TNT Special Edition - Digital Safety

Special Edition Fall 2013

Tech News Tuesday

DIGITAL SAFETY special edition

TECH NEWS TUESDAY

| BE SAFE Special Edition – Fall 2013

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Ransomware

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If you didn’t back up, you might have to pay up.

CryptoLocker and Ransomware Viruses

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What it is: CryptoLocker virus is new and already it is becoming the worst virus ever. You can get it by clicking on a link or attachment in an email that may look authentic but is fake. This type of phishing email puts the ransomware virus on your computer. You can also get it with malware on the computer which can invite the virus to install on your computer.

It currently infects Windows PCs. Once this virus is on the computer you have 72-hours to pay $300 or all your files and folders on the computer will be deleted, even those linked to the computer like network folders and files. It holds them ransom with very sophisticated encryption.

Currently anti-virus software is not able to detect or remove it.

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Continued on the next page…What to do?

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Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit

TECH NEWS TUESDAY

| BE SAFE Special Edition – Fall 2013

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CryptoLocker and Ransomware Viruses What to do: The best advice if you did not seek the information in the email don’t click on it. For example you may get an email from your bank that says you have funds that have been wired to you and attached is a pdf copy of the fax, when you click on the pdf document it is fake and it actually is not a copy of the fax but the virus. In this example, instead of clicking on links in the email it is best to go to your banks website manually. On your home computer run software updates, malware removal and anti-virus software often to keep your computer clean and secure. It is important to back up your files on a regular basis to an external storage device or cloud storage web service such as dropbox.com, drive.google.com, carbonite.com, or sugarsync.com. Careful not to link those storage services to the computer hard-drive as they could then also be infected by the virus. click here

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More Info on the CryptoLocker Virus

10 ways to beat the CryptoLocker Virus

See an example of a phishing email

How to back up your files

At Work Change Your Password Once a Year All MCS users have to change their login passwords once a year. We recommend that staff consider either 10/1 or 11/1 as reset dates. Either of these dates will ensure that your password never expires during the summer or over a school break. You MUST change your MCS password from a district computer, you cannot change it from home. click here How to Never give your username change your or password to anyone. password

Keep Your Workstation Computer on Every Thursday Night On Thursdays, log off your computer but do not turn it off. This will allow the District to run the Microsoft System Center program.

If you find a workstation not getting the updates call or email the Help Desk to reinstate the computer to use the Microsoft System Center at 576-4073 or helpdesk@monet.k12.ca.us with the computer’s name.

Microsoft System Center installs critical updates for Windows, Java, Flash, Web Browsers, and several other programs to your workstation weekly.

click here how to find the workstation computer name Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit

TECH NEWS TUESDAY

| BE SAFE Special Edition – Fall 2013

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At Work

In the Classroom

Spam and Virus Firewall from Barracuda Occasionally you will receive emails from Barracuda Networks. Barracuda is an Email Security Service that protects your work email against spam, viruses, worms, phishing, and denial of service attacks. Report any viruses or malicious behavior on your District workstation computer to the Help Desk.

Quick Tips for Keeping your Computer, Tablet, and Phone Secure and find it if it is lost or stolen. Featuring: Windows, Apple, iOS, iPad, iPhone, and Android

Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit

TECH NEWS TUESDAY

| BE SAFE Special Edition – Fall 2013

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At Home Performance and Maintenance The following software will make your computer faster, more secure and have greater privacy.

Whether you're cleaning out files on your system with CCleaner, defragging your hard drive with Defraggler, analyzing your hardware with Speccy, or recovering deleted files with Recuva, there is a program that has got you covered. The products listed all have a free version and are designed for Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, 7, and 8

Recuva – File Recovery

www.piriform.com/recuva Accidentally deleted an important file? Lost something important when your computer crashed? No problem! Recuva recovers files deleted from your Windows computer, Recycle Bin, digital camera card, or MP3 player. And it's free!

CCleaner – Optimization and Cleaning www.piriform.com/ccleaner CCleaner is the number-one tool for cleaning your Windows PC. It protects your privacy online and makes your computer faster and more secure. Easy to use and a small, fast download.

For Mac OSX 10.5 to 10.9 computer click here

Defraggler – Disk Defragmentation www.piriform.com/defraggler Use Defraggler to defrag your entire hard drive, or individual files - unique in the industry. This compact and portable Windows application supports NTFS and FAT32 file systems.

Speccy – System Information www.piriform.com/speccy Speccy is an advanced System Information tool for your PC. Need to find out what's inside your computer?

No problem! Speccy will give you all the information you need.

Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit

TECH NEWS TUESDAY

| BE SAFE Special Edition – Fall 2013

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At Home Web Privacy, Browser Updates, and Performance Speed up your PC start up time with Soluto, update your web browser with What Browser?, and use PrivacyFix and Ghostery to recommend security settings to change and web trackers to block

Soluto – Speed up your PC Boot Time

www.soluto.com/boot-time The average person wastes 1.6 hours every month watching their computer start up. Speed up your PC start up with Soluto and get your computer started faster. Remove unnecessary start up programs from your boot and shave seconds, or even minutes, off your start up time with just a few clicks.

What Browser? – Let’s you know what web browser you are using and if it is up to date

http://whatbrowser.org This site from Google, checks the web browser you are using and if it needs to be updated has a quick button to update the browser and makes it easy to try out other browsers. The site includes a beginner guide to what is a web browser and how it works.

PrivacyFix – Web Tracking Blocker

www.privacyfix.com Puts the control of your online data in your hands.

Scans for privacy issues based on your Facebook, Google, and LinkedIn settings and takes you directly to those settings you need to fix. It also warns you of what companies are tracking your online activities.

Ghostery – Web Tracking Blocker

www.ghostery.com Browser tool for Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer, that scans the web page for trackers.

Once found it allows the user to choose if they want to block your information from being used by the company.

Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit

TECH NEWS TUESDAY

| BE SAFE Special Edition – Fall 2013

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At Home Microsoft Security Essentials - Antivirus www.microsoft.com/security Microsoft’s Security website is very useful for Windows users. It has a free antivirus software to download (Windows 8 users have preinstalled Windows Defender Antivirus Software), you can easily update your Windows system from here, and you can use the fix tool to remove viruses.

AVAST - Antivirus www.avast.com Protects PCs, Windows, Macs, and Androids with antivirus service for free. A paid version can even automatically update all of your programs for you on your computer.

AVG - Antivirus www.avg.com/us-en/free-antivirus-download Protects your PC, Mobile, or Tablet device for free.

Compatible with Windows XP, Vista, 7, and 8 with free 24/7 support.

Virus Protection You should have one Antivirus software on your computer.

Antivirus software cannot stop a virus from getting on the computer but what it does is once it is on the computer it can find the virus and remove it. You do not need more than one as that would slow down your computer.

There are several popular subscription based services like McAfee, Norton, and Kaspersky to name a few. These are good and the free ones listed on this page are also very good. Highly recommend using the Microsoft Security Essentials listed on this page. If you do decided to try another AntiVirus program you will want to uninstall the current one before installing a new one.

Avira - Antivirus www.avira.com/en/avira-free-antivirus Available on Windows PC, Mac, Android, and iOS for free. Offers malware detection, pop-up blocker, privacy tools and safety ratings for your search results.

How to uninstall a program: 

Windows

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Mac

Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit

TECH NEWS TUESDAY

| BE SAFE Special Edition – Fall 2013

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At Home Windows Malicious Removal Tool – Malware Removal Free in Windows you have a Malicious Removal Tool.

Click the Start button and in the search box type “mrt” Click on the MRT program to run the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool

Malwarebytes – Malware Removal www.malwarebytes.org A free version is available that detects and eliminates malware, including spyware and Trojans. Scans programs and apps for malicious codes, and stops unauthorized access to your personal data.

Spybot Search and Destroy – Malware Removal www.safer-networking.org/dl/ Free for private use on a personal computer you can download Spybot Free Edition. It can remove annoying startup programs, securely delete files to ensure confidentiality.

Malware Protection It is good to have both a Malware/Spyware removal program and Antivirus program on your computer.

Malware is malicious software that is used to control computer programs, gather information, or disrupt computer operation. This includes spyware, adware, rootkits, and worms.

Spyware is software that gathers information about a person without their knowledge and sends the information to another entity.

Including key loggers that record keystrokes on the keyboard to get your personal information and passwords.

Adware is software that displays unwanted advertisements and pop-ups on your computer in order to generate revenue.

Rootkits are malicious software that gain administrator access and can take full control over a computer.

Ad-Aware – Malware Removal www.lavasoft.com Offers free spyware protection and antivirus software together for consumers. Filters against malicious websites, software, and code.

Worms replicate themselves to spread themselves on other computers. Unlike a virus, it does not need to attach itself to an existing program. Trojan horse is like a worm except it does not self-replicate.

Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit

TECH NEWS TUESDAY

| BE SAFE Special Edition – Fall 2013

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At Home Cloud Storage and Back-Up Backing up your data is very important in case something happens to your computer or mobile device. A great way to backup is using the cloud. But what is the cloud? Mainly, the cloud is the internet. It works by storing your data on computer servers on the internet and you can access those files using any computer or device that is connected to the internet. If you check email online then you have already been using a cloud service. You can use the cloud to store and view photos and videos, music, documents, apps, calendar, and data files. Cloud services are great for getting to your data at home, at work, on the go, and easy to share with other users. If needed, you can even revert back to previous versions of your files that are stored. Many cloud services are free and allow the user to upgrade to a paid plan that offers more online storage. Each of the services have a help and support section with tutorials on how to use their online storage app including how to share, collaborate with others, view, edit, and print right from the app.

An excellent place to start for the beginner would be the GCFLearnFree.org website that features an easy to use online tutorial including interactive pictures and videos about the Cloud and Web Apps at: www.gcflearnfree.org/computerbasics/4.

Each of the cloud services will ask you to create a username and password when signing up with them. You can use as many cloud services as you would like. I recommend using one at first to get use to using them but feel free to sign up for other services when you become comfortable using the cloud. Make sure to create a strong password to safely secure your data. It is recommended that a strong password is one that uses upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols. The longer the password the better, try creating one that is more than 8 characters long. An easy way to create a strong password is to create a passphrase. Using these rules you can create a phrase that is easy to remember, for example, “mYcl0uDstoragEiSgr8!” In this example using capital letter for each of the last letters in the word, using a zero instead of the letter O in the word cloud, writing the word great with gr and the number 8, and adding the exclamation point at the end for a symbol.

My favorite cloud storage services are Google Drive and Dropbox: Google Drive www.drive.google.com With Google Drive it is not just a cloud storage service but also includes Google Docs where you can create documents and presentations for free. All you need is a computer or mobile device with Internet access and you have a free office productivity suite at your fingertips. You could write an essay with your mobile phone and it automatically saves it to the Google Drive, no more losing your files or forgetting to save. Collaborate is made easy with the service. Invite others and you can work on a document or presentation together in real time. Google Drive is on the web and with an app for Apple iOS and Android. It is a free service and you only pay if you want more storage space.

Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit

TECH NEWS TUESDAY

| BE SAFE Special Edition – Fall 2013

Here at the District we offer Google Apps for Education which includes Google Drive and Docs for teachers, staff, and students which will allows us to sign into them with our District username and password. To get started for you and your class email us at googlesupport@monet.k12.ca.us Dropbox www.dropbox.com Dropbox is very easy to use and you can access it on the web with an app for Apple iOS and Android.

You start out with a free plan and only upgrade to a paid plan if you need the extra storage space. I like that Dropbox is easy to use and includes a viewer for users you share your files with. If you share a video, photo, pdf or word document it allows the user to view it right from the Dropbox app without having to download or use another program.

Honorable mention are Apple’s iCloud, Microsoft’s SkyDrive, and Amazon’s Cloud Drive: iCloud www.icloud.com iCloud is from Apple and works on the web and with iOS devices such as the iPhone and iPad. The iCloud is a great way to save your photos, documents, and contacts from your Apple devices and programs. It is easy to turn on within your iOS device under Settings. It automatically backs up your data for photos and iWork office projects.

SkyDrive www.skydrive.com Not to be outdone by Google and Apple, Microsoft has its own cloud storage service called SkyDrive.

Very similar to the other services SkyDrive also offers a basic web version of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. It also supports file sharing and collaboration with other users. If you have a newer version of Microsoft Office you can save your documents directly to the SkyDrive from Word, PowerPoint, or Excel. SkyDrive is available on the web and with an app for Apple iOS and Android devices.

Amazon Cloud Drive www.amazon.com/clouddrive Fast, easy and reliable online storage is made simple with the Amazon Cloud Drive.

Especially suited for the Kindle Fire but offers its service available on the web and as an app for Apple iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac computers as well.

And if you are looking for security and automatic backups for your files and computer for home I would recommend the following paid services Carbonite, SugarSync, or Mozy: Carbonite Cloud Backup www.carbonite.com SugarSync Backup www.sugarsync.com Mozy Online Backup www.mozy.com

Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit

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TECH NEWS TUESDAY

| BE SAFE Special Edition – Fall 2013

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Helpful Technology Resources on the Web

Free Guide Viruses, and spyware, and malware! Oh, my! This wonderful guide walks the user through Viruses and Spyware, Email Viruses, Phishing Scams, and how to protect yourself. Check it out today > click here

Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit