NEWSFLASH: The Internet is a global resource!

Not exactly news, is it? Even the rawest beginner is well aware that the Internet and the World Wide Web are communications media that span the globe — and thus ALL TIME ZONES.

So why is it that so many businesses and information publishers seem to forget that there’s anyone out there outside their own local time zone?

For me, the World Wide Web is an important information resource. I frequently want to tune in to online broadcasts and webinars, and there are a vast number of people who want to do the same thing.

Yet how often have you seen events, particularly online events such as webinars, announced to the world in only the date/time local to the event holder?

If you are an online merchant who ships worldwide and who is about to hold a 24-hour special promotion, wouldn’t it be in your own best interests not to have people on the other side of the planet turning up a day late because of Time Zone confusion? Or just ignoring your notification because they can’t be bothered doing the conversion of your event time into their own local time?

If you’re holding a time-sensitive event, you probably send out an e-mail or write a blog post to announce it to your prospects. If you make it easy for people to know exactly when to attend your event, regardless of their global location, you substantially improve the chances of them attending.

Obviously listing hundreds of local times would be a real PITA, and just not feasible. But there are much, much easier ways to keep everyone happy and improve your attendance numbers. Here are two:

1. Add to Outlook Calendar

This technique involves you providing an iCalendar attachment which, when opened, adds an appointment item to the calendar section of the Outlook e-mail client. The date/time of the event is automatically converted into the appropriate local date/time of the recipient of your notice. You can create the iCalendar attachment (which is a small .ics file) from within Outlook itself; there are plenty of tutorials available to tell you how to do that. This technique works fine, but has limited acceptability. For one thing not everyone uses an e-mail client that can accept iCalendar attachments.

2. Event Time Announcer

A much better alternative that works for everyone.

This is a completely free online resource that provides a list of about 150 Time Zone equivalents to the time you set for your event, and it is simplicity itself to use. You first fill in a few fields on a webpage, like this:

Setup Screen

When you click the Show Result button you’ll get a page that looks like this:

Results Screen: Click image to see the actual webpage.

Copy the URL of that Results page and paste it into the e-mail or blog article you are using to notify of your upcoming event. Anyone who clicks on the link will get the same results page, where they can look up the local date/time for their particular location. Simplicity itself!

You can see the actual webpage for the above “Christmas shopping notification” by clicking the image.

So PLEASE…

If you follow any online business, Internet marketer or information provider who periodically offers online events, PLEASE forward them a link to this article, in their own best interests and yours (and mine) as well. Event Time Announcer is so quick and easy to use that there is no excuse for NOT going the extra yard for your customers, subscribers, fans & followers.

Find event time announcer here:
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedform.html

©2012 Bill Hely's "Computer & Online Security" Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Y’know that little image that appears next to posts in forums, and against comments on blogs, and in lots of other places where people post messages? Well, it’s called an “avatar”, and it seems there are still a helluva lot of people who don’t know how to get themselves one.

Dictionary.com provides four meanings of the word “avatar”.

1. Hindu Mythology. The descent of a deity to the earth in an incarnate form or some manifest shape; the incarnation of a god.
2. An embodiment or personification, as of a principle, attitude, or view of life.
3. Digital Technology. A graphical image that represents a person, as on the Internet.
4. (in science fiction) A hybrid creature, composed of human and alien DNA and remotely controlled by the mind of a genetically matched human being.

Our concern here is the third instance, and the most common use for an avatar on the Internet is a thumbnail picture of a person making a comment. Take a look at twitter.com and you’ll see an avatar image against every post. Avatars are also in almost universal use on discussion and support forums.

Unlike most forums, Twitter requires that you upload an image to your Twitter profile, and that image is used for all your posts on the Twitter platform. But avatars wouldn’t be used nearly as much as they are across the web if you had to upload your image separately to every website that uses them.

Enter Gravatar

Gravatar is an online service that associates an image with an e-mail address, and happily a vast number of websites are Gravatar-enabled.

What this means in short is that whenever you enter your email address at a Gravatar-enabled website, your thumbnail image will appear automatically.

All you need do is establish a free Gravatar account, upload your image, and associate that image with an e-mail address. It only takes a couple of minutes. If you have more than one e-mail address you can associate the same or different images with different addresses.

This website, like squillions of others, is Gravatar enabled. If you post a comment on this website, and you DO NOT have an image registered at Gravatar, then your published comment will look like the first one below, with a default blank image.

