Protect Your Valuable Data
Best Practices to Avoid Data Loss

• Never upgrade any system without a verified backup.
• Use up-to-date hardware and software utilities for data security, such as firewalls and virus protection.
• Scan all incoming data, including packaged software, for viruses.
• Use ventilation, fans and/or air conditioning to keep your computers cool. Overheating is the #1 cause of hard drive failure.
• Connect you computers to an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to protect against power surges and spikes.
• Power down and take extreme caution when moving computers.
• Avoid static electrical charges when touching or handling the media, especially in arid environments.
• Listen for any unusual noises and power down immediately if a drive makes scraping, tapping, clicking or humming sounds.

When Disaster Strikes

• If possible, backup the data immediately.
• If the drive makes scraping, tapping, clicking or humming sounds, do not use software utilities.
• Do not power up a device that has obvious physical damage or is making unusual sounds.
• Shut down the computer to avoid further damage to the drive and its data.
• Do not attempt recovery yourself on severely traumatized drives.  Using off-the-shelf diagnostic tools may cause further damage or permanent data loss.
• Configure another computer to temporarily replace the problem unit, restore available backups onto the new unit and reconfigure it as necessary to begin productive work.

Backup Strategies

• Invest in redundant backup systems.
• Establish a structured backup procedure, using software compatible with the operating system and applications, to make copies of all critical data files.
• Periodically test the backups to verify that data – especially databases ad other critical files – are being backed up properly.
• Keep at least on verified copy of critical data off site.

Again, I want to say Thank You for being an important part of ICU Computer Repair and we look forward to serving you in this coming year.

Bob Plourde

ICU Computer Repair

8328 Raintree Ave

Riverside, Ca. 92504

951-352-2587

We will continue with our regular computer tips newsletter on our next release.

Best Security Tips for Smartphones, Home, Internet, Identity and More

Worried about security? Aren’t we all? Crime and cybercrime have reached new levels in the digital, modern era. This collection of our 75 best security tips goes the distance from personal and home security safeguards to smartphone safety, top Internet security tips and even car security. Follow these easy steps to make your life safer, both online and off.

Protect your home with an alarm system

We’re careful to run anti-virus security software on our computers, so it should stand to reason that we’d protect our homes as well. Buy a security system for your home, and display that system’s logo prominently on your door and elsewhere on your property.

Have a friend take in your mail when you’re out of town

Mail and other deliveries piling up is a sure sign you’re away, and an open invitation to burglars. Have a friend or neighbor come by a few times per week to pick up your mail, newspapers, flyers and anything else left on your doorstep.

Don’t put JavaScript in your browser’s address field

The flood of porn and gore that hit Facebook last month happened because pranksters convinced people to copy and paste JavaScript commands into their address bars. Doing so reprogrammed Web pages and accounts; if it’s got quotation marks or parentheses in it, don’t put it in the address bar.

Designate Kindles meant for other people as gifts Attention holiday shoppers!

By default, Amazon Kindle Fires ship pre-registered to the Amazon account of whomever paid for it. If you plan to give one as a gift, make sure you check the “This is a gift” box during the purchasing process. Otherwise, the lucky recipient will be making all his or her purchases on your dime.

Don’t donate to fake charity websites

Cybercriminals often create fake online donation websites following natural disasters. If you want to give to a charity, contact the group on the phone, or type the organization’s URL into the browser bar. Don’t navigate to a charity site from an email or social-networking link.

Change your Wi-Fi network name to avoid Google Maps listing

If you’re concerned about privacy, go into the administrative settings for your home wireless router and add “_nomap” to the network’s name (its “SSID,” technically speaking). That way Google Maps won’t include it in its global database of Wi-Fi networks.

Put a male voice on your voicemail

If you’re a woman, having a deep male voice read the outgoing message on your voicemail or answering machine can go a long way toward scaring off stalkers and creeps.

Be picky about installing Facebook apps

Facebook has built up a huge app library the old-fashioned way: It lets anyone create an app, and it doesn’t examine apps before they’re released. Be very careful about which Facebook apps youinstall. If you have questions about one, ask your online friends or Google it.

