Malware: 1-855-298-4477

So while at work, I get an email. Someone has a popup saying stuff along the lines of malware detected, your computer is locked, don't reboot or you could damage your system. Then it says repeatedly to call "tech support" at 1-855-298-4477. After looking at the screen shot, it was easy to tell the problems. First, it was in a web browser. Second, the spacing was all messed up.Like this. Most importantly, it just says "call tech support" and not specifically who this tech support is supposed to be. So, obviously just close the window and move on.

Now being the jerk that I am, I decide while I have a moment to call the number. The number seems to re-route you to different recipients, all who answer along the lines of "this is tech support, how may I help you?" So when I get that, I hang up and cross my fingers I get a call back. I do. The number was marked as being in Texas, but I highly doubt that was its origin. The number was 1-713-589-4442. So the guy calls and says that he missed my call and asks how he can help. There was a thick accent, so I had to get him to repeat it 3 times before he slowed down so I could hear what he was trying to say.

I blatantly ask him "is this a tech support scam?" I imagine he was either terrible at English or just didn't understand me because he said yes and asked how he could help. So I tell him that he's not listening, and I asked if it was a scam. He tells me he's tech support and can remotely connect to remove the malware. I let him know that first off, a web browser isn't going to detect malware on your computer like that and that I am the tech support. After a bit of back and forth and me insisting that it is indeed a scam, he replied that if companies like Microsoft charge for fixing computers and it's not a scam then they were not a scam.

Eventually... he hung up on me. I imagine it was something to do with me laughing at him and calling it a stupid scam.

Now the reason I post this is for a simple reason. I believe that if you can recognize scams like these, you should pick up the phone and bug the scammers and liars. Try this number if you want, call them up and if "tech support" answers, have some fun. Make a bogus report and give them fake credit card info or just simply call them out. I think scams like this are done just simply because it is so easy as most people who can tell it is a scam just ignore it and those that can't lose.

That's just my thoughts, anyway. It really bothers me when others take advantage of people like that.

***Edit: Just wanted to add this because I decided to call it again just because. So, this guy I ask for the name of the company he works for. After some poking and prodding, I get him spewing out some really bad fake information about his company and its support. Eventually, after pointing out he didn't know jack, he hung up and then all I got was a disconnected message. How rude.

Information Dump: Comptia Security+

So a few days ago, I passed the test to get my Security+. Now, I'm going to give you an idea of what the test was like. The reason I want to is because my cousin, who had already gotten the certification, said the test was easy. I was using the CertMaster material, and that stuff was hard as far as lots of little things to remember.

Well, here's the broad overview. Like the A+ tests, it includes simulations and multiple choice. The simulations were not exactly simulations so much as a visual word problem. The simulations were a bit confusing as far as the directions go, but once I understood what the goal was, it was easy.

The biggest problem I ran into was how the questions were worded. I had flagged a few for review and when I went through them again, I realized I had picked the wrong answer because I didn't understand the question correctly. So, I went through the whole test roughly three times before I ran out of time. When the questions were understood, the test itself was relatively easy, even for someone like myself with horrible test taking skills.

As far as must know material for the test, it jumped around a lot. I was assuming it would probably focus on some core concepts such as CIA or risk and controls, but that only seemed to be present in maybe two questions.

Either way, the test was easy to answer, just read the questions very carefully. Now here's my study guide/cheat sheet I made while studying for the test.

Comptia Security+ Reference