But if you do have a Gravatar account set up then your post will look like the second one below, where my attractive visage is is presented for your admiration.

= Two example forum comments =

How to do it

It’s really simple…

• Prepare an image, preferably a head & shoulders portrait shot against a plain background, and save it to a convenient location on your computer (e.g. the desktop).
• Browse to https://secure.gravatar.com
• Click “Log in/Sign up”
• When asked, enter your e-mail address, or one of your addresses.
• Gravatar will send an e-mail to the address you entered. There will be a link in that e-mail message that you must click to enable your Gravatar account.
• Having clicked the link that Gravatar sent to you, you will now be back at their website. From there on its just a matter of following the very simple instructions.

That’s all there is to it. In future whenever you use that e-mail address on a Gravatar-enabled website, the associated image will be displayed.

Why would you want to do this?

Well, it is reasonable to assume that if you make a post to a website, you would like it to be noted and in all probability you would like to receive a response. And it has been well established that personalised messages received more attention than those that appear more anonymous. This is particularly important when you are seeking assistance in a User or Support forum.

It can also fool the general public into thinking that you actually have a few clues about using the Inter Web!

©2012 Bill Hely's "Computer & Online Security" Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Short answer: YES INDEED - but the price has been SLASHED!  Here’s why…

I occasionally receive an e-mail from someone considering purchasing my popular e-book The Hacker’s Nightmare, asking if it’s contents are still relevant. In this article I want to answer that question fairly specifically, so in future I can save time by referring such inquiries directly to here.

Not so long ago I was very close to pulling The Hacker’s Nightmare off the market, but fortunately I did a little research before taking that step.

Now if you are NOT using Windows XP, don’t stop at the next paragraph — there’s relevant stuff to come even for users of other Windows versions.

You see, the prime focus of The Hacker’s Nightmare was Windows XP and, without actually KNOWING any different, I wrongly ASSUMED that Windows XP (and thus The Hacker’s Nightmare) had run its course. Even though I still use Windows XP on some of my own computers.

But with further consideration I realized that is by no means the whole truth, or the only consideration.

For one thing, much of the book is NOT operating system specific. There are many chapters that deal with the generalities of computer and online security and which contain information that is a valuable education for any computer user, regardless of their preferred operating system.

But I also uncovered a fact that I admit surprised me, and that I’m sure will surprise a lot of others as well.

According to StatCounter.com, as at June 2011, Windows XP still has the lion’s share of the operating system market!

Even now, almost 2 years after the appearance of Windows 7 (released to retail on October 22, 2009) Windows XP still claims 45.14% of the operating system market, compared with 34.31% for Windows 7 and 12.12% for Vista, with the dregs going to Apple (6.3%), Linux (0.8%) and “other” (1.33%).

Source: StatCounter Global Stats – Operating System Market Share

Those percentages are accurate for the date I’m writing this article. Obviously they will change marginally with time.

In other words, for writers, developers, etc in the technical space, Windows XP is very much still a force to be reckoned with and cannot be ignored.

So I decided that removing The Hacker’s Nightmare from availability at this time would be premature, and would deny a valuable resource to many people who badly need such a reference. After all, it is very clear that computer users are more threatened today by viruses, spyware, identity theft, password cracking programs, con-men, and so on than they have ever been.

Identity theft in particular has become a multi-billion dollar crime worldwide, and much of it is facilitated by violating our computer-related technologies.

So, for now, The Hacker’s Nightmare will remain available.

But intending purchasers should be aware that, although there have been updates, the book was originally written when Windows XP was the current Windows operating system and that there will be certain references and examples that may be Windows XP specific.

With that limitation in mind, and as an incentive for windows users everywhere to take some action in their own defense, I have also decided to slash the price of admittance to our community.

The Hacker’s Nightmare, which originally sold for US$69, is now a gift at US$27, available only through PayPal’s secure ordering system.

The Hacker’s Nightmare has sold so many copies around the world that I could quite easily afford to give it away for free at this time. But support and answering e-mails takes time, so to do that I would have to include a “no support” condition. And that, I believe, would reduce its value.

So the bottom line is that the giveaway price of US$27 will include the full support that we have always offered: if there is something in the book that you don’t understand, contact us and we’ll help you through it.

