Norfolk Nerd Ramblings   The mad ramblings of an aging nerd.

There are a lot of scare stories about phishing and hacking attempts, lately these have spread to Facebook and Twitter, so I thought it might be a good time to give a few hints and tips about online security.

Anti-virus Software

Under no circumstances, should you ever go online onto the internet without good anti-virus software installed.  As well as having it installed, it is also imperative that you use the software’s update process to regularly download the latest version of the virus signatures, this will ensure that you are protected from the latest viruses.  New ones are being developed all the time, and a quality anti-virus software package will have regular updates, potentially multiple times a day.

Microsoft provide anti-virus software for free here.

Trust No-one

Sounds very cynical I know, but be suspicious about anything you receive from anyone, even if it appears to come from someone you know and trust.  Far and away the best protection you can provide is your own common sense.  If you receive something that you weren’t expecting, be suspicious, if you know the person, don’t be afraid to ring them and confirm what it is they have sent you.

eMail

Be very careful of links in eMails, check them before you click on them,  if you move the cursor over the link without clicking, then most eMail clients will show you where the link is going to take you, check that it seems valid.  If it concerns a sensitive subject like online banking, ignore the link completely and type the normal address of the site into your browser.

You should also be careful of attachments in emails, good a-v software should also protect your email, but, as a general rule don’t open attachments from people you don’t know or were not expecting.

Facebook

Many people seem to treat Facebook as a competition to get as many friends as possible, they will accept friend requests from anyone, even if they’ve never met and have no friends in common.  Be careful when accepting friend requests, not everyone on the internet is who they appear to be!  Some Facebook applications will also ask for rights to access your profile and friend list, before you grant this, check out the application, most importantly check out the applications ‘discussions’ page to see what people are saying about it.  If it’s not what it claims to be then people will usually be saying so!

Twitter

Twitter is reasonably safe, the only real risk is clicking on links, because of the 140 character nature of ‘twits’ links are often shortened making it difficult to see where they are really going.  Only click on links from people you trust.  Also beware of Twitter Direct Messages, at the time of writing there is a large number of direct messages being sent from compromised accounts, the message says ‘Is this you?’ with a link to a malicious website.  If the message is not the sort of thing you would expect from the person in question be suspicious.

Be Careful out there

This is absolutely the best advice I can give you, consider the internet to be a hostile environment, consider everyone on it to be suspect, even the ones you think you know, don’t take anything at face value, check it out first.

If in doubt, do nothing!  Ask the opinion of someone experienced, you can paste a question on the Norfolk Nerd Facebook page here.

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Written by Ian on February 27th, 2010

Found this in my junk mail:

Hello my the surprised friend!My name Nadejda and I wish to take away from you at all a lot of timeand to penetrate in my letter! My trade the doctor the dentist. I hadan ingenious idea to try to find love not in that place where I livenamely not in Russia! In me there were such emotions since recenttime! I would like to tell to you about it my new friend. On my formerwork in the Stomotologichesky Polyclinic I had a chance that I will goon an exchange for practice to other city for me it it was good andnot much not on myself because to go to other city on practice! I donot have there friends or even I am simple girlfriends with which Ican to spend time and speak cheerfully about problems in mine to a newlife. But all has exchanged and on an exchange there has gone my colleague which only not for a long time has come to us for work afterthe termination of Medical university. But the desire to find theacquaintance from other country at me remains on former. I thought ofa step as acquaintance to the person from other country much. Onceafter work I have gone on foot because weather was fine and saw asenamoured steams follow a hand and exchange gentle kisses. I do nothave not enough tenderness and the favourite person in the lives andit to me became very clear after this walk. I like to walk sometimesone alone with myself and to think about the lives. I could not findthe happiness in my city and till now is lonely. For myself I haveresolved to search for the love in other country. Especially I heardmuch about that that people from other countries are more romantic andare careful concerning relations with women, so to say they have aspark in eyes! I am ready completely to this step and have boughtyours e-mail in International Dating Agency. To me have told that youmy friend very good lonely person with kind and open heart. I wish totell about myself directly that to me 28 years and my growth 168 see Ilive to Russia, city Novochebocksarsk. In connection with that that in theworld financial crisis and few workplaces goes reduction. I have gotto reduction and I had to finish the work in hospital. Now I work inCafe-Bar. I wish to be happy life in the and I have serious sights atthis world. At me the big age and is a lot of experience behindshoulders. I am confident that we can to find with you the general atheme of conversation and to learn each other more. I hope to seeyours the letter my friend about your life. As I to place my foto withthe letter and some resume in a file. I very much would like to seeyours the letter and to have with you acquaintance. I would like tosee that we became good friends and not only.

As far as I can work out I’m being chatted up by some unemployed Russian doctor/dentist.  The translation appears to be by Google or Babelfish!  I don’t think I’ll respond, she’ll not be too impressed when she finds out I’m a 46-year old, married, fat bloke!

Don’t forget “be the happy life and have serious sights at this world”.

Oh and by the way, if the wife is reading this I am most definitely NOT registered with an “International Dating Agency”

Written by Ian on April 27th, 2009

Just got back from a marvellous relaxing two-week holiday in Dorset, and thought I’d take the opportunity to pass on some recommendations to anyone visiting the area.

Hembury Mill

Where we stayed, wonderful welcoming, tastefully renovated property with all mod cons.  Peaceful and relaxing mainly because it’s at the bottom of a valley with no mobile reception!

The Spyway Inn

Great pub only a short stagger along a public footpath from the Mill, great beer, great food, very welcoming and child friendly.

Monkeyworld

Well worth a visit to see it’s contented, well-treated colonies of monkeys, most of whom have been rescued from horrible conditions.

The Tank Museum

If you’re in to tanks in any way, this is the place for you, more tanks than you could shake a stick at.  Everything from a WWI Mark I to a Challenger 2.

Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre

If you’re wanting to hunt fossils on the Jurassic Coast then this is the place for you.  The offer an excellent fossil hunting guided walk which is virtually guaranteed to get you finding fossils.  Both my son and I came back with a pocketful!

Written by Ian on April 21st, 2009

It would appear that the lovely personage who is John Prescott MP has stated that “nothing good ever came out of bloody Norfolk since Oliver Cromwell”.

Clearly Mr Prescott is an ignorant, uneducated, twerp,  Oliver Cromwell ACTUALLY comes from Cambridgeshire, and obviously he’s completely unaware of such unimportant people as Horatio Nelson, Robert Walpole (The first Prime Minister, a position that Prescott will never achieve!), Turnip Townshend (founder of modern agriculture) and Captain Vancouver  (helped to discover the New World) all of whom DID come from Norfolk.

You just stay in Hull Mr P. which is well known as the centre of the universe.  Don’t bother coming to Norfolk, you might get egg on your suit to match your face!

And we WILL thump you back!