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Why It’s Important to Update Java

Internet, Security, SoftwareImportant, Java, security, updateOphtek, LLC

Aug 2014

Java is required by many applications and websites to work properly. It can also be exploited by criminals. Here’s why you should keep your java up to date.

Many business users need it to run custom or legacy applications. Java is not just for gamers. It is used by countless business applications.

Java Security Risks

As recently as January, hackers were able to exploit a security hole in Java to serve up malware to hundreds of thousands of systems per hour.

It is because of these security holes and many others that Java must be updated frequently.

Java often uses your web browser to access websites, and your web browser is the most vulnerable attack surface for hackers. Therefore, not updating Java religiously is playing with fire.

How to Update Java

First, find out if you have the latest version here.

Click the red Verify Java version box to allow Oracle’s website to find out if you have the latest version installed. If you are given a prompt stating Allow the Java plugin for your browser, click to allow it. Next, another prompt will likely appear as shown below:

Click Run to allow the application to run. If you have reached this stage, you have Java, though not necessarily the latest edition. If you have the latest Java, you should get a window telling you Congratulations with an accompanying green check. If you don’t have the latest Java, you should see a screen that looks like this:

Click Click Download Java Now to get the latest version of Java.

Click the red Agree and Start Free Download to get the newest Java for your system. The progress of the download should appear at the bottom of your browser. It will finish when no time appears next to the download.

Click the .exe file to kick off the installation. You should promptly close your browser to avoid any roadblocks or conflicts.

When the security warning appears, click Install to permit the latest Java to be installed.

On the Welcome to Java screen, click Install again to allow the installation to proceed. At some point during the installation, you will see the following window:

At all costs, do NOT check the Install the Ask Toolbar and make Ask my default search provider option. The Ask Toolbar is completely unnecessary and makes your computer more vulnerable to infections. Click Next to allow the final steps of the installation.

After the green progress bar reaches the end, you will be directed to Oracle’s website where you will again see the following:

As before, click the red Verify Java version button. Once again you should click Allow to enable the website to see what Java version you are running. Also, click Run in the following window to enable the test.

If you have the latest Java, you will see the following window:

If the website still tells you your Java is outdated, go through the earlier steps starting with Download Java. If you have already downloaded and installed the latest Java and you get the outdated message, simply closing and reopening your browser will often correct the problem. Go back to Oracle’s website to verify your Java version.

For more about Java or other security issues affecting your home or office computers, consult with your local IT professional.

3 Reasons to Block Advertising on your PC

Internet, Office IT, Security, Uncategorizedadvertising, browsing, internet, securityOphtek, LLC

Jul 2014

Does advertising improve your web browsing experience or make it worse? Even legitimate advertising can cause major headaches to major infections.

Advertising can be a great source of revenue for websites that offer content and information for free. Major websites that you use everyday have taken this to an extreme by serving up video ads that talk to you and track your online behavior. However the more websites rely on advertising for their revenue the more willing they will let any run an ad on their networks. Here are three reasons why advertising has reached a point where it can be a threat to the average user browsing the internet.

1. Malware spreads through legitimate advertising

There have been many cases in the last few years where hackers and criminals have used legitimate advertising and banners in websites and in videos to spread their malware. One example is a bitcoin mining virus being spread through Yahoo advertising. Even Youtube fell victim to advertising serving up remote code execution. These major website quickly patched up the problem but it will take more than a break-fix approach to end this cat and mouse game.

2. Are you really getting what you click on?

Accidentally clicking on the wrong link when you want to download a song, file or program from the internet can open the flood gates of junk on your computer. The above image shows a legitimate download website. Can you guess which link is the correct link to download your program?

3. Popups, search engine hijackers and junk programs

Once junk programs from advertising get their foot in the door, it can be very difficult to detect or even remove the software. The above search engine may look like Google, but it is a knock off website meant to steer you to their partners websites.

For now until major websites have better safeguards in place to prevent malware, junk programs and sneaky advertising methods from their ad networks it’s better to steer clear from advertising all together. We recommend running Firefox or Chrome with ad block plugins installed.

For more tips on staying safe online at your home or office, contact your local IT professionals.

How to Check For Updates in Windows

Office IT, Security, Softwaresecurity, update, WindowsOphtek, LLC

Jul 2014

To maintain a secure and functioning system, it’s important to keep your system up to date. Here’s how you can check for updates in Windows.

It’s easy to check

In Windows 7 or Vista, click the Start button and, in the search box, type Windows Update.

In Windows 8, drag the mouse to the right edge of the screen, click the search charm that appears, and type Windows Update.

Click Windows Update when it appears on the menu. You should then get a screen that looks like this:

To review the updates that are available, you can click on the blue text representing the optional and important updates respectively.

The next screen allows you to check the boxes of the updates you wish to install.

We recommend that you install all the important updates and almost all of the optional ones. The optional update we counsel against is the Bing bar, which introduces a toolbar that you definitely do not need.

Once you have checked all the updates you want, click Install to go back to the previous screen where you click Install updates to get the process started.

Set Windows to install important updates automatically

You can check this setting on the same screen on which you installed Windows updates. Look to the left margin, and you should see a link to Change settings.

For Important updates, use the drag- down menu to Install updates automatically (recommended).

Installing important updates automatically will keep the critical security fixes off the back burner and readily available to ward off viruses.

For more about updates or other issues affecting your PC, consult your local IT professionals.

