How To Keep Out Spam

If you use email, then you are sure getting spam emails, those emails you don't want. Now there is a law against sending emails but still the spam gets in to your inboxes.

So is there a way to keep spam out of your emails?

Here are a few suggestions that would help you to fight spam effectively:

Do what you can to avoid having your email address out on the net.

There are products called “spam spiders” that search the Internet for email addresses to send email to. If you are interested, do a search on “spam spider” and you will be amazed at what you get back. Interestingly, there is a site, WebPoison.org, which is an open source project geared to fight Internet "spambots" and "spam spiders", by giving them bogus HTML web pages, which contain bogus email addresses.

A few suggestions for you:

• Use form emails, which can hide addresses or also

• Use addresses like sales@company.com instead of your full address to help battle the problem.

• There are also programs that encode your email, like jsGuard, which encodes your email address on web pages so that while spam spiders find it difficult or impossible to read your email address.

Get a spam blocking software.

There are many programs out there for this. (Go to www.cloudmark.com or www.mailwasher.net for example). You may also buy a professional version. Whatever you do, get the software. It will save you time. The software is not foolproof, but they really do help. You usually have to do some manual set up to block certain types of email.

Use the multiple email address approach.

There are a lot of free email addresses to be had. If you must subscribe to newsletters, then have a “back-up” email address. It would be like giving your sell phone number to your best friends and the business number to everyone else.

Attachments from people you don’t know are NO, NO

A common problem with spam is that they have attachments and attachments can have viruses. Corporations often have filters that don’t let such things pass to you. Personal email is far more “open country” for spamers. General rule of thumb: if you do not know who is sending you something, DO NOT OPEN THE ATTACHMENT. Secondly, look for services that offer filtering. Firewall vendors offer this type of service as well.

Email services now have “bulk-mail” baskets.

If what you use currently does not support this, think about moving to a new email client like yahoo.com. The concept is simple. If you know someone, they can send you emails. If you don’t know them, put them in the bulk email pile and then “choose” to allow them into your circle. Spam Blocking software has this concept as well, but having extra layers seems critical these days, so it is worth looking into.

All these precautions should help you to keep the spam out to a great extent.

Adware, Spyware and Anti-virus

Adware, spyware and computer virus share some similarities, one of which is that all three are major nuisances for computer users. Let's differentiate the three.

Spyware is software that does not intentionally harm your computer. What they do is that they create pathways wherein someLinkone else aside from the computer owner can communicate with the computer. Normally spywares record the various types of web sites you visit which are later used by web advertisers to allow them to send you unwanted emails and pop-ups.

This is why spyware are usually frowned upon and greatly avoided. They are more intrusive than adware. Spyware have their own separate executable programs which allow them to record your keystrokes, scan files on your hard disks and look at other applications that you use including but not limited to chat programs, cookies and Web browser settings.

The spyware then will send the information that it had gathered to the spyware author. The agent will then use this information for advertising and marketing purposes. They even sell the information to advertisers and other parties.

Adware, on the other hand, are more legitimate form of freeware. Similar to spyware, adwares are advertising materials which are packaged into a software or program and are installed automatically once that particular program or software is added into the computer system. Some forms of adware, on the other hand, download advertising contents as a particular application is being utilized. It is quite unfortunate that most of the adware programs take the form of spywares that is they track and report user information to program authors.

Some signs of spyware infections include pop-up ads that seem to be not related to the site you are viewing. More often than not, spyware pop-ups are advertisements about adult contents. Also if you notice your computer slowing down, there's a big chance that spywares and its other components have found their way in your operating system. When the Windows desktop also takes a longer time to load, its best to scan your computer for possible spyware infections.

Meanwhile, viruses are destructive form of software. They were purely designed and created for one purpose alone: to wreck havoc to your computer. They destroy whatever they come in contact to and will initiate self replication and infect as many components of the computer's operating system or network as possible.

Nowadays, a lot of anti-virus software also provides spyware and adware scanning and removal utilities. Some programs, however, are focused on located and deleting or destroying spyware and adware programs. Whether is an anti-virus software or a anti-spyware dedicated scanner, they both search your computer and identify any spyware and virus installed on your system.

They then remove it as well as their components located in the system registry among other places in your computer. It is therefore, good to regularly update your virus or spyware scanner to ensure that your computer is protected from the thousands of spyware and viruses in the internet. Never be fooled from ads that claim that their products only contain adware.

These adware maybe spyware in disguised and are just waiting to be deployed for them to gather your information. Learn to setup firewall systems and always block pop-up blockers to minimize computer infection and ensure the security of all your computer files.

Intrusion Dection System - What is it?

Intrusion Detection System (IDS) are a necessary part of any strategy for enterprise security. What are Intrusion Detection systems? CERIAS, The Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security, defines it this way:

"The purpose of an intrusion detection system (or IDS) is to detect unauthorized access or misuse of a computer system. Intrusion detection systems are kind of like burglar alarms for computers. They sound alarms and sometimes even take corrective action when an intruder or abuser is detected. Many different intrusion detection systems have been developed but the detection schemes generally fall into one of two categories, anomaly detection or misuse detection. Anomaly detectors look for behavior that deviates from normal system use. Misuse detectors look for behavior that matches a known attack scenario. A great deal of time and effort has been invested in intrusion detection, and this list provides links to many sites that discuss some of these efforts"(http://www.cerias.purdue.edu/about/history/coast_resources/intrusion_detection/)

There is a sub-category of intrusion detection systems called network intrusion detection systems (NIDS). These systems monitors packets on the network wire and looks for suspicious activity. Network intrusion detection systems can monitor many computers at a time over a network, while other intrusion detection systems may monitor only one.