Don’t fill out online surveys

Online scammers often make completing a survey the final step before you can win a supposed “prize,” such as an iPad. But the surveys are almost always fake and you won’t win anything — except potential identity theft at the hands of the scammers.

Double-check your spelling in your browser bar

“Typosquatting” is when scammers create a phony website with a name that’s almost identical to a popular site, such as facebok.com, twitr.com or craiglist.com. Make sure the URL of the website you want to go to is spelled correctly in your browser bar. The half-second you spend verifying your spelling could save you from tons of computer trouble.

Un-tag yourself from Facebook images

It’s important to have control over what you share online, and who sees it. If you find yourself tagged in a friend’s picture and you didn’t ask to be, un-tag yourself. Even better, ask that friend to remove the picture if it makes you uncomfortable.

Don’t scan every QR code with your smartphone

QR codes are tiny stamp-sized tags that, with a quick scan, take smartphones to product websites. They’re often found on shampoo bottles and in magazine ads. But don’t scan QR codes you see on lampposts, subway posters or on the sides of buildings — they may take your phone to websites loaded with malware.

Run all email attachments through a virus scan

Online criminals and cyberspies have broken into dozens of major corporations simply by forcing the right people to open email attachments. Don’t be as dumb as the Fortune 500 — have your anti-virus software check every attachment, even if it’s from someone you know.

Clean up your Facebook account

For identity thieves, Facebook is a gold mine of personally identifying information. Make sure you’re not easy pickings: Go into your account settings and delete your birthdate, your home town, your phone numbers and the names and ages of your children and parents. Your real friends already know that stuff.

Turn on your computer’s firewall

All modern computers have built-in software firewalls, but they’re usually not turned on by default. Make sure yours is — it’ll go a long way toward screening out worms and other self-propelled malware.

Encrypt your cloud file storage

If you’ve got files stored with Dropbox, Mozy or similar online services, they’re vulnerable to software flaws or government inspection. Limit your exposure by using a free encryption tool so that only you can read them.

Keep your software fully patched

Malware writers work full-time to find holes in popular applications, and those applications’ makers keep up with regular patches to those holes. Make sure you’re up to date by installing something such as Secunia’s free Personal Software Inspector, which scans your software and alerts you to vulnerabilities.

Check your credit once a year

You’ve seen plenty of catchy ads, but there’s only one site authorized by the Federal Trade Commission to handle the free annual credit reports from the three major credit-reporting companies: www.annualcreditreport.com. Generate the reports every year on your birthday.

Create a separate Administrator account for your computer

Malware does the most damage when it has the most ability, so limit your exposure by running your computer as a limited user who can’t install software. Use the Administrator account only when you need to make changes.

Watch what the checkout cashier does with your card

Identity-theft gangs pay off cash-register operators to “skim” credit and debit cards so that they can “clone” your card and clean out your account. Make sure your card stays in sight at all times, and if the cashier dips your card below the countertop for even a second, ask to see the manager.

Update your browser plug-ins and extensions

Your browser is your gateway to the Internet — and malware’s gateway into your computer. Make sure your browser has the latest software patches to keep yourself as protected as possible. Qualys’ BrowserCheck software offers one easy way to do so.

Upgrade Adobe Reader

One of your computer’s biggest weak spots is Adobe’s free PDF reader. Fortunately, the company has taken a much more aggressive stance lately toward beefing up its software against attackers. Go to http://get.adobe.com/reader/ and install the latest version.

Run all downloads through a virus scan

Millions of malicious websites pretend to be something they’re not, and offer “free” or cheap software that’s really viruses or Trojans ready to infect you. Good anti-virus software will detect such malware, so apply an anti-virus scan to every download before you install it.

Sign up for credit-card alerts

Identity thieves “bust out” stolen credit card accounts with huge purchases soon after they’ve gotten hold of them. Contact your bank or credit-card issuer and ask about alert notifications in case of unusual card-usage activity.

Turn on encrypted social-media connections

One year ago, it was easy for cyberspies to sit in cafes and snoop on other people’s social-networking posts. Today, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ all let you change your settings so that encrypted (“https”) connections are always on, locking out the creeps.

