Category Archives: AVG

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A simple solution to IT security sprawl?

According to recent research conducted by Forrester Consulting, the vast majority of enterprise security professionals believe that security should be delivered as an integrated platform via the cloud.

Indeed, 98 percent of those questioned said that integrated security platforms would be effective to both improve their security posture and to reduce overall cost in comparison to traditional on-premise security appliances and point solutions.

As our channel partners have experienced firsthand from their small and medium business clients, the ultimate problem addressed in the research is one that has been gaining increased airtime over the past year – security sprawl. With more data sharing, more device connections, and more security solutions to manage everything than ever before, companies are struggling to keep themselves secure.

Though targeted at an enterprise level, I believe you’ll agree that these research findings are just as applicable to smaller businesses – with the fragmented security landscape posing a management headache no matter your company size.

Our AVG Business product line includes a managed services and security platform that offers a range of features. We have designed the products with absolute simplicity in mind to help relieve security sprawl headaches. AVG CloudCare is one example, enabling direct, real-time management of a full suite of cloud-delivered security services – antivirus, online backup, content filtering, email security, premium remote control, secure sign-on and more, all from one dashboard. Instead of having to deal with the complexity of multiple, different security solutions, we provide a ‘single pane of glass’ view for easier IT management.

AVG CloudCare supports our partners, so that MSPs can give their customers the reassurance that their applications and data are protected on any device, anytime, anywhere.

As John Quatto, Channel Partner Manager at Zobrio Inc. recently put it, “the only problem you might face now is that your clients will never witness and appreciate the work you’re doing – As an MSP you have to be able to prove your worth – ironically, that’s difficult if you’re fixing issues before the customer even knows they exist!”

If AVG CloudCare sounds like it could be an asset for your business, visit our AVG Business website today to find out more.

AVG

Brazil faces unique cybersecurity challenges

Futurecom is Brazil’s major conference and exhibition for the mobile industry to come together and look at the specific requirements that this unique country and culture need.

I was fortunate enough to be asked to be on a panel of industry experts, which included companies such as Tefonica, TIM, Telebras, Deloitte IBM, KPMG and of course AVG. The discussion was promised to be about cybersecurity with the following questions asked by the moderator through the 1.5 hours to get the discussion going.

  1. How does the advancement of mobile applications and the use of new devices (and any connected “thing”) make even greater challenges for cybersecurity?
  2. What are the most critical aspects which users need to worry about?
  3. How can suppliers, operators and providers contribute to increase the level of protection in these environments?
  4. What are the main trends in cybersecurity compared to mobile and the internet of things which just tend to grow?

Each participant gave a view point, and what interested me was how the entire conversation, regardless of the question, seemed to revolve around two topics: data breaches and consumer privacy. This dominated the answers, yet if the same questions had been asked 3 years ago this would have been about malware and protecting devices, but now the conversation is about us, the consumer.

Brazil has some unique challenges in this area as there is no legislation requiring companies to disclose any data breach, and therefore the consumer never knows if their data has been compromised. The consensus of the panel was that governments need to legislate. While I agree with the need for ‘some’ legislation there is also an opportunity for industry to self-regulate and show a responsible path. Self-regulation in any industry allows companies involved to find innovative ways to provide solutions and allows new business practices that may not have been permitted by the strictness of specific legislation.

The fact that data breaches and consumer privacy topped the agenda is not surprising. If we look at the trend of security stories in the US and Europe you’ll notice that the news coverage is all around these topics and the many data breaches that have taken place.

We, whether knowingly or not, disclose and share more information with companies than any generation has ever done before us: our preferences for food, where we shop, our location — the list of data is endless. It is only when this data falls into the wrong hands do we take time to think about the consequences of having shared it, and then maybe regretting it a little. As consumers we need greater choice and control on what is being collected about us and ultimately how it may be used.

