Do you use Gmail? If you do, you might have noticed a new addition to…

Encryption; why it should matter to you

Springtime for us means it’s time for none another than…spring cleaning! And if there is…

How to spring clean your PC!

Remember that time that you, channeling your inner diva, began to belt it out on…

The dangers of public WiFi

Chalk it up to the fact that homo sapiens have always had to find new…

Curiosity killed the computer

Perhaps it’s no coincidence that “adware” and “annoying” both start with the letter A, because…

Adware goes rogue

We have written a lot about ransomware in all different forms and incarnations here on…

Ransomware, Ransomware , Everywhere

We’re betting you love your smartphone. It’s okay if you do, because you’re in good…

The Banking Trojan in Your Pocket (or, Why Your Smartphone is Way Less Secure Than you Think it is)

Where were you in 2012? If you were on LinkedIn back then, there’s a good…

Have you Been Pwned in the LinkedIn Data Dump? Here is how to Tell!

Remember how your crazy old Aunt Sally stashed all her money in between mattresses because…

Lessons from the SWIFT Fiasco; Could you be Banking Safer ?

June is upon us and with it comes some of life’s sweet little pleasures –…

The Mega Hacks Cometh!

Invariably, if you use the internet a lot, you probably hear the term “The cloud”…

Are You a Closet-Cloud-Confusee? Understanding The Cloud and What it Means for Your Security

Betcha didn’t know it, but June is Internet Safety Month. You probably missed that section in…

June is Internet Safety Month &#8211; How Safe are Your Kids on Social Media?

So if you remember, about two weeks ago we told you about a huge string…

Mark Zuckerberg Gets a Lesson in Password Safety

Boom! Whizz! Bang! Typically, when you think of the Fourth of July, you think about…

The How to Liberate  Your Device From Intruders Guide for the Fourth of July

Wondering what your friend or co-worker is doing, staring at his or her phone, wandering…

Go, Pokemon Go! The Latest Craze that Could Fill your Device with Malware

So not only is Pokemon go the biggest craze ever (seemingly anyway), it also seems…

Privacy in the Age of Pokemon Go!

We are well into the summer and for a whole lot of people that means…

Sure, it's Not Your Fault; But They Got Your CC Info Anyway

We’re finally in the home stretch – In just a few days, school starts up…

8 Essential Back-to-School Cyber Security Tips for a Rockin&#039; (and secure) School Year

Happy National Online Learning Day! Wait, is that even a thing? Well, it is and…

Happy Online Learning Day! (Yup, it&#039;s Really a Thing!)

Here at Reason Software, we are excited to announce the release of Unchecky v1.0. This…

Unchecky v1.0 is Here! Interview with Michael Maltsev

Attention any and all persons weighing 400 pounds or more — Donald Trump thinks you…

Is Cyber Security Worth a Spotlight at the Debates?

Gather ‘round and we’ll tell you a tale (okay, a few tales) of mystery, murder,…

Creepy Tales from the Internet of Things Crypt

As morning hits around the globe, the world is waking up to find out that…

Lessons Learned From the Election Shocker &#8211; Don&#039;t Let Hacks Take You by Surprise

WhatsApp is a great way to keep in touch with far off friends and relatives…

Coming to a Smartphone Near You! The Latest Round of WhatsApp Scams

For better or for worse, the biggest shopping season of the year has arrived. Now…

The Ultimate &quot;How to Not Get Hacked While Shopping Online&quot;Guide

Oh, Thanksgiving Day. You probably get a warm and fuzzy feeling even before the sugar…

The (Rotten) Gift that Keeps on Giving

As if worrying that your Android might suddenly explode wasn’t enough to worry about. Researchers…

The Gooligan Android Breach &#8211; What you Need to Know

It’s that frosty time of year again, when the days are short and the deals…

16 for 2016 &#8211; Don&#039;t Fall for These Holiday Scams!!

“Um, honey, I think we have a problem. The computer is telling me that all…

Vulnerability of the year: Ransomware

2016 has come and gone and now we can look back at the year that…

A is for Apple, B is for BitCoin &#8211; The Most Noteworthy Data Breaches of 2016

It’s been a full fifteen minutes since you last checked your Facebook account (oh, the…

Fake News Flash &#8211; Think Before you Share!

Who doesn’t love a good fishing trip? Go ahead, picture the scene: it’s just you,…

One Phish, Two Phish, Red Phish&#8230;Spear Phish?

