10 Ways To Protect Your Windows PC Online

 

This report is written in a general approach to online internet 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 on 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,
anti-virus, and anti-spyware / anti-malware 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/7 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
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.
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.
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:

8. Secure your Wireless Network
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. ”
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 previous

10 Tips To prevent Malware Threats

 

Easy tips you can apply to prevent a Malware threat on your PC.

1. Shared USB, Hard Disks, Floppy Disks:

If you are sharing a USB, hard-disks or floppy disks, always think about the security threat. Try your best to avoid using shared disks. But if you do not have any other choice, scan and check for viruses before opening the disk. Double clicking on the drive will open the disk and potentially allow the virus to infect your PC. So just a single right click on the drive and then select your anti-virus program to scan for malware first.

2. Do not open emails from un-trusted sources:

Email attachments can bring often bring you unwanted malware. So do not open attachments from un-trusted sources (if you don’t know the person, it’s probably malware). Delete the attachment without opening it. Definitely do not open .exe files (this is most likely a malware program and opening it will install it on your system). If you have to open an excel attachment, disable macros before opening the file.

3. Use a good antivirus program:

Install a good antivirus program. Sometimes your antivirus program will not be able to detect certain threats (experts suggest a new threat is created every 5 minutes). So it’s highly recommended to use at least one other trusted anti-spyware program if possible. Your antivirus program should be updated regularly (everyday you are online).

4. Download from secure source:

Do not download software from just any site. Check whether the download site is secure.

5. Security Updates:

Check for security updates, news from the software you have installed.  You may have installed some software which you believe to be trusted. But don’t just close you eyes and assume it’s all good. Check for security updates. If the software needs a patch, get it as soon as possible.

6. Operating System Update:

Download and update your Operating System security patches. All Microsoft Operating Systems have regular security updates… Check often and get them all.

7. Sharing folders:

Do not share folders unless you absolutely need to do this. Scan everything first, before opening it.

8. Visiting websites:

Do not visit un-trusted websites. Always check security warning issued by Google, your web browser or your antivirus program before visiting a site.
If you are visiting a site through Google, you will get a malware warning.

9. Search for virus patches:

If your antivirus program is able identify but unable to fix or remove a certain virus, search the web for a trusted patch or instructions to remove that particular threat (you’ll need to pay attention to the name of the threat or malware and search specifically for removal help for that threat.

10. Shared Network:

If one computer on your network gets infected, remove the infected PC from the network to prevent it infecting others. Only reconnect it after removing the threat.

The Twenty Minute Guide to PC Security: 20 Tips to Secure your Box[PART-1]

We've all seen the geek squad commercials on TV where some woman calls BestBuy, and within 5 minutes this friendly 18 year-old kid pulls up in a VW bug and works "miracles" by cleaning and securing her virus infested computer all within about 10 minutes.

For those of you that have tried to hire help to clean the malware out of your PC, however, you've likely found out what the commercial never mentions, that within a month you're right back where you started, with an infested and almost unusable computer.

With over 140,000 known computer viruses and 85,000,000 spam emails sent out each day, the likelihood of your PC coming into contact with malware such as viruses, worms, and spyware is almost guaranteed. And once your computer becomes infected with malware, simple tasks such as browsing the web can be very frustrating as your computer's speed is drastically decreased -- that is if you can still connect to the internet at all. Given the prevalence of malware, the only real long-term solution is preventing it from infecting your computer altogether, but how?

In this article we cover 20 of the most basic PC security steps, from installing essential safeguards to tailoring your own Internet behavior, which will together help you dramatically reduce the odds of your computer being infected by malware. Thus, by implementing these 20 simple and straightforward steps you can dramatically decrease the chance you'll ever have to call up your local PC repair shop for a cleaning ever again.

 

The Basics: Spotting and Eliminating Threats

As the saying goes, before you can run, you must learn how to walk. And you can consider your first baby step into computer security installing the basic software needed to detect and eliminate threats.

1. Use a firewall
   You can think of a firewall as a sort of shell around your computer that identifies and filters out threats, while letting secure information pass through it and reach your computer. Because a firewall serves this all-important filtering role between your computer and the internet, using a firewall is the very first step on the path to computer security.
   
