Anti Malware

Archive for the ‘security’ Category

Woody, I got a copy of (one of the major antivirus products) when I bought my new PC. It worked fine for six months, but now it wants money. I tried installing a pirate copy, but it wont download updates and as you know an out-of-date antivirus program is about as useful as an out-of-date bottle of milk.

What antivirus product(s) do you use? What do you recommend for people who arent particularly interested in PCs, but know that they need to protect themselves?

All of the major antivirus/antimalware products work very well. Its getting harder and harder to draw a distinction among them.

The one I like best is the one that costs the least: Microsoft Security Essentials. MSE is absolutely free, and it will never, uh, bug you to upgrade or spend more money. If you dont trust Microsoft to protect its own software, theres always AVG Free. I talk about AVG Free briefly in my Windows books. But for most people, most of the time and for me, my PCs at home, and at the Sandwich Shoppes Microsoft Security Essentials does it all.

Whatever you do, dump the bloated anti-everything-ware program that came with your PC. Theres no reason to pay for protection over and over again. Get MSE or AVG Free and break the pay-pay-pay habit.

Although its a relative newcomer to the AV game, MSE consistently rates highly in head-to-head tests. It installs easily, runs like the wind. It never, ever tries to get you to spend more money on a different version. And it doesnt cost a satang. Ive converted all of my PCs to MSE Windows XP, Vista and Win 7 and never looked back.

To get your copy, go to microsoft.com/security_essentials and watch the installation video. Click the Download Now button, and youre on your way to using one of the best pieces of software Microsoft has ever made.

If youre already running an antivirus products even if its out of date, or begging for more money youll have to uninstall it before you can install MSE. Heres how:

Step 1:Download Microsoft Security Essentials.

Step 2:Disconnect from the Internet.

Step 3:Uninstall your current antivirus program. Uninstalling a well behaved antivirus program is as as clicking Start, Control Panel, Add or Remove Programs, finding the program in question and double-clicking on it.

Some antivirus programs, though, are notorious for being hard to uninstall. Norton was one of the worst, up until a couple of years ago. If you have to uninstall Norton, download and use the Norton Removal Tool. Some people report having problems getting rid of McAfee completely. If youre using McAfee and want to switch to MSE, download and run the McAfee Removal tool.

Step 4:No matter how you get rid of your old antivirus product with Windows Add/Remove, or with a specialized removal tool from Norton or McAfee reboot your computer once the uninstall is complete.

Step 5:Run the Microsoft Security Essentials installer. It will ask to connect to the internet to get updates. Dont do it just yet.

Step 6:Reboot your computer once again.

Step 7:Hook your computer up to the internet. Click on the MSE icon down in the system tray next to the clock at the bottom. Click the Update tab (see screen shot on this page), then click the Update button.

Step 8:On the MSE Home tab, choose the button marked Full and click Scan Now.

Step 9:Your computers going to slow down for a while maybe ten minutes, maybe a couple of hours while the scan finishes. Once its done, you may have to click to delete any bad stuff that MSE has found. I suggest you be merciless, and delete anything that looks even vaguely suspicious.

Step 10:Thats it. You dont have to do anything more, and MSE will keep itself updated and running non-stop.

Ive had many people ask if MSE will update itself, even if you turn off Automatic Updates for Windows (which I recommend at my website, AskWoody.com). The answer is yes: although MSE uses the Windows Update mechanism and programs to keep itself updated, your Automatic Updates setting doesnt hold any sway over Microsoft Security Essentials.

Microsoft Security Essentials checks to make sure youre running a genuine copy of Windows before itll install. Ive heard rumors that some of the not so genuine versions of Windows available in Phuket are good enough to trick the MSE installer. Thus, if you arent quite sure about the pedigree of your copy of Windows, itd be a good idea to download MSE and see if it will install. If it doesnt, the installer will tell you that you dont have genuine Windows. Thats it. No Pirate Police will appear at your door.