Mobile devices have come a long way. We mean a reeeallly long way. In but…

Simple Tips to Spotting Evil Apps

How does the idea of a smart city sound to you? The term might conjure…

The Hidden Dangers in Smart Cities + 5 Bonus Tips to Secure Your IoT Devices

You know the only saying “Nothing is certain but death and taxes”? Seems pretty clear…

5 Tricky Tax Season Scams and How to Avoid Them

When was the last time you went to your bank? If it feels like you’re…

5 Major FinTech Security Concerns You Need to Know About Before You Bank

In honor of Mother’s Day, we thought it would be fitting to take a look…

The amazing mothers of tech

By now, WannaCry is a household name. The ransomware that shocked the world on May…

WannaCry No More? You Better Start Patching

When is adware not just adware? When it’s also malware, of course! Fireball, a new…

Fireball &#8211; the explosive malware heard &#8216;Round the World&#8217;

Imagine this scene: You’re sitting at home one night, happily watching House of Cards on…

Attacks to critical Infrastructures: the next cyber front to worry about

“We pride ourselves on being a leader in managing and protecting data….We also are focused…

Think Your ID was Exposed in the Equifax Breach? Here&#039;s What to do About it

This post has been updated to reflect the current BitCoin to UD Dollar exchange rate,…

Everything You Need to Know About Cryptocurrency

In a recent post, we discussed the basics of cryptocurrency — what it is, how…

The Role of Cryptocurrency In Cyber Crime

Remember the Petya/NotPetya ransomware outbreak from back in June? That was the ransomware that was…

Bad Rabbit: The New Ransomware With Some Famous Cousins

“It’s the most hackable time of the year.”  Oh wait, that’s not how the song…

How to steer clear of Cyber Monday scams

As the holidays draw closer, chances are you’re busy making your gift list and checking…

What NOT to buy for the holidays

Another day, another oddly named malware attack. Last week, researchers from Kaspersky disclosed that they…

ZooPark and Watering Hole Attacks

So now, May 25th has come and gone. If you live in the EU, you’re…

Oh, the irony &#8211; phishers are using GDPR to scam you

Which is worse: getting hit with crypto mining malware or falling prey to ransomware? with…

Ransomware or crypto mining malware? Rakhni is both!

You may not have known, but September 15th is National Online Learning Day. Nowadays, it…

Watch out for online learning scams!

Veux-tu Virobot? For the non-francophones among us, what we’re asking is if you’ve heard about…

Virobot: are monster mash-ups the future of ransomware?

January 28th is International Data Privacy Day. If you’re wondering why data privacy needs its…

It&#8217;s Data Privacy Day: What does your camera know about you?

Today, cameras are everywhere — on our phones, our Alexas, baby monitors, desktops, laptops, home…

Webcam hacking &#8211; taking back what’s yours

In spring 2018, a powerful banking Trojan named BackSwap surfaced, targeting online banking users in…

Browser-based threats;  don’t Worry, we’ve got your back

Another day, another major hack. This time around, India-based outsourcing giant Wipro was hit with…

To Scan or Not to Scan; The Proactive Way to Protect Your PC

  Today is Mother’s Day, the day set aside to honor those special women, who…

The 5 Coolest Mother’s Day Tech Gifts You Can Find (and how to secure them!)

Reason is excited to launch Reason for Business, a powerful endpoint security protection solution for…

We Invite You to Join Reason for Business Beta

Cybersecurity breaches only make the headlines when they involve large entities like banks or tech…

Think SMBs Fall Under the Radar as Targets for Cyber Threats? Think Again.

The threat landscape is undeniably becoming more challenging and more menacing every day. It seems…

Reason Download Defender- It’s time to defend your downloads.

While spring cleaning may only come around once a year, PC cleaning needs to happen…

Should I Remove It? It’s cleaning time! How to declutter your PC.

6 tips for celebrating National Online Learning Day and keeping your data safe! Magnifying the…

To learn (online) or not to learn?

Next up on the ‘crazy meter’, and probably the ‘creepy meter’ as well, is the…

What happens when ‘ransomware’ meets ‘crazy’?

Recently, the cryptoblackmail scam, “ScamYourself”, has returned to the market – many usersworldwide have been…

Threat Analysis Report: Save Yourself Malware

The advent of the Internet and Internet-enabled technologies not only ushered in the era of…

Threat Intelligence; A Unifying Force of the Future.

Halloween: Famous SMB Cyber Attacks in Disguise. Halloween normally conjures up images of costumes and…

All Tricks and No Treats.

Looking for another reason to put on your party hat? Well, we’ve got one: International…

International Internet Day: A Reminder about Security Online.