Upgrade to Windows 7

If you’re running Windows XP on a computer that’s no more than 5 years old, you can probably upgrade to Windows 7, which is much more secure and elegant. Download the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor here to be sure.

Don’t download pirated movies, music or software

Apart from the legal and moral issues involved, it’s not a good idea to download “warez” from the Web. You don’t know where that bootleg song, movie clip or copy of Photoshop came from, and it could easily be riddled with hidden malware.

Check the ATM vestibule before you enter it

Always look around the ATM vestibule as you step through the door. Creeps and muggers like to lurk in the corners. And while you’re at the machine, stay aware of anyone behind you; the rounded mirror atop some ATMs will help with that.

Don’t jailbreak your iPhone or iPad

Unless you really know what you’re doing, never “jailbreak” your Apple iOS device to run unauthorized apps. Doing so opens up your device to malware and exploits that a regularly configured iPhone or iPad user doesn’t have to worry about.

Don’t use public Wi-Fi networks

Unencrypted Wi-Fi networks in public places, such as parks or cafes, are prime hunting grounds for cyberthieves who silently monitor Facebook postings, email and online banking. And if you can find a free Wi-Fi network in an airport, it may have been set up by a scammer.

Check ATMs for skimmers

Crafty crooks make custom attachments that fit onto card slots in bank ATMs to capture your card’s magnetic-stripe data. Tiny pinhole cameras can film you typing in your PIN. Look over an ATM before you use it; if anything looks funny, let the bank know.

Keep your smartphone with you

You wouldn’t leave your computer unattended. Do the same with your smartphone. It’s a pocket computer, capable of doing nearly everything a laptop can — including giving whoever finds it a wealth of personal data. When you’re in a public place, take your smartphone with you when you step away from your seat.

Dedicate a PC to online banking

If your small business banks online, set aside a PC for only that purpose — no email, no Web browsing, no office work — and put heavy-duty anti-virus software on it. Cybercriminals know that small businesses don’t have IT departments to monitor online transactions, and banks don’t have to refund commercial customers if accounts are cleaned out.

Don’t use “off-brand” ATMs

That ATM in the supermarket or convenience store is handy, but who really controls it? Don’t use a stand-alone ATM unless you know the name of the bank it’s affiliated with — and especially avoid an ATM that’s parked out on the sidewalk, with a cable leading back into a store you’d never go into.

Upgrade your Adobe Flash Player

If you’re still running Adobe Flash Player 9 or earlier, upgrade it now. The browser plug-in, used for YouTube and online games, has a long history of malware exploits. Check which version you have here, and don’t download upgrades from anywhere other than the Adobe website.

Install anti-virus software on your Mac

Think Macs are immune from viruses? Far from it. There have been three major Trojans targeting Macs in the past six months, and Steve Jobs’ creations are just as susceptible to malware as are Windows machines.

Don’t give out your Social Security number

Does the doctor’s office want your Social Security number? Too bad. They don’t need it, and they should know better. Your Social Security number is the bedrock of your financial identity, and the only people who need it are you, your employer and the IRS.

Avoid suspicious smartphone apps

Steer clear of unofficial online stores offering cheaper versions of your favorite smartphone apps. Cybercriminals seed third-party websites with malicious apps that are loaded with malware. Stick to trusted app stores like the iTunes Store and the Android Market, and read the user comments to see if the app has a bad reputation.

Encrypt your USB flash drives

They’re cheap, they’re everywhere, they’re often given out for free. USB flash drives are also easily lost. If you have any flash drives containing information that you’d rather not strangers see, encrypt them with free or inexpensive encryption software.

Keep a low credit balance on your iTunes account

Account hijackings on iTunes are more common than you’d think. Hundreds of users have had their credit balances wiped out by scammers who racked up big charges on apps, movies and music. (In most cases, Apple has refunded the credit.)

Don’t post vacation photos until you get back

Facebook and Flickr are handy for relatives and friends to see your vacation photos. They’re also handy for burglars who check the date on each photo to see if you’re still away. Turn off auto-posting of photos on your smartphone, and wait until you’re back home to post those frisky beach snaps.

