Comment Re:As much as I hate Apple (Score 2) 187
That sounds like it should be in Blazing Saddles.
I can go to Chicago to install your GPU, however, it will cost about $900-$1500 in travel expenses.
This problem may occur if Windows Update or Microsoft Update determines there is a file hash mismatch when you try to search for available updates from the Windows Update Web site or from the Microsoft Update Web site.
I spent a couple hours down the rabbit hole, thinking malware had broken updates on this box. Not unusual, and normally fixable by one of several means. When all attempts failed, and then another box presented the same error, I checked, every single windows 7 box would not check for updates.
I found that it was not something strange in our router or firewall, and it even occurred on other building tenants computers using a separate internet connection. Everyone in the building is on Comcast. Even more interesting, if I connected a computer to another ISP (tethering on my phone in this instance), the update check would succeed. You could then reconnect to comcast and download and install the updates.
Further all of these computers were running Windows Update Agent 7.6.7600.320, which is a recent (KB less and not able to be skipped) update to Windows update, that you cannot roll back easily. However, by going to a restore point prior to this update, checking for updates magically worked again, until this Agent updated itself and it was broken again.
So somehow, for whatever reason, the way Windows Update on Win 7 with this version of the agent checks for updates was being blocked by Comcast (Business class). Try explaining that to a comcast support rep. Fortunately today it seems to be working again.
The 'impossible' is just something that hasn't been done yet.
Nothing is impossible eh? Go slam a revolving door.
In my experience, most do 'semi' legitimate work, using normal tools for disinfection and optimization. These tools are things like hitman, MBAM, ccleaner, etc. Unfortunately, the techs do not seem very skilled, sometines causing damage, and more importantly they lie in a very convincing confidence game to get payment info and perform service. While I have yet to see anyone have extra fraudulent charges placed on them, the initial bill is fradulent given that the work never needed to be performed.
Also, if these "services" are so unethical as to lie to get you to pay, it is a small step to later using that payment information or selling it to third parties.
The worst one I saw is from a personal friend who called one of these services for assistance, paid 300 dollars for 3 years of remote assistance. One onthe to the day later, another company cold called him (he thought it was the first company). He allowed them remote access, and then when they wanted payment and he realized it was not the first company he asked them to disconnect. He was emotional and turned off his surge protector when they became pressuring and refused to disconnect. He left the room failing to realize it was a laptop and still on. The 'tech' then proceeded to delete most of the recently dated files in his user profile. These were very important files, and I was only able to recover about 85% with file recovery tools.
Unfortunately all these companies need to operate is a phone number and a simple VOIP system..maybe a quick templated website and domain. They can be set up in a very quick time, and exist outside of any willing jurisdiction to fight them. Education is the ONLY way at this time.
Perhaps, he should take the most money he made (legally) on any one day of his life, then counter sue for lost wages for every single day incarcerated. I mean if he made 1500 on that lottery ticket one day, then he should have made 1500 every other day including weekends!
Slashdot [Superprotection needed].
My questions are thus... why not move to a model where the entire OS is forced through the tor proxy, This could be done with the use of a dummy network adapter and disabling the current adapter while tor is in use. Yes it would likely break certain OS features during that time, but there it is.
TFA also discusses putting a dumbed down security 'slider' on the browser, but still the default is to allow JIT/JS. Currently you have noscript installed, but not turned off in a fresh install. A few lines of JS is enough to identify an IP or fingerprint more of the system. The default should be most secure with warnings to open it up. Period. At install time you already explin that things do not work like you are used to and then allow the user to decide to reduce security. Anything else provides an illusion of security to a naive user, but still allows an adversary easy means of detection.
Understanding is always the understanding of a smaller problem in relation to a bigger problem. -- P.D. Ouspensky
