What is USB Kill Kit

Daily Bible Guide is a browser extension developed by Mindspark Inc. for Google Chrome Browser. This extension offers users a fast and easy way to find Bible passages, view daily verses, study the Bible and view the current weather. When installed, this extension changes your default search engine and your home page to MyWay.

When installed this extension gathers user browsing information such as visited websites, search queries, clicked links, and other information. This information is later used to better target ads.

While active, you may encounter additional unwanted ads and sponsored links throughout your browsing sessions. Daily Bible Guide was marked as a Browser Hijacker by several anti-virus scanners, and due to its information mining behavior, it is considered a security risk and it is not recommended to keep on your computer; being flagged for optional removal.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijackers (sometimes known as hijackware) are a kind of malware that alters internet browser settings without the computer owner’s knowledge or approval. These kinds of hijacks are rising at a worrying rate around the globe, and it could be actually nefarious and sometimes dangerous too. There are plenty of reasons why you might experience an internet browser hijack; but commercial, advertising, and marketing are definitely the key reasons for their creation. Generally, the idea would be to force users to visit particular sites which are looking to improve their site visitor traffic and produce higher advertisement revenue. While it might seem harmless, these tools were created by malicious individuals who always attempt to take full advantage of you, so that they could make money from your naivety and distraction. Furthermore, hijackers can make the entire infected system vulnerable – other destructive malware and viruses will grab these opportunities to intrude into your computer effortlessly.

Signs of browser hijacker infection

The typical symptoms that signify having this malware on your computer are: home page is modified; you find new unwanted favorites or bookmarks added, typically directed to ad-filled or porn websites; the default search engine is modified; discover new toolbars which you did not add; you may see random pop-ups start occurring frequently; your internet browser has instability issues or exhibits frequent errors; you cannot visit specific websites like home pages of antivirus software.

So how does a PC get infected with a browser hijacker?

Browser hijackers attack computer systems via malicious email attachments, downloaded infected files, or by visiting infected sites. They sometimes are included with toolbars, add-ons, BHO, plugins, or browser extensions. A browser hijacker can also come bundled up with some free application that you inadvertently download to your computer, compromising your internet security. A good example of a popular browser hijacker is the most recent Chinese malware named “Fireball”, which has infected 250 million PCs throughout the world. It works as a hijacker but could be changed into a fully functioning malware downloader afterward. Browser hijackers will interrupt the user’s browsing experience significantly, keep track of the websites frequented by users and steal private information, cause difficulty in connecting to the net, and ultimately create stability problems, causing software programs and computers to crash.

Browser Hijacker Malware – Removal

Certain browser hijacking can be quite easily reversed by identifying and removing the corresponding malware program through your control panel. However, the majority of hijackers are extremely tenacious and need specialized tools to eradicate them. Additionally, manual removals require deep system knowledge and thus can be quite a difficult task for inexperienced computer users. Installing and running anti-malware programs on the affected computer could automatically delete browser hijackers and other malicious programs. Safebytes Anti-Malware features a cutting-edge anti-malware engine that will help you prevent browser hijacking in the first place, and clean up any pre-existing issues. In addition to anti-malware, a PC optimizer software, for example, Total System Care, will help you fix Windows registry errors, remove unwanted toolbars, secure online privacy, and stabilize software programs installed on the computer.

Malware Blocking Internet And All Antivirus Software? Do This!

Malware can cause a lot of damage to your PC. Some malware variants modify internet browser settings by including a proxy server or change the PC’s DNS settings. When this happens, you will be unable to visit some or all of the websites, and therefore not able to download or install the necessary security software to clear out the infection. If you’re reading this right now, you’ve perhaps recognized that virus infection is a reason behind your blocked internet connectivity. So how to proceed when you want to download and install an anti-malware program like Safebytes? Although this sort of issue will be difficult to get around, there are some steps you can take.

