What Is Phishing And How Can You Protect Yourself From It?
Ever gotten an e-mail offer that seemed just a little bit too good to be true? Might’ve been a phishing attempt! These are everywhere and can come in many different forms.
So what’s phishing exactly, how can you detect it and how can you keep safe?
What is phishing?
Phishing (pronounced like fishing) is a type of cyberattack that tricks the user into trusting the source and revealing sensitive information. Fishing being the perfect analogy, the bait is a legitimate-looking site, e-mail or file and when you take a bite, your identity, banking information and much more can be revealed and stolen.
Credit Anne Nygård on Unsplash
Some phishing attempts are incredibly obvious, others are super elaborate. Like with most types of malware, cybercriminals have become extremely well-versed in phishing and anyone can fall for it. To help you recognize and avoid it, we’ll take you through a couple of phishing types and give you tips on what to do if faced with them.
Phishing techniques
E-mail phishing
This is actually the most common type of phishing. A cybercriminal creates an e-mail containing stuff like attractive offers, legitimate-looking attachments or links and makes it appear as though it’s coming from a trusted source.
Credit Justin Morgan on Unsplash
For example, it looks like it’s coming from your bank or your favorite retailer. The logo looks legit and the structure of the e-mail seems familiar, so you might get tricked into clicking on whatever clickable content is in it.
Unfortunately this exposes your device to malware that hands your data off to the hacker, who can decide what to do with it further.
SMS and social media phishing
Like the above example, you could be approached with lucrative offers or links via text messages or social media messages. Typically, the messages seem relevant to the user as they will be made to look like they’re related to apps or services you’re using.
Voice phishing
Voice phishing attacks are schemes that appear as though they’re coming from a credible number. Normally, you’ll get a call about something related to credit cards or taxes to get you into a state of worry, leading you to disclose personal information on the phone.
Spear phishing, whaling and BEC
Spear phishing normally targets specific individuals within a company who are likely to have access to sensitive data. Spear phishers spend time collecting information they can use to reach out to the individual looking as trustworthy as possible. They’ll typically lead with something relevant, for example mentioning an upcoming company event, and make a seemingly legitimate request.
Whaling is a more elaborate form of spear phishing, which targets people in even stronger positions such as executives or high-value individuals. The ultimate goal is to get them to transfer financial or other sensitive information that can be used to compromise the entire business.
Credit Azamat E on Unsplash
BEC, or Business e-mail compromise, is a specific spear phishing technique carried out via e-mail. While there are many ways this is done, most commonly you’ll see instances where the phisher poses as a CEO or similar executive, or as a lower-level employee in specific positions (e.g. sales managers or financial controllers).
In the first situation, the impersonator reaches out to employees requesting them to transfer certain files or pay invoices. In the second situation, the phisher takes control of the employee’s e-mail account and sends false instructions to other employees in order to obtain data and information from them.
What can you do?
There are many ways you can be aware and spot a phishing attempt. Here are some tips:
Always check the sender’s address in your e-mails, even when they seem to come from a familiar source.
In any instance where payment information is requested, be very, very careful.
If you are receiving attachments you never asked for and definitely didn’t expect, better not click on them.
Beware of content that transmits a sense of urgency (sales deals, urgent updates to login credentials, etc.).
Bad spelling and grammar are usually a telltale sign of phishing.
Links that look shortened (e.g. Bit.ly) or just suspicious in general - if you have a bad feeling, do not click on them.
If you are receiving threats, you probably shouldn’t be clicking on anything in that message.
Always examine first-time senders in detail.
Block suspicious e-mail addresses, numbers and social media accounts.
If you are receiving a coupon for free stuff… You aren’t.
If you’re being asked to update your payment details by a service you use, such as Netflix, chances are it’s an impersonator.
Those are some of the ways to identify and prevent phishing attacks. However, sometimes phishers disguise themselves a little too well or a misclick happens and there you go - you’ve been exposed to malware.
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This won’t happen if you invest in powerful protection software from the get-go, though. A good antivirus program like Bitdefender will keep you safe from becoming a victim of phishing scams. In fact, it will protect you from malicious attacks overall.
