Mumsnet tells users to reset ALL passwords as site hacked following HEARTBLEED virus.

 

Mumsnet tells users to reset ALL passwords as site hacked following HEARTBLEED virus

PARENTING website Mumsnet has reset all its members' passwords after hackers used the Heartbleed virus to access personal data.

By: Owen Bennett

Published: Mon, April 14, 2014

Mumsnet has been hacked by the Heartbleed virus[MUMSNET/PA]

A post on the website said administrators "have no way of knowing which Mumsnetters were affected" by the security breach, so have decided to reset all users' passwords.

The website has almost five million unique visitors every month.

The Heartbleed bug came to the public's attention last week, and millions of people are were urged to change all their online passwords amid fears the bug enabled hackers access to the most secure internet sites – including those used for banking.

The Mumsnet website post said: "We know this has been an enormous pain in the rear end for some of you, and we’re really sorry about that.

"We are aware that some reset emails aren’t turning up quickly enough.

"We believe it’s a problem with some email providers, who are struggling with the amount of automated mail that is being generated by lots of big sites requiring users to change passwords at this time.

"We’ve now made the reset links in the mails last for longer (48 hours) so that they don’t expire before you’ve seen them."

The post continued: "The bug allowed access to the information submitted via the login page.

"So that includes your username or email plus your password.

"It is possible that this information could then have been used to log in as you and give access to your posting history, your personal messages and your personal profile, although we should say that we have seen no evidence of anyone’s account being used for anything other than to flag up the security breach, thus far."

Related articles

• Change your passwords NOW: Emails and credit cards hacked by CATASTROPHIC online bug
• Russian Mafia and Chinese government are reading YOUR emails, Heartbleed bug expert warns

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Apocalypse: Microsoft has stopped to give Windows XP support.

Almost 14 years in service, today 8/4/2014, Microsoft has finally ended support for Microsoft Windows XP, but it is not the end of the world because Firefox, Opera, Google Chrome, Safari 3 still run support to Windows XP for one year more.

The USA software company will end patching newly found security holes in Microsoft Windows XP code that hackers or crackers could exploit to slip into computers.

Despite Microsoft's long-heralded plan to finish "supporting" the nearly 14-year-old operating system, it still powers from 25 percent (1 out of 4) of Windows computers around the world, according to industry estimates.

For big institutions (Government, Non-government, Police departments, Fire department, Banks, legal offices and hotels and restaurants, etc)  with a lot of computers running XP the inertia has proved too much, and many - including the UK government - have caved, paying millions of sterling pounds to Microsoft to negotiate custom support deals. 
This does not mean that computers running the operating system stop to boot, but they will become drastically more susceptible to hackers or crackers, if the company’s stops issuing security updates and providing technical support.

Estimates vary but it’s thought that as many as a third of the world’s computers are still running the operating system and Microsoft themselves have said that infections for XP will rise 67 per cent after 8 April, 2014. The question is, if you’re still running Windows XP: What do you do?

In the long term you only have two new steps: buy a new computer or upgrade to Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 or other Operating System. We will deal with these options in a minute, but if you are not ready to make a fast switch over then there is a couple of things you should do if you will still be on XP over the next couple of months.

First, make sure the software you have is as up to date as possible. That means grabbing any security fixes you may have missed from Microsoft’s website and making sure you have got some "best recommended" (non-Microsoft) antivirus software installed. (e.g. Bitdefender’s Total Security 2014, Bitdefender’s Antivirus Plus 2014, Symantec’s Norton 360 (2014), Kaspersky Internet Security 2014, Avast! Premier 2014, McAfee Antivirus Plus, Norton Antivirus, F-Secure Anti-virus)

You should also switch from Internet Explorer or Bing to a different browser such as Firefox or Google Chrome. Google will be supporting their browser on Windows XP computers until April 2015 while Mozilla haven’t announced an end-date to support for Firefox, but still give support. Of course, if you want to keep really safe then you would be best advised just to stay off the web altogether, though for many users this will not even be an option.

Other option is to switch from using an Administrator Account to a Limited Account for tasks like checking your email (where you might accidently download that pesky malware). This means that if a hacker or cracker does start riding along on your computer at least they will not have administrator-level access.

However, we have to say that these steps are just temporary measures and are not enough to protect you in the following months. One way or the other you need to upgrade to a better Operating System and maybe a better hardware o computer.

Whether you’re buying a new computer (think in this: Do I stick with a desktop PC? or switch to something more portable), or simply upgrade my operating system. You will have to choose between Windows 7 and Windows 8, or Ubuntu 12.10 or 13.04 or 13.10.

Related Links:

Windows XP support ends: Your guide to surviving the XPocalypse and upgrading to pastures new

Firefox, Opera to support XP despite Microsoft cut off

  

Windows XP: Chronicle of a death foretold

[ESSENCE - (08-04-2014)]

Windows XP diehards to fend off hackers on their own
People clinging to Microsoft's aging Windows XP operating system will be left to fend off cyber criminals by themselves come Tuesday.
On April 8 (today), the US software colossus will stop patching newly found security holes in Windows XP code that hackers could exploit to slip into computers.
Despite Microsoft's long-heralded plan to stop "supporting" the nearly 13-year-old operating system, it still powers from 20 to 30 percent of Windows machines around the world, according to industry estimates.
"I am sure you have everything from police departments to banks to legal offices to restaurants," Trustwave director Christopher Pogue said while discussing the extent to which Windows XP is still used.
"Think of a business and they probably run XP; I would say everyone is in equal danger."
US-based Trustwave specializes in helping businesses fight cyber crime. Microsoft support entails regular security updates, but when it stops issuing patches to defend against freshly revealed hacker tactics aimed at XP, those using the operating system will need to enlist their own software wizards or live with mounting threats.
- Panic -
Hackers might already know of new ways to break into XP-powered computers but be waiting until after Tuesday to attack because Microsoft will no longer step in to thwart them, security experts say.
"You are talking literally millions of computers systems that will cease to receive regular security updates," Pogue said.
"That is obviously causing a panic because of new vulnerabilities that will be introduced."
Microsoft has released several generations of Windows since XP made its debut in 2001.
The most recent version is Windows 8, tailored for a world enamored of touch-screen computers and services hosted in the Internet "cloud."
Given the rapid evolution of computer hardware and the short lifespans of devices, newer computers bought by consumers are likely running newer versions of Windows.
Of concern, though, are small businesses that stuck with XP because they have grown accustomed to it and it gets the job done.
Sectors thought to be more prone to holding on to XP include those with relatively unsophisticated computing needs along with emerging markets or schools where money is tight.
Particular worry is being expressed for automated teller machines, many of which are reported to rely on Windows XP.
ATMs could become vulnerable to hacking, particularly independent machines in small shops or bars that aren't owned by banks which are more likely to invest in software security, according to Gartner analyst Michael Silver.
- Risky attitude -
"In a lot of cases, it is that Windows XP is good enough and people didn't see the business value to spending money to upgrade," Silver said of businesses hanging on to XP as new versions of Windows came and went.
"It is a risky attitude, given what issues they could have. These folks knew this was coming, too."
The pain of "migrating" to new operating systems includes making sure software programs depended on by businesses will continue to work. Computers running Windows XP cannot easily be upgraded to the newest Windows version, and that means the users would need to buy new machines.
While Microsoft stands to benefit through sales of new devices using Windows 8, organizations resigned to the aggravation of system changes could be open to considering what rivals such as Apple or Google have to offer.
"The risk for Microsoft is that people will migrate to somewhere else," said analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.
"They should have never allowed it to get this bad."
The global estimate of the number of XP-powered computers may likely be skewed by the China market, where there is widespread use of pirated versions of the Microsoft software, according to a post by computer protection analyst Graham Cluley at WeLiveSecurity.com. Given that Windows software powers more than 90 percent of the world's computers, even a small percentage of machines running XP in any country could translate to high numbers.
Computers running XP will make the Internet a more dangerous place for everyone since hackers can launch cyber attacks from infected machines or valuable information about customers from businesses, Cluley argued. The good news, according to analysts, is that the latest version of Windows is far more capable and secure.
Yahoo News

---

- See more at: http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=features/essence-08-04-2014#sthash.LeaGAkSV.dpuf

Tuesday, April 8, 2014 (All day)

Features

[ESSENCE - (08-04-2014)]

