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7 Steps to Keep YOU Safe Online

Staying safe online is Priceless.

Do you use the same password for all websites? Do you over share on Facebook, twitter, hi5 etc? If so, you're a target for cyber criminals – whose computer scams are costing Britain £27bn a year.

I will briefly detail 7 simple steps that would help keep you safe online

Have The Latest Update ( Browser/Windows/Mac)

Outdated software is the enemy of online safety and security. Fortunately this process is easy and you should do this right now, even before reading the rest of this article.
If you use Microsoft Windows…
Fire up your Internet Explorer web browser and visit Microsoft Update. Just follow the instructions on the screen to update your system with the latest software. Next download and install Microsoft Security Essentials, which is their free antivirus software package.
If you use Mac OS X…
All you have to do is click the Apple logo in the top left of your screen, select “Software Update…”, and then follow along.


Download the Latest Java Plugins
Old java plugins is as good as no Java at all.
Hackers are now using Java to corrupt your computers, which is why U.S. Department Homeland Security is worried.
According to Reuters, hackers have figured out how to exploit Oracle Corp's Java software to install malicious software "enabling them to commit crimes ranging from identity theft to making an infected computer part of an ad-hoc network of computers that can be used to attack websites," the report said.
Java is widely used, which is why it's a prime target for hackers.


Latest Antivirus Software
Antivirus software is designed to prevent malicious software programs from embedding on your computer. If it detects malicious code, like a virus or a worm, it works to disarm or remove it. Viruses can infect computers without users' knowledge. Most types of antivirus software can be set up to update automatically

This should not even have to be listed, if you don’t have anti-virus software installed, you’re asking for trouble! And if your reason for not installing anti-virus software is because it’s too expensive, then that can reason can be shot down because there are several free anti-virus programs out there that are considered better than commercial software packages


Do not Click on Links or Documents if Not Sure
The golden rule. The main way criminals infect PCs with malware is by luring users to click on a link or open an attachment. "Sometimes phishing emails contain obvious spelling mistakes and poor grammar and are easy to spot," says Sidaway of Integralis. "However, targeted attacks and well-executed mass mailings can be almost indistinguishable [from genuine emails]." 

Social media has helped criminals profile individuals, allowing them to be much more easily targeted, he adds. "They can see what you're interested in or what you [post] about and send you crafted messages, inviting you to click on something. Don't."


Expand Short links
Avoid phishing, malware, and viruses by examining short URLs before visiting them. Find out where links really take you.
go to www.longurl.org and confirm before clicking

EXAMPLE IS BELOW

Title:
GoogleShort URL:http://is.gd/w would Redirect you to
http://google.com
http://www.google.com

Different Password for different sites
You wouldn't have the same key for your home, car, office, safe, etc. For the same reason you shouldn't use the same password for all your online accounts
With individuals typically having anything up to 100 online accounts, the tendency has become to share one or two passwords across accounts or use very simple ones, such as loved ones' names, first pets or favorite sports teams. Indeed, research by Ofcom last month revealed that over half of UK adults (55%) use the same passwords for most, if not all, websites they visit, while one in four (26%) use birthdays or names as passwords. Any word found in the dictionary is easily crack-able. Instead, says Sian John, online security consultant at Symantec, have one memorable phrase or a line from a favorite song or poem. For example: "The Observer is a Sunday newspaper" becomes "toiasn". Add numerals and a special character thus: "T0!asn". Now for every site you log on to, add the first and last letter of that site to the start and end of the phrase, so the password for Amazon would be "AT0!asnn". At first glance, unguessable. But for you, still memorable."


Shut Doing your PC/Mac
When not using the PC/Mac, common sense dictates you shut down. PC/Mac left ON is an easy target for hackers. please read our other blog on RAT.


This is in no way a conclusive guides to statying safe online, but it is a step in the right diurection.

Stop Hackers/People Spying on YOU through your Webcam

If There’s a RAT in Your Laptop, You Won’t Know Who’s Watching You

RAT also stands for remote administration tool.

What is a RAT (remote access Trojan)?

