COMPUTER TIP OF THE WEEK
from Dr T -- RTemlak4dds@aol.com
=: Take Out The Trash :=
Combat Malw*re: A Step-By-Step Guide
[Note: due to spam policies by some of the larger e-mail services, we had to change the combined word "mal" + "ware" into "malw*re" or we may have been blocked from sending this to you.]
Much like Haight-Ashbury in the fabled 1960s, the Internet was once home to a free-wheeling family of occasionally addled but always peaceful inhabitants, where goodwill held sway, a place where the streets were filled with happy, helpful residents, all delighted to welcome a newcomer. It was a boisterous place, filled with clamor and confusion, but peace and love reigned supreme.
Those days are long gone, both in North-Central San Francisco and on the Internet. We can't do anything about dangers on the city streets, but we can help protect you from the viruses, spyware, and other nasty critters you might encounter on the Web. We'll give you some background so you can recognize the risks, and then we'll show you how to defend yourself.
Recognize The Problem
Computers don't get tired. They do get old, but because they're neither arthritic organisms nor gummed up electro-mechanical devices, they don't get slow and rickety as they age (like some writers, for example). So why is your PC so slow? Possibly because it's infested with malw*re of one sort or another: a virus, spyware, adware, or a Trojan.
In fact, if you have plenty of memory and free hard drive space, a noticeable slowdown is one of the most obvious signs that your system is infected with some sort of malicious software.
Other signs of an infestation can include finding that your Web browser's home page or search engine has been changed or replaced, suddenly being inundated with pop-up ads, regular system or application crashes, receiving odd emails -- including emails from yourself, startup errors, and error messages (sometimes including a fake Blue Screen of Death) accompanied by "scareware" ads offering to solve your problem, for a price.
Keep in mind that these are not all definite signs of an infection; some could also indicate hardware or software problems that have nothing to do with malw*re. But because it's usually fairly easy to remove malw*re, we can quickly eliminate an infection as a possible source of whatever problem you might be experiencing.
The Tools; How To Use Them
Most viruses or spyware don't purposely cause noticeable problems; after all, the most effective attack is one the victim never notices. Instead, the usual goal is to collect information or to use your computer as part of a network of "zombies" to attack other systems. But in doing so, the virus, spyware, or adware drains your system's resources and causes conflicts with other, legitimate software. This causes crashes and slowdowns, and these you do notice. That's what gives the game away. What you need is a set of tools you can use to rid your system of any existing infestation and then guard against a reoccurrence.
Antivirus. The first tool you need is a solid AV (antivirus) application, such as Avast! Free Antivirus (http://www.avast.com/) or Malwarebytes Anti-malw*re (free; http://www.malwarebytes.org/). The typical AV app will scan your system for various forms of malw*re and let you delete or otherwise neutralize any threats it finds.
Even the best antivirus program does you no good unless you actually use it. Run the scanner every day, making it part of your computing routine: Boot up your system and let the scanner run while you go make coffee. Update the scanner at least weekly. These tools use a threat database to help them locate infections, and that database must be updated regularly. Note that it is normally not a good idea to run multiple AV applications; most have components that run all the time, and these competing programs can cause problems.
Antispyware. Spyware is software that collects information about you and your computing habits without your knowledge. (Adware is similar, but it's normally benign software -- the use of which you, knowingly or not, actually approved.) In a worst-case scenario, the information collected can be used to pilfer financial information, steal your identity, or otherwise do serious harm. Even absent such malicious intent, spyware and adware can slow your system down to a crawl and inundate you with irritating pop-up ads and messages.
An antispyware application, such as Ad-Aware (free; http://www.lavasoft.com/) or Spybot-S&D (free; http://www.safer-networking.org/), works like the AV applications discussed above: It uses a threat database and other methods to look for hazards; thus, as with the AV apps, you need to run and update your antispyware program regularly.
Unlike with antivirus applications, it is perfectly fine to run more than one antispyware program. One application may find adware that another program missed, and antispyware applications rarely conflict with one another.
Install An Anti-malw*re Application
We don't have room here to cover the use of every available anti-malw*re tool or suite, so we will use Malwarebytes Anti-Mal-ware as an example; it eliminates both viruses and spyware/adware, and it's free, readily available, effective, free, and we like it. Did we mention FREE?
