[nfbcs] Protecting Computers From Hackers

Mike Freeman k7uij at panix.com
Tue May 13 16:51:08 UTC 2014 

When you do track down the source of the infection, please enlighten us.

Mike


-----Original Message-----
From: nfbcs [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Peter Donahue
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2014 9:28 AM
To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List
Subject: [nfbcs] Protecting Computers From Hackers

Hello Nicole and everyone,

    There are several folks who service our computers one of whom is a 
technology installer and trainer for the Texas Division of Blind Services 
(DBS) and a good friend of ours. Good friends don't install malicious 
programs on their other good friends computers right? Also it's a common 
practice in the computer repair and servicing business to "Bench" machines 
needing extensive work done on them. Benching is the act of taking a machine

to the shop and servicing it at the repair facility rather than in someone's

home or business. It's far cheaper to bench computers for servicing than it 
is to perform extensive work on-site allowing the repair technicians to work

on several machines at once. Both Daniel and Computer Nerdz benched our 
computers to reload them when they were infected by viruses. As others 
pointed out we need to figure out the source and identity of the infection 
and install the programs that will best protect our machines from 
reinfection. Point well taken.

    Also we're tigers when it comes to protecting our computers. We once had

someone over here who without permission installed some of her software on 
one of our computers. This was long before we bought the machine that is 
currently infected by the virus. She was told on no uncertain terms that she

was not to install anything on our machines or create internet connections 
for her personal use. Luckily the computer in question did not get a virus 
from what she installed but she was told she can only run her programs on 
her own machine and was to leave ours alone. Once we track down the source 
of this reinfection we'll be better able to protect our machines from it in 
the future.

Peter Donahue

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nicole Torcolini" <ntorcolini at wavecable.com>
To: "'NFB in Computer Science Mailing List'" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, May 12, 2014 11:11 PM
Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Accessible Windows Explorer Alternatives