A remote access Trojan (RAT) is a malware program that includes a back door for administrative control over the target computer. RATs are usually downloaded invisibly with a user-requested program -- such as a game -- or sent as an email attachment. Once the host system is compromised, the intruder may use it to distribute RATs to other vulnerable computers and establish a botnet.

1. Because a RAT enables administrative control, it makes it possible for the intruder to do just about anything on the targeted computer, including:
2. Monitoring user behavior through keyloggers or other spyware.
3. Accessing confidential information, such as credit card and social security numbers.
4. Activating a system's webcam and recording video.
5. Taking screenshots.
6. Distributing viruses and other malware.
7. Formatting drives.
8. Deleting, downloading or altering files and file systems.

The Back Orifice rootkit is one of the best known examples of a RAT. A hacker group known as the Cult of the Dead Cow created Back Orifice to expose the security deficiencies of Microsoft's Windows operating systems.

RATs can be difficult to detect because they usually don't show up in lists of running programs or tasks. The actions they perform can be similar to those of legitimate programs. Furthermore, an intruder will often manage the level of resource use so that a drop in performance doesn't alert the user that something's amiss.

To protect your system from RATs, follow the same procedures you use to prevent other malware infections: Keep antivirus software up to date and refrain from downloading programs or opening attachments that aren't from a trusted source. At the administrative level, it's always a good idea to block unused ports, turn off unused services and monitor outgoing traffic.

Stop unwanted emails

It's unlikely work email is the only thing overloading you. The other thing taking up all that space in your inbox is spam, and while it seems impossible to get rid of, there are a lot of techniques you can use to keep it at a minimum. First, make sure you know which messages were sent directly to you and not to a mailing list, by coloring them in Outlook, highlighting them in Thunderbird, or turning on personal level indicators in Gmail. Next, you can avoid incoming spam by filtering the word "unsubscribe", and filter future spam by using a temporary, disposable email address from a service like Trashmail or Mailinator. With a few extra filters and tools, you can keep your inbox (mostly) free of any spam that comes your way.

Welcome to Our Site

Welcome to Our Site

Welcome to our Blog. This site is very new and we will fully update and upload NEW Helps and tutorial over the next few weeks. Thanks for your patience.

We will endeavour to answer common computer and Mac problem you are facing. Issues like my PC wont start, blue screen, windows on the loop and keeps restarting, screen to big, keyboard not working, screen freezing, computer slow performance etc

Blue screen, Black screen, Continuos restarting, Lost Doc/pictures ??...

• Are you thinking of Smashing that laptop, desktop, mac 
• Are you honking you car to drive, taxi, bicycle, or bus to a repair shop/centre
• Are you feeling worried and terrified that your computer is damaged

Please for these quick simple guides to determine the cause of the issue and possible solution.

Remember, the computer or mac technician would respect and think twice of ripping you off, if  you seems to know about the issue regarding your gadgets.

The following are summary cause of simple issues we are likely to face. I also tried to insight to possible solutions

A blue screen is mostly as a result of Hardware failure- Memory, Hard drive,Bios etc. It can be a very simple fault as well as a more serious fault. It’s called the blue screen of death because in most cases the parts involved would need replacement 

A black Screen is due to Hardware/Software failure- GPU,BGA,Inverter,Screen etc., the screen can be perfectly fine and than go black simply because the graphics card has failed or the inverter is defective also the backlight could be faulty. So remember just because the screen is black and not displaying that does not mean that the screen is broke or computer is dead.

Lost Documents/Pictures It is very easy to accidently delete important documents or pictures, don’t worry, most deleted files can be recovered. Even if your hard drive failed on you and it cannot be repaired and has to be replaced, don’t worry data recovery  (document and pictures and so on)  from the broken hard drive is a possibility. 

No Charge  Laptop not Charging? There are also a few reasons why a laptop does not charge, its either your power supply is broken or the dc jack in your laptop could be broken or loose or a connection failure on the motherboard or even faulty battery.

