Happy Halloween! We’ve put together a scary good issue to help you make the most of the month of October. It starts with a warning about malicious software dressed up to look like a Facebook video. (It’s living  proof that not all costumed characters are as harmless as the kids at your door on Halloween.) Please stay alert whenever you’re online!

Also in this issue, you’ll find plenty of inspiration for fun fall projects you can do with your family. Check out Go Pinterest-ing!, Sites of the Month, and Two to View for Halloween ideas including pumpkin carving, crafts, and costumes. To sharpen your online skills, don’t miss our tips on how to email large files and how to get started with Vine, the app that makes it easy to share short videos.

We think you’ll find the information contained in this newsletter to be a valuable tool for enhancing your Internet experience.

Here’s what’s inside our October 2013 Newsletter:

MALWARE ALERT – MALICIOUS SOFTWARE MASQUERADING AS A FACEBOOK VIDEO

NEWS FROM THE SHOP

GO-PINTEREST-ING! COOL STUFF TO PIN ON YOUR PINTEREST BOARDS

THIS MONTH’S FAQ – HOW DO I SEND SEVERAL LARGE FILES BY EMAIL?

SITES OF THE MONTH – GREAT SITES TO CHECK OUT IN OCTOBER

TWO TO VIEW – A COUPLE OF AMAZING VIDEOS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS

SHORT TUTORIAL – HOW TO GET STARTED WITH VINE

The Gulfcoast Networking Team

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MALWARE ALERT – MALICIOUS SOFTWARE MASQUERADING AS A FACEBOOK VIDEO

A piece of malware masquerading as a Facebook video is hijacking users’ Facebook accounts and Web browsers. The malware appears as a link in an email or Facebook message telling people they have been tagged in a Facebook post. When users go to Facebook and click the link, they are sent to a separate website and prompted to download a browser extension or plug-in to watch a video. Once that plug-in is downloaded, the attackers can access everything stored in the browser including accounts with saved passwords.

This malware is spreading rapidly and replicating itself primarily by hijacking victims’ Facebook accounts and reaching out to their friends on the social network. A user hit by the malicious software cannot easily remove it, since it blocks access to the browser settings that allow it to be removed and also blocks access to many sites that offer virus removal software.

This is not the first instance of an attack through a browser extension, which is a bit of software that allows a browser to perform specific functions, much like an app does for a smartphone. But this attack appears to be one of the most extensive to use the technology.

Security experts remind users that just as you shouldn’t click on email attachments from unknown sources, you shouldn’t click “accept” to install a plug-in from an unknown site. Only install legitimate software from well-known websites you trust.

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NEWS FROM THE SHOP

Thinking of buying a new computer?  Come by and see us this month.

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GO-PINTEREST-ING! COOL STUFF TO PIN ON YOUR PINTEREST BOARDS

Football Pretzel Bites
Are Game Day Winners
http://pinterest.com/pin/291537775849229505/

Adorable Halloween
Door Decorations
http://pinterest.com/pin/291537775849229386/

Try Pumpkin Spice
Latte Cupcakes
http://pinterest.com/pin/291537775849229359/

You haven’t started pinning on Pinterest yet and you want to get started?
To sign up, go here https://pinterest.com/join/signup/

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THIS MONTH’S FAQ – HOW DO I SEND SEVERAL LARGE FILES BY EMAIL?

Question: Sometimes when I try to attach several large files to an email, it doesn’t go through. I’m told the attachments exceeded the allowable limit. What should I do?

Answer: This is a common problem; we’ve all run into roadblocks trying to share large files by email. You can try sending the files one by one in separate emails to get around the size limits. But if you have very many files to send, this can be a time-consuming way to go. Another option is to use one of the many free online services for sending and receiving large files. Here are three of the most popular ones to consider:
Dropbox, WikiSend, and Senduit.

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SITES OF THE MONTH – GREAT SITES TO CHECK OUT IN OCTOBER

Find The Perfect Recipe … Fast!
http://www.yummly.com
This recipe site truly is a feast for the eyes. You’ll get hungry as you browse through its huge collection of appetizing food photos. Quickly search by a specific dish or use handy filters including  ingredients, occasions, tastes, diets, allergies, cuisines, courses, and sources. Launched by foodies for foodies, it’s a delicious resource.

