But that’s just one of the many ploys that scammers send in their relentless efforts to part people from their money or sensitive personal information like passwords and account numbers.
Microsoft is asking people to take a survey of their experience with online fraud—what kinds of scams they’ve encountered (including those on mobile devices and Facebook), how concerned they are about online or phone fraud, and what steps they take to protect themselves.
In 2012, Microsoft fielded its first such study, interviewing 1,000 US residents to understand their exposure to, and perception of, online fraud and scams.
Respondents reported having encountered roughly eight different scams on average, with these as the top four:
Scams that promise free things or coupons (44 percent)
Fake antivirus alerts that imitate real programs offering virus repair but that download malware instead (40 percent)
Phishing scams using fake messages that mimic those of trusted businesses to trick people into revealing personal information (39 percent)
Fraud that features a request for bank information or money upfront from someone (such as a “foreign prince”) who needs help transferring large sums of money for a cut of the total (39 percent)
In the new survey, we’re interested in how scams and responses to scams might have changed since 2012. Are there different scams? What are the most common? Where are they most often occurring—on mobile devices? On Facebook?
Results of our last survey showed that nearly everyone (97 percent) took steps to safeguard their computers, but more than half (52 percent) did nothing at all to protect their mobile devices. So we’re particularly interested to see if these numbers have changed.
But that’s just one of the many ploys that scammers send in their relentless efforts to part people from their money or sensitive personal information like passwords and account numbers.
Microsoft is asking people to take a survey of their experience with online fraud—what kinds of scams they’ve encountered (including those on mobile devices and Facebook), how concerned they are about online or phone fraud, and what steps they take to protect themselves.
In 2012, Microsoft fielded its first such study, interviewing 1,000 US residents to understand their exposure to, and perception of, online fraud and scams.
Respondents reported having encountered roughly eight different scams on average, with these as the top four:
Scams that promise free things or coupons (44 percent)
Fake antivirus alerts that imitate real programs offering virus repair but that download malware instead (40 percent)
Phishing scams using fake messages that mimic those of trusted businesses to trick people into revealing personal information (39 percent)
Fraud that features a request for bank information or money upfront from someone (such as a “foreign prince”) who needs help transferring large sums of money for a cut of the total (39 percent)
In the new survey, we’re interested in how scams and responses to scams might have changed since 2012. Are there different scams? What are the most common? Where are they most often occurring—on mobile devices? On Facebook?
Results of our last survey showed that nearly everyone (97 percent) took steps to safeguard their computers, but more than half (52 percent) did nothing at all to protect their mobile devices. So we’re particularly interested to see if these numbers have changed.
Your kids should never give their friends their passwords or let them log on to their accounts. Also, be careful sharing your passwords with your kids.
3 strategies for strong passwords
Length. Make your passwords at least eight (8) characters long.
Complexity. Include a combination of at least three (3) uppercase and/or lowercase letters, punctuation, symbols, and numerals. The more variety of characters in your password, the better.
Variety. Don’t use the same password for everything. Cybercriminals can steal passwords from websites that have poor security and then use those same passwords to target more secure environments, such as banking websites.
This is the second of two blog posts on password protection. Read Part 1: Create strong passwords and protect them. Whether or not you should know all of your kids’ passwords depends on their age, how responsible they are, and your parenting values. However, kids of any age and responsibility level need to know how to create strong passwords and how to protect those passwords.
Sharing is great, but not with passwords
Your kids should never give their friends their passwords or let them log on to their accounts. Also, be careful sharing your passwords with your kids.
3 strategies for strong passwords
Length. Make your passwords at least eight (8) characters long.
Complexity. Include a combination of at least three (3) uppercase and/or lowercase letters, punctuation, symbols, and numerals. The more variety of characters in your password, the better.
Variety. Don’t use the same password for everything. Cybercriminals can steal passwords from websites that have poor security and then use those same passwords to target more secure environments, such as banking websites.
It’s a new year, which means it’s time to resolve to create healthier habits in our daily lives. But we don’t have to stop at just improving our body, mind, and spirit. It’s also a good idea to resolve to keep our PCs, laptops, smartphones, and social networking sites healthy this year.
1. Keep your software up to date. You can help protect against viruses, fraud, and more by keeping your operating system, antivirus software, antispyware software, web browser, and other software updated. Microsoft releases security updates on the second Tuesday of every month. Learn how to get security updates automatically.
2. Create strong passwords, keep them secret, and change them regularly. This is particularly important for those passwords that safeguard your computer, important accounts (like email or Facebook), and sensitive information, like financial and health data. Get more information about creating strong passwords and protecting them.