Windows XP diehards to fend off hackers on their own
People clinging to Microsoft's aging Windows XP operating system will be left to fend off cyber criminals by themselves come Tuesday.
On April 8 (today), the US software colossus will stop patching newly found security holes in Windows XP code that hackers could exploit to slip into computers.
Despite Microsoft's long-heralded plan to stop "supporting" the nearly 13-year-old operating system, it still powers from 20 to 30 percent of Windows machines around the world, according to industry estimates.
"I am sure you have everything from police departments to banks to legal offices to restaurants," Trustwave director Christopher Pogue said while discussing the extent to which Windows XP is still used.
"Think of a business and they probably run XP; I would say everyone is in equal danger."
US-based Trustwave specializes in helping businesses fight cyber crime. Microsoft support entails regular security updates, but when it stops issuing patches to defend against freshly revealed hacker tactics aimed at XP, those using the operating system will need to enlist their own software wizards or live with mounting threats.
- Panic -
Hackers might already know of new ways to break into XP-powered computers but be waiting until after Tuesday to attack because Microsoft will no longer step in to thwart them, security experts say.
"You are talking literally millions of computers systems that will cease to receive regular security updates," Pogue said.
"That is obviously causing a panic because of new vulnerabilities that will be introduced."
Microsoft has released several generations of Windows since XP made its debut in 2001.
The most recent version is Windows 8, tailored for a world enamored of touch-screen computers and services hosted in the Internet "cloud."
Given the rapid evolution of computer hardware and the short lifespans of devices, newer computers bought by consumers are likely running newer versions of Windows.
Of concern, though, are small businesses that stuck with XP because they have grown accustomed to it and it gets the job done.
Sectors thought to be more prone to holding on to XP include those with relatively unsophisticated computing needs along with emerging markets or schools where money is tight.
Particular worry is being expressed for automated teller machines, many of which are reported to rely on Windows XP.
ATMs could become vulnerable to hacking, particularly independent machines in small shops or bars that aren't owned by banks which are more likely to invest in software security, according to Gartner analyst Michael Silver.
- Risky attitude -
"In a lot of cases, it is that Windows XP is good enough and people didn't see the business value to spending money to upgrade," Silver said of businesses hanging on to XP as new versions of Windows came and went.
"It is a risky attitude, given what issues they could have. These folks knew this was coming, too."
The pain of "migrating" to new operating systems includes making sure software programs depended on by businesses will continue to work. Computers running Windows XP cannot easily be upgraded to the newest Windows version, and that means the users would need to buy new machines.
While Microsoft stands to benefit through sales of new devices using Windows 8, organizations resigned to the aggravation of system changes could be open to considering what rivals such as Apple or Google have to offer.
"The risk for Microsoft is that people will migrate to somewhere else," said analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.
"They should have never allowed it to get this bad."
The global estimate of the number of XP-powered computers may likely be skewed by the China market, where there is widespread use of pirated versions of the Microsoft software, according to a post by computer protection analyst Graham Cluley at WeLiveSecurity.com. Given that Windows software powers more than 90 percent of the world's computers, even a small percentage of machines running XP in any country could translate to high numbers.
Computers running XP will make the Internet a more dangerous place for everyone since hackers can launch cyber attacks from infected machines or valuable information about customers from businesses, Cluley argued. The good news, according to analysts, is that the latest version of Windows is far more capable and secure.
Yahoo News

- See more at: http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=features/essence-08-04-2014#sthash.LeaGAkSV.dpuf

Tuesday, April 8, 2014 (All day)

Features

[ESSENCE - (08-04-2014)]

Windows XP diehards to fend off hackers on their own
People clinging to Microsoft's aging Windows XP operating system will be left to fend off cyber criminals by themselves come Tuesday.
On April 8 (today), the US software colossus will stop patching newly found security holes in Windows XP code that hackers could exploit to slip into computers.
Despite Microsoft's long-heralded plan to stop "supporting" the nearly 13-year-old operating system, it still powers from 20 to 30 percent of Windows machines around the world, according to industry estimates.
"I am sure you have everything from police departments to banks to legal offices to restaurants," Trustwave director Christopher Pogue said while discussing the extent to which Windows XP is still used.
"Think of a business and they probably run XP; I would say everyone is in equal danger."
US-based Trustwave specializes in helping businesses fight cyber crime. Microsoft support entails regular security updates, but when it stops issuing patches to defend against freshly revealed hacker tactics aimed at XP, those using the operating system will need to enlist their own software wizards or live with mounting threats.
- Panic -
Hackers might already know of new ways to break into XP-powered computers but be waiting until after Tuesday to attack because Microsoft will no longer step in to thwart them, security experts say.
"You are talking literally millions of computers systems that will cease to receive regular security updates," Pogue said.
"That is obviously causing a panic because of new vulnerabilities that will be introduced."
Microsoft has released several generations of Windows since XP made its debut in 2001.
The most recent version is Windows 8, tailored for a world enamored of touch-screen computers and services hosted in the Internet "cloud."
Given the rapid evolution of computer hardware and the short lifespans of devices, newer computers bought by consumers are likely running newer versions of Windows.
Of concern, though, are small businesses that stuck with XP because they have grown accustomed to it and it gets the job done.
Sectors thought to be more prone to holding on to XP include those with relatively unsophisticated computing needs along with emerging markets or schools where money is tight.
Particular worry is being expressed for automated teller machines, many of which are reported to rely on Windows XP.
ATMs could become vulnerable to hacking, particularly independent machines in small shops or bars that aren't owned by banks which are more likely to invest in software security, according to Gartner analyst Michael Silver.
- Risky attitude -
"In a lot of cases, it is that Windows XP is good enough and people didn't see the business value to spending money to upgrade," Silver said of businesses hanging on to XP as new versions of Windows came and went.
"It is a risky attitude, given what issues they could have. These folks knew this was coming, too."
The pain of "migrating" to new operating systems includes making sure software programs depended on by businesses will continue to work. Computers running Windows XP cannot easily be upgraded to the newest Windows version, and that means the users would need to buy new machines.
While Microsoft stands to benefit through sales of new devices using Windows 8, organizations resigned to the aggravation of system changes could be open to considering what rivals such as Apple or Google have to offer.
"The risk for Microsoft is that people will migrate to somewhere else," said analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.
"They should have never allowed it to get this bad."
The global estimate of the number of XP-powered computers may likely be skewed by the China market, where there is widespread use of pirated versions of the Microsoft software, according to a post by computer protection analyst Graham Cluley at WeLiveSecurity.com. Given that Windows software powers more than 90 percent of the world's computers, even a small percentage of machines running XP in any country could translate to high numbers.
Computers running XP will make the Internet a more dangerous place for everyone since hackers can launch cyber attacks from infected machines or valuable information about customers from businesses, Cluley argued. The good news, according to analysts, is that the latest version of Windows is far more capable and secure.
Yahoo News