Go to http://www.malw*rebytes.org/ and click either the Download Free Version button or the Buy Now Full Version button.
If you've opted for the free version, you'll be taken to a download site; click the Download Now button. (Your browser may try to "protect" you by disallowing certain downloads, in which case simply OK the download.) When the File Download dialog box appears, click the Save button. Save the installation file to your Desktop; you can erase the file after the program is installed. The Anti-malw*re installer is close to 6MB, so it may take several minutes to download on a slow connection.
Once the installer is downloaded, double-click it and click the Run button when the Open File/Security Warning dialog box apppears. Windows Vista and Windows 7 request permission for the installer to make changes to your system; click Yes. Select English as the appropriate language and then click OK to start the Anti-malw*re setup wizard. Click Next. Read and accept the Anti-malw*re license agreement, and then click Next and Next again. Accept the program's default location or browse to a different one; click Next to accept the location and then Next again to accept the folder name. At this point you can opt to have the installer create a Desktop icon, a Quick Launch icon, or both; having done so, click Next and then the Install button.
Anti-malw*re takes only a minute or two to install. When it's finished, you can opt to check for program updates and then launch the program.
Run Anti-malw*re
To run the program, double-click the Anti-malw*re icon. (Vista and Win7 may ask you to confirm that you wish to allow the program to make changes to your system.) When the program launches, you'll see several tabs, most of which are self-explanatory or easily understood simply by clicking them. The most important are the Scanner, Update, and Quarantine tabs.
Start the scan. Under the Scanner tab, you'll find three types of scans: Perform Quick Scan, Perform A Full Scan, and Perform Flash Scan. (The latter checks memory and autorun objects; it's available only to users of the commercial product.) The Quick Scan is a fast check of memory and the Windows Registry; it takes several minutes. A Full Scan is a complete examination of all indicated drives, system memory, and the Registry. It can easily take up to an hour or more, depending on the size of your drives and how many files reside on them.
View the results of a scan. Once the scan is complete, you can see a recap of the scan and the results by clicking the Logs tab and then double-clicking the appropriate log entry.
If Anti-malw*re finds any threats, it will list them and let you select and quarantine them. Once quarantined, they'll be listed under the Quarantine tab. You can leave them there or select one or more and click the Delete button to remove them from your system.
Get It. Update It. Use It.
There are plenty of free and commercial products to help keep your PC free of viruses and spyware. No matter which ones you decide to use, keep in mind that simply downloading a tool does absolutely nothing for you. You have to install and then regularly use and update the utilities if you're to benefit from having them. Do so, and your computer will be full of peace and love and goodness. Fail to do so, and it'll be full of... well, malw*re.
by Rod Scher
[Source: SmartComputing.com]
Showing posts with label free antivirus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free antivirus. Show all posts
Friday, August 6, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
Top 10 Tech #2: Top 10 Ways To Protect Your Windows Pc While Connected To The Internet
TOP 10 WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR WINDOWS PC WHILE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET
by Dennis Faas
Infopackets.com Senior Editor
http://www.infopackets.com
--
About Infopackets and our Top 10 Tech Reports
Our Top 10 Tech Reports highlight The Best of The Best Q&A (questions
and answers) from our newsletter readers -- with no frills, Simple
English, and straight to the point instruction -- while featuring the
coolest and best free resources on the web.
If you find this report useful, please be sure to pass it on to a few
friends!
--
This report is written in a general approach to online security, and
is geared toward Windows-based PCs and users. While this report will
not solve all your security issues, it will certainly give you the
upper hand in keeping your PC safe while online the Internet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Software and Security: General Rule of Thumb
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is critically important that you *always* keep your software up to
date: this refers to MS Windows (the Operating System), your firewall,
antivirus, and antispyware / antimalware programs.
If you do not update your system regularly, your computer is
immediately vulnerable to Spyware, Viruses, and Hackers. Note that
your computer can be attacked by simply visiting a malicious web page,
clicking a browser link, or even if it's sitting idle while connected
to the Internet.
If there is an open door, someone -- or something -- just may find its
way through.
