USING YOUR SMART PHONE SECURELY

The most important thing you can do to protect your
smartphone is to understand how to use it safely.
We’ve put together a list of the top 10 most effective
steps you can take to protect your smartphone. These
apply regardless of the model of smartphone you
have or the operating system it uses.
1. Passwords
One of the greatest features of smartphones is
how mobile they are. Unfortunately, this also
makes them easy to lose. If you lose an
unprotected smartphone, anyone who finds
it can access your personal information, as well as
information about others, and place calls at your
expense until you report the loss to your carrier.
Use a strong PIN, password, or passphrase to
protect the contents of your handheld. If your
smartphone supports data encryption, we
recommend that you use it.
2. E-mail and Web
Most smartphones support e-mail and web browsing.
These services entail the same threats on a smartphone
as they do on any computer, including phishing attacks,
malicious websites, infected attachments, and scams.
If you receive an e-mail that sounds too good to be true
or looks suspicious, do not respond to it or click on any
embedded links it contains. Limit your browsing to
well-known and trusted websites. Use SSL encryption
(https://) for browsing and webmail whenever possible.
3. Wireless Networks
Your smartphone may connect automatically to wireless
networks without your knowing it. Common sense says that
if you are connected to a public Wi-Fi hotspot, it’s probably
being used by other people too, and someone could
eavesdrop on your connection. Keep optional network
connections (e.g., Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) turned off except
when you are using them.
4. Applications
Install only the applications you need. The more
applications you install, the more potential vulnerabilities
you add to your smartphone. Download applications from
trustworthy sources only. Attackers can create malicious
applications that appear legitimate but are designed to
infect your smartphone. Do not be in a hurry to install a
brand new application; wait a while until it has established
a good reputation.

Next week I will post more security tips about using your smart phone!

Fraud Prevention!

Fraud prevention

Crime follows crowds, and as people have moved online, criminals have too. To protect yourself, it's a good idea to create strong passwords and keep them secret, to know what identity theft looks like and how to prevent it, and what to look for in online financial transaction sites.

Passwords Create strong passwords
5 tips to keep your passwords secret
Password Checker
Phishing and e-mail scams How to reduce the risk of online fraud
Help prevent phishing scams and identity theft
How to recognize phishing e-mail messages and links
How to recognize spoofed Web sites
What to do if you've responded to a phishing scam
Phishing scams that use the Microsoft name or product names
Phishing scams that target activities, interests, or current events
Phishing scams that promise money
Protect your Windows Live ID
Spam Spam: Keep unwanted e-mail out of your inbox
How to handle suspicious e-mail
10 tips for safer instant messaging
Shopping Shop online more safely
6 rules for safer financial transactions online
Protect your privacy with online payment services
Bid in online auctions to avoid ID theft
Avoid online donation scams
Sell items online: 10 steps to stay safe
Buying and selling locally online

Microsoft Malware Protection Center (MMPC)

The Microsoft Malware Protection Center (MMPC) is the group at Microsoft that researches and responds to malware and potentially unwanted software. The MMPC provides the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine, the technology that underlies most Microsoft anti-malware security products and services. The Microsoft Malware Protection Engine relies on constantly updated definition files containing detection signatures for thousands of different malware and potentially unwanted software families. To develop these definition files and to respond quickly and effectively to new threats, the MMPC maintains research and response labs in the United States, Ireland, and Australia, with additional researchers in other locations.

The MMPC uses a number of different mechanisms to disseminate malware and security information to the public. The center maintains the Malware Protection Center website, a central source for malware and security information, definition updates, and malware sample submissions. The website includes an encyclopedia that provides detailed analyses of thousands of current threats, including technical information about the threat, how readers can tell if they are infected, and how to recover from the threat or avoid exposure to it altogether.

Using Email Safely

Anytime you send or receive communications on the Internet or browse a Web site, there are opportunities for individuals to intercept your communications to obtain your email address. If you post to a Usenet newsgroup, list your email address on a Web site, or fill out insecure forms on the Web, your address can be collected by spammers, individuals who use email addresses for commercial advertising to try to gain profit for themselves and to get rich quick.

Listed below are the most important tasks that are covered in this section:

•Never open attachments unless they have been first scanned with an antivirus software program.
•Don’t reply to emails requesting personal information.
•Don’t buy anything from spam email.
•Do not reply or click on links in emails or pop-up messages asking for personal information. Always go directly to the company's Web site.
Dangerous Attachments
Electronic mail can be a major source of security concern. E-mail attachments are an important medium through which viruses, worms, and Trojan Horses spread from one computer to another. Every email attachment is a potential threat to your computer’s security. Choose your email client software carefully.
Regardless of its origin, be cautious and don't open any attachment unless you know the sender. Also, never run or open any attachment from your email program unless it has been scanned with an up-to-date antivirus program. If you're not certain that your antivirus program is working automatically, save the attachment to your hard drive and scan it manually before you open it.

Protecting Against Spam
Junk mail, known as spam, is becoming a very lucrative business for those who use the Internet for commercial advertising. Since email is reasonably inexpensive, senders can blast it out by the millions at a rate much faster and cheaper than using other means such as that delivered by the postal service. Spammers can use automated programs to find email addresses on the Inter­net very quickly. Unchecked, spam will not only overwhelm legitimate mes­sages but may include viruses that can be dangerous to your computer. Always run antivirus software and keep it up to date.