- See more at: http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=features/essence-08-04-2014#sthash.LeaGAkSV.dpuf

Tuesday, April 8, 2014 (All day)

Features

[ESSENCE - (08-04-2014)]

Windows XP diehards to fend off hackers on their own
People clinging to Microsoft's aging Windows XP operating system will be left to fend off cyber criminals by themselves come Tuesday.
On April 8 (today), the US software colossus will stop patching newly found security holes in Windows XP code that hackers could exploit to slip into computers.
Despite Microsoft's long-heralded plan to stop "supporting" the nearly 13-year-old operating system, it still powers from 20 to 30 percent of Windows machines around the world, according to industry estimates.
"I am sure you have everything from police departments to banks to legal offices to restaurants," Trustwave director Christopher Pogue said while discussing the extent to which Windows XP is still used.
"Think of a business and they probably run XP; I would say everyone is in equal danger."
US-based Trustwave specializes in helping businesses fight cyber crime. Microsoft support entails regular security updates, but when it stops issuing patches to defend against freshly revealed hacker tactics aimed at XP, those using the operating system will need to enlist their own software wizards or live with mounting threats.
- Panic -
Hackers might already know of new ways to break into XP-powered computers but be waiting until after Tuesday to attack because Microsoft will no longer step in to thwart them, security experts say.
"You are talking literally millions of computers systems that will cease to receive regular security updates," Pogue said.
"That is obviously causing a panic because of new vulnerabilities that will be introduced."
Microsoft has released several generations of Windows since XP made its debut in 2001.
The most recent version is Windows 8, tailored for a world enamored of touch-screen computers and services hosted in the Internet "cloud."
Given the rapid evolution of computer hardware and the short lifespans of devices, newer computers bought by consumers are likely running newer versions of Windows.
Of concern, though, are small businesses that stuck with XP because they have grown accustomed to it and it gets the job done.
Sectors thought to be more prone to holding on to XP include those with relatively unsophisticated computing needs along with emerging markets or schools where money is tight.
Particular worry is being expressed for automated teller machines, many of which are reported to rely on Windows XP.
ATMs could become vulnerable to hacking, particularly independent machines in small shops or bars that aren't owned by banks which are more likely to invest in software security, according to Gartner analyst Michael Silver.
- Risky attitude -
"In a lot of cases, it is that Windows XP is good enough and people didn't see the business value to spending money to upgrade," Silver said of businesses hanging on to XP as new versions of Windows came and went.
"It is a risky attitude, given what issues they could have. These folks knew this was coming, too."
The pain of "migrating" to new operating systems includes making sure software programs depended on by businesses will continue to work. Computers running Windows XP cannot easily be upgraded to the newest Windows version, and that means the users would need to buy new machines.
While Microsoft stands to benefit through sales of new devices using Windows 8, organizations resigned to the aggravation of system changes could be open to considering what rivals such as Apple or Google have to offer.
"The risk for Microsoft is that people will migrate to somewhere else," said analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.
"They should have never allowed it to get this bad."
The global estimate of the number of XP-powered computers may likely be skewed by the China market, where there is widespread use of pirated versions of the Microsoft software, according to a post by computer protection analyst Graham Cluley at WeLiveSecurity.com. Given that Windows software powers more than 90 percent of the world's computers, even a small percentage of machines running XP in any country could translate to high numbers.
Computers running XP will make the Internet a more dangerous place for everyone since hackers can launch cyber attacks from infected machines or valuable information about customers from businesses, Cluley argued. The good news, according to analysts, is that the latest version of Windows is far more capable and secure.
Yahoo News

