6 Essential Steps to Protect Your Computer On the Internet For Free
Recently one of my friends asked me to check out if his computer was infected by virus. He suspected because occasionally the computer was shut down automatically when connected to internet. My first thought was the Sasser worm 60 seconds auto count-down. As he uses Windows 98 second edition with IE5, the virus must be a Sasser variant. I'm not network security expert but I know some basic things he must do to protect his home PC.
It was a shock when he told me that his 4 years old PC had no protection except McAfee anti-virus.
- Bought in 2000 and no Windows service packs had been applied since then.
- McAfee anti-virus software came with the PC when bought and no updates since then.
- No firewall installed.
- No anti spyware installed.
- Open Microsoft Windows Update page at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
- Scan the PC to find out what critical updates and security fixes are missing.
- Select, download, and install a selection of updates, especially any Critical Updates.
- Restart the PC after finished.
The page will suggest what updates are needed based on your Windows version. You should install all Critical Updates suggested by Microsoft. It took me about one and half hour to complete the above steps. Step #2: Download, install, and run Spybot to get rid of all spyware. http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=downloadSpybot-S&D is a free anti-spyware software to detect any spyware installed on your PC.
Spyware is any software that is installed on your PC and tracks your online behavior without your knowledge or consent. Spyware generally can
- Track what web pages you are visiting and send these information to advertising companies. This kind of spyware is commonly called adware.
- Track and record your computer activities such as what keys you hit. This is generally called Trojans.
- Change your web browser's home page.
- And more...
You may also try the free ZoneAlarm firewall. Be aware that ZoneAlarm free edition uses a lot of computer memory. The following is the free ZoneAlarm firewall download link. You hardly can find this download link on ZoneAlarm site because they want you to buy the Pro version which is a much better choice.http://www.zonealarm.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jspStep #4: Download AVG anti-virus software http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.phpBecause my friend has McAfee antivirus installed but has not been updated for about 4 years. I downloaded AVG Free Edition antivirus software and let him to consider if he wanted to pay and update his McAfee or use the freebie.
Running two antivirus software on the same computer can cause conflicts. Step #5: Install password management software - RoboForm free edition. http://www.roboform.com/?affid=siterRoboForm is a password management software with Artificial Intelligence built in that can automatically fill online forms for you. It has been featured on The Wall Street Journal, CNN, The New York Times, Financial Times, PC Magazine, etc. Nowadays we all have many usernames and passwords to use on the internet.
Some spywares record your keystrokes and send them to the hackers. It has been reported many times that people lost all their money in online bank account or internet payment system account. One of RoboForm key features is designed to combat this kind of key logger hacking. RoboForm can
- AutoSave passwords in browser.
- AutoFill passwords to login form.
- Click Login button for you.
- Fill personal info into online forms.
- Save offline passwords & notes.
- Generate Secure Random Passwords.
- Encrypt passwords and personal info using 3-DES.
- All personal info is stored on your computer only.
- Put passwords on USB KeyChain for extra security.
- Sync your passwords and safenotes to a Palm.
- Backup & Restore, Print your passwords.
- More features: drill down for more.
- Read Web Security tutorial from W3Schools, especially the paragraphs for home users.
- Use Audit My PC to do three Penetration Testing. http://www.auditmypc.com/freescan/prefcan.asp
- Use Gibson Research's ShiedsUP to do port scan and get useful advice. https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2
- Download Gibson Research's LeakTest and check if personal firewall can be fooled. If the firewall is good, the LeadTest will not be able to reach the internet. http://grc.com/lt/leaktest.htm
- Browse Microsoft security home page to learn more about Windows security.
Is Your Computer Sick?
Viruses and spyware usually show up on your computer one of two ways.
Either they invade your system with a frontal assault like the Huns attacking the Romans, or they sneak in a back door like a cat burglar.
Either way, once a virus or piece of spyware gets on your system, getting it off can rate harder than curing a severe case of trench foot! Viruses, malicious programs designed to disrupt normal computing, and spyware, programs intended to literally "spy" on your activities, can enter your computer a number of ways.
Most commonly they enter your system through an email attachment, by sharing files with an infected computer by disk, as a "ride along" with a 3rd party program you install, or through a "back door" port in your computer. Regardless of how they get on your system, once in place, they cause no end of headaches and frustration.
The following represent typical signs you may suffer from infection by a virus or piece of spyware.
Your...
Spyware > Is Your Computer Sick?
Finding the Right Performance Optimizer
So, you've decided to fine-tune your PC by using a performance optimizer. But there are hundreds of products available on the market and to find a solution that fits your need can be daunting. In this week's article, I will explain what performance optimizers are and how they work while suggesting what you should look for when choosing such a utility.Performance optimizers are software utilities that allow you to ensure your PC is automatically optimized and its performance maximized. These tools should also allow you to keep your PC running at peak performance. When too many of your resources are being occupied unnecessarily or beyond certain levels that you have established.
The software should warn you to take immediate action. Performance optimizers should automatically fine-tune all your resources: hardware (CPU and memory) and your system settings. This will help you enjoy a faster, cleaner and more stable environment that will greatly minimize slowdowns and crashes. Performance...
Finding the Right Performance Optimizer
Spyware > Finding the Right Performance Optimizer
The Mafia & Spyware
The Mafia & SpywareThe deluge of spyware festering on consumer and corporate PCs will help to spark a boom in spending on security Latest News about Security software, a new report from Framingham, Massachusetts-based IDC predicts.Anti-spyware software revenues will rise from US$12 million in 2003 to $305 million in 2008, with traditional antivirus software vendors, such as Norton and McAfee, competing with dedicated anti-spyware companies for leadership of the market, according to the study.Spyware, also known as adware or malware, is infecting millions of computers with multiple purposes: stealing personal information, enabling identity theft, tracking users' online activity, and selling the information back to anyone willing to pay.IDC estimates that 67 percent of all computers -- mostly consumer PCs -- have some form of spyware.At the moment, key players in the spyware detection market include specialist vendors, such as Webroot and Computer Associates-owned PestPatrol. However,...
The Mafia & Spyware
Spyware > The Mafia & Spyware
Internet Scams 101 -- Attacking You Through Your E-mail
The Internet is filled with scams, and eventually they wind up in your e-mail box.
The ingenuity of these people is astonishing.
Their goal is usually to get you to click on an e-mail attachment, so they can infect your computer with a virus, a tracking cookie, and/or a trojan horse.
? COMPUTER VIRUSES strike fear into all our hearts.
When a particularly vicious virus comes out, announcements are made on television and in newspapers.
For a good discussion of computer viruses, go to http://computer.howstuffworks.com/virus.htm.
? A COOKIE can be perfectly aboveboard and even helpful.
For example, when you visit Amazon.com, you get a cookie which enables their computer to recognize you when you return and to remember the sort of thing you're interested in.
TRACKING COOKIES, on the other hand, record the places you go online and what links you click on, telling advertisers what type of ads should...
Spyware > Internet Scams 101 -- Attacking You Through Your E-mail