Twitter WARNING!

OK folks…I knew it was coming…PLEASE for the safety of your identity and your family safety…review this article about the latest scam.

http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/00001773.html

-Dale

50 Top Text Acronyms you should be aware of...

Here's a link to some acronyms that kids are using today...WARNING..some of these are descriptive!

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/fox_5_links/Top_50_Text_Acronyms_Parents_Should_Know_052009

-SuperDale

Holy Swap-File, Batman!

One method of increasing your system performance and increasing your security, is to…(are you a ready for this one!)…delete the Swap-File (also known as the PageFile).  Now I’m not saying to permanently remove the swap-file, that would be VERY bad…but rather remove it as the computer shuts down and recreate it as the computer reboots… WHY? you ask.. couple of reasons.

1. Sensitive information may have been temporarily stored in the virtual memory pagefile. For this security reason and others, it may be a good idea to enable this setting to clear the virtual memory pagefile occasionally or when you suspect this. When this setting is enabled it will clear the virtual memory pagefile, and the hibernation file only on a portable computer, when you restart or shutdown the computer.
2. If you leave the file in place…over time it get “fragmented”, which makes the system work harder to find the files it needs…by deleting it, and restarting the computer, a NEW and IMPROVED swap file is created, which is not fragmented.

So how do you do this?….It’s a little “Geeky”, but here you go:

WARNING: THIS METHOD ONLY WORKS ON VISTA ENTERPRISE, BUSINESS, AND ULTIMATE…for Vista Home and Preium, look towards the bottom of this article for section 2.

Section 1)

Open the Local Group Policy Editor.
2. In the left pane, click on Computer Configuration, Windows Settings, Security Settings, Local Policies, and Security Options. (See screenshot below)

3. In the right pane, right click on Shutdown: Clear virtual memory pagefile and click on Properties.
4. To Enable Clear Paging File at Shutdown -

A) Select (dot) Enabled and click on OK. (See screenshot below step 5A)
B) Go to step 6.

5. To Disable Clear Paging File at Shutdown -

A) Select (dot) Disabled and click on OK.

6. Close Local Group Policy Editor window. Your done.
7. If you enabled this setting, then restart or shutdown the computer to clear the Virtual Memory Paging File.

 

Section 2)

1. To Disable Clear Paging File at Shutdown -

A) Click on the download link below to download the
Disable_Clear_Page_File.reg file.
B) Go to step 3.

2. To Enable Clear Paging File at Shutdown -

A) Click on the download button below to download the
Enable_Clear_Page_File.reg file.

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.
4. Right click the .reg (On Desktop) file and click on Merge.
5. Click on the Run button for Security Warning pop-up.
6. Click on Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.
7. When done, you can delete the .reg file (On Desktop).
8. If you enabled this setting, then restart or shutdown the computer to clear the Virtual Memory Paging File.

-SuperDale (http://myfamilysafety.blogspot.com)

(Note: I’m not responsible for any issues that these files may or may not cause…there’s my disclaimer)

Lying Low on the Social Networks…

Here is a GREAT article by Kim Komando (A nationally talk radio show about computers).

Good rules to live by…http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/kimkomando/2009-04-30-facebook-privacy_N.htm?csp=34

-SuperDale

More Sexting information

An article in today’s Washington Post about sexting  (sending sexually explicit photos by cell phone) accurately portrays the difficulties schools, law enforcement, and prosecutors have when new uses of technology don’t necessarily fit into laws and polices already on the books.  Often young people embrace technology and find new, and sometimes negative uses, before parents, schools, and the community have the opportunity to proactively respond.

One paragraph in the story particularly caught my attention:

Sexters are often "the good kids” police said, with strong grades, involved parents and no criminal history. Many send photos without grasping that they could be widely circulated or posted on the Internet in view of strangers, predators and potential colleges and employers.

It’s that last part that I actually think we can do something about. Young people in America should not grow up without a grasp of how the Internet works, the longevity of images and text in cyberspace, or the impact and ethical considerations of sending, receiving, or distributing explicit photos.

Sharing explicit photos most certainly did not start with the Internet. However, the Internet is an accelerator button that has few brakes and a memory that lasts forever. The responsibility of teaching young people about the safe and secure use of technology belongs to all of us—parents, teachers, uncles, aunts, grandparents, industry, and government.