- See more at: http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=features/essence-08-04-2014#sthash.LeaGAkSV.dpuf

Tuesday, April 8, 2014 (All day)

Features

[ESSENCE - (08-04-2014)]

Windows XP diehards to fend off hackers on their own
People clinging to Microsoft's aging Windows XP operating system will be left to fend off cyber criminals by themselves come Tuesday.
On April 8 (today), the US software colossus will stop patching newly found security holes in Windows XP code that hackers could exploit to slip into computers.
Despite Microsoft's long-heralded plan to stop "supporting" the nearly 13-year-old operating system, it still powers from 20 to 30 percent of Windows machines around the world, according to industry estimates.
"I am sure you have everything from police departments to banks to legal offices to restaurants," Trustwave director Christopher Pogue said while discussing the extent to which Windows XP is still used.
"Think of a business and they probably run XP; I would say everyone is in equal danger."
US-based Trustwave specializes in helping businesses fight cyber crime. Microsoft support entails regular security updates, but when it stops issuing patches to defend against freshly revealed hacker tactics aimed at XP, those using the operating system will need to enlist their own software wizards or live with mounting threats.
- Panic -
Hackers might already know of new ways to break into XP-powered computers but be waiting until after Tuesday to attack because Microsoft will no longer step in to thwart them, security experts say.
"You are talking literally millions of computers systems that will cease to receive regular security updates," Pogue said.
"That is obviously causing a panic because of new vulnerabilities that will be introduced."
Microsoft has released several generations of Windows since XP made its debut in 2001.
The most recent version is Windows 8, tailored for a world enamored of touch-screen computers and services hosted in the Internet "cloud."
Given the rapid evolution of computer hardware and the short lifespans of devices, newer computers bought by consumers are likely running newer versions of Windows.
Of concern, though, are small businesses that stuck with XP because they have grown accustomed to it and it gets the job done.
Sectors thought to be more prone to holding on to XP include those with relatively unsophisticated computing needs along with emerging markets or schools where money is tight.
Particular worry is being expressed for automated teller machines, many of which are reported to rely on Windows XP.
ATMs could become vulnerable to hacking, particularly independent machines in small shops or bars that aren't owned by banks which are more likely to invest in software security, according to Gartner analyst Michael Silver.
- Risky attitude -
"In a lot of cases, it is that Windows XP is good enough and people didn't see the business value to spending money to upgrade," Silver said of businesses hanging on to XP as new versions of Windows came and went.
"It is a risky attitude, given what issues they could have. These folks knew this was coming, too."
The pain of "migrating" to new operating systems includes making sure software programs depended on by businesses will continue to work. Computers running Windows XP cannot easily be upgraded to the newest Windows version, and that means the users would need to buy new machines.
While Microsoft stands to benefit through sales of new devices using Windows 8, organizations resigned to the aggravation of system changes could be open to considering what rivals such as Apple or Google have to offer.
"The risk for Microsoft is that people will migrate to somewhere else," said analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.
"They should have never allowed it to get this bad."
The global estimate of the number of XP-powered computers may likely be skewed by the China market, where there is widespread use of pirated versions of the Microsoft software, according to a post by computer protection analyst Graham Cluley at WeLiveSecurity.com. Given that Windows software powers more than 90 percent of the world's computers, even a small percentage of machines running XP in any country could translate to high numbers.
Computers running XP will make the Internet a more dangerous place for everyone since hackers can launch cyber attacks from infected machines or valuable information about customers from businesses, Cluley argued. The good news, according to analysts, is that the latest version of Windows is far more capable and secure.
Yahoo News

- See more at: http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=features/essence-08-04-2014#sthash.LeaGAkSV.dpuf

Tuesday, April 8, 2014 (All day)

Features

[ESSENCE - (08-04-2014)]