Lock your computer’s screen

When you step away from your desk, make sure no one can browse your machine. On a PC, hit the Windows key and “L” on the keyboard. On a Mac, go into System Preferences, then Security & Privacy, and check “Require password immediately after sleep or screen saver begins.” Put the Mac to sleep, or activate its screen saver, as you step away.

Don’t put your kids’ names on their backpacks

Embroidering “Timmy” or “Suzie” on a backpack just makes it easier for creeps and perverts to address your child by name at the bus stop. Your child already knows his or her own name; strangers don’t need to know as well.

Create a PIN lock for your voicemail

No passcode for your voicemail? Then anyone with phone-number “spoofing” software can call your carrier’s voicemail number and get right into your account. Enable the passcode, and don’t stick with the carrier’s default PIN, such as “1234″ or “9999″ — hacker and creeps already know those.

Put a screen lock on your smartphone

Your smartphone may be valuable, but even more valuable is all the personal information you’ve got on it. To make sure anyone who finds or steals it can’t see your data, enable the screen lock, which asks for a PIN or pattern before the phone can be used. (The phone can still be answered if it rings.)

Don’t write your address on your keychain

If you found a set of keys in the street with a tag that read ” 1313 Mockingbird Lane , Dubuque , Iowa ” on it, you’d track down the owner, right? Not if you’re a thief. In that case, you’d go right to the house and rob it. Attach a cellphone number to your keys instead of an address — and don’t include your name.

Don’t re-use passwords

When you create a new online account, create a new password. That way, if a hacker or identity thief gets hold of the password to one of your accounts, he won’t have the password to all the other online accounts you have.

Enable wireless encryption

Most home wireless routers are set by default to transmit signals unencrypted. But that lets anyone snoop on your Internet traffic. Set your router to encrypt its transmissions, and pick a strong password so that only those machines you permit can access it.

Create a strong password

Passwords such as “1234″ are easy to remember, but they’re also easy to guess. Create a strong password by using a long word or phrase (at least eight characters) that’s not in the dictionary and mixing in capital letters, numbers and punctuation marks. For example, “wassup dude” could become “wA55uPd00d3!” It would take a very long time to crack that.

Don’t “friend” people you don’t know

On social networking sites, it’s often tempting to expand your circle of acquaintances. But do you REALLY need to “friend” your cousin’s brother-in-law’s work buddy? People on your “friends” list have access to personal information about you that you might not want the world to see. If you don’t really know them, don’t friend them.

Install anti-virus software on your smartphone

Every iPhone, BlackBerry, Android or Windows phone is actually a mini-computer, one that needs anti-virus software just as urgently as a regular PC. With both free and paid AV apps available for each platform, there’s no excuse not to get one

If you have any other questions or would like information on other topics, we do have a blog site that is monitored throughout the day. You can get to it from our main website at ICUComputerRepair.com (Click on ICU Blog link on the left side of the page.)

Again, I want to say Thank You for being an important part of ICU Computer Repair and we look forward to serving you in this coming year.

Bob Plourde ICU Computer Repair 8328 Raintree Ave Riverside, Ca. 92504 951-352-2587

Because of  this reason, we have decided to offer a subscription based service available to  any of our clients that would like to take advantage of this service at a  substantially discounted rate.

You can use  this time for whatever you feel the need for it.  You can use it for fixing your computer or  giving it a needed tune up, or to set up that new printer you just bought. You  can also use the time to learn how to use your computer or any software on it.  The applications are almost unlimited.   It’s up to you.

Our normal  remote assistance fees are $60.00 per hour but through a semi-annual or annual  plan you can save a lot.  You can use your  time in small increments or a full hour at a time (you can even purchase  additional hours at discounted rates, according to your plan.)

This is how  it works:       First, We  (ICU Computer Repair) will install our Direct Connection calling card on your  computer for quick and easy access to our remote assistance server. Then you  choose the plan you want .       All plans  are paid upfront either annually or semi-annually.

Here are the  plan breakdowns:       Each plan  includes 1 hour per month for the duration of the plan you select, in whatever  duration you choose. You can purchase additional hours as needed during your  plan at the discount rate of your plan.