It’s not surprising that in one of the world’s major populations, in which a large number of people moved straight to mobile skipping the PC generation, that mobile applications are used in slightly different ways to the rest of the world.  I recommend watching to see how Brazil handles the challenges of data breaches and consumer privacy, whether legislated or self-regulated.

AVG

Position your managed services business for success

It has been a busy time at AVG Business with our recent product releases and there is still more to come.  As we roll out new tools and services, your feedback continues to be critical.  Insight and comments from our channel partners and their clients help us continually raise the bar for security and managed IT business solutions.

So far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

Starting with our latest release of AVG Managed Workplace®, we’ve delivered the advantages of premium remote control at no additional cost and remote monitoring and management all in one platform.

We haven’t stopped there. Weeks later, we introduced our new, enterprise-class business security products that feature advanced protection. Last month, AVG also received a 100% detection rating of real-world malware and 100% detection of widespread malware from the Independent IT Security Institute, AV-TEST.  Our business security products are based on this same AVG engine.  This ‘double 100%’ result from AV-TEST demonstrates that our products are protecting SMBs without compromise whether the threat is new or a known malware variant that is widespread.

They say that good things come in threes, and now we’ve rolled out new onboarding training and support to help new partners get up to speed right away and established partners continue to drive growth for their managed services business.

The simple-to-follow onboarding services can be accessed through our partner portal, which was recently upgraded with a brand new user interface and easier navigation to give partners quicker access to the technology and knowledge they need to succeed.

If you’re not an AVG Business partner yet, sign up for a free 14-day trial today to check out the latest release of our Managed Workplace 9.2 product, the new services portal and onboarding tools.

Here’s a look at what you’ll find:

  • A 12-month, 5-step success plan: Targeted business plans that help partners achieve monthly, quarterly or yearly milestones.
  • AVG Accelerator Partner Academy: On-demand business and technical training to quickly onboard technical staff plus best practice tips and discussion on sales, marketing, business and channel operations.
  • In-depth knowledge base: Frequently asked questions and information for troubleshooting issues.
  • User forums: Community engagement and fast access to your peers for learning and networking.
  • Sales and marketing materials: Ready-to-use content to sell AVG Managed Workplace and other AVG Business products.

But that’s not all. Coming soon, you will be able to access our new AVG Managed Services Pricing Calculator from our partner portal. This cool calculator can be used by AVG channel partners to help price their managed services, develop the desired contract margins and predict profitable monthly recurring revenue. It captures critical elements of client service: labor costs, business overhead and software licensing, onboarding and more.

These new updates are all part of our continuous effort to develop and improve upon the products and support we provide to our partners — an ongoing process that is informed by the valued feedback we receive from our growing network.

Below is just a sample of some of our most recent feedback:

“AVG Managed Workplace has completely changed how we do business. We really like it because we now have visibility on our clients’ networks. In many cases the automation feature detects and resolves an issue before something fails.” — Terry Johnson, Consultant, Infrastructure and Data Solutions, Experis  

“As a value added reseller, we needed a partner that could help us create and implement solid security plans, and then deliver cost effective ongoing monitoring and maintenance of customer networks. The strength of AVG CloudCare’s cloud-based administration, integrated with the power of AVG Managed Workplace, was the answer.” — John Quatto, Channel Partner Manager, Zobrio   

“Our partnership with AVG is taking our business to a whole new level. We have a complete portfolio to deliver, from the security aspect outwards. The antivirus side of our business has grown 96% year on year, and anti-spam 29%. And with hosting, Online Backup and social media services still largely untapped, the only problem is finding the time to follow up all the AVG-generated opportunities.” –Gordon Montgomery, Operations Director, MCC Computers

Visit http://www.avg.com/gb-en/partners to find out more about our AVG Business solutions and how we can help your business.

AVG

AVG wraps up a successful week in Latin America

Last week AVG took part in Latin America’s largest and most important telecoms, IT and Internet event – Futurecom. It is the first time AVG has exhibited and presented at the event and we wanted to enter the show with some significant news and noise, which we achieved.