   Suggestions:
   • If you're using Windows XP, thankfully you already have a firewall installed. So the only thing you need to check to make sure that you have it activated. To enable the firewall, navigate to the Control Panel, and select "Network Connections". From there right click your active internet connection, and select the "Properties" menu. Finally choose the "Advanced" tab and check the "Internet Connection Firewall" box.
   • If you don't have Windows XP or you simply want to upgrade beyond the standard protection it provides, there are a host of third-party software firewall options out on the market, among the best of which is Norton Personal Firewall. Or for those of you who want to save some money, a good free third-party firewall option is PC Tools Firewall Plus 1.0.
   
    
2. Install and update anti-virus software
   A good firewall will filter out many of the threats facing your computer, however, some malware is always going to find its way onto your PC. For example, viruses, worms, Trojan horses and other forms of malware can find their way onto your computer by various means a firewall cannot detect, including downloading malicious email attachments and files from the internet. So to protect your PC you'll also need strong regularly updated anti-virus software. While a firewall protects your computer from the outside, an anti-virus program will work from the inside of your computer, hunting down hidden viruses and deleting them, while also scanning attachments and downloads before they can infect your computer.
   
   Suggestions:
   • For those of you that don't mind spending a few dollars on security, CA, offers one of the best products in the personal anti-virus market. They also offer a free 30-day trial for their anti-virus software, so you may want to give it a try even if you don't plan on ordering, just so that you can clean your computer out and start fresh.
   • If you're looking for a highly regarded free anti-virus alternative, try PC Tools Anti-Virus Free Edition.
   
    
3. Install and run anti-spyware software
   Even though firewalls and anti-virus programs are more well-known when it comes to basic security steps than installing anti-spyware software, it may actually be your anti-spyware program that provides your computer with the most significant increase in security.
   
   Today, the most common form of malware that internet users encounter is spyware. In fact, a recent study estimated that 9 out of 10 computers connected to the Internet are currently infected with some form of spyware. Spyware can take a variety of forms, however, some of the most common effects are that it causes unsolicited pop-ups to appear, steals personal information, monitors internet activity for marketing purposes, or routes your website requests to other spammy advertising sites.
   
   Suggestions:
   • Perhaps the most popular spyware removal program is Lavasoft's Ad-Aware. Ad-Aware comes in a variety of packages including the Professional edition, available for purchase on the Lavasoft website, and the Personal edition,which is free of charge. Because running an anti-spyware program can tend to slow your computer down and use up computing resources, try running the spyware scan in the background of your computer.
   • Another popular anti-spyware tool is Spy Sweeper. Spy Sweeper is offered as shareware and comes equipped with both anti-spyware and anti-virus features, which means that you can get more complete protection even faster.
   
    
4. Install additional basic threat counter-measures
   In addition to the three universally needed security software programs discussed above, there are a couple of other software installations which can be basic necessities for you, depending upon your particular computer usage.
   
   Suggestions:
   • If you do a lot of surfing on gaming, gambling, or pornographic sites, you are particularly vulnerable a type of malware called Rootkits. If this is the case, it is absolutely essential that you install anti-rootkit software to secure your PC, and even if you don't fall into one of those vulnerable categories it is still a good idea. A well-reputed option is Sysinternal's Rootkit Revealer to help you identify and remove rootkits from your PC.
   • Parental Control: For parents, installing parental control software isn't just about determining what sites your child has access to, it is also an important step in keeping your computer malware free. Often children spend lots of time surfing on gaming sites, or enjoy making downloads of free software or screensavers. Unfortunately, however, these are all very dangerous activities when it comes to picking up malware. One of the strongest parental controls comes as a part of the ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite which also includes several types of firewalls, as well as virus and spyware protection.

 

Tweaking Settings and Making Usage Adjustments

Now that you have installed the most basic PC security software, there are a number of more specific weak points in your computer's armor that need to be shored up either by making some personal behavior adjustments to compensate for the particular security weakness or by making the necessary upgrades to minimize its vulnerability.

1. Strengthen your web browser security
   You connect to the internet through your internet browser. And whether you use Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera or anything else, this is a point of major weakness in any computer's defenses. Hackers often target their attacks on your computer by focusing on flaws in browsers or their plug-ins and using drive-by downloads, to get your computer to download malware through the browser without you even knowing that something was downloaded. Because of this threat, web browser security upgrades are an important early step in your PC security overhaul.
   