There are several ways to prevent spam email from reaching you:

•Block junk email. Many email programs have built-in filters that can help you separate spam from your wanted email. You may also try to enlist the help of your Internet Service Provider (ISP). The current version of Microsoft Outlook offers more sophisticated filtering capabilities than earlier versions.
•Hide your address from spammers by setting up a separate email address dedicated solely to Web transactions. Also, watch out for checked boxes when buying things online, as this may indicate that you are giving the company permission to sell or give your email address to other parties.
•Review privacy policies when signing up for Web-based services. This policy should outline the terms and circumstances regarding whether the site will share your information.
•Avoid listing your email address in large Internet directories.
•Don’t set up email accounts to generate automatic responses while you are away from the workplace. This will only verify your email address to those spammers who send you spam while you are away.
•If you have an email address listed on a Web page, consider opening or using a free account. If the Web site is University- related, consider using a departmental account and put that address on the Web page.
Despite your best efforts, you will probably still be subject to a certain amount of spam. Some tips for dealing with spam are:
•Don’t reply to any emails asking for information. If the spam seems to be coming from a disreputable source, do not follow the unsubscribe directions. This only verifies your true email address.
•Don’t buy anything from a spam email.
•Treat an email from a charity asking for money as spam. If you believe in the charity, contact them directly.•If you can’t confirm that the sender is valid, delete the message immediately without opening any attachments.
•Don’t forward chain email messages, such as messages that state "Send this on to all of your friends."

Using Email Safely

Anytime you send or receive communications on the Internet or browse a Web site, there are opportunities for individuals to intercept your communications to obtain your email address. If you post to a Usenet newsgroup, list your email address on a Web site, or fill out insecure forms on the Web, your address can be collected by spammers, individuals who use email addresses for commercial advertising to try to gain profit for themselves and to get rich quick.

Listed below are the most important tasks that are covered in this section:

•Never open attachments unless they have been first scanned with an antivirus software program.
•Don’t reply to emails requesting personal information.
•Don’t buy anything from spam email.
•Do not reply or click on links in emails or pop-up messages asking for personal information. Always go directly to the company's Web site.
Dangerous Attachments
Electronic mail can be a major source of security concern. E-mail attachments are an important medium through which viruses, worms, and Trojan Horses spread from one computer to another. Every email attachment is a potential threat to your computer’s security. Choose your email client software carefully.
Regardless of its origin, be cautious and don't open any attachment unless you know the sender. Also, never run or open any attachment from your email program unless it has been scanned with an up-to-date antivirus program. If you're not certain that your antivirus program is working automatically, save the attachment to your hard drive and scan it manually before you open it.

Protecting Against Spam
Junk mail, known as spam, is becoming a very lucrative business for those who use the Internet for commercial advertising. Since email is reasonably inexpensive, senders can blast it out by the millions at a rate much faster and cheaper than using other means such as that delivered by the postal service. Spammers can use automated programs to find email addresses on the Inter­net very quickly. Unchecked, spam will not only overwhelm legitimate mes­sages but may include viruses that can be dangerous to your computer. Always run antivirus software and keep it up to date.

There are several ways to prevent spam email from reaching you:

•Block junk email. Many email programs have built-in filters that can help you separate spam from your wanted email. You may also try to enlist the help of your Internet Service Provider (ISP). The current version of Microsoft Outlook offers more sophisticated filtering capabilities than earlier versions.
•Hide your address from spammers by setting up a separate email address dedicated solely to Web transactions. Also, watch out for checked boxes when buying things online, as this may indicate that you are giving the company permission to sell or give your email address to other parties.
•Review privacy policies when signing up for Web-based services. This policy should outline the terms and circumstances regarding whether the site will share your information.
•Avoid listing your email address in large Internet directories.
•Don’t set up email accounts to generate automatic responses while you are away from the workplace. This will only verify your email address to those spammers who send you spam while you are away.
•If you have an email address listed on a Web page, consider opening or using a free account. If the Web site is University- related, consider using a departmental account and put that address on the Web page.
Despite your best efforts, you will probably still be subject to a certain amount of spam. Some tips for dealing with spam are:
•Don’t reply to any emails asking for information. If the spam seems to be coming from a disreputable source, do not follow the unsubscribe directions. This only verifies your true email address.
•Don’t buy anything from a spam email.
•Treat an email from a charity asking for money as spam. If you believe in the charity, contact them directly.•If you can’t confirm that the sender is valid, delete the message immediately without opening any attachments.
•Don’t forward chain email messages, such as messages that state "Send this on to all of your friends."

Most Active Botnet Families in 2Q10

Microsoft anti-malware products and utilities include detection signatures for many individual bot families, and the number continues to grow as malware creators pursue efforts to evade detection and create more effective botnets.

Microsoft desktop anti-malware products removed bots from 6.5 million computers around the world in 2Q10. The following link show the top 25 Bot Families.
http://www.microsoft.com/security/sir/story/default.aspx#section_3_1

Most Active Botnet Families in 2Q10

Microsoft anti-malware products and utilities include detection signatures for many individual bot families, and the number continues to grow as malware creators pursue efforts to evade detection and create more effective botnets.

Microsoft desktop anti-malware products removed bots from 6.5 million computers around the world in 2Q10. The following link shows the top 25 Bot Families.
http://www.microsoft.com/security/sir/story/default.aspx#section_3_1