How to spot a phishing email

Part 5: common security mistakes you're probably making

Don't put your privacy at risk.

Clicking links, opening attachments from sketchy emails
If you receive an email from your bank, the IRS, PayPal, Facebook or another reputable institution that says there's a problem with your account and immediate action is needed, do not click the link included in the email. Instead, go to the site directly and log into your account to see what's up. Odds are your account is fine and that the email you received was part of a phishing scam trying to trick you into revealing sensitive information like your username and password or bank account or credit card number. 

Double check the sender's email address. Sometimes we over look the email address. paypal1.com is not the same with paypal.com. Sometimes email addresses can be camoflauge or cloaked. Best way is to hit the reply button to check the real email address. 

Original Post by CNET

WannaCry Ransomware - How to protect your PC

Older systems running Windows XP and 7 are vulnerable to WannaCry and other malware. Protect yourself by modernizing with one of these inexpensive upgrades.

Well, the news of ransomware finally made it to the nationwide via television, radio and government. Though the virus have been widely effected thru small to medium stream industries, I guess when government or larger corporation gets effected, the hits is drastic.

After reading and researching, discovered that the cause is mostly older systems that gets hit badly. So, I would like to extend some insights on how we can upgrade or change our operating system so that it is protected and hopefully can avoid getting infected with not only this kind of virus but also others as well.

Majority of companies still using Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 8. Its been said that the older Windows are more highly to be affected with the wannacry. Its obvious as well that Windows XP has terminated its software license and no longer have technical support. My alternative solution is to change it to linux based operating system. The obvious choice of course is to upgrade to the latest Windows 10 but because the hardware specification might not be able to support Windows 10, that's why I suggest to change the OS to linux. This is for older computers previously running on Windows XP.

For Windows 7 and Windows 8 or 8.1, I think the feature to upgrade to Windows 10 is still enable. I'm not too certain but I think there is an online copy of Windows 10 from Microsoft that you can download and perform an upgrade of the software.

Alternatively, I'm not sure if this method works. But you can definitely try and no harm trying. It is to have all your important data backup to a different drive. Using only shortcuts to the desktop rather than having the physical file on the desktop where the virus will attack it and lock the file.

I have previously added some notes on the ransomware case when one of company previously was attacked. I do hope this notes help you in anyway. If not, do contact me for further information.

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/wannacry-ransomware-how-to-protect-your-pc/