Alert: BlackHat SEO attack targeting Google Nexus One (Updated) (From Panda Labs Blog)

From the Panda Labs Blog (BlackHat SEO attack targeting Google Nexus One (Updated) (http://pandalabs NULL.pandasecurity NULL.com/blackhat-seo-attack-targeting-google-nexus-one/))

A few days ago Google presented their brand new phone, called Nexus One:

And some days later we find out that if a user searchs for “buy Nexus One” he will obtain around 4,000 malicious links:

When clicking on any of these links, you will see some of the typical fake antivirus sites:

It will try to infect your computer with a rogueware called LivePcCare. Be careful while searching, and use at least some free web filtering tools (http://www NULL.mywot NULL.com/). (Like Web of Trust)

Update: 5 out of the 6 first results are malicious, including the 1st and the 2nd one.

Update 2: Now the same crew is using the Haiti earthquake

TGM: TechGeekandMore for 2009 – Just one word – WOW!

With the end 2009, let me send out a quick thank you to all the readers of TechGeekandMore, and also to the numerous people who helped get TGM off the ground.

When I started TGM at the end of February 2009, it was started as a simple hobby. I really never figured that I would get more than a few family members and maybe some co-workers/clients following it. I guess I got a little more than what I expected. As noticed in the final stats for 2009, with 1 little exception (and even that one was close), TGM has grown every month since it started.

I guess a special thanks is in order to Apple, Cisco, McAfee, and CA for having issues with their software.

Which helped inspire the creation of TGM so that questions, that I heard everyday (multiple times a day) would be answered in a form that even the most non-technical person can understand.

Software: Windows Updates – December 2009

I know this post is a couple of days late, but i want to make sure that no one missed their December updates. Microsoft released 6 major updates for December, in addition to a number of smaller updates (Update to Windows Update itself, the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool, among the others).

December 8th

Bulletin 1: Critical (Remote Code Execution), Windows

Bulletin 2: Important (Remote Code Execution), Windows, Office

Bulletin 3: Critical (Remote Code Execution), Office

Bulletin 4: Critical (Remote Code Execution), Windows, Internet Explorer

Bulletin 5: Important (Denial of Service), Windows

Bulletin 6: Important (Remote Code Execution), Windows

As always please make sure that you run Windows update either by going to the Microsoft Update site (http://www.update.microsoft.com (http://www NULL.update NULL.microsoft NULL.com)) or if you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7 from the start menu go to Control Panel –> Windows update –> Check for new updates.

Remember fixing security holes in your operating system, is like fixing a broken window in your home. You can lock your house door all you like, but if you don’t fix the window, bad guys will have an easy time getting into your home.

Website: TigerDirect is holding its 77 pc’s in 77 days giveaway

TigerDirect is in the middle of its 77 systems in 77 days giveaway*. This time its for a Systemax PC and ViewSonic monitor. The drawing can be found at http://www.tigerdirect.com/sectors/campaigns/include/microsoft_win7_sweeps.asp (http://www NULL.tigerdirect NULL.com/sectors/campaigns/include/microsoft_win7_sweeps NULL.asp) .

*NOTES: Keep in mind that entering the giveaway will get you signed up for the TigerDirect email newsletter, if you don’t want the newsletter, just click on the bottom of the newsletter once you receive it and select unsubscribe. Additionally, As always I’m just passing on the info, I am in no way associated with this contest or Tiger Direct.

Facebook: Removing Pictures that are Tagged to you

One of the options in Facebook is that you can tag a picture and share it with others via that Tag. The question is “what if someone tags a picture to you that you don’t want to see”? Since you are unable to delete the tag picture because it isn’t yours, what do you do?

Here is how you handle this issue.

1) You will see the picture(s) that were tagged to you listed on the top of your photo album. Click on any of the pictures you would like to remove.

2) When you do, you will see the picture and below it you will see your name (There could be more than 1 name if the picture was tagged to more than 1 person, if so just find yours). Once you see your name you will see (photos/remove tag) next to your name. Click on Remove tag.

3) Once you click on remove tag, you will no longer see it in your photos

If the photo that is tagged to you one that you feel should be completely removed from Facebook, you will need to ask the person who originally tagged you with the photo to remove it. All you are doing with these steps is taking the photo off your profile but anyone else who gets tagged with the picture will be able to see it.

