10/01/2011 - 11/01/2011 ~ PCCare247.com PCCare247.com Blog, PC Care 247 Tech Support Redefined

Monday 31 October 2011

What do you know about cloud computing?


There would be many geeks and technical experts out there who might scoff at me when I ask such a question. But then as it would be the case there is also a whopping majority of those who are not so well acquainted with the vagaries of the IT world and are rather keen to get a good understanding of the terminologies and technologies which can make a pivotal difference in their lives. And well in that perspective with all the recent brouhaha surrounding cloud computing I thought why I don’t get cracking on the same concept and the possible implications it holds for avid PC users.


So, just go ahead and read on and get yourself enlightened on the terminology and its bearing on your daily life.

The Internet is ‘the’ platform, so take advantage
As the concept goes cloud computing is a general term for anything which involves delivering hosted services over the Internet. These services are broadly divided into three categories:
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·         Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)
Entities such as Amazon Web Services provide Infrastructure-as-a-Service for starting, stopping accessing and configuring virtual servers and storage virtual server instance. In this instance via cloud computing a company is required to pay for only as much capacity it requires and going for more only if the need be. Sometimes this model is also referred to as utility computing because of its pay-for-what-you-use functionality.

·         Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)  
Platform-as-a-service in the cloud comprises of software and product development tools hosted on the provider's infrastructure. With developers creating applications on a provider's platform over the Internet, PaaS providers may end up using APIs, website portals or gateway software residing on a customer's PC. Google Apps is a prominent example of PaaS.

·         Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)
In this model, the vendor supplies the hardware infrastructure, the software product and interacts with the user through a front-end portal. SaaS is a very broad market. Services can stretch from anything like a Web-based email to inventory control and database processing.  And yes with the service provider hosting both application and data, the end user is free to use the service from anywhere.

Cloud computing rules the Roost
Cloud service primarily consists of three distinct characteristics which differentiate it from traditional hosting. What’s more it is sold on demand typically by the minute or the hour and it is also elastic – a user can end up having as much or as little of a service at any given point in time. Better still the service is fully managed by the provider (With the PC user requiring nothing but a personal computer and Internet access). www.pccare247.com
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Friday 21 October 2011

Is Social Networking really an evil or more of a necessity?

The platform of social networking is always ready to embrace one and all. For not only in reality is it a concept where old acquaintances and friends can go ahead and catch up on old times but rather are also at a liberty to opinionate and shop around for some of the most lucrative deals around. 


In fact, as trends would point out social networking as a concept also does well to blur boundaries, increase transparency and create fluidity in almost anything and everything we do. Linking a twelfth of society and growing rapidly, it may be added companies large and small can no longer ignore or even try blocking social networking. In essence, all I can say it is the part of the fabric in which we not only learn but play and work at the same time.

Making sense of social networking
Social Networking Help
The reality is you need to go where your target audiences are and people are more likely to participate in a social media forum than any other venue. Clients, channel partners and employees alike are more or less likely to engage via social media –  in short, it is a way for you to stay connected, gather feedback, recruit, and collaborate. As a result, I can really vouch that supporting social media in any environment readily gives an impetus to innovation, productivity, and accelerated growth which will ensure a business expands well and beyond what is expected.

The Ugly face of Social Networking
In spite of factors such as personalization, the ease with which information can be shared, and the real-time nature of the medium, it might be worth pointing social media also ends up posing significant risks to a business. And following are the top four risks which come tagged along with social networking. Starting with:

·         Malware
With more than 700 billion minutes being spent per month on Facebook alone, social networking sites are fast turning into ideal malware targets. And yes, if statistics would be anything to go by then nearly 40% of users are infected by malware from social networking sites. Typical attacks often stem from the trust relationship established between users and their connections users are tricked into giving up financial information that can be further exploited for financial gain. Some examples of malware are:

o   Phishing: Employing increasingly sophisticated techniques; attackers pose as legitimate social networking connections and try to lure PC users into providing sensitive information, such as your login credentials. Preying on the tendency of most people to use same passwords for all accounts hackers believe PC users are tricked into divulging confidential information related to banking and other financial transactions.
o   Click-Jacking: This concept uses the dynamic nature of social networking and a willingness to click on links from known contacts, and even those ones you don’t know to reach a large audience, cajoling you into revealing private information (e.g. through surveys), collecting hits for ad revenues and eventually allow access to an entire social network.