Install in Safe Mode

If the malware is set to run at Windows startup, then booting in safe mode should avoid it. Only minimal required programs and services are loaded when you start your PC into Safe Mode. You will have to do the following to remove malware in Safe mode. 1) At power-on/startup, press the F8 key in 1-second intervals. This will invoke the Advanced Boot Options menu. 2) Choose Safe Mode with Networking with arrow keys and press Enter. 3) As soon as this mode loads, you should have an internet connection. Now, obtain the malware removal program you want by using the browser. To install the software, follow the directions within the installation wizard. 4) Once the software is installed, let the scan run to eliminate viruses and other malware automatically.

Switch over to some other web browser

Web-based viruses could be environment-specific, aiming for a specific web browser or attacking particular versions of the web browser. If you are not able to download the security software using Internet Explorer, it means the virus may be targeting IE’s vulnerabilities. Here, you should switch to an alternate internet browser such as Chrome or Firefox to download the Safebytes application.

Create a portable USB antivirus for removing viruses

To effectively remove the malware, you should approach the issue of running an anti-malware program on the affected computer from a different perspective. To run anti-malware using a USB flash drive, follow these simple steps: 1) Download the anti-malware on a virus-free PC. 2) Mount the USB drive onto the same system. 3) Double-click the Setup icon of the anti-malware program to run the Installation Wizard. 4) Choose the drive letter of the USB drive as the location when the wizard asks you exactly where you would like to install the anti-virus. Do as instructed on the screen to finish off the installation process. 5) Now, transfer the flash drive to the infected PC. 6) Double click the Safebytes Anti-malware icon on the USB drive to run the application. 7) Run Full System Scan to detect and clean-up up all types of malware.

SafeBytes Anti-Malware - More Protection For You Personally

These days, an anti-malware tool can protect your computer from different kinds of online threats. But exactly how to select the best one among plenty of malware protection software that’s available on the market? You may be aware, there are many anti-malware companies and tools for you to consider. Some are worth your money, but many aren’t. You must be careful not to choose the wrong application, especially if you purchase a paid program. While thinking about the highly regarded software programs, Safebytes AntiMalware is undoubtedly the strongly recommended one. SafeBytes anti-malware is a powerful, very effective protection application designed to assist users of all levels of computer literacy in detecting and eliminating harmful threats out of their PC. Once you’ve got installed this tool, SafeByte's state-of-the-art protection system will make sure that absolutely no viruses or malware can seep through your computer.

SafeBytes anti-malware takes computer protection to a whole new level with its advanced features. Listed below are some of the great ones:

Anti-Malware Protection: This deep-cleaning anti-malware software goes much deeper than most antivirus tools to clean out your personal computer. Its critically acclaimed virus engine finds and disables hard to remove malware that hides deep inside your computer. Real-time Threat Response: Malware programs attempting to get into the computer are identified and stopped as and when detected by the SafeBytes real-time protection shields. It’ll inspect your personal computer for suspicious activity regularly and its unparalleled firewall shields your PC from illegal access by the outside world. “Fast Scan” Features: SafeBytes’s virus scan engine is among the fastest and most efficient in the industry. It's targeted scanning highly increases the catch rate for viruses which is embedded in various PC files. Web Protection: SafeBytes gives an instant safety rating to the web pages you are going to visit, automatically blocking dangerous sites and ensuring that you are certain of your safety while browsing the world wide web. Light-weight: SafeBytes is a lightweight and user-friendly antivirus and antimalware solution. As it uses very little computer resources, this tool leaves the computer’s power exactly where it belongs to: with you. 24/7 Guidance: SafeBytes provides 24/7 technical support, automatic maintenance, and software upgrades for the best user experience. To sum it up all, SafeBytes Anti-Malware offers great protection combined with very low system resource usage with both great malware prevention and detection. Malware trouble will become a thing of the past when you put this application to use. If you’re looking for the very best malware removal application out there, and when you don’t mind shelling out some money for it, opt for SafeBytes Anti-Malware.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you’d like to manually remove Daily Bible Guide without using an automated tool, it might be possible to do so by deleting the program from the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser extensions, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and uninstalling it. You will probably also want to reset your internet browser. If you choose to manually remove the system files and Windows registry entries, utilize the following list to ensure that you know exactly what files to remove before performing any actions. Please remember that only experienced users should try to manually edit the system files simply because removing any single critical registry entry results in a major problem or even a PC crash. In addition, certain malicious programs have the capability to defend against its removal. It is advisable that you carry out the removal process in Safe Mode.

