 | |
 | |
 |  |
 | |
 | |
 | |
 | |
 | |
 | |
 | |
 | |
| Viruses, Bugs, Worms, Dataminers, Spybots, and Trojan horses. The Internet is a veritable minefield of things that can invade your PC and affect it's Security and Performance. You can do something about it and you can do it FREE, using some or all of the following programs and tips. Anti-Virus protection. One of the best Free programs for this is AntiVir Personal Edition Anti-Virus software. Download it from: http://www.free-av.com Install on your PC and leave it running to block any incoming bugs or viruses! It can also be used to scan your system for any previous invasions, but be patient, this takes about 15 minutes to complete. Worth running periodically, to check all is ok. FireWalls and Broadband. If you are on Broadband, consider using Firewall software. Most good ISP's now supply free. (eg AOL). If yours doesn't, you can get a reasonably good Free personal firewall system from 'ZoneAlarm' at http://www.zonelabs.com . Tip ? DON'T leave your PC connected to the Internet when you are not using it! Reduce the chance of something loading while you are not monitoring things ! SpyBot finders and Ad blockers. Various programs available on the web, both 'Paid' and 'Free'. You can get good results from using 2 Free packages that are available. These are 'SpyBot Search & Destroy' and 'Ad-Aware'. Downloads available at http://www.lavasoft.de for AD-Aware http://www.safer-networking.org for SpyBot Using both of these packages ensures that, you get with one, any 'bots' that the other one misses. Suspect you have a virus? If you think you already have a virus, a good Free tool for checking and killing them is McAfee Stinger. Free download at: http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=stinger Some General Tips Get in the habit of, every time you disconnect from the web, deleting ALL files from the following folders: C:/WINDOWS/Cookies Beware 'Boys Toys' and 'Freebies'! Think, if someone wants to spread a bug, get tracking software onto your PC etc, the best place for them to do it is places where you go to get 'freebies' to download! The above sites are normally 'ad free', but be aware that if you download porn, free music, free games, free software, there is often a 'price' to pay. Always use the above programs after visiting ANY of these sorts of sites! John Roberts is a Freelance Training Consultant and Director of JayrConsulting Ltd. (http://www.jayrconsulting.co.uk) John is also an active member of TrainerBase (http://www.trainerbase.co.uk) and is always open to discussion on any training topics.
security - Google News Related Articles Dont Get Hacked - A Guide to Protecting Your Business from Thieves You've seen it in the news - 40 million credit cards exposed! Cyber Crooks Go Phishing "Phishing," the latest craze among online evil-doers, has nothing to do with sitting at the end of a dock on a sunny afternoon dangling a worm to entice hungry catfish. Why Malicious Programs Spread So Quickly? It seems that nowadays cybercriminals prefer cash to fun. That is why malicious programs of various kinds (viruses, worms, Trojan horses, etc.) are very often aimed at stealing valuable -- in a direct sense of this word -- private and financial information. When written, these programs are spread all over the Web. Is Adware - Spyware Putting Your Privacy at Risk Do you sometimes notice your computer running slower. Is your computer acting strange almost like its possessed? Well, it just may be plagued with Spyware. Spyware is a common term for files that are installed on your system without your knowledge. It allows companies to monitor your Internet activity. Believe it or not, Spyware is now the leading threat to our computers, and our online privacy. It's ahead of viruses. Consumers: Shop Online and Get Information Safely Do you really have to know how feeds work? Not really. But you do need to understand how they can benefit you as a consumer or as an information seeker. Keeping Worms Out of Your Network... No auntie Sookie, not earth worms, computer virus worms that can get to you computer and slowly dig deep into your files and eat them away. Put that eggnog down and I'll tell you some more about these new worms. Behavior to Stay Safer Online 1. Importance of a Virus Scanner: A Antivirus program can help to prevent you from becoming infected with a Virus or Trojan. It is extremely important to make sure this program is updated at least once a week, and all drives are scanned. Viruses usually are used to destroy your Data or Hardware. Where as Trojans are used to gain remote access into your system. Always scan any new files you receive as well, even if they are off a friend, you don't know where those files originated from. ALWAYS use a little common sense when on the Internet as well. Don't accept files from an entrusted source. Don't go to web sites you have received spam for, they can