3. Use antivirus software. If your computer is running Windows 8, you can use the built-in Windows Defender to help you detect and get rid of spyware and other malware. If your computer is running Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP, Windows Defender removes spyware.
4. Check and adjust your privacy settings. You can participate in the online world and keep your information private. Learn more about how to manage your privacy settings in Windows, Internet Explorer, your Microsoft account, Windows Phone, and more.
5. Teach your children about online safety. Before kids use computers, gaming consoles, or mobile devices, make sure you agree on clear limits, talk about how to keep accounts and passwords secret, and help them stand up to online bullying. If your child got a new device this holiday season, read this checklist for safety tips.
6. Monitor your children’s online behaviors, and continue to talk to them about Internet safety. If your kids are online, it’s important to have regular online safety conversations and to continue to keep track of what they’re doing. For more information, see Age-based guidelines for kids’ Internet use.
7. Upgrade to modern software that provides the latest security technologies and protections. Advanced security technologies in modern operating systems are specifically designed to make it more difficult, more complex, more expensive, and therefore, less appealing to cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities. Learn more about how support for Windows XP ends this year.
8. Use SkyDrive to help protect your personal information. Ransomware is a type of malware designed to infiltrate your computer and hold your files (photos, documents, reports, etc.) hostage until you pay the demanded amount of money to a cybercriminal. One of the best ways to protect your files is to back them up using a removable drive or a cloud service like SkyDrive.
9. Explore new tools for PC protection. If you feel comfortable performing more advanced computer tasks, consider downloading the free Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET), which will make it even more difficult for malicious hackers and cybercriminals to get into your computer.
10. Ignore fake tech support phone calls. Neither Microsoft nor our partners make unsolicited phone calls (also known as cold calls) to charge you for computer security or software fixes. If you receive a suspicious phone call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft, all you have to do is hang up. For more information, see Avoid tech support phone scams.
In this edition of Weekend Reading, we’ve got stories on the momentum building behind Windows Store and Windows Phone Store app downloads, how Bing broke out of the (search) box in 2013 and a Microsoft researcher who uses data to power his predictions.
In 2013, Bing broke out of the search box. It evolved to power a wider range of services and devices than ever, from voice search in Xbox One to Siri’s Web search results. In Windows 8.1, you can use the Search Charm to explore your files, Web results and more with a single query. Third-party developers can now benefit from Bing technology, including optical character recognition, translation, maps and voice controls, using the new Bing Developer Center. These are just some of the many ways Bing redefined search in this breakout year. You can also check out this infographic for some surprising 2013 stats.
Microsoft researcher David Rothschild is legendary for his ability to literally predict the future using a unique and rigorous approach to data analysis. He correctly called the results of the 2012 presidential election in every state but one. He nailed 19 of the 24 Oscar categories this past year. And he’s constantly pushing the boundaries of predictive science through experimental live polling, online prediction games and more. In this interview, David Rothschild tells you what to expect in 2014, breaks down his forecasting philosophy, and explains why you should trust professional gamblers more than cable news pundits.
On Wednesday, University of Colorado Health (UCHealth), one of the state’s largest healthcare providers, announced its migration to Microsoft Office 365. This decision was made in large part due to Microsoft’s long-standing commitment to data security and privacy and because the company supports HIPAA requirements beyond what other vendors provide. Microsoft was the first major IT cloud provider to offer a comprehensive, peer-reviewed Business Associate Agreement (BAA) for all of its customers. The BAA, and its subsequent updates to reflect new product offerings and changes in the law, has been widely accepted within the industry as a best practice, and has helped Microsoft establish itself as a trusted healthcare data steward.
Consumers found big savings on Xbox 360 games, adds-ons, avatars and more with the “Countdown to 2014” daily deals from the Xbox Game Store that began Tuesday, Dec. 17. In addition to those great deals, we saw the debut of the Xbox Video and Xbox Music apps for in the Windows Phone Store. Windows Phone 8 is the only phone that offers Xbox Video support this holiday season, which means you can buy and download favorite movies and TV shows from the Xbox Video service and watch them wherever you go. Use your Xbox Music Pass to stream from a catalog of tens of millions of songs using the Xbox Music service. Also, you can use the Verizon FiOS TV app now on Xbox One and Snap View to watch two programs at the same time.
In this edition of Weekend Reading, we’ve got stories on Microsoft’s role in protecting customer data, how 150,000 students, administrators and staff members in Canada have started using Office 365 and Microsoft Research’s first Artist in Residence.