> Just because he did not mention it does not mean they don't or that he 
> does
> not plan for them to; people don't always include every detail. He did not
> say that they would be taking the computers to the company either. The
> company does come to their customers. http://www.nerdz.com/
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfbcs [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bryan Schulz
> Sent: Monday, May 12, 2014 8:47 PM
> To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Accessible Windows Explorer Alternatives
>
> hi,
>
> he didn't mention the company performing service at his home and said we
> will have them install...
> That hardware is not installed in a desktop computer and that won't be
> possible if he takes the tower to the repair company.
> Bryan Schulz
>
> Comptia A+
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Nicole Torcolini" <ntorcolini at wavecable.com>
> To: "'NFB in Computer Science Mailing List'" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, May 12, 2014 10:29 PM
> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Accessible Windows Explorer Alternatives
>
>
>> Why do you think that Peter is unaware of what a NAS drive is? He said in
>> house, not off network.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfbcs [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bryan Schulz
>> Sent: Monday, May 12, 2014 4:06 PM
>> To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Accessible Windows Explorer Alternatives
>>
>> Pete,
>>
>> It sounds like you are unaware of what a nas drive is.
>> A nas drive is network attached storage connected to your router and
>> configured by navigating a web site based interface instead of being
>> installed in your tower system.
>>
>> Bryan Schulz
>> Comptia A+
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue2 at satx.rr.com>
>> To: "NFB in Computer Science Mailing List" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Monday, May 12, 2014 4:14 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Accessible Windows Explorer Alternatives
>>
>>
>> Hello John and everyone,
>>
>>    We got unlucky and got lackey again. Computer Nerdz will love us.
>> They're a local computer instruction and repair company in San Antonio. 
>> We
>> just received word that my brother-in-law will be sending us funds to 
>> help
>> us with various issues including fixing Mary's computer for the second
>> time.
>> We also want to network our computers together so we only need to run 
>> them
>> from a single cable connection. We'll also have them install a NAS drive
>> so
>> we can store all of our datafiles in one location and make them available
>> to
>> all of our machines. Storing them in house will allow us to reduce the 
>> use
>> of an off-site backup service allowing us to tighten our belt and spend
>> money on more important things. Thanks again for the help.
>>
>> Peter Donahue
>>
>> and
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "John HG. eim" <jheim at math.wisc.edu>
>> To: "NFB in Computer Science Mailing List" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Monday, May 12, 2014 3:37 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Accessible Windows Explorer Alternatives
>>
>>
>> Well, it's possible  that you just got unlucky. Most viruses are written
>> by
>> folks called "script kitties". Even that name gives them more credit than
>> they deserve because most of them couldn't script a for loop to count to
>> ten. They take code that is already out there and use tools to tweak it.
>> Why
>> would someone with the brains to do more than that mess with your
>> computer?
>> Maybe they want to get on your computer but they don't want you to know
>> it.
>> But more likely, they are spending their time trying to get into the
>> credit
>> card database of their favorite retailer. But maybe you just got unlucky.
>>
>> On May 12, 2014, at 12:20 PM, Peter Donahue <pdonahue2 at satx.rr.com> 
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Hello John and everyone,
>>>
>>>   There are only two people that use that computer Mary and myself. 
>>> We've
>>> been using computers for many years and never had problems like this
>>> until
>>
>>> January of this year. All of our machines have anty virus software on
>>> them
>>
>>> that is active at all times. We have Avask on the Windows XP machines 
>>> and
>>> Microsoft Security Essentials on the Windows 7 machine the one with the
>>> virus. Perhaps Avask does a better job of catching trogens and we should
>>> have the repair folks install Avask on that machine as well. Thanks.
>>>
>>> Peter Donahue
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "John G. Heim" <jheim at math.wisc.edu>
>>> To: "NFB in Computer Science Mailing List" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Monday, May 12, 2014 10:35 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Accessible Windows Explorer Alternatives
>>>
>>>
>>>> You know that this kind of thing is usually, not always, caused by poor
>>>> internet hygene, right? How sure are you that everyone who uses that
>>>> machine knows how to avoid viruses? No anti-birus package is going to
>>>> keep you safe from viruses if the users are essentially choosing to
>>>> install them.
>>>>
>>>> Honestly, I don't even recall the last time I saw a Windows machine get
>>>> a
>>
>>>> virus where I wasn't able to pin it down to a deliberate action by the
>>>> end-user to install the virus. Of course, they didn't think they were
>>>> installing a virus. We had several people get a virus a while ago
>>>> because
>>
>>>> it came up saying it had detected a virus on their computer, and they
>>>> should click this button to remove it. Of course, if they clicked the
>>>> button it actually installed the virus.
>>>>
>>>> Someone else on this list suggested you review your habits (or more
>>>> likely those of the other users of the computer). My opinion is that
>>>> that
>>
