Spyware can be more than an annoyance. Poorly programmed spyware can interfere with other programs and can even cause system instability. Privacy issues are at stake as well.
This type of software is often installed without a user's consent and often can't be uninstalled without special tools. When distributors use tricks and deception to install uninvited software, trust is destroyed.
The first line of defense against spyware is to be careful installing software. Know what's being downloaded. A large percentage of freeware or shareware programs have spyware embedded in them. Sometimes that's disclosed in the user agreement, but often not.
Before downloading any new software, look for guarantees that it's spyware free. Even so, be on your guard — the file-sharing program Kazaa has been claiming to be spyware-free for years. Anyone who installs this software soon has an opportunity to test this claim.
How can you tell if you have spyware on your system? You may see pop-up advertisements even when you aren't browsing the web. Your homepage may have been changed without your consent. New toolbars are installed on your web browser which you didn't request. Your computer may be sluggish or mysteriously reboot on its own. Though, the last effect is usually a virus.
If you find your system bogged down with spyware, don't give up hope. There are several utilities specifically designed for removing spyware from your computer. They rely on frequently updated databases which contain signature files of all known spyware and adware. They scan all the files on your hard drive and alert you if 'uninvited guests' are found.
Many are free, though sometimes the paid versions have more automation features such as removing spyware on receipt rather than requiring a manual scan. None will find every piece of spyware on your system, since they rely on a database which has to be populated according to someone's judgment. And, one man's spyware is sometimes another's welcomed advertiser.
Some spyware is notoriously difficult to remove. They may make several alterations to your system settings and install files in different places. Often the only way to remove this type of spyware is to find the locations of all the files and manually delete them.
Needless to say, this should be performed only by skilled users. Deleting the wrong files can damage your programs and even your operating system.
One software tool that can help you remove difficult spyware is called 'HijackThis'. It creates a list of files which could have been altered with spyware. The list is very comprehensive and also includes system files and files installed by legitimate software, so take care.
HijackThis wasn't designed to be a spyware removal tool, but it can be used to locate persistent and hard to remove spyware. It requires knowledge of various system settings and you must be careful when changing them. It's possible to disable your system with the wrong setting. Fortunately, there's a community of HijackThis experts on the Internet willing to give free advice about suspicious entries.
Once your system is spyware free — help keep it that way. Some of the spyware removal tools include utilities that can protect your computer from being exposed to spyware. Much like virus scanners, they monitor changes to your system files and alert you of any suspicious activity.
And, of course, beware those tempting looking free offers. You may get more than you bargained for.
Showing posts with label Computer Technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Computer Technology. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Protecting Your PC From Internet Dangers
If you buy items online, surf the internet or use email then here are several tips to keeping your computer and your personal information secure.
Many people find it very easy to safeguard themselves by installing antivirus protection. Most antivirus protection software protects your computer from known viruses and Trojan horses. If a new virus is detected, your virus software will automatically download the new definition so that your computer will be safe.
Trojan horses are tiny programs that are downloaded inadvertently from the web. These small programs look for personal information and secretly upload it to a database. Many computer users have lost personal and financial information with the use of Trojan Horses.
One of the most damaging of all malicious software is the back door Trojan virus. Unlike many other types of malicious code, the back door Trojan virus is designed specifically to take advantage of vulnerabilities in the operating system such as Windows. The virus uses a back door into the computer too steal personal information, wipe files, or do other types of damage. To make matters worse, some of these back door Trojan horses disguise themselves and hide from anti virus software. Some are even intelligent enough to disable and render unusable your anti virus and firewall software.
You should also protect your computer from Spyware. Spyware is a tiny program that is downloaded usually when you download another program for free off the web. Spyware can be very irritating. Spyware keeps records of what your search for online and then sends you advertisements. Spyware can be difficult to erase.