Before launching into a discussion on how an antivirus detects malware, it’s important to first…

How does an antivirus detect malware?

Antivirus programs were initially created to distinguish and expel PC infections. Be that as it…

What is antivirus software and how can it protect you?

Hacking has evolved into a billion-dollar growth business, making hackers relentless in their pursuit to…

Can Antivirus Programs Stop Hackers?

Get 70% Off Reason Cybersecurity on Black Friday and Keep Your Business out of the…

Cyber attacks and Black Friday: It only takes one to put you on the red

Windows 10, according to theinquirer.net, is a particularly appealing target for hackers and virus writers…

Which Antivirus is Best for Window 10?

Start by Installing Reason Cybersecurity – Get 70% Off Today! Think about this for a minute:…

How to Keep Your Business Safe on Cyber Monday.

I think we can all agree that pups, the friendly, loyal, man’s-best-friend kind are cute…

Unwanted Software Blockers: Why Small Businesses Need Them.

Hackers increasingly target SMBs. What should businesses expect in 2020?

It’s here, 2020, the start of not just a new year, but a new decade…

Small business growth and guardianship in 2020: staying safe from hackers

Windows 10 was first launched in 2015, but it wasn’t until January 2018 that it…

Which Antivirus is Best for Windows 7

To answer the question, ‘can antivirus software remove viruses’, we should first examine what antivirus…

Can Antivirus Remove Virus?

“Reaper”, the first antivirus software, was created in response to “Creeper” the first computer virus,…

Are antivirus programs worth it?

We hear the terms ‘antivirus’ and ‘antimalware’ bandied about so much it’s easy to understand…

Can antivirus detect malware?

If a salesperson at a clothing store asked you if you needed any help and…

Browser or big brother? ReasonLab’s secure browsing premium feature protects your business

We hear a lot about the importance of having antivirus software on our computers, but…

How Does Antivirus Software Work?

Hackers are always looking for security holes so that they can install malware on your…

Which Antivirus is Best for Laptops?

The term ‘antivirus’ is a bit of a misnomer today, since today’s antivirus software must…

why antivirus is needed?

Today, Windows 10 comes with Windows Defender, a native, comprehensive antivirus solution already integrated into…

What antivirus software comes with Windows 10?

According to cybercrime statistics from cpomagazine.com and websitehostingrating.com respectively, cybercrimes account for trillions of dollars…

Why is antivirus software important?

While there is no quick way to answer which antivirus is better, there are at…

Which antivirus is better?

If Windows is your computer operating system, you’re in good company; according to statista.com, Windows…

Which is the best antivirus for Windows?

The first question people usually ask about antivirus (AV) software, is ‘do I really need…

How do you know what antivirus to use?

According to a recent report from statista.com, an online statistics portal, 74% of Americans own…

Which antivirus is best for a Windows 10 laptop?

Learning about antivirus programs and how antivirus programs protect your computer is a good first…

How antivirus programs protect your computer

If you perform a Google search to find out which antivirus is good, the search…

Which antivirus is good?

The best protection against viruses and malware is reliable, up-to-date, antivirus software. Fortunately, there are…

Which antivirus should I use?

It’s been over 40 years since the Creeper computer virus, made its appearance, and although…

Is an antivirus necessary?

If you’re alarmed by all the news reports about malware attacks and the damage they…

The alarming proliferation of malware and cyber attacks, reported almost daily in the news, has…

What antivirus do I need?

So you’ve finally decided on the antivirus (AV) software you want to install and are…

Will antivirus software remove existing viruses?

To combat the continuously evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats, antivirus software has been changing and…

How Antivirus Software Works

Antivirus, aka anti-virus, aka anti-malware, aka security software, has been around since 1971, and yes,…

What do antivirus do?

Cybercrime is on the rise; it is becoming increasingly ubiquitous and menacing. From private individuals,…

Which antivirus should I buy?

Cybercrime is a global phenomenon and India has been just as affected by it as…

Which antivirus is best for PCs in India

Springtime for us means it’s time for none another than…spring cleaning! And if there is one thing we love to clean, it’s PCs. Just like those nasty spaces between your bed and the wall, over time our devices fill up with junk and filth – in the form of unnecessary files, over-crowded desktops, and over-burdened Startup menus. In the good spirit that crisp, light spring air, we offer tips to help you tidy up your PC and clean up your act.