But don’t delay — I’ll be keeping an eye on this offer and if it looks like being more trouble than it’s worth I’ll withdraw the book from sale permanently, though existing owners will of course continue to receive the support promised.

To give you an indication of what The Hacker’s Nightmare contains I will list the chapters below.

So don’t be a sitting duck…

The Hacker’s Nightmare :: Table of Contents

NOTE: Subject to change without notice

Notices
Preface

Section 1 – Introduction

Chapter 1: Software Tools and Utility Programs
Chapter 2: Security overview
Chapter 3: The Game Plan
Chapter 4: Basic preparations
Chapter 5: What you should know about your PC

Section 2 – First Line of Defense

Chapter 6: Phishing—the Sport of Thugs
Chapter 7: A Wake-up Call
Chapter 8: The Forward Sentry
Chapter 9: Selecting a Firewall/Router
Chapter 10: Wireless security
Chapter 11: Connecting the pieces

Section 3 – Defense in Depth

Chapter 12: An Overview of Local Protection
Chapter 13: The Importance of Task Scheduling
Chapter 14: Vanquishing the Virus
Chapter 15: Trojans & Spyware
Chapter 16: Walls within Walls

Section 4 – Other Threats and Tactics

Chapter 17: Patches & Updates 1: Overview
Chapter 18: Patches & Updates 2: Microsoft Products
Chapter 19: Patches & Updates 3: Other Products
Chapter 20: Dispensable DCOM
Chapter 21: Keeping Informed
Chapter 22: Managing Cookies
Chapter 23: Backups—surviving a disaster
Chapter 24: Microsoft Word Revelations
Chapter 25: Erase Data Securely
Chapter 26: Remote computing
Chapter 27: The Fine Art of Social Engineering
Chapter 28: Passwords I—Choosing & Using
Chapter 29: Passwords II—Biometrics
Chapter 30: The hazards of “freebies”
Chapter 31: Dirty tricks with extensions
Chapter 32: Taming the eMail Preview Pane
Chapter 33: Icon Spoofing

Section 5 – Additional Strategies

Chapter 34: Restricting ‘removables’—stop data from walking
Chapter 35: Pop-ups from Hell
Chapter 36: Preventing digital product theft

Appendices

Appendix 1: Definitions
Appendix 2: The EndItAll Utility Program
Appendix 3: Installing & Removing Software
Appendix 4: Implementing a Fast Reboot icon
Appendix 5: Identity Theft
Appendix 6: IP Addresses 101
Appendix 7: Anti-virus 101
Appendix 8: Port usage
Appendix 9: Determining Port Usage on a PC
Appendix 10: Browser ‘session cookie’ settings
Appendix 11: Cookie Pal
Appendix 12: Browser Wars
Appendix 13: Floppy Disk Basics

©2012 Bill Hely's "Computer & Online Security" Blog. All Rights Reserved.

The biggest threat to a computer’s security and its performance comes in the form of malicious programs, such as viruses, worms, trojans, spyware and adware. Such programs are designed to disrupt the performance of a stable computer, causing frequent system or software crashes.

To make matter worse, certain malware is adept in stealing confidential data and surreptitiously passing it on to the program’s creator for unscrupulous activities.

Any computer connected to the Internet is susceptible to malware infection. To keep your computer protected from malicious programs, apply constant vigilance and practice safe computing habits.

In this tutorial we discuss the following topics:

• Symptoms of malware infection
• Examples of malware-related processes
• How to get rid of malware
• Why it is necessary to clean the registry post malware infection
• Essential safe computing habits

Symptoms of malware infection

A malware infection is often preceded by the following symptoms:

• Slow system startup and shutdown.
• Delay in loading of an application.
• Frequent system freeze ups.
• Frequent application errors.
• Deletion of important system or application files.
• Frequent system or software crashes.
• Changes in Web browser settings.

Examples of malware related processes

• d.exe – This process is recorded as a trojan, designed to steal your confidential data.
• smss.exe – Many malicious programs disguise themselves as the genuine smss.exe file – which is an important part of the Windows operating system – causing frequent system crashes.
• alg.exe – Malware such as W32.Kueigh masquerade as the genuine alg.exe – which is associated with a core Windows process – and steals confidential data and also affects other computers in the network.

How to get rid of malware

If you notice any of the symptoms of malware present in your Windows computer, perform the following two tasks:

• Update your anti-malware software with the latest anti-malware definitions.
• Detach your computer from any network that it is attached to and disconnect the PC from the Internet.