For the  annual plan, the normal cost for 12 hours of remote assistance is $720.00   Your cost  would be $360.00 for 12, 1 hour sessions.   This is a 50% discount of the normal price.

For the  semi-annual plan, the normal cost for 6 hours of remote assistance is $360.00.       Your cost  would be $216.00 for 6, 1 hour sessions. This is a 40% discount from the normal  price. (The annual plan saves you more money!).

If you would  like to sign up for one of these plans, please give me a call and I’ll get you  set up right away.

You can reach us at 951-352-2587

Data recovery on these type of devices are rarely sucessfull. These devices are integrated memory chips with one circut board with memory attached directly to it. These devices are fine for moving data from one computer or device to another computer or device but should NOT be used to store your important data on.

If you are going to store your data on one of these drives, make sure that you have another backup copy on a computer or external hard drive at all times. Again, DO NOT STORE YOUR IMPORTANT DATA ON FLASH DRIVES ALONE!

You can purchase portable hard drives now for between $80 – $100 for a 500GB drive. This is more than you will ever need for portable data and your data is much more secure. Even if the drive fails, you have a better change of getting your data recovered.

Here are a few drives for an example from Best Buy.. <—(Click on that link). You can get these drive from almost any computer or office supply store.

I hope this email catches you before it’s too late. You can always give me a call if you have any other questions.

Have a blessed day!

Bob Plourde

ICU Computer Repair
8328 Raintree Ave
Riverside, Ca. 92504
951-352-2587

Today only, January 16th,  ICU Computer Repair is offering a $25 discount on any services over $60 (excluding parts).  This special is avalible to anyone.  All you have to do is ask for it and You’ll get it.

Again, This is for Today only so make sure you get your computers in before 7pm today!

Have a great day!

ICU Computer Repair 951-352-2587

Here is our January 2012 Newsletter Vol 2

Have a blessed day!  We’ll talk to you soon.

January 2012 Volume

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I pray that everyone is doing well and that this newsletter finds you rested and ready for the new year. ICU Computer Repair has had a lot of new clients this year so I would like to ask again, if you have not confirmed your preference information for our newsletters and would like to continue to receive them, Please confirm your information by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page labeled “preferences” and verifying your information. When you are done, Please enter the access code and click on submit. You can also unsubscribe from this link if you choose.

This past year has been one of change and adjustment in most of our lives. The economy has continued to be unstable and even more people are leaving their jobs for one reason or another. As this continues, more and more people have begun to work for themselves  from home. This means more people are depending on their computers to keep them alive. This is even more of a reason to either keep your existing computer in good shape or to get a new computer to suite your needs.

Most of the time, your old computers will work just fine if they are upgraded or maintained properly, which is usually  more cost effective than buying a new one. No matter which direction you choose to make in regards to your computer, one thing is for sure, You need to protect your computer against the criminals out there and also against hardware failure.

BACK UP YOUR COMPUTER!

First things first, new or old, your computer operating system and your data is important. Most new computers don’t come with recovery disks because they include the recovery software on a hidden area on your hard drive. This is a good thing as long as your hard drive doesn’t fail. If your drive fails and you don’t have a set of recovery disks handy, you are looking at real headaches to reinstall your computer not to mention a significant cost for replacement.

The good news: most, if not all new computers come with the ability to create a set of recovery disks  from within Windows. Most new computers will prompt you to create them shortly after setting up your new computer. PLEASE DO THIS! IT IS IMPORTANT.

If your computer is older and you don’t have the Operating system disks or recovery disks, then you need to create a disk image and store it on an external drive for later recovery. This is also a good idea for new computers as well. We can do this for you at ICU Computer Repair for a small fee if you desire.

We recommend the backup  solution, Acronis True Image.   It is special backup software that is capable of  backing up MS Windows, along with your personal files and should be used on a regular basis to insure proper protection.
Most backup programs cannot  backup the operating system, which is why True Image is so unique and which is also why I recommend True Image to customers time and time again, I do use it myself and it is simple and dependable  .

If you have any other questions or would like information on other topics, we do have a blog site that is monitored throughout the day. You can get to it from our main website at ICUComputerRepair.com (Click on ICU Blog link on the left side of the page.)

