Why Computer Security Software is Essential

A lot of reasons exist for people to use computer security measures to protect information that is important to them whenever they are online. Different forms of security software provides internet users with the necessary protection that they require against viruses, worms and other forms of malware that infiltrate your computer and wreak havoc and steal personal information that could result in dire consequences for you. One crime that computer security software can help prevent to a large degree is identity theft. Identity theft is a serious crime that affects a huge proportion of the global population on an annual basis. The effects caused by identity theft and associated crimes may result in a situation that it takes a long time to recover from. After suffering from identity theft you ll be very lucky if you can afford to get an educational loan or a job. Identity thieves are always out for one thing - to benefit themselves financially by using your identity. One other benefit of using computer security software is that the computer security software was specifically crafted in order to prevent hackers from accessing computers that they have no right to access. This if often the best way to ensure that you privacy is catered for whenever you re online. Security software may also disguise and hide you IP address so hackers cannot use your IP address in order to target your computer system specifically and disrupt your computer system. Whenever you place security software on you computer system what you are trying to do is that you re making sure that any personal information on your computer system sis kept secure when you are in public locations such as an Internet café or a wireless hotspot in a hotel or an airport. Internet users who are always on the move will appreciate such security measures. What you do when you use internet security software is that you are securing all the data that is present on your computer with encryption software that is specially created for that task. Some other benefits that are provided by internet security software is the elimination of various pop-ups as well as the security of the hard drives and the prevention of censorship by your ISP as well as a lot of other benefits. The Internet has done a lot in our lives by altering the way we live , the way we do our jobs and the way we have fun. We can instantly connect with people and businesses all over the entire world and it makes it easier for us to do simple things from searching for jobs online to conducting business via a virtual offices. The different advances in the areas of the Internet have also increased the ease with which it takes to commit various crimes. In order to prevent these crimes from affecting our way of life the use of computer security software is essential for computer protection. Failure to protect our computers may mean a failure to protect our businesses and our way of life which may ultimately precipitate a person towards disaster. Kelly Hunter operates security-software-help.com and writes about Security Software .

Cheap-oh Charlie - The Bargain Bonehead or Safe Shopping on the Net

What happened to Charlie, even though it was his own fault, is still sad. You see, Charlie is a worshiper at the throne of Cheap. He revels in flimsy plastic, and goes into ecstasy watching those late-night TV commercials that sell gadgets that can save the world. He was thrilled to get the Acme Home Brain Surgery Kit for just $19.95, although he admits that he has yet to try it. (Some people who know him think he has tried it -- on himself -- which explains a lot). Charlie did all of his shopping at the dollar store. He was very proud of his sharp shopping prowess. Those high end fancy-delancy stores are ripping off the public, opines Charlie. There is no reason why anything should cost more than a dollar. Anything at all. Yes, Charlie has a strong disregard for premium shopping places such as fill-in-the-blank-Mart. Only for rich idiots, he says. But Charlie is not devoid of standards. I never shop at secondhand stores. Why is that? As he explains, I only shop quality. So he only buys at the one dollar stores. That makes sense, right? Internet Specials That Are Too Good, Way Too Good As you can imagine, the Internet truly changed Charlie s life, but not always in good ways. You see, Charlie believed that if it was on the net, it must be cheaper. He heard the phrase Internet special , and applied it to every web site that sells anything. If Internet Explorer shows it to him, it must be a bargain. If he sees it in Firefox, buy it, it s a steal. Charlie was naive. Dangerously so. So Charlie quickly discovered great sites, such as Trash Is Treasure.haha, Cheap Cr.ap, and Fools Rush In.dum. The last site had tragic consequences, as it was there that he bought the blowtorch that killed his mother-in-law. He told her it was a hair dryer. He told her he got it for one dollar. He told her it worked instantaneously -- and he wasn t lying. And he told the police something else entirely. This Site Is Run by Crooks Now we all know the value of reading user reviews of products and dealers before buying on the net. If they write bad things about a dealer, the properly cautious among us would stay away. But not Charlie. Charlie believed that the worse the review, the better the dealer. He actually searched out dealers accused of selling junk, cheating customers, providing no support, and so forth. He felt that these must be the best on the net. I repeat. The best on the net. Got that? It makes perfect sense. They re just jealous, says Charlie. The natural human reaction to a superior product or service is a desperate attempt to resolve residual issues of low self-esteem by denigrating those objects... at this point I fell asleep as Charlie kept talking. He clearly had taken one too many college psychology courses. Let s Go Phishing Another thing we all know to do is to be very careful with our financial information. In this, Charlie was super careful. That s why he opened every e-mail he got from The Pay Pal Team urging him to log into his account and update his security information. Those nice people from Pay Pal were even so nice as to send him a customized link to the log in form. This way, Charlie wouldn t be bothered to type Pay Pal s address into the browser. Wasn t that sweet? It s too bad no one was there to tell Charlie that Pay Pal -- the REAL Pay Pal -- never sends these e-mails. This is something called phishing, and it s the way impostors got Charlie s log in and password. We ll talk more about that later. Poor Charlie. He was trying. Give him credit for that, even if others were stealing it. Shopping from Unsolicited E-Mails -- You Know What They re Called Much of Charlie s shopping day is spent surveying spam. The best offers! he explains. These are responsible dealers, not wasting money on overhead, glossy catalogs and fancy web sites. This way they can pass the savings on to me! Does the fact that spam is illegal deter him? No way. These people are taking risks to get me the drugs, stocks, software and everything else I need at lowest cost. It s only illegal because the big overcharging chains, such as you-know-which-river-in-South-America.com are trying to protect their monopolies. For Charlie, shopping from spammers is a matter of principle. These guys are heroes, real heroes. He worships them. How noble! Good grief, Charlie Brown. Secure Servers And Web Forms It all came apart for Charlie when he found the deal to end all deals. It was a site called your-car-cheap-for-a-buck.con . Charlie could find dirt cheap cars by paying a buck -- yes, the holy dollar -- to join this special site.. And, believe it or not, the claim was absolutely correct . Correct, but not in the way Charlie wanted. You see, Charlie didn t think that a secure Web order form was necessary. Therefore he didn t look for the https at the beginning of the address. That s after the http indicates a secure server to protect against hackers stealing credit card information. Most people realize that it is only wise to submit credit card information to a secure server. But Charlie is not most people. He was not disturbed when the web site informed him that in order to process its one dollar membership, they needed to post his credit card details on the web site for a few moments. The people at the site didn t trust the accuracy of Web forms, so they wanted to copy it by hand. Responsible, thought Charlie. And so his credit card, Social Security, billing address, you name it were displayed for all to see on the World Wide Web. Shortly thereafter, Charlie was enjoying a luxurious deluxe vacation in sun filled Cancun, Mexico. Only it wasn t Charlie. The identity theft was so complete that the credit card company didn t believe Charlie s story. They kept accepting the charges, and he went so far into debt that the bank foreclosed on his car and sold it for cheap. The only possession Charlie had left was his membership in your-car-cheap-for-a-buck.con. And there it was, his repossessed car on sale for cheap . Well, the site did live up to its promise. Sort of. He had paid a lot more than a buck to see his car on sale cheap. But that s just a detail. The Moral of the Story Yes, there are great bargains to be had on the Internet. There are discount specials that are fantastic. Remember, though, that the Internet is simply another way of advertising. The same mix of better and worse merchants, honest and less-so dealers is out there. By searching reputable merchants, paying attention to user reviews if they are available, never giving your credit card information to an unsecured site or responding to a phony Pay Pal, bank or other e-mail, you can reap the benefits of Internet shopping. There is so much great value out there, and through the Internet s amazing searching power, you can find true blue bargains. I believe it is the best way to shop. Seth Lutnick shops on the Internet all the time. His new site offers discounts and coupons from reputable dealers only! It s called bargain-discount.com , and Charlie would never go there. And if you re traveling, he has book-flights.biz .

