Views : Malaysia's First Review Portal

Views.com.my is a fun and engaging place for passionate and opinionated influencers to share the experiences they've had with local businesses and services. Simply put it's word of mouth - amplified. And now Views can help savvy business owners get the most out of their online reputation.

Views is open, transparent, and free. People are free to read, free to write, and free to start a new listing. Everyone is invited and encouraged to participate: customers, businesses, employees — anyone with an VIEWS or something to say.

In this profit-focused, tech-driven world, customer service seems nothing more than an afterthought for many businesses-large and small. Consumers, fed up with having their complaints dismissed or, even worse, ignored entirely, are demanding a platform where they can take action and make an impact. Such an outlet is the idea behind Views: a platform created to serve the consumer. You become the local expert and the consumer voice of revenge or promotion making the world more polite and satisfying through the power you wield.

Views.com.my is the Malaysia's first review portal.

Conficker Virus Begins To Attack PCs

A malicious software program known as Conficker that many feared would wreak havoc on April 1 is slowly being activated, weeks after being dismissed as a false alarm, security experts said.

Conficker, also known as Downadup or Kido, is quietly turning thousands of personal computers into servers of e-mail spam and installing spyware, they said.

The worm started spreading late last year, infecting millions of computers and turning them into "slaves" that respond to commands sent from a remote server that effectively controls an army of computers known as a botnet.

Its unidentified creators started using those machines for criminal purposes in recent weeks by loading more malicious software onto a small percentage of computers under their control, said Vincent Weafer, a vice president with Symantec Security Response, the research arm of the world's largest security software maker, Symantec Corp.

"Expect this to be long-term, slowly changing," he said of the worm. "It's not going to be fast, aggressive."

Conficker installs a second virus, known as Waledac, that sends out e-mail spam without knowledge of the PC's owner, along with a fake anti-spyware program, Weafer said.

The Waledac virus recruits the PCs into a second botnet that has existed for several years and specializes in distributing e-mail spam.

"This is probably one of the most sophisticated botnets on the planet. The guys behind this are very professional. They absolutely know what they are doing," said Paul Ferguson, a senior researcher with Trend Micro Inc, the world's third-largest security software maker.

He said Conficker's authors likely installed a spam engine and another malicious software program on tens of thousands of computers since April 7.

He said the worm will stop distributing the software on infected PCs on May 3 but more attacks will likely follow.

"We expect to see a different component or a whole new twist to the way this botnet does business," said Ferguson, a member of The Conficker Working Group, an international alliance of companies fighting the worm.

Researchers had feared the network controlled by the Conficker worm might be deployed on April 1 since the worm surfaced last year because it was programed to increase communication attempts from that date.

The security industry formed the task force to fight the worm, bringing widespread attention that experts said probably scared off the criminals who command the slave computers.

The task force initially thwarted the worm using the Internet's traffic control system to block access to servers that control the slave computers.

Viruses that turn PCs into slaves exploit weaknesses in Microsoft's Windows operating system. The Conficker worm is especially tricky because it can evade corporate firewalls by passing from an infected machine onto a USB memory stick, then onto another PC.

The Conficker botnet is one of many such networks controlled by syndicates that authorities believe are based in eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, China and Latin America.

Source : Reuters

Related articles by Zemanta

• FAQ: Conficker worm (cbc.ca)
• Windows worm being spread through USB memory sticks (telegraph.co.uk)

Vexing Computer Worm To Evolve On April Fool's Day

A tenacious computer worm which has wriggled its way onto machines worldwide is set to evolve on April Fool's Day, becoming harder to exterminate but not expected to wreak havoc.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

A task force assembled by Microsoft has been working to stamp out the worm, referred to as Conficker or DownAdUP, and the US software colossus has placed a bounty of 250,000 dollars on the heads of those responsible for the threat.