Why You Need Windows Updates

UncategorizedFixes, security, update, WindowsOphtek, LLC

Jul 2014

Do you feel nagged for updates by Windows? As annoying as they may be, here are 3 reasons it’s necessary to keep your systems up to date.

Your reservations to install updates are understandable, especially when these updates can sometimes introduce glitches and even hijack your system for repeated restarts. However, no matter how annoying they can sometimes be, updates are essential for your Windows system to function optimally.

1. Most Windows updates address security issues

Neglecting updates is a surefire way to compromise your operating system with infections that can slow down your system and even allow remote users to steal your private information. Moreover, the main reason Windows PCs succumb to malware and other viruses is that users neglect installing updates. One particularly pernicious infection is the CryptoLocker virus that allows remote attackers to ransom your personal folders.

2. Updates can fix bugs that prevent Windows from functioning properly

These bugs can sometimes slow down your computer or cause your system to freeze. Windows updates often have hotfixes that address these bugs. Bypassing the installation of these hotfixes puts the stability and performance of your system in jeopardy.

3. Updates let you upgrade your existing Microsoft software or get new features

These features include Net Framework and Silverlight, which allow other programs, including non- Windows ones, to work properly. Software upgrades often add additional features to Internet Explorer and Microsoft Office, making them more user- friendly.

Note, that updates are no longer available for Windows XP. We therefore recommend upgrading to a newer version of Windows if you are running XP. Now that you know the importance of updates, do you have the latest ones installed?

For more about updates or other issues affecting your PC, please consult your local IT professional.

How To Encrypt Your Hard Drive

Security, Softwareencryption, hard drive, security, WindowsOphtek, LLC

Jun 2014

Do you ever worry about someone getting a hold of the data on your computer after stealing it from you? With disk encryption, the information on your computer is unreadable without a key.

You may use encryption to protect specific directories or the entire hard drive. The latter is referred to as full disk encryption.

While there are many applications that perform full disk encryption, we recommend True Crypt. While some may lampoon this recommendation based on an announcement from its old source page, development of TrueCrypt has continued in Switzerland by a team committed not to compromise the software with legal limitations.

After downloading TrueCrypt from the new site, launch it normally if you have a disk burner, also known as a a CD/DVD-RW drive. The disk burner will be required in later parts of the installation. If you do not have a disk burner, there is a workaround that will still allow you to proceed with encryption even though the program does not normally allow it. For more on this workaround to allow to the program to launch without the disk burning requirement, consult the following article.

After you launch the program, click the System button at the top bar and select Encrypt System Partition/Drive.

For Type of System Encryption, select Normal. Click Next.

Unless you have a RAID driver or hidden partition at the end of your drive, Yes is the best option when you are presented with the Encryption of the Host Protected Area window.

When you are asked if it is OK for TrueCrypt to make changes to the hard drive, click Yes.

TrueCrypt will then see if there are any hidden sectors at the end of the drive. Click Next when it is finished.

Click Next again after selecting whether the computer has a single- boot or multi- boot configuration. If you are running only one version of Windows and no other operating systems, you will choose Single-boot.

For the Encryption Options, AES is usually a good choice. And full disk encryption only supports the RIPEMD-160 hash algorithm. Click Next.

Choose a password for encryption. Choose a strong password of at least 20 characters. Click Next.

In the next window, make random movements with your mouse for about a minute. TrueCrypt will collect data from these movements. Click Next.

When User Account Control asks if it is OK for TrueCrypt to make changes to the hard drive, select Yes.

Click Next after TrueCrypt generates the encryption keys.

TrueCrypt will then create the ISO image of the Rescue Disk that will be needed if something happens to your boot image. The ISO image will be created in your Documents folder.

TrueCrypt will next launch the Windows Disk Image Burner to write this image to a blank CD ROM. Because you will need this disk to access your computer if your boot image becomes corrupted, TrueCrypt will not let you get to the next step until you burn and verify the disk. Choose the correct drive to burn the image to, load the blank CD ROM, and click Burn.

TrueCrypt will verify the disk after burning it. After it has been verified, click Next.

The Wipe Mode allows you to choose how to wipe all traces of previous data that was unencrypted. Typically these were files deleted before this encryption was started. If there was nothing sensitive on this computer that was deleted, click Next.

Next click Test to allow TrueCrypt to make sure everything is working.

When TrueCrypt displays instructions telling you what to do when the system fails to reboot, it is advised that you print these out for reference. Then click OK. Click Yes to reboot your computer.

After the computer restarts, you will need to enter the encryption password.

If you enter it correctly, you will be able to log into Windows. After you log in, TrueCrypt will start up automatically. Click Encrypt to start the encryption. Print the instructions showing what to do if the process is disrupted and click OK. When User Account Control asks if you want to allow TrueCrypt to make changes to the hard disk, click Yes. During the encryption, you may do other things on your computer. The encryption should take a few hours.

You may pause and defer the completion of the encryption to a later time. But until it finishes, the information on your computer will not be fully secure. When encryption is complete, click Finish.

For more information, consult your local IT professionals.

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Tag Archives: security

Java Security Risks

How to Update Java

1. Malware spreads through legitimate advertising

2. Are you really getting what you click on?

3. Popups, search engine hijackers and junk programs

It’s easy to check

Set Windows to install important updates automatically

1. Most Windows updates address security issues

2. Updates can fix bugs that prevent Windows from functioning properly

3. Updates let you upgrade your existing Microsoft software or get new features