Halloween Headquarters
http://www.spoonful.com/halloween
Don’t be scared by all the Halloween preparations ahead! Spoonful has everything covered for you here — costumes for any kid, pumpkin-carving ideas, easy crafts, spooky recipes, ghoulish games, indoor and outdoor decorations, and safety tips. Don’t miss the boo-tiful section just on ghost projects and treats.

How To Compare Anything
http://www.diffen.com
This site does one thing and does it well. It helps you understand the difference between any two things. Just enter two different words or phrases in the boxes provided and click on “Compare.” Up will pop a side-by-side comparison chart. Popular comparisons include Epidemic vs. Pandemic, Their vs. There, and CT Scan vs. MRI.

See Under The Sea Thanks To Google Maps
http://www.google.com/maps/views/streetview/oceans?gl=us&hl=en-us
When you think of Google Maps, you probably think of getting directions to an unfamiliar hotel or home. But there’s a whole new world to enjoy.  Google Maps recently introduced a feature called “Street View Oceans,” which lets you look around under the sea in a variety of places around the world.

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TWO TO VIEW – A COUPLE OF AMAZING VIDEOS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS

http://www.eNewsletterHome.com/_eNewsletter/2013/1310_VIDEO_A.htm
Flying Over America
Imagine you’re a bird flying above some of the most spectacular spots in America — from sea to shining sea. That’s the feeling you’ll get from this video. From the Statue of Liberty to the Golden Gate Bridge, it takes you past cityscapes and landscapes.

http://www.eNewsletterHome.com/_eNewsletter/2013/1310_VIDEO_B.htm
Pumpkin Ideas From Disney
Don’t settle for the “same old, same old” jack o’ lanterns this Halloween. Check out what Disney does with pumpkins during the fall season at Magic Kingdom Park. They’re decorated to look like Disney characters, a snowman, a hot dog, and more.

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SHORT TUTORIAL – HOW TO GET STARTED WITH VINE

Vine is a mobile app that allows users to film short videos — maximum length six seconds — on their wireless devices for one-touch sharing to Twitter and Facebook. The secret to Vine’s success is elegant simplicity.  Vines (as the short clips are known) are effortless to shoot and play an automatic loop as users scroll through their feeds. There are no editing functions; Vines appear in the raw, giving them a poignant immediacy.

Just follow these steps to get started with Vine:

1. Get Vine. Visit the App Store (iOS users) or Google Play (Android users) to download the Vine app to your wireless device. Note: Tablet and iPod users may need to download the phone version.

2. Sign in. If you log in using your Twitter account, Vine will automatically populate your name and profile information. Alternately, you can enter an email address to create a new profile.

3. Take the guided tour. To begin filming, click the camera icon in the screen’s upper-right corner. The first time you do this, Vine offers an optional tutorial. Click “Yes” to receive onscreen prompting as you make your first video.

4. Shoot something. From the in-app camera, touch the screen to record and remove your finger to pause. Repeat until you’ve filmed six seconds of footage. (The green status bar at the top measures elapsed time.) When finished, your film will play automatically on a loop. Click the green check mark to accept and share or “X” to reject and start over.

5. Share your work. When you accept your film, a screen appears where you can enter a caption, location, and assign a topic channel (Comedy, Family, etc.). The caption field supports Twitter-style hashtags (#royalbaby, #stopmotion, etc.). This is also where you choose the social networks to which you will share your film. To finish, touch “Done.” Note: Films can only be shared from the app immediately after you shoot them. However, your device saves a copy to its camera roll.

6. Make yourself at home. Touch the icon in the upper-left corner of the screen to access a pull-down menu. Use the options to update your profile, follow others, and explore new content.

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We hope you found this newsletter to be informative. It’s our way of keeping you posted on the happenings at our shop.

Thanks for your business!