Brazil has been a strong market for AVG – a large base of users taking advantage of the AVG Free products on both Windows and Android. There has also been a strong presence in the AVG Business products for over a decade through our partner Winco, who became the first AVG Latin America office after we acquired them in July 2014. As with most technology companies, we see Brazil as a key market for our continued expansion strategy. Futurecom has allowed us to share some of this strategy and announce local partnerships and products developed specifically for the local market.

The first announcement of the week was the launch of AVG Family Graph – a new product from our Location Labs business unit. Knowing where our kids and loved ones are is becoming part of everyday life. In fact, when a parent communicates with their child 72% of them start with “where are you?” I can even hear myself saying it, as it’s usually the first question out of my mouth. This becomes a serious conversation in countries with crime issues that involve kidnap and ransom scenarios.

AVG Family Graph provides the ability to locate family members’ phones regardless of their mobile operator through a simple and easy to use app. If a family member is in trouble, there is a panic button that alerts all the other family members of your location. Of course, we hope that no one needs to use the panic button, and for most parents just knowing where their kids are at any given moment will give them peace of mind. AVG is looking to partner with carriers in Brazil to provide the app to families while giving carriers the advantage of knowing your family a little better. This way, carriers can customize services to meet the demands of a connected family.

The second of this week’s announcements was the news that our security and performance products, AVG AntiVirus PRO for Android and AVG Cleaner for Android, are now featured in the Samsung Galaxy’s Latin American app store, and are also featured in the gift section of the store. Both apps will be available with a 90-day trial, after which time customers in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Colombia and Peru will be given the choice of upgrading to keep the enhanced features or migrate to the free protection or performance features.

Our last announcement of the week was our partnership with Conecta, one of Brazil’s leading mobile insurance companies. When you purchase a new phone, the sales people often ask if you want to insure it. In order to help protect your new device, AVG is providing Conecta customers with anti-theft and anti-virus protection. Customers who purchase a Conecta mobile insurance policy will receive a complimentary one-year subscription to AVG Internet Security and AVG AntiVirus PRO for Android.

With more than 60 smartphones stolen every hour in Brazil’s four largest cities, the anti-theft functionality within AVG AntiVirus PRO for Android might come in handy!

AVG

6 Tips for safer online shopping this Christmas

It’s the end of the year and that means the festive season is almost here! Many of us will be buying gifts for our friends and loved ones, and many of us will being doing it online — it’s convenient, less hassle and there are some great deals to be found.

Scammers don’t take holidays. Unfortunately they’re especially busy during the holiday season targeting unsuspecting online shoppers who are eager to snap up Christmas bargains.

Here are a few things you can do to enjoy safer online shopping this season.

 

1. Buy from reputable and trusted stores or sellers

When shopping online you should try and purchase from trusted or well-established online stores or marketplaces, and ensure that sellers or merchants have a good reputation and track record.

Some scammers take the time to set up highly elaborate and genuine looking websites, so don’t be fooled by their good looks. If in doubt, do your research — read reliable online reviews, ask around in website forums, and maybe even go that extra mile and check a seller’s business credentials.

Some e-commerce sites give you the option of using a third party payment method. This can be useful if they offer features like Paypal’s buyer protection. It means that if something does go wrong you can recover some of your money.

 

2. Avoid the ‘too good to be true’ offer

If you see deals or offers that are too good to be true, then they probably are — try and avoid them. Shoppers are often tempted into taking up unbelievable offers, and in doing so purchase a product that never arrives or they inadvertently divulge their private and financial details to scammers.

 

3. Pay securely 

When purchasing online always make sure you’re using a secure payment method at the checkout. This will ensure that the information being sent in the transaction is encrypted and can’t be intercepted. You can confirm that an online store’s checkout is encrypted by making sure there is a little lock icon visible in the address bar, followed by ‘https’ and not ‘http’.

