The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University

Welcome to the blog about Peabody IT news.  In this site we will try to demystify common technology tools and its uses where it intersects with the Peabody community.

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The inside of a computer is as dumb as hell but it goes like mad!  ~Richard Feynman

 

May 5th, 2011

DO YOU WANT A VIRUS? If not....READ THIS! An open letter from a IT Helpdesk professional

Let me tell you about a scam that's growing very fast and of which you really need to be aware.  Fake anti-virus and anti-spyware is being used by scammers and identity thieves in many cunning ways.

 

Scammers, identity thieves and hackers have grown more sophisticated. Today, some cyber-criminals are selling -- or giving away -- software that supposedly fights viruses, spyware and malware.

In fact, their "rogue software" or rogue-ware doesn't work but actually infects your computer with the dangerous programs it is supposed to protect against! Some will go the next step and then demand payment to remove the so-called virus or spyware that doesn’t exist; thus it is also aptly named ‘ransom-ware’.  Of course and most often, it doesn’t remove anything, not even itself.

This is why you need to be cautious about closing or deleting these alerts, even when you know they're fake. You may actually be infecting your computer in your attempt to close the window!  If you have not yet encountered one of these “fake anti-viruses”, just wait.  Already this week we have had three occurrences of it here on campus.  Normally, Peabody IT might encounter a few a month.

Many usually start as a pop up, telling you your computer is infected with viruses and you need to run said software.  Your first instinct is to click the X or to hit Close.  That is your biggest mistake.  This is all it needs to infect your computer.  After that, it will continuously pop up annoyingly making it difficult for you to get any work done. 

So what can you do to avoid this?  Easy!  If you get a pop up that says you have viruses….TURN OFF YOUR COMPUTER IMMEDIATLEY!  DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING BUT THE POWER BUTTON!  Just hold down the power button until your computer shuts off.  Once that is done, turn your computer back on and if you experience any further issues, contact the help desk immediately.

To review:
- Everone is at risk!!!!  These threats are web based and are often nested in websites as advertisements.  They can (and do) infect Macs just as often as PCs. (Don’t believe us?? Google “Mac Defender”)
- Know your anti-virus/spyware application.  This means know what the screens look like in your anti-virus application; know the name of your antivirus application.  That way you won’t be fooled by the pop-ups.  Proactively initiate and schedule regular scans of your computer by your anti-virus/spyware application.
- If you get an unknown pop up claiming you are infected, USE THE POWER BUTTON and immediately turn off your computer.
- If the pop doesn’t go away after the rebooting the computer by using the power button, call a computer professional to assist you in removing the threat.
- Keep your computer and anti-virus software active and up-to-date. Buy or subscribe to them directly from reputable brick and mortar, online retailers, or the computer manufacturer; not from random web site advertisements.
By the way, phones (especially smart phones) are at risk as well.  Threats written to infect these devices are growing exponentially by the day.
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This article was written by Aleana Riddell with support from Jonathan Richardson.  Aleana has worked in the IT industry for 7 years, Jonathan for 20 years.

 

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December 8th, 2010

Free. Yes, FREE!

Let's say 3 months ago you were preparing for this academic year and you bought a new Mac or PC. Likely, the trial antivirus software that came with your device is about to expire.

What can you do?

Upgrade, for free.  YES, FREE!

Available to any Peabody student, faculty, or staff member is a free anti virus software. You may continue using it for as long as you are a part of the Hopkins community as a student, faculty, or staff member.

Simply visit the following site and download the appropriate version:

http://www.it.johnshopkins.edu/antivirus/downloads/index.html

For computers and laptops that are owned by Peabody and used by faculty and staff, if you think the antivirus software is not working properly or is non-existent, please contact the Peabody IT helpdesk: ext. 4660 or help@air.peabody.jhu.edu.

No, there is no truth to the rumors some computer operating systems or manufacters are virus-proof. So please take the time to protect your computer. And the proliferation of what has been dubbed ransomware and scareware is based around your internet browser experience regardless of what type of computer you prefer. So be aware, protect yourself.

And oh, it is also a part of Hopkins (Section 9-c) and Peabody computing policy (Section 4) to have a active anti-virus software to any computer connected to our network.

 

 

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November 22nd, 2010

Broadcast Messages: Ease Of Identy

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November 9th, 2010

Pay not attention to the man behind the curtain...

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October 4th, 2010

Communications for the Modern Class Room

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