DIY Disaster Sometimes when we clean up our Laptop, computer, tablet we erase important files on the system not knowing that we did so and in that case corrupt the Operating System. 
This could cause a non operational system. the system goes into a loop meaning it will boot up  and then restart again and again continuously until you shut it down , sometimes it will just give you a black screen with an error message. Either way it is curable by just reinstalling/Recovering/Repairing  the Operating System.

Composed by

Bianca
Common sense is not very common

How to boot MAC Os in Safe Mode

To start up into Safe Mode (to Safe Boot), do this:

1. Be sure your Mac is shut down.
2. Press the power button.
3. Immediately after you hear the startup tone, hold the Shift key. The Shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone, but not before the tone.
4. Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple icon and the progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).

During startup in Mac OS X v10.4 through Mac OS X v10.6.8, you will see "Safe Boot" on the login window, which appears even if you normally log in automatically. During startup in Mac OS X v10.2 through v10.3.9, you will see "Safe Boot" on the Mac OS X startup screen.

To leave Safe Mode, restart the computer normally, without holding any keys during startup.

Additional Information

Advanced: If you can't Safe Boot with a keyboard

If for some reason you can't use the keyboard method to start in Safe Mode (the keyboard is missing or not working, for example), and you already have remote access to the computer, you can configure the computer to startup in Safe Mode via its command line

1. Access the command line by either opening Terminal remotely, or by logging into the computer from another via SSH.
2. Execute the following command in Terminal or on the command line:
   
   sudo nvram boot-args="-x"
   
   (If you want to start in Verbose mode as well, use sudo nvram boot-args="-x -v" instead )
    

3. After using Safe Boot, to return to a normal startup, execute this command in Terminal or the command line:
   
   sudo nvram boot-args=""

Safe mode in MAC ? What is it

Safe Mode is the state into which you can start up your Mac by performing a Safe Boot. To perform a Safe Boot, press and hold the Shift key immediately after your Mac starts up. Continue holding down the Shift key until a gray Apple logo appears on the screen.

Starting up into Safe Mode does several things:

• It forces a directory check of the startup volume. You may see a progress bar on the screen during this check, and the computer may take longer than usual to complete its startup.
• It loads only required kernel extensions (some of the items in /System/Library/Extensions).
• Mac OS X v10.5.6 or later: A Safe Boot deletes the dynamic loader shared cache at (/var/db/dyld/). A cache with issues may cause a blue screen on startup, particularly after a Software Update. Restarting normally recreates this cache.
• It disables all fonts other than those in /System/Library/Fonts (Mac OS X v10.4 or later).
• It moves to the Trash all font caches normally stored in /Library/Caches/com.apple.ATS/(uid)/ , where (uid) is a user ID number such as 501 (Mac OS X v10.4 or later).
• It disables all startup items and login items (Mac OS X v10.4 or later).
• In Mac OS X v10.3.9 or earlier, Safe Mode runs only Apple-installed startup items (such items may be installed either in /Library/StartupItems or in /System/Library/StartupItems; these are different than user-selected account login items).

Taken together, these changes can help resolve software or directory issues that may exist on the startup volume.

Some features don't work in Safe Mode

Safe Mode can be useful for troubleshooting. However, certain Mac OS X features do not work in Safe Mode. For example, you can't use DVD Player, capture video in iMovie, use audio input or output devices, or use an internal or external USB modem. The behavior of some devices such as wireless networking may vary depending on computer and Mac OS X version.

Safe Mode in Mac OS X v10.5 or later also disables Quartz Extreme (hardware accelerated graphics). Applications that depend on Quartz Extreme will not open, and the Mac OS X menu bar will appear solid even if "Translucent Menu Bar" is enabled in Desktop & Screen Saver preferences.

Safe Mode in Mac OS X v10.6 or later also disables File Sharing access. This means you will not be able to mount Time Capsule disks or volumes being served by other computers running Mac OS X. 

Welcome to Our Site

Welcome to Our Site

Welcome to our Blog. This site is very new and we will fully update and upload NEW Helps and tutorial over the next few weeks. Thanks for your patience.

