Images on the Internet Can Be Dangerous

Several months ago, my computer got infected after clicking over a Google image.  Never in my wildest dream would I even suspect Google images could be a source of computer virus.  Now I know different; the Internet is not as safe as it used to be.  Even respectable sites like Google images could bring your computer to a screeching halt.

If you have been following my posts, you already know that I had to pay $35.00 to get the pesky virus out of my hard disk and purchased Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 to avoid recurrence of getting another virus.  I know this is wishful thinking, since malicious people are always looking for ways to earn a fast buck by selling supposed virus remedies.  They infect your computer, then they sell you a bogus software to get rid of it.  C’est la vie!

Below is an excerpt of the problems with Google images which depicts exactly what happened to me.  Please read it carefully; it could save you valuable time and money.

“That picture of a cat licking a lollipop you found on Google Images may be infected.

According to the SANS Internet Storm Center, a number of Google Images are actually infected with malware that misdirects users to pages that try to sell fake anti-virus scareware and to makes users believe they must download the program to avoid viruses.

These scammers use photos from third-party sites so that the images appear to be legitimate, using top search terms from Google Trends so that the content on the page also seems real.

When a user clicks on an infected thumbnail, his/her browser sends a request to the infected page, which then runs the hacker’s script, and then redirects to the site trying to peddle scareware. SANS guesses there are over 5,000 hacked sites, with Google referring about a half million visits to these fake sites each day.

While researcher Bojan Zdrnja has developed a Firefox add-on that displays the infected images with a border in red, it is not yet available for public use.

Google spokesman Jay Nancarrow told Krebs on Security that the company is making “active efforts to improve both the quality of the results and malware detection. We’re improving, as are the people trying to put users at risk, and in the interests of those users it’s best if we don’t reveal everything that we’re doing about this.”

Source:  Thousands of Google Images Infected With Malware – Huffpost Tech

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Back to Civilization

After being in the dark for more than three days, my computer is spick-and-span and ready for business.  After the unexpected infection last Sunday, April 3, 2011, early Monday morning I took the impaired computer to a computer repair shop at El Dorado called, MS Computer. Eric, a very courteous technician told me they would take care of the problem between 24 or 48 hours.  They were true to their word; the computer was ready for pick up yesterday at 2:08 p.m.

When I got home, I connected all the wires, took a deep sigh and pressed the Start button.  Everything went well, fresh as a summer breeze.  The total cost was very reasonable—$37.45.  As you can imagine, not having a working computer for a blogger was a pain in the neck to say the least.

After being hit twice with viruses in less than eight months, I decided to buy the best antivirus program available in the market.  This morning I went to Yoytec Computer, S.A. for help and they suggested Kaspersky Internet Security 2011. The price tag for this software is $30.92 for 1 PC for one year.  I don’t want to be another victim of a virus attack.  Twice is more than enough.

In the past I’ve used free antivirus software which I downloaded from the Internet; this time I think I should go for a professional software.  I hope it works.  The Internet is now like a mined field.  It’s difficult for me to understand why there are evil people out there doing harm to innocent people just to have fun.

Thank you for your patience.  I should have Kaspersky installed by this afternoon and should continue to post my daily articles/snapshots every day.  I apologize for interrupting the flow of blog posts for three days.

Below are a couple of pictures of the Kaspersky software for your ready reference.

Picture of the box of Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 purchased this morning. Photo ©Omar Upegui R.

Another picture of the antivirus software I purchased this morning to protect my daily Internet surfing activities. Photo ©Omar Upegui R.

Eric did a wonderful job.  All my files were intact.  I didn’t lose a scintilla of information.  My next step is to back up all my hard disk’s information and store as much as I can on the Cloud.   Bloggers caveat. Good Day.

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Tight Security at the Cinta Costera

Soon after the inauguration of the Cinta Costera during the administration of then President Martín Torrijos, the government of Panama discovered the project had become an immense success.  People gathered at this hot spot in swarms in an effort to breathe fresh air and exercise their bodies.  It was exactly what the city dwellers had waited for decades.