>>>> is the best suggestion you've gotten. Are they installing plugins from
>>>> unreliable sources? Running programs off a borrowed thumb drive? There
>>>> is
>>
>>>> no anti-virus program in the world that can protect you from that kind
>>>> of
>>
>>>> thing.
>>>>
>>>> I once put a link on a web page that said, "Click here to install a
>>>> virus
>>
>>>> on your computer." Just to make sure people were appropriately scared, 
>>>> I
>>>> put another link that said, "Click here and I'll show you the files on
>>>> your C: drive." That was just a file link to their C: drive. But it
>>>> should have scared anyone who didn't know how this stuff really works.
>>>> Even so, plenty of people clicked the virus link. Most virusdevelopers
>>>> aren't that obvious. It's possible you've just been unlucky and have
>>>> come
>>
>>>> across some particularly sophisticated virus developers. But most
>>>> likely,
>>
>>>> somebody who uses that computer isn't following good internet hygene
>>>> habits.
>>>>
>>>> On 05/12/14 07:34, Peter Donahue wrote:
>>>>> Hello Brian and everyone,
>>>>>
>>>>>    We just reloaded windows on that machine 4 months ago. We will most
>>>>> likely need to reload it again but are not willing to put up with that
>>>>> machine being attacked and needing a complete system reload every time
>>>>> we turn around. This wasn't a problem until January of this year. 
>>>>> We'll
>>>>> need both a system reload and whatever software or patch Microsoft 
>>>>> will
>>>>> have available to prevent "Computer" from being knocked out by trogens
>>>>> in the future. We have far more important things to spend our money on
>>>>> besides having to hire someone to reload computers attacked by viruses
>>>>> and having to restore the data each time this happens. All the best.
>>>>>
>>>>> Peter Donahue
>>>>>
>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bryan Schulz"
>>>>> <b.schulz at sbcglobal.net>
>>>>> To: "NFB in Computer Science Mailing List" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Friday, May 09, 2014 3:14 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Accessible Windows Explorer Alternatives
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> hi,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> i have used a version of avg for years and never had an attack or
>>>>>> virus.
>>>>>> it would be cheaper to hire a neighbor to read the screens and 
>>>>>> install
>>>>>> windows yourself.
>>>>>> you should be able to recognize a tech that wants to gouge you.
>>>>>> Bryan Schulz
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Donahue"
>>>>>> <pdonahue2 at satx.rr.com>
>>>>>> To: "NFB in Computer Science Mailing List" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> Cc: <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> Sent: Friday, May 09, 2014 6:36 AM
>>>>>> Subject: [nfbcs] Accessible Windows Explorer Alternatives
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Good morning everyone,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>   Before I head out of town for the weekend I want to find out which
>>>>>>> file management  alternatives to Windows Explorer/My
>>>>>>> Computer/Computer that are accessible with screen reading systems.
>>>>>>> Back in January Mary's computer which runs Windows 7 was infected by
>>>>>>> a trogen that took out "Computer." The infection was so bad that the
>>>>>>> entire machine needed to be reloaded. I find it hard to believe that
>>>>>>> Microsoft would not be a ware of this trogen vulnerability and would
>>>>>>> have released a patch to correct the problem. The company that
>>>>>>> reloaded the computer installed Microsoft Security Essentials on it
>>>>>>> I'm not sure if this package will scan and remove trogens.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>   It has been four months since the last infection and it's
>>>>>>> happening again. It looks like we're in for another system reload to
>>>>>>> get rid of this one and will most likely be set back another 
>>>>>>> $500.00.
>>>>>>> We can't keep going through this every so often. There are two
>>>>>>> questions we have for you all. 1. Which antivirus package is the 
>>>>>>> best
>>>>>>> at protecting one's machine from trogen infections particularly 
>>>>>>> those
>>>>>>> that attack the OS. 2. In the event this should happen again we want
>>>>>>> to know if there are file management alternatives to My
>>>>>>> Computer/Windows Explorer that will run under Windows 7 we could
>>>>>>> install as a backup program should another infection occur?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>   Your suggestions for a permanent fix will be very much
>>>>>>> appreciated. I'll also be in touch with Microsoft next week so they
>>>>>>> can remote on to that machine to see for themselves what's going on
>>>>>>> in the hopes they can fix it without having to reload the entire
>>>>>>> thing again. As if we have tons of bucks to spend on computer 
>>>>>>> repairs
>>>>>>> every time we turn around. Sorry for this tone but this is really
>>>>>>> annoying when you have other issues to address such as a guide dog
>>>>>>> being over-due for routine veterinary care and help isn't
>>>>>>> fourth-coming not even from the guide dog school. Otherwise Mary's
>>>>>>> computer is usable. We've discovered some work-arounds to deal with
>>>>>>> file management issues until this situation can be remedied 
>>>>>>> hopefully
>>>>>>> permanently. Interestingly enough we have not had this trouble with
>>>>>>> our Windows XP machines. Go figure Microsoft!All the best. I'm off 
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>> Camp Tejas for the weekend.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Peter Donahue
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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>
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>> -- 
>>>> ---
>>>> John G. Heim, 608-263-4189, jheim at math.wisc.edu
>>>>
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