Who is breaking into your system?

One common misconception of software hackers is that it is usually people outside your network who break into your systems and cause mayhem. The reality, especially for corporate workers, is that insiders can and usually do cause the majority of security breaches. Insiders often impersonate people with more privileges then themselves to gain access to sensitive information.


How do intruders break into your system?

The simplest and easiest way to break in is to let someone have physical access to a system. Despite the best of efforts, it is often impossible to stop someone once they have physical access to a machine. Also, if someone has an account on a system already, at a low permission level, another way to break in is to use tricks of the trade to be granted higher-level privileges through holes in your system. Finally, there are many ways to gain access to systems even if one is working remotely. Remote intrusion techniques have become harder and more complex to fight.

How does one stop intrusions?

There are several Freeware/shareware Intrusion Detection Systems as well as commercial intrusion detection systems.

Open Source Intrusion Detection Systems

Below are a few of the open source intrusion detection systems:

AIDE (http://sourceforge.net/projects/aide) Self-described as "AIDE (Advanced Intrusion Detection Environment) is a free replacement for Tripwire. It does the same things as the semi-free Tripwire and more. There are other free replacements available so why build a new one? All the other replacements do not achieve the level of Tripwire. And I wanted a program that would exceed the limitations of Tripwire."

File System Saint (http://sourceforge.net/projects/fss) - Self-described as, "File System Saint is a lightweight host-based intrusion detection system with primary focus on speed and ease of use."

Snort (www.snort.org) Self-described as "Snort® is an open source network intrusion prevention and detection system utilizing a rule-driven language, which combines the benefits of signature, protocol and anomaly based inspection methods. With millions of downloads to date, Snort is the most widely deployed intrusion detection and prevention technology worldwide and has become the de facto standard for the industry."

Commercial Intrusion Detection Systems

If you are looking for Commercial Intrusion Detection Systems, here are a few of these as well:

Tripwire

http://www.tripwire.com

Touch Technology Inc (POLYCENTER Security Intrusion Detector)

Http://www.ttinet.com

Internet Security Systems (Real Secure Server Sensor)

http://www.iss.net

eEye Digital Security (SecureIIS Web Server Protection)

http://www.eeye.com

Trojan Horse Is Not Just A Myth

We have all heard the term Trojan Horse, but what exactly is it? A Trojan Horse is a destructive that masquerades as a harmless application. Unlike viruses, Trojan Horses do not replicate themselves, but they can be just as destructive. One of the most dangerous examples of a Trojan is a program that promises to rid your computer of viruses but instead introduces viruses into your computer.


The Trojan can be tricky. Who hasn’t been online and had an advertisement pop up claiming to be able to rid your computer of some nasty virus? Or, even more frightening, you receive an email that claims to be alerting you to a new virus that can threaten your computer. The sender promises to quickly eradicate, or protect, your computer from viruses if you simply download their “free”, attached software into your computer. You may be skeptical but the software looks legitimate and the company sounds reputable. You proceed to take them up on their offer and download the software. In doing so, you have just potentially exposed yourself to a massive headache and your computer to a laundry list of ailments.


When a Trojan is activated, numerous things can happen. Some Trojans are more annoying than malicious. Some of the less annoying Trojans may choose to change your desktop settings or add silly desktop icons. The more serious Trojans can erase or overwrite data on your computer, corrupt files, spread other malware such as viruses, spy on the user of a computer and secretly report data like browsing habits to other people, log keystrokes to steal information such as passwords and credit card numbers, phish for bank account details (which can be used for criminal activities), and even install a backdoor into your computer system so that they can come and go as they please.

To increase your odds of not encountering a Trojan, follow these guidelines.

1. Remain diligent
Trojans can infect your computer through rogue websites, instant messaging, and emails with attachments. Do not download anything into your computer unless you are 100 percent sure of its sender or source.
2. Ensure that your operating system is always up-to-date. If you are running a Microsoft Windows operating system, this is essential.
3. Install reliable anti-virus software. It is also important that you download any updates frequently to catch all new Trojan Horses, viruses, and worms. Be sure that the anti-virus program that you choose can also scan e-mails and files downloaded through the internet.
4. Consider installing a firewall. A firewall is a system that prevents unauthorized use and access to your computer. A firewall is not going to eliminate your computer virus problems, but when used in conjunction with regular operating system updates and reliable anti-virus software, it can provide additional security and protection for your computer.

Nothing can guarantee the security of your computer 100 percent. However, you can continue to improve your computer's security and decrease the possibility of infection by consistently following these guidelines.

What The Keylogger Can Do

A keylogger is a program that runs in your computer’s background secretly recording all your keystrokes. Once your keystrokes are logged, they are hidden away for later retrieval by the attacker. The attacker then carefully reviews the information in hopes of finding passwords or other information that would prove useful to them. For example, a keylogger can easily obtain confidential emails and reveal them to any interested outside party willing to pay for the information.