**Get rid of unused startup menu items**

Does it take ages for your PC to boot up? As if you could have been to Winter and back before you could get onto the internet? Maybe you just have too many programs starting when you boot up.  
Lots of programs, including printers attempt to start up upon booting up and they continue to run in the background even though they don’t need to be running at all. To really speed things up, keep those programs from starting up, and open them when you need them.  
To do this, go to your [Reason Core Security client](https://www.reasoncoresecurity.com/product.aspx) and choose the “Tools” tab on the top right corner. Once inside Tools, you’ll see four different options on the left side – Programs, Startup Browser Addons and Remediation. Choose Startups and it will display all the different programs that turn on automatically upon booting up. Go through the list and turn off what you don’t need.  
RCS even makes recommendations about what to turn off and what to leave. One piece of advice though, If there is a program you don’t recognize, the best thing to do is to leave it there – You don’t want to turn off something you need.

**Remove unused, unnecessary, and questionable programs** 

We all have some programs hanging out on our devices that just don’t need to be there. Sometimes they came with your PC and others you downloaded intentionally or unintentionally. These programs use resources and slow your PC down – so get rid of them! Again, go to the tools tab in your RCS client and this time pick the Programs option. Find the program you want to get rid of there and click on it. It will be on its way to program heaven in just a second. For a change of pace you can also remove unnecessary programs with our very own [Should I Remove It](http://www.shouldiremoveit.com/), which also offers helpful explanations on what programs are and whether or not they can be beneficial.  
Once you’re done with the purge, don’t forget to empty your recycle bin regularly to keep it from taking up resources.

**Clean up your desktop and files**

Do your desktop a favor and tidy it up by putting files in the right places. Keeping files on your desktop isn’t only a messy habit, (Tsk tsk, if that’s what your desktop looks like, your bedroom must be a disaster!) it also eats up memory, because the files are stored in images – put them where they go to save some memory. While you’re at it, make sure you don’t have duplicates of files – if you do, merge or delete the ones you don’t need, which will free up even more memory.

**Install and maintain your antivirus and antimalware suite**

Nothing eats speed like a nasty piece of malware – whether it’s the latest banking trojan or a zero-day attack masquerading as a Java update, malware not only puts your data at risk, it uses up resources. Keep your device malware-free with a top-notch anti-malware program like RCS that scans your PC for intruders and helps you dispose of freeloaders.  
**Cut down on downloads** 

When was the last time you looked at your downloads file? Um… like never? Well, now is as good a time as any to check it out and see whatcha got there. Chances are there are lots of things that were downloaded by accident or that you clicked on as a whim. Go through them and get rid of the ones you don’t need or want, like the download for the _“How to Get Ripped While Eating Brownies and Potato Chips in Just 10 Days!”_ ebook.  
**  
Update them updates**

If you want to keep your PC working as fast as it can, you need to keep up with updates. To check for updates to your OS and software, go to your Control Panel and choose the System and Security option. Then go to the blue “Check for updates” option under the “Windows Update” section and follow the instructions to install the recommended updates.

**To defrag or to not defrag – that is the question**  
Then there is the idea of defragmenting your hard drive to speed things up. The idea behind defragging is to collect all the little bits of fragmented data strewn about your hard drive – so is this a good idea to do or not?  
[It depends on the kind of hard drive your computer as](http://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/20179/HDD-vs-SSD-vs-SSHD-Which-storage-device-should-you-choose-for-your-Laptop-and-PC.html) – if you are working with a Hard Disk Drive (HDD), then go and defrag away. Newer computers though have Solid State Drives (or hybrid SSHD’s, which combine both kinds) SSD’s have no moving parts and are super durable, which means that there really isn’t much of a need for defragmenting. So If you do have an HDD, you can defrag all you like but if your PC has an SSD, don’t do it. As a side point, there are a lot of companies out there that try to sell software to help defragment – but Windows has its own built-in defragmenter so stick with that one.  
Another word to the wise regarding programs you really shouldn’t waste your money on, you might have heard of “PC cleaners” or registry cleaners. These programs claim that they can make your PC feel _good as new_ with a click of a button – but they don’t really do very much and some can actually be harmful to your computer, so stay away.  
If all else fails, you can try sucking up all the dust from the vents of your PC. Then take that vacuum to your bedroom, and for goodness sake, clean the spaces between the walls and your beds!  
Now if anyone can offer us any tips on how to keep our closets nice and tidy, we would be all ears…

a56fc854-f839-472f-91fb-c7cc1e231ab8.jpeg

Remember that time that you, channeling your inner diva, began to belt it out on the very top of your lungs in the shower? Just singin’ like nobody’s business, because there was no one to hear you… Until you stepped out of the bathroom, robe-clad, wet-haired and got a standing round of applause from your mom’s co-workers who had been invited over for an impromptu meeting…Sound familiar?