 

4. Avoid upfront payments or fees

You might receive an unsolicited email saying that you’ve received a prize in a competition or a parcel that needs to be delivered, but to receive it you first need to pay an administrative fee or extra postage. Be very wary! Don’t give out any details or pay any fees upfront to claim a ‘free’ item from someone via an unsolicited email, message or phone call.

 

5. Watch out for phishing emails

Phishing emails often look legitimate and are from businesses that you would normally use — It could be a bank, online store or even a government agency.

The fake email might provide plausible reasons for you to click a link to visit a website and update your details, for example: a problem with your account that needs an update, or that you need to confirm an existing order with correct account credentials.

Be very careful. Don’t reply to the email or click any links, instead go directly to the business or organisation’s website in your browser and login into your account to verify everything is in order.

Also, remember to avoid opening any file attachments from unsolicited or unknown senders. If you do, you could be at risk of accidentally installing malware or trojans.

 

6. Install an antivirus solution and keep software up-to-date

You should keep all your software and the operating system on your devices up-to-date to avoid vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious software and hackers. If you don’t have one already, you should consider installing an effective antivirus solution to prevent viruses and malware.

AVG offers award winning antivirus protection — PC users can install AVG AntiVirus Free, and Mac users can download our free AVG AntiVirus for Mac. If you have a phone running Android, you can download AVG AntiVirus for Android from the Google Play Store, which is also free.

Happy holidays and stay safe out there.

 

 

If you or anybody you know has been affected by cybercrime fraud you can report it to:

US
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internet Crime Complaints Center
http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

UK
ActionFruad – National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre
http://www.actionfraud.police.uk

AUS
Scamwatch
https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam

ACORN – Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network
https://report.acorn.gov.au

 

 

AVG

Conecta Partners with AVG to help Secure Smartphones in Brazil

São Paulo, October 28, 2015 – More than 60 smartphones are stolen per hour in the four largest Brazilian cities. To help combat this issue, AVG® Technologies N.V. (NYSE: AVG), the online security companyTM for more than 200 million monthly active users, today announced a new partnership with Conecta to provide AVG’s anti-theft protection to Conecta customers in Brazil. Conecta is the leading Brazilian mobile insurance company responsible for managing more than 90% of the country’s policies. Customers who purchase a Conecta mobile insurance policy will receive a subscription to AVG Internet Security and AVG AntiVirus PRO for AndroidTM, which includes anti-theft protection, for one year. This partnership is being announced in conjunction with Futurecom 2015, an Information and Communication Technology Event of Latin America, from October 26-29 in São Paulo (SP).

AVG AntiVirus PRO for Android’s antitheft protection allows a user to track a device, lock it remotely, and delete the data stored on it, and even take a picture of the thief and back up applications.

“Smartphones are expensive items, usually purchased on credit. In cases of loss or theft, users would have to pay for the missing phone, as well as the cost of replacing it. They may also lose photos, music and other important content,” says Leandro Mantovam, Sales Director at AVG Technologies Brazil. “Between Conecta’s insurance and AVG’s apps, this partnership helps protects the device, the data and the content. A real and important example of online and physical security converging.”

Conecta is a leader in insurance for the mobile market and works with 100% of the mobile operators that offer smartphone insurance. Founded in 2001, Conecta was the first company to find solutions that would ensure the safe mobile phones in the country.

“As technology is becoming more essential for our customers, our mission is to make their lives easier and safer, while staying connected. To achieve our goals, we must focus on excellence in the provisioning of our services, and constantly improve our solutions,” said Thiago Villa, Operations Director of Conecta.