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Do away with Outdated Operating Systems
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you are still using older versions of MS Windows, it's time to
upgrade!
Windows XP and Windows Vista are currently the most secure Windows
Operating Systems available; all previous versions of MS Windows are
no longer supported or updated by Microsoft: what this means is that
even if a security issue with an older version of Windows, Microsoft
will not fix it -- you are on your own.
If you are still using Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000 or NT, it is
recommended that you upgrade to the latest Windows operating system to
keep your computer safe from online attacks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. Alternatives to MS Windows
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For older computers that cannot run XP or Vista, we highly recommend
Puppy Linux or Ubuntu Linux Operating Systems. While these OS's are
not Microsoft Windows-based, they operate in similar manner, are
completely free, and best of all: they are updated regularly.
Puppy Linux is extremely compact and especially excellent for older,
slower computer systems. On the other hand, Ubuntu offers more
features and is easiest to migrate from Windows.
http://www.puppylinux.org/
http://www.ubuntu.com/
Both Ubuntu and Puppy Linux offer something called a "Live CD". A Live
CD can be downloaded and recorded onto CD recordable; it contains a
contains a bootable, working copy of the Operating System that can run
without installing it to your system -- so you can test the OS and use
it before you decide to install it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. Update your OS (Operating System)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All Operating Systems -- whether they are Mac, Windows, or Linux --
need continual updating.
In terms of Windows PCs: Microsoft releases software updates (called
"Windows Updates") which fix security issues within Windows. Some
security issues are critical, while others are simple bug fixes.
To update Windows, click:
http://update.microsoft.com
You can also configure Windows to download updates automatically. See:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/windowsupdate/automaticupdate.mspx
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Install a Firewall
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A firewall is an extra layer of security used to protect your computer
from the outside world. A firewall can help (but not eliminate)
attacks against hackers, viruses, and even spyware. Essentially, a
firewall is used to limit / block / monitor the number of open
communication ports on your computer.
Just like any software program (including the Operating System
itself), a firewall must be kept up to date to ensure it is protected
against exploits -- so always install a firewall update if and when it
becomes available.
Windows XP has a firewall built into the Operating System. To turn it
on:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283673
If you do not own Windows XP or Vista and/or prefer to use an
alternative to the Windows Firewall, we recommend Zone Alarm (Free),
or Commodo Personal Firewall (Free):
http://www.zonealarm.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp
http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Use a Router (Broadband / High Speed Internet Access Only)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A router is a hardware device that allows you to share Internet with
other computers within your network. A router can also hide your
computer (IP address) from the outside world, making it difficult for
hackers to probe / gain access to your machine. If you own a high
speed Internet connection, it is highly recommended you use a router
to connect to the Internet.
We recommend LinkSys, Netgear and DLink routers. You can purchase a
router from your local electronics store for as little as $20 and up,
depending on capabilities and features.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Use Anti-virus Software
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anti-virus software scans your computer for viruses; most antivirus
software can also be configured to check incoming and outgoing email
for viruses. As with any program, you need to keep your anti-virus
software up to date -- so make sure it is set to automatically
download and install updates.
For free antivirus, we recommend Grisoft AVG (free) and Avast
Antivirus (free).
http://www.grisoft.com
http://www.avast.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7. Use Anti-spyware Software
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spyware is defined as "[often stealthy] computer software that is
installed surreptitiously on a personal computer to intercept or take
partial control over the user's interaction with the computer, without
the user's informed consent." (Source: wikipedia.org).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spyware
Spyware is commonly bundled with 'free' software downloads, attached
to e-mails, or transmitted through networks (including the Internet),
and often appears as legitimate software. Spyware is stealthy by
nature; once installed, Spyware can be nearly impossible to detect and
remove without the help of a dedicated Spyware removal program.
In most cases a firewall and anti-virus software will not prevent
spyware.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anti-spyware Tips
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Be cautious of programs you download and install.
- Never download a program from a unknown source.
- Use antispyware programs to keep your computer clean of spyware.
