February 20, 2008
Protecting Your Computer Online and Off
ncreasingly sophisticated software, faster networks and online communication have brought many technological advances and benefits. However, with it have come increased security risks including many previously unknown ones as the bad guys harness this very same technology to further their evil ends.
Some of the more common threats and ways of overcoming them are:
Viruses - These are malicious software codes that cause undesirable effects on your computer. A virus is designed to spread itself without the knowledge of the computer user. A computer may become infected through downloads from the internet using CD's or disks with infected programs or from other computers on the network. Another extremely common way viruses spread is through infected email attachments. Given the many modes of transmission viruses are clearly a threat online as well as offline. The old adage "Prevention is better than the cure" is particularly true in the case of computer viruses. You can save yourself a whole heap of trouble and countless hours of misery by avoiding infection in the first place rather than trying to repair the effects of viral infection. Some simple rules can help you achieve this:
1. Install a reliable and reputable anti virus software and run regular scans. Preferably have the scan run on boot up.
2. New computer viruses are created everyday. Ensure that your anti-virus software is kept up to date with the latest virus definitions.
3. Do not download software from questionable or unknown sources. Always scan software using your anti-virus software before executing or installing on your computer.
4. Do not open email attachments from unknown senders. It is best to use an anti-virus software that automatically scans your email and can warn you if any threats are detected.
Worms - These are a type of virus which replicates itself and takes control of computer resources. The main distinction between a worm and other viruses is that a worm does not necessarily have to live within a host program and can run itself.
Trojans - these are malicious programs that masquerade as something useful thereby enticing the computer user to execute them and unleash their nasty payload.
Spyware - these are programs usually installed secretly along with other software whose purpose is to capture information about the computer user, the computer installation and other sensitive information about computer usage. This information may then be transmitted to a third party either by email or through the software "calling home" to transmit information to a remote website. Depending on the nature of information collected and transmitted this could pose a serious security risk.
Adware - propagated in a manner similar to spyware, these programs serve to pop up advertisements on the user's internet browser or desktop. These programs too may capture information about the user's browsing or purchasing habits so that advertisements may be tailored to suit.
Keyloggers - These are programs that record keystrokes entered through the keyboard and then secretly transmit this information to a third party. Naturally this can expose passwords, credit card details and other important information.
Control of worms, trojans, keyloggers, spyware and adware is achieved using similar strategies to those adopted for viruses, namely using appropriate anti-virus software including spyware and adware scanners and avoiding executing programs obtained from unknown sources.
Hackers accessing and taking control of a computer is another serious risk especially today with the widespread use of "always on" broadband internet. Hackers may exploit vulnerabilities in legitimate software or use trojans or viruses they have implanted to gain control of a computer which they can then use for sending unsolicited commercial emails (spam) or for other illegal activities. The idea here is to shield the perpetrator from detection as the illegal activity appears to originate from the computer they have taken control of.
In order to minimize risk of hacking attacks it is important to ensure that software used including the operating system is kept up to date by installing all vendor supplied updates and upgrades especially critical and security related updates. An effective firewall is another vital defence against unauthorized access by third parties. A firewall could be installed on the modem used to connect to the internet or as a software program that runs on the computer. The firewall serves to control who and what programs are allowed to accept or make connections with the internet. A firewall can also be useful in detecting and controlling programs like keyloggers which attempt to call home.
Phishing is another security phenomenon that has seen an alarming increase in recent years. Criminals are employing increasingly convincing and sophisticated means of sending emails which appear to originate from legitimate websites. However, links in these emails actually lead to websites controlled by them where they can capture valuable personal information such as logins and passwords. This is commonly used to cheat unsuspecting users by tricking them into revealing online bank login details etc. The golden rule in dealing with phishing attempts is to treat all emails which request personal information with at least skepticism if not suspicion. Never click a link in an email and enter login information or other personal information as the ultimate destination of that link may be cleverly concealed. When logging into online banking sites for instance always type the address in the browsers address bar. It is also important to pay attention to security features on webpages where sensitive information is input. A webpage address that starts with https: and shows a padlock symbol is secure. This means that any information transmitted from that website is encrypted and is therefore not at risk if intercepted.
There are offline risks to your computer as well. For instance it is important to select strong passwords which cannot easily be guessed. Ideally they should be at least 8 characters long and not consist of a regular word or name and comprise a combination of numeric and non-numeric characters. The strongest password would serve no purpose however, if a hacker is able to get you to disclose it to him. It is important to always be on the look out for social engineering attempts which aim to get you to unknowingly or knowingly reveal sensitive information such as passwords.
Needless to say physical security of your computer is also vital. The best antivirus software and firewall will not protect a laptop left in full view in an unlocked car! Maintenance and adequate care of hardware should not be neglected either. Regular backups stored in a location away from your principal computer and uninterruptable power supplies are good ideas to protect the integrity of your hardware and data stored thereon.
Perhaps the only way that comes close to completely eliminating every possible risk to your computer is to never turn it on and store it in a locked vault! However, even that may not work one hundred percent of the time. Nevertheless, it is possible to minimize your risk to an acceptable level by following common sense and adopting some of the simple rules discussed above.
Posted by billenross at 10:06 PM | Comments (0)
October 29, 2007
How To Backup Your Computer
Have you ever had your hard drive fail?
You will, it's only a matter of time. Mine failed in March of 2006, and it took me 3 weeks, and over $500.00 (over and above the cost of a new machine) to recover and restore my data. Although I now have a huge external hard drive with many of my files backed up, I must confess - I don't take the time to back up my files often enough, I just don't think of it.