Brad Smith, general counsel and executive vice president of Microsoft’s Legal & Corporate Affairs, wrote about how “many of our customers have serious concerns about government surveillance of the Internet.” He added, “We share their concerns. That’s why we are taking steps to ensure governments use legal process rather than technological brute force to access customer data. Like many others, we are especially alarmed by recent allegations in the press of a broader and concerted effort by some governments to circumvent online security measures – and in our view, legal processes and protections – in order to surreptitiously collect private customer data.”
On Wednesday, Microsoft announced that Canada’s second-largest public school board – the Peel District School Board – has deployed Microsoft Office 365 to more than 150,000 students, administrators and staff members. And, in another big boost for educators, schools and universities that use Office 365 ProPlus for faculty and staff can now extend the service to students for free. Small businesses also received more help in setting up Office 365 from the latest video in the Garage Series, as you can see below.
James George is Microsoft Research’s first Artist in Residence, who is as at home amongst algorithms and software code as he is in galleries and behind a camera. For three months, the Idaho native relocated to Redmond from his current home in Brooklyn as the first Microsoft Research Artist in Residence (AiR). And in a way, it was a homecoming for the University of Washington alum, who graduated with a computer science degree. George straddles that border between art and technology, and has no problem blurring those lines in his work. Starting Dec. 3, his art installation, “Instance,” will inhabit the Studio 99 art space in Redmond, right in the heart of Microsoft Research.
James George, Microsoft Research’s first Artist in Residence
The Bing Maps Preview app for Windows 8.1 brings the world to your fingertips – in 3D. It gives you personalized local recommendations via Local Scout and smart notifications, real-time traffic updates and a 3D mapping experience of more than 70 cities (and counting) across the globe. Read more about it on Next at Microsoft and the Bing Search Blog. Bing also released a report of its top searches in 2013 – with lots of familiar names and faces (Beyonce, Tim Tebow and the Dallas Cowboys among them).
As a parent or caregiver, you probably needed only one trip to the playground to realize that children can have radically different styles of play. Just as there’s no “one size fits all” approach to helping children navigate the jungle gym, the way you talk about online safety with kids will depend on the child, their maturity level, and your family’s values.
But what is your parenting style when it comes to introducing your children to new devices and online technology?
Take a brief survey and get tailored tips to help you have conversations with young Internet users about staying safer on the ever-changing digital playground.
Technology can make everything in our lives easier—including sharing too much information (TMI). Just because you can take a picture of your new credit card and post it on Instagram doesn’t mean that you should. In fact, you shouldn’t.
Sharing too much information can lead to identity theft. It can also damage your online reputation, which could prevent you from getting into college, getting a job, or even getting health insurance.
Here are ways to avoid sharing TMI:
Never share your address, phone number, Social Security number, or other personal information through online interactions.
Use and manage your privacy settings. Limit who can see details of your online profiles.
Never shop, bank, or enter passwords or credit card numbers over public Wi-Fi.
Ask questions. Sometimes we do need to share personal information, but before doing so, ask why the information is necessary and beware of imposters.
Thank you for helping make the Internet a safer place. If you haven’t already, ‘Like’ us on Facebook and be part of the next million.
Join the conversation to get daily online safety tips covering the Microsoft products you use, including Internet Explorer, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Microsoft Security Essentials, and Windows Phone 8.
You can also participate in online safety chats, polls, quizzes, and contests.
Although Microsoft was founded 38 years ago this month, don’t fall for a widespread scam that offers free “Xbox points” for wishing the company a happy birthday. Online offers that seem too good to be true probably are. Learn more about common scams that use the Microsoft name.
One way to recognize a scam is to check for inaccurate spelling or wording. Points used on Xbox LIVE Marketplace are actually called “Microsoft Points” (not “Xbox points”). You can purchase them on your console dashboard at Xbox.com or at a video game retailer. Learn more about Microsoft Points and Xbox LIVE Rewards.
Many respondents to a recent Microsoft survey expressed concern about trickier scams that are happening on social networks. The Microsoft Malware Protection Center recently blogged about one of these new scams that claims to offer a free Costco gift card to all Facebook users.
But don’t click the link. If you want to see what would happen if you clicked it and followed the instructions, read A Facebook scam, end to end.
If you see any kind of offer that looks too good to be true, it probably is. Always check the official company or product website to see if it mentions the offer.
Last month McAfee released results from their 2012 Teen Internet Behavior study. The study revealed that 61 percent of teens think that they can successfully hide their online behavior from their parents.
Here are a few examples of what they do:
Erase browser history
Minimize browser window when parents come into the room
Use their cell phone for Internet activity, instead of the family computer
We think that the best way to protect your child on the Internet is for both parents and kids to understand the risks and for families to communicate with each other about their experiences online. That means making sure everyone knows the basics of online safety. Some parents have also found that once you establish your own rules, it helps to create an Internet contract.