- Only download antispyware programs from a reputable source. There
are many antispyware scams online the Internet (known as "rogue
antispyware") that dupe users into purchasing their product -- so be
careful which antispyware program you download. See:
http://www.infopackets.com/news/security/2005/20051223_anti_spyware_that_installs_spyware.htm
- Use real time Spyware detection to avoid becoming infected in the
first place. Although there are many free anti-spyware products on the
market that will scan your computer and attempt to remove spyware
*after* your computer has become infected, only a few antispyware
programs can offer real-time spyware protection. Real-time antispyware
protection stops spyware *before* it gets on your computer and does
the damage. For this reason, we recommend Spyware Doctor by PC Tools.
More information:
http://www.infopackets.com/articles/spyware+doctor.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
8. Secure your Wireless Betwork
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you have a Wi-Fi (wireless) network, check the instructions that
came with your router and do the following ensure that you have WPA or
WEP encryption enabled: this prevents unauthorized users from
accessing your network.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
9. Avoid Reading or Clicking on Unsolicited "Spam" Email
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By simply opening an unsolicited email, spammers can validate your
email address. Once they know your email is valid, they will continue
to send bulk, unsolicited emails. To avoid spam, we recommend using a
WhiteList service offered by 0-Spam.net:
" 0Spam works with POP3 email, Hotmail, Yahoo, and Gmail accounts ...
0Spam is simply an external service that [operates silently -- much
like a telephone long distance company] or Internet Service provider
... it works by standing in-between your email server(s) and the
Internet, and scans your incoming email for spam and viruses ...
what's left is just pure, legitimate email. "
http://www.infopackets.com/news/internet/2004/20041222_0spam_the_ultimate_free_anti_spam_solution.htm
http://www.infopackets.com/news/internet/2004/20041229_0spam_the_ultimate_free_anti_spam_solution_part_2.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10. Make Backups
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Always make regular backups of important data -- including your
operating system -- and store it in a safe place.
Note that not all backup programs are the same!
"Regular" file backup programs are fantastic for backing up personal
files such as downloads, documents, emails, pictures, bookmarks, and
the like. The idea behind backing up a file is that you'll have a
duplicate copy in case something goes awry.
That being said, regular file backup is not capable of backing up the
Operating System (Windows). In other words: if your hard drive crashed
or if Windows suddenly became inoperable -- due to a virus or Spyware
attack -- you wouldn't be able to get back into your computer. The
only way to get back around this problem might be to:
* format [erase] the hard drive
* reinstall Windows and download all the updates
* reinstall all your programs
* reinstall the backup software
* restore your data that you backed up previously
In all, that might take 6 to 8 hours to complete (at best) -- not fun.
For the ultimate backup solution, we !strongly! recommend Acronis True
Image. Acronis True Image is true disaster recovery "disk imaging"
software because it can make an *exact* backup of your ENTIRE
computer, including MS Windows, your personal files, and even other
operating systems.
Disk imaging is *FAR* more superior than Windows System Restore and
standard file-by-file backup systems and can revert your computer
system to a previously healthy state within minutes.
I can't stress how wonderful this program is and it's saved my bacon
countless times. If you care at all about your data, you should try
Acronis True Image. Full review:
http://www.infopackets.com/news/software/reviews/2007/20071009_red_hot_acronis_true_image_11_released.htm
=========================================================
If you find this report useful, please forward it to friends!
--
Get more great tips -- just like this one -- by subscribing to our
daily email newsletter. Established in 2001 and read by over 250,000
users world-wide, infopackets features the latest in headline news
based on technology, trends and the Internet.
Best of all, it's absolutely FREE!
http://www.infopackets.com/subscribe.htm
=========================================================
Copyright (c) Infopackets, Inc.
No part of this article may be copied without the express written
consent of the publisher.
by Dennis Faas
Infopackets.com Senior Editor
http://www.infopackets.com
--
About Infopackets and our Top 10 Tech Reports
Our Top 10 Tech Reports highlight The Best of The Best Q&A (questions
and answers) from our newsletter readers -- with no frills, Simple
English, and straight to the point instruction -- while featuring the
coolest and best free resources on the web.
If you find this report useful, please be sure to pass it on to a few
friends!