Again, I want to say Thank You for being an important part of ICU Computer Repair  and we look forward to serving you in this coming year.

Bob Plourde   ICU Computer Repair   8328 Raintree Ave   Riverside, Ca. 92504   951-352-2587

This laptop has a 1.8Ghz Pentium Celerion Mobile Processor with Windows 7   Home Premium
It has 1.5GB RAM with an 80 GB Hard drive
Built in wireless, 3 USB ports, VGA Output
and a DVD/RW Drive.
I’m only asking $300.00
It’s priced to go so call right away if you want it.

The   second one is a good all around computer and comes with everything you   need to get it up and running.

Running Windows XP Home Edition
2.8 Ghz Intel Pentium Processor
80 GB Hard Drive
512 MB RAM
CD Drive
CD/RW Drive
Also Comes with a 17″ CRT Display Monitor
Keyboard and Mouse.
I’m only asking $250 complete or $200 for just the tower.

Last but not least,
Running   Windows XP Professional
It’s a 1.7Ghz desktop.
It has an 80GB hard drive,
It has a DVD Player and a CD Recorder
It also has 1GB of internal RAM.
I’m only asking $100.

Again,
Please call right away as these wont last long, and it’s first come first   serve.

Thank you and have a blessed Holiday!
Bob Plourde
ICU Computer Repair
8328 Raintree Ave
Riverside, Ca. 92504
951-352-2587
]]> http://icucomputerrepair.wordpress.com/2011/12/12/computers-for-sale/feed/ 0 icucomputerrepair Windows 7 Laptop Dell Desktop Computer DSC_8499 http://icucomputerrepair.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/december-2011-newsletter-vol-1/ http://icucomputerrepair.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/december-2011-newsletter-vol-1/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:02:45 +0000 Bob Plourde http://icucomputerrepair.wordpress.com/?p=77 ]]> Again, Special thanks to windows secrets for thier valuable input to our newletters.

Carrier IQ: A privacy tempest of what size? 

A YouTube video by Trevor Eckhart documents a litany of privacy-busting transgressions made by Carrier IQ, a software program factory-installed on mobile phones.

Almost every news outlet in the U.S. seems to have run the story about Carrier IQ as if 1984 had finally arrived, with Big Brother (in large, corporate form) working the phones — our smartphones in this case. But is that view accurate?

It’s not surprising that Trevor’s allegations generated an extraordinary level of press coverage. It’s an attention-grabbing story: Carrier IQ produces a data-gathering program used by telephone companies to retrieve information from specific smartphones, including models made by Apple and many Android phones from Samsung, HTC, and other manufacturers. The software is installed on more than a 100 million phones at the request of service providers, including AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile. The brouhaha catches the attention of the U.S. Senate; Senator Al Franken demands answers. And newly minted mobile-device experts opine on every conceivable aspect of the controversy. Amid sometimes wild allegations and threats, class-action lawsuits loom. It’s grand drama, indeed.

Frankly, I’m astounded that nobody publicized the Carrier IQ data activity earlier. In use for years, the software (info page) is supposed to help phone companies keep track of problems with their networks. Carrier IQ claims its software runs on more than 140 million smartphones.

So is there any substance to the allegations of widespread and irreversible privacy abuse? The real picture of the Carrier IQ controversy is just starting to emerge. Permit me to explain why I think this frenzy in the media is mostly sound and fury, signifying very little.

The factual foundation, sans flights of fancy

There’s no question that Trevor uncovered startling behavior by Carrier IQ’s software. He conclusively demonstrated that the Carrier IQ program watches every single key press on the phone — even sensitive key presses, such as passwords entered when you’re using a mobile Web browser on an HTTPS secure site. It tracks your location, even when you’ve instructed the phone to not provide location information. It watches the contents of every incoming message as it arrives on the phone.

Trevor also demonstrated that the Carrier IQ program doesn’t act like a normal program. It doesn’t show up on the app screens. It starts whenever the phone is turned on, and you can’t turn it off by using commands such as Android’s Forced Stop option. You can’t delete the program, either. In fact, unless you’ve rooted your phone (hacked it to gain control over the operating system), you won’t even see Carrier IQ running.