How And Why You Should Protect Your Internet Privacy

As the internet has developed over the last few years, it has become even more important for users to protect their internet privacy. Not only is it useful for protecting your browsing habits from family and loved ones, but protecting your internet privacy also means you’re less at risk from identity thieves and internet hackers. You see, your web browser has many built-in features designed to help you â€" but if you don’t know how to use them correctly, then they may actually do more harm than good. Most web browsers have the capability of storing your passwords and user ID’s. While this can be useful if you have several passwords to remember, or need to do a lot of logging in and out of websites â€" it also means identity thieves have an easy opportunity if they ever find a way to access your computer. Fortunately, if you’re a computer wizard then you already know all the places on your computer which store personal information such as passwords and internet history. But what if you don’t know how to find and delete this sensitive information? Thankfully there are now plenty of high quality software programs which can find and delete all this information for you. At the click of a button you can have this information found, and deleted securely so it is no longer recoverable by any means. In conclusion, protecting your internet privacy, such as passwords, login details, and internet history has never been more important. Identity theft is on the increase â€" and the internet has made it much easier. Also, if you ever visit websites which contain material you wouldn’t wish your family or loved ones to see, then protecting your internet history is equally important â€" and so is securely deleting it, so none of your family members can track your history. Mark Tate is owner of the Winclear Review website, where he offers advice on protecting your internet privacy. He also reviews popular software programs designed to delete your internet history and protect your privacy. You can find his website here: winclear-review.info

How To Get More Information When Using Reverse Number Directories

The key trouble with info gathering technology like reverse cell phone numbers directories is that these sort of methods are very often abused, causing people to worry about their privacy and revelation of personal information to untrustworthy individuals and companies. With the invention of reverse cell phone numbers directories you should give even more attention to protecting your personal info from it being stolen . The reverse cell phone numbers system alone is not a dangerous service. As a matter of fact it is more secure than the traditional directory services, because lots of cell phone numbers are not listed to begin with. On the other hand when signing up with land line phone providers, you have to always specify that your number remains unlisted. While it would be wise always do so when setting up a cellular account, it is not always requirement to explicitly demand this when buying mobile phone. It depends on the provider and just inquire about it before you sign up. It is a lot harder to exploit the reverse cell phone numbers directory and determine the owner of the unlisted number. Then again, it is possible that you need to use this services yourself. If you wish to do this, for start all you must have is the phone number. When the cellular or conventional number is listed, you can use it with any number of information searches online and discover the name of the person behind that number, and possibly even address. From time to time the numbers are withheld from directories and it is going to be much more complicated, and may require a paid service to look into the number for further information. Now and then when browsing for more detailed information, such as an email or regular phone number, it is useful to have further info. Anything from individuals name or town of residence, is going to assist you concentrate a search or perhaps acquire the private info build on this, with the cellular phone number just giving verification of the information, rather than being the one and only source for the investigation. So, if you are trying to prevent yourself from being a target or trying to reach someone yourself, the reverse cell phone numbers services have at the same time good sides and negative sides. Despite the fact that these services offer an immense supply of info for the seeker, they also be frustrating within their restrictions. Naturally as we enter ever more in the age of digital technology, these services will become better and better with the rising number of cellular phone users. Luka Zimmerman is a well known cellular phones author and owner of reverse-phone-lookup-info.com a site where you can get comprehensive phone reverse lookup information.

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. Spyware has become so common, it has now moved ahead of viruses as the number one danger facing computer users today. But with these safe web surfing tips you can learn how to fight spyware. Anything you download from the Internet is a potential threat but a few types of downloads are particularly notorious for infecting your computer with spyware and adware. Music file-sharing programs used to trade music are a major problem. Other downloads like free games, screen savers, and even smiley face packages are usually loaded with adware. Be aware of any product that claims to be free because it s very possible that the publisher generates revenue from sources like pop up ads while you surf. Also quickly look at the end-user license agreement that comes with a download. During the installation process you re asked to check a box to indicate that you agree with the terms. Although very few people ever read these, you may get clues that spyware and adware are part of the download. If you see third-party software, anything ad-supported or if you are asked to agree to multiple end-user license agreements, cancel the installation process. This is almost a sure sign that ads will pop up and your safe web surfing will become history. There are a few other ways to learn how to fight spyware. Go into Microsoft s windowsupdate.com site at least once a month to make sure your system has the latest security patches. It just takes a few minutes and this alone can save your computer. It s very important to run and keep your anti-virus programs up to date. But with spyware and adware as the number one danger facing computer users today, you need to arm yourself with spyware protection software and keep it updated. Our site as well as many other spyware sites offer to kill spyware free to get rid of the spyware and adware that you have on your computer now. But if you don t install spyware protection software, a spyware program could reinstall automatically within minutes from being cleaned from your computer. You and your family deserve to be able to surf the Internet without your privacy being at risk. If you really want to fight spyware, invest into quality spyware protection software and keep this threat away from your computer. Copyright © 2005 Spyware Information.com All Rights Reserved. This article is provided by spyware-information.com where you will find free spyware cleaners, downloads, removal software, valuable tips and updated articles about adware and spyware removal programs to protect your identity. For other informative spyware and adware articles go to spyware-information.com