The worm is programmed to modify itself on Wednesday to become harder to stop, according to Trend Micro threat researcher Paul Ferguson, who is part of the Conficker task force.

"There is no evidence of it going into attack mode or dropping any particular payload on April 1st," Ferguson said in an interview.

"What people controlling the botnet are doing is building in survivability because of efforts by the good guys to lessen the harm of this thing."

The worm, a self-replicating program, takes advantage of networks or computers that haven't kept up to date with security patches for Windows RPC Server Service.

It can infect machines from the Internet or by hiding on USB memory sticks carrying data from one computer to another. Once in a computer it digs deep, setting up defenses that make it hard to extract.

Malware could be triggered to steal data or turn control of infected computers over to hackers amassing "zombie" machines into "botnet" armies.

A troubling aspect of Conficker is that it harnesses computing power of a botnet to crack passwords.

Microsoft has modified its free Malicious Software Removal Tool to detect and get rid of Conficker.

"As this threat continues to evolve, Microsoft and other collaborative companies will continue to identify new ways to disrupt the Conficker threat to give customers more time to update their systems," said Christopher Budd, security response communication lead for Microsoft.

Computer users are advised to stay current on anti-virus tools and Windows updates, and to protect computers and files with strong passwords.

Conficker is programmed to reach out to 250 websites daily to download commands from its masters.

On Wednesday, the worm will begin connecting with 50,000 websites daily to better hide where orders originate, according to Mikko Hypponen of F-Secure computer security firm.

"They basically upped the ante; trying to make our lives more difficult," Ferguson said. "They realized the good guys were starting to intercept their communications."

The infection rate has slowed from a fierce pace earlier this year, but computers that are not updated with a software patch released by Microsoft remain vulnerable, according to security specialists.

Hypponen wrote in a message at F-Secure's website that Conficker is in one to two million computers and that most of those machines are believed to have an early version of the malicious software lacking the April 1 trigger.

Conficker was first detected in November 2008.

Among the ways one can tell if their machine is infected is that the worm will block efforts to connect with websites of security firms such as Trend Micro or Symantec where there are online tools for removing the virus.

"Once a machine is infected, it becomes very hard to clean up," Ferguson said. "There is no indication anywhere of (Conficker) doing anything but just sitting there. We don't know whether another shoe is going to drop, or if there is another shoe at all."

Hackers have taken advantage of Conficker hype by using promises of information or cures to lure Internet users to websites booby trapped with malicious software, according to security specialists.

"It seems that every other day you see some story about the Internet being hobbled together with bubble gum and paper clips," Ferguson said. "Conficker could be the biggest non-story of the year; at least that's what I hope it is."

Source : AFP

5 Sebab Kenapa ClickBank Menjadi Pilihan Usahawan Internet

oleh Zamri Nanyan

Di antara beberapa syarikat yang menawarkan program affiliate dan servis pemprosesan bayaran kad kredit, ClickBank menjadi pilihan ramai.

Sebelum ini, penjanaan wang di ClickBank memang banyak dipelopori oleh usahawan-usahawan internet daripada luar negara kerana cuma pertengahan tahun 2008 sahaja ClickBank mula membuka pendaftaran daripada Malaysia. Kini, jika anda bergiat aktif di dalam bisnes internet, anda akan perasan bahawa semakin hari, semakin ramai rakyat Malaysia mula menjana pendapatan melalui ClickBank.

Namun begitu, kenapa ClickBank menjadi pilihan ramai walaupun terdapat banyak lagi program affiliate yang boleh disertai oleh rakyat Malaysia.

Pasti ada sebab kenapa ClickBank begitu diminati dan saya berikan 5 daripada sebab-sebab tersebut.