Trevor also showed that the Carrier IQ program periodically phones home collected data.

Those are facts ably demonstrated in Trevor’s YouTube video, “Carrier IQ Part #2.” Since the video was posted, several more facts have fallen into place. Here are the particulars:

• As mentioned earlier, the Carrier IQ program is installed by phone manufacturers at the request of service providers. In most cases, the information retrieved by Carrier IQ doesn’t go to the phone manufacturers or to Carrier IQ — it goes to the service providers.
• Apple has confirmed that Carrier IQ was baked into iOS 4. According to an AllThingsD story, Apple stated, “We stopped supporting Carrier IQ with iOS 5 in most of our products and will remove it completely in a future software update.”
• In an msnbc.com report, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile confirmed that their sold-in-the-U.S. phones use Carrier IQ. All three companies claim that the software is used to improve system performance. AT&T says it doesn’t track any user data. Sprint says it “cannot look at the contents of messages, photos, videos, etc., using this tool.” T-Mobile says it “does not use this diagnostic tool to obtain the content of text, e-mail, or voice messages or the specific destinations of a customers’ Internet activity, nor is the tool used for marketing purposes.”
• Verizon, U.S. Cellular, and Vodafone say they don’t have Carrier IQ on their phones. RIM and Nokia both claim that they don’t put Carrier IQ on any of their phones, but that claim is disputed by Trevor. Microsoft states that no Windows phones have Carrier IQ.
• A tumblr.com device analyzer app (more info) turned up no Android phones (of 5572 tests) outside the U.S. and Puerto Rico running Carrier IQ. And it seems that no non-U.S. carriers will publicly admit to using the software.

Those are the facts at this time. Everything else is speculation and interpretation.

Carrier IQ reacts with the big-stick approach

Trevor is convinced that Carrier IQ looks and acts like a rootkit. He says so on his blog. Other commentators have called it “a spyware rootkit” and “malware” and “wiretapping.” I guess it all depends on how you define the terms, but from what I’ve seen, I don’t think any of those characterizations applies.

In any case, Carrier IQ overreacted to Trevor’s revelations, with CIQ lawyers firing off a cease-and-desist demand that defies belief: CIQ demanded that Trevor take publicly available documents off his site and “cease and desist all false allegations.”

The CIQ lawyers further demanded that Trevor send out a public press release “on the AP wire” containing a statement — dictated by the attorneys — saying, among other things, “it is clear that while [CIQ] inspect(s) many aspects of device performance, they are not in fact recording keystrokes or providing user tracking tools and have no intention of doing so.” Yes, the lawyers wanted Trevor to vouch for Carrier IQ’s intentions and pronounce the company free of sin. They threatened to sue him for copyright infringement (for Carrier IQ training manuals he posted), including damages to the tune of “$150,000 per work.”

Trevor hooked up with the Electronic Frontier Foundation and, in an e-mail letter (PDF copy) sent by an EFF staff attorney, basically told the CIQ lawyers where they could stick their cease-and-desist demand. On Nov. 23, the EFF reported that Carrier IQ had dropped the threats and its CEO had apologized to Trevor.

All these events unfolded in full view of the press. Initially, the technical press picked up on the YouTube video and statements about rootkits and keylogging. Then the mainstream press appeared, and a story with very precise technical boundaries turned into a massive slinging match, with relatively few facts in evidence.

Make no mistake, the phone companies have data

Let’s put this all into some useful perspective.

The phone companies — the AT&Ts, Sprints, and Verizons of the world — know which phone numbers you dial and which numbers call you. They’ve been using that information to bill phone owners for decades. These days, the phone companies are also transmitting data to and from phones, giving them at least the theoretical ability to keep copies of SMS messages, e-mail, Internet traffic (such as websites visited), and the content of files uploaded and downloaded. They could also have the ability to record your voice and video calls.

Even if you turn off location notification on your phone, the phone company still knows which cell tower you’re using; with the aid of simple triangulation on three or more towers, they can pinpoint your phone any time they like.