Be it your household or your business you’re concerned about, there are a bunch of different packages and options available, providing different kinds of cybersecurity services. That’s the only way you can ever really be sure you aren’t at risk of a digital attack.
Summary
Have you ever been targeted by phishers and didn’t know that’s what it was until you read this article? Many can relate. Protect yourself before it’s too late!
Error 126 is a very commonly occurring error that is often the result of damaged system files of Windows. They usually occur during the installation of some Windows program or application. When Error 126 is generated, it terminates the installation process almost instantly.
It is important to take corrective measures immediately to ensure that no such problems are encountered again in the future.
Solution
Error Causes
There are a variety of conditions that may trigger Error 126. These conditions are listed below as follows.
Corrupt or incorrect registry entries in the system files
When any of the above-listed conditions occur, the corrupt system files will go to the improper links or missing information.
Eventually, the problems with the files will keep the applications or programs from responding in the usual manner. Whatever are the reasons for error generation, it is of utmost importance that the error is removed to ensure smooth functioning of the system.
Further Information and Manual Repair
There are many different ways this error can be rectified. However, the two most effective solutions are listed below as follows.
This solution is for the advanced user. Turn on the system and log on to it as the Administrator. Now click on the Start button. Now click on All programs -> Accessories -> System Tools. Here you will come across the option for System Restore. Click on it. A new window will appear. Select 'restore my computer to an earlier time' point. Now clock on Next. A list of restore points will now appear in front of you. Choose the latest restore point you come across from this list and click on ‘Next’. In the next window that opens, click on ‘Next’ again. This is the confirmation window. Once the restoration finishes, restart your computer.
This solution is for novice users. Download an Error 126 repair utility program. Install it on your system. Now use it to scan your system for errors. Find out if there is an option to fix/repair error. When you come across it, click on it as soon as the scan is complete. Restart your computer. Your system is now free of Error 126.
What is TrayApp Error 1706?
A TrayApp Error 1706 is not something you want to see. It is generally caused by an error in hexadecimal formatting, which is a common format employed by software programmers for Windows OS-compatible hardware drivers, Windows system files, and software apps.
Developers and manufacturers of hardware drivers and software apps employ different codes in order to indicate different types of errors.
The TrayApp error 1706 occurs in a long numeric code with a technical explanation of the cause. In many cases, the TrayApp error 1706 can have different TrayApp error 1706 parameters.
It will usually sport a message like:
Install Error 1706 Trayapp
Reinstall Error 1706 Trayapp
Error 1706 Trayapp crash
Error 1706 Trayapp is missing
Remove Error 1706 Trayapp
Download Error 1706 Trayapp
Error 1706 Trayapp virus
Solution
Error Causes
More often than not, the TrayApp error will occur because there are damaged files in your operating system.
When the Windows system file entry gets corrupt, it means that there malfunctioning in your system and it can be exposed to major security threats.
And if it’s not resolved, it can potentially result in complete and permanent data loss and can make your storage media or your system as a whole inoperable.
There can be other triggers for the TrayApp error, the common of which include:
Incomplete installation of software
Incomplete un-installation of software
Improper deleting of hardware drivers
Improper deleting of software applications
If you have the TrayApp error, you realize how common it is when restarting your system followed an improper shutdown or a recent malware or virus recovery.
These situations result in corruption or deletion of essential system files. When Windows system files get corrupted or go missing, the data that is needed to run software won’t be linked properly.
Further Information and Manual Repair
There are two common manual ways of fixing TrayApp error 1706. The manual solution is:
Boot Your System and Log in As Administrator.
Click on Start and select All Programs.
Go to Accessories, then System Tools, and select System Restore.
In the dialog box, select, ‘Restore computer to an earlier date’ and then click on Next.
Click next twice on the dialog boxes and then the Automatic System Restore will start and restart your device.
Reimage Plus Fix for Trayapp Error 1706
This is the easiest way to resolve TrayApp Error 1706. However, there are cases when the manual process may not really work, and this can be caused by improper maintenance of your system.