Next, reboot Windows in Safe Mode by performing the following steps and run a complete malware scan twice.

1. Close all running applications
2. Restart Windows.
3. Press and hold the F8 key as Windows reloads.
4. Select the Safe Mode option in the Advanced Windows Boot Option Menu.
5. Press the Enter key.

Clean the registry after removing threats from your PC

The registry is perhaps the most important component of a Windows PC and malware programs invariably attempt to corrupt the registry by injecting innumerable invalid and corrupt entries into it. After you have removed malware from your computer, also take steps to remove malware-related entries from your registry.

Cleaning the registry is safe and easy providing you use the right tools! The sad fact is that the effectiveness of many Registry cleaners ranges from relatively useless to downright dangerous.

Our favorite Registry cleaner is RegistryBooster from Uniblue. We have thoroughly tested RegistryBooster and confidently recommend it as the best and safest Registry cleaner available today. The best way to obtain RegistryBooster is as a component part of the Uniblue PowerSuite package, which also includes the very useful CleanupMyPC and DriverScanner programs.

Safe computing habits

Don’t loosen your guard after removing malware, instead back it up with constant vigil and practice safe computing habits to prevent re-infection.

Here are a few computing habits that you will find it very wise to follow:

• Regularly update your anti-malware software and perform regular malware scans.
• Always scan email attachments before opening them.
• Read the EULA (end user license agreement) before installing new software to ensure no spyware or adware programs are being installed along with the software.
• Never download software from dubious websites.

©2012 Bill Hely's "Computer & Online Security" Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Computer errors can be divided into two distinct categories, application errors and hardware-related errors. The former forms the basis of our discussion.

The following topics are covered in this tutorial:

• Common causes of application errors
• Guidelines for troubleshooting common application errors

Causes of application errors

Application errors occur due to a variety of reasons, the most common ones are:

• Malware infection.
• Missing or corrupt files.
• Outdated files.
• Corrupt registry.

Steps for resolving application errors

Shared below are the steps that you may perform to resolve common application errors, such as the iexplore.exe application error.

Step #1 – Perform a malware scan

A large number of application errors, including the svchost.exe application error are caused due to malware infection. If your Windows screen is suddenly being engulfed by random application error messages, run a malware scan to ensure that malicious programs are not the cause of your troubles.

Step #2 – Install the required software

Do you have the software required to run a particular file?

If not, then immediately install the required software to repair the error. For instance, if the Flash software is not installed on your computer then you may receive a missing flash.ocx file error while opening a website that contains flash-based applications. To fix the error, simply download the Flash software from the Adobe Support website.

Step #3 – Update Windows, software and 3rd party device driver files

Outdated files are a common cause of recurring application errors. To update your files, perform the following steps:

• Windows files – Windows computers, since the Windows ME edition include a feature, named Automatic Update that lets you automatically install new Windows updates as and when they are released by Microsoft. Keep this feature enabled on your Windows computer for automatic installation of new Windows updates.
• Software files – Most software, under their Help menu contain an option, such as Check for Updates that lets you check and download new available updates. In case this option is not available, you may visit the software manufacturer’s website and manually download the new available updates.
• Third-party Driver files – To keep your third-party device drivers up-to-date, install the new available updates directly from the driver manufacturer’s website.

Step #4 – Run the System File Checker (SFC) command

SFC is a command-line utility that allows Windows users to fix issues pertaining to missing, corrupt or damaged core Windows files. When you run the SFC command, it scans the Windows protected files and if it finds one or more core files to be missing or of an incorrect version, it replaces the file with a correct version either from the Windows Cache folder or the Windows installation CD.

To run the SFC command, perform the following steps:

1. Click Start and then select Run.
2. In the Run box, type sfc and press Enter.

Step #5 – Clean your registry

Last, but by no means least, clean your registry to fix various application errors. Cleaning the Windows registry is easy.  Simply install a reliable Windows registry maintenance software and use it to perform essential registry-maintenance tasks. Our absolute favorite Registry cleaner is RegistryBooster from Uniblue. RegistryBooster is best purchased as a component part of Uniblue’s PowerSuite.

©2012 Bill Hely's "Computer & Online Security" Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Many computer problems, such as slow PC problems can be easily resolved without the help of a computer professional. All you need is a little patience, a smidgen of knowledge, a bit of conscious effort and some reliable software tools.