1. Lebih 10,000 seleksi produk sedia untuk dipromosikan

ClickBank mempunyai ribuan produk digital daripada pelbagai kategori untuk affiliate mempromosikan produk-produk ini. Produk-produk yang terdapat di dalam “marketplace” ClickBank terdiri daripada ebook, perisian dan laman-laman web keahlian. Dengan tersedianya produk-produk ini di ClickBank, maka soal mendapatkan produk untuk dijual di Internet tidak lagi menjadi masalah. Anda cuma pastikan produk mana untuk djual dan terus lakukan pemasaran affiliate. Ini secara tidak langsung akan memudahkan lagi sesiapa sahaja untuk mula berjinak-jinak dengan perniagaan internet.

2. Komisyen jualan dibayar tepat pada waktunya

Sesetengah program affiliate dikendalikan oleh syarikat-syarikat persendirian. Mereka akan membuat pembayaran kepada affiliate mereka berdasarkan terma dan syarat-syarat tertentu. Malangnya ada sesetengah syarikat atau orang persendirian ini tidak jujur di dalam pembayaran komisyen affiliate. Ada yang lewat membayar komisyen dan yang lebih teruk lagi, ada yang langsung tidak bayar komisyen affiliate.

ClickBank pula sudah beroperasi bertahun-tahun lamanya di Internet dan mereka mempunyai kredibiliti yang kukuh di dalam bidang ini. Bayaran affiliate memang tepat pada masanya, dan bergantung kepada bagaimana anda membuat arahan di ClickBank, anda akan mendapat cek komisyen jualan affiliate anda setiap seminggu atau dua minggu sekali.

3. Pendaftaran percuma bagi affiliate

Tidak semua program affiliate sama. Ada program affiliate mengenakan bayaran sekali seumur hidup untuk menyertai mereka dan ada juga memerlukan anda membayar tiap-tiap bulan. Sebelum anda menjana pendapatan melalui program sebegini, anda sudahpun dikenakan bayaran.

ClickBank pula membenarkan sesiapa sahaja menjadi affiliate mereka secara percuma. Tiada yuran bulanan dikenakan dan tiada syarat anda membeli sesuatu untuk menjadi affiliate ClickBank. Anda cuma perlu daftar di https://www.clickbank.com/accountSignup.htm dan mula mempromosikan produk ClickBank sebagai affiliate.

Pada masa yang sama, ClickBank juga membuka peluang untuk sesiapa sahaja menjual produk mereka sendiri di ClicBank. Cuma yuran pengaktifan sebanyak USD$49.95 sekali sahaja bagi setiap satu produk dikenakan. Pengaktifan ini membolehkan anda menerima kad kredit sebagai salah satu cara anda menjual produk digital anda di Internet.

4. Jenama yang dipercayai

ClickBank sudah lama bertapak di Internet dan mereka mempunyai pengalaman yang luas di dalam perkhidmatan penerimaan bayaran kad kredit. Kini, ClickBank juga menambah pembayaran melaui PayPal ke akaun mereka bagi memberi alternatif kepada kad kredit.

Sudah ramai orang menggunakan perkhidmatan ClickBank dan mereka tahu bahawa pembelian produk melalui ClickBank adalah selamat. Sekiranya anda menggunakan ClickBank sebagai servis menerima pembayaran melalui kad kredit, besar kemungkinan bakal pelanggan anda tidak akan ragu-ragu lagi berurusan dengan anda jika mereka lihat anda menggunakan servis ClickBank.

5. Laporan jualan “real-time”

ClickBank juga memberi laporan jualan secara “real-time” atau masa sebenar jualan dihasilkan. Contohnya, jika anda berjaya menghasilkan jualan pada masa sekarang, anda boleh login ke akaun ClickBank anda dan lihat laporan jualan terseput dipaparkan. Dengan cara ini, ianya memudahkan anda mengetahui berapakah jualan yang anda hasilkan pada masa-masa dan hari-hari tertentu.

Begitulah beberapa sebab mengapa ClickBank menjadi pilihan usahawan-usahawan internet tempatan dan luar negeri.

