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Computer Virus infects WHAT!?!
US Military sources have reported that the fleet of predator drones based out or a Nevada Air Force base have become infected by a computer virus that is tracking what the operators do, or rather the systems that allow Air Force personel to remotely control these armed drones has become infected. Continue reading
Will Apple convince you to buy?
Today’s the hotly anticipated launch of the iPhone 5. With Steve Job’s recent departure, it’s time for Tim Cook to don the black turtleneck and tell us what magic we can expect from Apple’s newest product. You can bet that there are thousands of people planning their schedules around camping out to be among the first in line to get their hands on this new product.
No other phone manufacturer can stir up the excitement that Apple can, and all by playing its cards close and doing everything they can to NOT reveal anything. AllAreaCodes.com has put together a great summary of what rumors have emerged as people look forward to the coming iPhone 5 Launch, all starting the moment that the previous iPhone (4) released.
How strong is your password?
Probably not strong enough.
Two things are most important when choosing a password. The length and variety of characters used in the password. The third thing to consider is whether or not your password appears on a hacker’s dictionary list. Password-based hacking can come in a number of forms. This post is to make you re-think the security of your passwords. Continue reading
Computer Security Terms Defined
One of the hardest things to understand about computer security today is an overwhelming number of seemingly interchangeable terms that are thrown around. This post is meant to clarify some of the most common words you might hear to give you an idea about what they mean. Continue reading
How do I know I have a virus?
Or: Why is my computer so slow?
If you aren’t running an antivirus solution that is actively scanning and updating, then you might not even know if you are infected with a virus, malware or spyware, or even the dreaded rootkit. Here are three things to look for that indicate that you have a problem that might need a visit from a technician. Continue reading
Not the Customer, You’re the Product
All of those free services available on the web sure are nice, but have you ever stopped to think what Google, Facebook and the like are getting for making the internet a great place to communicate, work and play? You can see from the chart below that Google isn’t having any trouble paying the bills. Those numbers are thousands of millions (billions).
Where does all of this money come from?
Doing Business With Integrity
Unfortunately, part of the cost of doing business anything on the internet today is the risk of being scammed by sleazy corporations that rely trickery to lure in unsuspecting customers victims into terrible situations. It seems that the veil of anonymity and the distance that online services offer is often an excuse for sleazy business practices.
Take for instance the letter I received this afternoon from the Domain Registry of America alerting me that one of the educational sites that I maintain is due for renewal. Two things stood out when I looked over the letter. First, the prices were way higher than what I normally pay for a domain, and I realized that I had registered this domain under a different registrar. A quick Google search confirmed my suspicion that DROA is a scam site which would not only overcharge for the domain, but also worked by adding fees and increasing the price on unsuspecting users. Fortunately I have a keen eye for a scam, but how many others have fallen for it?
When doing business, I couldn’t imagine using such sleazy tactics to capture new customers. The goal of Pittsburgh Computing is to act with integrity, protect consumers from these types of scams and to make sure that we build brand recognition through superior customer experiences and word of mouth rather than trickery.
About Pittsburgh Computing
Pittsburgh Computing was founded with the mission of making computer use easy and safe for everyone. The company’s founder, Rich Platts, has an strong background in both I.T. and education, and has a Master’s Degree from Carnegie Mellon University in Technology Management.
As a service-oriented, education-focused company, Pittsburgh Computing believes that educating customers with every service call is a better way to generate new business than over-branding or leaving customers vulnerable to the same problems again.
Pittsburgh Computing Promises:
- to customize training sessions to the needs of the client
- never to charge for a technical problem that does not get resolved
- to quote a reasonable fee for services before beginning work
- to include training for every client about preventing repeat issues
The Pittsburgh Computing Blog
The blog at PittsburghComputing.com is designed to educate a non-technical public about technical matters. Although the company serves a local client base, the blog posts are meant to serve a larger audience in educating them on relevant issues that matter to them in an increasingly connected world. Please feel free to leave a comment on any of the posts or, click through the links above for more information or contact Pittsburgh Computing.
But, Macs Don’t Get Viruses, Right?
Oh, but they do.
Although the folks in Cupertino have long enjoyed the common myth that Apple’s operating system is somehow immune to the virus and malware-ridden woes of the PC world, there isn’t anything fundamentally programmed into OS X that makes it virus proof. In fact, a quick Google search shows that a few times a year a big Mac-virus story floats to the technology headlines, along with the same quips about the supposed invulnerability of the Mac platform. The Mac’s rising market share makes it a more and more enticing target for bad-guys in coming years.
Today’s news about a social engineering-based exploit reaffirms yesterday’s three simple rules for keeping yourself safe online, with one big addition: never download and install something that you didn’t specifically ask for.