intel's first gaming card that will hit the market soon has been shown in its innovation event, the Intel Arc A770. In its core ticks ACM-G10, coming with 32 Xe-cores and all the way up to 16GB of GDDR6 memory (the basic entry-level version will have 8GB of GDDR6). The card will support ray tracing and supersampling with Intel's XeSS.

This is Intel's first gaming desktop GPU and after testing with some YouTube channels it turned out that the card itself sits somewhere between nVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti and an RTX 3070 so it will still be low in performance compared with the new RTX 4090 or AMD's new RDNA3 upcoming lineup. But as stated this is Intel's first gaming graphics card and having this kind of performance is no small feat for the first-time product.

One thing that is really great tho and that is going for Arc A770 GPU is its price! The Limited Edition card will cost $329 which is at this moment most cheapest GPU currently on the market in that performance range. nVIDIA is between $500 and $700 for comparison and if Intel can hold on to its performance with almost half the price card could be a great hit among gamers. GPU itself will launch on October 12th.

A runtime error is commonly an error that's created after the PC is operating software and encounters a problem of some form. For instance, a runtime error like run-time error code 7 reveals an "out of memory" dilemma.

Solution

Error Cause

Run-time errors are normally brought on by clashes with TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) applications or additional operating applications, software problems, storage problems, or pc viruses.

Troubleshooting a Run-time Error

First, enter the run-time error signal into a search engine to see what info you will get about the precise runtime issue you are receiving. Next, end - job all running applications and TSRs to make sure these aren't the origin of the issue. You can certainly do so by obtaining the job manager by striking Control Alt Delete.

In case your issue is regularly occurring with a unique program, go to that system programmer's site and obtain any upgrades and patches. If unavailable, try uninstalling the application involved and reinstalling it.

In the event the issue is occurring with the os, you may consider reinstalling it although it is a huge commitment. A much better idea would be to try a fix for both Windows XP or Windows 2,000. It is possible to fix and scan files by typing : sfc / scannow, heading to the Begin switch, Run, and then pushing enter. Make certain to put an area between sfc and the reduce.

You might have an equipment or storage dilemma if these measures have not resolved your run-time errors. If that is the situation, contact the support of the application under consideration for potential support accompanied by the pc or motherboard manufacturer.

Many run-time problems can be solved by upgrading the application that's creating the problem. This is only because the programmer's frequently releasing patches and improvements for their applications as insects are found and repaired.

Storage problems may frequently be fixed by rebooting the pc. Consider a reboot a short-term repair. Rebooting clears the memory but in case your COMPUTER does not have adequate memory for your applications you're operating, or sufficient hard-drive space you'll immediately run out of memory again. Something less than this sum may cause memory issues since the computer's swap file isn't in a position to expand in dimension as required.

To assess the quantity of free area, available My Computer and right-click on the HDD, generally the D: drive. Select Attributes in the menu and see the disc's ability. Perform the disk clean-up function by following prompts and pressing the Disk Clean-up button, if the room is reduced.

You may be getting run-time errors, in case your storage chip is really failing. Eliminating and changing the awful memory chip will solve the difficulty. If you're encountering other runtime-related errors, like an install runtime issue, try cleaning away the portions of the registry with some software solution. 

