Category Archives: Consumer Alerts

Don’t Want to Read Through the Fine Print? There’s an App for That

We’ve always been told to “read the fine print before you sign on the dotted line,” but let’s be frank. In today’s digital world, all we want to do is play that new game, test that new app and hear that new song. The fine print seems like an unnecessary barrier to our fun.  Most Read more…

What is malware and why should I be concerned?

“Malware” is a shortened version of the words malicious software. It is defined as: a generic term used to describe any type of software or code specifically designed to exploit a computer/mobile device or the data it contains, without consent. Most malware is designed to have some financial gain for the cybercriminal. Whether they are Read more…

Is one search engine safer than another?

Question of the week: Since I have been using avast! I have been conscious of staying secure online. Does it matter which search engine I use? Is one safer than the other? Thanks for using avast! to protect your computer. Yours is a great question, but maybe not one that people consider when thinking about the […]

Top 5 Mobile Security Mistakes to Avoid in the Workplace

Do you use the same smartphone at home and at work? Whether your company allows employees to bring in personal devices or issues office-specific phones and laptops, those devices likely contain sensitive corporate and personal information. Unfortunately, many people use these devices in ways that can jeopardize the security not only of your personal data Read more…

Is antivirus protection for a smartphone really necessary?

Question of the week: I have avast! Free Antivirus on my computer and I love it, but isn’t antivirus for a smartphone overkill?  I mean, there are not so many threats to a phone, are there? This is a question being asked by lots of security firms lately, and the answer is a resounding, YES. […]

Digital Stalking: Physical Eavesdropping on Your Mobile Device

Did you know that while you innocently play games or browse Facebook on your smartphone or tablet, someone might be tracking your every move?  Through a stream of data “leaked” by your mobile gadgets, cybercriminals can determine which direction you’re headed, how fast you’re walking and how long your strides are. Leaked data can even Read more…

Do I Need to be Concerned About Cybercrime?

The short answer is yes! You should be concerned. And even if you’re not concerned for yourself, with the Internet all of us are interconnected so cybercrime does not just affect one person or one group, but all of us. Imagine your body being targeted by 100 million viruses. That is exactly what cybercriminals are Read more…

Make money fast via torrents

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Several months ago I wrote a blog post about an adware downloader which after execution downloaded a few adware programs and installed them on the computer, giving no chance for the user to skip or bypass their installation. This time, we will analyze an application, which installs similar types of adware programs on user computers. […]

WordPress sites hacked

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There is a nasty botnet trolling WordPress sites trying to log in with the default admin user name and using “brute-force” methods to crack the passwords. Our advice to save your wordpress blog from being hacked is to change admin as the login name to something else and use strong passwords. Matt Mullenweg, the founder […]

Avast and Android Police host International Mega Giveaway

You could win 1 of 9 Nexus devices! All you have to do is visit the Android Police contest page and answer this question: What feature (or features) would you like to see added to avast! Mobile Security? Visit the Android Police contest page now, read through the description of the contest, and add your […]