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Computer Security
13 Answers
My computer was recently hacked or whatever you call it and I was told it was blocked. It has been returned and I can now use it - can anyone tell me what security I should have - firewalls, malware and other security stuff is so much gobbledygook to me, which should I have please, and what do I have to pay for it? I do not know much about it, I'm afraid, but am frightened to use the thing in case the same thing happens again...
Grateful for any suggestions...
gardenmad
Grateful for any suggestions...
gardenmad
Answers
1 to 13 of 13
You've fallen for a 'ransomware' scam: http://
23:50 Sat 16th Feb 2013
WEll it said it was the United Kingdom Police, there was the logo of the Met Police and the Cheshirt Police Authority - it said I was guilty of crimes involving downloading music or videos, child porn and zooiphilia, I had to look that one up !!?? and I had to pay £100 through ukash or paysafecard. They used English but the language seemed like it was badly translated. I could not do anything with the computer, I got it brought back to 'normalcy', I hope, but I am badly shaken by the thing, and need to know I have got protection from whatever.... If they can put stuff like this on my computer, they can put ? what? any unmentioabloe thing you can think of... I am quite worried about it, but I am going to bed in about ten minutes, as I was up half the night last night trying to put things right, and I do not need this kind of worry....I almost unplugged everything and put it in a bath of water.....but that would have been silly, as I need it for work.
The people who unblocked it for you are the ones who blacked it in the first place, the technique is known as ransom ware, they install a virus that pretends to be from a local police force and they scare you into paying to fix it.
You need to download and install Microsoft Security Essentials (free) from the official Microsoft UK site.
Your Windows Firewall (already on all windows PCs) should be activated.
Malewarebytes Anti Malware (free version, not trial of pro version) and that should be all you need.
Never do anything on your PC that someone tells you to do by phone or email.
It may be an idea to get your PC sorted out at PC World if you don't understand any of this.
You need to download and install Microsoft Security Essentials (free) from the official Microsoft UK site.
Your Windows Firewall (already on all windows PCs) should be activated.
Malewarebytes Anti Malware (free version, not trial of pro version) and that should be all you need.
Never do anything on your PC that someone tells you to do by phone or email.
It may be an idea to get your PC sorted out at PC World if you don't understand any of this.
Someone is trying to scam you.
No need to be afraid, if it really was the police, rest assured they would NOT be contacting you by e-mail. I sincerely hope you did not part with any money or give them any credit/debit card details - or any other detail come to that.
The first thing you need to do is change your password, assuming you got this "warning" in an e-mail account you have, then you need to tick the box next to the message and assign it to "spam".
Assuming you have a PC (not Apple) computer, just get Microsoft Security Essentials activated (you will have it built in) then run a full scan and let it do its business.
No need to be afraid, if it really was the police, rest assured they would NOT be contacting you by e-mail. I sincerely hope you did not part with any money or give them any credit/debit card details - or any other detail come to that.
The first thing you need to do is change your password, assuming you got this "warning" in an e-mail account you have, then you need to tick the box next to the message and assign it to "spam".
Assuming you have a PC (not Apple) computer, just get Microsoft Security Essentials activated (you will have it built in) then run a full scan and let it do its business.
Thanks both, I am very relieved, I did not part with any money, you had to put your card no. in 'and your computer will be unblocked in 1 to 72 hours from the state receiving the fine' well in this country we do not refer to 'the state' - it's usually the government or council, and I had never heard of paysafecard - also it said if I did not pay up my 'personality and identity' would be investigated and the police would be calling!! They already knew where I lived, they said, they didn't, it was another county, but some people are gullible, I suppose, I had no fears about my supposed crime, only that they could put things on the pc which are certainly not there! I shall follow your advice about security, and thank you both again, I shall now sleep a whole lot better than last night!!
You've fallen for a 'ransomware' scam:
http://
Good computer security requires three things, i.e. a decent firewall, a good anti-virus program and an anti-malware solution.
Most paid-for security suites seek to achieve all three of those objectives but many people (including me) are happy to stick with the free stuff. AB's acknowledged IT expert, ChuckFickens (who works in the industry), recommends using Microsoft Security Essentials:
http://
(That's what I use)
In addition, the free version of Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware can be used to search for adware and other malware:
http://
(NB: Microsoft Security Essentials runs 'in the background', so you don't need to do anything yourself. The free version of Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware requires you to run it occasionally - perhaps once per week or so - if it's to do anything).
If you're prepared to fork out for a commercial security suite, Kaspersky has recently been ranked best by one of the UK's leading computer magazines:
http://
(Economy hint: Search for a site selling the 2012 edition. It's cheaper and it will automatically update to the 2013 one, free of charge, when you install it).
Even with Kaspersky installed, I'd still advise using the free version of Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware as well.
http://
Good computer security requires three things, i.e. a decent firewall, a good anti-virus program and an anti-malware solution.
Most paid-for security suites seek to achieve all three of those objectives but many people (including me) are happy to stick with the free stuff. AB's acknowledged IT expert, ChuckFickens (who works in the industry), recommends using Microsoft Security Essentials:
http://
(That's what I use)
In addition, the free version of Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware can be used to search for adware and other malware:
http://
(NB: Microsoft Security Essentials runs 'in the background', so you don't need to do anything yourself. The free version of Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware requires you to run it occasionally - perhaps once per week or so - if it's to do anything).
