PSA: Fun Trends in Computer Viruses: Ransomware!

I care deeply about each and every one of my readers and to show my love and affection for you, I always want you to stay safe.

In that spirit, I share with you what our Chief Information Officer shared with us this week.

Over the past two weeks, 3 nefarious and increasingly virulent approaches to holding your computer data hostage, with requests for up to $300 to get it back have become.  Since this could impact not only your professional data but your personal data as well, please read through this note, including the 4 bullets under “details,” and (since not everyone reads every e-mail) please mention it to your team mates.  This is of high importance for everyone to know.

Bottom Line On Top: 
Whenever you use any computer (work or personal), only browse to safe sites and don't open attachments from people you don't know.

• If you're at work and don't know if a site or attachment is safe, contact your IT Support department.
• If you're working on your personal computer and don't know if a site is safe, make sure your antivirus software is updated and will tell you of potentially unsafe sites (McAfee does this). You can also scan attachments.

Details:

• 3 "ransomware" scams have recently seen significantly increased activity:
• An actual phone call from "Microsoft" letting you know that your computer is infected, with a "technician" willing to walk you through the process to "repair" it.
• An "FBI virus" that tells you that you've been perusing smut, and letting you know that the Federal government needs you to take action.
• And the worst of the lot: a "CryptoLocker virus" that poses as a US or FedEx delivery email notification encrypts the files on your PC (and any network you're on), giving you and the entire network 3 days before the data is lost forever.
• Please do not browse to sites that do not receive a green check mark next to it from your anti-virus software. This example contains the different icons you might see next to a web search. The green checkmarks from McAfee indicate that the site is secure. The question mark indicates that the site is questionable. The red x indicates that the site should be avoided because it is dangerous.

• Do not open any attachments or click on any links in an email that are not from sources you trust and/or which do not specifically relate to business you are conducting (either personally or professionally). 
• If you're not sure if you can spot spam, take this short quiz my company put together last year. I promise the link in the last sentence is safe.
• Finally, below is an email from a colleague of my CIO explaining some of these issues in more details.

Email received by my CIO from an IT colleague:

Subject: ✳Tech Talk: Give me $300 within 3 days or I'll encrypt all your files...

Tech Talk

Technology tips you can use, from people you can trust, in the 90 seconds you have.

Just when you thought the writers of viruses couldn't get any more evil, they do.

I'm talking here about computerized extortion.

The subject line of this Tech Talk describes a "ransomeware" virus called CryptoLocker that surfaced last month and has steadily spread. CryptoLocker will encrypt files on your computer and then pop-up a message that you have 3 days to send a ransom of $300 to the hacker. If the ransom is not sent, the files remain encrypted and the unencryption key is destroyed, rendering the files unrecoverable. CryptoLocker conveniently provides a countdown clock that shows how much time is left before the files are destroyed and provides detailed instructions of how the ransom is to be sent.

The virus is spread through something we've written about before called a "phishing attempt." You'll get an email from FedEx or UPS, or some other respected company that contains an attachment (a ZIP file). After opening the file, your computer is infected. Any USB drives, external drives and even the network drives the computer is attached to can be encrypted with the ransomware.

What Can I do?

Although this Tech Talk describes a particular virus, you can guard against it in the same way you can guard against other viruses - practice "safe" computing.

• Be very cautious about opening email attachments. Large companies typically do not send out emails with attachments.
• Make sure that you back-up all important files to an external drive (or if you're at work, save your work to your work network because your IT department regularly backs it up and can simply wipe your computer back to its original state with no important work lost.)
• Run anti-virus programs at home and keep them up-to-date.