This month Microsoft teamed up with Facebook to offer its free anti-virus protection. Microsoft Security Essentials is now one of the choices in Facebook Anti-Virus Marketplace to help protect your computer.
Microsoft Security Essentials:
Offers protection against viruses, worms, and other malware
Is free to download if you’re computer is running genuine Windows
Automatically updates itself with all the latest protection
Mobile services (often called “geolocation” services) now have the ability to track and share our location with friends. Location positioning services can help you find local movie times, weather, or directions to the nearest coffee shop. They can also help you find out where your friends are. But you might have privacy concerns about who else is looking at this information.
You can take a few basic steps to help ensure that you don’t expose your personal information to strangers.
Pay attention to the settings that use your location. You should always have choice and control over access and use of your device’s location. Consider turning off features that add location information (also called “geotagging”) in your tweets, blogs, or social network accounts. Learn how to turn off location services in all Windows Phone applications. You can turn them back on whenever you want.
Share your location only with those you trust. For example, in a service like Facebook Places, create a separate list of your closest friends. Use privacy controls to restrict access to location status updates, messages, and photos.
If you use a family location service to monitor your kids’ whereabouts, make sure others cannot locate them. Otherwise, consider disabling the location feature on your child’s phone—at the very least, turn it off in the phone’s camera.
We’re very excited to announce that Microsoft has teamed up with Facebook to offer Windows users free malware protection with Microsoft Security Essentials. Since May 1st, Facebook users have had the choice of downloading and installing Microsoft Security Essentials as their security solution.
While there are numerous threats on the Internet, and while there are many things you can do to help prevent your computer from becoming infected, a cornerstone of protection is a strong anti-malware solution which offers real-time protection. Facebook is aware of this situation, which is why we think it’s great that they’re educating their users about available security solutions.
Microsoft Security Essentials, which is one of the solutions being offered, is free to download and use for all computers running genuine versions of Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. More information about the Facebook initiative is here.
Don’t forget that the MMPC also has a Facebook page, where you can find out more about how we keep our users protected.
Most of us put a boundary between our personal and professional lives. Online that’s not easy to do.
In the Official Microsoft blog, Brendon Lynch, Microsoft Chief Privacy Officer, writes, “Every piece of personal information that exists online about you — whether posted by you or by others — has the potential to impact how you are perceived by family and friends, an employer, a mortgage lender, and more.”
That’s why, on Data Privacy Day 2012, Microsoft is providing information and resources about how you can manage your personal information online.
Top tips to manage your information online
Stay vigilant and conduct your own “reputation report” from time to time.
Consider separating your professional and personal profiles.
Adjust your privacy settings.
Get the rest of these tips and learn more about how to safeguard your online reputation:
Your best friend from high school is probably not a cat burglar. But do you know everyone on your friends’ and followers’ lists (or everyone on their lists) on your social networking sites? If not, don’t post information about your holiday travel plans.
While you’re at it, take a few minutes to adjust the privacy settings on your social networking site and any apps on your smart phone that share your location information.
Right now, in the United States, summer vacation season is here and so are scams. Here are three tips to help you avoid summer travel scams.
1. Watch out for deals that look too good to be true. If you’re still making vacation plans, then you’re probably looking for deals. If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers regularly post fake vacation rental home ads on sites like Craigslist and “free vacation” offers that you get by email probably have strings attached.
2. Your friend probably didn’t just get robbed in a foreign country. A scammer can take over (or hijack) an email account and send an email to you that looks like it is from a friend. When scammers hijack an email account they regularly prey on the goodwill of the people in your contact list. If you get an email from a friend who needs you to send him money while he’s on his vacation, be suspicious. Find a different way to try to contact your friend to find out if this email really came from him. With Hotmail you can now report a friend who you think has been scammed, even if that friend doesn’t use Hotmail.
3. Be careful with vacation details that you post on your social networking sites and out-of-office emails. We’re not saying that you shouldn’t brag about your Italian vacation to all of your Facebook friends and Twitter followers. We’re just suggesting that you wait until you get home in order to prevent this information from falling into the wrong hands.
Finally, while you probably need to set up an email auto-responder to inform your co-workers that you’ll be out of the office, you probably don’t need to do the same for your personal email account. You can decide if it’s worth it to risk alerting cybercriminals that you’re on vacation. For more information about security on-the-go, see our Mobile and wireless section.
From this Welcome page, you can read our latest blog posts, see our latest Twitter feeds, and find out what threats most affect your desktop. You can also download the latest Security Intelligence Report (SIR), which contains a wealth of information on the current threat landscape.
We have great plans ahead for our Facebook page – this launch is only the start! So Like us, Follow us, and stay tuned!
