PC Security

A recent Online Safety survey...
A recent Online Safety survey reveals that computer users think they're safer than they are.

77% of those surveyed think they are safe from online threats but...

67% of computers lack current anti-virus software - 1 in 5 are infected with a virus

80% of home computers are infected with spyware/adware - 88% didn't know they were infected

49% of broadband users lack firewall protection

A couple years ago a good friend's computer was hacked. The hacker stole her credit card information, her personal ID #'s (ssn, drivers license, etc.) and passwords that were in her PC. She spent days getting everything taken care of... from contacting the DMV, credit card companies, online banks, to changing all her passwords she had in various programs online.

Just as recently as a couple months ago, another friend was hacked and had her address changed with the SSA, and also the method her benefits were delivered (from Direct Deposit to a Check to the new address). She spent well over 3 hours in the SSA office getting it all straightened out. Luckily she tried to login to the SSA and caught the change before it was too late.

Neither one of these women knew anything about PC Security and neither had a Firewall installed, an updated Anti-Virus Program or an Anti-Spyware program installed!

Things like this DO happen daily... and it could happen to YOU!

1. Use "anti-virus software" and keep it up to date.
2. Don't open emails or attachments from unknown sources. Be suspicious of any unexpected email attachments even if they appear to be from someone you know.
3. Protect your PC from Internet intruders - use "firewalls."
4. Regularly download pc security updates and "patches" for operating systems and other software.
5. Use hard-to-guess passwords. Mix upper case, lower case, numbers, or other characters not easy to find in a dictionary, and make sure they are at least eight characters long.
6. Back-up your PC data on disks or CDs regularly.
7. Don't share access to your computers with strangers. Learn about file sharing risks.
8. Disconnect from the Internet when not in use.
9. Check your pc security on a regular basis. When you change your clocks for daylight-savings time, reevaluate your pc security.
10. Make sure your family members and/or your employees know what to do if your computer becomes infected.

Used by permission.. Original article can be found at: http://www.staysafeonline.info/home-tips.html

Personal Firewall
A firewall is a system that is designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a private network or computer. You can implement firewalls in hardware, software, or both. Firewalls are frequently used to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing private networks/computers that are connected to the Internet.

Zonelabs has an award winning personal firewall named Zonealarm, which is an excellent choice. Easy-to-use firewall blocks hackers and other unknown threats. Stealth mode automatically makes your PC invisible to anyone on the Internet. You can download a free version below:

ZoneAlarm

Encrypt your Instant Messages
Keeps your IM conversations private and provides protection to vulnerable IM connections.

Zone Labs IMsecure® Pro is the first comprehensive instant messaging (IM) security solution for any program that accesses the most popular IM services such as AOL Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger. IMsecure Pro ensures that IM conversations are private and secure, protecting PCs and valuable personal information from spammers, identity thieves, hackers and predators who exploit vulnerable IM connections.
Secure your IM client here
(The link is on the left menu to the free version)

Anti-Spyware
There are many utilities that remove spyware programs. The one that I use and recommend is "Ad-Aware". Be very careful when you download "Free" programs from the Internet (these programs listed here are spyware free), especially file sharing utilities. If you carefully read the terms and conditions of many free programs, they openly admit that these programs are included within their products, so as such are not classed as viruses. Anti-virus software will NOT pick up spyware programs.

Ad-Aware is designed to provide advanced protection from known Data-mining, aggressive advertising, Parasites, Scumware, selected traditional Trojans, Dialers, Malware, Browser hijackers, and tracking components. With the release of Ad-Aware SE Personal edition, Lavasoft takes the fight against Spyware to the next level.

Ad-Aware

Anti-Virus
With an average of 300 new computer viruses found each month, you need constantly updated anti-virus software to help protect your computer.

AVG Free Edition is the well-known anti-virus protection tool. AVG Free is available free-of-charge to home users for the life of the product! Rapid virus database updates are available for the lifetime of the product, thereby providing the high-level of detection capability that millions of users around the world trust to protect their computers. AVG Free is easy-to-use and will not slow your system down (low system resource requirements).

AVG Free Edition The link to the Free version is on the left menu.