**Public Wifi = Exposed**  
Our apologies if the story above triggers searingly awkward memories. (And please don’t hit us with your therapy bills.) If you think you can’t relate though, you should probably think again – This “exposed-to-everyone-and-you-didn’t-know-it” phenomenon is what takes place virtually every time you log into a public WiFi hot spot (albeit, minus the water). See, you think you’re all alone and nobody can hear or see you. But logging in to public WiFi unprotected is like letting the world know whether you could be a contestant on The Voice… or not.  
Public WiFi seems great because it’s free and plentiful. It’s much better than paying for expensive data plans and it’s everywhere you go. It means you can grab a coffee at your local Starbucks and have a meaningful few minutes with your significant other – you know, your smartphone or iPad. And you have lots of important things to do in your free moments, like check your bank account or log on to Amazon.com to buy that pair of Michael Kors spring lace-up sandals for you or your “other” significant other, or say hi to your mom on Skype. All the while, you’re exposing your login credentials, passwords and contacts to any person with malicious intent who happens to be around. And, be warned, they are around because they are counting on people like you to remain blissfully unaware of the dangers that exist on public WiFi.

**Is public Wifi really so bad?**  
The problem with public WiFi is that the information you transfer while using the network is available and potentially visible to everyone else on the network – including the creep sitting five tables away. According to David Maimon, Assistant Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the U of Maryland, “What attackers do is try to intercept the communication between your computer and the computer you’re trying to get information from or send information to. They can get passwords, usernames, you name it.” Using the right “sniffing tools” or [a packet analyzer, which is any hardware or software designed to intercept data](http://www.veracode.com/security/packet-analyzer), they can begin to collect all your sensitive data. And once they have your information, they can use it to steal your identity in a whole number of ways.

![](https://cms.reasonlabs.com/cdn/shutterstock_1016244181-scaled-e1583060749699.jpg)

**Password-protection doesn’t help**  
And don’t think that you’re in better shape if your local coffee place gives out passwords to access their network – because if they gave it to you, they’ll give it to the creepy guy too, which means that in the end, you’re both on the same network.  
Sounds crazy, right?  
Well indeed, it’s not great but it’s just another one of those things you need to be aware of in a world where everyone wants a piece of your money. But fret not, you can still have your deep meaningful moments with your device of choice, you just need to learn how to play it safe while on the go. Here are some tips to stay safe and enjoy your coffee date:

1.  Only access websites that begin with HTTPS. [As we have mentioned before](http://blog.reasoncoresecurity.com/2015/04/15/help-senior-citizens-stay-safe-online/), that little “S” at the end matters a whole lot. It means that the webpage you are accessing uses the protocol for secure communications over networks and your connection is safe. Nowadays, many but not all websites use HTTPS to maintain secure communication. While on public WiFi, keep away from the ones that don’t.
2.  Even using HTTPS-protected sites can be tricky because some websites only use the standard when it comes to payment gateway pages or other critical pages but other pages within the site aren’t covered by the HTTPS – they employ the less secure HTTP standard. To correct this and extend the same heightened level of secure communication to the entire site, you can use the [HTTPS Everywhere browser extension](https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere). HTTPS Everywhere can only be enabled on websites that already employ some level of HTTPS on at least some pages. This is important in general and it’s super important on Public WiFi.
3.  Installing [a solid Antimalware program like RCS](https://www.reasoncoresecurity.com/download-free.aspx) is critical for using public WiFi safely. Once a hacker can see your logins, it’s easy for him or her to plant malware on your device. Your Antimalware software will block their malicious efforts.
4.  Log out of all accounts on Public WiFi as soon as you are done using them.
5.  Consider setting up your own VPN, or Virtual Private Network. Sounds complicated? It’s not really, it just requires some planning and legwork. It works like this – When you have a VPN, you are connecting to the VPN provider’s servers via an encrypted connection, creating a network within the existing network. This means you can use public WiFi and remain entirely invisible to that creepy guy over at table five. To set up a VPN of your own, check out this [step-by-step tutorial](http://www.wikihow.com/Set-Up-a-Virtual-Private-Network-with-Windows).

Just like you don’t need to ditch being a diva, you also don’t need to quit using public Wifi – you just need to know how to do it right.

#Malware

How to spring clean your PC!

The dangers of public WiFi

Curiosity killed the computer

Adware goes rogue