It is no secret that as your PC grows older there is a drop in its performance. Listed below are pointers that will help you fix slow PC problems and repair common computer errors, such as error 2739.

Uninstall programs you do not use

Do not store programs that you no longer require or use. Go through the list of currently installed programs and uninstall the unused programs.

When you uninstall a program ensure that you completely remove all its files and associated entries. Windows PCs come with an built-in utility called Add or Remove Programs (accessed via Start –> Control Panel) that allows you to correctly and completely uninstall unwanted programs.

However, at times you may not be able to uninstall programs completely using this built-in utility. This generally happens when some files of the program you are trying to uninstall are damaged or corrupt. This may also happen when you try to uninstall a security tool, such as AVG anti-virus software.

Security tools generally place innumerable files and entries deep into your system and the Windows Registry, respectively. Removing all of them, using the Add or Remove Programs utility becomes difficult. In such cases, use a reliable third-party uninstaller tool. For instance, if you cannot uninstall AVG using Add or Remove Programs, you may use a reliable third-party uninstaller tool to remove it from your computer.

Install a quality anti-virus tool

Malware programs such as viruses and trojans can have a huge impact on your system’s performance. Besides slowing down your computer, they also cause various computer errors to occur. To repair errors that are result of a malware infection, scan your entire computer using a reliable anti-virus program such as AVG or the free Microsoft Security Essentials.

Install a reliable anti-spyware program

Spyware programs are malicious programs that install themselves on your PC without your consent. Once inside, spyware programs execute innumerable processes that make your computer painstakingly slow. Also, malware-related processes may interfere with other running processes and cause various errors. You need to install a robust and top-rated anti-spyware program to tackle this menace on your computer. A top line commercial product is WebRoot SpySweeper, and the above-mentioned Microsoft Security Essential is also an excellent solution.

Clean your Windows Registry

Registry issues are found to be the root cause of the majority of computer errors. A corrupt Windows Registry slows a computer substantially by causing random errors at inappropriate times.

To enjoy an efficient and error-free computer experience, it is imperative that you regularly clean your Registry. Cleaning your Registry manually requires a high level of technical knowledge and should only be attempted by people qualified to do so.

It is recommended that you clean your registry using reliable Registry cleaning software. An advanced Registry cleaning tool efficiently removes invalid and corrupt Registry entries and repairs various errors that may occur due to Registry issues.

There are several articles on this site that anyone who suspects Registry problems should take a look at. it is suggested that you read the following articles in the order listed.

Choosing a Registry Cleaner

Registry Cleaners Revisited

Investigating Uniblue PowerSuite

Uniblue PowerSuite: Answering the Critics

The bottom line

So to summarize, do not panic when you encounter a computer error. Incorporate the above pointers to speed up your slow PC as well as fix various errors that may occur due to lack of regular PC maintenance.

©2012 Bill Hely's "Computer & Online Security" Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Check this out…

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch

What do you think it is? Is that mish-mash of apparently random characters an example of secure passwords gone crazy?

Nope! In fact, despite of its length and apparent randomness, it wouldn’t be the best choice as a password, because it’s actually a real word!

That’s the name of a village and community in Wales, United Kingdom, and is officially the longest place name in Europe and one of the longest in the world.

OK, interesting factoid. But what has that got to do with computer and/or Internet security?

Well, the name has no relevance at all, but Wales has more to offer the cautious computer user than unpronounceable place names. Read on for some interesting and useful info…

Karen Burch is the eCrime Business Officer with one of the four Welsh police forces, and has been a Hacker’s Nightmare member since early 2005. She gives e-crime prevention advice to businesses in Wales and provides information on e-crime threats and how to protect against them.

Karen just e-mailed to let me know that she is now associated with a project called eCrimeWales, a partnership funded by the Welsh Assembly Government with the aim of making Wales a safer place to do business. Contributing partners include both the public and private sectors, academia and the IT industry.

eCrimeWales maintains a very informative website at http://www.ecrimewales.com. You definitely do not need to be Welsh or reside in the UK to derive benefit from this site’s content. The warnings, suggestions and alerts are universally applicable.

Oh, and you won’t need to be a Welsh speaker to find your way around. The whole site is presented in very readable, well written, standard British English.

