The installation file for the new software was pretty light. Total download size was only 8.61MB. Sitting less than 9MB, it places it less than a third of my least favorite application, Adobe Reader. Oh, and this is a full-blown security application, not just a PDF reader.

Once downloaded the installation process couldn’t have been much easier as well. The general installation steps were expected, there was a Microsoft Genuine Advantage software check in there. After that, a system update for definition refresh and we’re rolling.

As part of the install an initial system scan is included which also went quickly. I expected the first scan to take a bit longer. If the weekly scans go that quick, I’ll be happy. If they’re even quicker I’ll be more than pleased again with my experience.

Compared to Windows Live OneCare, there’s less settings and adjustments to be made. The basics still remain though: exclusion of files, exclusion of directories, default actions to take, etc.

The one thing I wish they’d work on fixing immediately is the icon that’s used to identify the tool. Sitting down there in the system try it looks like a circus big top tent. Microsoft, you can come up with a better icon than that, please do, QUICKLY!

Post from: EveryJoe

Installing Microsoft Security Essentials Software

Looks like I’ll need to come back and run some applications to see what’s going on. This presents the question though. Do you know what’s on your computer? Do you have kids? Do you pay attention to what you’re even downloading and putting on your system? Do you install stuff just because a website or a friend or family member suggested it to you because it was “cool”.

Take a minute and look around your system. Check the Control Panel, browse through your Start Menu. If you don’t kow what it is or what it does or who put it there. I’d get rid of it.

Post from: EveryJoe

What’s On Your Computer

Custom Image by Jason Bean

You can follow these five steps to keep yourself safe on any system with any software installed.

1. Know Your Links: Too many times I think people just click on anything that’s blue and underlined in their browser. Take a minute and read where that link suggests it’s going. You can do this by hovering over the link and reading the information in the status bar. Notice the link shown in the status bar below. Not always a sure thing, but I rarely click on a link that doesn’t have a recognizable word, or just looks odd.
   

   Snagit of Firefox Status Bar

2. Don’t Install It: Before you go installing something cool you’ve just found, take a moment and think about whether or not you really need the application. Have you heard of it before you found it online? Was it recommended by someone you know and trust. My opinion is if it’s not familiar, it’s not installed.
3. Email Attachments: Rarely do I ever open or view email attachments I didn’t expect or ask for. This includes that cool video, music or PowerPoint presentation you got from your Uncle Roy. I delete almost immediately.
4. False “Helpful” Warnings: Sometimes you’ll get what appears to be a helpful message letting you know your system may be infected. The problem is that the helpful message is wanting you to click on it to install malware on your system. Be familiar with your own software, whatever you’re using and don’t click on anything that’s not familiar to you. Including the “Close” buttons or other items. When in doubt, you can use ALT+F4 to close active windows or the Windows Task Manager.
5. Forget Forwarding: Perhaps not an immediate threat to the security of your system, forwarding emails over and over is just a problem that builds upon itself. If you wouldn’t pick up the phone to tell someone about what you just saw on email, don’t forward it to someone. Too good to be true? Delete it! For one you’re spreading useless information. More importantly you’re helping to harvest active email addresses for spammers. If you must forward something, use the BCC: field and remove everyone’s email addresses from the body.

Post from: EveryJoe

5 Steps to Stay Safe on the Web

Read the Symantec Report on the Underground Economy or listen to the corresponding Symantec podcast by Zulfikar Ramzan, the Security Technology & Response Technical Director.

Symantec estimates the value of total advertised goods on the underground servers as up to $276 Million and this figure is from only the underground they had access to. Mr. Ramzan said in the podcast how the actual size is extremely tough to estimate, what with the smartest of the criminals remaining in the underground of underground.

It is alarming and interesting to see how the underground economy functions, in ways similar to any other economy. The trends, I believe, will remain upward because cybercrime is still in its infancy even though there are already malicious but very smart people out there.

A person without any knowledge about cybercrime could start by getting access to any of the malicious tools like the Attack toolkits and Keystroke loggers. However, there are specialized roles within cybercrime each of which can’t be done by just about anybody.

Once goods or information are stolen, they are advertised, sold and resold.

Pirated softwares include desktop games, multimedia software, business software suites and OSs. Some of them could be offered for free to establish their credibility, but those with greater consumer demand are also often attached with malwares. The pricing of pirated goods is often proportional to identical trends in the genuine softwares.

However, according to the report, pirated softwares make only one-third of the underworld economy. Sensitive information is more popular. The above screenshot shows a table with the percentage-wise division of the top kinds of sensitive information that the cyber criminals are after. It sends a chill down my spine, especially with the 4th and 5th ranks.

An interesting tidbit: The United States hosted 41 percent of the total observed underground economy servers worldwide, while Romania had the second highest percentage at 13 percent of the total. Romania! Who would have guessed?

Image Source: Symantec.

Post from: EveryJoe

Symantec Report on the Underground Economy