Windows 11 release date is closing in, some people have tried it via insider build, some have decided not to. It has come to our attention that there is a little website made by BlueEdge that offers a virtual Windows 11 desktop. Opening the Website will put you right inside Windows 11 desktop, now take note that this is not Windows 11, it is a simulation of Microsoft’s newest OS and therefore many things will not work like File Explorer, etc. One thing you can make sure it is working is UI itself, you can see how you do like the new Taskbar, start menu, widgets, and some other things. You can just pop up on the site and check how you do like the overall new look and feel of Windows 11 UI before installing it or trying it. We are sure that many more options will come in time but even now you can get a feel of the newest OS. Windows 11 BlueEdge site: https://win11.blueedge.me/

Realtek sound device not playing sound is a common Windows issue.  It happens occasionally and luckily it can be solved with a little effort and in a short time period. Today in this article we will explore the most common reasons and solutions for driver malfunction for Realtek inside Windows 10. If you have this particular problem, go from step 1 to the last step since all steps are meant to go from simplest to the most complex. All of that being said let us fix your Realtek driver issue.

1. Check Speakers or/and Headphones first

   The first thing would in any troubleshooting be to check are your speakers turned on or are your headphones connected and the volume or switch on them is set properly. Nothing more embarrassing than spending an hour or so troubleshooting only to find out that issue was in a malfunction of speakers or them not being turned on.

2. Check the Volume control in Windows

   Same as the previous step where you have checked hardware, now it is time to check to see if the volume control is set properly and not by any chance muted or volume is brought all the way down.

3. Check if the Device Manager is reporting an error and update the driver

   If both hardware is functioning properly and volume control in Windows is set correctly then the issue might be in Windows not detecting device or driver malfunction. In any case, the Device Manager will be the one who will report this problem. In order to check to see if the driver is properly working press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the hidden start menu. Once it opens, click on Device Manager to open it, If you have a driver device error inside Windows, you should see it immediately when entering the Device Manager, it will have a yellow exclamation mark beside it. Right-click on it and choose update driver.

4. Reinstall driver

   If driver update failed or you already have the latest drivers, reinstalling them could fix the issue since drivers might have corrupted during installation of some update or application. Follow steps from point 3 to get to the driver in Device Manager, then right-click on it but instead of update choose to uninstall. Reboot Windows once the driver is uninstalled and Windows will install a new one.

5. Check Windows update

   Check to see if the latest Windows update is installed, update your Windows if needed

6. Fix driver issue with DRIVERFIX

   If everything else fails, get DRIVERFIX, a premium solution for your PC issues, and fix driver errors.

Error Code 0x8007232B (Code 0x8007232B) – What is it?

Error code 0x8007232B (Code 0x8007232B) is an error that occurs when you attempt to activate Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista.

Common symptoms include:

• Attempting to activate Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows Server 2012 and you receive an error message.
• The error message says: “Windows could not be activated. Key management services host could not be located in domain name system, please have your system administrator verify that a KMS is published correctly in DNS”
• The error message says “The directory name, file name, or volume label syntax is incorrect”.

Error Causes

• Error Code 0x8007232B occurs when you attempt to use media that is volume licensed to install: Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows Vista Business, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2.
• This error code also occurs when the activation wizard is unable to connect to a Key Management Service host computer.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Error code 0x8007232B can be seen when you are trying to activate windows, on several different operating systems. This problem can usually be easily corrected, but in the event that it can't, please contact a computer repair technician. When you try to install any of the previously mentioned Windows products, they use a generic product key to install the volume-based license software. If you do have a KMS host computer configuration and see these error codes, that means the correct DNS entries are not being seen on the computer. If there is not a KMS host computer setup, you need to do this setup, otherwise switch to a MAK product key method, and activate the volume license installation that way.