   Suggestions:
   • The easiest browser security upgrade is simply to switch internet browsers. Microsoft's Internet Explorer is subjected to the largest number of security threats, so switching to a popular safer alternative such as Mozilla's Firefox or Opera will dramatically improve your PC security right away.
   • For those dead set on using Internet Explorer, you should raise the security level from the default to high setting and specify which websites are trusted enough to bypass the browser's security filter. You can do this by opening up a new browser window, selecting the "Tools" menu, followed by "Internet Options." From there choose the "Security" tab and finally drag the bar to the "High" level.
   
    
2. Install the latest OS service pack
   Hackers are constantly developing new types of malware, some of which try to exploit weaknesses in an operating system to get into your computer. Therefore, it is important to always install the latest Windows OS Service Pack (SP) updates in order to keep your computer secure. Microsoft releases patches and updates for their Windows operating systems once a month on "Patch Tuesday."
   
   Suggestions:
   • Currently the safest Windows XP operating system uses Service Pack 2 (SP2). How do you know you have SP2? Open up your PC's control panel and look for the icon called "Security Center." If you see it, you have SP2. If not, make sure to download it right away.
   • Download patches only directly from the official Windows site and never from anywhere else, no matter how official the site looks. Spammers often cleverly create fake infected patches and post them on their own or other people's websites in order to trick people into infecting their own computers by downloading them. Thus, by downloading your patches exclusively from the official Windows site, you can minimize the chances of ever encountering a fake patch in the first place.
   
    
3. Select secure software and update it regularly
   You've probably seen those funny Mac and PC commercials on TV where the PC talks about the huge number of viruses and exploits Windows is exposed to relative to Macs. Unfortunately, it is true that the operating system and software that you select plays a big part in how many threats your computer faces. Though the number of threats that affect Mac OS X programs is expected to grow in 2007, for now at least, viruses are concentrated on Microsoft's programs. Consequently, if you are running a Windows OS, or another Microsoft application, it is extremely important that you frequently update your application with all the new patches that Microsoft puts out. Stated simply, the longer a critical internet-dependent application goes without an update, the higher the probability your computer will have a security threat. So to avoid unnecessary breaches in security, keep your important software up to date.
   
   Suggestions:
   • Run automatic updates for Windows XP patches and your web browsers. While using automatic updates is not the safest solution for a lot of applications, when it comes to fighting new viruses that threaten your operating system and key programs, the risk of using automatic updates is far outweighed by the benefits of quickly updating.
   • Educate yourself on the differences in the levels of threats facing different operating systems and applications. While it probably doesn't make sense for you to select an entirely different operating system on the basis of increased threats, it might make sense for you to choose an alternative program where a similar product is offered by a competitor that faces far fewer security attacks.
   
    
4. Disable file sharing on your hard drives
   While securing your wifi router will help keep hackers from getting access to your network, what about the potential for harm from people who already have legitimate access to your network? Having a firewall will certainly help, but it may not be enough.
   
   One of the best ways to limit your exposure to intra-network harms is by prohibiting file sharing access from foreign machines. This is especially important if you are on a large scale or open wifi network, such as at a college library or in an office building, where you do not know who could be potentially browsing through your PC.
   
   Suggestions:
   • Use the AllPeers plugin for Firefox web browser to enable secure sharing over the internet.
   • Use secure sharing via one of the VoIP (Skype) or VoIM (Google Talk, Yahoo Messenger, Windows Live Messenger) clients as an alternative option.
   
    
5. Be cautious when downloading
   While not all freeware is bad, the old saying that nothing worthwhile in life is free is generally true when it comes to free internet downloads. Spammers often hide dangerous malware in computer programs that they then offer for free on the internet. When you choose to download these free programs, not knowing they are infected, you circumvent your firewall and anti-virus protection, and as a result often open yourself up a serious malware infestation.
   
   Suggestions:
   • If possible, find a trusted Web site such as ZDNet or VNUNet to download your desired files from.
   • If you download via torrent or peer-to-peer programs, make sure to scan the files you receive for viruses and other malware, as many file servers do not check the integrity of the documents they host.

