatever as long as it has a power source.  So my recommendation would be to get a good Linksys router maybe with expanded range or the new ‘N’ technology and try it out.  If the signal does not reach where you want it to go and you can’t move the router then skip right to the access point.  It usually costs the same as the hoaky alternatives, but run a wire instead of the labor of traveling to and from the store.

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Many know that computers, not just desktops, can accumulate dust that can shorten the life of the internal components. When these bunnies move in they can put a coating on parts within the machine that are designed to dispurse heat. The coating of dust acts like insulation keeping the heat in and also preventing fans from lowering the temperature of these important parts that generate their own heat as they function. Most systems have a automatic shutoff that will shut down the computer before heat can cause serious damage, but running hot will often shorten the life of components. This could cause the machine to crash, operate slowly, or in some cases stop working all together.
Maintaining a bunny free zone is easy and I will give you some money saving tips. First I need to remind you that one of your computers’ worst enemys is static electricity. Do not touch internal components unless you are properly grounded. Also it is a best practice to have no power connected to the machine while removing any internal parts.
The main expense for dust removal is compressed air. These canisters can become quite pricey if you want to bust bunnies on the regular. To use less air you can use a vacum either with the hose or the crevice attachment. You can directly touch fans and metal heat sinks with the attachments, but hover over the electronic components to avoid transferring a static charge. This can eliminate many of the heftier bunnies that will waste your air. Then you can finish off with a lite dusting with the air to flush out the residue or buildup that the vaccum couldn’t remove. Don’t forget the outside of the case. There is usually some sort of intake on the front bottom of the case that could have a constricted air flow.
So the next time you crack open your case and notice a small civilization of fuzzy critters forming, don’t wait. Get out the Hoover and go to town!

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There are many rules about passwords that you may already know.  These rules are now often forced upon you when creating them (ex. “Your password must contain at least one number, capital letter, the name of a non-crayola color…”).   I don’t usually spend much of my time being paranoid about every aspect of computer security, but some recent research has helped me look at passwords from a different angle.

I will start with my standard password speech.  To make it easy I recommend using a password that is a word or phrase that you will never forget where you replace some of the letters with numbers that are similar to them. For instance you could pick your favorite flowers, petunias, and make it p37un1as.  You can also add a capital letter at the beginning and symbols to make it more secure, P37un1@s!.  Because it is still based on the word you will not forget you simply have to remember which characters you replaced and should be able to figure it out in a few tries.  Making it something you remember will also prevent you from writing it down and hopefully not affixing it to your computer.

What I have noticed recently is that if you have one of these nicely made passwords you are going to use it everywhere so you are nice and safe all the while remembering how to get into all of these various places online.  Wrong! Have you ever noticed that secure sites like banks and stores have that whole ‘Secure Authentication’ thing.  Well the whole reason behind that is when you type any information into your web browser, like passwords, it will be encrypted into a lump then sent over the Internet to its appropriate destination where it is decrypted and verified.  This prevents interceptions of this sensitive data between point A and B because all they will get is the lump and not even know what it is let alone want to spend a bunch of time molding it into letters and numbers.  So if you use the same password on insecure transmissions (non-lumping sites) there is a chance of interception and what is stopping this entity from trying this new shiny bit of information on the other sites you visit.

Ok, new rule, make different security levels.  All the passwords can still be nice letter/number/symbol glyphs as mentioned earlier, but you can make separate passwords depending on how important/secure the sites are.  Banks/Credit Card type sites with the most secure multi-word abscure personal fact type.  Utilities and ‘Just paying a bill’ sites having a normal 7+ character word with at least 1 number and a capital.  Finally a junk password for social networking, forums, coupon clubs, fan sites, etc.

Some of the most secure sites like banks have a new optional feature where they can send you a message on your cell phone each time you login from a new or cookie-cleaned computer.  This is a great feature because your password and your phone would both have to be compromised to login to this bank.   (Don’t store your password in your phone )

Start changing those passwords.  Change passwords as often as you can.  Think of it like a game.  Every time you see a news story about identity theft or a blog about password security, update those passwords.

S7r@w83rry-F13ld2-F0r3v3r!

Here are some links:
Microsoft Password Checker
Verisign – How SSL Works
Special discounts on Norton software.

Posted in Home Computing, Internet - No Comments

If you didn’t already know, Windows Vista has a built in Internet filter to block unwanted web garbage from the little one’s eyes.  I recommend turning this on and having a separate user on the computer for this age group.  You should put a password on the adult account and leave the filtered account limited and easy to access.

The way most web protection filter’s work is they cross reference each location that appears in the browser with a rating database.  It is not just good and bad anymore.  You are able to set up a level of the filter to allow only child approved sites, block only adult sites, or something in between including a DYI blacklist.

There are many people out there that don’t know this setting exists or don’t worry because the users of their computer have good judgment.   What I am recommending is turn this feature on for everyone.   Make sure it does not block the sites you wish to travel to and you can leave access to the unrated sites because it could be a new weather or news site you are blocking.   Set users on the computer based on access restriction.  Block the youngest ones from the social sites and keep them viewing the places you want them to go.  Give the older ones the same access you have allowed them in the past but choose to restrict what you know to be off limits.  Even on your account click on the most lenient filter if you must, but remember you can always disable the filter if there is a particular site you need to view.

What are you talking about Rich?  I don’t need limits.  I am a grown adult!

There are many reasons to filter today’s Internet viewing.   Even the top name security programs are starting to have ‘Safe Web’ and ‘Safe Search’ features.  The sites that are being blocked through this massive list of no no’s are not just grown eyes only sites.  These sites could be malicious spyware sites, scams, unwanted advertisements, or even fake sites that promise the content you are looking for and then deliver nada.  When you travel to these sites your judgment is keen and you go back to the next result, but during that brief visit there could have been attack on your browser for spyware, malware, virus, or even hijack.  With the filter enabled you are given a warning when the site is blocked allowing you to think again before entering and most of the time just go to that next result without hesitation.  Same thing with the kids and their spaces and faces.   They see ads for things like “Make money testing Chewing Gum” and “Free Pink Pony Laptop!”.  Its not that they have bad judgment, but that their curiosity on a seemingly harmless ad could end up junking up your machine.   I am not saying that your expensive protection software that you renew yearly isn’t doing its job.  Just there are some more little things you can do to prevent annoyances and take control of what you and your family are exposed to on today’s web.

Here are some links:

• Vista Parental Controls
• Create Another User Account
• Google Safe Search
• Free Alternate Web Protection (Great for Windows XP)

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