Keyloggers can be either software or hardware based. Software-based keyloggers are easy to distribute and infect, but at the same time are more easily detectable. Hardware-based keyloggers are more complex and harder to detect. For all that you know, your keyboard could have a keylogger chip attached and anything being typed is recorded into a flash memory sitting inside your keyboard. Keyloggers have become one of the most powerful applications used for gathering information in a world where encrypted traffic is becoming more and more common.

As keyloggers become more advanced, the ability to detect them becomes more difficult. They can violate a user’s privacy for months, or even years, without being noticed. During that time frame, a keylogger can collect a lot of information about the user it is monitoring. A keylogger can potential obtain not only passwords and log-in names, but credit card numbers, bank account details, contacts, interests, web browsing habits, and much more. All this collected information can be used to steal user’s personal documents, money, or even their identity.

A keylogger might be as simple as an .exe and a .dll that is placed in a computer and activated upon boot up via an entry in the registry. Or, the more sophisticated keyloggers, such as the Perfect Keylogger or ProBot Activity Monitor have developed a full line of nasty abilities including:

* Undetectable in the process list and invisible in operation
* A kernel keylogger driver that captures keystrokes even when the user is logged off
* A remote deployment wizard
* The ability to create text snapshots of active applications
* The ability to capture http post data (including log-ins/passwords)
* The ability to timestamp record workstation usage
* HTML and text log file export
* Automatic e-mail log file delivery

All keyloggers are not used for illegal purposes. A variety of other uses have surfaced. Keyloggers have been used to monitor web sites visited as a means of parental control over children. They have been actively used to prevent child pornography and avoid children coming in contact with dangerous elements on the web. Additionally, in December, 2001, a federal court ruled that the FBI did not need a special wiretap order to place a keystroke logging device on a suspect’s computer. The judge allowed the FBI to keep details of its keylogging device secret (citing national security concerns). The defendant in the case, Nicodemo Scarfo Jr., indicted for gambling and loan-sharking, used encryption to protect a file on his computer. The FBI used the keystroke logging device to capture Scarfo’s password and gain access to the needed file.

Is Somebody Phising For Your Identity?

Who hasn’t received an email directing them to visit a familiar website where they are being asked to update their personal information? The website needs you to verify or update your passwords, credit card numbers, social security number, or even your bank account number. You recognize the business name as one that you’ve conducted business with in the past. So, you click on the convenient “take me there” link and proceed to provide all the information they have requested. Unfortunately, you find out much later that the website is bogus. It was created with the sole intent to steal your personal information. You, my friend, have just been “phished”.

Phishing (pronounced as “fishing”) is defined as the act of sending an email to a recipient falsely claiming to have an established, legitimate business. The intent of the phisher is to scam the recipient into surrendering their private information, and ultimately steal your identity.

It is not at easy as you think to spot an email phishing for information. At first glance, the email may look like it is from a legitimate company. The "From" field of the e-mail may have the .com address of the company mentioned in the e-mail. The clickable link even appears to take you to the company's website, when in fact, it is a fake website built to replicate the legitimate site.

Many of these people are professional criminals. They have spent a lot of time in creating emails that look authentic. Users need to review all emails requesting personal information carefully. When reviewing your email remember that the "From Field" can be easily changed by the sender. While it may look like it is coming from a .com you do business with, looks can be deceiving. Also keep in mind that the phisher will go all out in trying to make their email look as legitimate as possible. They will even copy logos or images from the official site to use in their emails. Finally, they like to include a clickable link that the recipient can follow to conveniently update their information.

A great way to check the legitimacy of the link is to point at the link with your mouse. Then, look in the bottom left hand screen of your computer. The actual website address to which you are being directed will show up for you to view. It is a very quick and easy way to check if you are being directed to a legitimate site.

Finally, follow the golden rule. Never, ever, click the links within the text of the e-mail, and always delete the e-mail immediately. Once you have deleted the e-mail, empty the trash box in your e-mail accounts as well. If you are truly concerned that you are missing an important notice regarding one of your accounts, then type the full URL address of the website into your browser. At least then you can be confident that you are, in fact, being directed to the true and legitimate website.

Parental Peace of Mind

The advent of the Internet, in some respects, made the job of parenting a little harder. We want our children to experience the vast wealth of knowledge available on the Internet and communicate with their friends online (frees up the telephone). Unfortunately, it also potential exposes our children to inappropriate material, obscene pop-up ads, and even sexual predators. In fact, research indicates that 1 in 5 children aged 10 to 17 have received a sexual solicitation over the Internet. This is definitely not something any parent wants to hear, but is forced to face.

We need a little assurance that when our children access the web, they can do so safely. Internet filters are crucial to protect your children. One tool that can assist us in this goal is Internet Parental Control software. One of the top names in parental control software is ContentWatch, and if the Big Mouse himself recommends this product, then it has to be good. If Disney feels good enough to install three of the ContentWatch products in their Disney Dream Desk PC, it has to be worthy. After all, they are willing to stake their reputation on it.