Virus Removal Tools
Viruses have become increasingly complex and infections involve more system elements than ever before.

What to do when you become infected?

Symantec Security Response has developed tools to automatically conduct what would often amount to extensive and tedious manual removal tasks. If your system has become infected, the tools linked below should aid you in repairing the damage.

Symantec Removal Tools

I personally keep a few of these removal tools on my desktop. The W32.blaster worm makes it very difficult to connect online, or kicks you off when it does. Having the removal tool on your desktop makes for easy removal of the virus if you get infected. I also have some others saved to a disk so I don't have to go online, if I should make a mistake (ie: opening an attachment, clicking a link in a spam email ...) and get infected.

At the time of this writing. Variations of the Blaster worm and variations of the Netsky worm are still going around. I would recommend these 2 you download and save on your computer where they can be easily found.

Gibson Research Corporation has available some great freeware utilities to help you secure your PC.

Scroll down to "free stuff" section and run some of those pc security tools as well.

Be sure to use their "Shields up" diagnostic tool to test your PC's security after installing the software outlined in this page.

Shields Up
The Internet's quickest, most popular, reliable and trusted, free Internet security checkup and information service. And now in its Port Authority Edition, it's also the most powerful and complete. Check your system here, and begin learning about using the Internet safely.

Symantec Security Check

Symantec Corporation global sites products and services purchase support security response downloads about symantec search feedback ...

CRYPTAINER LE
Free 128bit Encryption Software

Secure your data and ensure absolute privacy with Cypherix's powerful encryption software, Cryptainer LE. It 's powerful 128 bit encryption, creates multiple 25 Mb encrypted containers (vaults) on your hard disk. These encrypted vaults can be loaded and unloaded when needed. You can view, modify and hide all types of files with a single password.

Phenomenally easy to use, Cryptainer LE's encryption works with all 32 bit versions of Microsoft Windows (95/98/ME/2000/XP/2003 Server) and with all known file types. Cryptainer allows you to password protect and secure any file or folder on any media, including removable drives (Flash Drives, CD ROM's etc.)

You can protect your files and folders and ensure total privacy with Cryptainer LE. Simply drag and drop the files and folders you want to hide and voilà! Your files are hidden! With Cryptainer LE you can hide the very existence of your confidential files and folders.

Email Security
Additionally, Cryptainer LE allows you to send encrypted email files. The recipient doesn't even need a copy of Cryptainer LE installed to decrypt the files. Cryptainer LE is FREE and fully fu

Auto What?

In version 5 and later, Internet Explorer has a handy AutoComplete feature to speed the process of filling in Web-based forms. If this feature is turned on, each time you submit a form the data from its input fields is encrypted and stored on your local machine. Next time you're filling in a field with the same internal name, IE will help you complete that field by displaying a list of possible values. This could include Credit Card numbers, Drivers license number, passwords...etc.

In Windows Control Panel, you can turn this feature on and off or clear the recorded data for all form fields, but that's all. AutoWhat? 2 lets you view the values that are stored for each input field name, delete incorrect ones, and even pre-load the system with additional AutoComplete values.

AutoWhat? 2 is an updated version of the earlier PC Magazine Extra utility AutoWhat?, released in November, 1999. AutoWhat? runs under Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT 4, Windows 2000, and Windows XP. It requires Internet Explorer 5 or later, since it enhances a feature that was introduced in IE5.

AutoWhat? Article

I recommend you read through the article first (especially if you use a Windows NT OS), but here's the link to download the program:

AutoWhat? 2

Want to know the secret of securing your PC from dangerous spyware, adware, and malware programs that can ruin your PC, your finances, and your sanity?

Give Me 45 Minutes And I'll Have You Exterminating The Dangerous Programs (Like Spyware, Adware, And Malware) That Make Your Life A Living Hell.
My report, "PC Safety 101" is ready for you to put into action.

I was staring at my computer screen in absolute horror. I felt like I couldn't breathe. Like there was an elephant sitting on my chest. I felt like I was having a heart attack!

My hard drive had just crashed, and I had lost all the invaluable and irreplaceable data on my computer.
Learn how to protect yourself with PC Protection Guide