For that, Restoro is your short and comprehensive answer. Restoro is a multi-functional PC Fixer that works as an antivirus, registry cleaner, system optimizer, and much more.
It can not only help resolve TrayApp Error 1706, but can also resolve other errors that can hinder the performance of your system, programs, and applications.
It can also clean your registry and optimize your system to make it faster and quick loading. The software is compatible with all Windows versions.
Just click here and download Restoro and get rid of any issues in your system!
From photo editing and compositing to digital painting, animation, and graphic design you can do it all in Photoshop. Bring ideas to life across desktop and iPad. Magically transform images with the power of AI. Learn new skills and share your projects via Livestream.
Started as a photo editing application, photoshop has surpassed the original ideas and designs in the following years growing with each release and including more tools and flexibility not matched in other applications. Photoshop was the first to introduce many new features and set standards for other applications.
How years have passed product grew and innovation was pushed forward, it took some time but eventually, photoshop was able to set itself as the industry-standard application for pixel editing and it holds that position even today. Throughout the world artist all over the globe are using it to create digital art in various fields be that illustrations, film, photography, texturing, etc.
Its vast majority of tools and possibilities as well as its extensibility with plugins, actions, brushes have cemented it in the highest place in any designer or artist toolkit.
Today you can get it as a part of a creative suite for a monthly fee on the official adobe website and even if you do not need other creative suite applications photoshop is worth the fee alone. Simply you have to try it, learn it, and then harvest its power.
If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.
Typical use of file explorer will probably not need any kind of elevated privileges, but from time to time you might encounter some tasks that will require administrator rights in order to perform them. If this is the case you will need to run file explorer with these rights but inside Windows 11 that is somewhat hidden and not 1 click away.
How this is the case we have decided to put a little tutorial on how to accomplish this very task and run file explorer with administrator privileges.
Open File Explorer via EXE file
Open File Explorer typically
Navigate to This PC > Windows (C:) > Windows
Locate file explorer application
Right-click on it and select Run as Administrator
Run File Explorer
A new instance of file explorer will pop with elevated administrator privileges.
Run it as an administrator using the Task Manager
Open the Task Manager ( CTRL + SHIFT + ESC )
Click on More details (at the bottom)
After the task manager expands click on the File tab
Click on Run New Task
Type in explorer.exe and check the box next to it that says Create this task with administrative privileges
Installing Windows updates, installing a new driver from the manufacturer, or even just installing an application or game can cause sometimes certain components of your computer to stop working properly or introduce issues that were not present just before mentioned installation.
Luckily for all of us, Microsoft seems aware of this potential issue and we have the option to roll back an older driver which performed well and had no issues at all.
In order to do this first press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the hidden start menu and click on Device Manager.
From the Device Manager choose the troublesome device and right-click on it, choose properties.
Device properties floating Window will appear.
Click on the top tab which says, Driver. From the Driver tab, click on Roll Back Driver.
Note that if the device is working properly, the Roll Back Driver button will be greyed out and you will not be able to click on it meaning that chosen device is not the issue. If the device is not working properly and you can click on Roll Back driver, do it, choose the previous version, and reboot your computer.
You can use this method to get back to the previous driver version for any device that is causing issues in your computer.
If you are running Windows Update on your Windows 10 computer and you suddenly encounter error code 0x8000FFFF, E_UNEXPECTED – Unexpected failure then read on as this post will give you a couple of suggestions to resolve this problem. Note that you can encounter this error not only on Windows Update but also on Microsoft Store apps at times.
Follow the options given below to fix error code 0x8000FFFF, E_UNEXPECTED – Unexpected failure error on your Windows 10 PC.
Option 1 – Try to reset the Microsoft Store cache
Just like browsers, Microsoft Store also caches as you view apps and games so it is most likely that the cache is no longer valid and must be removed. To do so, follow the steps below.
Right-click on the start button and click on Command Prompt (administrator).
Next, type in the command, “wsreset.exe” and tap Enter. Once you do, the command will clear the cache for the Windows Store app.
Now restart your PC and afterward, try opening Microsoft Store again.
Option 2 – Check the Cryptographic Service
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open Services.