Internetfilterreviews.com rated ContentProtect 2.0 the #1 Internet filtering software. It is easy to install, configure, and customize. If you do have any problems, ContentWatch provides unlimited toll-free technical support. ContentProtect can blocks pornography, hate sites, questionable chat rooms, and other known dangers of the Internet. You can even configure ContentProtect to block online game and gambling sites, and make it so your children can only install and play computer games with parental ratings that you deem appropriate.

Other features include:

* Integration with Safe Search features in popular search engines

* Reports of your children's internet activity

* Logs of your child's chat room and instant messages

* Reports if your child tries to remove or disable protection

* Filters bad content on Peer-to-Peer networks and other areas

* Password protected access for parents

* Customizable restrictions for each family member.

* Automatic software updates at no additional cost.


ContentWatch provides a two-week, no-obligation free trial of the full version. The product costs $39.99 per seat (installs on only one computer). This is a one time purchase price which will give you unlimited use of the service. You never have to renew a subscription or pay any additional membership fees for use of the program. It seems like a reasonable price for a little parental peace of mind.

Which Spyware Is Infecting Your PC?

pyware or adware items are continually infecting computers. Most computers have no protection from them. Most frightening is the frequency of them.

From the InfosecWriters web site, "According to a 2004 survey by America Online and the National Cyber Security Alliance, 91% of users questioned were familiar with the term spyware. Only 53% believed their computers were infected, but a scan found that 80% of their PCs had some type of spyware installed on them." It goes on to say, "...The average number of spyware components per computer was 93 with one computer having well over a thousand."

What is Spyware?

Butte College (www.bctv.butte.edu/support/spyware.html) offers this definition:

“The term ‘spyware’ is broadly defined as any program that gets into your computer without permission and hides in the background while it makes unwanted changes to your user experience.

Spyware is generally not designed to damage your computer. The damage it does is more a by-product of its main mission, which is to serve you targeted advertisements or make your browser display certain sites or search results.

At present, most spyware targets only the Windows operating system (Internet Explorer).”

To be fair, spyware can be harmless, for example tracking cookies don’t do much. While such things infringe on your privacy, they don't really harm anything. Others, however, are extremely dangerous.

So what do you do about it?

No spyware program seems to do everything, but there are a lot of goods solutions out there that can help. Here is a list of some of the top Spyware tools to look at:


1) Try Ad-Aware 6.0 Professional from LavaSoft (there is also a free version with less functionality)

2) Spybot Search & Destroy from PepiMK Software


3) Xoftspy form Pareto Logic

5) Spyware Guard from Javacool Software is a free program

4) Pest Patrol (now part of Computer Associates by acquisition)

5) McAfee Anti-Spyware

One thing is for certain: you do need to take spyware seriously. For some reason, too many people out there think anti-virus solutions are the end-all solution. They are not.

And, when all else fails?

Finally, as drastic as it seems, if your computer has been infected with a large number of spyware programs, the only solution you may have is backing up your data, and performing a complete reinstall of the operating system.

How To Combat Spam

Fighting Spam

How prevalent is Spam? According to Scott McAdams, OMA Public Affairs and Communications Department (www.oma.org):

“Studies show unsolicited or “junk” e-mail, known as spam, accounts for roughly half of all e-mail messages received. Although once regarded as little more than a nuisance, the prevalence of spam has increased to the point where many users have begun to express a general lack of confidence in the effectiveness of e-mail transmissions, and increased concern over the spread of computer viruses via unsolicited messages.”

In 2003, President Bush signed the “Can Spam” bill, in December of 2003 which is the first national standards around bulk unsolicited commercial e-mail. The bill, approved by the Senate by a vote of 97 to 0, prohibits senders of unsolicited commercial e-mail from using false return addresses to disguise their identity (spoofing) and the use of dictionaries to generate such mailers. In addition, it prohibits the use of misleading subject lines and requires that emails include and opt-out mechanism. The legislation also prohibits senders from harvesting addresses off Web sites. Violations constitute a misdemeanor crime subject to up to one year in jail.

One major point that needs to be discussed about this: spam is now coming from other countries in ever-greater numbers. These emails are harder to fight, because they come from outside our country’s laws and regulations. Because the Internet opens borders and thinks globally, these laws are fine and good, but do not stop the problem.

So what do you do about this? Her are the top 5 Rules to do to protect from spam.

Number 1: Do what you can to avoid having your email address out on the net.

There are products called “spam spiders” that search the Internet for email addresses to send email to. If you are interested, do a search on “spam spider” and you will be amazed at what you get back. Interestingly, there is a site, WebPoison.org, which is an open source project geared to fight Internet "spambots" and "spam spiders", by giving them bogus HTML web pages, which contain bogus email addresses

A couple suggestions for you: a) use form emails, which can hide addresses or also b) use addresses like sales@company.com instead of your full address to help battle the problem. c) There are also programs that encode your email, like jsGuard, which encodes your email address on web pages so that while spam spiders find it difficult or impossible to read your email address.

Number 2: Get spam blocking software. There are many programs out there for this. (go to www.cloudmark.com or www.mailwasher.net for example). You may also buy a professional version. Whatever you do, get the software. It will save you time. The software is not foolproof, but they really do help. You usually have to do some manual set up to block certain types of email.

Number 3: Use the multiple email address approach.

There are a lot of free email addresses to be had. If you must subscribe to newsletters, then have a “back-up” email address. It would be like giving your sell phone number to your best friends and the business number to everyone else.

