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Virus and Trojans

August 3rd, 2009 | Posted by admin in Computer | Security - (0 Comments)

My system was attacked by a horrible trojan a couple of weeks back and I has to format my PC in order to get rid of it. But when I tell the story to one of my friend, he asked what is the difference between a virus and a trojan. Well, here is what I have to say.

Virus are special type of computer programs, specially programed to kill a process or a file in the host computer. They may be mild or sometimes they may be extremely dangerous to even kill your whole system. These viruses come in many forms and your system can get it from anywhere – internet downloads, flash drives, other systems on the LAN.

A trojan, on the other hand is a special form of virus whose functioning can be controlled by a remote system. That’s why it is not good to keep them at all. Trojans can be instructed to perform many functions on your system in real time, that is someone remotely operating some processes in your system without your knowledge! That’s quite weird and they can open up ports that can be exploited by hackers. I will write a long article about trojan in another post explaining its various forms and their functions. But for the time being, don’t let trojans enter your system using a good anti-trojan program.

Anti-spam plugin for wordpress

February 9th, 2009 | Posted by admin in Blogging | Internet | Security - (0 Comments)

I was writing about the challenge plugin for WordPress a few days back in my other blog. I used it in all of my blogs and it deed reduce the number of spam comments reaching the comment box. But it could not stop all the comment spams and I was still receiving many spams everyday. Then I tried the Bad Behavior plugin in a few of my blogs to try it out. I like the initial results and the number of spam comments were reduced to a much greater extend. But I am still getting a few spam comments everyday.

I found a few other Anti-spam plugin the other day while I was browsing for some cool wordpress tips. Any I am going to try them as well on few of my blogs and will see if they work out fine. But I am satisfied with the result from using Bad Behavior. But I saw that I started getting some errors while I was trying to delete comments or moderate them. So, maybe I will look into this matter as well.

Well, spam is one of the weirdest things in the internet today. There are spam bots for everything these days. Even forums are being spammed with so many spam bots and the number of such cases are increasing each day. This thing called spam is not going to stop by itself, we have to fight them. Thanks to the great guys who are creating anti-spam software and plugins and releasing them for free. We should contribute to their effort by donation a few bucks so that it may help us all in fighting the war against spam.

Norton Antivirus for FREE!

February 1st, 2009 | Posted by admin in Computer | Cool Sites | Hardware | Internet | Security - (0 Comments)

Ok, just in my previous post I was talking about some of the software I have used and here I have come up with something that you will love to know about. Here I found a website which is giving Norton antivirus for free. Remember, Norton is not a free Antivirus if you go to other places. It is free here only. You can download it instantly and install in your system and start using it.

Well, Norton is one of the most trusted name in the Antivirus industry. It is a little bit resource hungry but when it comes to protecting your system, it is in fact the best antivirus software available in the market today. Check the various reviews for Norton Antivirus and you will love to get a copy installed in your system right now.

You will also find a lot of other great software pacts in FreeAntivirusInfo.com. There are lots of other great software that you can download. If you need a good desktop search software, then try Google Desktop Search Software. You can download it from there as well. Cool? If you need still more free stuff, then you can check out Freebyte.com as well. And don’t forget to report back here after you have used the antivirus software and other great free stuff there.

Credit Card Tips for shopping online

December 8th, 2008 | Posted by admin in Computer | Internet | Security - (0 Comments)

Credit Cards are becoming an inseparable daily-use item in almost every sphere of our life today. From day shopping to online ordering, from ticket booking to Restaurant bill, you see credit card being accepted everywhere. The use of credit card has simplified our life to a great extend. But with more freedom, we become more vulnerable to frauds and theft as well. So, wherever you use your credit card, always take proper caution.

So, what do we actually have to do to avoid such credit card frauds? In simple words, always be informed and always take cautions while using your card in public malls or when you make your internet purchase. There are even cases of credit cards being cloned. So, always keep your card safe and avoid carelessness while using them. Well, if you play the game smart, you can take the most out of your credit card. Check out 0% balance transfers and 0% credit cards if you want to learn more on how to use your credit card in a smarter way. Say your credit card interest rate is too high, then you can transfer your money to a new credit card and suspend the high interest charges.

Choosing the right credit Card is also another great factor that you should take into consideration while requesting for one. There are varieties of credit cards available today and each has different policies and interest rates. So, always check for the one that best suits your financial status. You can find variety of credit card schemes and different promotional offers as well. Check them out before you make your decision. And read more tips on how to get the best deals on credit card. A penny saved a day can make a lot of difference in the long run, remember that as well!