 

Safely Emailing

Email was originally designed to enable academics and scientists to communicate with one another. And because it was created with the thought that only trusted individuals would send files back and forth, email's security weaknesses were never a concern while the technology was being developed. Unfortunately, spammers and hackers came along with the popularity of email, but by then the technology was far too popular to redesign. As a result of its inherent security weaknesses, it is very important to take the necessary steps to strengthen your email security through add-on protections and by tailoring the way you use your email.

1. Use a first-rate email client
   Just because all email clients deliver your email, does not mean they are equally effective when it comes to PC security. An effective email client should provide your computer with another layer of protection by effectively filtering out all the unwanted email messages bound for your inbox, as well as providing some basic email attachment virus scanning.
   
   Suggestions:
   • Google Mail (GMail) is one of the best web-based email clients, providing you with top of the line spam filtering that will keep your inbox free of almost all unwanted messages. Unfortunately, however, its virus scanning capabilities leave a lot to be desired, so you'll want to manually scan all email attachments using your personal virus scanner before you download.
   • Mozilla's Thunderbird is a highly regarded, award winning, spam-fighting standalone email client. Thunderbird has to be configured for a POP or IMAP based email server just like Microsoft Outlook. But once you setup Thunderbird, you'll be well on your way to keeping your inbox free of spam.
   
    
2. Handle email attachments carefully
   When you download an attachment, your computer presumes that you know what you're doing. Consequently, your firewall won't check the attachment to make sure that its safe, which leaves just a cursory scan by your email client as the only protection between an attachment and your computer. Given the low level of security surrounding attachments, it's no surprise that hackers often try to hide their harmful programs in spam email attachments. In fact, an estimated 90 percent of viruses enter computers this way. Given those stats, it is important to always follow best practices when handling all email attachments in your Inbox.
   
   Suggestions:
   • Do not open attachments from strangers, or even from well-known companies, no matter how official or familiar the email appears to be. Spammers often use very creative techniques to make their emails and their attachments look legitimate, and they are getting increasingly good at it. So simply closely examining emails with attachments before downloading is no longer a sufficient security strategy. Instead, you should adopt a strict no attachment policy from strangers or companies, and go to the company website directly to get the needed information instead.
   • If a friend's computer is infected, it's possible that you'll receive email with virus-infected attachments that appears to be (or actually is) from them. Thus, a familiar sender alone is not enough to ensure that an attachment is safe. If you're not expecting an attachment, call, IM or VoIP the person to verify that they intended to send it before you open the attachment.
     
     
     
     
     Other tips in next part
   
    

The Twenty Minute Guide to PC Security: 20 Tips to Secure your Box[PART-1]

We've all seen the geek squad commercials on TV where some woman calls BestBuy, and within 5 minutes this friendly 18 year-old kid pulls up in a VW bug and works "miracles" by cleaning and securing her virus infested computer all within about 10 minutes.

For those of you that have tried to hire help to clean the malware out of your PC, however, you've likely found out what the commercial never mentions, that within a month you're right back where you started, with an infested and almost unusable computer.

With over 140,000 known computer viruses and 85,000,000 spam emails sent out each day, the likelihood of your PC coming into contact with malware such as viruses, worms, and spyware is almost guaranteed. And once your computer becomes infected with malware, simple tasks such as browsing the web can be very frustrating as your computer's speed is drastically decreased -- that is if you can still connect to the internet at all. Given the prevalence of malware, the only real long-term solution is preventing it from infecting your computer altogether, but how?

In this article we cover 20 of the most basic PC security steps, from installing essential safeguards to tailoring your own Internet behavior, which will together help you dramatically reduce the odds of your computer being infected by malware. Thus, by implementing these 20 simple and straightforward steps you can dramatically decrease the chance you'll ever have to call up your local PC repair shop for a cleaning ever again.

 

The Basics: Spotting and Eliminating Threats

As the saying goes, before you can run, you must learn how to walk. And you can consider your first baby step into computer security installing the basic software needed to detect and eliminate threats.

1. Use a firewall
   You can think of a firewall as a sort of shell around your computer that identifies and filters out threats, while letting secure information pass through it and reach your computer. Because a firewall serves this all-important filtering role between your computer and the internet, using a firewall is the very first step on the path to computer security.
   
