Virtualnames (UKServers) & NamesCo

After using the ever helpful “Rob and Phil” at Virtualnames (UKServers) to supply and host my and my clients domain names and web sites over the past couple of decades I was rather shocked to find that they have, at very short notice,  sold the business to NamesCo Ltd.  Since March 2018, domains have gradually been transferred to the NamesCo servers and in most cases the transfer was reasonably smooth but there have been some problems.    If you have difficulty sending emails it is probably due to SMTP authentication.  Don’t worry about the technicalities (Google it if you are excited by such things). Just make sure that you tell me (phone?).  If I don’t know about your problem, I cannot fix it.  Fingers crossed, NamesCo support has so far been quite reasonable.

How does my PC get infected?

GameOverZeus or any other Virus or Malware  infects computers by tricking users into downloading it and then installing it. The main defence is you.  Be suspicious and assume that attachments are dangerous unless proved otherwise.  If you agree to an offer to install software – that is your responsibility. A Virus or other Malware disguises itself as something you would normally trust, such as a link sent to you by your “bank” or an attachment sent to you by your “colleague” or “friend.” That friend may have been gullible, don’t repeat their mistake.

 Always be cautious of links and attachments sent to you.  Searching Google for a solution and then downloading what you think is a fix is at least as dangerous.
Sorting out mistakes can be expensive!

CryptoLocker and GameOverZeus:

CYBER criminals are exploiting fears around the CryptoLocker and GameOverZeus viruses by offering a fake fix which secretly installs another bug.

Do not to open any unsolicited e-mails which offers a solution to CryptoLocker and GameOverZeus.

At the end of the day,  there is no better protection than a full (‘ghost’ or ‘cloned’) backup of your hard drive or at the very least, a backup copy of your valuable data.  That way, if you should be unlucky enough to get infected, your files can be recovered.  An inconvenience rather than a disaster.

Many passwords have been compromised recently:

Many web sites are reporting that their databases of user names and passwords may have been compromised.

I have recently changed most of my passwords.  I try to use different passwords and ideally they would be unique to each site  – but don’t forget them!!  More problems are caused by people forgetting their passwords than anything else.  Just be sensible.

I have written an article about passwords on this web site – see ‘Passwords’.