be infected with viruses or asking you to download files that are infected. Always go only to official sites (i.e... If you ask for a web address for Norton and someone says ww.nortfix.com, that is obviously not an official site). Keep in mind that an Antivirus will only detect known viruses. It is possible that someone can create a new virus or manipulate an existing Virus or Trojan to the point it will no longer be detected by an Antivirus. As each unknown virus is discovered it is then added into the Antivirus database. Always create rescue disks for your Antivirus program, these will enable you to access your computer through MS-DOS if you are unable to access it through windows. If you do not have an Antivirus program try the HouseCall free online virus scan the link if on the top right side of this page. Also never run 2 different Antivirus . By using two different Antivirus software, sometimes the rule sets can cause conflicts in each other.. or think the other is a virus.. which can also give false positives (meaning it detects a file as a Virus or Trojan, when it isn't one).. or not detect viruses as it should. Always delete files you do not remember downloading. Online Shopping: 10 Tips For Safe Online Shopping Have you ever bought a product or service from the internet? Detect Spyware Online You can detect spyware online using free spyware cleaners and by installing spyware protection software on your computer. Often it's best to start with free spyware cleaners because these free programs will remove any spyware programs currently running on your computer. New Mass Mailing Spamming Internet Trojan for the Windows Platform May. 16th 2005 - MicroWorld has reported the discovery of Troj/Sober-Q, which is a mass mailing spamming internet Trojan for the Windows platform. Another Fine Mess! I'm in the Anti-Spyware business, and I'm doing a lot of advertising to promote my website, but here I am online and on the phone, giving my personal information to.....who? Strangers basically, Geez! The majority of identity thefts occur thru contractors employing people in entry-level jobs that have not been properly screened. Not even Hackers,Phishers or Dumpster Divers account for as many! The ideal location for a Identity stealer would be in a out sourced agency that fails to use adequate screening processes. How to Fight Spyware If you are wondering how to fight spyware for safe web surfing, this Internet privacy article will answer some of your questions. By now you have probably heard about the dangers of spyware. Eliminate Adware and Spyware Everyone should eliminate spyware and adware from your hard drive for your computer privacy protection. Spyware and adware programs also slow down the speed of your computer by cluttering your hard drive with annoying programs. Once you eliminate adware and spyware, your computer speed will improve immediately. Is Your Music Player Spying On You? In today's times spyware is a very serious issue and all computer users should be aware of the possible damage it can cause. It is estimated by well known industry insiders that nearly 90% of all computers are infected with some kind of spyware. This no surprise as spyware programs can be highly contagious and spread from computer to computer via emails and network exchanges rapidly. Why you Must Secure your Digital Product and Thank You Web Page A couple of years back, I paid my dues the 'hard way'. Can I Guess Your Password? We all know that it's dangerous to use the same password for more than one program. If you sign up for a program run by someone of low moral fibre, what is to stop them running through various programs with your username and password to see what they can access? Is My PC Vulnerable on the Internet? No longer are viruses the only threat on the internet. In recent years other threats have evolved which include spyware, adware, hacking, identity theft, information theft, pop-ups and the loss of information. Virus Prevention 101 Blaster, Welchia, Sobig, W32, Backdoor, Trojan, Melissa, Klez, Worm, Loveletter, Nimda? Do these names sound Familiar? Virus Nightmare..Lessons Learned I got a virus the other day, Thursday I believe and since then I have been making FRANTIC efforts to save all my info. What to Look for before You Purchase Spyware Software Huge number of spyware software applications are available in the market, some being offered as shareware while rest as freeware. (Shareware means a software available for download / CD, and can be used for a particular length of time, usually 30 days. Some are disabled as well). Before making a decision to purchase any such software we should check the reliability and should consider various attributes possessed by them and then select the best and the most appropriate one. The various attributes that one should consider to be the most important when purchasing spyware detection and removal software are -  |