AVG will provide more information at the following event:
Futurecom 2015 – Leading the Digital Transformation
Date: October 26 to 29, 2015
Schedule: 9h30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (including Trade Show and International Congress) Location: Transamérica Expo Center – Avenida Doutor Mário Vilas Boas Rodrigues, 387 – Santo Amaro, São Paulo – SP – Brazil


About AVG Technologies (NYSE: AVG)

AVG is the online security company providing leading software and services to secure devices, data and people. AVG’s award-winning technology is delivered to over 200 million monthly active users worldwide. AVG’s Consumer portfolio includes internet security, performance optimization, location services, data controls and insights, personal privacy and identity protection for mobile devices and desktops. The AVG Business portfolio – delivered by managed service providers, VARs and resellers – offers IT administration, control and reporting, integrated security and mobile device management that simplifies protection for businesses.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. www.avg.com

 

About Conecta

A Conecta é especializada em soluções de proteção móvel, responsável pela gestão de mais de 90% das apólices que cobrem aparelhos celulares no Brasil. Atendendo 100% das operadoras de telefonia que oferecem seguros de celular, a empresa conecta todas as pontas que passam por mais de 2 milhões de consumidores, seguradoras, corretoras, call centers, bancos de dados e logística. Fundada em 2001, foi a primeira empresa a encontrar soluções que realmente viabilizassem os seguros de celulares no país.

 

Media Contacts in Brazil:

Camila Sanches
Tel: 055-11-33883059
Email: [email protected]

Lizandra Cardelino:
Tel: 055-11-33883056
Email: [email protected]

Media Contacts for rest of the world:

Deanna Contreras
Tel: 415-608-9627
Email: [email protected]

Zena Martin
Tel: +44 7496 638 342
Email: [email protected]

Press information: http://now.avg.com

AVG

Samsung to Provide AVG’s Award Winning Consumer Security in Latin America

São Paulo, October 27, 2015 – AVG® Technologies N.V. (NYSE: AVG), the online security companyTM for more than 200 million monthly active users, today announced Samsung Electronics will feature its security and performance mobile solutions in the Samsung Galaxy’s Latin American app store. AVG’s flagship AVG AntiVirus PRO for AndroidTM and AVG CleanerTM for AndroidTM will give Samsung customers in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Colombia and Peru access to AVG’s award-winning protection and performance products.

For a limited time, Samsung customers will receive a 90-day trial of both apps. After the trial, customers will either be able to choose to keep the enhanced features by purchasing the upgrades or to migrate to the award-winning free versions, which offer core protection and performance.

“Partnering with Samsung allows AVG to continue its expansion in strategic markets in Latin America, where smartphone use has been increasing dramatically,” said David Ferguson, Senior Vice President, Revenue & Business Operations, AVG Technologies. “Because mobile is the primary source of Internet connection for many users in high- growth markets, security has become an increasing concern for manufacturers who want to offer the best possible protection for their customers. We are very pleased to provide that peace of mind.”

In addition to strengthening AVG’s position as a leading provider of online security throughout the world, the partnership with Samsung in Latin America is another proof point of AVG’s heightened focus and presence in the Latin America market. Brazil is considered a key market in AVG’s expansion strategy for the future.

With users increasingly dependent on their mobile devices in their daily lives, we need to commit to providing safe Internet use for our customers,” said Aline dos Santos, Marketing Manager, Samsung Media Solution Center for Latin America. “Working with AVG allows us to leverage the knowledge and experience of a leading company in protection, privacy and performance mobile solutions to ensure that our users can enjoy their smartphones and tablets with peace of mind.”

AVG and Samsung will be discussing this partnership and other strategies for the Brazilian and Latin American markets at AVG’s booth at Futurecom 2015. The event will take place from today through Thursday, October 29, at the Transamerica Expo Center, São Paulo, Brazil.