·         Productivity Loss
Online destinations such as social networking enable you to post and read messages, date, shop, upload or check out videos, and play games. In turn making such platforms an increasingly convenient and engaging target for users, drawing them to spend more and more time and better still at the end of the day making it increasingly challenging for a business to apply control.

·         Bandwidth Consumption
With nearly 40% of employees accessing social networking sites at work, a potential strain on bandwidth ends up acting as a detriment of other business applications.

·         Data Loss
There been cases in which employees have unintentionally posted proprietary software code to social networking sites, exposing sensitive intellectual property. These actions, though unintentional, can potentially violate industry specific regulations, impact reputation, or put an organization at a competitive disadvantage with unprecedented data loss. Just visit any kind of Support for Malware Removal http://www.pccare247.com/pc-security/malware-removal.html

Wednesday 19 October 2011

Antivirus software: Do you know how it really works?

Antivirus Support

Anytime when our conversation hovers around the word antivirus, we only end up talking about renowned antivirus brands such as Bitdefender, Norton, Avast, Vipre, Kaspersky, Mcafee, Norton and what not (Phew!! I am out of breath for the list is certainly long). Extending the jargon long and not really giving a serious thought as to how the software really works and which brand would end up providing us the best protection against viruses and malware. 

So, just to get you enlightened and save you from the ignominy of becoming a sitting duck for conniving software retailers I would  like to share the detection techniques inherent to any antivirus software and what role they serve in defending your PC.

Virus Detection Techniques and their connotations
Signature-based detection 
Pro
It is a technique where key aspects of an examined file are utilized to create a static fingerprint of known malware. With the signature representing a series of bytes in the file, this method of detecting malware has become an essential aspect of antivirus tools since their inception. 

Con
However, a major limitation of signature-based detection method lies in its inability to flag malicious files sans any signatures. Keeping this in mind, modern attackers frequently mutate their creations for retaining malicious functionality by changing the file’s signature.

Heuristics-based detection 
Pro
The technique detects new malware by statically examining files for suspicious characteristics without an exact signature match. The tool might even emulate running the file to see what it would happen if executed, attempting to do so without noticeably slowing down the system. 

Con
Wherever the characteristics end up exceeding the expected risk threshold the tool may classify the file as malware. The biggest disadvantage of heuristics is it can even tag legitimate files as malicious.

Behavioral detection 
Pro
Considered as a detection method for observing how the program executes rather than merely emulating its execution. The approach of this method is to identify malware by looking for suspicious behaviors and thereby detecting the presence of previously unseen malware on the system. As it is the case with heuristics, actions by such a method aren’t considered as sufficient for classifying a program as malware. 
               
Con
The use of behavioral detection techniques brings antivirus tools closer to the category of host intrusion prevention systems (HIPS) which have traditionally existed as a separate product category.

Though the approaches above are listed under individual headings, the distinctions between various techniques are often blurred. So, to keep up with the intensifying flow of malware samples, antivirus vendors have to incorporate multiple layers into their tools and refrain from relying on a single approach. Ring and Grab Instant Virus Removal Support at +1-855-877-5848, www.pccare247.com

Thursday 13 October 2011

The Battle for a more Secure OS Rages On

The battle lines have been drawn and both the operating systems are going all out to woo PC users. Moreover, supporters from both the camps are also pitching in to prove as to why their OS has a bigger fan following over the other. However,in the recent past things have started to become more interesting for it seems the onslaught unleashed by the Mac Malware and Trojans has ended up bringing down things to quite an even keel.

Malware Blues: Mac OS Vs Windows
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The sparring continues with regards to ability of both the OS to resist malware. Mac users have an unflinching belief that their OS has only a fraction of vulnerabilities as compared to Windows. But then again to counter the argument Windows aficionados have a belief the subscriber base for their OS is way too big and the Mac has just got to show only a fraction of the same.



Honey, it’s all in the genes
The follies affecting the Microsoft OS are certainly a result of poor engineering rather a large subscriber base. For when Microsoft Windows 95 was launched, the internet and high-end network connectivity had started to grow by leaps and bounds. The advancement ended catching Microsoft on the wrong foot for the amateur PC users using the OS became too easy a prey for hackers and malware. And yes, if it may be pointed out the insecure coding of the OS did not help matters out much either.