Alert: Bing back up after outage that last close to an hour (12-3-09)

Update #3 (10:12p Eastern US)

Seems that whatever caused this outage is now corrected, as bing is now up and running again.

Update #2

At least based on the bing Twitter page, that bing is aware they have a problem.

UPDATE:

bing now shows an error. Still not sure why.

**********************************************************

Not sure what’s going on, but if you try and run a search on bing this evening (Currently 9:20p Eastern US), all you see is a blank screen. I’ve attached a few screen shots of what is happens, seems it is happening no matter what you are searching for.

We will post additional information as soon as TGM gets additional more.

Recommendation: Roomatlas – a great site for finding hotels

Roomatlas (LINK: Roomatlas.com (http://www NULL.roomatlas NULL.com/)) combines Google Maps with the extensive information database of Expedia and adds TripAdvisor reviews in one place. What you get is a simple way to not only to locate hotels but also a simple way to compare hotels in a specific area.

In the example (Below) I just types in New York, and receives a map showing me all the hotels in the area of south Manhattan. The hotels are color coded to show the average rates for each one.

Once you select one of the choices you get a bubble (below) telling you information about the hotel (Name, Address, Stars, and a brief explanation). You also get a spot where you can click to see additional hotel details and room availability or TripAdvisor reviews to this hotel. It also includes various filters to allow you to narrow down your search.

So far there is no premium fee for using this service, making it worth a try.

Soapbox: November Stats for TechGeekandMore – Best Month Yet

Another month is complete, and I continue to be pleasantly surprised. For the month of November 2009 TechGeekandMore had 3723 visitors. TechGeekandMore would like to thank everyone who has visited. TechGeekandMore goal has always been to explain technology in a simple and understandable non-Geek way.

Thank you from TechGeekandMore.

Software: Free add-on for Internet Explorer or Firefox can help prevent you from visiting a fake site that could infect your pc.

There is an add-on for Internet Explorer, Opera and Firefox that may help keep you from visiting a fake site that could infect your pc with malware or worse. The program called “Web of Trust” (From http://www.mywot.com/ (http://www NULL.mywot NULL.com/)), monitors trends (using their own information as well as information from other security providers) from the bad guys who set up these types of sites and either puts a marker or presents you with a message when a link that you are opening is considered to be either a known “phishing” site (a fake site meant to still your information) or a site that is high risk and could be a “phishing” site. The add-on does not actually block the sites, which means that you as the user still needs to use common sense while surfing the internet, as you could click on the message and tell it to continue to the site in question.

The add-on which is easy to install, will show the following type of notice on searches (Green as safe sites, Red as sites that would be recommended you avoid)

Panda WOT google search

In addition when visiting sites that could put you at risk you will see the following message

As already noted above, this is only an alert, this add-on with all of the browsers will still allow you to “Click here to continue to the page anyways”. That means that this program does not replace common sense, it is a tool to help you better chose but ultimately its still up to the user to use their own common sense.

Since I like giving real world examples to explain, here is how I explain Web of Trust. Consider WOT like your house or car alarm. When you leave your house, you set your alarm, but because you set the alarm doesn’t mean you don’t lock your doors (At least I hope it doesn’t). Consider your common sense as the looking of your door, if you don’t do it, your still at risk.

Internet Explorer Add-On (LINK: http://www.mywot.com/en/download/ie (http://www NULL.mywot NULL.com/en/download/ie))

Firefox Add-On (LINK: http://www.mywot.com/en/download/ff (http://www NULL.mywot NULL.com/en/download/ff))

Opera Add-On (LINK: http://files.myopera.com/PH%60/UserJs/wot.js (http://files NULL.myopera NULL.com/PH%60/UserJs/wot NULL.js))

TGM: Privacy Policy

Not only as Tech’s but as extreme power users, the privacy policy of sites is very important to TechGeekandMore(TGM). The following information is the TechGeekandMore(TGM) privacy policy as of 11/29/2009.

To see the Complete Privacy Policy for TechGeekandMore (LINK: http://techgeekandmore.com/privacy-policy/ (http://techgeekandmore NULL.com/privacy-policy/))

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