Number 4: Attachments from people you don’t know are BAD, BAD, BAD.

A common problem with spam is that they have attachments and attachments can have viruses. Corporations often have filters that don’t let such things pass to you. Personal email is far more “open country” for spamers. General rule of thumb: if you do not know who is sending you something, DO NOT OPEN THE ATTACHMENT. Secondly, look for services that offer filtering. Firewall vendors offer this type of service as well.

Number 5: Email services now have “bulk-mail” baskets. If what you use currently does not support this, think about moving to a new vender. The concept is simple. If you know someone, they can send you emails. If you don’t know them, put them in the bulk email pile and then “choose” to allow them into your circle. Spam Blocking software has this concept as well, but having extra layers seems critical these days, so it is worth looking into.

Encryption For System Security

What does encryption do for me?

Encryption and cryptographic software has been used in many different ways to make systems more secure. This article discusses only a few ways that such software can make your system more secure, including:

1) Encrypting your email

2) Encrypting your files

To programs are mentioned that will help encrypt information. There are many more programs out there that will help, but these programs are good and a good place to start as any. They have the added benefit of both being free with source code available.

Will encryption stop people from accessing my information?

Encryption simply makes it harder for people to gain access to important information, like passwords or sensitive information in a file. The first thing you should know about encryption is that the algorithm that is used to encrypt can be simple or more complex and that affects how securely what you have encrypted is protected. Encryption systems have been broken when the method of encryption is understood by hackers and is easy to break.

Why bother to encrypt my email?

It should be noted that email is far less secure than paper mail for two very good reasons: first, electronic data can be accessed easily over an Internet and secondly, electronic data is really simple to copy. There is a very good chance that someone has snooped around in your email despite your best intentions to stop it.

How do I go about encrypting my email?

There are many programs out there that can help you encrypt your email. A very popular one is PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) or its Gnu offshoot GPG.

PGP (http://www.pgpi.org/) self-describes itself this way: This "is a program that gives your electronic mail something that it otherwise doesn't have: Privacy. It does this by encrypting your mail so that nobody but the intended person can read it. When encrypted, the message looks like a meaningless jumble of random characters. PGP has proven itself quite capable of resisting even the most sophisticated forms of analysis aimed at reading the encrypted text."

Why bother to encrypt my files?

The answer to this boils down to what you store on your computer. If you have financial data with important information like social security numbers, email addresses, account numbers and passwords, then you open yourself up to losing very valuable information. Most corporate Internet security employees will attest to the widespread theft of very valuable information. As long as you are connected to the Internet you are vulnerable.

How do I go about encrypting my files?

AxCrypt File Encryption Software (http://axcrypt.sourceforge.net/) Self-described as "Free Personal Privacy and Security for Windows 98/ME/NT/2K/XP with AES-128 File Encryption, Compression and transparent Decrypt and Open in the original application."

Counter The Spyware Threat

Spyware and Adware are not only an ever increasing nuisance for computer users everywhere, but also a booming industry. According to Webroot Software, Inc., the distribution of online advertisements through spyware and adware has become a $2 billion industry.

The aggressive advertising and spying tactics demonstrated by some of these programs, require an equally aggressive response from a seasoned eradicator. Sunbelt Software is such a company. A leader in Anti-Spyware, Anti-Spam, Network Security and System Management tools, they gave consistently remained on the cutting-edge of anti-spyware programming since 1994.

One of their more notable software applications is CounterSpy 1.5. CounterSpy is designed to detect and remove spyware that is already in your computer system. Additionally, it provides real-time protection while preventing browser hijacking and changes to your computer’s Registry.

Other notable features include:
Detection and Removal of Tracking Cookies – while it is true that applications like Microsoft AntiSpyware Beta are free, they do not include the ability to detect and remove tracking cookies like CounterSpy does.

History Cleaner - erases any traceable trails left on your computer as you surf the Internet.

Secure File Eraser - a powerful deletion tool that can completely eliminate all files you want removed from your computer including images, music, movies and applications.

PC Explorer - allows you a look into files and areas that are normally inconvenient to access, such as your startup programs, browser helper objects, and ActiveX programs that are being downloaded or used.
Support for Older Operating Systems – includes Windows 98SE, Windows ME, and Windows NT.

Recommended by PC World, ConsumerSearch, and Dell, CounterSpy holds one of the highest effective ratings for spyware removal. It also received high marks from TopTenReviews (2006) for ease of use, customization/installation, and help/support. For only $19.95 per machine, users can receive a one year subscription with updates, upgrades, and technical support from real live humans. CounterSpy definitely provides ease of use and affordability for just about any computer user from the novice to the expert.

Fighting-off Viruses

Advancements in Antivirus Software Suites

Protecting your computer from a virus is getting harder and harder each day. While it may border on the paranoid, it goes without saying that you can’t leave your guard down for one second. Even corporate giant Microsoft has found its own systems compromised on more than one occasion.

Remember the “good old days”, before the advent of the Internet and downloadable programs? Life was simple then in terms of computer viruses. With the primary way in which a virus could be transmitted being limited to floppy disks, the ability to catch and eradicate the virus was a lot easier. By today’s standards, it used to take quite a while before a virus was able to infect a computer and slow down the system. The antivirus software of that time was typically able to identify and eradicate viruses before they caused too much damage. Additionally, computer users were pretty savvy on how to protect themselves in terms of scanning all floppy disks before copying them to our desktop.