To quote Karen: “I think our aims are similar to yours in that we are offering cost effective (often free) solutions and non-technical advice on how to conduct business safely online.”

Congratulations to the Welsh government and law enforcement for taking an active interest in helping their communities with e-crime prevention. It’s a pity more police forces aren’t doing the same. Detection, arrest and prosecution are all important, but it’s obviously much better if people and businesses don’t become victims in the first place.

I’m always happy to alert readers to people, resources and websites that contribute in some positive way to the safety and security of individual home users and small businesses. If you know of any that are exceptional don’t hesitate to share with others via the comment box below.

For some excellent self-protection hints, tips and good advice do take a look around eCrimeWales.

PS. Also, for the Welsh speakers I found this short video (2min 44 secs). It’s very well done, so even if you don’t speak the language you’ll probably get the point!

PPS. Want to know more about Llanfairpwllgwyn…(etc)? Just double-click on the name and our link with Answers.com will provide you with all the info.

©2012 Bill Hely's "Computer & Online Security" Blog. All Rights Reserved.

I’m still getting variations on questions related to performing Microsoft/Windows updates, so perhaps it’s time for a brief refresher.

If, in any Microsoft operating system, you follow the sequence

Start –> Programs –> Microsoft Update

you will end up staring at the Microsoft browser which of course is Internet Explorer.

Abandon Internet Explorer!

It is my strongest and oft repeated recommendation that for many reasons you should abandon Internet Explorer in favour of Firefox. Firefox is not only a far better and more usable browser, it is also much safer. Or, use Google Chrome if you like, but it’s a bit spartan for my tastes. The main thing is to get away from Internet Explorer as your default browser.

Unfortunately in its raw state Firefox cannot process updates for you from update.microsoft.com or windowsupdate.com, or any variation that accesses the Microsoft/Windows update website.

Without getting into a lot of unnecessary detail, the reason is that the Microsoft update websites require an ActiveX control (follow that link if you want more info), and Firefox doesn’t “do” ActiveX — which is one of the reasons it’s much safer than Internet Explorer. ActiveX is a security nightmare.

Now many people are still under the impression that, while they prefer to use Firefox as their day-to-day browser, they have to switch to Internet Explorer to perform their Microsoft/Windows updates.

That hasn’t been the case for quite some time, and here’s how to make it not apply to you either. What we need to do is…

Fool the MS Update Websites

• If you don’t already have it installed and configured as your default browser, download Firefox from http://www.mozilla.com and install it. If you are already using Firefox make sure you are using the latest version. Very often new versions are released for valid security security reasons, not just to present a new feature or two.
• Locate the Firefox plug-in “IE Tab Plus” at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/10909/ and install it.
• In Firefox, go to: Tools –> IE Tab Plus Options.
• Select the Site Filter tab and ensure that the following entries are present. From memory I think they are there by default, but if not it’s easy enough to add them:

• Click OK to close the options dialog.

So What’s All That Mean?

What it means is that from now on, whenever you point Firefox to update.microsoft.com or windowsupdate.com, Firefox will load the Internet Explorer Rendering Engine to display those sites, and everything should work just fine.

But You CANNOT Ignore Internet Explorer!

Please please please be aware that Firefox add-ons such as IE Tab Plus aren’t the only software that call upon some part of Internet Explorer code, so it is vitally important that you keep Internet Explorer up to date even if you’re not using it as your day-to-day browser.

Need more explanation? Want to offer a viewpoint? Please use the Comment Box below.

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… Rank: wait… Traffic: wait… Price: wait… C: wait…

©2012 Bill Hely's "Computer & Online Security" Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Now there’s RoboForm Online…

Yep, the world’s Best password manager just got even better! As regular readers will know only too well, RoboForm is one of my very favorite must-have applications, and something that I have recommended on many occasions.

I’m not at all reluctant to say that EVERYONE who uses a PC online should have RoboForm installed. For security of passwords, and password management, there is nothing better.

But…

One downside to RoboForm is that you will become so dependent upon it that you’ll be lost when using another computer where *your* RoboForm data isn’t available. The portable version (RoboForm2Go) overcomes this problem to a large extent, but there are still elements of inconvenience. For one thing you have to remember to sync your latest RoboForm master data to the portable USB drive before leaving home or office (as the case may be); and of course you must have your portable RoboForm2Go USB drive with you at the time when you need it. Well…

The Answer Has Arrived…

All such considerations are now moot with the release of RoboForm Online.