On the other hand the Mac was always recognized for its ability to provide a good baseline security and a safe haven where malware was always kept at bay. But then again in the recent times it seems viruses and Trojans such as OSX.Trojan.iServices.B, has ended up blowing the Mac’s security hoopla to smithereens.    

All the more it seems Mac social engineering attacks have gained momentum in the recent past. However, cybercriminals have also ended up realizing the malware being developed by them ends up promising far less returns and ends up gobbling a huge chunk of their resources. Leading to a conclusion the stakes are way far too less as and where Mac users are concerned. And better still at the end of the day, the malware unleashed by them would end up reaping far better returns if and when a larger population comprising of Windows users was to be targeted.  www.pccare247.com 

Tuesday 11 October 2011

Hackers Inc. is all geared up to strike at will


The term ‘Hacker’ ends up bringing to mind an image of an evil genius who is socially dysfunctional, is a wiz at software programming and always has a burning desire to save the mankind. Well, that is true, but then considering the entire population of hackers out there; the need is to further break down the whole breed into a zoology like classification. Starting with:
  • White Hat
To start with the ‘White Hat’ breed of hackers is considered to be the most sober amongst the lot. For this class of hackers believes in breaching a network only with permission.
  • Grey Hat
The grey hats portray themselves as White hats but try and force their way into a network without permission. The ulterior motive behind such a move is just to either have fun or make profit.
  • Black Hat
Computer HelpThis class of hackers comprises of pure geniuses with an evil bent of mind. Acting on monetary incentives such hackers end up forcing their way into a network without permission.  
  • Script Kiddies
They are the babies in the hacking word. Not having any real hacking experience behind them; this lot of hackers scouts around to get a footing in the information world.
  • Mules
Way at the bottom rung of the hierarchy in the hacking world, mules are recruited by hackers to accept money stolen via online funds on their behalf.

But at the end of the day all said and done more important than individual skills are any hacker’s affiliation. And leading this charge is a class of hackers who have a political belief. The most famous of such groups is ‘Anonymous’, a faction which ironically uses hacker attacks to force governments and corporations to become more transparent. A group which came to light when it ended up attacking Web sites of MasterCard and Visa for their decision to stop accepting donations meant for Wikileaks’ founder Julian Assange. For Effective Tech Support Services visit: www.pccare247.com

Thursday 6 October 2011

An ode to Steve Jobs


PCCare247 remembers Steve Jobs

“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.”   -   Steve Jobs
By - www.pccare247.com

Wednesday 5 October 2011

A sneak peek at Microsoft’s forthcoming OS Windows 8


Very soon Windows 8 is going to make its mark into the world of operating systems. And yes, even though Microsoft officials are tightlipped about what the new OS brings to the table; a sniff about the features incorporated into it would be essentially what all die-hard aficionados would be hankering for.  So, here goes a rundown of some of those popular features which have been incorporated into the new OS.

·         Internet Explorer 10  
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After the successful launch of Windows IE 9, the Microsoft team started to work on it new innovation the IE 10. Considered to be notches above its predecessors, the new IE boasts of increased support for HTML 5 and an enhanced degree of compatibility for cascading style sheets and properties such as gradients and a flexible layout. Further, the new version of IE also tends to boast of multi touch capability which was missing in the previous version.

·         High-end Security
The Windows 8 series has ended up bolstering its defenses against all remote and local attacks. A functionality of the system christened as the Smart Screen protects users from launching potentially dangerous files.

·         Improved user interface
Lauded for its ability in giving users a highly refined and rather a very smart looking interface for Windows 7, the team has carried on the same features on to Windows 8 but then again with a lot of improvements. Moreover, developers of the system have also ended up blending highly popular user interfaces such as Kinect and Windows phone 7 operating system’s Metro UI with the new OS.

·         Robust and cross-platform OS
Windows 8 will not only run on Intel processors but also on ARM processors which are not only the backbone of notebooks, tablets but for that matter a vast range of portable devices.

·         In-house application store
Following in the footsteps of Apple, Windows lets users purchase software or otherwise make downloads directly from within the system.

Additional features for a stronger OS
Even though above mentioned features really end up making Windows 8 strong in orientation, there are a gamut of other features which one really can’t afford to ignore. Those popularly being:  

·         A built in PDF reader
·         Quicker Installation
·         Reverting to factory settings in an eventuality
·         Integration of Microsoft Kinect directly with Windows
·         Integration with Windows live ID services
                                                                  

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