By Kevin / Alerts / • • / 0 Comments

Windows Vista End of Support

Hi Everyone,
I have been getting a lot of emails recently regarding Windows Vista support ending next month. Unfortunately Microsoft did not do as well of a job letting users know of the end of life status of Windows Vista like they did with Windows XP in 2014. If you still happen to have a computer running Vista it is time for an upgrade. After April 11, 2017 Microsoft will no longer be supporting Vista which means if there is a security problem they will not be releasing fixes and your operating system could become compromised. I saw this happen a lot with Windows XP when many people decided to keep running the operating system.
Please reach out with any questions or help if you are looking to upgrade your computer!
Link below for more info from Microsoft.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/22882

By Kevin / Alerts / / 0 Comments

Beware the scammers 2

The second scam I’m posting is one I ran into very recently for the first time. This scam targets users of Apple products. Now days to fully utilize an apple product you need an Apple account or (Apple ID). The goal of this scam is to hijack your Apple ID. This scam emails or calls you saying that there is a problem with your Apple ID and you need to call them back ASAP to fix it. When you call them back they ask for your Apple ID sign-in information. Once they have it they will steal your credit card information that is on file with that account and may lock you out of it. They will also look through your apple account for any other things they can take such as Pages documents, other files in your Apple Drive, etc.
Apple will never contact you in this way! Apple uses direct messaging through their devices. The direct message box looks like the pop up you see if you have ever downloaded an app and is asks for your password.
If you fell for this scam you will need to go to an Apple store or contact Apple directly to freeze your Apple ID and report what happened. You will also need to contact your credit card company and have them freeze your card that is on file with that Apple ID. Beware the scammers! As always, please email me anytime if you have questions!

By Kevin / Alerts / / 0 Comments

Beware the scammers 1

Hi Everyone! There are a lot of computer scams out there right now and I’m going to start posting the most popular ones so you can avoid them. Hopefully I can help steer you away from getting nailed by one of these nasty scams.

The first one is the classic “tech support” scam. This one has been around for a while. You get a email, call, or pop up on your computer screen saying you have a virus. You call their number, let them into your computer to “fix it”, they show you a bunch of fake problems, and charge you money for a subscription of their fake virus software. They take all of your personal documents and look through your entire computer when you let them in. If you do not keep renewing the subscription to their service or get impatient with them, they will lock you out of your computer and erase everything. Never call a number that pops up on your computer and only use name brand virus protection products. If you ever have a doubt that your computer is not running 100% or you may have a virus, call me asap! The only fix if you let them in is to wipe out your computer and start over. Plus you need to notify your bank and the credit reporting institutions because now the scammers have your payment information and any private/banking/financial information that was in your computer. Beware the scammers! Please email me anytime if you have any questions!

By Kevin / Alerts • Tech News / • / 0 Comments

Gooligan Ransacks Androids

I’ve been seeing many devices lately that the user has not been performing regular updates to (Apple, Android, Windows, Mac, etc.). Yes they can be inconvenient and may change the way things look or work, but they are very important to perform. Here is a reason why…

A malware program has been found to hijack Google accounts on Android devices. Most people are secure, but make sure you have taken all updates to Android because they contain very important security updates. According to the article below Android 4&5 users are at a higher risk of this malware. If you need assistance updating your device or you have any concerns about your Google account please reach out to KES Tech Services!

 

More than 1 million Google accounts have been breached by Android malware dubbed “Gooligan,” Check Point reported Wednesday. The malware roots infected devices and steals authentication tokens that can be used to access data from various Google apps including Gmail, Google Docs, G Suite and Google Drive. It potentially affects devices running Android 4 and 5.

Link: TechNewsWorld Gooligan article

By Kevin / Alerts / • • / 0 Comments

Windows 10 free upgrade expires tomorrow!

Hi Everyone! Just a quick reminder if you are interested in a free upgrade to Windows 10. Today and tomorrow are the last days for the free upgrade from Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 to Windows 10. Unlike Apple who always lets you upgrade your OS for free (depending on the age of your device) Microsoft is only letting you upgrade for free until tomorrow.

By Kevin / Alerts • Tech News / • / 0 Comments

How To Protect Yourself Against Ransomware

Source: How To Protect Yourself Against Ransomware – Network Security on Top Tech News

Ransomware has to be one of the most difficult, time consuming, and costly forms of malicious software to deal with. The problem is that it is becoming more common. Check out the link for some helpful tips on avoiding ransomware. If you are attacked by of these pieces of software contact us ASAP.

By Kevin / Alerts / / 0 Comments

Win 10 Troubles

Hi Everyone,

A lot of people are asking me about windows 10 since its release last week….
I do not recommend upgrading to window 10 at this time. There are too many bugs that Microsoft needs to work out first. Many people have been calling me with major windows 10 issues including people running windows as a virtual machine like myself. The calls are ranging from many graphic card driver corruptions to missing files.
New operating systems always have bugs no matter how well they are tested before release. This is why I usually wait awhile before upgrading to anything brand new. I would give Microsoft some time to work out these bugs before pushing the upgrade button.
Let me know if you have any questions!