Your master RoboForm installation on your own PC will automatically synchronize your Logins, Identities and Safenotes to your RoboForm Online account, where you can access them using your personal login credentials from any PC, anywhere in the world!

When at a “foreign” computer where you need access to your RoboForm data, you just browse to online.roboform.com, click the Login tab, and enter your account credentials – the one username/password combo you need to have filed away in your grey-matter storage cabinet.

And commendably, like everything Siber Systems does, it’s very easy to setup and use. Here’s how it goes…

The registration form is very simple:

RoboForm Online: Free Registration Form

On submitting the form you will be given some simple directions on how to initiate the sync.Basically, you’ll do this:

Synchronisation

I had to run the sync twice before all of my Logins, Identities and Safenotes were stored in the online service, but I may have been a bit hasty with the first one, not allowing enough time to get everything transferred across. However it’s easy enough to check your local RoboForm storage against your online storage to see that the numbers are right. If in doubt, just run the sync again.

By the way, if you should encounter a dialog like this:

The Good Sync dialog

Just click OK and follow directions — pretty much everything will be done for you.

RoboForm Online is a welcome addition to the RoboForm family, and those of us who move around a lot and use different computers are going to be very grateful for its emergence.

Free Registration

To learn more and to register for a free RoboForm online account just click the button below.

Of course, to make use of RoboForm online, you need to have RoboForm installed on your main PC to start with. And I as I said in the opening paragraph, RoboForm is something that *every* computer user should have installed.

PS.
If you found this article useful, be sure not to miss future hints, tips, reviews & warnings. For timely notification of new posts please use the Subscriber Now box in the right-hand column of this page.

©2012 Bill Hely's "Computer & Online Security" Blog. All Rights Reserved.

Don't get hooked like a big dumb Trout!

Owners of my security e-book The Hacker’s Nightmare have been too well educated to ever be caught by scams like the following. However they are exactly the type of thing that catches millions of less wary people on a regular  basis.

TWITTER TWADDLE!

The scumbag spam brigade is currently inundating e-mail in-boxes with fake messages purporting to be from Twitter.

You can easily identify the fakes — they contain a link that the sender wants you to click.

PLEASE KEEP THIS IN MIND…

All legitimate providers of any sort of membership service (social media sites, financial institutions, etc) are now awake to the fact that, in the interests of their customer’s security, they should not include “Click Me” links in their HTML e-mail communications.

If they really want you to login to your account and do something, they will ask you to do just that, with something like: “Please login to your account“. Maybe they will provide you with the login URL, but not as a link. However more often than not as a member you will be expected to know the login URL, along with your username and password.

HTML & PLAIN TEXT DIFFERENCES …

Be sure you know how to tell an HTML e-mail from a plain text e-mail.

Hovering your mouse pointer over a link in an HTML e-mail will usually display a little pop-up window containing the real URL that the link is pointing to — regardless of what the link text itself says.

In other words, a link in an HTML e-mail can lie to you. The link text might say something like:

Please click on the link below:
http://twitter.com/account/name@yourdomain.com

But in fact the link will take you to: http://hackerbot.xxx/gotcha/

ON THE OTHER HAND…

With a plain text e-mail, what you see is what you get. So long as you recognise the URL as being valid it is safe to click on. But you still have to be careful that it’s not a carefully constructed look-alike.

ANOTHER ONE DOING THE ROUNDS…

…is a plain text e-mail with no links in it, but with an HTML file attached. The body text of the e-mail will read something like:

You have (8) messages from Microsoft Outlook.

Please re-configure your Microsoft Outlook again.

Download attached setup file and install.

While it makes a feeble attempt to appear to be Microsoft Outlook Support, that ain’t the case at all. The examples I’ve seen are actually from: Frillsdu64@recordonline.com.

EDUCATE YOUR PROVIDERS…

If you are a member of any legitimate service that is in the habit of putting “Click Me” links in their e-mail communications to you, PLEASE contact them and point out how dangerous this practice is. This is how the cyber crims grab your login credentials for their own nefarious purposes.

Related articles:

• Spam masquerading as Twitter e-mails lead to phishing, malware
• Twitter forcing some users to change password. Reported threat of phishing attacks

©2012 Bill Hely's "Computer & Online Security" Blog. All Rights Reserved.