ALERT: E-mail scam directs users to bogus Windows update.

Ugh. Don’t these people have anything productive to do with their lives than to write malicious software to harass the rest of us who have computers and real lives?

Well, if you don’t want to spend a weekend with a broken down PC, then be aware that Microsoft doesn’t send you emails with links to click to update your PC. It’s a trap.

Because family computers are used by many people with varying levels of technological savvy, they are particularly vulnerable to these intrusions. I am a technical user, but my wife is computer-clueless and my kids know enough to be dangerous but are still naive. So I’m the IT Department in my house, and try to keep the family computer up-to-date with Antivirus and Security Software.

I also find it helpful to instill a lot of fear into them when it comes to emails from unknown sources and attachments. You know what I’m talking about… Like the story about the guy who opened a virus that caused his mouse to blowup, taking off his hand. Tales like that, repeated often enough, generate a bit more caution and I generally get called in to have a look before they open the suspicious email or attachment. :-)

How many other Domestic IT Specialists are out there? How does it work in your home?