We will endeavour to answer common computer and Mac problem you are facing. Issues like my PC wont start, blue screen, windows on the loop and keeps restarting, screen to big, keyboard not working, screen freezing, computer slow performance etc.

What the hell is RAM!?

What the hell is RAM!?

RAM is short for Random Access Memory it is vital for your computer to function, if you do not have it then your computer will not start-up correctly. RAM is use by the CPU in modern computers, it is often used as cache memory for the CPU. RAM stores a bit of data using a transistor and capacitor pair, which together comprise a memory cell.
There are many different types of RAM Double data rate (DDR) DDR2 DDR3. DDR3 is the latest and greatest; DDR3 operates at lower voltages, thereby consuming less power, and can transfer data at rates up to 12.8 GB per second, opposed to DDRs maximum transfer rate of 1600 MB/s.
The amount of RAM you can use is dependent on the operating system (OS) if you have a 64BIT OS then you can have up to 7.5GB of usable memory, if you don’t and you have a 32bit of (x86) then you will be limited to around 3GB of usable memory.

Online Securities

Feel insecure Online? Try these top tips

If you are worried about your online security? You should be. With a few simple steps you could decrease your chances of been compromised.

Are you already compromised?
Go to https://pwnedlist.com/ and enter your email to see if your password is already on the internet waiting for someone to exploit your account. If you show up, then you should change your passwords immediately, even if you are not on this list you may still be compromised and should consider changing your password.

Why hack when you can ask?
You may think you are on the web site you intended to visit but you could have actually mistyped it by one character or you may have clicked a bad link to get there this is called fishing. You could end up on a fake or spoof web site that looks legitimate, but when you log in you could find your credentials have been stolen and then you will be redirected to the real site without you ever knowing.

Weak password?
Are you using the password “password” or “123456″? if so congratulations, you are using one of the top two worst and easiest to guess passwords on the internet. Splashdata creates an annual list of the worst passwords to use on the net, and here are the top 10 for 2011:
1.  password
2.  123456
3.  12345678
4.  qwerty
5.  abc123
6.  monkey
7.  1234567
8.  letmein
8.  trustno1
10. dragon

Are you infected ?
You may have a virus and don’t know about it, it could be steal your information. There are many different virus scanners, but some the best are  AVG, Avira, NOD32 and Bitdefender, run a scan immediately to protect yourself.

Improving Performance of your Computer/Laptop

Easy Fixes to Improving Performance of your Computer/Laptop

Easy Fixes to Improving Your Computer/Laptop Performance　
Outdated Program Files
Manufacturers of operating systems, software programs and device drivers release regular security updates and patches to improve their products and make them more secure. If your system is not updated with these regular releases, you may encounter errors. For instance, the cCSvhst.exe error occurs due to a bug in an earlier release of Norton 2007 and you can fix cCSvhst.exe error by installing the latest update released by Symantec.


Registry Problems

Accumulation of outdated, invalid, and erroneous information in the Windows registry is one of the main causes of several computer errors such as DLL errors, driver errors, and runtime errors. This is the reason why, to fix computer errors and maintain a healthy, high-performance PC, it is important for you to perform registry scans to remove unwanted information and repair erroneous and invalid entries. One of the easiest ways to perform registry repair is to use a third-party registry cleaner tool, which is compatible with your Windows Operating System. You can use the user-friendly features of a good registry cleaner ( nOT ALL REGISTRY CLEANER ARE GOOD, SOME ARE VIRUSES ) tool to easily scan and repair registry problems, fix several computer errors, defrag registry files to speed up your system, and create regular registry backups. Please be careful when playing around with the registry, as one false move can render your PC Useless.


Malware Infections

Malicious programs such as viruses and Trojans can infiltrate your system and make working on it a terrible experience for you. These programs may alter the registry settings of currently installed programs or infect the EXE files of an application so that you encounter errors every time you launch a program. Your system may slow down drastically, and even a simple action of displaying a menu may seem to take hours. Today, there is another stream of security threats in the form of spyware and adware. These programs spy on your system to collect your personal and confidential data and use it to display unauthorized pop-up ads on your system. They may also use this information for other malicious purposes. Two tools that can help you prevent and remove malware information from your system are antivirus and antispyware tools. You must regularly scan your system using these tools, and keep them updated with the latest virus definitions to ensure that your Windows computer is well protected against all the latest security threats.