Windows XP diehards to fend off hackers on their own
People clinging to Microsoft's aging Windows XP operating system will be left to fend off cyber criminals by themselves come Tuesday.
On April 8 (today), the US software colossus will stop patching newly found security holes in Windows XP code that hackers could exploit to slip into computers.
Despite Microsoft's long-heralded plan to stop "supporting" the nearly 13-year-old operating system, it still powers from 20 to 30 percent of Windows machines around the world, according to industry estimates.
"I am sure you have everything from police departments to banks to legal offices to restaurants," Trustwave director Christopher Pogue said while discussing the extent to which Windows XP is still used.
"Think of a business and they probably run XP; I would say everyone is in equal danger."
US-based Trustwave specializes in helping businesses fight cyber crime. Microsoft support entails regular security updates, but when it stops issuing patches to defend against freshly revealed hacker tactics aimed at XP, those using the operating system will need to enlist their own software wizards or live with mounting threats.
- Panic -
Hackers might already know of new ways to break into XP-powered computers but be waiting until after Tuesday to attack because Microsoft will no longer step in to thwart them, security experts say.
"You are talking literally millions of computers systems that will cease to receive regular security updates," Pogue said.
"That is obviously causing a panic because of new vulnerabilities that will be introduced."
Microsoft has released several generations of Windows since XP made its debut in 2001.
The most recent version is Windows 8, tailored for a world enamored of touch-screen computers and services hosted in the Internet "cloud."
Given the rapid evolution of computer hardware and the short lifespans of devices, newer computers bought by consumers are likely running newer versions of Windows.
Of concern, though, are small businesses that stuck with XP because they have grown accustomed to it and it gets the job done.
Sectors thought to be more prone to holding on to XP include those with relatively unsophisticated computing needs along with emerging markets or schools where money is tight.
Particular worry is being expressed for automated teller machines, many of which are reported to rely on Windows XP.
ATMs could become vulnerable to hacking, particularly independent machines in small shops or bars that aren't owned by banks which are more likely to invest in software security, according to Gartner analyst Michael Silver.
- Risky attitude -
"In a lot of cases, it is that Windows XP is good enough and people didn't see the business value to spending money to upgrade," Silver said of businesses hanging on to XP as new versions of Windows came and went.
"It is a risky attitude, given what issues they could have. These folks knew this was coming, too."
The pain of "migrating" to new operating systems includes making sure software programs depended on by businesses will continue to work. Computers running Windows XP cannot easily be upgraded to the newest Windows version, and that means the users would need to buy new machines.
While Microsoft stands to benefit through sales of new devices using Windows 8, organizations resigned to the aggravation of system changes could be open to considering what rivals such as Apple or Google have to offer.
"The risk for Microsoft is that people will migrate to somewhere else," said analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.
"They should have never allowed it to get this bad."
The global estimate of the number of XP-powered computers may likely be skewed by the China market, where there is widespread use of pirated versions of the Microsoft software, according to a post by computer protection analyst Graham Cluley at WeLiveSecurity.com. Given that Windows software powers more than 90 percent of the world's computers, even a small percentage of machines running XP in any country could translate to high numbers.
Computers running XP will make the Internet a more dangerous place for everyone since hackers can launch cyber attacks from infected machines or valuable information about customers from businesses, Cluley argued. The good news, according to analysts, is that the latest version of Windows is far more capable and secure.
Yahoo News

- See more at: http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=features/essence-08-04-2014#sthash.LeaGAkSV.dpuf

Tuesday, April 8, 2014 (All day)

Features

[ESSENCE - (08-04-2014)]