To protect the goose that laid the golden egg, the Ministry of Public Works requested the Police Department to designate a special force to protect the area against potential crimes.  Many tourists feared visiting the area during the evenings thinking they could  be mugged by thugs.  To avoid this from happening, the Police Department flexed its muscle and organized a special unit to take care of the Coastal Strip.  To this day, it’s one of the safest areas in Panama City.

While the duathlon was in progress, I took a couple of shots of some of the resources the Panama Police has allocated to the Coastal Strip to prevent potential criminal incidents.  When I saw it, the movie Universal Soldier starring French actor, Claude Van Damme, came to my mind.  The police truck certainly looked intimidating.  Take a look.

Part of the resources used by the Panama Police Department to protect the visitors of the Cinta Costera in Panama City, Panama. Photo ©Omar Upegui R.

This large truck is used as a portable jail and small office used by the Panama law enforcement officers to protect the visitors of the Cinta Costera. I noticed it had an air-condition system working inside the small office. Photo ©Omar Upegui R.

This is the final post on the series of the Cinta Costera or Coastal Strip in English.  I’m currently preparing a new series of photographs on the renovation of the old shell of the city commonly known as Casco Viejo.

I hope you have enjoyed viewing the pictures of the new face of Panama City which is rapidly transforming into a modern cosmopolitan city in Latin America.  Good Day.

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Quote: The Wanderer

“I’ve always wanted to sail to the South Seas, but I can’t afford it.  What these men can’t afford is not to go.  They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of ‘security.’ And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the wheels of routine—and before we know it our lives are gone.

What does a man need—really need?  A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in—and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment.  That’s all—in the material sense. And we know it.  But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention from the sheer idiocy of the charade.

The years thunder by. The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience.  Before we know it the tomb is sealed.”

The Wanderer by Sterling Hayden

An inspiring quote submitted to me by an excellent writer, Richard.  Thank you.

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Mozilla Pushes Firefox Version 3.5.7 Out the Door

(Credit: Mozilla.org)

As Firefox becomes more visible, it’s a target for malicious attacks.  Therefore, Mozilla Devs are always on the alert and releasing new security and stability patches.  The latest release is version 3.5.7, which was unveiled yesterday.

Mozilla didn’t say much about this patch, except that it :

• Fixed a common stability issue.
• Fixed a problem with how updates were being presented to users.

You can update your Firefox web browser by going to your Help Menu and clicking the “Check for Updates” option, or by clicking this link. It works either way.  I encourage you to always have the latest version available to avoid any unnecessary risks.

The Web is all about innovation, and Firefox sets the pace with dozens of new features to deliver a faster, more secure and customizable Web browsing experience for all.  Good Day.

Download Mozilla Firefox 3.5.7

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Flock Devs Unveil Version 2.5.6

(Credit: Flock Corporation)

In an effort to maintain the reputation of having one of the best Web browsers around, the honchos at Flock just came up with a new version of Flock—version 2.5.6.

This latest release  addresses the Flickr logout issues and Twitter sidebar issues that some people have been experiencing. 2.5.6 also includes a Firefox security update and various other fixes, all of which you can read about in the release notes.

It is recommended that you update your old Flock version to this latest release.  Remember that the Internet is not as friendly as it used to be.   Don’t let those pesky viruses enter your computer and gobble up your hard disk.  It’s not a happy experience, believe me.  Good Day.

Download Flock 2.5.6 – English (U.S.)

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Mozilla Upgrades Firefox Browser to Version 3.5.6

(Credit: Mozilla Org.)

In an effort to provide the most stable and secure Web browser around, Mozilla recently upgraded its popular Web browser Firefox to Version 3.5.6.

What’s new in this version?

• Fixed several security issues.
• Fixed several stability issues.

Mozilla is encouraging Firefox users to upgrade to this latest stability and security patch as soon as possible.  Due to its growing popularity, Firefox is being targeted by malicious people for the sole purpose of doing harm.  Go ahead and protect yourself if Firefox is your default browser.

