13 Vital Malware Warning Signs to look out for on your PC!

Imagine you’re working on something important and all of a sudden you start seeing multiple pop-up ads, plus your files or apps are taking ages to load. You start to ask yourself, is my computer infected with malware? It can happen to anyone of us, so always be extra careful!

If your computer starts acting up, it could be compromised with a virus or malware; however, this is just one of the many warning signs that could mean that your computer is infected. This is why it is vital to take action as quick as possible.

Here are the 13 most common warning signs of a malware infection on your computer.

1. Your computer is running slowly and your apps and files take longer to load than usual.

2. You keep getting blasted with pop-up ads or strange messages on your computer.

3. Your computer keeps crashing and/or it freezes and the blue screen of death appears.

4. You start getting this message on a regular basis, “you’re running out of disk space on Windows.”

5. You notice that when you start up your computer the network activity increases suspiciously.

6. Your homepage changes and you don’t remember doing it yourself.

7. Your computer is acting strange, like programs opening and closing, random shutting down, unusual messages, etc.

8. You’re getting messages saying that your antivirus software has been disabled.

9. Your friends are telling you that they’re getting random, strange messages from you on Facebook or other social media networks.

10. You notice that your desktop has new, unfamiliar icons that you do not recognize.

11. You start to see some unusual error messages appearing on your computer.

12. You can’t access your Control Panel on your computer.

13. Everything is working perfectly fine on your computer, but you’re paranoid and still want to check for malware. When it comes to protecting your data, it is vital to be a bit paranoid! The best way to protect your computer is to install a reliable security solution and do regular backups.

If you want to learn more about malware or any of our other services including open-source intelligence, digital forensics and IT support and solutions, please call 021 110 0422 or visit our websites www.osint.co.za | www.tcgforensics.co.za | www.tcgza.co.za

Be aware of these 5 Scams this Holiday Season

Hackers, scammers and cybercriminals love the holiday season because it gives them the chance to take advantage of the crazy holiday shopping and make a nice profit out of unknowing shoppers.

By using phishing scams, online scammers take advantage of the fact that your email inbox is so full of holiday specials and offers that you won’t think twice before clicking on a malicious link.

Here are 5 scams to keep an eye out for this holiday season…

Receipts and invoices. A lot of people do their shopping online these days and during the holiday season, there is a huge increase in online receipts and invoices that shoppers will receive via email. Scammers will hide malicious code in an attachment or link and shoppers won’t think twice when clicking on an attachment that’s apparently from Amazon!

Shipping status. Just like the fake receipts and invoices, fake shipping status alerts are a great way for scammers to trick shoppers into thinking there is a problem with their package or order. A notice from a legitimate-looking email to someone who is actually waiting for a delivery is bound to trick them into clicking on it.

Flyers and deals. The average user sees maybe a dozen or more special offers and deals during the holiday season. While going through emails, shoppers need to be on the lookout for discounts and offers from stores they have never shopped at before. It might be a great deal, but there’s a chance that clicking on it will only lead to a malware infection.

Malicious links. Malicious links are just as popular as malicious attachments, so always think twice before clinking on just any link in an email you receive. Hover your mouse over the link and if it is completely different the hyperlink included. In reality, the link is probably going to end up in malware or a fake website that’ll steal your private data.

Customer surveys. Scammers love to fake customer surveys that offer shoppers rewards such as gift cards or discounts after completing them. The difference between an actual survey and a fake one is easy to spot when you get to the last questions. A cybercriminal will often end up asking for your personal and financial information if so it’s definitely a scam!

Talk to your IT support provider to ensure your computer has the correct security measures in place as well as all the latest updates! Want to find out more about protecting your business or home from online scammers? Contact TCG Forensics on 021 110 0422 or pop an email to info@tcgforensics.co.za

6 Tips to help you avoid Scams and Trolls on Twitter

Twitter has gone from a silly, novelty social media platform to a source of news and information that almost everyone uses!

But just like other social media networks, Twitter is full of trolls and scammers who aim to harass and provoke you.

You need to know how to avoid scams and trolls on Twitter, here’s how.

1. Don’t be scared to block. It is vital that you know how and when to block someone, whether they are spamming you or bullying, you need to get rid of them before you end up infected with dangerous followers. The sooner you block the spammers or trolls, the better!

2. Don’t get hacked. Twitter accounts get hacked on a regular basis, so it is vital that you keep your account safe by using a strong password that has different numbers, symbols as well as upper and lowercase letters. It is best to use two-factor authentication. Even if it takes longer, it’s worth it to keep your account safe.