Online Safety Of Your Children Starts With You As A Parent

Parental control software is far from perfect and your kids are smarter than you may think, they will always find a way around them. Companies developing this software make millions out of parents neglecting their responsibility as a parent. What is the use of restricting the access on their computer, if they can find other ways of accessing the sites they want? You cannot use a computer program to prevent them from watching indecent TV shows and movies, you cannot use a computer program to prevent them from reading indecent magazines and books, you cannot use a computer program to help them choose their friends or prevent them from using drugs, you cannot use a computer program to protect them from predators. You, as a parent have the responsibility to educate your children, when they are old enough to understand, about what is right and what is wrong in life. Many kids buy their own books, computer games, they rent their own DVD’s, some even have their own TV set, so it is useless, in fact foolish, to control only one source of bad influence on your children? You are only treating the symptoms and not the root of the problem and the root is lack of proper education and raising your children without good moral values. People do not take it serious when they are warned against the damaging effects of exposing children to all the explicit sex, nudity, violence and bad language through all the different mediums available to us today. When these immoral acts negatively affect adults and offend them, what effect do you think does it have on young children? I know that immoral material on the Internet sometimes make an appearance through unsuspected pop up windows, but these pop ups normally appear on sites where children should not have been in the first place. Our moral values have degraded so much that indecent web sites are not seen as “bad” anymore. The adults consuming this content today are the product of a previous generation of people who threw all moral values overboard. The online safety of your children is not only about maintaining high moral values, it is also about keeping them away from online predators. These people are active on IRC channels (chat rooms), forums and may even contact your child via e-mail. So many teenagers have walked into the trap of deception. There is no way of verifying the identity of the person on the other side of your computer screen. An adult online predator, pretending to be a teenager, can easily mislead your teenager into believing that he/she has found a good online friend. This is why online dating is so dangerous, not only for children but adults as well. Online predators can behave well, they can be friendly and kind, they can be sympathetic to the problems of your child and you child can easily find comfort in that. Never let your child meet an online friend without your presence and tell them how dangerous it is meeting or talking to total strangers without parental guidance. Educate your children not to give personal details, addresses and telephone numbers to anyone online, you should determine whether it is safe to provide these details by assessing the situation. There may be circumstances where these details are required for subscriptions to safe online services your child might want to use. You should be the judge of which services are suitable for your children and which ones are not. If you are unsure of the safety of a certain service, ask for the opinion of an expert or someone else already using it. Do not give your children too much power if they cannot use it responsible, too much control is not good either and you should find a balance between the two. If you fail to find a balance, you will end up compromising the safety of your child in the online and as well as the offline world. Trust goes both ways and the trust showed by the one party will help win the trust of the other party. You need to be able to trust your children, trusting that they will stick to the rules you make. You should make it clear what the consequences will be if they disobey and misbehave, be consequent with your actions and make no exceptions to your own rules. They should also be able to trust you, knowing that you will not invade their privacy. Breaking into their e-mail accounts and reading their e-mails, or installing spyware to spy on their online activities is not the right way of protecting your children. Both parties should be open and honest towards each other with everything they do. Your child should have enough confidence in you, to turn to you when he or she is unsure of something or did something wrong. Not taking your child serious in such a case will break down the trust built up between the two of you and you will end up being the direct cause of his or her mistakes. Children are a gift from God, never neglect your responsibility as a parent. About the Author Coenraad is webmaster and founder of Cyber Top Cops , leaders in Internet security, prevention of online fraud and educating users against online scams and malicious software.

Why it s Essential to Back up Your Computer

Why it s Essential to Back up Your Computer It is important that everyone who owns or uses a computer should take the time out to make backups of any important files or programs they have which are resident on their computer systems. These programs should usually be backed up as well in order to prevent these computers from suffering from the adverse effects of what malware, spyware and other types of computer viruses can do. Rather than bearing the risks of losing your entire information making the necessary backup copies of your programs and information will easily protect you in the long run. H ow can you lose your files? Different occurrences can make you lose a whole lot of your computer programs and files. Your computer may get affected by a terrible virus or some spyware or malware that can do serious damage to your computer. Circumstances that are beyond your control may also affect the operation of your computer. An entire storm could make your computer malfunction if your computer isn’t protected against circumstances such as power surges. You could have the entire information on your computer wiped out and everything in it rendered unusable. Even a child can affect the operation of your computer. It is usually in your best interests to make backups of every file or program on your computer that is important in one way or the other to you. What types of files should you backup? If you’re concerned about what sort of programs and files you should be backing up, the answer is quite simple. Simply take the time out to back up any files and programs on your computer which you feel are important. Most people usually take files that relate to one form of financial information or the other as the most important. Other people consider project files, address books, pictures, software or music as equally important. To some people the scheduling software in their computers hold some important information that should be backed up as well. How can you backup your computer files? Backing up computer files can be done in a whole lot of ways. The simplest of these ways is usually to take the time out to back up your computer files every single week or every month depending on the frequency with which you make use of your computer. Some people burn the information that they need to backup on their CD-ROMs. People who have computers that have no CD-ROM drive can easily take the time out and purchase an external hard drive in order to store the information that they want to back up. External hard drives differ in terms of the available range of memory sizes. Some of these hard drives are so small that they can fit onto a key holder. If you need external hard drives, the prices you pay largely differ according to the requirements that you have. Small external hard drives can usually be purchased for prices that are as little as twenty dollars. Larger versions go for hundreds of dollars and more. The space and size requirements are ultimately what determine how much you pay. Most external hard drives can easily fit into your computer via the USB port. Where should you keep your computer’s backup files? When a computer has been backed up you should take the time out to keep the computer files in a location that is safe. You may also decide to get a different level of redundancy and backup your computer in multiple ways. You can then simply store these backups in different places. Prevention is always a whole lot better than curative measures. Darren Williger is an over-caffeinated, security oriented winemaking enthusiast who writes for CaffeineZone.com , NetworkSecurity.WS , and HomemadeWine.com

Network Security - Methods For Controlling Threats

Since firewalls are so commonly used it is worth exploring them in greater depth. Corporations often set up rules for managing their Web connections using firewalls. A firewall enables a company to designate how all end users can use their network and decide what information is passed through Web servers and other servers. There are several methods a firewall uses to control traffic that comes into and goes out of the network. One way firewalls do this is through packet filtering. During this process a firewall analyzes small packets of information against pre-designated filters. All data is sent via small packets of information through filters. Safe information is passed through and unsafe information is generally removed. Another way firewalls mitigate traffic is through proxy service. This means the firewall retrieved information from the Web and sends it to the requesting computer. Still another method of traffic control used by firewall is stateful inspection. This technique allows the firewall to compare certain parts of the data packet to information gathered from trusted sources. Information going to the firewall from the Internet is monitored to determine whether it contains key characteristics that suggest the information is safe rather than harmful. Information designated as safe passes through freely and other information is blocked. The methods a company selects will depend on a number of factors including personal preferences. Regardless of the method a firewall uses however a company or network administrator can customize the firewall to filter information based on a pre-established set of criteria. Article by Frank Owen, visit his web site on network security for more information on network security networksecurityinsider.com

How To Be Safe When Banking Online

In today s modern world, people use every resource to make their hectic lifestyles a little easier. The World Wide Web has made many menial tasks much simpler and quicker to perform than they might otherwise be done through conventional methods. An email to Australia, for example, can be delivered in seconds whereas the same letter sent by standard mail could take several days or even weeks to arrive at its destination. Similarly, with a few clicks of your mouse it s possible to have your weekly groceries packed and delivered to your front door without you ever needing to leave the house. However, for many World Wide Web users, online banking is a bone of contention as doubts about the security of online banking remain abundantly clear. Recent figures have revealed that 21 per cent of British internet users feared being a victim of a phishing scam or ID theft more than car theft, burglary and even mugging. However, online banking needn t be an ordeal, so how do you protect yourself from fraudsters? Firstly, the way you set up your login details for your online banking account is vital to protecting the integrity of your account. Many people tend to choose passwords that are easily memorable, such as a child s or pet s name, but these can be easily guessed. Instead, choose a username and password consisting of a mixture of letters and numbers, and avoid using the same password for other online accounts. Secondly, check to make sure the site you are on is secure. To do this, check that your internet browser displays a small padlock icon in the bottom of your screen. This icon indicates that any information you enter and send through the internet will be encrypted, making it much harder for internet thieves to intercept and decipher the data. Phishing has become something of a buzzword when it comes to internet fraud, with losses due to phishing scams reaching £23 million by the end of 2006. Phishing is a method used by fraudsters to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication - most commonly via email. Phishing emails typically take the form of an official document from a bank, credit card company, or other financial institution and claims that there has been a problem with the user s account, or requests the user update their details. The email usually includes a link to follow which redirects the user to a dummy site, where users input sensitive information, including usernames, account numbers and passwords. These dummy sites resemble the authentic websites of the real institutions and can catch unsuspecting users. Remember, your bank will never send you an email asking you to update your details online, so if you receive an email like this, the best course of action is to use the delete key! Using a good antivirus software program can help provide extra protection from Trojans and other software designed to gather data from your computer. These programs are commonly disguised as common software applications and can log keystrokes made by the user, such as passwords and credit card numbers. There are also programs designed to eradicate these malicious components and preserve the integrity of your data, many of which are free to use. Despite tales to the contrary, online banking can be quick, convenient and safe. Providing you take steps to protect your online current account , online banking needn t be an ordeal. After all, you wouldn t leave your wallet lying around - so why do the same with your bank account details?