Windows XP diehards to fend off hackers on their own
People clinging to Microsoft's aging Windows XP operating system will be left to fend off cyber criminals by themselves come Tuesday.
On April 8 (today), the US software colossus will stop patching newly found security holes in Windows XP code that hackers could exploit to slip into computers.
Despite Microsoft's long-heralded plan to stop "supporting" the nearly 13-year-old operating system, it still powers from 20 to 30 percent of Windows machines around the world, according to industry estimates.
"I am sure you have everything from police departments to banks to legal offices to restaurants," Trustwave director Christopher Pogue said while discussing the extent to which Windows XP is still used.
"Think of a business and they probably run XP; I would say everyone is in equal danger."
US-based Trustwave specializes in helping businesses fight cyber crime. Microsoft support entails regular security updates, but when it stops issuing patches to defend against freshly revealed hacker tactics aimed at XP, those using the operating system will need to enlist their own software wizards or live with mounting threats.
- Panic -
Hackers might already know of new ways to break into XP-powered computers but be waiting until after Tuesday to attack because Microsoft will no longer step in to thwart them, security experts say.
"You are talking literally millions of computers systems that will cease to receive regular security updates," Pogue said.
"That is obviously causing a panic because of new vulnerabilities that will be introduced."
Microsoft has released several generations of Windows since XP made its debut in 2001.
The most recent version is Windows 8, tailored for a world enamored of touch-screen computers and services hosted in the Internet "cloud."
Given the rapid evolution of computer hardware and the short lifespans of devices, newer computers bought by consumers are likely running newer versions of Windows.
Of concern, though, are small businesses that stuck with XP because they have grown accustomed to it and it gets the job done.
Sectors thought to be more prone to holding on to XP include those with relatively unsophisticated computing needs along with emerging markets or schools where money is tight.
Particular worry is being expressed for automated teller machines, many of which are reported to rely on Windows XP.
ATMs could become vulnerable to hacking, particularly independent machines in small shops or bars that aren't owned by banks which are more likely to invest in software security, according to Gartner analyst Michael Silver.
- Risky attitude -
"In a lot of cases, it is that Windows XP is good enough and people didn't see the business value to spending money to upgrade," Silver said of businesses hanging on to XP as new versions of Windows came and went.
"It is a risky attitude, given what issues they could have. These folks knew this was coming, too."
The pain of "migrating" to new operating systems includes making sure software programs depended on by businesses will continue to work. Computers running Windows XP cannot easily be upgraded to the newest Windows version, and that means the users would need to buy new machines.
While Microsoft stands to benefit through sales of new devices using Windows 8, organizations resigned to the aggravation of system changes could be open to considering what rivals such as Apple or Google have to offer.
"The risk for Microsoft is that people will migrate to somewhere else," said analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.
"They should have never allowed it to get this bad."
The global estimate of the number of XP-powered computers may likely be skewed by the China market, where there is widespread use of pirated versions of the Microsoft software, according to a post by computer protection analyst Graham Cluley at WeLiveSecurity.com. Given that Windows software powers more than 90 percent of the world's computers, even a small percentage of machines running XP in any country could translate to high numbers.
Computers running XP will make the Internet a more dangerous place for everyone since hackers can launch cyber attacks from infected machines or valuable information about customers from businesses, Cluley argued. The good news, according to analysts, is that the latest version of Windows is far more capable and secure.
Yahoo News

- See more at: http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=features/essence-08-04-2014#sthash.LeaGAkSV.dpuf

Tuesday, April 8, 2014 (All day)

Features

[ESSENCE - (08-04-2014)]

Windows XP diehards to fend off hackers on their own
People clinging to Microsoft's aging Windows XP operating system will be left to fend off cyber criminals by themselves come Tuesday.
On April 8 (today), the US software colossus will stop patching newly found security holes in Windows XP code that hackers could exploit to slip into computers.
Despite Microsoft's long-heralded plan to stop "supporting" the nearly 13-year-old operating system, it still powers from 20 to 30 percent of Windows machines around the world, according to industry estimates.
"I am sure you have everything from police departments to banks to legal offices to restaurants," Trustwave director Christopher Pogue said while discussing the extent to which Windows XP is still used.
"Think of a business and they probably run XP; I would say everyone is in equal danger."
US-based Trustwave specializes in helping businesses fight cyber crime. Microsoft support entails regular security updates, but when it stops issuing patches to defend against freshly revealed hacker tactics aimed at XP, those using the operating system will need to enlist their own software wizards or live with mounting threats.
- Panic -
Hackers might already know of new ways to break into XP-powered computers but be waiting until after Tuesday to attack because Microsoft will no longer step in to thwart them, security experts say.
"You are talking literally millions of computers systems that will cease to receive regular security updates," Pogue said.
"That is obviously causing a panic because of new vulnerabilities that will be introduced."
Microsoft has released several generations of Windows since XP made its debut in 2001.
The most recent version is Windows 8, tailored for a world enamored of touch-screen computers and services hosted in the Internet "cloud."
Given the rapid evolution of computer hardware and the short lifespans of devices, newer computers bought by consumers are likely running newer versions of Windows.
Of concern, though, are small businesses that stuck with XP because they have grown accustomed to it and it gets the job done.
Sectors thought to be more prone to holding on to XP include those with relatively unsophisticated computing needs along with emerging markets or schools where money is tight.
Particular worry is being expressed for automated teller machines, many of which are reported to rely on Windows XP.
ATMs could become vulnerable to hacking, particularly independent machines in small shops or bars that aren't owned by banks which are more likely to invest in software security, according to Gartner analyst Michael Silver.
- Risky attitude -
"In a lot of cases, it is that Windows XP is good enough and people didn't see the business value to spending money to upgrade," Silver said of businesses hanging on to XP as new versions of Windows came and went.
"It is a risky attitude, given what issues they could have. These folks knew this was coming, too."
The pain of "migrating" to new operating systems includes making sure software programs depended on by businesses will continue to work. Computers running Windows XP cannot easily be upgraded to the newest Windows version, and that means the users would need to buy new machines.
While Microsoft stands to benefit through sales of new devices using Windows 8, organizations resigned to the aggravation of system changes could be open to considering what rivals such as Apple or Google have to offer.
"The risk for Microsoft is that people will migrate to somewhere else," said analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.
"They should have never allowed it to get this bad."
The global estimate of the number of XP-powered computers may likely be skewed by the China market, where there is widespread use of pirated versions of the Microsoft software, according to a post by computer protection analyst Graham Cluley at WeLiveSecurity.com. Given that Windows software powers more than 90 percent of the world's computers, even a small percentage of machines running XP in any country could translate to high numbers.
Computers running XP will make the Internet a more dangerous place for everyone since hackers can launch cyber attacks from infected machines or valuable information about customers from businesses, Cluley argued. The good news, according to analysts, is that the latest version of Windows is far more capable and secure.
Yahoo News