--
This report is written in a general approach to online security, and
is geared toward Windows-based PCs and users. While this report will
not solve all your security issues, it will certainly give you the
upper hand in keeping your PC safe while online the Internet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Software and Security: General Rule of Thumb
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is critically important that you *always* keep your software up to
date: this refers to MS Windows (the Operating System), your firewall,
antivirus, and antispyware / antimalware programs.
If you do not update your system regularly, your computer is
immediately vulnerable to Spyware, Viruses, and Hackers. Note that
your computer can be attacked by simply visiting a malicious web page,
clicking a browser link, or even if it's sitting idle while connected
to the Internet.
If there is an open door, someone -- or something -- just may find its
way through.
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Do away with Outdated Operating Systems
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you are still using older versions of MS Windows, it's time to
upgrade!
Windows XP and Windows Vista are currently the most secure Windows
Operating Systems available; all previous versions of MS Windows are
no longer supported or updated by Microsoft: what this means is that
even if a security issue with an older version of Windows, Microsoft
will not fix it -- you are on your own.
If you are still using Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000 or NT, it is
recommended that you upgrade to the latest Windows operating system to
keep your computer safe from online attacks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. Alternatives to MS Windows
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For older computers that cannot run XP or Vista, we highly recommend
Puppy Linux or Ubuntu Linux Operating Systems. While these OS's are
not Microsoft Windows-based, they operate in similar manner, are
completely free, and best of all: they are updated regularly.
Puppy Linux is extremely compact and especially excellent for older,
slower computer systems. On the other hand, Ubuntu offers more
features and is easiest to migrate from Windows.
http://www.puppylinux.org/
http://www.ubuntu.com/
Both Ubuntu and Puppy Linux offer something called a "Live CD". A Live
CD can be downloaded and recorded onto CD recordable; it contains a
contains a bootable, working copy of the Operating System that can run
without installing it to your system -- so you can test the OS and use
it before you decide to install it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. Update your OS (Operating System)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All Operating Systems -- whether they are Mac, Windows, or Linux --
need continual updating.
In terms of Windows PCs: Microsoft releases software updates (called
"Windows Updates") which fix security issues within Windows. Some
security issues are critical, while others are simple bug fixes.
To update Windows, click:
http://update.microsoft.com
You can also configure Windows to download updates automatically. See:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/windowsupdate/automaticupdate.mspx
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Install a Firewall
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A firewall is an extra layer of security used to protect your computer
from the outside world. A firewall can help (but not eliminate)
attacks against hackers, viruses, and even spyware. Essentially, a
firewall is used to limit / block / monitor the number of open
communication ports on your computer.
Just like any software program (including the Operating System
itself), a firewall must be kept up to date to ensure it is protected
against exploits -- so always install a firewall update if and when it
becomes available.
Windows XP has a firewall built into the Operating System. To turn it
on:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283673
If you do not own Windows XP or Vista and/or prefer to use an
alternative to the Windows Firewall, we recommend Zone Alarm (Free),
or Commodo Personal Firewall (Free):
http://www.zonealarm.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp
http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Use a Router (Broadband / High Speed Internet Access Only)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A router is a hardware device that allows you to share Internet with
other computers within your network. A router can also hide your
computer (IP address) from the outside world, making it difficult for
hackers to probe / gain access to your machine. If you own a high
speed Internet connection, it is highly recommended you use a router
to connect to the Internet.
We recommend LinkSys, Netgear and DLink routers. You can purchase a
router from your local electronics store for as little as $20 and up,
depending on capabilities and features.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Use Anti-virus Software
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anti-virus software scans your computer for viruses; most antivirus
software can also be configured to check incoming and outgoing email
for viruses. As with any program, you need to keep your anti-virus
software up to date -- so make sure it is set to automatically
download and install updates.
For free antivirus, we recommend Grisoft AVG (free) and Avast
Antivirus (free).
http://www.grisoft.com
http://www.avast.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7. Use Anti-spyware Software
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spyware is defined as "[often stealthy] computer software that is
installed surreptitiously on a personal computer to intercept or take
partial control over the user's interaction with the computer, without
the user's informed consent." (Source: wikipedia.org).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spyware
Spyware is commonly bundled with 'free' software downloads, attached
to e-mails, or transmitted through networks (including the Internet),
and often appears as legitimate software. Spyware is stealthy by
nature; once installed, Spyware can be nearly impossible to detect and
remove without the help of a dedicated Spyware removal program.