It is also vital to protect yourself from Spoof emails. Spoof emails look like real emails from Ebay, Paypal, Banks and big credit card companies, but they are fake. Most spoof emails ask you to provide a website with financial information and then they steal this information. If you receive any emails that ask you for financial details, shut your browser, open up a new browser and contact your company's web site personally to see if there is a message for you.
Steps you can take to avoid problems with viruses and Trojans include being vigilant and paying attention to how your computer appears to be running. If you notice a decrease in performance that cannot be easily explained, or if you see an icon you do not recognize on the taskbar, it is a good idea to scan your computer and look for problems. Paying attention to your own computer, and using your own common sense, is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your computer.
Many people find it very easy to safeguard themselves by installing antivirus protection. Most antivirus protection software protects your computer from known viruses and Trojan horses. If a new virus is detected, your virus software will automatically download the new definition so that your computer will be safe.
Trojan horses are tiny programs that are downloaded inadvertently from the web. These small programs look for personal information and secretly upload it to a database. Many computer users have lost personal and financial information with the use of Trojan Horses.
One of the most damaging of all malicious software is the back door Trojan virus. Unlike many other types of malicious code, the back door Trojan virus is designed specifically to take advantage of vulnerabilities in the operating system such as Windows. The virus uses a back door into the computer too steal personal information, wipe files, or do other types of damage. To make matters worse, some of these back door Trojan horses disguise themselves and hide from anti virus software. Some are even intelligent enough to disable and render unusable your anti virus and firewall software.
You should also protect your computer from Spyware. Spyware is a tiny program that is downloaded usually when you download another program for free off the web. Spyware can be very irritating. Spyware keeps records of what your search for online and then sends you advertisements. Spyware can be difficult to erase.
It is also vital to protect yourself from Spoof emails. Spoof emails look like real emails from Ebay, Paypal, Banks and big credit card companies, but they are fake. Most spoof emails ask you to provide a website with financial information and then they steal this information. If you receive any emails that ask you for financial details, shut your browser, open up a new browser and contact your company's web site personally to see if there is a message for you.
Steps you can take to avoid problems with viruses and Trojans include being vigilant and paying attention to how your computer appears to be running. If you notice a decrease in performance that cannot be easily explained, or if you see an icon you do not recognize on the taskbar, it is a good idea to scan your computer and look for problems. Paying attention to your own computer, and using your own common sense, is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your computer.
4 Basic Steps To Protect Your Computer Against Internet Intruders
It never ceases to amaze me how many people connect to the Internet with no protection on the PC at all! This is a very dangerous activity and has led to financial ruin for some people.
I have had family members and friends who ask me to check out their PC's because they are 'slow' or they can't stop these damn popup windows from coming up. These are the first signs of infection or security breaches on your PC.
It takes 4 simple steps and it costs you nothing at all except a bit of time and effort.
Step 1 - Get a firewall installed.
Firewalls help to protect you from Internet attacks and intrusion from hackers on the Internet who go 'sniffing' for unprotected computers.
What do they do when they hack your computer? Well they look for password files, security breaches that allow them to use YOUR computer for malicious attacks on other computers on the Internet.
There was a story not long ago about the Russian Mafia hacking into a household computer and using it to transfer funds from unsuspecting bank accounts for their own illegal purposes. When the Feds tracked down the responsible computer, it belonged to some unsuspecting person who had no idea of what was happening. So be warned!!
Microsoft Windows XP has a built in firewall so you could enable that and it gives you some basic protection.
If you don't want to use that firewall then try a free firewall called zone alarm from http://www.zonelabs.com
Zone alarm is a great firewall and even better for the price - they have a free version for home and non-commercial use.
Step 2 - Get an anti virus product installed
Anti virus software scans your computer for malicious code that can cause all sorts of problems on your computer and even delete files and make your computer inoperable.
You can get a very good free virus scanning software called AVG virus scanner from http://www.grisoft.com/
Step 3 - Get a reliable anti-spyware software
Spyware tends to sit on your computer and 'spy' on what you are doing. It can do things like look at web sites you have visited, record your key strokes (looking for account numbers and passwords) and it can then sends this information back to its originator.