From the list of Services, look for the Cryptographic Service. Then right-click on it and select Properties from the context menu.
After that, check if the service is started by checking the Service status. If it is started, click on the Stop button to stop the service and if it is already stopped, leave it as it is, at least for now.
Next, make sure that the Startup type menu in the Service’s properties is set to Automatic before you go on.
Now confirm any dialog boxes that may appear as you set the Startup type and then click on the Start button located in the middle before you exit Properties.
Option 3 – Delete the contents in the Software Distribution folder and Catroot2 folder
Open the WinX Menu.
From there, open Command Prompt as admin.
Then type in the following command – don’t forget to hit Enter right after typing each one of them.
net stop wuauservnet start cryptSvcnet start bitsnet start msiserver
After entering these commands, it will stop the Windows Update Service, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Cryptographic, and the MSI Installer
Next, go to the C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution folder and get rid of all the folders and files thereby tapping the Ctrl + A keys to select them all and then click on Delete. Note that if the files are in use, you won’t be able to delete them.
After resetting the SoftwareDistribution folder, you need to reset the Catroot2 folder to restart the services you just stopped. To do that, follow these steps:
Type each one of the following commands.
net start wuauservnet start cryptSvcnet start bitsnet start msiserver
After that, exit Command Prompt and restart your computer, and then try to run Windows Update once more.
Option 4 – Check the Root Permissions
You might also want to check the permissions on the root of C: and make sure that “BUILTINUsers have read access because if it doesn’t, then no wonder why you’re getting the error code 0x8000FFFF.
Option 5 – Try to use the Media Creation tool
The Media Creation tool in Windows allows you to use the ISO installation file to make a bootable device that you can use to install Windows on your PC. Note that this is kind of different from the usual installation process as it could erase your computer’s current settings and data on the primary drive. Thus, before you proceed, you need to backup all your data into some removable drive and then use the Media Creation Tool to make a bootable drive.
After making the bootable drive, you need to plug it into your computer and then reboot.
Next, tap the F10 or Esc key to open the boot options.
Now set the boot priority of the removable drive the highest. Once the setup comes forth, follow the next onscreen instructions and install Windows without any problems.
Option 6 – Try installing the updates in a Clean Boot State
It could be that some third-party application is the one that’s causing the problem so it’s best if you put your computer in a Clean Boot state. During this state, you can start the system with a minimum number of drivers and startup programs that will surely help you in isolating the root cause of the issue.
Log onto your PC as an administrator.
Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
Clear the “Load Startup items” checkbox and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” checkbox.
Click Disable all.
Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
After that, try to install the Windows app again.
Note: If you are able to install the app without any trouble at all then it means that the error is caused by some third-party application in your computer. You need to look for the culprit and uninstall it once you found it.
Option 7 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter
Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter is one of the things you can first check out as it is known to automatically resolve any Windows Update errors like error code 0x8000FFFF. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.
If you are trying to connect an external device to your computer but you suddenly encounter an error that says, “Device requires further installation”, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on how exactly you can fix this error.
In most cases, USB sticks, headphones, speakers, and other external devices, install drivers automatically once you connect them to your computer which means that the drivers are downloaded and installed in the system as soon as the external device is plugged in. However, if the driver has become corrupted or outdated, you might encounter an error like the
“Device requires further installation”
Aside from corrupted or outdated drivers, the error could also be caused by pending updates, an incorrect version of the Intel PROSet Wireless driver, or checking the wrong event. Whatever the cause is, this post will provide you with some potential fixes that can help you resolve the problem. But before you troubleshoot the problem, ensure that your Windows 10 computer is updated to its latest version and you must also not forget to check that you’re checking the correct event on the Event Viewer. Once you have these things covered, proceed to the instructions below.
Option 1 – Try to update the device drivers to the latest version
One of the most likely root causes of the “Device requires further installation” error is either outdated or corrupted drivers in your computer. This kind of problem is more common on several devices like scanners and printers for which the drivers are provided with them.
First, boot your computer into Safe Mode.