   Suggestions:
   • If you're using Windows XP, thankfully you already have a firewall installed. So the only thing you need to check to make sure that you have it activated. To enable the firewall, navigate to the Control Panel, and select "Network Connections". From there right click your active internet connection, and select the "Properties" menu. Finally choose the "Advanced" tab and check the "Internet Connection Firewall" box.
   • If you don't have Windows XP or you simply want to upgrade beyond the standard protection it provides, there are a host of third-party software firewall options out on the market, among the best of which is Norton Personal Firewall. Or for those of you who want to save some money, a good free third-party firewall option is PC Tools Firewall Plus 1.0.
   
    
2. Install and update anti-virus software
   A good firewall will filter out many of the threats facing your computer, however, some malware is always going to find its way onto your PC. For example, viruses, worms, Trojan horses and other forms of malware can find their way onto your computer by various means a firewall cannot detect, including downloading malicious email attachments and files from the internet. So to protect your PC you'll also need strong regularly updated anti-virus software. While a firewall protects your computer from the outside, an anti-virus program will work from the inside of your computer, hunting down hidden viruses and deleting them, while also scanning attachments and downloads before they can infect your computer.
   
   Suggestions:
   • For those of you that don't mind spending a few dollars on security, CA, offers one of the best products in the personal anti-virus market. They also offer a free 30-day trial for their anti-virus software, so you may want to give it a try even if you don't plan on ordering, just so that you can clean your computer out and start fresh.
   • If you're looking for a highly regarded free anti-virus alternative, try PC Tools Anti-Virus Free Edition.
   
    
3. Install and run anti-spyware software
   Even though firewalls and anti-virus programs are more well-known when it comes to basic security steps than installing anti-spyware software, it may actually be your anti-spyware program that provides your computer with the most significant increase in security.
   
   Today, the most common form of malware that internet users encounter is spyware. In fact, a recent study estimated that 9 out of 10 computers connected to the Internet are currently infected with some form of spyware. Spyware can take a variety of forms, however, some of the most common effects are that it causes unsolicited pop-ups to appear, steals personal information, monitors internet activity for marketing purposes, or routes your website requests to other spammy advertising sites.
   
   Suggestions:
   • Perhaps the most popular spyware removal program is Lavasoft's Ad-Aware. Ad-Aware comes in a variety of packages including the Professional edition, available for purchase on the Lavasoft website, and the Personal edition,which is free of charge. Because running an anti-spyware program can tend to slow your computer down and use up computing resources, try running the spyware scan in the background of your computer.
   • Another popular anti-spyware tool is Spy Sweeper. Spy Sweeper is offered as shareware and comes equipped with both anti-spyware and anti-virus features, which means that you can get more complete protection even faster.
   
    
4. Install additional basic threat counter-measures
   In addition to the three universally needed security software programs discussed above, there are a couple of other software installations which can be basic necessities for you, depending upon your particular computer usage.
   
   Suggestions:
   • If you do a lot of surfing on gaming, gambling, or pornographic sites, you are particularly vulnerable a type of malware called Rootkits. If this is the case, it is absolutely essential that you install anti-rootkit software to secure your PC, and even if you don't fall into one of those vulnerable categories it is still a good idea. A well-reputed option is Sysinternal's Rootkit Revealer to help you identify and remove rootkits from your PC.
   • Parental Control: For parents, installing parental control software isn't just about determining what sites your child has access to, it is also an important step in keeping your computer malware free. Often children spend lots of time surfing on gaming sites, or enjoy making downloads of free software or screensavers. Unfortunately, however, these are all very dangerous activities when it comes to picking up malware. One of the strongest parental controls comes as a part of the ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite which also includes several types of firewalls, as well as virus and spyware protection.

 

Tweaking Settings and Making Usage Adjustments

Now that you have installed the most basic PC security software, there are a number of more specific weak points in your computer's armor that need to be shored up either by making some personal behavior adjustments to compensate for the particular security weakness or by making the necessary upgrades to minimize its vulnerability.

1. Strengthen your web browser security
   You connect to the internet through your internet browser. And whether you use Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera or anything else, this is a point of major weakness in any computer's defenses. Hackers often target their attacks on your computer by focusing on flaws in browsers or their plug-ins and using drive-by downloads, to get your computer to download malware through the browser without you even knowing that something was downloaded. Because of this threat, web browser security upgrades are an important early step in your PC security overhaul.
   