Penjanaan wang melalui ClickBank juga tidak lagi mustahil buat masyarakat Malaysia. Cuma anda perlu tanya diri anda sama ada anda tergolong di dalam kumpulan tersebut atau tidak.

Mengenai Penulis

Zamri Nanyan adalah salah seorang usahawan Internet dari Malaysia yang telah mula menjana pendapatan di Internet semenjak tahun 2003. Dengan usahasama Zamri Nanyan bersama Gobala Krishnan, mereka menerbitkan satu produk “best-seller” hangat bertajuk Sistem Rahsia ClickBank dan anda boleh mendapatkannya di Rahsia ClickBank sekarang sebelum saingan anda mengetahui rahsia yang mereka kongsikan bersama di dalam pakej istimewa ini.

Kad Nama Percuma

Dewasa ini pelbagai cara yang digunakan oleh perniagaan yang beroperasi secara online untuk mendapatkan pelanggan. Salah satu perkhidmatan ini adalah mencetak kad nama. Kad nama ini biasanya digunakan apabila bertemu dengan pelanggan atau bakal pelanggan maupun kenalan untuk memaklumkan tentang diri anda.

Kini terdapat dua perniagaan yang menawarkan perkhidmatan mencetak kad nama secara percuma. Anda cuma perlu membayar kos penghantaran sahaja. Walaupun begitu perlu diingatkan bahawa mereka ini bukan beroperasi di Malaysia jadi kos penghantarannya agak tinggi. Mereka pula hanya menerima bayaran melalui kad kredit untuk pesanan daripada luar negara.

Salah satu daripadanya ialah Ooprint yang menawarkan 100 keping kad nama percuma untuk sesiapa yang berminat. Mereka menawarkan 33 rekabentuk untuk dipilih. Setelah memilih rekabentuk, anda boleh memasukkan maklumat yang diperlukan seperti nama, jawatan, alamat, nombor telefon, email dan laman web.

Di belakang kad ini akan dicetak alamat laman web Ooprint tetapi jika anda tidak mahu ianya dicetak anda perlu membayar USD4. Sementara itu jika anda ingin menukar font, warna atau menambah logo, perlu tambah USD5. Selepas itu bolehlah anda mendaftar serta mengesahkan pesanan sebelum membuat bayaran dengan menggunakan kad kredit. Kos penghantaran ke Malaysia adalah USD5.90.

Satu lagi perniagaan yang menawarkan kad nama percuma adalah VistaPrint dengan menyediakan 42 rekabentuk pilihan. Berbanding dengan Ooprint cuma 100 keping, VistaPrint memberi 250 keping kad nama secara percuma. Maklumat yang boleh dimasukkan sama juga iaitu nama syarikat, cogankata, nama, jawatan, alamat, nombor telefon, email dan laman web.

Serupa dengan Ooprint, di belakang kad nama percuma ini akan dicetak alamat laman web VistaPrint dan perlu membuat bayaran tambahan jika hendak belakang kad yang kosong atau dicetak kalendar atau teks sendiri. Anda juga akan ditawarkan untuk membeli beberapa barangan VistaPrint lain. Selepas itu anda dikehendaki untuk mendaftar sebagai pembeli sebelum memilih cara penghantaran. Bagi negara Malaysia anda boleh memilih samada penghantaran dalam tempoh 21 hari dengan kos £3.99 atau 14 hari dengan kos £7.69. Pembayaran hanya boleh dibuat dengan menggunakan kredit kad.

Secara amnya anda perlu membayar lebih kurang RM19.50 untuk 100 keping kad nama daripada Ooprint dan RM25.60 untuk 250 keping kad nama daripada VistaPrint. Untuk kad nama percuma ini kedua-dua perniagaan menggunakan kertas Matt Finish. Anda mungkin boleh mendapatkan kad nama dengan kualiti dan harga yang sama di Malaysia.

Technorati Tags: shaztraz, kad nama, kad perniagaan, percuma