The Internet helped change all that. The Internet provided a conduit by which viruses could move from host to host with lightening speed. No longer could a computer user just worry about floppy disks as points of entry, but they now had to worry about email, email attachments, peer-to-peer file sharing, instant messaging, and software downloads. Today’s viruses can attack through multiple entry points, spread without human intervention, and take full advantage of vulnerabilities within a system or program. With technology advancing everyday, and the convergence of computers with other mobile devices, the potential of new types of threats also increase.

Protecting Your Computer
Luckily, the advancement of antivirus software has kept pace with current virus threats. Antivirus software is essential to a computer’s ability to fend off viruses and other malicious programs. These products are designed to protect against the ability of a virus to enter a computer through email, web browsers, file servers and desktops. Additionally, these programs offer a centralized control feature that handle deployment, configuration and updating.
A computer user should remain diligent and follow a few simple steps to protect against the threat of a virus:

1. Evaluate your current computer security system.
With the threat of a new generation of viruses able to attack in a multitude of ways, the approach of having just one antivirus software version has become outdated. You need to be confident that you have protected all aspects of your computer system from the desktop to the network, and from the gateway to the server. Consider a more comprehensive security system which includes several features including antivirus, firewall, content filtering, and intrusion detection. This type of system will make it more difficult for the virus to penetrate your system.
2. Only install antivirus software created by a well-known, reputable company.
Because new viruses erupt daily, it is important that you regularly update your antivirus software. Become familiar with the software’s real-time scan feature and configure it to start automatically each time you boot your computer. This will protect your system by automatically checking your computer each time it is powered up.
3. Make it a habit to always scan all new programs or files no matter from where they originate.
4. Exercise caution when opening binary, Word, or Excel documents of unknown sources especially if they were received during an online chat or as an attachment to an email.
5. Perform regular backups in case your system is corrupted. It may be the only way to recover your data if infected.

Recommended Antivirus Software
There are numerous applications available to consumers. With a little research, you can pick the program that is right for you. Many programs provide a trial version which allows you to download the program and test its abilities. However, be aware that some anti-virus programs can be difficult to uninstall. As a precaution make sure to set up a System Restore point before installing.

Here are a few programs which typically receive high marks in terms of cost, effectiveness, ease of use, and customer service.

The Shield Pro 2005 provides virus protection and hacker security through ongoing support and updates. When a virus breaks out, The Shield Pro 2005™ promises to provide a patch within 2-3 hours and a fix for the virus within 5 hours. You can set your computer to update viruses weekly and run a complete virus scan.

BitDefender 9 Standard provides antivirus protection, as well as Peer-2-Peer Applications protection, full email protection, and heuristics in a virtual environment. This provides a new security layer that keeps the operating system safe from unknown viruses by detecting malicious pieces of code for which signatures have not been released yet.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal 5.0 program is simple to install and use. The user only needs to choose from three levels of protection. It allows updates as frequently as every hour while promising not to disrupt your computer. The program also offers a two-tier email protection feature and round-the-clock technical support.

PC-cillin Internet Security combines antivirus security and a personal firewall—for comprehensive protection against viruses, worms, Trojans, and hackers. It also detects and removes spyware and blocks spam. It even guards against identity theft by blocking phishing and pharming attacks.

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is a free downloadable antivirus program that has received high marks for its reliability. In the past, free downloadable antivirus programs have been viewed skeptically because of issues relating to its reliability. However, AVG from Grisoft, remains one of the best-known free anti-virus programs available. While AVG can not be installed on a server operating system and there is no technical support, it still makes a good choice for many home computer users. The best part is that since it is free, you can try it with no further obligation necessary.

Get Rid of Spyware

Spywares are not only a bother but also harm your computer software and sometimes can even attack your hardware too. These annoying bugs have become a threat to browsers on a global scale. They have become such a commonplace that sometimes we don't just pay any attention to them.

Spyware snoops on everythign you do online from your internet surfing, usage and even can go so far as collecting your personal financial information. If the spyware has entered your computer it will be like a person looking over your shoulder while you enter password into your online payment accounts or your online bank accounts.

While a physically present person may not be able to remember the keystrokes as you input the password because it is shown in asterisks ******* but the spyware uses the keylogger technology to monitor the exact words you are typing into the computer.

This ability of the spyware is enough to demonstrate what it can do to you and your personal finances and safety. With this information it can wipe out your bank accounts, use your credit cards to run up whopping amount of debt lending you into financial problems. Moreover, when you cant pay the bills of some cyber thief, your credit rating is sure to suffer and make you unable to get credit or run your business.

By spying on the sites you normally visit, the spyware will collect your surfing information which it will sell to unscruplous advertisers who will send un-invited pages to your browsers. Naturally these pages will be of those products and services in which you are interested. This is a forced entry into your cyber world.

Because spyware is such a pain you need to scan your computer for any such intrusions and destroy them as soon as possible. For this use a good anti-spyware.

Here are some suggested anti-spyware solutions:

Ad Aware and Active Shield are popular softwares which are used extensively.