After that, tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
Type in devmgmt.msc into the box and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
After that, a list of device drivers will be displayed. From there, look for any outdated device drivers and click on each one of them.
After that, right-click on each entry of the device drivers and select the “Uninstall Device” option from the menu.
Now restart your computer.
After restarting your computer, go to the Settings app and Check for Updates in the Windows Update section.
Note: You also opt to download the latest versions of the device drivers directly from the website of the manufacturer. Once you’ve downloaded them, you can install them into your computer right away and then try connecting the external device again. On the other hand, you can also try to reinstall the device drivers.
Option 2 – Try to install the latest version of the Intel PROSet Wireless driver
A lot of users who experience the problem reported that their wireless driver wasn’t also working properly and it was then found that it was caused by the outdated Intel PROSet wireless driver. Thus, to fix the problem, you need to install the latest version of this driver from the intel.com website and install it on your computer. When you download the driver, make sure that your computer is running an Intel system and then download the correct driver depending on whether your computer is a 64-bit system or a 32-bit one.
The error code 28 is a driver error. This is one of the many device manager error codes. When this error occurs on your computer, the following message is displayed:
“The drivers for this device are not installed. (Code 28)”
Another driver device error message you might encounter is error code 41.
Error Causes
Error 28 occurs because of unsuccessful device driver installation. This usually happens when you try to update new drive versions on your system. It is advisable to repair this error right away as it can hamper your ability to use certain hardware.
For example, if error 28 occurs due to the unsuccessful installation of the USB driver, then it if not fixed and resolved it may prevent you from using hardware devices.
Unsuccessful driver installation means you either didn’t install it properly or your computer has registry issues. If it’s the registry then you must fix it without any delay because it can expose your PC to serious threats like system crash and failure.
To avoid such inconvenience, repair it.
Further Information and Manual Repair
When it comes to repairing the error code 28, here’s what you can do:
Simply go to the control panel and click on the Device Manager option:
In the details pane with the list of devices, locate the device for which you want to reinstall the driver software.
Double click on it to open the properties dialog box.
Now click on the driver tab and then click update driver.
After updating, try using that device again if it doesn’t work and shows the error code 28 on your computer screen then this means the underlying cause is the registry.
Error code 0xc0000142 is an error code that affects Windows 10 users. It often occurs when users attempt to run Windows applications. The message in the application error box allows users to recognize the error as it states that “the application was unable to start correctly (0xc0000142).” Common symptoms of this error code include the following:
Inability to start applications
Inability to completely run Windows applications
The appearance of error code 0xc0000142 message box
Error Causes
Error code 0xc0000142 in Windows 10 is often caused by issues related to startup programs, corrupted files or other applications. To address this issue, the source of the issue needs to be located. But how will users be able to do this while the error code is present?
Further Information and Manual Repair
To fix error code 0xc0000142 users will need to employ at least one manual repair procedure. This may include checking your system for corrupt files through tools like Microsoft’s System File Checker (SFC). If you are uncertain of your skills or prefer to get professional support, contact a Windows repair technician to assist you.
The top three methods to resolve error code 0xc0000142 include the following:
Method One: Perform a Clean Boot
A clean boot is one of the most basic procedures you can run to solve a Windows-based error code of this nature. It works by identifying whether or not conflict among startup programs is preventing Windows applications from running properly. This occurs through a clean boot process involving Windows using a minimal set of drivers and startup programs when you reboot.
Here is what you’ll need to do:
Step one: Go to Start and type msconfig
Step two: Right-click and select System Configuration
Step three: Select Service tab and click Hide all Microsoft Services then click Disable all.
Step four: Click Startup tab within the System Configuration dialog box.
Step five: Select Open Task Manager
Step six: Within the Startup tab of Task Manager, select Disable for each Startup item, then close Task Manager.
Step seven: Click OK on the Startup tab of System Configuration.
Step eight: Restart your computer.
This method resolves software conflict arising when you attempt to update, run a program or simply use your operating system. However, if error code 0xc0000142 remains unresolved after you restart your machine, follow the next step below.