Locking down Windows 7 computers isnt all that difficult. You need a genuine copy of Windows 7 (which shouldnt cost much more than 2,000 baht ). You need to use a Standard not an Administrator account. You need to apply updates once a month (details and timing, which vary each month, are on my website), and you need Microsoft Security Essentials, which is free. If, in addition to all of that, you dont do anything stupid like installing a program that says itll remove 114 infections on your computer, or intentionally allowing a program to change your browsers home page you should be quite safe.

I run about twenty different PCs that way, with users that span the gamut from grizzled veteran to abject newbie, and Ive never had an infection under Windows 7.

Yes, some people have installed smiley icons and gotten their browsers tied up in knots. Occasionally the deult search engine gets changed, or the home page gets switched. Minor problems. Ive never seen a keylogger, rootkit or data stealing program on any of those PCs. The combination of genuinantivirus softwaree Windows 7 and MSE really does work.

With Woody hunkered down writing a book, the weekly Computer Clinics are taking a new turn. Until Woody emerges with an 860-page copy of Windows 8 All-In-One For Dummies under his arm, around May or June, Seth Bareiss will hold computer sessions every-other Wednesday afternoon, from 1 to 3pm. If you have a Windows problem that needs to be solved, drop by one of Seths free afternoon sessions at the Sandwich Shoppes. Details in the Phuket Gazette Events Calendar.

Sponsored by thePhuket Gazetteand Khun Woodys Sandwich Shoppes.

Live Wire isGazettecolumnist Woody Leonhards weekly snapshot of all things internet in Phuket.

Follow him on Twitter:@PhuketLiveWire; like pages atcebook.com/SandwichShoppe; andcebook.com/phuketgazette.net.

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PHUKET: An elderly Swedish woman was found dead in the waters off Ao Nang in Krabi yesterday, one of many recent drownings in Phuket and…

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Tel: 076-273555 Fax: 076-615240

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A week after urging customers to disable PCAnywhere in light of the theft of the products source code, Symantec is now dubbing the product safe as long as users apply the latest security patch.

PCAnywhere customers computers are apparently safe again as long as they apply the latest security patch to the software.

Following news of thetheft of the products source code, Symantec last week advised customers todisable the softwareto guard against cyberattacks.

But a round of free upgrades released last week were aimed at cleaning up the vulnerabilities.

On January 23, Symantec released a patch to secure PCAnywhere 12.5. And then January 27, the company rolled out another patch directed toward PCAnywhere versions 12.0 and 12.1.

Posting the latest information about thesecurity updates and the source code theft, Symantec is advising users to apply all the relevant patches as they come out and follow best practices (PDF) when it comes to security. Customers who dont have the latest version with the new patches can contact Symantec at pcanywhere@symantec.com for further help.

Responding to hackers who boasted that they had stolen the code for various products, Symantec earlier this month initiallyblamed the incident on a third-party serverand said the theft was limited to two older enterprise products–Symantec Endpoint Protection 11.0 and Symantec Antivirus 10.2.

But the security vendor later admitted that someone actually hacked into its own network in 2006 and grabbed the source code for several different products, including Norton Antivirus Corporate Edition, Norton Internet Security, Norton SystemWorks, and PCAnywhere.

Customers of most of the products in question were safe, said Symantec, because those applications have since been updated. But PCAnywhere was apparently still at risk, forcing the company to scramble to release the new security patches.

Aimed toward business users, PCAnywhere is remote-control software that lets users take control of another computer. The information on the patches was directed toward version 12 and higher with no mention of version 11.5, which was released in 2004, or prior versions. However, a Symantec spokesman told CNET that if requested, the company will honor an update to version 12.5 for customers using previous versions of the product.

Lance WhitneyLance Whitney wears a few different technology hats–journalist, Web developer, and software trainer. Hes a contributing editor for Microsoft TechNet Magazine and writes for other computer publications and Web sites. Lance is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and he is not an employee of CNET.