Top Tips To Keep You Safe From Phishing

The use of the Internet to steal people s personal details is called phishing (pronounced fishing ). Phishing is on the increase and the techniques and technology used is becoming increasingly sophisticated. However by following these simple rules you can greatly reduce the chance of falling victim to phishing. Never reveal your passwords. Not even to family or close friends. Of course you trust your family and friends but once revealed you can never be sure that they will not unwittingly reveal your password to someone else. There may be occasions, due to sickness or accident for example, when you have to allow family or close friends to access some on-line accounts. Following such occasions you should change your passwords as soon as practically possible. Use secure passwords. Never use a password such as your middle name, your pet s name, your birthday etc. These may be easy to guess. Nor should you use any word that exists in the dictionary. A good password uses a combination of letters and numbers and symbols. It s possible to create such passwords in an easy to remember format. For example, the password A$4A10c looks quite random but may be remembered as A dollar for a dime . Use good security software (anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-spam, firewall) and don t forget to keep it updated. Use the most current versions of Internet browsers. Most of the current versions contain their own anti-phishing filters and blacklists to help keep you safe. A recent trial by a popular consumer magazine in the UK (you may know WHICH one) recommended Firefox as their browser of choice. Never click a link in an email. This is a classic phishing trick. They name the link to their phishing website with a real one so the link looks like one for your bank or credit card company. Instead of clicking open your Internet browser and type in the website address shown in the email. Regularly check your on-line accounts. Log on to your account and investigate any action that you don t recognise. It may just be that the details of a retailer transaction are not easily recognisable so investigate before you take action. Tim Maguire holds a Masters degree in Computer Science and is a full-time computer consultant. For further help in PC security you should visit his website keepyourpcsafe.co.uk

To Firewall or Not to Firewall - That Really IS The Question

In my years working as an IT support specialist, one of the biggest frustrations of typical internet users is that the firewall software that they have installed ‘breaks’ their access to the internet. Especially dial up users. Whether it’s Norton Internet Security, McAfee’s Security Center or any other third party firewall software, the individual settings for that software can (and eventually will) completely shutdown your access to the internet. The most common symptoms of this is getting the ‘page cannot be displayed’ message in Internet Explorer or a ‘timeout’ error message in Outlook Express or Outlook. What typically happens is that the firewall software will do an automated update (especially if it is part of a ‘suite’; an antivirus and firewall software combination, for example). The update will prompt a restart of the computer, and upon restarting, you won’t be able to access the internet or receive email. A firewall is an important part of system protection. Especially for a person who uses a dial up connection. It blocks the attempts of anyone on the Internet trying to connect to or access your system without your permission. The firewall should also ask for your permissionâ€"which you can grant permanently by establishing an exceptionâ€"to allow connections you need for programs such as email, instant messenging or gaming. In addition, they can provide some protection against viruses and Trojans. However, when your firewall blocks your ability to access the internet, then it’s overstepped its usefulness. If you can’t get to any websites or receive emails and you aren’t sure what is happening, here’s what to doâ€"short of calling your ISP’s technical support or turning off the firewall completely. Windows Firewall Included in Service Pack 2 for Windows XP, Microsoft has a built-in application called Windows Firewall. By default, this firewall is turned on when installation of SP 2 is completed. To access Windows Firewall, go to the Start menu, open the Control Panel, and click Windows Firewall. If Windows Firewall is blocking Internet Explorer, you might receive a security alert indicating such is the case. If so, click Unblock in this dialog box, and your problem should be solved. However, if you can’t use Internet Explorer and don’t receive a security alert, a better course of action is to open Windows Security Centerâ€"it is best to make sure you are logged on as an administrator when doing thisâ€"and click the Windows Firewall link so you can manage its security settings. In Windows Firewall, click the Exceptions tab. This displays the list of programs and services that Windows Firewall will not block. If Internet Explorer is not listed, click the Add Program button and use the Browse button to find it. (The file Iexplore.exe should be located in C:PROGRAM FILESINTERNET EXPLORER.) Highlight it and click OK, then click OK once more. Third-Party Firewalls If you’ve installed another firewall, the installation process more than likely will ask you to turn off Windows Firewall, or it may automatically disable Windows Firewall. As mentioned, installing a third-party firewall, even if it’s just an incoming firewall that is part of another program, will result in disabling Windows Firewall. (If this doesn’t happen automatically, or if you aren’t prompted to do so, you should disable Windows Firewall because in most cases it’s best to have just one firewall running at a time.) Once the firewall is installed and activated, if you encounter a problem using IE, check the security settings. I won’t go into changing specific settings within Norton or McAfee since that is an article all by itself. Suffice it to say that the ‘help’ area of the software itself should be fairly helpful. The easiest way to find out if your firewall software is causing the problem is to right click on the program icon in the system tray of your taskbar and disabling or turning it off completely and see if that solves the problem. High Speed Connections Typically, users who access the internet through a high speed DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) connection don’t have to concern themselves as much with firewall software. The reason for this is that a typical DSL connection involves the use of a modem, which acts as a DHCP server. This modem acts as a hardware firewall using NAT (Network Address Translation). Put simply, the computer you are using is assigned a private IP address (let’s say 192.168.0.5) and the modem is using an IP address that is assigned by your ISP. Let’s say you have an instance of Internet Explorer open and you type ‘ yahoo.com’ into the address bar. The computer will send a message to the DSL modem requesting the information from the yahoo website. The DSL modem will relay that request to the web server at yahoo.com and then receive a reply. Once this reply is received, the modem will determine what computer (yours...192.168.0.5) sent the request, and it will forward the information from yahoo to it. This all happens in a matter of seconds. I would recommend that users of Cable connections use some sort of firewall software since the computer they are using is directly connected to the internet. Unless of course you have more than one computer in the home and you are using a router. Update Your Virus Protection If a firewall detects a security risk, such as one posed by a virus or worm, it might prevent a user from going online through IE. This is why it’s very important to keep your antivirus program updated. When you update your antivirus program, you are staying on top of the virus definitions the program uses to identify the latest virus threats. Of course, it’s ideal to do this on a regular basis so that your system does not get infected. But if you find access to IE blocked and tweaking the settings in your firewall doesn’t work, the problem might actually be a virus. One solution is to go online with a different computer and visit the Web site of the manufacturer of your antivirus program. Download the latest definitions to a CD and then insert the disc into the computer with the nonfunctioning IE. Once you load the new definitions, initialize a full-system scan with your antivirus program and then use a repair wizard or similarly named tool to fix any security risks that are found. Restart your system, and you should be able to launch IE. Ron Barrett is the owner of Ron s Computer Service . You can subscribe to his weekly newsletter Bits-n-Bytes: Decoding the Digital World by sending an email to Bits-n-Bytes . He is a Certified Help Desk Analyst, CompTIA A Certified and has earned a Bachelor s Degree in Information Technology. He has worked in several companies in the role of help desk analyst, desk top support and network/email administrator. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his wife and three boys, working around the house and trying to perfect his golf swing.

