Everyday Tips from the ComputerMom 

November
 2013
 
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Can you believe it's November already?  The holidays will be on us before we know it, hope you are prepared!  We can't complain too much though as October was truly a beautiful month.

Even though Halloween has already passed, I've got a real horror story to write about - CryptoLocker, a truly terrible virus.  I haven't seen it yet, and hope to not see it, but it's out there and spreading and I consider it enough of a threat to want to warn you in this newsletter.  Please take this seriously as it's a disaster for anybody who gets infected, especially if you are not backed up. 

In happier news, Windows 8.1 rolled out with minimal problems.  I've installed it on a few computers and can say that it's a worthwhile upgrade.  It doesn't quite give back the good old familiar start button, but it DOES put all sorts of visual cues and hints in full view so you can actually figure out how to use it - a nice touch! And it allows much more customization for people who wish to bypass the newer features. As Windows XP is at end of life, it's really time for anybody who is still using XP to replace their old computer, and Windows 8.1 will be a lot easier transition than Windows 8.

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Regards,
 
Julie Marto 

508-359-8176
www.thecomputermom.com
www.facebook.com/thecomputermom

Cryptolocker Virus Alert - CryptoLocker

Cryptolocker is a form of ransomware that silently installs itself onto your computer and encrypts all of your personal files in a way that makes them totally unusable.  The virus creates a private key to unencrypt your files - then it sends that key to a remote computer controlled by the criminals who wrote the virus.

Although the virus itself is relatively easy to remove, your files cannot be recovered without the key to unlock them. The key is destroyed in a few days unless you pay the ransom.  A countdown timer tells you how long you have to pay, and the ransom is about $300.00.  There is a lot of information about Cryptolocker on the web but I want to distill this into some simple bullet points so you can really understand the risk.  
  • If you get infected all of your personal files including documents and pictures, will be scrambled. There is NO WAY to fix those files once they are encrypted without the key
  • The virus spreads to all drives on your system, so if you have a backup drive or network drives attached at the time of infection your backup and networked files will be useless to you as well. This is a really big problem for businesses with network drives and shared documents
  • Up to date antivirus software will NOT fully protect you against this infection - the virus is designed to get around antivirus software and is constantly evolving and staying one step ahead
  • CryptoLocker is designed to not reveal itself until AFTER your files have been encrypted and it's too late to stop the damage
CryptoLocker can be spread by malicious links in phishing emails or it can be installed by an existing virus infection on your comptuter. You can also get it via "drive by download" if you surf to an unsafe or hacked site. You need to be wary and be prepared.
  • Be very cautious clicking on any links in emails, and make sure the "from" name matches the address of the sender.  Be especially suspicious of emails supposedly from shipping companies like FedEx, DHL and UPS.
  • Make sure your system is fully up to date and patched
  • Keep a current antivirus program on your computer and run scans regularly
  • If you experience problems like frequent crashes, internet redirects, or system slowness call me to discuss the issues and see if your system needs a complete cleaning
  • Install a small utility, called CryptoPrevent from Foolish IT, that attempts to block the type of executable file used by CryptoLocker from installing on your computer. This software might block other programs from running but the protection is worth it - I've installed it on my own systems.  
Even if you do everything right you can still get this virus, so if you want to protect your data you must back up your computer and keep the backup separate from your system.  Do it now, don't wait!
  • Back up to an external drive, using either Windows backup software or the software that came with the drive. Don't forget, CryptoLocker will encrypt the data on any drive that is attached to your system, so only attach your backup drive when you are actively running the backup. 
  • Burn your most important files and pictures onto DVDs and CDs 
  • Subscription based on-line backups services like Carbonite and Mozy are a good alternative.  They keep several versions of backups but those can get overwritten by newly ruined files. If you get infected disconnect from the internet immediately, uninstall your on-line backup software, and call their customer service
I hate to give people bad news, so I really don't want to see this virus on any of your computers.  If you need help or advice about protecting yourself please call or email!
Upgrading to Windows 8.1

You know who you are - the lucky pioneers out there with Windows 8. Windows 8.1 was released this month and it's definitely an improvement.  I have installed it on a few systems and the process is very simple, but it takes a few hours and there are some pitfalls to look out for. 

Here is the upgrade process with some additional links and recommendations. If you want me to install the upgrade for you I'm happy to do it as a drop off service, with a 24 hour turnaround.
  1. Since you are better safe than sorry, backup your system first, creating a system image following these steps
  2. Manually check for Windows Updates and install any the system finds
  3. In the start screen, click on the Windows Store.  You should see a tile on the front page of the store offering a free upgrade to Windows 8.1
  4. Click on the upgrade and tell it to download.  The download will take some time, then it will automatically start to install the update.  This part of the process is fully automated but will take between 1 and 3 hours depending on the speed of your internet connection and the speed of your computer.  The system may restart several times and it will tell you where you are in the process (although it won't tell you how much longer you have to go)
  5. Accept the license terms, but don't choose express settings.  You want to read each of the settings and decide for yourself how much information you want to send to Microsoft
  6. Log in using your Microsoft account. If you haven't set up your system to use a Microsoft ID for logging in, follow these steps to continue using your local account
  7. Now that you are running Windows 8.1, follow this link to see how to change settings and make Windows 8.1 work the way you would like!  
Some highlights from my Facebook page

Every month I post a number of helpful or fun links and articles on my Facebook page. I expand on some of them in this newsletter, but plenty of them never go any further.  I know many of you are not interested in joining Facebook, and I don't blame you one bit! However you might be interested in some of the links I posted, so here you go, hope you enjoy them!