But why would a phone company want to monitor your keystrokes, your mail, your SMS texts, or your location using a program inside your phone? It doesn’t make any sense. Working on data generated inside the phone is enormously inefficient and expensive as well as intrusive; it’s difficult, both technically and legally, to make a case for it.

As the controversy cools, it’s becoming obvious that Trevor was indeed watching Courier IQ’s program scan everything the phone was doing. But there’s no evidence that the program was storing personal information or any other kind of personal data. There’s also no evidence that the software sent sensitive information home to any of the carriers. According to its designer, Carrier IQ was specifically targeted at identifying problems with the mobile network — for example, what happens when a call gets cut off or the phone crashes. Everything I’ve seen to date confirms that observation.

Security researcher Dan Rosenberg, who’s been in the thick of the Carrier IQ fray since its inception, has published a thorough analysis of Carrier IQ running on one specific smartphone — the Samsung Epic 4G Touch. He watched everything Carrier IQ gathered and transmitted. His conclusions: Carrier IQ did not record SMS text bodies, webpages, or e-mail content. In this particular configuration, Carrier IQ recorded which numbers were being pressed to dial the phone but didn’t record any other keystrokes. It could record GPS location data and the URLs of sites visited by the phone’s browser, but not the contents of the pages.

That said, it’s certainly true that the program could collect compromising information. After all, it’s watching everything, all the time. Carrier IQ has filed a patent application (see Adrian Kingsley-Hughes’s blog) that might allow less-benign uses in the future. But then so could many other programs, including the operating system itself.

Lessons from the Carrier IQ revelations

Obviously — and most importantly — consumers have a right to know what’s being sent from their phones. They should also have the ability to turn off the parts that aren’t vital to connecting through the network.

That said, chances are good that when you signed the contract with your service provider, you agreed to the data collection. (How many of us bother to read most user-license and service agreements?) Fifty years ago, telephone users probably didn’t care that phone companies probably collected the phone numbers of all outgoing and incoming calls. But nowadays, with far more sensitive information flowing from phone to phone and between phones and network servers, consumers do need to be more savvy and skeptical. And carriers need to be more up-front about the kinds of data they’re using — with opt-out options clearly available. There should also be some sort of third party involved in monitoring what information our phones are transmitting to our service providers.

Nevertheless, the recent and widespread coverage of this story reminds me of the breathless stories three weeks ago about the Illinois water-plant pump “destroyed by Russian hackers.” The FBI got in on that one — as did the Department of Homeland Security and ICS-CERT.

The media jumped to the conclusion that America’s infrastructure was under attack by Russian hackers, as if Russian hackers had nothing better to do than burn out a water pump. Wired has the full, sordid story.

I think the best analysis of the situation comes from Galen Gruman, who has listed some real privacy threats in a Dec. 2 InfoWorld story. He says these hyped-up threats “are relatively benign compared to what people are not talking about: software and devices that not only monitor individuals but feed that data to insurers and others who could use it to determine rates, deny coverage, and otherwise control people’s behavior.”

That’s where the real problems lie.

Here   is the actual link from USPS.

BEWARE OF SPAM!

BOGUS   DELIVERY MESSAGES E-MAILED TO

POSTAL   CUSTOMERS

Some   postal customers are receiving bogus e-mails about a package delivery. The   e-mails contain a   link that, when opened, installs a malicious virus that can steal personal information from your PC.

The e-mails claim to be from the U.S. Postal Service and contain fraudulent information about an attempted or intercepted package delivery. You are instructed to click on a link to find out when you can expect your delivery. But Postal Inspectors warn: Do not click   on the link!

Like most viruses sent by e-mail, clicking on the link will activate a virus that can   steal information—such   as your user name, password, and financial account information.

What to do?   Simply delete the message without taking any further action. The Postal  Inspection Service is working hard to resolve the issue and shut down the malicious program.

If you have   questions about a delivery or wish to report spam, please call   1-800-ASK-USPS.

Again.. the best weapon again viruses is knowledge. please pass  this information around.

Have a blessed Day!
Bob Plourde
ICU Computer Repair
8328 Raintree Ave
Riverside, Ca. 92504
951-352-2587
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