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Technically Incorrect

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Uber gives customers motorcade for Presidents DayAs a special Presidents Day treat, certain lucky Uber customers in Washington, D.C. receive a presidential-style motorcade, complete with limo and two Chevy Suburbans.

Technically Incorrect

Samsung shows sequels to Galaxy Ace and MiniNew smartphones continue to appear in advance of Mobile World Congress. Samsung is the player this time with the Galaxy Ace 2 and Galaxy Mini 2.

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Stitcher first with Facebook Timeline news radio integrationDozens of apps tie in seamlessly, but on the audio front, music has led the way. Now, radio news shows and podcasts are available by the thousands, and discovery is the goal.

Geek Gestalt

Clean-tech startup GreatPoint scales up in ChinaIn a $1.25 billion deal, GreatPoint Energys coal-to-natural gas technology will be built in China, the first large-scale plant for that technology in the world.

Cutting Edge

Android features that may elicit envy from iPhone owners (photos)Google made public a new swipe-to-unlock patent, something HTC actually already offers. CNET takes a look at some other features that vendors have contributed to Android–features that may someday end up in a patent battle.

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ZTE Mimosa X raises a glass to Ice Cream SandwichThe ZTE Mimosa X will burst forth with Ice Cream Sandwich…sometime in the second quarter.

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Apple touts N.C. solar array in environmental footprint reportCompany says array powering massive data center will be the largest end-user-owned operation in the country.

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Online security is threatened by more than hacking and phishing attempts. Check here for the latest updates on software vulnerabilities, data leaks, and rapidly spreading viruses–and learn how to protect your systems.

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Happy New Year everyone! We are so aflame to absorb addition year administration our adulation of handbags with you. I chock-full authoritative the archetypal New Year’s Resolutions years ago, as I never seemed to chase through (eating bigger and appliance added alone lasted for a few days). Instead, I accept called to accomplish resolutions that I can chase through with – and that involves my backpack accumulating (here are my resolutions from endure year).

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Information being hacked or passed around? Your credit card started being hit with AOL payments for someones account (not yours)? Don’t worry. The following suggestions may help you.

Your major concerns are Phisers and Key-loggers which will record your account information and send it back to someone else.

The best thing to come along is to download a master-password program, like PayPal and similar payment systems that will let you use one password and no login names at all your webpages which will prevent phisers and key-loggers from obtaining your real account information.

For your security on line, you should follow the suggestions above!

Good luck for you!

Sometimes you use folderlock to protect your files. Although the files kept in “locker” are locked in your computer, other networking computers can easily open and view the files.

So how to solve it? There’s no need to download extra programs for this. You can simply encrypt the files in question so that only your computer can

open them.

If you’re running Windows, then go into My Documents or My Computer and find the folder that contains the files in question (it could even be the entire My Documents folder if you wanted).

Right-click the folder you want to “lock” and in the pop-up menu choose Properties. On the “General” tab, near the bottom (next to “read-only” and “hidden” you’ll se a button that says “Advanced” — hit it). Now check the box that says “encrypt contents to secure data.” Click OK, then Apply. The files that are encrypted will now appear in green type and can only be opened by your computer unless you “decrypt” them.

Hope this helps.

Many of us love online banking. Indeed, the Internet provides us with ways to manage our money conveniently – and find the best rates on a number of deposit products. However, having so much information out there can also make you vulnerable in some ways.

Here have some simple tips that you can follow to make for a safe online banking experience.

-Confirm that you are dealing with a legitimate banking organization. Read the “about us” section in their website to know well about the institution.

-Read the privacy policies to find out exactly who has access to your personal information.

-Look for the FDIC symbol. All legitimate banks are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

-Keep your computer and access to it secure.

-Look for the secure padlock in the bottom right hand of your browser to make sure your information is encrypted.

-Never send any account details or pin numbers through email.

-Reject any emails that ask you for your financial information especially account, PIN and Social Security numbers. Legitimate financial institutions will never ask you for that information via email or by phone.