Want to read more about CryptoLocker? Here are some links:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CryptoLocker
• http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/10/youre-infected-if-you-want-to-see-your-data-again-pay-us-300-in-bitcoins/
• http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-removal/cryptolocker-ransomware-information

The Menopause: What Your Momma Never Told You

Disclaimer: Mom, This post is not meant to be disrespectful to you in any way, shape, or form. Nothing in it is a reference to you and the talks we shared once upon a time about my changing body and reproduction. Those talks were excellent and you gave me all the information that was appropriate for my 8-year-old me to know. We continued to speak about it as I grew up, and for that, I'm grateful. You always gave me factual and truthful information. At no time did you attempt to convince me that babies were brought into the word via the sacred belly button. Any information you failed to give me, I earnestly believe you did not know. And how could you? It's not as if Nana ever gave you "the birds and the bees" talk. And Lord knows she never spoke to you about The Menopause. Disclaimer Ends.

And now I return you to your regularly scheduled program.

Did your Momma have "the talk" with you when your body started changing? The one about where babies came from? The one about what's happening to your body, why you're changing in ways you never imagined, and why hygiene is now more important than ever? Mine did. I'm sure yours did too.

As useful as that talk was, let's face it, we could have all learned that stuff where God intended - at slumber parties with our girlfriends who passed down the "knowledge" they learned from their older sisters and in the backseat of Jake Ryan's Red Porsche. We'd have been just fine thank you very much.

But, what would have been incredibly useful and what we aren't going to figure out on our own very easily (or in the backseat of Jake's Porsche) is about that fun time in our later years, when our ovaries become senile and when we mourn the loss of our child producing years. That's right, it would have been super helpful if our Mamma's had talked to us about The Menopause.

Fortunately for you, my dear reader, I realize how important this knowledge is for you, your loved ones, and your changing body.

To that end, I've secured this educational video from 1953 that was created to train doctors on treating women experiencing the malady known as The Menopause.  My favorite parts? The ominous music at the beginning left me expecting a knife wielding stranger stabbing me in the shower. I also loved the fact that the movie is narrated by a man because, let's face it, if anyone is an expert on what the female body is doing, it's a man. Finally, I'm really touched by the treatment methods that include sedation for women experiencing The Menopause.

Because the full 22-minute video is so graphic, the video below is the 5-minute highlight reel. It's R rated in a couple places, so be careful if you're watching it at work. If you want to see the full video, click here, but keep in mind that it's NSFW.



I hope this training video makes you more comfortable with your changing body and hormones and that you're now better prepared to experience The Menopause. If it doesn't, may I recommend a stiff drink? I plan to get through The Menopause, when it arrives in a decade or two, by medicating with wine. If you're the loving partner of a woman going through The Menopause, run.

I wish I could say that in the past 60 years, we've come a long way baby, but that would be a lie. Given all the attempts to turn back the clock on women's reproductive health care rights in the Red States, I'm not sure we've progressed at all.

LMS PSA: Illinois Toll Roads Join Twitter

A couple of weeks ago, it came to my attention that the four Illinois toll roads have joined Twitter to provide drivers with real-time road conditions. Each tollway has its own Twitterfeed and you can (obviously) follow one or follow all four.

Illinois Toll Roads Twitter Feeds:

Tri-State Tollway (94/294/80)
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) (or as I still think of it, the Northwest Tollway)
Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88)
Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355)

Make sure that once you follow the toll roads, you enable mobile notifications for the road(s) you drive the most.

I've been following all four for about ten days now and have the Tri-State Tollway's (94/294/80) tweets pushed to my phone because I use I-94 at least a couple of times each week. I've found that knowing the traffic conditions has helped me better plan trips and is no more intrusive than any other tweet I receive.

Important Note: Little Merry Sunshine only endorses responsible mobile phone use while driving. Do not text and drive and please use a Bluetooth for phone use while driving, if you must speak on your phone. In Illinois, it's illegal to text and drive and in many towns, including Lake Forest, you can only use your phone if you're using it hands-free. The police will ticket you.

Why I'm Voting for Obama Reason #7,972

Memo to the GOP: You don't own me.



From You Don't Own Me PSA.

LMS Halloween PSA: The Guide to Trading Candy

We've all been there. We come home from Trick or Treating and someone (usually a sneaky sibling) wants to trade some of their craptastic candy for some of our kick-ass candy. But we worked hard, mapping out which houses gave full-size Snickers, changing costumes so we could go back multiple times, and suffering through wind and rain for our award-winning stash and there's no way we want to trade candy, right?