Method One:

Using a Multiple Activation Key as opposed to KMS activation

1. Click the Start icon, click on All Programs, click on Accessories, right-click on Command prompt.
2. Click on “Run as administrator”. Type in the password or provide confirmation if prompted for administrator password or confirmation.
3. When asked for the command prompt, enter in the following and then hit the Enter buuton: slmgr -ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx  Note: this placeholder represents the MAK product key.

Method Two:

Configure a KMS host server for the clients to activate against.

A KMS host server needs to be configured for the clients to activate against. When there are no KMS host servers configured near you, install and activate a KMS server key. After this, configure a computer on the network to host this KMS software and publish the Domain Name System (DNS) settings.

Method Three:

When the client cannot locate a KMS host on the network for activation:

1. Verify that your computer has the KMS host installed and activated by using a KMS key that is registered in DNS. You will follow these steps to do that:

1. Click the Start button, click on All Programs, click Accessories, and then right-click on Command Prompt.
2. Click on Run as Administrator. Type the password or provide confirmation if you are asked for an administrator password or for confirmation.
3. In the command prompt box, type the following command and press ENTER: nslookup -type=all _vlmcs.tcp>kms.txt
4. Then open the KMS.txt file generated by this command. The file will contain at least one entry that relays the SRV service location.

2.  A KMS host server registers a DNS SRV record once every 24 hours by default. You should check the registry to see if the KMS host server is registering with the DNS. Follow these steps to do so:

1. Click on Start, type in regedit, and then press Enter.
2. Locate HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsNTCurrentVersionSL and then click on it.
3. The KMS server does not register in DNS if the DisableDnsPublishing subkey is existing and has a value of 1. If this subkey is missing altogether, create a DWORD value called the DisableDnsPublishing. If the dynamic registration is suitable, the subkey value should be changed to 0. Right-click DisableDnsPublishing, click on Modify, enter 0 into the Value data box, and click OK.

What's the 0x80040116?

Ms-Outlook is the widely used and most favored program to get and to send e-mails within workplaces. In addition, it eases customers' business execution through additional features like producing schedule records to retaining track of important dates and sessions, preserving details on addresses, producing several files for handling significant e-mails and accessories, and additionally preserving drafts of emails individuals intend to send in future. Ms-Outlook helps individuals handle functions and organize with each other effectively and economically. Nevertheless, everything may suddenly halt when the problem code information screen is experienced by the Outlook user, you. This is time-consuming and annoying as it prevents you from getting into your account and could lock you away from your view e-mail account. Error code 0x80040116 is a familiar Outlook error that jumps up with no caution on the display. Besides restricting your capacity to utilize your Outlook account, it presents a critical risk to the private data you've stored inside. Additionally, there is the chance of losing parts and information preserved in your e-mail account.

Error Causes

Finding and determining error code 0x80040116 cause isn't fairly easy. The truth is that there are several distinct causes that could activate this error A few of the major causes of this error include:-

• Broken PST list document. Ms-outlook uses this file to handle the users' requests. You can encounter this problem signal when it gets ruined.
• 2 gigabytes limit is exceeded by the PST record. You have been incorporating data to Outlook accounts for years frequently without any erasures. When the 2GB limit is reached this error may surface.
• PST file gets damaged. This generally occurs thanks to virus contamination to the System or sudden system shutdown.
• Problems with account settings.

Further Information and Manual Repair

The error 0x80040116 is displayed in just one of these types:

• "Outlook.pst cannot be accessed - 0x80040116(where "Outlook.pst" is PST file name)"
• "Sending and receiving reported error (0x80040116): Unknown error 0x80040116"
• "Outlook.pst cannot be accessed – 0x80040116"