   Suggestions:
   • The easiest browser security upgrade is simply to switch internet browsers. Microsoft's Internet Explorer is subjected to the largest number of security threats, so switching to a popular safer alternative such as Mozilla's Firefox or Opera will dramatically improve your PC security right away.
   • For those dead set on using Internet Explorer, you should raise the security level from the default to high setting and specify which websites are trusted enough to bypass the browser's security filter. You can do this by opening up a new browser window, selecting the "Tools" menu, followed by "Internet Options." From there choose the "Security" tab and finally drag the bar to the "High" level.
   
    
2. Install the latest OS service pack
   Hackers are constantly developing new types of malware, some of which try to exploit weaknesses in an operating system to get into your computer. Therefore, it is important to always install the latest Windows OS Service Pack (SP) updates in order to keep your computer secure. Microsoft releases patches and updates for their Windows operating systems once a month on "Patch Tuesday."
   
   Suggestions:
   • Currently the safest Windows XP operating system uses Service Pack 2 (SP2). How do you know you have SP2? Open up your PC's control panel and look for the icon called "Security Center." If you see it, you have SP2. If not, make sure to download it right away.
   • Download patches only directly from the official Windows site and never from anywhere else, no matter how official the site looks. Spammers often cleverly create fake infected patches and post them on their own or other people's websites in order to trick people into infecting their own computers by downloading them. Thus, by downloading your patches exclusively from the official Windows site, you can minimize the chances of ever encountering a fake patch in the first place.
   
    
3. Select secure software and update it regularly
   You've probably seen those funny Mac and PC commercials on TV where the PC talks about the huge number of viruses and exploits Windows is exposed to relative to Macs. Unfortunately, it is true that the operating system and software that you select plays a big part in how many threats your computer faces. Though the number of threats that affect Mac OS X programs is expected to grow in 2007, for now at least, viruses are concentrated on Microsoft's programs. Consequently, if you are running a Windows OS, or another Microsoft application, it is extremely important that you frequently update your application with all the new patches that Microsoft puts out. Stated simply, the longer a critical internet-dependent application goes without an update, the higher the probability your computer will have a security threat. So to avoid unnecessary breaches in security, keep your important software up to date.
   
   Suggestions:
   • Run automatic updates for Windows XP patches and your web browsers. While using automatic updates is not the safest solution for a lot of applications, when it comes to fighting new viruses that threaten your operating system and key programs, the risk of using automatic updates is far outweighed by the benefits of quickly updating.
   • Educate yourself on the differences in the levels of threats facing different operating systems and applications. While it probably doesn't make sense for you to select an entirely different operating system on the basis of increased threats, it might make sense for you to choose an alternative program where a similar product is offered by a competitor that faces far fewer security attacks.
   
    
4. Disable file sharing on your hard drives
   While securing your wifi router will help keep hackers from getting access to your network, what about the potential for harm from people who already have legitimate access to your network? Having a firewall will certainly help, but it may not be enough.
   
   One of the best ways to limit your exposure to intra-network harms is by prohibiting file sharing access from foreign machines. This is especially important if you are on a large scale or open wifi network, such as at a college library or in an office building, where you do not know who could be potentially browsing through your PC.
   
   Suggestions:
   • Use the AllPeers plugin for Firefox web browser to enable secure sharing over the internet.
   • Use secure sharing via one of the VoIP (Skype) or VoIM (Google Talk, Yahoo Messenger, Windows Live Messenger) clients as an alternative option.
   
    
5. Be cautious when downloading
   While not all freeware is bad, the old saying that nothing worthwhile in life is free is generally true when it comes to free internet downloads. Spammers often hide dangerous malware in computer programs that they then offer for free on the internet. When you choose to download these free programs, not knowing they are infected, you circumvent your firewall and anti-virus protection, and as a result often open yourself up a serious malware infestation.
   
   Suggestions:
   • If possible, find a trusted Web site such as ZDNet or VNUNet to download your desired files from.
   • If you download via torrent or peer-to-peer programs, make sure to scan the files you receive for viruses and other malware, as many file servers do not check the integrity of the documents they host.