Don't be too fast to answer that question. You know that if you dig down deep into your bag of Trick or Treating Loot, you'll find some less than desirable candy that you'd happily trade.

Before you trade, know the rules so you can work the system in your favor. Watch this video and then get ready for some serious Trick or Treating. Also remember this: stealing candy from your kids is bad, but trading candy with your kids is good. Just know the rules.

The Story of Menstruation . . . As Told By Walt Disney

My Facebook friend Sarah posted the video below on her Facebook page today. Not only did the video garner many comments to some of its outdatedness, but much discussion ensued about how women in our age group learned about what was happening to us during puberty. Hint: Many of us didn't know anything until it was too late.

Aside from the fact that I think it's hysterical that Walt Disney, a company not exactly known for its empowering portrayal of women, took a stab at educating girls about menstruation (and did it without dancing teacups or singing forest animals), I actually learned a few things.

First, I learned that when I clean house, I must be wearing pearls, an apron, and heels. I sure do wish someone had educated me on that fact. I usually clean in sweats and sometimes in my pj's. Second, I learned that although it is perfectly acceptable for me to ride a bike without a helmet and without keeping my hands on the handlebars while going down hill during THAT time of the month, I shouldn't dance with boys while Aunt Flo is visiting. Third, it seems that I can throw off my body's schedule if I get cold or over-tired. Finally, I learned that any stretching I do to relieve cramps should only be done under the guidance of a qualified person. I have no idea what makes one qualified in this area, but when I find out, I'll let you know.

Enjoy! Let me know what you learn.

Do You Know How to Remove Snow From Your Car?

I know that seems like a dumb question, but nothing frustrates me more after a snowfall than driving around seeing people who've barely made an attempt to get the snow off their cars. And for some reason, SUV drivers seem to be the worst.

I'm not sure why, but it seems that removing snow from windshields, windows, mirrors, the roof, hood & trunk, and all lights seems to be more than some drivers can do. Sure it takes an extra 5-10 minutes, but isn't possibly saving a life (maybe your own) worth that?

Fortunately, AAA has created a very helpful video to remind everyone how to properly remove snow for their vehicles.



To help with keeping her front and back windshield clean, Little Merry Sunshine highly recommends getting windshield covers. You can get super cheap ones ($5 or so) or spend some additional money. LMS probably spent $5 each and wouldn't say they're a perfect solution, but they do keep the windshield about 90% clean while the car is parked. Of course, snow still builds up on the cover, but LMS would rather shake off a cover than have ice on her windshield. Just tuck the sides into your doors and you're good to go. Little Merry Sunshine highly recommends them if you park outside.

Embrace Life: Wear Your Seatbelt

Learn more at SussexSaferRoads.gov.uk.

PSA: How to Properly Wash Your Hands

A lot has been made about washing our hands this week in light of the Swine Flu (aka H1N1). President Obama has told us repeatedly to wash our hands as a way to reduce germs. Newscasters keep screaming it at us.

Because I want each of you to remain healthy and reading my blog for years to come, I'm hereby suspending today's regularly scheduled post and providing you with this Public Service Announcement: How to Properly Wash Your Hands.



Now that you've learned how to wash your hands, I'd like to say a few words . . .

1. I'm concerned about the vast amount of water that is being wasted in this video. In my own house, I try to turn off the water when soaping up my hands, but when I'm in public, I try to touch the faucet (or anything else) as little as possible.

2. The narrator says that you should use your paper towel to turn off the faucet and open the bathroom door. Good ideas. I do this in public. However, after she uses her paper towel to turn off the faucet, she again wipes her hands with it. Ick. Again, paper towels are bad for the environment. At my house, I use cloth towels, but in public I absolutely want paper towels.

Balancing what's good for the environment and what will keep me healthy is quite the balance. I want to help the environment and do what's right, but I also don't want to touch dirty surfaces. Does that make me a little OCD?

How do you handle this conundrum?