Hard Disk Problems

With all of the operating system files, program files and data that is stored on the hard disk, it becomes really important for you to ensure that you hard disk stays healthy. A fragmented and cluttered hard disk may generate several memory-related errors and system slowdown problems. If the number of fragmented files on the disk is high, it causes unnecessary stress on the head of the disk, and in more severe cases, may even lead to hard disk failure resulting in data loss. Two important tools that help you repair hard disk related problems are the Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenter Tools. The Disk Cleanup tool helps in cleaning up loads of unwanted data from the disk, such as empty Recycle Bin, clear unwanted Internet Explorer files, clean up the Temp folder, and get rid of obsolete program setup files. You can also use this tool to uninstall unwanted Windows components and software programs and delete old System Restore points. After cleaning up, you can use the Disk Defragmenter tool to consolidate the fragmented files on the hard disk and speed up your PC.

Keeping your system up-to-date, performing regular registry and hard disk maintenance, and performing periodic malware scans can help you keep your system free of errors and healthy for a long time.

How to change what program starts on start up

How to change what program starts on start up

1.       Press “Windows key + R”.

2.       “Run” should open type “msconfig”  and press “ok”.

3.       Click on the “Startup tab”, here is what starts when you boot up you computer. To stop a program from starting uncheck the box, when you are finished click apply and ok.

4.       When you click “ok” you will be presented with a dialog box chose the option that better suits you.

Well done, you are done! J

Types Of Operating systems

Operating systems

Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8
Mac OS X
LINUX
Chromium
Android
UNIX
Bsd
IOSAdd others.... Then we will see each pros and cons
An operating system (OS) is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system. A user cannot run an application program on the computer without an operating system, unless the application program is self booting.
Time-sharing operating systems schedule tasks for efficient use of the system and may also include accounting for cost allocation of processor time, mass storage, printing, and other resources.
For hardware functions such as input and output and memory allocation, the operating system acts as an intermediary between application programs and the computer hardware,[1][2] although the application code is usually executed directly by the hardware and will frequently call the OS or be interrupted by it. Operating systems are found on almost any device that contains a computer—from cellular phones and video game consoles to supercomputers and web servers.
Ref: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system

Cannot play YouTube videos

Cannot play YouTube videos

This is usually because you either don’t have adobe flash player or you have a problem with it. Download the flash removal tool from here: googl/CWOW2. After removing flash, go to www.adobe.com and download and install adobe flash player.

Can not get on the Internet

Can not get on the Internet

Press and hold the windows key (has the windows flag on it) then press r. In the run box type cmd and press enter. Type ping www.google.com. If your internet is working you will get 4 packets sent 4 received and 0 lost. If this is the case press menu on your phone and restart, then go to Problem with web browser. If the ping was unsuccessful, unplug our modem and router for about 10 seconds, and then try it again. You can also try skipping your router and plugging directly into your modem to see if there is a problem with your router.

My Printer will not print

My Printer will not print

This is usually caused by a problem with your printer driver. Go to start, type devices and printers in the search ad press enter. (in XP go to control panel, printers and faxes) Right click on your printer and go to delete. Restart your computer if it does not delete. Now go to your printer manufacturer’s website, find drivers and downloads, download the printer driver for your model and install it.

My screen looks to big/small

My screen looks to big/small

This is usually caused by using a screen resolution that is not suitable for you. Right click on your desktop and go to screen resolution (personalize then display settings in vista and properties then display settings in xp) then try different resolution until you find one that you like. If you cannot find one you like. You may be missing your display driver Go to your computer manufacturer’s website, find the divers and download the display drivers for your model.

I do not have sound

First make sure that your speakers are plugged in correctly and the power/volume is on. If you have the sound icon in the tray, make sure it is not muted. Go to your computer manufacturer’s  website, find drivers and downloads, then download and install the audio drivers for your computer. Reboot and see it your sound works.