A great and well know spyware scanner is called Spybot-S&D from http://www.safer-networking.org/
The other great spyware utilities are adaware from lavasoft, and Microsoft have one as well.
My advice would be to run two or three spyware utilities, particularly if you do a lot of online transactions with your computer.
Step 4 - Keep your Microsoft (MS) Windows Operating System (OS) updated
Microsoft come out with security patches on a regular bases to close up security 'holes' that have been identified. These patches can be applied manually by you or you can have MS Windows download and install them automatically.
To check out what updates you require -
1. Go to the Microsoft Windows Update page here - http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
2. Scan your computer to find out what critical updates and security patches are not installed.
3. Select the updates to install paying particular attention to CRITICAL Updates.
You may need to restart your computer after the patches have been applied
As a final word on the 4 steps, it is critical that you keep all of the programs up to date. So check back with the vendors on a regular basis (at least weekly) to see if updates are available. The better programs (like Spybot) will have options in them to check for updates.
The above list of programs is not the ultimate list. Like any programs there are dozens of choices. The ones above are those that I have had first hand experience of.
I personally use commercial programs because I spend so much time connected to the Internet, my family surfs quite regularly and I am a big fan of online transactions. Even the commercial programs only cost pennies compared to what can happen if you do get an infection.
New! Ezy-Internet Safety Guide is the perfect blueprint to the truth about Internet safety. Learn everything you need to know about making your computer safer, safety software that works and how to avoid all the nasty spyware, malware, viruses, worms and trojans.
I have had family members and friends who ask me to check out their PC's because they are 'slow' or they can't stop these damn popup windows from coming up. These are the first signs of infection or security breaches on your PC.
It takes 4 simple steps and it costs you nothing at all except a bit of time and effort.
Step 1 - Get a firewall installed.
Firewalls help to protect you from Internet attacks and intrusion from hackers on the Internet who go 'sniffing' for unprotected computers.
What do they do when they hack your computer? Well they look for password files, security breaches that allow them to use YOUR computer for malicious attacks on other computers on the Internet.
There was a story not long ago about the Russian Mafia hacking into a household computer and using it to transfer funds from unsuspecting bank accounts for their own illegal purposes. When the Feds tracked down the responsible computer, it belonged to some unsuspecting person who had no idea of what was happening. So be warned!!
Microsoft Windows XP has a built in firewall so you could enable that and it gives you some basic protection.
If you don't want to use that firewall then try a free firewall called zone alarm from http://www.zonelabs.com
Zone alarm is a great firewall and even better for the price - they have a free version for home and non-commercial use.
Step 2 - Get an anti virus product installed
Anti virus software scans your computer for malicious code that can cause all sorts of problems on your computer and even delete files and make your computer inoperable.
You can get a very good free virus scanning software called AVG virus scanner from http://www.grisoft.com/
Step 3 - Get a reliable anti-spyware software
Spyware tends to sit on your computer and 'spy' on what you are doing. It can do things like look at web sites you have visited, record your key strokes (looking for account numbers and passwords) and it can then sends this information back to its originator.
A great and well know spyware scanner is called Spybot-S&D from http://www.safer-networking.org/
The other great spyware utilities are adaware from lavasoft, and Microsoft have one as well.
My advice would be to run two or three spyware utilities, particularly if you do a lot of online transactions with your computer.
Step 4 - Keep your Microsoft (MS) Windows Operating System (OS) updated
Microsoft come out with security patches on a regular bases to close up security 'holes' that have been identified. These patches can be applied manually by you or you can have MS Windows download and install them automatically.
To check out what updates you require -
1. Go to the Microsoft Windows Update page here - http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
2. Scan your computer to find out what critical updates and security patches are not installed.
3. Select the updates to install paying particular attention to CRITICAL Updates.
You may need to restart your computer after the patches have been applied
As a final word on the 4 steps, it is critical that you keep all of the programs up to date. So check back with the vendors on a regular basis (at least weekly) to see if updates are available. The better programs (like Spybot) will have options in them to check for updates.