Security Flaws, Hanging Them Against The Big Clock

It won’t hurt when you go public with security flaws of a certain piece of software, if there are only three or four users of the software worldwide. But it becomes a problem if billions of people use the software. Flashing a security flaw around for everyone to see, puts more people at risk than would have been the case when you kept it quiet. Who are you actually doing a favour? The users? Prospective users? The software company? No not one of them. You are making the job of hackers and people exploiting the flaws that much easier. In fact, you are doing their homework for them and you are feeding their sinister thoughts with sensitive information. Many people feel they are giving software companies a blow by announcing flaws out in the open. You get the chance of getting even with the companies you hate the most. But does this really have a negative impact on the really big companies? Yes I agree smaller companies will feel the blow much harder than the larger ones, but the big guns strive on controversy because publicity is a free way of marketing your product. You may not impress everyone, but when the word gets out, your product’s name will be mentioned, that’s for sure. Just make sure you take some kind of action, just to make it look like you really care. Companies like Microsoft and Google make huge mistakes with their products, but almost everyone seems to support them. It will take some huge flops to make people loose confidence in companies like these. This article is a good example, I’m not a huge supporter of Microsoft products. I prefer Open Source products because they are most of the times more secure and effective. But still Microsoft’s name gets mentioned. Google kept doing things right until all their fame and success went to their heads. Today they are disappointing thousands of search engine users, webmasters and advertisers, but people still use their products. You may give companies a temporary blow by following the public route, but in the end you create new opportunities for them to make something good from something bad. Your efforts will be futile and you end up creating more problems for the software community than helping them. Why do people think it is a good thing to go public with security flaws? It is because they think in terms of the open source community. The only way of getting an open source application fixed is by going public with the flaw. The open source community comes up with fixes to their applications in next to no time because there is such a huge pool of contributors to the community. Unfortunately you can’t follow this route with closed source applications. You are at the mercy of the software company to get the problem fixed. But you are not making things easier for them by starting a fire in the woods. They end up putting out fires instead of focusing on the root of the problem. This leads to patching the software until a new flaw appears. More patching is done until the next flaw and the process repeats itself over and over until you are stuck with a patched up application, which still can’t battle the posing threat of security flaws. You can keep patching the software but below the patches lays the real nightmare. Patches are the result of bad development in the first place and impatient users in the second place. I agree it is not the responsibility of the user to debug the software, you pay for the software so that the software company can pay their testers to do their job properly. So what is the bottom line here? Are the intentions of closed source users the same as open source users when they go public with security flaws? Undoubtedly no. Closed source users do it out of frustration with the software companies while open source users seek for a solution to a posing threat. What do I suggest you do next time you stumble across a security flaw? Keep it quiet for as long as possible and report it to the responsible software company. By doing this you will prevent an uncontrollable spread of exploits for this specific flaw. If the company is dedicated to fixing their software you will allow them more time to focus on the core of the problem. This will be beneficial for the end-user as well as the software company. It will make their software more secure, which will lead to greater support and consumer confidence in their product. Better consumer confidence leads to bigger profits and a responsible company uses these profits to make their product even better. I agree that the picture I’m painting is one from a perfect unselfish world, but it will do no good to do the opposite either. Encourage people to switch to more secure applications and stop revealing each and every exploit of the less secure application. Spend your time and energy to promote and enhance promising software instead of bad mouthing software that does not deserve the attention at all. Coenraad de Beer Webmaster of Cyber Top Cops - The Cyber Security Specialists Homepage myweb.absamail.co.za/coendb/

Strong Passwords - Use Phonics to Increase Password Strength

It seems that not a week goes by without some headline racing across our TVs about internet fraud or theft. Itand#8217;s never going to stop, but one of the best ways to protect ourselves from this modern menace is to develop and use effective passwords on all financially sensitive websites. Numerous articles have been written addressing this issue, and many offer similar, and good, advice: Donand#8217;t choose a word found in the dictionary Add one or more numbers Use one or more capital letters Make it at least eight characters Add a symbol. A password utilizing this criteria might look something like this: G8iwn2*B. Although this is a strong password, has no meaning and is therefore difficult to remember. So the question arises: how do we utilize the above criteria while creating something memorable and difficult to crack? One of the interesting things about the English language is that a single sound can be spelled many ways. Take the long E sound, for example, as in see. It can be spelled e, ee, ea, ey, ei, i, ie. Or how about the SH sound, as in sheet. Try sh, s, ti, ci, si, ch. Here is how to incorporate this apparent flaw of English to create strong and memorable passwords. First, choose a meaningful name, the shorter the better. Letand#8217;s say your maternal grandmotherand#8217;s maiden name was Cox. We are going to take the letters of her name and spell them phonetically. C becomes See. O becomes Oh. X becomes Ex. So C-O-X becomes SeeOhEx. Do you see it? Say it out loud if you have having trouble. If she was born in 1918, we can incorporate those numbers like this: 1See9Oh1Ex8. Perhaps your grandmother was rich, so weand#8217;ll add a dollar sign: 1See9Oh1Ex8$. Another security tip is to change passwords periodically. Because the same sound can often be spelled several ways, the password above can morph to: 19SeaOaEks$18. Can you still see the C-O-X? So now we have a password that: is not a word found in the dictionary uses more than number incorporates more than one capital letter is more than eight characters has a symbol and is meaningful! More Tips For Success: Once you have formulated a possible password, open your word processing program and practice typing it. Your goal is for it to flow smoothly off your fingers so you no longer need to think about it. Spend time trying to get a mental picture of what your password looks like. Write it down and study it to help cement the image into your memory. Be sure to shred the paper later. Make sure you can easily sound out the phonetic parts and that the phonetic parts make sense to you. When entering passwords online, distinguish between high security sites and low security sites. Your online subscription to Amateur Boating Today does not require a complex password. Donand#8217;t use one for sites donand#8217;t need it. For a higher level of security, donand#8217;t use obvious words, such as your favorite pet, your childand#8217;s name, or your first name. Good word choices include short words from your familyand#8217;s past. Some examples: your fatherand#8217;s first car (Ford becomes EfOhArDee); the name of the city where your cousin was born (Dover becomes DeOhVeEeAr); the first name of your motherand#8217;s best friend in high school (Gayle becomes JeeAyWyElEe). Choose something that still has meaning for you and is not so obscure that, after setting it up on a site, you later scratch your head and have to call tech-support. Donand#8217;t forget to add a significant number and symbol. If you have trouble with the phonetics of a particular word, either chose an easier word, or browse through a dictionary to help you find alternate spellings for particular sounds. Good luck and happy passwording! About the Author: Jennifer A. Thieme, owner of Solid Rock Accounting Services, is a Certified QuickBooks Advisor and a Registered Tax Preparer. She has been in the bookkeeping and tax field for nine years. She considers the diagnosis and resolution of accounting-related problems her specialty. Her articles have appeared in the Intuit ProConnection Newsletter. Contact her via jenniferthieme.com with your accounting related questions.