-Thieves can be experts at copying names, URLs and web pages of legitimate institutions. So beware of fraudulent and sites that imitate others.

-Make sure you log out of your accounts each time you leave them, especially when you are using public computers.

-Cancel any credit cards that have been used deceptively.

-Never use the “remember my password” option on shopping and banking websites.

-Change your password regularly and consider using password management software.

-Keep your antivirus scanner current.

-Good idea to also use a firewall.

It is imperative to protect financial data while conducting online transactions. Coming up with hard-to-crack passwords is very essential. Choose passwords that would be difficult for someone to guess, including symbols like pound or dollar signs or numbers in the middle of the password.

It’s easy to forget that having a life online also means that countless numbers of people have access to your personal information at any given time.

Whether you are writing a blog post or posting an update on Facebook, it is easy to overlook breaches to your electronic privacy. As prying eyes are able to access your personal data in various ways, it is critical that you constantly work to keep your personal information private. Here are some suggestions.

●Keep you very personal information such as passwords, account numbers, social security number ect to yourself.

●Even in trusted hands of a friend or relative this information can be used in places you would rather it not. The use of secure trusted web pages when purchasing items in a must. Checking with the better business bureau when ordering from catalogs and online business is a great idea.

●When using wireless internet make sure you have your network secured and a firewall up if you do not wish to purchase anti-virus.

●Open emails from unknown sources with caution. I suggest not opening them at all but if you feel you must remember the risks involved.

●Shredding important documents after they are no longer of any value to you is a great solution. Knowing where your important informational documents are is also a plus. Keep them safe and away from the view of others. Even house guests can be deadly.

●When moving to a new location make sure you inform your creditors personaly of your address change. The post office change of address won’t always stop your mail from going to your old residence.

●Watch your credit score and your assets carefully.weekly web-banking or inquary at your bank yourself is a good way to keep after your accounts and other investments.

●Don’t forget to not give out your phone number and SS number! As well as giving your fingerprint willingly to any establishment in the name of security and safety.

●Make sure there’s a privacy setting. Let no one know your password.

Hope these suggestions can help you a lot.

Privacy Protection is fake anti-malware program that simulates activity of legitimate programs capable to solve your computer’s protection issues.

Privacy protection will grow in importance as people use more and more online applications for banking, e-commerce, and e-governance everywhere, including in India.

Therefore, what you should do is as follows:

1)      Do not reveal personal information inadvertently.

2)      Turn on cookie notices in your Web browser, and/or use cookie management software or infomediaries.

3)      Keep a “clean” e-mail address.

4)      Don’t reveal personal details to strangers or just-met “friends”.

5)      Realize you may be monitored at work, avoid sending highly

6)      personal e-mail to mailing lists, and keep sensitive files on your home computer.

7)      Beware sites that offer some sort of reward or prize in exchange for your contact information or other personal details

8)      Do not reply to spammers, for any reason.

9)      Examine privacy policies and seals.

10)  Remember that YOU decide what information about yourself to reveal, when, why, and to whom.

11)  Use encryption

Hope the advice can help you a lot.

Firstly, I want to ask you a question: Why should you care about making Windows secure and private? Perhaps many people cannot answer it in detail. Well, here is my advice.

 Once young “hackers” tried to breach Windows security for thrills. But today    penetrating Windows computers yields big money. All intend to make  money  off you  – or anyone else who does not know how to secure Windows.  Security threats are  increasing exponentially.

This tells you how to defend yourself against those trying to steal your  passwords, personal data, and financial information, such as your photos,  emails, passwords and some other secret things.

Here are some simple and useful tips for you to guard your privacy.

1. Use as less applications as possible at one time

2. Make sure your system is free of privacy data

3. Log out when you are leaving

4. Protect your computer disk files with strange and special characters.

5. Don’t save surfing history

6. Don’t remember any password in your computer

Hope these tips will  help you a lot.