- See more at: http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=features/essence-08-04-2014#sthash.LeaGAkSV.dpuf

How to show or hide the help bubbles (Ads or Chats).

OneDesk User Guide

 http://www.onedesk.com/UserGuide/OneDesk_User_Guide.html

How to show or hide the help bubbles

Zoom

OneDesk's help bubbles are designed to help you learn your way around the application.
By default, they are turned on, but you can turn them off anytime, and of course, back on whenever you wish.

Zoom

To show or hide the help bubbles:
- Select user preferences (1) under the user menu.
- Go to the User Preferences tab (1).
- Check the box next to show help bubbles (2). To hide them, un-check the box.

Expanding Google Analytics Social Reports: Tracking Links To Your Site Content.

Google Analytics Blog

Expanding Google Analytics Social Reports: Tracking Links To Your Site Content

Thursday, May 03, 2012 | 10:09 AM

Labels: Features

Have you ever wondered which other pages on the web link to your own? Wouldn’t it be nice to know which sites are talking about your content, and in which context? Well, a problem no more: now you can see all the backlink URL’s, post titles, and more right within the new Social reports.

The concept of trackbacks, a protocol by which different sites could notify each other of referencing links, first emerged back in 2002. Since then, the blogosphere has grown in leaps and bounds, but the requirement for each site to explicitly implement this protocol has always stood in the way of adoption. If only you could crawl the web and build an accurate link graph. The good news is we already do that at Google, and are now providing this insight to Google Analytics users.

   

If you’re not familiar with Trackbacks, then think of it as automated Google Alerts for all of your pages: you publish new content, we scour the web for pages that link to it and build automated reports for you right within Google Analytics - simple as that.

These reports provide another layer of social insight showing which of your content attracts links, and enables you to keep track of conversations across other sites that link to your content. Most website and blog owners had no easy mechanism to do this in the past, but we see it as another important feature for holistic social media reports. When you know what your most linked content is, it is then also much easier to replicate the success and ensure that you are building relationships with those users who actively link to you the most.

To learn more about the new Social and ROI reporting, take a look at our announcement last month, and also take a look at in-depth example of how to use these new reports to measure your user’s engagement in Google+.

Posted by Ilya Grigorik, Google Analytics team

Mi Consejo a Google Adsence y Adwords.

La publicidad en Blogger con Google Adsence, como la publicidad en los motores de busqueda (SEM, PPC, PPM) of (Google, Yahoo!, Bing) debe ser enfocada hacia el comportamiento o gustos del visitante antes de visitar el blog o deacuerdo a sus cookies de terceros de los ultimos dias, y no hacia los gustos o comportamiento del editor del Blog.

Cuando un internauta busca repetidas veces sobre un tema en internet, o intenta varios checkout de un producto en una o varias web, o pasa mas tiempo del tiempo promedio en el sitio web, esta demostrando mas interes en ese tema de su preferencia y la publicidad Adsence o Adwords que se le debe publicar tiene que ver con productos referidos al mismo tema, las ofertas que se le deben lanzar por Adwords o Adsence deben ser apetitosas o low cost, asi aseguramos optimizar las ventas online del blog y de la website.
O sea, si le ponemos la banana al mono, seguro que la agarra y se la come, entonces si publicamos una buena oferta de un producto, seguro que hace click y compra.

Hay que recordar que los posibles compradores mayormente estan en la redes sociales, por eso los bloggers publican sus post tambien en las redes sociales para atraer mas gente hacia su blog y asi aumentar sus lectores, y posibles compradores. 

Ya que el cliente visitante esta interesado en el tema que publica el editor, es el nuevo lector/cliente o seguidor, y es el posible comprador.

El editor es mas dificil que se convierta en comprador de su propio blog.

Alex Rojas Riva