Spyware and Internet Security 101

If you aren t a heavy computer user, you may have never heard of spyware, malware or adware. Even if you have heard of it, you may have ignored all the buzz about it. After all, it isn t that big a deal, right? Actually, spyware is a very serious problem. This software is designed to gather information about your financial and personal information, including all of your online activity. In the hands of a cybercriminal, this information can cause a lot of damage. People who don t know how unsafe it is to use computers without software or hardware protection are as open to attack as a bank that doesn t lock the doors. Spyware, as the name implies, is software that is created to spy on you in a way that allows it to go undiscovered. It collects all sorts of data, from where you go on the internet to what passwords you use. If this doesn t worry you, you may not be thinking about all of the things you do on the internet, including shopping with your credit cards, online banking and even inputting your social security number on secure sites, such as online tax programs. The information that is gathered goes right to the creator of the program, who can use the information to steal your identity, ruin your credit and do all sorts of additional damage. So, how do you even get spyware on your computer when you don t download programs or open email attachments? Unfortunately, it doesn t need your help to arrive on your computer. All you have to do is visit an infected website. If you are without proper security software protection, you ll never even realize the website downloaded a program to your computer. It only takes seconds for the damage to occur and you don t have to do anything to start the process. Simply visiting the site will trigger the download. Besides collecting information, some of these nasty little programs come with an unwelcome bonus - a Trojan virus. Knowing that websites can just download this type of malicious software doesn t help if you don t know which types of websites to avoid. Usually, if a website is set up to provide free downloads of porn, warez, or mp3s, it is set up so the owner can profit from unsuspecting victims. As you click on a download link for a cool new game, you are actually setting yourself up for a major mess. It looks like nothing bad happened, since you get the game and it seems to work. However, along with the game, a spyware maker will have added programs that look like innocent helper applications for the game, but are actually collecting your information. You find out what is going on when you are bombarded by useless junk mail and your computer slows to a snails pace from all the viruses on your hard drive. Then, you get your credit card statements and realize that they are filled with charges someone else made. Of course, the guys who make this type of software aren t going to depend on just one way to get their nasty little surprise on your hard drive. They also love to include these malicious programs with free software programs. Remember the old adage No such thing as a free lunch whenever you decide to opt for free software instead of paying for an application from a reputable software manufacturer. Another trick that these crooks have recently started using is requiring people who download their free movies or mp3s to use a media player they have created to play them. Of course, that media player comes complete with tons of malicious programs such as spyware and even computer viruses. You may be wondering how to find out whether you are already infected? The easiest way to see if something is going on is to look at your computer s performance. Is it moving very slowly? Does it take a long time for your browser to respond? Do windows and ads you didn t open pop up on your screen? Those are all signs that point to an infestation on your computer. Once you realize that you have a problem, you ll need to deal with it right away. The easiest way is to get an anti-spyware program, such as Lavasoft Adaware or Spybot Search and Destroy. They will clear up your current problem. Then, you should stop them from coming back with a combined protection plan that uses anti-virus software and a good firewall program. The anti-spyware program will catch any programs that somehow manage to get through the cracks. Remember, these types of programs are nothing to fool around with. As annoying as it is to have pop-ups opening faster than you can close them, having a big financial mess to clean up is even worse. Is your Internet connection working so slowly ye just wanna cry? You know there s spyware in there somewhere but don t know how to find it. Find the best spyware program for your problem right now by visiting cpusecurity.com

Protecting Your Child from Internet Predators

Now that you have a computer for your child or you are allowing him/her to use yours, the question comes up, Should we allow him/her to access the Internet? There are tons of great educational and fun resources for kids on the Internet, but as we all know from the daily news, there is a lot of danger out there, so let s discuss some of our options. Not allowing access at all If you have enough software to keep your little brainiac interested, you may want to choose to not let them access the Internet at all. This is, of course, the safest method of keeping predators away from your little angel, but will limit their access to some really cool stuff. If your child has his/her own computer, simply deactivate their wireless connection or do not plug the PC into the Internet. If, however you share your computer with your child, you may want to set up separate profiles to limit Internet access to only your account. You can do this in Windows by selecting Control Panel, Users. Select add user and enter your child s name as the user name. You may also want to set them up as a limited access user account so they cannot install programs or change settings without your knowing. While you re here, add a password to your own account if you haven t already. My son was smart enough to change users on my wife s un-password protected computer and was able to wreak havoc on her laptop. For an easy way to limit access to the Internet, open Control Panel and select Internet Options while signed in on your child s account, Find the connections tab and click the LAN Settings button. Check the box next to where it says Use a proxy server for your LAN and type anything in the address box (something like No Internet for You will do.) This will prevent access to the Internet while anyone is signed on to your child s account. Allowing access to only specific sites Internet Explorer has a little known feature that will allow you to restrict access to only certain sites. Back in the Internet options screen, you can set Internet Explorer to only grant access to trusted specific sites or sites with ratings determined by an outside party. To enable this feature, open Internet Options in Control Panel or in Internet Explorer (Tools, Internet Options.) Select the Content tab. Under Content Advisor, Select Enable. At this point, you can determine what can and cannot be seen in Internet Explorer. The first tab is the ratings tab. The default is to disallow all sites no matter what their rating. Select each category of sites that you want to allow. Categories include alcohol, gambling, language, nudity, etc. Adjust the slider to modify the settings for each category from None to Limited to Some to Unrestricted. If you want to allow access only to specific sites, leave all these categories as none. The second tab is Approved Sites. Enter each site that is allowed and press the Always button to add it to the list of approved sites. If you want to specifically restrict a site, enter it here and click Never. Select the General and Advanced tabs to set passwords to override the security controls or to make changes to the default ratings system you want to use. If you are using a Windows Vista-based computer, Microsoft added a new Parental Controls feature for you. It can also be found in the Content tab in Internet Options. There are a multitude of new features and is out of scope for this article. Look for an entire article on these options soon. Using a Parental Control Filter There are two types of parental control filters: hardware based and software based. With a software based method, you will have to install the parental control software on each PC that you want to monitor and restrict access. You will also want to periodically check each computer to make sure that updates are being installed and the settings are still properly in place. There are several software based programs available including Sentry Remote - Parental Control Software, CA PC Protection Bundle 2007 and Net Nanny 5.5 Web Filtering Parental Control Software. If you only want to monitor one PC, the software solution may be the best for you. The hardware based parental control takes a little more knowledge of home networking, but once up and running, it is easier to maintain and harder for your little devil to circumvent. This method is what large corporations use to restrict access to unsavory sites by their employees. It is a device that sits between your modem and your PC or your wired or wireless router. The device I use is the D-Link SecureSpot Internet Security Adapter. Once the device is in place, you can connect to it through a web based interface to set rules and options. What I like about the SecureSpot is that i can set specific rules for individual users. I set user-names on all shared PCs in the house for each member of my family. That means that if my son signs in with his user-name on my computer, the Internet access restrictions follow him wherever he goes. I can also view logs of his browsing history and see what is being blocked. There is also an option that shuts off Internet access at certain times. For instance, if my son s bed time is eight thirty on weekdays and nine thirty on weekends, i can shut off Internet access at eight o clock and nine o clock respectively. That also prevents him from getting up in the middle of the night to surf the Internet while the rest of us are sleeping. Always remember, however that no method of web filtering and parental control is completely foolproof. Not amount of hardware or software will replace a parent who is willing to talk to their child about risks on the internet and what to do to avoid them. Dan Tervo is an IT professional and father of two young children. He regularly writes articles and how-to s on various IT, parenting and health related topics. You can read his blog at freechildrensgames.blogspot.com or kidcomputerwiz.com