Learning to use technology responsibly in a civil society is not even about the technology.  It is about learning the universal behaviors that are relevant, whether you are using a megaphone, email, social networking, texting or even just word of mouth.  Young people need to understand the consequences of behavior, appreciate the rights and feelings of others, and be aware of the lasting impact of their actions. By learning these life lessons young people will be prepared to safely and securely integrate every new technological bell and whistle, and harness the power of technology to enhance their lives.

Here’s the kicker…the article goes on the say that “ In Loudoun County, Ting-Yi Oei, 60, an assistant principal at Freedom High School, said he had never heard the term when he and a school security specialist investigated a teacher's report in March 2008 of a risqué photo being circulated by students.”   READY…..”Ultimately, Oei was arrested on child pornography charges for possessing the photo he had investigated.”!

Please…let’s all sit down with our kids (yes, there are reports at the elementary school level)…talk about what’s wrong and right.  Let them know they don’t have to do something like this to be popular, or to get someone to “like” them.

It’s a NEW world!

-SuperDale

Look out! You think the Swine Flu is bad!

There's a new series of email messages going out, numbering in the millions. Many of them have links to Web sites and those Web sites seem vaguely official.

When you click on the link in the email, you're taken to these official-looking sites, where you're told your version of Flash or your version of Acrobat isn't up-to-date and they offer you the opportunity to download an updated version.

Guess what…the software you download isn't Flash or Acrobat, it's something designed to infect your computer. The trojan attempts to steal confidential information from the computer and upload it to a server in Ukraine.

So let's go over our list of cautions once again, but we'll lead this time with Acrobat and Flash.

Never, ever, ever install Flash or Acrobat from a Web site you're visiting because the site says you need to. If you're not sure you're running the latest version, type http://www.adobe.com directly into your browser's address bar, go to Adobe's site, and download from them.

Downloading Flash and Acrobat from Adobe.com is safe. Downloading these files from anywhere else is not.

Just because repetition often leads to learning, let's go over our steps for safe computing once again:

1. Never, EVER open email attachments UNLESS you’re expecting something from someone….Ever!
2. Update your computer using Windows Update whenever you're told updates are available.
3. Make sure your virus definitions are updated daily.
4. Update your anti-spyware definitions daily.
5. Update your browser to Internet Explorer 7/8 or Firefox 3. These have much better anti-phishing protections.
6. Use a router or firewall. If you don't know what this is, call your ISP and ask them for help. Shouldn't cost you more than $50 and can help keep you safe.
7. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER (I’ll come over to your house and slap you, if you do) give your personal information to ANYONE on the internet.  Your bank, Ebay, Paypal and anyone else you can think of will NEVER ask for your info from a email (even if it direct you to a “official looking” site)…if they really do, drop them FAST!
8. This is a big one…”Lunch is NEVER FREE”!  You DID NOT win a lottery in Africa, you did not loose an millionaire Uncle in South America who left you millions and there is no FREE XBox, FREE Ipod, Free Flat Screen TV….STOP ALLOWING GREED TO JEOPARDIZE YOUR SAFETY AND INDENTITY!

And, once again, don't download Flash or Acrobat from sites other than Adobe. Don't download QuickTime from any site other than Apple.com. Don't open email attachments.

Don't open email messages that look like they're just baiting you. Don't go to questionable Web sites. Don't put your credit card into any site you're not already very comfortable with.

Do visit this site! ;-)

-SuperDale (http://myfamilysafety.blogspot.com)

How do I configure my router for my families safety?

If you don't know the ip of the router you can try clicking start-->run-(“start search” if you’re using Vista)

Type cmd and click "OK". In the command prompt type: ipconfig and press "Enter" on the keyboard. If there's a "gateway address" that will the the number to type after http:// in your browser.

Ethernet adapter Wireless:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.101
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

You’ll have to type in the username and password.  If you haven’t changed it from the defaults (SHAME ON YOU!), try looking at your manual.  Once in, you should see a website with different settings.

If you want to configure your router, for OpenDNS, go to this website first (http://www.opendns.com/support/videos/getstarted/) and watch the video on getting started.  After you’ve followed the video, go to this site (https://www.opendns.com/start/router/), select what your router looks like and follow the directions.

Last thing…if you have wireless on your router, PLEASE change the SSID to something that someone won’t be able to identify as coming from your home….I’m a BIG fan of “misdirection”.  On a Linksys router…change the SSID to “belkin” or “dlink”.   This will make someone think (and possibly try to hack) your wireless network is something it’s not.

-SuperDale (http://myfamilysafety.blogspot.com)