Method Two: Run a System File Checker Scan
System File Checker (SFC) is a utility tool built into the Windows 10 operating system, as well as other versions of Windows, to detect and repair corrupted system files. Since corrupted system files can result in error code 0xc0000142, run this tool by following the steps below:
Step one: Go to Start and type Command Prompt or CMD.
Step two: Right-click and select Administrator
Step three: Check for and repair corrupted system files. Simply type sfc /scannow. (Be sure to place a space between “sfc” and “/scannow”).
Once these procedures are followed, the System File Checker tool will automatically scan your machine, and find and repair corrupted files. If this is the source or underlying cause of error code 0xc0000142 on your system, the error code will be resolved. However, if the source of the issue is not due to corruption in our system or is simply a more complicated issue try the next method highlighted below.
The Boot Configuration Data or BCD files have the instructions required by the Windows operating system in order to properly boot the computer. So if you experience any trouble when you boot your computer, then it is possible that it is due to some misconfiguration or even corrupted Boot Configuration Data files. And if you also encounter an error saying,
“The boot configuration data store could not be opened”
while you try to carry out any command on the bcedit.exe, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on how you can fix this error in Windows 10.
This kind of error could pop up if the system is not able to locate the specified file. It is also possible that the requested system device can’t be found or that the boot configuration data store could not be opened. In addition, when you open the System Configuration or MSConfig, you might notice that there is no Boot data, and according to the reports, is that when you try to dual boot the computer, the installer will replace the default bootloader.
Explanation
In case you don’t know, Windows’ earlier versions were stored in the “Boot.ini” file. You can find the entry in the EFI firmware boot manager of the EFI-based operating system which is located at EFIMicrosoftBootBootmgfw.efi.
Whatever the cause of the error is, there are several suggestions you can check out to resolve the problem. You can try to set an entry option value in BCD or enable the Advanced options menu, as well as rebuild the BCD. Before you proceed with the troubleshooting options provided below, make sure that you boot your computer into the Advanced Recovery Mode first since that’s where you can find Command Prompt under the Advanced Options. In addition, you also have to suspend or disable BitLocker and Secure Boot on your PC.
Option 1 – Try to set an entry option value in BCD
Once you’re in the Advanced Options, select Command Prompt.
Next, execute this command to set an entry point: bcdedit /set {current} Description "TheNameYouWant"
After the command has been executed, it will enable the system to trust a version of Windows that is not trusted by default. This should fix the problem, if not, follow the next given options below.
Option 2 – Try to specify the BCD file
In the elevated Command Prompt, execute this command: bcdedit /store c:BootBCD
Once done, the command will give you a list of options and then execute this next command: bcdedit /store c:BootBCD /set bootmenupolicy legacy
After that, restart your computer and select your Windows and then tap the F8 key right away.
Note: When you select the legacy option, the Advanced Options menu will be available during the computer boot up and then you can select into which operating system you can boot your computer into.
Option 3 – Try to rebuild the BCD files
The first thing you can do to resolve the issue is to Rebuild Boot Configuration Data or BCD files.
You can start by booting into the installation environment for Windows 10 from an installation media.
After that, click on Repair your computer and on the blue screen, select Troubleshoot and then select the Advanced options menu.
From there, select Command Prompt and once you open it, enter each one of the commands given below by sequence.
bootrec /FixMbr
bootrec /FixBoot
bootrec /ScanOS
bootrec /RebuildBcd
Once you’re done executing the commands given above, type “exit” to close the Command Prompt window and then restart your computer and see if it fixed error code 0xc000014c.
Error Causes
How this is the case we have decided to put a little tutorial on how to accomplish this very task and run file explorer with administrator privileges.
From the Device Manager choose the troublesome device and right-click on it, choose properties.
Device properties floating Window will appear.
Click on the top tab which says, Driver. From the Driver tab, click on Roll Back Driver.
Note that if the device is working properly, the Roll Back Driver button will be greyed out and you will not be able to click on it meaning that chosen device is not the issue. If the device is not working properly and you can click on Roll Back driver, do it, choose the previous version, and reboot your computer.
You can use this method to get back to the previous driver version for any device that is causing issues in your computer. 