When you have this error, it is advisable to correct it promptly to ensure it doesn't interfere with your productivity and work. You do not require to contact an IT expert, to solve this issue. It's graded as an error signal that's easy to repair. So you do not want need deep IT knowledge to fix it. There are two methods to remove this problem signal. Erase some memory if the error is created by excessive data. This technique functions in the event the error's cause is PST size. However, that is not likely the best method to repair it if dropping the data that is outdated is no alternative. Maybe the one that is greatest and the 2nd alternative is to install and to obtain Stellar Phoenix Outlook PST Repair. Why is this the solution that is most effective to repair and solve the problem code 0x80040116 out there is that the software can fix the malfunction no matter the trigger? What this means is you do not have to understand the nitty-gritty of determining a problem signal and then locate a unique option to fix its cause. Wait there is a lot more! Stellar Phoenix Outlook PST fix tool is compatible with all versions of Windows. Therefore, whether you've got 2007, the 2000 version, or 2010 Outlook editions, you do not have to be concerned about the compatibility like with several other repair resources out there. Also, it solves the issue in a short while as well as re-establishes each of the e-mails, contact records, and diary info. That means that if you had lost the info as a result of error code 0x80040116, it is possible to heave a sigh of relief as everything is going to be regained right back. What you need to do is click here, Download, and run Stellar Phoenix Outlook PST on your computer to recover your ms-outlook accounts now and fix error code 0x80040116.

The Windows Defender program can both scan and monitor almost the entire folder on a Windows 10 computer. So if you have a folder that may have files that could trigger an alarm to Windows Security, then it would be better if you add an exclusion to Windows Security. Note that it is okay to do this as long as you’re certain that the contents of the folder you want to exclude are safe and that Windows Defender is only throwing out warnings for nothing. This way, Windows Defender won’t scan those folders in the future. And besides, there are also some Windows folders and files that you may exclude from the Antivirus scans, especially if you want to save your scan time. This kind of feature also comes in handy when you trust a file type or folder or any process that you believe is safe but the Windows Security considers as malicious. To exclude a folder or a file or process or a file type from the Windows Security scan, here are some steps you can follow. Make sure to do them carefully. Step 1: Search for “Windows Security” in the Search box and then click on it from the search results to open it. Step 2: Next, click on Virus & threat protection > Manage settings > Add or remove exclusions. Step 3: After that, on the next screen, click on Add an exclusion > Folder. It will show you a list that includes File, Folder, File Type, and Process. Step 4: Now click on “+Add and exclusion” on the next window and then select a folder you want to exclude and click OK to add it in the Exclusions list. Step 5: Click on the down arrow button to remove it and then click on the Remove button. Note: If you want to only ignore a few file types, it’s better if you configure your antivirus program to ignore these files with a specific extension. This way, it will ignore all of them no matter what their location is. Also keep in mind that when you select a folder, all the subfolders in it will also be excluded from the scan. Thus, you need to understand what you’re about to do. Once you’re done excluding the folder, it is recommended that you protect the folder using the Controlled Folder Access since this folder is not monitored for threat. The Controlled Folder Access will ensure that an external program does not alter it. This way, you can be sure that even though this folder is not included in the scan, it is still secure.

New Windows brings new keyboard shortcuts, most of them are tied to new features and we are presenting you some new ones that are worth remembering. ⊞ WINDOWS + N - notification panel ⊞ WINDOWS + W - News and Interests feed With the News and Interests feed, Windows 11 offers users the ability to check the latest news, the weather, and more without opening a browser window. ⊞ WINDOWS + Z - Snap Layout Instead of the usual two windows snapping capability, Windows 11 allow users to snap their windows in a three-column layout. Users can access this by pressing Windows Key and Z to access the Snap layout. ⊞ WINDOWS + PRT SCN - taking screenshots This one isn’t exactly new, but pressing the Windows Key and Print Screen will automatically capture the entire screen and save a copy of the image on your PC. Once the screen flashes, you will know that the screenshot has been taken, after which you can find the file saved under your Pictures folder in a subfolder called Screenshot. ⊞ WINDOWS + C - Microsoft Teams chat Microsoft Teams app, the service allows anyone with a Microsoft account to quickly start a chat using the Windows + C shortcut.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!