Best regards,

Rob Marlowe

Gulfcoast Networking, Inc.
6335 Grand Blvd
New Port Richey, FL 34652

727-847-2424

(We have used our best efforts in collecting and preparing the information published herein. However, we do not assume, and hereby disclaim, any and all liability for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions resulted from negligence, accident, or other causes.)

©2013 Gulfcoast Networking, Inc.
Portions ©2013 Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc., used with permission

GEEKNOTE:  My business associate Tim Hunt forwarded me a link to an article last week that talks about the the potential danger of posting smart phone photos on the web.  The general issue is that GPS enabled phones can encode so-called “meta-data” in the photos, including GPS coordiates, date and time.

The good news is that some of the most popular social media sites (twitter and facebook) automatically strip out the meta-data before displaying photos that you upload.  At least some modern smart phones (eg. my brand new iPhone 5) have location data disabled for photos as the default setting.  It is worth checking to make sure that your phone has location services turned off for photos, but it is not something to panic over.

This is NOT to mean that you should shoot photos and post away with reckless abandon.  A little common sense is called for before you post ANYTHING on facebook or twitter that provides specific information about your current location, ESPECIALLY if you are on a vacation trip.    I’m absolutely thrilled to see that you finally made it to Paris and got your picture taken in front of the Eiffel Tower.  On the other hand, so are potential burglars who take comfort in knowing that you will be out of town for the next week or so.

This is actually the same reason I’m not fond of email auto-responders that tell everyone that you’ll be out of town for the next week or two.  When someone asks me to set up an auto-responder for them, I’m always tempted to ask them if I should add: “feel free to help yourself to our 50 inch flat screen and all the other electronics in our home while we are gone.”

Posting too much  information on the Internet regarding where you will be and when is simply a bad idea.

Feel free to post your travel photos online so we can enjoy them, but PLEASE wait until you get home to upload them.

Likewise, consider how much information you want to share in any auto-responder you set up for your email.  “I’m on the road visiting customers today, so call my office if you have an emergency.” is a lot safer than “I’ll be out of the office for the next week while I’m on a week long Carnival cruise.” and still lets folks know that email may not be the best way to catch you.

Consumer Reports has a good article on phone security, with some great suggestions:  http://consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2013/06/keep-your-phone-safe/index.htm

Nanny Cams merit the same attention.  It may be great fun to be able to check up on the baby sitter while you are having a night out with your spouse, but be sure that you password protect any security cameras you install around your house so that you are the only one looking around the house while you are away.

As always, feel free to drop me a note or give me a call (847-2424) if you have any questions about your computer or the Internet.

One short postscript:  We noted a report at the Volunteer Way has run out of food.  Please consider helping them.  We’ve got a box at the store if you would like to drop off any canned goods.

Rob Marlowe
Senior Geek
Gulfcoast Networking, Inc.
http://www.gulfcoastnetworking.com

This week seems to be one for email notices of credit score increases or decreases.  Naturally, they are all bogus.   

If you actually want to see your REAL credit reports for free, you can go to https://www.annualcreditreport.com

Here is one of the bogus messages I got…

Check out the header:

Clue #1…Notice that the sending server info appears to be forged.  The mail claims to be from pauxigront.com, but is really coming from shiningpreciousrocks.com: 

Received: from mail.pauxigront.com (power4.shiningpreciousrocks.com [63.223.107.243] carry@pauxigront.com)
by ns3.marlowe.net with ESMTP (IOA-IPAD 8.23d) id 1TD5K00

Clue #2…Never heard of either this guy or this company and they definitely are NOT one of the three consumer credit reporting agencies:

From: “Javier Quick” <…@pauxigront.com>

Clue #3… Too good to be true:

Subject: Not to be disregarded – your credit score was raised by 200 basis points today

Clue #4… They don’t really work in unison:

Job Well Done – All 3 Major Credit Bureaus Have Granted A 200 Basis Point Increase To Your Score
Any increase above_150 points obligates us to give you an open peek at your new score (complimentary).