Firefox raises the bar for security. The new malware and phishing protection helps protect from viruses, worms, trojans and spyware to keep people safe on the Web.  Good Day.

Download Firefox 3.5.6

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Mozilla Upgrades Firefox to Version 3.5.5

(Credit: Mozilla.org)

In an effort to provide the best Web browser around, Mozilla recently upgraded Firefox with a security and stability patch identified as Version 3.5.5. Mozilla’s isn’t saying much, except that this upgrade  is mainly a security patch.

The Web is all about innovation, and Firefox sets the pace with dozens of new features to deliver a faster, more secure and customizable Web browsing experience for all.

Firefox raises the bar for security. The new malware and phishing protection helps protect from viruses, worms, Trojans and spyware to keep people safe on the Web.

Needless to say, you are strongly encouraged to upgrade to this latest version.  Good Day.

Download Firefox 3.5.5

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The Balboa Police Station Building

The Police Division has been in the Canal Zone since the construction of the Panama Canal in 1904.  A disciplined core was needed to maintain law and order in a territory full of people from different nationalities and humble backgrounds.   The population in the Canal Zone increased abruptly in 1906 as a result of the importation of European laborers by the Panama Canal Commission.

William F. Kessler, Chief of the Police Division in the Canal Zone,  explained the situation in an Internet article dubbed, “A History of the Canal Zone Police”:

“The European laborers were restless, suspicious, and excitable. They had a different class of temperament than that of the West Indian laborer.  The number of arrests for intoxication, disorderly conduct, fighting and crimes of violence increased as the number of European laborers increased.

On the whole, the West Indian laborer was docile, law abiding, and had confidence in the ability of the government to treat him fairly.   These characteristics made the maintenance of order among the West Indian a lesser police concern.”

The Canal Zone Police Division was established in 1904 for the purpose of preserving the integrity of the United States interest in an unfamiliar and challenging setting.  As a result of the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977 which terminated the 1903 Isthmian Canal Treaty transferring the Canal Zone Zone to the Republic of Panama, the work and responsibility of the Canal Zone Police Division ended on  March 31, 1982.

Having outlived its utility to the international waterway, the Canal Zone Police disappeared from the Panamanian landscape like its former police districts which had been covered by the flood waters that had created the Panama Canal.  However some of its building still exists in the former Canal Zone.

During a recent visit to the town of Balboa on the Pacific Side, I encountered the building that used to accommodate the Balboa Police Station next to the Y.M.C.A. Building.  The structure is basically intact.  It is now occupied by the Administration Department of a monument dedicated to a Panamanian political leader (e.g., Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid).

Below are two photographs of the Balboa Police Station.  Here we go.

The former Balboa Police Station located at Balboa in the former Canal Zone. The building looks lonely and inactive; very different from the period when it was occupied by the Canal Zone Police Division. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

Another view of the former Balboa Police Station. It was sad to see how vacant and solitary the structure was. No activity at all. That is not the way I remembered this building during the period I worked for Texaco Antilles at La Boca Tank Farm. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

The crime rate at the Panama Canal Zone was almost nonexistent.  Now that Panama took over the Canal Zone, the area is not as safe as before.  I guess, there is no such thing as a free lunch.  Good Day.

Source:  A History of the Canal Zone Police – William F. Kessler

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Mozilla Firefox is Upgraded to Version 3.5.3

(Credit: Mozilla.org)

In an effort to offer the most stable and secure Web browser available today, the Mozilla Devs announced a new version 0f their hot application.  The latest release is dubbed, Version 3.5.3.

What’s new in Firefox 3.5.3?  The following vulnerabilities were fixed:

• Chrome privilege escalation with FeedWriter. (Critical)
• Location bar spoofing via tall line-height Unicode characters. (Low)
• TreeColumns dangling pointer vulnerability. (Critical)
• Crashes with evidence of memory corruption. (Critical)

No matter what the other guys say, Mozilla Firefox has demonstration over and over again, to be the most safest and stable Web browsers available today.  All the rest play the catching game.  I wish Flock Social Browser would be this aggressive.   Good Day.

Download Firefox 3.5.3

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