3. Don’t be fooled by trending topics. Twitter created trending topics and hashtags to make it easier to find content, but be careful because scammers love to hijack trending topics and add harmful and dangerous links that victims unknowingly click on without thinking.

4. Don’t trust shortened URLs. Just like trending topics, scammers and trolls love to use URL shorteners because they hide the ultimate endpoint of the link. If you see a shortened URL, make sure to check that it is coming from a trusted source. If not, do not click on it!

5. Don’t share your private information. This is an obvious one, but people still do not know not to share their personal information. Sharing your private information on social media platforms with millions and millions of strangers makes you an easy target for scammers and crimes such as identity theft.

6. Don’t ever use public Wi-Fi. It is best not to use other people’s computers as well as any public computers to log in to your Twitter account or any other personal account. Do not trust public Wi-Fi hotspots either as they make it easy for hackers to steal your passwords and other private information.

Use these six tips for Twitter as well as other social media platforms to keep your personal data safe and sound!

To learn more about Open Source Intelligence and Digital Forensics, please call us on 021 110 0422 or email contact@osint.co.za | info@tcgforensics.co.za

The Top most Common Types of Fraud!

When you become the victim of fraud, not only do you have to deal with the aftermath of someone scamming you, such as financial loss, but you also have to deal with the emotional side of it.

There are a range of different types of fraud, either way all of them can cause feelings of anger, devastation, fear and frustration. 

Do you think you have been the victim of fraud? At the TCG Forensic Division, we offer a range of digital forensic services, including fraud investigations. Please feel free to contact us on 021 110 0422 or email contact@tcgforensics.co.za to have a confidential discussion around your particular requirements.

Here are the 11 most common types of fraud to look out for…

1. Insurance Claim Fraud. People who make false claims, such as stage accidents, to receive insurance money from their insurance company. This can be a difficult type of fraud to investigate because some injuries can be difficult to medically identify and debate.  

2. Corporate Fraud. This includes fraud issues such as theft of information, such as private client information. This kind of fraud can lead to a damaged business reputation.

3. Financial Fraud. Evading tax, public corruption, healthcare fraud issues, telemarketing fraud and terrorist financing are all part of financial fraud.

4. Identity Theft. Those who are the victim of identity theft will have to look out for suspicious loan or credit card applications, strange withdrawals from bank accounts as well as using a different name to receive benefits.

5. Internet Fraud. Of course, this type of fraud always occurs online where a cybercriminal will try and take advantage with ransomware or phishing scams. Usually this includes stealing private information such as banking and login details.

6. Corporate Slip & Fall. Fraud like this is planned out by individuals in order to file a claim. People will go as far as to pretend to fall or throwing liquid on the floor in order to ensure a slip.

7. Transit Fraud. Companies who offer transportation, whether it is a bus, train or taxi, will often see fraud such as this where passengers will not seat or secure themselves properly, leading to them falling and injuring themselves on purpose.

8. Ticket Fraud. In some countries, the level of ticket fraud is significant. People will buy tickets online from a fake website; these tickets are not legitimate and have often already been used or do not exist.

9. Mechanical Fraud. This type of fraud is not common, however there are many people who fall victim to mechanics who scam their customers. Often they will be overpriced or they will request things to be fixed that are not broken.

10. Expense Claim Fraud. This often happens in large companies where employees will pocket run over business expenses for themselves. An example could be asking for money to stay in an expensive hotel when in fact they are staying in a cheap accommodation and pocketing the remainder.

11. Inventory Theft. Large companies face the issue of inventory theft when unsupervised employees steal products or order more than the store needs and take the rest for themselves. This may include “expired” food products when they are in fact not expired at all.

How does a malicious website infect your iPhone?

If you are under the impression that your iPhone is immune to malicious threats, then you are living in the past. Even though Apple iPhones are a smaller target then Android phones, it is possible to become infected by simply opening a website.

Infected websites can install malware as well as spyware on your device; from there they work in the background without you even noticing it is there!

The consequences of your device being infected can be serious, all your passwords, messages, call history, photos, etc. can be compromised, so always be sure to exercise caution.

Here’s how to avoid infecting your Apple iPhone with malicious malware…

- Make sure you regularly update your phone and ensure it is running the latest version of iOS. Always download all the updates as soon as they become available. Developers fix the issues that cybercriminals take advantage of in all the latest versions.

- Never click on links in ads, emails or messages, like SMSs from someone you do not know! You should always be extra careful. Always double-check with the sender. If in doubt, it’s best not to open it at all.

Unfortunately, there are no full-fledged antivirus solutions for iOS, so always be extra cautious!

To learn more about malicious websites as well as iPhone security, please contact TCG Digital Forensics on 021 110 0422 or email contact@tcgforensics.co.za