Generation time will depend on your web browser but should take no more than 15 seconds

Clue #5… An arbitrary time limit designed to get you to click on the link and give them your personal information.  Do NOT click on the links in one of these messages and give them your info:

This will not be offered past 7pm EST
4/20/2013

Prepare Yourself To Be Very Satisfied With Your Score

Clue #6… a very long nonsense paragraph at the bottom of the page in fine print, designed to defeat spam filters.  I deleted most of it before posting this:

is affected is to conduct a radon test according to Jamey Gelina a certified radon specialist with Air Quality Control Michigans …

Be smart and safe on the Internet.  Don’t fall for these scammers.

Again, if you actually want to see your REAL credit reports for free, you can go to https://www.annualcreditreport.com

I found an interesting article on Tech Republic regarding the risks of continuing to use XP after Microsoft ends support.

http://www.techrepublic.com

  GEEKNOTE:  The last couple of weeks have been relatively quiet around the shop, so both my partner, Tim Hunt, and I have been able to spend some time working on special projects.

Tim is our server geek and he loves to tackle interesting server projects.

Tim built a Xeon server in a mini-ITX case that is smaller than my toaster.  He installed Microsoft’s Hyper-V system, along with a pair of Windows 2012 Server virtual machines, a Windows 7 virtual machine, and a Windows XP virtual machine. For good measure, he used solid state drives instead of the normal rotating drives.

Using the two 2012 virtual machines, he set up a test for one of our customers.  Their Quickbooks data file is almost a gig and a half in size.  Simple reports can take 30 minutes or more to run on their current server.  On the test machine, the same reports run in 30 seconds or so.  I think we have the customer’s attention.

I’ve quoted the customer for a Hyper-V based box of their own.  By using one virtual machine for a file server and a second one for terminal services (“RDS”), our customer’s sales folks can carry a iPAD or other tablet with them on sales calls and place their orders directly, sending an invoice via email before they ever leave their customer’s location.

The cool thing about Hyper-V is that the virtual machines are hardware independent.  You can move a virtual server to another physical server and you are good to go without any concern about drivers or other compatibility issues.

Windows Server 2012 comes with licensing for Hyper-V, up to two processors,  and up to two virtual servers.  This represents a $1000 savings on the OS compared to having two Windows Servers running on two separate single processor servers.  Likewise, building a single physical server with enough horsepower to run two full blown virtual servers is not as expensive as building two separate physical servers.

The Windows 7 and Windows XP virtual machines are for my benefit.  I am going to be testing some software updates without taking the chance of trashing a conventional desktop system.  If something blows up, I can simply reinstall the virtual machine image and be back where I started.

I’ve also been working on updating our desktop line of custom built machines.  The Intel motherboard we’ve been using for the last year and a half or so has been replaced by one that can take advantage of the newest third generation Intel core processors.   I built an i5 quad core system using both one of the new motherboards and a brand new third gen processor.  The performance is amazing and isn’t THAT much more expensive than our reference i3 dual core system.   We are also updating the reference system without a price increase from the previous generation.

Both Tim and I have been testing a NAS (Network Attached Storage) based backup system to solve an issue that one of our customers encountered when trying to use high capacity USB drives to backup their server.  Windows Server’s built in backup program chokes on modern hard drives.  Both of us are partial to backup solutions that include both onsite and offsite backups, but this particular customer is extremely price sensitive and so we are trying to come up with a solution that fits their budget.  I’ll have a better idea tomorrow whether or not my latest test backup configuration works.  I’ll also see how Tim’s testing has worked out.

For good measure, I’m installing beta mail server software on multiple servers while I write this GEEKNOTE.   These updates are generally painless, unless I make a mistake.

I absolutely LOVE my job.  It sometimes seems that I get paid to play with the latest computer “toys”.  I wake up early and can’t wait to see what challenges the day will bring.  It has taken me a while to find my “dream” job, but the search was definitely worth it.  Life is too short to spend 8 hours a day being miserable.  If you don’t love what you do, keep looking.

As always, feel free to drop me a note or give me a call if you have any questions about your computer or the Internet.

Rob Marlowe, Senior Geek, Gulfcoast Networking, Inc.

Computer Solutions

(727) 847-2424