Ad Aware offers advanced protection against Data-mining, Parasites, aggressive advertising, Scumware and some traditional viruses and tracking systems like Trojans, Dialers, Malware and Browser hijackers. Active Shield on the other hand targets trojans and spyware.

The Vast Options In Free Security Downloads

By Mike Selvon

Until the last few years, people who wanted or needed to find free security downloads to help protect their computers from various threats found that they had very few options. Many times the free internet security software programs that were being offered came from software publishers that were new and had not built a reputation or they were even from anonymous programmers. This left the door open for introducing new online threats to a computer in the form of these downloads from unknown and unproven companies.

Because of this, people needed to spend a great deal of time researching their different options in downloadable internet security systems. The research often entailed reading reviews and pouring through forums that discussed the latest online threats and the software programs that were available to combat these threats. The biggest problem was that most people who were looking to protect their home computer systems quickly ran out of patience or were overwhelmed with the vast amounts of information, much of which often conflicted, making matters even worse.

Fortunately, when Google came along and introduced a set of software called the "Google Pack," many of these issues were resolved, and quite well. The Google Pack consists of about a dozen applications that are all free and this collection includes two internet security downloads for PCs, helping people better protect their computers from the ongoing internet threats.

The two internet safety programs that are now included in the Google Pack are two of the best downloads on the market for protecting personal computers from internet threats; the Spyware Doctor Starter Edition and the Norton Anti-virus software. These are both high quality products from well-known and trusted names in the internet security protection industry. The only thing that is missing from these free downloads from Google, which would make this a very complete and comprehensive solution, is a firewall.

It is somewhat of a mystery as to why Google chose not to include a firewall application with their Google Pack, but there seems to be a variety of possible reasons why. One factor is that in most cases, the broadband routers that are increasingly being used already include a good quality firewall built right into the hardware, making firewall software unnecessary. In addition, Microsoft began including a firewall application as part of Windows XP SP2.

However, it needs to be noted that the firewall that comes installed with Windows is not considered to be the best solution, as it does not have any monitoring function to oversee the outgoing traffic from a computer to the internet. One of the most highly recommended firewall applications is the Zonealarm Internet Security Software package, which is free and is robust enough for home computer systems.

Combined with the Google Pack, this gives computer users the full security suite that they should have on their computers today to safeguard them from the many threats and risks that are commonplace. The fact that these programs are free and from reliable software publishers means that you can choose PC security downloads to use, with confidence.

Mike Selvon has some informative articles for the creative mind. Find out more about free security downloads at his resourceful site. We appreciate your feedback at our internet safety rules blog.

What is Trojan Zlob and How Can You Remove it From Your Computer?

By Paul McDonald

It's been around for a few years now, but it is still wreaking havoc on computers everywhere with no end in sight. It's called Trojan Zlob, and chances are high that if you aren't running any form of antispyware on your computer, you most likely are infected with it and can't get rid of it.

How did you get infected with Trojan Zlob in the first place?

While there are quite a few ways that you can get infected with Trojan Zlob, including being bundled with shareware or files obtained through peer to peer networks such as Kazaa or Limewire, the most common form of infection occurs via popup.

The popup will appear as some sort of apparent Windows notification and once you click anywhere within the popup, even trying to close it, additional spyware will being to install itself and this is typically when Zlob installs itself.

What are the symptoms of Trojan Zlob?

As is the case with many other spyware infections, the symptoms can vary and not every Zlob infection will show the same set of symptoms. That being said, the most common things you'll see include changes to your desktop, having your browser hijacked, additional popups, and a significant decrease in system performance.

However, you must be aware that there are other dangers involved with a Trojan Zlob infection as it is also capable of monitoring your Internet activities and modify system files to the point where your only choice in fixing the situation is a complete rebuild of your computer.

How can you remove Zlob from your computer?

Most of the time, you can remove Zlob from your computer by running proven and effective antispyware software. Please note however, that by proven and effective antispyware software I am not referring to the numerous free programs such as Search and Destroy or Ad-Aware.

These programs just aren't as effective as software that you might have to drop a mere $30 for, but that also has programmers and technicians working round the clock to continually provide free updates to that software so that you are always kept current in your protection against even the newest spyware threats.

So if you are serious about removing Trojan Zlob from your computer, then you'll want to get your hands on the most proven and effective spyware remover you can so that you can ensure that you'll not only be able to remove Trojan Zlob completely from your computer, but also so you'll be protected for years to come.

Paul McDonald is a Computer Professional that specializes in teaching people about spyware. Visit his info packed website today, http://www.TheBestSpywareRemovers.com, to get a no holds barred review of the absolute best spyware removers available on the market today.

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PC Security: It’s Bigger Than Viruses And Spyware

by Jackie Kent -

Nowadays the words ‘computer security’ are on every person’s mind who deals with computers. Everyone seems to be worried about some security concern with their computers. But what exactly does computer security mean?

Simplified, it means keeping your computer and of course, its data secure and safe. In the present age, most of personal data are stored in the computer. But some of us don’t have the fundamental knowledge of keeping those data in safety. This basic knowledge is very simple; all you have to do is following some uncomplicated rules that will improve the security of your computer hugely.