In most cases a firewall and anti-virus software will not prevent
spyware.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anti-spyware Tips
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Be cautious of programs you download and install.
- Never download a program from a unknown source.
- Use antispyware programs to keep your computer clean of spyware.
- Only download antispyware programs from a reputable source. There
are many antispyware scams online the Internet (known as "rogue
antispyware") that dupe users into purchasing their product -- so be
careful which antispyware program you download. See:
http://www.infopackets.com/news/security/2005/20051223_anti_spyware_that_installs_spyware.htm
- Use real time Spyware detection to avoid becoming infected in the
first place. Although there are many free anti-spyware products on the
market that will scan your computer and attempt to remove spyware
*after* your computer has become infected, only a few antispyware
programs can offer real-time spyware protection. Real-time antispyware
protection stops spyware *before* it gets on your computer and does
the damage. For this reason, we recommend Spyware Doctor by PC Tools.
More information:
http://www.infopackets.com/articles/spyware+doctor.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
8. Secure your Wireless Betwork
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you have a Wi-Fi (wireless) network, check the instructions that
came with your router and do the following ensure that you have WPA or
WEP encryption enabled: this prevents unauthorized users from
accessing your network.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
9. Avoid Reading or Clicking on Unsolicited "Spam" Email
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By simply opening an unsolicited email, spammers can validate your
email address. Once they know your email is valid, they will continue
to send bulk, unsolicited emails. To avoid spam, we recommend using a
WhiteList service offered by 0-Spam.net:
" 0Spam works with POP3 email, Hotmail, Yahoo, and Gmail accounts ...
0Spam is simply an external service that [operates silently -- much
like a telephone long distance company] or Internet Service provider
... it works by standing in-between your email server(s) and the
Internet, and scans your incoming email for spam and viruses ...
what's left is just pure, legitimate email. "
http://www.infopackets.com/news/internet/2004/20041222_0spam_the_ultimate_free_anti_spam_solution.htm
http://www.infopackets.com/news/internet/2004/20041229_0spam_the_ultimate_free_anti_spam_solution_part_2.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10. Make Backups
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Always make regular backups of important data -- including your
operating system -- and store it in a safe place.
Note that not all backup programs are the same!
"Regular" file backup programs are fantastic for backing up personal
files such as downloads, documents, emails, pictures, bookmarks, and
the like. The idea behind backing up a file is that you'll have a
duplicate copy in case something goes awry.
That being said, regular file backup is not capable of backing up the
Operating System (Windows). In other words: if your hard drive crashed
or if Windows suddenly became inoperable -- due to a virus or Spyware
attack -- you wouldn't be able to get back into your computer. The
only way to get back around this problem might be to:
* format [erase] the hard drive
* reinstall Windows and download all the updates
* reinstall all your programs
* reinstall the backup software
* restore your data that you backed up previously
In all, that might take 6 to 8 hours to complete (at best) -- not fun.
For the ultimate backup solution, we !strongly! recommend Acronis True
Image. Acronis True Image is true disaster recovery "disk imaging"
software because it can make an *exact* backup of your ENTIRE
computer, including MS Windows, your personal files, and even other
operating systems.
Disk imaging is *FAR* more superior than Windows System Restore and
standard file-by-file backup systems and can revert your computer
system to a previously healthy state within minutes.
I can't stress how wonderful this program is and it's saved my bacon
countless times. If you care at all about your data, you should try
Acronis True Image. Full review:
http://www.infopackets.com/news/software/reviews/2007/20071009_red_hot_acronis_true_image_11_released.htm
=========================================================
If you find this report useful, please forward it to friends!
--
Get more great tips -- just like this one -- by subscribing to our
daily email newsletter. Established in 2001 and read by over 250,000
users world-wide, infopackets features the latest in headline news
based on technology, trends and the Internet.
Best of all, it's absolutely FREE!
http://www.infopackets.com/subscribe.htm
=========================================================
Copyright (c) Infopackets, Inc.
No part of this article may be copied without the express written
consent of the publisher.
