The internet bad guys think you’re gullible. According to this article on InfoWorld, attackers are banking on the fact that they can get you to press a simple key on your keyboard that will let them in. That key is F1. Yes, F1. That seemingly innocuous key sitting on the top row of keys to the far left by the “Esc” key. The key that has been used by Microsoft for nearly two decades to provide users with “online help” (yes, I’m being ironic with those quotes).
According to the article, an attacker could create a specially crafted dialog box to prompt the user to press F1 and from there, the attacker can use a piece of code in the web page to hijack the computer when the F1 key is pressed. A point that needs to be made here is that dialog boxes are being used to dupe people into running malicious code. You have to be very careful with pop-ups while browsing the internet.
Unfortunately, that’s about as specific as I can get because the dialog boxes are crafted to appear in many different ways. One example is the common “Your computer is infected. Do you want to run a scan?” followed by Ok or Cancel. Each button does the same thing - installs malicious software on your PC. It would be best to be wary of all pop-ups you receive while browsing the internet, especially if you're using Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (IE).
If you are on a site that has rotating banner ads or any sort of animated ads, you may come across one of these pop-ups. The reason is that these ads are referenced from external sources and while most online advertising services keep their ads clean, sometimes an ad will get hijacked and malicious code will be inserted into the ad. Some of these malicious pop-ups will even have the “X” or close button coded to run the malicious code. A good way to deal with these pop –ups is to click the title bar of the pop-up (the line at the top of the pop-up that has the close button) and then press and hold down the “Alt” on your keyboard and then press “F4”. This key combination is built into Windows and will close the active window (clicking the title bar makes that pop-up window the active window). Be sure to let go of “Alt” before pressing anything else – Alt is often used to activate pull-down menus so you may find yourself unable to type for a second or two while the “File” menu is selected.
Another thing to keep in mind is that there are free web browser other than IE out there. Popular choices include Mozilla’s Firefox and Opera. Firefox and Opera are nice alternatives due to their expandability via plug-ins but also because they do not support ActiveX which is a Microsoft technology used by IE to install programs like Adobe Flash or Java. This technology is also abused by attackers to install software that hijacks your computer. They disguise the install prompt as an official looking pop-up and thus, by clicking on a button in the pop-up, you install malicious software on your PC.
Using a browser like Firefox or Opera prevents those kinds of attacks but are not without their own caveats. For one, many web pages are written for Internet Explorer so you will have to switch over to Internet Explorer to view those pages. Another caveat is that these browsers run other scripting languages besides ActiveX so the potential for a similar type of vulnerability still exists.
The bottom line is that most people have become so conditioned to clicking OK or Cancel inside of their applications that they become a little dismissive of what their computer is trying to tell them. I’m guilty of it too but the important thing is that I pay attention to what pops up at me while I’m browsing on the internet and so should you. Use these tips to your advantage, they might keep you from infecting your PC.
Mobile devices have become more powerful over the years and I’d have to say my iPod Touch (I’ll refer to it as iTouch) has become a tool I use from morning to night.
Quick Note: The iPod Touch is basically the same device as the iPhone, except it does not have GPS, Camera, or built-in microphone (however you can buy an accessory microphone). Other than that it’s the same device and operating system. Keep in mind, that anywhere you see iTouch below the comments also apply to the iPhone.
Wi-fi
The iTouch is a handheld Wi-Fi device and is great for quick access at hotspots. One of the advantages of a device like the iTouch is its “always-on” capability. I was recently on vacation with some friends in the Smokey Mountains and my buddy had his NetBook. We wanted to access the parks website to find out some info, so we found a free wi-fi hotspot and ended up going head-to-head with who can find the info the quickest. So, I grabbed my iTouch, connected to the Wi-Fi network, did a Google search, and accessed the parks website. Meanwhile, he’s still booting up his NetBook.
That’s not to say an iTouch is better than a NetBook, but it’s much more convenient for tasks like I just described. Laptops and NetBooks are still far better for typing compared to the iTouch’s small onscreen keyboard. Just a note about the onscreen keyboard – yes it is small, but it’s not bad once you get the hang of it. I don’t write longs Emails on it, but the quick, fast, convenience of the device that makes it very useful.
Kindle
I purchased my iTouch a year ago mainly to start purchasing books electronically. As a developer for AtNetPlus, I constantly need to keep up with the latest technologies. In years past, I’d purchase a technology book and in a year it would be obsolete. My library was growing out-of-control. So, I made a decision to go “Green” and purchase electronic versions of books online.
The reason I went with the iTouch was based on Amazon’s Kindle App that I could load onto my iTouch. There are two parts to Amazon’s Kindle platform – hardware and the electronic book format. Amazon sells a device called a Kindle and they provide electronic books in the Kindle format. So, with the iTouch Kindle App (available in the iTunes store) I can read the Kindle Book format without purchasing Amazon’s device.
What’s great about Kindle is that I can go on Amazon, find the book (not all books are in Kindle format yet), and download it instantly to my iTouch. I don’t have to run to the store or wait for it to be delivered in the mail. Plus, some versions are actually cheaper in the electronic version.
I do have to say it’s a different experience reading books on a small device, but there are many features of the iTouch Kindle version that make it worthwhile.
For instance, the book will remember the last page you viewed so you can pick right back up from where you left off. And that’s for everyone book you have on the device. Also, to make it easier to see, you can increase the font size and also rotate the device so it is using portrait mode. It’s surprising easy to read on the screen. I can also make notes anywhere in the book as I’m reading. I’m usually reading several books at once and having them all in one place is very convenient. Plus, as a developer, I always have my reference library with me.
The other reason I picked the iTouch over Kindle was for all of the other things you can do with the iTouch that I’ll cover in my next installment of "How I use my iTouch for Business."
Keep Connected + Keep Secure + Keep Working
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