First of all let’s see what the internet connection is all about. We can take up a comparison- a computer with internet connection resembles your very own house. Your house has many openings- doors, windows. With the increase in number of openings, increases the number of chances for someone to enter into your house. I am not saying that some robbers are going to come, but more openings imply more chances of getting robbed.

So to check these visits from strangers you need to install a quality firewall and also update this installed firewall on a regular basis.

Nowadays, it’s not a headache to update your software or operating system. Microsoft Windows Update feature is a good instance. Ensure updating all your installations of your computer.

You will come across two basic kinds of firewalls. Both of these (one, hardware and another, software) carry out the same task. Generally, a hardware firewall is included in your router in case you use one but you may not have a software firewall on your computer.

Sometimes we quite foolishly let strangers come in. just opening an email or browsing the net can invite strangers. Your guards are often fooled by viruses, Trojans or spyware. Sometimes an email from your buddy can carry a fatal virus. So how does your computer fight these unwanted ‘guests’? - By installing anti virus software.

In the present days, anti-virus falls under a huge category. Usually these packages or suites include a spyware scanner and a firewall. Although these guards are quite effective in their jobs, you are advised not to relax and rely completely on them. The protection plan of your computer’s requires multi-tiered protection plan but they are just a single layer. The ultimate yet one of the most crucial advices that I must give you is that your computer’s anti virus software should always be in a state of updated. They should be updated manually regularly since your computer can be subjected to new threats everyday.

Jackie Kent is a system analyst and author. See more articles at Rated Firewalls and Personal Firewall Reviews.

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The Importance Of Proper Security For Your PC

PC is your window, a link to the world outside. You can get information you want with a click of your mouse. At the same time this window to the world needs to be secure against the thieves that are lurking to get to you through the this window. So it is necessary that you should keep yourself against the threats of predators by taking some measures.

Here is an article why proper security of your pc is important and what steps you need to take to keep it immune from attacks of various kinds:


The Importance Of Proper Security For Your PC
by PC Power Suite

The world online can be a scary place and sometimes it can get downright nasty. From viruses and spyware to internet identity theft, the information stored on your computer is under constant assault and should be protected at all costs. Why? Unscrupulous hackers will stop at nothing to get your precious personal information, and you have to stay one step ahead of them to ensure that they don’t.

Let’s begin our search for the reason why we should protect our PCs with the proper security by looking at the ways that they can be assaulted online. Here are just a few of the nasty things waiting for an unprotected PC online:

· Computer viruses are PC software programs that you accidentally download to your computer through an email attachment or other type of download. Once installed on your computer, a virus can interfere with your PC’s operation; record, corrupt or delete data; and spread itself to other computers through your network or the internet.

· Identity theft occurs when some unscrupulous internet hacker, thief or otherwise bad guy gets a hold of your personal information such as your social security number, date of birth or other sensitive information and uses it to commit fraud or other crimes. Once obtained, this information is used to commit a wide variety of crimes. Those crimes include: credit card fraud, utilities fraud, banking and loan fraud, employment fraud, social security fraud, tax return fraud, medical fraud, securities and investment fraud, bankruptcy fraud, and immigration and government documentation fraud.

· Spyware are software programs that you download onto your computer along with many other software applications. This software is then used to track your online browsing habits so that you can be “hit” with pop ups that you will be more likely to respond to. Not only is this software an invasion of your privacy, it also can compromise your data and affect your PCs performance.

How to Protect Your PC

The number one thing that you can do to protect your PC is to have an operable firewall. A firewall can help protect your computer against security attacks. While most operating systems come with a firewall already in operation, you can update your firewall or get one for free if you don’t have one from most PC security software companies.

In order to get the best PC security that software can provide, it is recommended that you use anti-spyware and anti-virus software in addition to a firewall. All of these anti-software and filters prevent hackers from accessing our personal information stored on our computers. They also protect against programs and viruses that we can unknowingly download. Once installed on our computer, these programs can direct us or our information to sites set on thievery.

More Protection for Your PC

Even though all of the above mentioned software applications go a long way in protecting your PC from harm, you may want additional protection to ensure that your PC’s vulnerable spots are impenetrable. Here are just a few examples of the security software that you may want for your PC:

· Privacy Protector – As mentioned earlier, spyware can track everything that you do on your computer. This is because everything that you do on your computer leaves a trace or electronic trail that is stored on your computer. With the right software, prying eyes can see and access any sites you have visited and files you have accessed or shared while online by exposing this electronic trail. Privacy protection software helps reduce this risk by erasing the electronic trail that you have left behind.

· Secure Delete – When you delete files on your computer, you may think that they are trashed and inaccessible, but with the right recovery utilities, your deleted data can be recovered easily. Secure deletion software makes sure that your deleted data is gone forever and safe from sticky fingers.

· Spyware Detective – Added spyware detection software will help you spot spyware programs immediately and have them removed from your computer at the click of a button.

As you can see, there are many dangers lurking on the internet including spyware, viruses and hackers. Just one unprotected computer can be a highly lucrative capture for the right thieves and provide them with countless data that reveals everything from your browsing habits to credit card numbers. Make sure that your PC does not fall into their grasp. Protect it with the proper PC security programs.

Brought to you by PC Power Suite The new PC Power Suite is an all in one utility suite for maintaining your Windows operating system. Take control of your computer now! http://www.pcpowersuite.com

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