Service
Futurecom 2015 – Leading the Digital Transformation
Date: October 26 to 29, 2015
Schedule: 9h30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (including Trade Show and International Congress)
Location: Transamérica Expo Center – Avenida Doutor Mário Vilas Boas Rodrigues, 387 – Santo Amaro, São Paulo – SP – Brazil

 


About AVG Technologies (NYSE: AVG)

AVG is the online security company providing leading software and services to secure devices, data and people. AVG’s award-winning technology is delivered to over 200 million monthly active users worldwide. AVG’s Consumer portfolio includes internet security, performance optimization, location services, data controls and insights, personal privacy and identity protection for mobile devices and desktops. The AVG Business portfolio – delivered by managed service providers, VARs and resellers – offers IT administration, control and reporting, integrated security and mobile device management that simplifies protection for businesses.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. www.avg.com

 

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 

For over 70 years, Samsung has been dedicated to making a better world through diverse businesses that today span advanced technology, semiconductors, skyscraper and plant construction, petrochemicals, fashion, medicine, finance, hotels, and more. Our flagship company, Samsung Electronics, leads the global market in high-tech electronics manufacturing and digital media. Through innovative, reliable products and services; talented people; a responsible approach to business and global citizenship; and collaboration with our partners and customers, Samsung is taking the world in imaginative new directions.

Media Solution Center is a division of Samsung present in various regions of the world. Brazil’s Office is responsible for Latin America Division that aims to create and offer quality content and services for the company’s devices. The Division also aims to boost the market for content and services through strategic partnerships with regional companies, as well as support the development of differentiated and exclusive applications, contributing to the ecosystem of developers in Latin America. http://developer.samsung.com/ 

 

Media Contacts in Brazil:

Camila Sanches
Tel: 055-11-33883059
Email: [email protected]

Lizandra Cardelino:
Tel: 055-11-33883056
Email: [email protected]

Media Contacts for rest of the world:

Deanna Contreras
Tel: 415-608-9627
Email: [email protected]

Zena Martin
Tel: +44 7496 638 342
Email: [email protected]

Press information: http://now.avg.com

AVG

AVG Technologies Launches AVG Family Graph to Help Mobile Operators Create Their Own Family Social Graph

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL—October 27, 2015—AVG® Technologies N.V. (NYSE: AVG), the online security companyTM for more than 200 million monthly active users, today announced the availability of AVG Family Graph for mobile operators. AVG Family Graph helps mobile operators attract and retain valuable family plan subscribers by creating the family social graph, a view into intra-family connections. For subscribers, the product offers the ability to locate family members’ phones regardless of their mobile operator.

AVG Family Graph is built by Location Labs, the AVG business unit focused on serving the mobile operator market. Location Labs by AVG is the US family locator market leader, with mobile operator customers including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. In the US market, where over two-thirds of consumer lines are on family plans, evidence suggests that wireless accounts moving from 1 line to 4 lines have 75% lower churn. For markets where pre-paid penetration is high and family plan adoption is low, AVG Family Graph will become the mobile operator’s view into connections within families, creating a de facto family plan.

By partnering with AVG to offer Family Graph to customers, mobile operators outside the US can now apply this model to make single line subscribers behave more like a family account, potentially increasing customer lifetimes as much as 400%, as the US market has shown.

“Operators worldwide want greater family plan adoption. Working with every Tier 1 mobile operator in the US, we’ve seen the success of this strategy,” said Tasso Roumeliotis, Founder & CEO of Location Labs by AVG. “By launching our operator- branded family safety product, operators can create customer engagement and loyalty among the coveted family segment and remain competitive in a market expected to reach $275 billion USD in South America, alone, by 2020.”

“AVG Family Graph further demonstrates our commitment to protecting devices, data, and people. We’re expanding beyond the US to bring people protection to the global market,” said Todd Simpson, Chief Strategy Officer, AVG Technologies. “With quick time to market, Family Graph gives a vital tool to mobile operators who recognize the value of onboarding and keeping entire families as customers.”

In conjunction with the launch of Family Graph, Tasso Roumeliotis, Founder & CEO of Location Labs by AVG, will deliver the keynote at Futurecom on Tuesday, October 27, sharing in-depth analysis of the future of mobile safety innovation, how operators can attract and retain their most valuable subscribers, and why partnerships with cutting- edge Silicon Valley companies are vital.