Protecting Your PC Against Viruses And Spyware

Spyware, trojans, dialers and viruses can cripple your PC s performance, destroy data and compromise your security. Find out how to identify if your PC is at risk and how to lock it down from attacks in the future by reading this factsheet. What is spyware? Spyware is software which can track what you do on a computer and report it back to another computer. With the widespread use of Broadband, spyware has an easy route back to its precipitator. Most spyware is quite benign - almost all applications will call home to check for new versions, including your operating system. There are, however more advanced and aggressive spyware applications which can try to take over your PC, perhaps by forcing your web browser to another search engine page, or by displaying popups. Worse still, some spyware can store every keystroke on your computer, passing this back to its owner - this could include usernames and passwords, along with the websites that you may have entered them into. Still feel safe doing your banking online? Some applications will install a phone dialer which will change your dialup settings - instead of dialing your standard local rate number it ll dial a premium rate number, sometimes several Pounds per minute - you will only find out when you get your bill unless you notice the number s changed, and don t expect the phone company to reimburse you! Where does spyware come from? The main spread of spyware comes from the human weakness to get something for nothing. Free toolbars, wallpapers, smileys, application add-ons or cracked software often contain spyware or viruses. So if you download ANYTHING, try to make sure it comes from a reputable source, scan it for viruses and perhaps do a google search to see if anyone else has had problems with this application. Note that some programs require the spyware in order to run, so it s possible that the program will stop working, or work incorrectly after spyware removal, however I have never had this happen to any mainstream program, and this is a warning that most Antispyware apps mention just to cover themselves. What are viruses? Viruses have been around for a long time, and have actually become less destructive (at least in my opinion). Going back 15 years it was not uncommon for a virus to wipe out the boot sector of the hard disc, similar to ripping out the index of a book. Nowadays viruses can corrupt files but most concentrate on their own propagation and stealth. They ll try to bypass or even disable your antivirus software and firewall, send themselves out to all of your address book and perhaps deliver another payload - some even turn your PC into a zombie to perform predefined tasks. This might either be a SPAM attack or a DoS (Denial of Service) attack, where any infected PC sends out junk data to one specific server. If enough PCs do this it effectively swamps the server so that it cannot respond to legitimate traffic, bringing it down. How do I know if I have spyware/viruses? The symptoms can differ depending on the infection. I once cleaned a PC that had 700 pieces of spyware/viruses on. Many of these were duplicates/mutations of the same one (MS Blaster), but nevertheless the effect was the same - a very lethargic PC that behaved erratically. It was incredibly slow, sometimes rebooted and would popup adverts for porn regularly. The start page was also configured to goto another search engine, and changing it within Internet Explorer settings made no difference. Another useful tip is to open up Task Manager (right click on the taskbar and select it from the menu). Look at all of the processes that are running under your username login. Do a google for the EXE filename - almost every application will have some writeup on its legitimacy and status so you can quickly determine applications that have a right to be running and those of a suspicious nature. How can I get rid of spyware? The best way to know if you are infected is to use one of the many excellent and free spyware detectors. The two best apps are LavaSoft Adaware and Spybot Search and Destroy, both of which are free. - Lavasoft - Spybot Download BOTH applications and perform a full system scan. What one doesn t find the other invariably will. Both will flag up cookies as a security risk, however do not delete these unless they are obviously dodgy (e.g. they mention sex, for example and you ve not been frequenting porn sites!) Many cookies are useful, storing your online preferences (e.g. your Amazon preferences...) At the time of writing Microsoft has a free beta of its antispyware software available, which may also catch some items that Adaware and Spybot miss. If something shows up in either app that cannot be removed then give it a try as initial reports show it to be very good. You should also run a complete virus scan, as antivirus software will remove trojans (pieces of code that are hidden inside other programs) just as successfully. AVG from Grisoft is an excellent free av program. Once you ve run all of the above applications several times and no more nasties are coming up recheck the Task Manager and ensure that no suspicious applications are still running. If there are any that a Google search shows as malicious, do another google for the name of the file and removal - most of the big antivirus sites will have instructions on how to remove the tool, or may even provide free online tools to eradicate it from your system. Chances are that you will have to get your hands dirty and edit the Windows Registry. This is not as frightening as it sounds, as long as you a) take a backup of the registery and b) follow the instructions to the letter. Sometimes using the System Restore feature in Windows can fix problems, so for the less technically experienced this might be the more painless route to go if the above scanning solutions don t work and you don t want to play around with the registry. How do I prevent further attacks? This is really down to common sense. There are a number of things you can do: - Don t click on popup adverts or any suspicious error messages . Some popups are disguised to look like error messages, saying Your computer is at risk from spyware - click here to fix the problem . Quite ironic really... - Install a popup blocker. Windows XP Service Pack 2 has one as standard. Alternativey the Google toolbar has one, with many other features besides - Run regular scans with Adaware, Spybot and your chosen antivirus sofware. Free antivirus software such as AVG is pretty much as good as Norton and (in my opinion) will not slow your PC down as much! - Don t open any attachments unless a) you know who sent them, b) you were expecting the email AND c) you ve saved it to your hard disc and scanned it with up-to-date antivirus software. If in doubt email the source to confirm validity. Many viruses will replicate by sending an email addressed from you with a file attached renamed as one of your files. If you use P2P software be extra careful with what you download Ensure that your PC is patched and up-to-date. Ideally, set Windows Update to check for updates every day and install automatically. Do not leave your PC connected to the Internet while you are not there (either switch it off or switch off your modem/router) Ensure that you are running a firewall. This will stop people from hacking into your computer. Windows XP Service Pack 2 has a perfectly adequate one, although you might also consider ZoneAlarm, which is free. Check to see how vulnerable your PC is by running the Shields Up online test About The Author Martin Bailey is author of Marketing your Business and has been working with computers since 1982. He is available for marketing consultancy, web design and search engine optimisation. More information at marketingyour.biz .