I just discovered a solution so easy and inexpensive that I signed up right away. It's completely hands free, and all your data is backed up on autopilot to a remote and secure location for about $5.00 a month. If your hard drive fails, no problem, just login and download all your files to your new hard drive. They have a 15 day free trial, so you get to see how it all works before you buy, backup your computer now!
Posted by billenross at 09:49 AM | Comments (0)
October 02, 2007
Spyware Protection And Removal
As we sail through 21 century, the Internet becomes a way of living for many people around the world. No matter how you access the Internet to check emails, read news, do shopping, or conduct business, there is no doubt that Internet becomes a big part of our daily life. However, statistics shows that more than 80% of the Internet users experience slowdowns in their computer performance in the past even if there is only one or two programs running on a T1 connection.
The most likely cause of loss of computer performance is called malware (spyware, adware, key-loggers, or drive-by downloader, etc.) that enter your system by various means, slowing things down to a crawl. This malicious software can gather your surfing information and send it to places you don't want sent or track your personal information for future use. Unfortunately, these malicious software programs are everywhere on the Internet, including some "friendly" websites such as websites run by the government and the large, reputable companies.
As the web technology advances, viruses and spyware get smarter and harder to detect and kill, too. In order to protect your computer from malware you need to understand what they are and how they work.
Basically, there are three types of malware presented in this article because they are the most common problems we encounter:
1. Viruses
2. Spyware
3. Adware
Let's take a look at viruses first.
Viruses not only can damage your system but can be contagious to other people's system through yours. Through duplication, viruses can be sent to other people in your Microsoft Outlook mail list. Sometimes, virus can be embedded in other programs, such as the notorious Trojans, or hidden in an executable file through a well-wrapped email. Since viruses can be very dangerous to your computer, their entry should be prevented before they damage your system.
Unlike viruses, spyware usually is not an executable file and doesn't damage your system or wipe out your data; instead, they "spy" on your personal information, such as your web-surfing habits or even worse stealing your credit card information, then install tiny software, called cookies, to your computer without your permission when you download information from a website. They silently hide all over the system, usually in registries, cookies, or temporary files.
Similar to spyware, adware primarily gathers information about your surfing behavior so they can provide the ads and other related information you are interested in when you surf the web. This can be viewed as personalized marketing and can be very helpful if you visit a certain site frequently. It becomes a problem when too many cookies installed in your system and slow down your computer performance.
So what we can do to solve the problems with viruses, spyware or adware?
The best way to minimize and eliminate damage from malware is to frequently update anti-virus and anti-spyware software, properly set browser options, and surf wisely with common sense.
For anti-virus software, most ISPs offer some kind of virus protection but most of the time it is inadequate for proper computer security. Therefore, investing in good anti-virus software is a must for the health of your computer.
Norton is by far the most well known anti-virus software on the market. Its new version includes virus and worm protection along with spyware protection. It allows owners to set the "Live Update" to automatically make timely downloads of the so-called "virus definitions". Since new viruses are continually developed almost everyday, the anti-virus software uses "definitions" to identify and handle viruses. Frequent updates of the "definitions" is highly recommended.
McAfee is another leading brand for anti-virus software. Many of the features in this software come defaulted to fit the users' needs, including preset updates and weekly virus scans. It is a great software for novice users.
Other anti-virus software such as Shield Deluxe is also good for prevention of virus attack. This software is easy to use for anti-virus and anti-spyware. It updates and scans on a weekly basis with a pre-scheduled interface. It is also cheaper than the leading brands.
In addition to software, applying common sense to avoid your computer's exposure to viruses is also important. These include, but are not limited to:
* never open emails if you don't know where they come from
* don't run an executable file in your email or downloaded
from a website unless you know exactly it is safe
* don't click "Yes" for a popup box when you surf the web
unless you know exactly what it is for
With regards to the anti-spyware software, PCTools Spyware Doctor has long been a PC Magazine Editor's choice for anti-spyware protection. It is a freeware/shareware with very thorough scanning. With its latest version, Spyware Doctor added anti-virus function as well. However, Spyware Doctor doesn't remove the spyware it identifies. It just prevents them from harming your system. Unless you buy the full featured software, spyware gets to stay in your system forever.
Webroot Spy Sweeper 5.2 is another piece of anti-spyware software that gets good ratings. Spy Sweeper 5.2 has similar functionality to Spyware Doctor 2007 but its user interface is more clear and concise. It is a good idea to supplement Spy Sweeper 5.2 with one or two free programs since no single anti-spyware software can catch every threat.
The free version of Ad-Aware by Lavasoft is also a good choice to supplement the primary anti-spyware software. It is not as robust as Spyware Doctor 2007 and Spy Sweeper 5.2 but it doesn't offer real-time monitoring in free version so it doesn't take many resources from your system.
At the browser level, you can minimize downloading certain types of spyware by going to Tools-->Internet Options-->Security-->Custom Level and selecting disable for
1. "Download unsigned Active-X controls"
2. "Initialize and script Active-X controls not marked as
safe"
and set Java permissions to "High Safety"
If this does not solve your spyware/adware problems, you can also disable the following two options:
3. "Active scripting"
4. "Scripting of Java applets"
The drawback is that you will limit the functionality of web surfing and may make your favorite sites unavailable. To overcome this, you can manually add your favorite site URLs to "Trusted Sites" under Security and uncheck "Require server verification (https:) for all sites in this zone".
Frequent updates and full scans of anti-spyware software should be performed on a regular basis. It is also recommended for a monthly Windows update to apply latest patches to your system. You can set up an automatic update through Windows Control Panel or within Internet Explorer under Tools menu.
This is the solution I've used for several years now, and it's been terrific.
Posted by billenross at 08:50 AM | Comments (0)