 

Safely Emailing

Email was originally designed to enable academics and scientists to communicate with one another. And because it was created with the thought that only trusted individuals would send files back and forth, email's security weaknesses were never a concern while the technology was being developed. Unfortunately, spammers and hackers came along with the popularity of email, but by then the technology was far too popular to redesign. As a result of its inherent security weaknesses, it is very important to take the necessary steps to strengthen your email security through add-on protections and by tailoring the way you use your email.

1. Use a first-rate email client
   Just because all email clients deliver your email, does not mean they are equally effective when it comes to PC security. An effective email client should provide your computer with another layer of protection by effectively filtering out all the unwanted email messages bound for your inbox, as well as providing some basic email attachment virus scanning.
   
   Suggestions:
   • Google Mail (GMail) is one of the best web-based email clients, providing you with top of the line spam filtering that will keep your inbox free of almost all unwanted messages. Unfortunately, however, its virus scanning capabilities leave a lot to be desired, so you'll want to manually scan all email attachments using your personal virus scanner before you download.
   • Mozilla's Thunderbird is a highly regarded, award winning, spam-fighting standalone email client. Thunderbird has to be configured for a POP or IMAP based email server just like Microsoft Outlook. But once you setup Thunderbird, you'll be well on your way to keeping your inbox free of spam.
   
    
2. Handle email attachments carefully
   When you download an attachment, your computer presumes that you know what you're doing. Consequently, your firewall won't check the attachment to make sure that its safe, which leaves just a cursory scan by your email client as the only protection between an attachment and your computer. Given the low level of security surrounding attachments, it's no surprise that hackers often try to hide their harmful programs in spam email attachments. In fact, an estimated 90 percent of viruses enter computers this way. Given those stats, it is important to always follow best practices when handling all email attachments in your Inbox.
   
   Suggestions:
   • Do not open attachments from strangers, or even from well-known companies, no matter how official or familiar the email appears to be. Spammers often use very creative techniques to make their emails and their attachments look legitimate, and they are getting increasingly good at it. So simply closely examining emails with attachments before downloading is no longer a sufficient security strategy. Instead, you should adopt a strict no attachment policy from strangers or companies, and go to the company website directly to get the needed information instead.
   • If a friend's computer is infected, it's possible that you'll receive email with virus-infected attachments that appears to be (or actually is) from them. Thus, a familiar sender alone is not enough to ensure that an attachment is safe. If you're not expecting an attachment, call, IM or VoIP the person to verify that they intended to send it before you open the attachment.
     
     
     
     
     Other tips in next part
   
    

Tips for computer security and to prevent viruses

You must run quality security software on your computers to protect your work and private data from viruses, spyware, and other security threats. When it comes to security, there is no substitute for quality. See below our recommended quality solutions. If any of the following is difficult for you, get an IT Expert to do it for you. You must do the following or risk all of your work/data being compromised (think of it as locking your front door):

1. Get good anti virus software e.g. one of the below.
   Recommended anti virus software:
   - AVG - Our most recommended Antiv Virus software.
   - Norton Anti virus
   - McAffee Anti Virus
   - Kaspersky
   
   Be sure to regularly update your 'virus definitions' e.g. once per week
2. Install a quality Firewall
   There are many firewalls available, some good, some bad. Our recommendation is the FREE ZoneAlarm. They provide a paid version with extra tools (of course), but we think the free firewall-only option is fine. Its getting harder on their site to see the free one (so look carefully!). At time of writing,  scroll down and click the free option. If the above link doesn't work, start looking from the Zone Alarm front page.
3. Install an anti-spyware application
   There are many available, some good, some bad. Our recommendation is the FREE: Spybot - Search & Destroy.,
4. Email Attachments: BEWARE OF ATTACHMENTS. Do not open email attachments you are not expecting. Viruses come with some very nasty messages to trick you into opening the attachement e.g. "Your email account has been cancelled, see attachment for details". Even worse, the virus looks like it comes from an email address you recognise e.g. from admin@yourDomain.com (where 'your domain' is the domain name that you use). Virus attachments can have the following 'file extension': .exe, .pif. If you receive a .zip attachment and open it - make sure it doesn't contain a file with one of those extensions. Do not open attachments you haven't requested, even if they appear to be from people you know.

Why do I receive, notices that emails from me could not be delivered - when I didn't send the email?