AVG Family Graph is available immediately for mobile operators. The iOS and Android apps are designed for co-branding and can be quickly brought to market. For mobile operators who want more information about AVG Family Graph, email [email protected]. For more information on Tasso Roumeliotis’s Futurecom keynote, visit http://agenda.futurecom.com.br/en/27.

 

 

About AVG Technologies (NYSE: AVG)

AVG is the online security company providing leading software and services to secure devices, data and people. AVG’s award-winning technology is delivered to over 200 million monthly active users worldwide. AVG’s Consumer portfolio includes internet security, performance optimization, location services, data controls and insights, personal privacy and identity protection for mobile devices and desktops. The AVG Business portfolio – delivered by managed service providers, VARs and resellers – offers IT administration, control and reporting, integrated security and mobile device management that simplifies protection for businesses.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. www.avg.com

Media Contacts in Brazil:

Camila Sanches
Tel: 055-11-33883059
Email: [email protected]

Lizandra Cardelino:
Tel: 055-11-33883056
Email: [email protected]

Media Contact in North America:

Deanna Contreras
Tel: 415-608-9627
Email: [email protected]

Press information: http://now.avg.com

AVG

How to avoid auto-correct fails

Have you ever sent an SMS in haste only to find that your phone has incorrectly interpreted what it thinks you meant, resulting in a bizarre or non-sensical message?

It can be frustrating, amusing and in some cases embarrassing. But don’t worry, there is way you can disable the auto-correct feature regardless of whether you have and iOS or Android device.

Disable Auto-correction in iOS on your iPhone or iPad

  • Tapping ‘Settings’
  • Scroll down and open ‘General’
  • Scroll through the options and open ‘Keyboard’
  • You should see the ‘Auto-correction’ option, tap to switch it off.

 

Disable Auto-correction/Auto-replace on Android

Some versions of Android may differ and your screen options might look a bit different, but in general the feature Auto-correction/Auto-replace feature can be found by:

  • Tapping ‘Settings’
  • open ‘Language & input’
  • Under the ‘Keyboard & input method‘ heading, select the current keyboard—it might be ‘Android Keyboard‘ or ‘Google Keyboard‘ depending on your device setup.
  • Scroll through the options and locate ‘Auto-correct’ or ‘Auto-replace’ then tap to uncheck.
  • If it’s the Google Keyboard you’ll be given a list of options for how aggressive you’d like the auto-correction to be. Select ‘Off‘.
  • You’re all done!

For more great tips on getting the most out of your PC, Mac and mobile devices, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

AVG

TalkTalk data breach

Over the last few days, more details pertaining to the recent news that TalkTalk has suffered a data breach have been made public, but there are still many questions about exactly what was taken. In many data breach cases, details are limited by the need for the company and law enforcement agencies to ascertain the extent of the breach and to collect evidence.

With the news that a suspect has been arrested in connection to the cyber attack, I am sure more details will start to become available over the coming days.

So far, it appears the data exposed – some of which may have been encrypted – could include: names, addresses, DoBs, email addresses, phone numbers, TalkTalk account information, bank details and partial credit card details. But what could this mean practically?

Take account information, for example – is a user’s Active Choice information held within their account settings? If so, I wonder how many people would be embarrassed by people discovering they have disabled porn filters on their broadband. With this sort of personal information, could we be looking at ‘Ashley Madison 2.0′?

Looking at recent data breaches, spear phishing is a frequent method of entry – targeting individuals within a company or organization to reveal details allowing hackers access to internal systems.

This means implications for both companies and consumers. Organizations should limit employee access to sensitive information in order to limit the risk of falling victim to attacks like this. Employee education – ensuring workers are aware of the dangers – is also paramount.

My advice to consumers:

  • Ensure other online accounts aren’t using the same email and password combination as stored with TalkTalk. If so, change them.
  • Be wary of spammers sending emails that look like they’re coming from TalkTalk. Scrutinize these emails carefully and, if in doubt, contact TalkTalk directly to ensure it’s an official communication.
  • If you are concerned that credit card details have been breached, then call your card company and have the card suspended or stopped.