Friday, September 4, 2009
COMPUTER TIP OF THE WEEK from Dr T
RTemlak4dds@aol.com
=: Signs of Malware :=
You all know there are millions of malware infections out there today. It seems as if there are tons of new infections that pop up everyday. In the past, I've written about how antivirus software and anti-spyware software don't always find all of the infections on your computer. After writing that article, I received several e-mails asking, "How do I know if I have a virus?" Well, today, I will cover some of the signs your computer will show if it's possibly infected with a virus or some other type of malware.
1.) Your computer slows down majorly. If your system slows down drastically, you may have an infection. Viruses and adware use resources on your computer. They can destroy files, send spam e-mail, redirect your browser and many other things that will slow your computer down.
2.) Internet browser crash. If your Internet browser stops working or shuts down often, you may be infected. Since most malware programs use the Internet to spread themselves, they will affect the performance of your browser. If your Internet browser just starts closing with no warning, you need to check for viruses.
3.) Random e-mails. Many viruses spread through e-mail. If you use an e-mail client, such as Outlook Express, MS Outlook or Thunderbird, a virus could infect it and start sending spam e-mail out to all your contacts. If you start to receive strange e-mails like "Message Undeliverable" or "Mailer Daemon," a virus may be sending e-mail with your address.
4.) Error messages at startup. If you start receiving error messages when you turn your computer on, you may have some type of malware infection. Malware programs usually turn on at startup and they sometimes cause errors, so you need to keep an eye out for that.
5.) Things look "strange". I know that seems a little vague, but sometimes you open something and it just looks funny. If you didn't install something or make a change to your system, there's no reason why something would change. Computers don't make decisions on their own. If something has changed and you didn't initiate it, you should scan for viruses and malware.
Those are the five most common signs of an infection. Many of them may indicate a virus, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're infected.
Some of the signs could indicate a hardware issue or a program conflict. As a general rule, if you know of a recent change that caused the actions, it's probably not a virus. If the signs happen for no reason at all, you should be concerned and get your computer checked. Until next time, stay safe out there, my friends!
[Source: Worldstart.com]
=: Signs of Malware :=
You all know there are millions of malware infections out there today. It seems as if there are tons of new infections that pop up everyday. In the past, I've written about how antivirus software and anti-spyware software don't always find all of the infections on your computer. After writing that article, I received several e-mails asking, "How do I know if I have a virus?" Well, today, I will cover some of the signs your computer will show if it's possibly infected with a virus or some other type of malware.
1.) Your computer slows down majorly. If your system slows down drastically, you may have an infection. Viruses and adware use resources on your computer. They can destroy files, send spam e-mail, redirect your browser and many other things that will slow your computer down.
2.) Internet browser crash. If your Internet browser stops working or shuts down often, you may be infected. Since most malware programs use the Internet to spread themselves, they will affect the performance of your browser. If your Internet browser just starts closing with no warning, you need to check for viruses.
3.) Random e-mails. Many viruses spread through e-mail. If you use an e-mail client, such as Outlook Express, MS Outlook or Thunderbird, a virus could infect it and start sending spam e-mail out to all your contacts. If you start to receive strange e-mails like "Message Undeliverable" or "Mailer Daemon," a virus may be sending e-mail with your address.
4.) Error messages at startup. If you start receiving error messages when you turn your computer on, you may have some type of malware infection. Malware programs usually turn on at startup and they sometimes cause errors, so you need to keep an eye out for that.
5.) Things look "strange". I know that seems a little vague, but sometimes you open something and it just looks funny. If you didn't install something or make a change to your system, there's no reason why something would change. Computers don't make decisions on their own. If something has changed and you didn't initiate it, you should scan for viruses and malware.
Those are the five most common signs of an infection. Many of them may indicate a virus, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're infected.
Some of the signs could indicate a hardware issue or a program conflict. As a general rule, if you know of a recent change that caused the actions, it's probably not a virus. If the signs happen for no reason at all, you should be concerned and get your computer checked. Until next time, stay safe out there, my friends!
[Source: Worldstart.com]
Friday, June 19, 2009
Testing Microsoft antivirus; 100% open source?; iPhone 3GS: 500,000 units [TECH UPDATE]
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