If you're prepared to fork out for a commercial security suite, Kaspersky has recently been ranked best by one of the UK's leading computer magazines:
http://
(Economy hint: Search for a site selling the 2012 edition. It's cheaper and it will automatically update to the 2013 one, free of charge, when you install it).
Even with Kaspersky installed, I'd still advise using the free version of Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware as well.
Yes gardenmad, you should be concerned, but you had the common sense to realise that all was not right. Ideally you should now change your password to access your email.
I'm the local Neighbourhood Watch rep for two local streets and also receive warnings from our coordinator about these upsetting emails.
If you are worried about any email of this nature, just go to < http://
You say your computer was blocked, but 'returned'. How did that work? I hope you didn't part with any money. There are freeware anti virus programmes out there like AVG [just Google it] and others. I use McAfee, which costs about £40.00/annum. It is updated automatically on a regular basis and provides its own firewall. Norton is also very good. Windows also has a built-in firewall turned on by default, but you can check by clicking the Start button, then Control Panel, then Security. You should find the firewall on, but it's easy from there to turn it on. This is on XP but later editions of Windows are not that different. If you're not sure, just Google "How do I turn on the Windows firewall" and pick the operating system you have.
None of them should be considered absolutely secure but unless you're a high-powered surfer going into every esoteric search engine and website, then you should be fine. Make sure your email password is not easy to guess. A good way is to choose the first [or even last] letter of the words of a poem or song you like, add or insert a capital letter or number and you should be fine. Let us know how you get on. Don't be frightened, just be cautious, which you apparently are already.
I'm the local Neighbourhood Watch rep for two local streets and also receive warnings from our coordinator about these upsetting emails.
If you are worried about any email of this nature, just go to < http://
You say your computer was blocked, but 'returned'. How did that work? I hope you didn't part with any money. There are freeware anti virus programmes out there like AVG [just Google it] and others. I use McAfee, which costs about £40.00/annum. It is updated automatically on a regular basis and provides its own firewall. Norton is also very good. Windows also has a built-in firewall turned on by default, but you can check by clicking the Start button, then Control Panel, then Security. You should find the firewall on, but it's easy from there to turn it on. This is on XP but later editions of Windows are not that different. If you're not sure, just Google "How do I turn on the Windows firewall" and pick the operating system you have.
None of them should be considered absolutely secure but unless you're a high-powered surfer going into every esoteric search engine and website, then you should be fine. Make sure your email password is not easy to guess. A good way is to choose the first [or even last] letter of the words of a poem or song you like, add or insert a capital letter or number and you should be fine. Let us know how you get on. Don't be frightened, just be cautious, which you apparently are already.
I didn't fall for a scam - they - whoever they are, said it was blocked, I called my son who knows about these things and he put it right for me - he took the computer and returned it - I did not part with any money. I am very pleased to hear about the police website as I tried to phone our local police station, then our divisional station, as I could not get through on the number in the phone book, but the divisional one was naff too. I have been all this time downloading stuff but must stop now as I am nearly dead with weariness, tomorrow is another day, but thank you all for your help and advice, I shall get it fixed then.
>>and also receive warnings from our coordinator about these upsetting emails.
This type of ransomeware doesn not usually come via emails.
It is often downloaded "in the background" when you visit certain web sites.
This ransomware works by displaying an image on your screen which covers the whole screen and cannot be removed so you cant get into Windows at all.
This graphic often says it is from the local police or governement but is not of course. They say you have to pay a "fine" to get rid of it.
One way to get round this problem is to set yourself up a "spare" Windows user account (before you get the ransomeware of course).
Then if you get the ransomeware you can still log on to Windows, run your anti virus or malware programs and hopefully get rid of it.
I suggest everyone sets up a "spare" Windows user account on their Windows computer for this reason. It is very easy to do in Windows.
This type of ransomeware doesn not usually come via emails.
It is often downloaded "in the background" when you visit certain web sites.
This ransomware works by displaying an image on your screen which covers the whole screen and cannot be removed so you cant get into Windows at all.
This graphic often says it is from the local police or governement but is not of course. They say you have to pay a "fine" to get rid of it.
One way to get round this problem is to set yourself up a "spare" Windows user account (before you get the ransomeware of course).
Then if you get the ransomeware you can still log on to Windows, run your anti virus or malware programs and hopefully get rid of it.
I suggest everyone sets up a "spare" Windows user account on their Windows computer for this reason. It is very easy to do in Windows.
he first thing you need to do is change your password, assuming you got this "warning" in an e-mail account you have, then you need to tick the box next to the message and assign it to "spam".
Assuming you have a PC (not Apple) computer, just get Microsoft Security Essentials activated (you will have it built in) then run a full scan and let it do its business. Media URL: http://www.cusabio.com/
Description:
Assuming you have a PC (not Apple) computer, just get Microsoft Security Essentials activated (you will have it built in) then run a full scan and let it do its business. Media URL: http://www.cusabio.com/
Description:
>>assuming you got this "warning" in an e-mail account
As I said above, this does not come in an email, it is a malware program that is downloaded when you visit certain web sites.
Then you get an image (like the one below) that totally covers your screen and you cant get "behind" it to get into Windows to do anything.
http://
As I said above, this does not come in an email, it is a malware program that is downloaded when you visit certain web sites.
Then you get an image (like the one below) that totally covers your screen and you cant get "behind" it to get into Windows to do anything.
http://
1 to 13 of 13
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