• How did someone else send an email that looked like it was from me?
• Why do such emails seem to be from someone who is not in my organisation?

This is usually caused by a virus on someone elses computer sending the emails, but making it look like the emails are from you, or to put it another way: A virus that spoofs the 'from address'. The important (and annoying) thing to note is that the virus is probably not on your computer, it is on someone elses. So even if you have quality anti-virus software that keeps your computer clean, there is someone else out there who's computer is infected and sending these emails out.

How viruses spoof the from-address in emails

• You have effective anti-virus software, so your computer is clean,
• You send an email to Fred,
• Now your email address is in Freds address book in his email software,
• Fred does not have effective anti-virus software, and his computer has a virus,
• The virus on Freds computer scans his address book for all of the email addresses on it,
• The virus sends email to every address on Freds address book,
• The virus emails do not say they are from Fred!, The virus pics another addresse from Fred's address book and puts it in the 'From field' in the outgoing email. The virus may combine the name from one address and the domain from another, creating a 'from address' that does not exist.
• These emails are received by other computers, which detect the virus (because they have good anti virus software) and reject the email,
• When the receiving computer rejects the virused email it sends an 'Undeliverable' to the sender e.g. something like 'Subject: /Delivery Notification: Delivery has failed'.
• But! the 'Undeliverable' note goes to the spoofed from address (not to Fred) e.g. the 'Undeliverable' note could be sent to you.
• Often there is no trace of Freds real address in the virus email or the 'Undeliverable' note, so you can not tell who's infected computer is sending these emails.

Vodafone Free GPRS Hack 2009 for all Customers

I have been receiving many emails asking about how to access free GPRS for Vodafone customers.Vodafone has been slightly strict about there GPRS until this hack has been found out.In order to get Vodafone free gprs,you will have to try out this method I’ve mentioned below exactly.This vodafone hack has been tested on many mobiles and found out to be effective.[In fact this is not a hack for getting free GPRS in vodaphone,but a flaw which has been missed by them]

Settings For Vodafone Free GPRS [mobile]

Account Name : Vodafone_gprs
Homepage : http://live.vodafone.in [or anything useful]
User Name: (not required)
Password :(not required)
Access Point Settings:[ to be configured in mobile,if not already given]
Proxy: Enabled
Proxy Address:  10.10.1.100
Proxy Port: 9401
Data Bearer: Packet Data
Bearer Settings: [to be setup in mobile]
Packet Data Access Point: portalnmms
Network type: IPV4
Authentication: normal
User Name :(not required)
Password :(not required)

 

After configuring these settings in your Vodafone mobile,check for connection.If you are unable to access free internet[GPRS] on your vodafone mobile using this trick,then switch off your mobile,reinsert sim card and switch ON again.Now you can browse on your mobile for free.

Increase Speed UP PC Computer Speed

One of the most effective and useful tool to speed up the performance of your computer is to defragment your hard drive. Defragmentation of the hard drive is referred to rearranging the scattered files stored in your hard drive. Actually the data you store in your hard drive increases with the course of time. Then data becomes scattered in the hard drive and needs arrangement so that computer can easily access and run programs from the hard drive. If data is arranged with the help of defragmentation then computer easily access the data and thus requires less time to access and run the programs. Remember that the files stored on the hard drive are in fragmented form. These files are very hard for the computer to open and run. That is why computer supports the defragmentation tool because it helps a lot to let the computer open and run the files.

You should defragment each volume of your hard drive so that your computer can access all volumes very easily. This easement of accessing the entire hard drive would really boost up the performance speed of your computer. There is another tool which can add to the efficiency of your computer. This tool is called rebooting the computer. Rebooting is the most essential tool which can enable your computer to run faster in terms of performance and speed. You should prefer using disk defragmenter and the proper rebooting of your computer. The combine application of both these tools will surely enable your computer to easily access any file in no time. You would enjoy the reliable and convenient usage of your computer through this way. You should keep one thing in mind that you should never use online solutions for boosting up the performance of your computer. This would cause more damage to your computer because it can contain virus and malware attack.
This article is written by Ella Green, who also writes for pckeeper.zeobit.com, a site featuring applications and downloads on registry cleaner, disk defragmenter, and disk cleaner.

Also use softwares like speed it up or system booster to increase the graphics performance