All the Spyware Security You Need: For Free

More and more internet users are understanding how important it is for them to find security software that allows them to remain invisible to possible intruders. Threats such as spyware, Trojans, viruses, worms and other malware are difficult to avoid because they have become so widespread. To partially prevent these malicious codes from sneaking in you must first secure you computer with a firewall that will notify you of any unauthorized intruders. Even by setting up your security so that you remain invisible to most intruders, users will be exposed to spyware and viruses by visiting web sites and downloading freeware and shareware. If you computer is invaded by spyware or viruses you must download both anti-virus and anti-spyware software. Technology experts recommend using more than one spyware tool because its threats are so prevalent no one scanning tool can catch all infections. Utilizing two or more anti-spyware tools will help better protect your computer from the consequences of spyware build up. Each of the security tools necessary to keep your internet surfing safe can be downloaded for free. Numerous anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall programs can be downloaded for free and most offer equivalent protection to those you purchase. Because all the tools necessary for security are free, there is no reason users should not take advantage of the safety nets. Once you have your security tools in place you can run a test through a trustworthy source to ensure that your computer is virtually invisible online and secure from intruders. Mitch Johnson is a successful freelance author that writes regularly for 1st-in-remove-spyware.com/ , a site that focuses primarily on spyware detection software, as well as tips on how to avoid spyware from popping up on your computer. His articles have also been featured on related spyware sites such as, best-in-spyware-detection.com/ as well as best-sypware-removal-reviews.com/

Portrait Professional Max Review

Finally someone has designed computer software that everyday people have a use for and you won’t believe what it can do with a click of your computer mouse. Portrait Professional Max software is computer software that will make you or anyone you know look better by automatically enhancing your photographs using digital technology. Portrait Professional Max software automatically smoothes out the wrinkles, clears up blemishes, gives great skin tone and colors eyes to any color your like. With this new computer program you have full control to touch up the photo a bit, or shoot the whole works and give it a complete makeover and anything in between. You don’t need any artistic talent, because it does all of the thinking for you and in fact it will amaze you with all that it can do. The things that make a man’s or a woman’s face beautiful are programmed into Portrait Professional software, such as eye, lip and cheek structure. With this new software you can even fudge around with these features on a portrait and give a picture a new look. It’s all done very subtly so no one will actually be able to put their finger on just exactly what was done to the photograph and all they will notice is that they look great in the pic. If you are in any business that has anything to do with pictures or photographs of people then this is something that you should take a very close look at. This software allows you to pick and choose with regards to photo improvements so you can leave in a thing or two to throw people off of the fact that the pic has been doctored and then give the rest of the persons face a movie star look. Even if you aren’t in any business this software is something that anyone who cares what they look like can use. Written by Joshua Gibbson. You can download a free trial of Portrait Professional Max and get a Software Discount at twimbee.com

How to Set Internet Safety Rules for Children

The Internet is an amazing tool, available for use by millions upon millions of people every day. Unfortunately, just as many people abuse the resources provided by the Internet. Sexual predators abuse the Internet by using it to stalk vulnerable people, collect personal information, and plan their attacks. Before giving your child Internet access, have a conversation about both the benefits and dangers of the Internet. Lay down a set of rules to govern your child s use of the Internet and be sure to include the following: Explain the importance of keeping personal information private. Explain what personal information is. Younger children may not understand that addresses, phone numbers, school names, and parent names should be kept private. Keep the computer in a public place. Children should not need privacy while using the Internet to network with friends or while they are doing homework. You should be able to monitor your child s Internet use at all times. Make sure your child knows that he can, and should, let you know if anyone he meets on the Internet makes him feel uncomfortable. The same applies to information or websites that your child may accidentally access; knowing how your child gained access to dangerous information will help you to prevent a similar occurrence in the future. Prohibit the exchange of personal photographs, especially with strangers. A picture, combined with any other personal information that may have been obtained, will increase a sexual predator s chances of locating and harming your child. Make sure you have access to your child s user ID s and passwords, not only for e-mail accounts but also for any website that requires the input of personal information for private access. Prohibit your child from meeting online friends in person. If there is a reason for you to allow a personal meeting, it should be in a public place and in your presence. Your child should not gain the impression that it is ok to meet other people without your permission. While teaching your child about the dangers of others on the Internet, be sure to explain that your child should not abuse the system or hurt others. Incidents of children bullying classmates on the Internet have increased as well, and your child should contribute to keeping the Internet a safe place for his friends as well as himself. Once the rules are set, make sure they are strictly enforced. Not backing down will let your child know you are serious about his safety. It may not seem like it at the time, but your child will thank you later in life. Ambrose Duperon onlinepredators.info If your children use the Internet you must read our free report - Online Predators

Instant Messaging and P2P Vulnerabilities for Health Organizations

Because of HIPAA legislation, health organizations have to be particularly careful about the vulnerability of the patient data they maintain. Exposing patient data to the Internet through IM exchanges or P2P file sharing can jeopardize their compliance with a variety of state and federal regulations. The popularity of IM and P2P protocols has penetrated every aspect of our society including those organizations entrusted with sensitive data such as health records. The opportunity for data to be exposed to eyes outside an organization has increased whether such exposure is intentional or not and organizations bound by HIPAA regulations are required to protect their patient data or suffer the consequences. Often in hospital situations, employees on different shifts are sharing workstations. Many of them may be communicating with family and friends, outside the organization, via Instant Messaging or P2P and can unknowingly download a malicious agent that can damage not only individual workstations, but entire networks. Because many people may have access to the same computer, this activity is difficult to trace and can occur with alarming ease. When a malicious program is downloaded, it can exploit a back door in the system and proliferate across the network. Depending on the nature of the parasitic code, patient information may be accessed and transmitted from behind the firewall to a designated IP address or it may launch an attack against the host network. These types of attacks can bring the network down. Even short downtime can cause significant financial and data loss. Public Communications Adding more complexity to the situation, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the National Association of Securities Dealers Inc. (NASD) identify Instant Messaging traffic as communications with the public that companies must save and monitor. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires even those instant messages that are casual and personal to be saved and recorded as formal correspondence. Many companies capture and store the data as required by law. Because this information can be used as legal evidence, there are several instances where data contained on message boards and via IMs were submitted to support or defeat a case being adjudicated. Imagine if medical advice were contained in an IM, even something as innocuous as advising Tylenol for a feverish child. Such correspondence could be used to make a medical malpractice case against a nurse or physician. Network Security IM and P2P also expose end-user equipment to worms, viruses and other backdoor software that -once introduced, can infect a network and inflict damage on a wide scale. Employee abuse of their computer privileges can be the silent destroyer of networks. Whether it is a dramatic problem such as denial of service or the downloading of backdoor worms and viruses, the misuse can be dangerous and damaging and ultimately undermines network security. Managers of network security need to take advantage of hardware appliance solutions in order to fully protect their networks from employee abuse and misuse. The damage to productivity and profits of a company are only the tip of the iceberg. Introducing a filtering option that does not have a single point of failure, or cause latency in network traffic is critical. Equally important, a solution that doesn’t need to share memory or processing power with another device is the best choice to protect networks against security breaches and legal liability and to help preserve the corporation’s good reputation. Legal Liabilities P2P and IM file sharing can be dangerous applications that quickly devour bandwidth and jeopardize company finances because companies can be held liable for employee actions such as downloading copyrighted song material. In addition, P2P and IMs can contain malicious software that downloads and installs itself into the host network; a company’s computers and networks may be used to launch denial of service (DoS) attacks on other companies and networks. There is an established legal precedent that will hold a company liable in part for the damages inflicted on another company if their computers or networks were used to stage the attack. Because of this legal precedent, the danger to a host network is not just the loss of bandwidth and subsequent breakdown in communications, but also the legal liabilities involved can result in damage to a company or organization’s reputation, and even threaten its financial stability. It’s important to note that the damage to an organization’s reputation can be more costly in the long run, especially if the organization is supposed to be secure and web savvy or if security vulnerabilities can threaten to expose sensitive data such as health records. For hospitals, health insurance and dedicated health care providers, such damage can result in a loss of business over time that devastates their long term prospects and when combined with -short term fines, can even mean going out of business or experiencing a takeover by another health care company. iPrism internet filters and web filters provide internet monitoring and network security. internet-filters.stbernard.com