The above list of programs is not the ultimate list. Like any programs there are dozens of choices. The ones above are those that I have had first hand experience of.
I personally use commercial programs because I spend so much time connected to the Internet, my family surfs quite regularly and I am a big fan of online transactions. Even the commercial programs only cost pennies compared to what can happen if you do get an infection.
New! Ezy-Internet Safety Guide is the perfect blueprint to the truth about Internet safety. Learn everything you need to know about making your computer safer, safety software that works and how to avoid all the nasty spyware, malware, viruses, worms and trojans.
Notebook Computers in the Age of the Internet
Everyone knows that our world cannot exist without computers. Ever tried to make a purchase at a convenience store when their computers are down, ever waited for someone to make change when their register computer is down, or have you ever tried to find a book in a library when the system is down? If you have ever experienced one of these inconveniences, you know that our world hinges on whether or not our computers are working.
Remember when you told your teacher that the dog ate your homework? Did she believe you? Probably not. Now the excuse is my computer crashed, my printer wouldn't print, or we were out of ink. Even kids rely on computers to do their schoolwork. The days of pen and pencils are almost over. In fact most students know more about computers than their teachers or parents. They don't even remember a time without computers.
As computers become more and more intuitive and powerful, we must proceed with them. If you are still among the population that resents the encroachment of the computer, think about this scenario. If Eve in the Garden of Eden had access to the Internet, she could have looked up information about snakes. She would have found out that they have forked tongues and an evil reputation. Instead of listening to the snake's lies, she would have thrashed him with a tree branch. Think how much better our world would be now.
The best present any graduate can get this June is a desktop computer or a laptop. In my day, girls were given matching luggage to take their clothes to school. Yes, I know I am dating myself, but I do have a point. Today buy your child a computer and let them take their clothes is a paper sack. They don't care; an old gym bag will do. I know; schools have computer labs, but they are always full. Wouldn't you rather your son or particularly your daughter not be out of the dorm or apartment working on projects or papers? Also, when your newly graduated senior has moved away to school, e-mail will become your best friend. Even if you hate computers, you will learn to love them because they will become your link to your child. The nest will never be empty as long as you have e-mail.
Computers are links to the outside world. The world has never been more accessible or smaller. You have to keep up or you will be left behind and who wants to be the last straggler on the planet? Not me!
Remember when you told your teacher that the dog ate your homework? Did she believe you? Probably not. Now the excuse is my computer crashed, my printer wouldn't print, or we were out of ink. Even kids rely on computers to do their schoolwork. The days of pen and pencils are almost over. In fact most students know more about computers than their teachers or parents. They don't even remember a time without computers.
As computers become more and more intuitive and powerful, we must proceed with them. If you are still among the population that resents the encroachment of the computer, think about this scenario. If Eve in the Garden of Eden had access to the Internet, she could have looked up information about snakes. She would have found out that they have forked tongues and an evil reputation. Instead of listening to the snake's lies, she would have thrashed him with a tree branch. Think how much better our world would be now.
The best present any graduate can get this June is a desktop computer or a laptop. In my day, girls were given matching luggage to take their clothes to school. Yes, I know I am dating myself, but I do have a point. Today buy your child a computer and let them take their clothes is a paper sack. They don't care; an old gym bag will do. I know; schools have computer labs, but they are always full. Wouldn't you rather your son or particularly your daughter not be out of the dorm or apartment working on projects or papers? Also, when your newly graduated senior has moved away to school, e-mail will become your best friend. Even if you hate computers, you will learn to love them because they will become your link to your child. The nest will never be empty as long as you have e-mail.
Computers are links to the outside world. The world has never been more accessible or smaller. You have to keep up or you will be left behind and who wants to be the last straggler on the planet? Not me!
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