The computer and software security thread

[migrant]

Went to the tessabahn yesterday to start the yellow book process. The lady we spoke with gave us copies of what is needed including a picture of someones passport with nothing redacted . I'm sure the new personal protection rules that start tomorrow will stop this

[Big Boy]

That is exactly what happened to me when I started my 'Road to a Yellow Book thread years ago.

I've also mentioned the disposal of all of the paperwork at Immigration - just left outside for anybody to view/ take.

TIT

[buksida]

I think its because we are aliens they don't really give a shit about our personal data security. If it was a Thai's ID card, blue book, or bank details a bit more fuss would be made.

[hhinner]

I think its because we are aliens they don't really give a shit about our personal data security. If it was a Thai's ID card, blue book, or bank details a bit more fuss would be made.

It didn't make any difference at customs in Bangkok when I was there. Scrap paper is scrap paper. Cost saving means reusing sheets with a blank side. When giving forms to banks, government, etc always make the back side unusable.

[buksida]

The poster was talking about the Tessabahn in Hua Hin and someone else's passport, not customs in Bangkok.

[hhinner]

And I made a comment in a thread about security not restricted to HH immigration or the tessaban. The problem with personal details being passed around is quite common.

[404cameljockey]

99 percent of the time I notice false positives flagged by antivirus/anti-malware programs and whitelist the files so they are ignored in future, but for once I let myself get caught out in a silly way.

Malware Bytes flagged all my Chrome extensions as dangerous. It must be a recent update to the programs database, always a headache with this type of software and causing several false positives when the databases are updated.

I thought: "Totally ridiculous, but OK I'll let MB delete the extension archive as I don't need most of the extensions anyway". I can reinstall the few extensions I actually use. So then each time opening Chrome started throwing a warning that a certain extension won't work as the archive (in C\Extension folder) doesn't exist. OK I thought, I'll just delete all the extensions in Chrome. I did, but the warning still keeps popping up. Very, very annoying. To get rid of it I may have to uninstall and reinstall Chrome.

Just a warning, ignore false positives that you know are false, or try to Google the suspect to see what others have done when facing this warning. Even Microsoft or other major developers' software is sometimes flagged, it's all nonsense. Antivirus programs often make this very hard as they don't give enough information about the flagged file or even its location, just telling you to delete or otherwise just ignore the flag (without even being able to investigate whether the original file version has been replaced by malware). God I hate antivirus programs with a passion.

PS - the same warning pops up in Brave browser, with a different extension reference number. Neither of the numbers correspond with the version number of any of the previously existing extensions. It's all just nonsense ....

[PeteC]

The daughter will soon jump from a Mac laptop to a PC desktop for school purposes. Is there any consensus now on the best antivirus suite, or are the major players more or less the same these days?

[Dannie Boy]

I’ve been using Bitdefender for a number of years - never knowingly had any problems and it’s competitively priced.

[pharvey]

I’ve been using Bitdefender for a number of years - never knowingly had any problems and it’s competitively priced.

Yes, I'd go with that - I've been using Bitdefender Total Security. I used AVG previously, both the Free and Paid versions, but do find Bitdefender better.

[huahin4ever]

As a matter of fact the built in protection from Microsoft is more than good enough. I haven't used anything else for the last 5 years and never had any issues at all.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defen ... us-windows

YNWA

[Dannie Boy]

I’m much more of a novice than expert but this suggests otherwise

AI Overview

For basic protection against common threats, Windows Defender (now Microsoft Defender Antivirus) is a decent option, but it's not as comprehensive as third-party antivirus software and may lack advanced features.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Strengths of Windows Defender:
Built-in and Free: It's a pre-installed security solution with no extra cost.
Real-time Protection: It continuously scans for threats and takes immediate action to neutralize them.
Good for Basic Protection: It effectively detects and blocks common malware, viruses, and other online threats.
Improved Performance: It has improved significantly over the years and is less likely to slow down your system.
Automatic Updates: It automatically updates itself to stay current with the latest threats.
Good scores in testing: AV-TEST gave Microsoft Defender Antivirus a perfect 6 out of 6 across the board for protection, performance, and usability.
Limitations of Windows Defender:
Lacks Advanced Features:
Compared to third-party antivirus software, it may lack advanced features like web protection, VPN, or password managers.
Not as Effective in Some Scenarios:
While it's good for basic protection, it might not be as effective against highly targeted or advanced threats.
False Positives:
In some instances, it might flag legitimate software as malicious, causing inconvenience.
Not as Good at Cleaning Up Infections:
Some users have reported that it can sometimes struggle to fully clean up an infected system.
No dedicated customer support:
If you want to complain there's no dedicated customer support for Defender either, you just call Microsoft.
Alternatives and Recommendations:
Consider Third-Party Antivirus:
If you need more advanced features or are concerned about the limitations of Windows Defender, consider a third-party antivirus solution.
Complement with Additional Security Measures:
Even with Windows Defender, it's always a good idea to practice safe online habits, such as using strong passwords, being cautious about clicking on suspicious links, and keeping your software up to date.
Research Different Options:
If you decide to go with a third-party antivirus, research different options and read reviews to find the one that best suits your needs.
In summary: Windows Defender is a good starting point for basic protection, but for more comprehensive security, consider supplementing it with additional security measures or a third-party antivirus solution.

[404cameljockey]

Windows Defender may protect reasonably well these days but it still has slightly weak cleaning capabilities. If your PC or laptop is for example infected with a Windows rootkit it's less likely to detect it than better equipped AV software. If you want to go the free-to-use route with Defender I'd recommended to also set up a regular (maybe weekly) scan with the free version of another program like Malware Bytes.

I believe that conflicts between AV programs nowadays is less likely to occur, but running two alongside each other 24/7 isn't ever a good idea. If you use a third party AV for live protection then turn off Windows Defender (I don't use the proprietary Windows Firewall either, but that's just my preference; it depends on what you use your machine for).

[Big Boy]

I've just encountered a very strange one.

Today is the day FA Cup semi-final tickets went on sale at 10am. I'd been waiting at my laptop for about 1 hour in anticipation of the Buy Tickets button on the Thai Ticket Major to go active.

10am came, the button became active, and I was away. I went through the entire booking process, but instead of getting the 'Transaction Successful' screen, I received a 'This looks like a Cyber Attack' screen. I had to exit, and every subsequent attempt to purchase was telling me I'd exceeded my ticket quota - PANIC!!!

I had to quickly register my son for a TTM account. I then worked through the process, and despite being 10 minutes into the ticket selling process, I was still able to purchase the tickets I required.

Of course, the question has to be, why was I perceived as a Cyber Attack in the first instance? I've purchased from the TTM site a few times why was I threat this time?