Phishing and Scam Emails

September 26th, 2008 | Posted by admin in Internet | Off Topic | Security - (0 Comments)

Spam email now has a new and more frightening variant, it’s called phishing and it has been made by criminals and hackers who aim at getting unwitting consumers to reveal account numbers and passwords.

Phishing is when someone creates false email that pretends to be from a bank or other authority, but which is actually designed to collect sensitive information such as passwords. This process of stealing information used for fraudulent purposes is the latest problem to plague Internet users. It is a phenomenon know as phishing i.e. emails ‘fishing’ for important information.

Just like Spam, phishing mails are sent to the widest possible audience so it’s not unusual to receive a message asking you to confirm account details from an organization you do not actually deal with. You may be asked to fix up your eBay account when you haven’t even got one! In addition to collecting sensitive information many phishing messages try to install spy ware, Trojans etc. allowing hackers to gain backdoor entry into computers.

New technologies can provide a better means of countering phishers. One option being explored by a lot of banks is the use of a secure token, a small electronic gadget that generates a unique password to be entered each time a user logs onto the web site. This would make a phishing attack useless because without the physical possession of a token it is impossible to access the account. This approach is somewhat similar to what is used at Automated Teller Machines around the world where you need to have both the card and the Pin number in order to use the machine.

Software for Kids

September 18th, 2008 | Posted by admin in Computer | Hardware | Internet | Security - (0 Comments)

Computers are all the rage today for people of all ages including children. There are many different types of software that you can choose from when it comes to picking something for your children to enjoy on the computer. Depending on the age bracket of your children you’ll have to take some time to choose software that does what you want it to do.

For the younger child aged three to five there is software that features some of their favorite television characters such as Dora the Explorer or Bob the Builder. Your children will be both entertained and educated as they play games, learn the alphabet, and learn to count. Software for very young children is easy for them to play so that you’re not always coming to their assistance whenever they press a wrong key.

Software for older children aged five to ten has even more interactive features than software for the younger child. You can buy software that is exclusively for learning and software that will only provide entertainment. Most software comes with a rating to let you know that it doesn’t contain any material that is inappropriate for children. Some types of software for this age group of children include puzzle games, software for learning a second language, math and science software, video game software, software for the artist, and software that allows your child to connect with the internet and play games with other children around the world.

Software for teens is something that you’ll need to supervise a little more closely since much of the software on the market can be objectionable and will often test the morals and virtues that you are trying to teach your children. When you buy software for your teen make sure that you take a good long look at what the software is all about, since many of the software games can feature a large amount of violence. There are, of course, software programs for your teen that are educational as well as fun and that they can use to enhance their schoolwork.

Microsoft & Spyware

July 20th, 2008 | Posted by admin in Computer | Hardware | Internet | Security - (0 Comments)

Now that spyware has far exceeded the threats of viruses Microsoft has released their version of a beta spyware scanner, remover and blocker. Spyware infects users with Internet Explorer with an endless build up of threats that run on computers and gather personal and usage information. Consequences of spyware can be browser crashes and start page changes as well as constant freezing.

With Micorsoft’s beta spyware tool users must verify through the site that they possess a true, non stolen version of Windows XP before being able to download the software. Upon approval computer users get the download free and it begins immediately protecting against spyware invasions. The software includes a scanner that will detect and remove or fix spyware infected files. The scan runs easily just by booting up the program and choosing the scan. It can take twenty minutes or more for the entire scan to complete and once done it gives you a list of detected spyware.

When you choose to delete the detected spyware files you have the option of creating a restore point so that if any problems occur from remove a particular file you may rejuvenate its functions later. Microsoft’s anti-spyware tool also restores original Internet Explorer settings that may have been altered by spyware infections. Without this feature it is difficult and sometimes impossible to get an Internet Explorer browser to return to its normal features after spyware has hindered them.

After Microsoft’s beta spyware software has done its work your computer should run more productively and your privacy will be safer from intruders as you surf the internet. If you have Microsoft software it is wise to try to the free beta software so you computer can be better armed against spyware invasions.

An article on Spam

July 18th, 2008 | Posted by admin in Internet | Security - (0 Comments)

Spam is annoying. Period. Why people would want to send all of us stupid messages about buying prescription drugs or getting some outrageously good mortgage rate is beyond me. Well, not really.

You might ignore those emails. But not everyone does. And that’s why they’re sent. Emails cost so little (or nothing) to send. So sending out a million of them could be a cakewalk. Let’s say one out of every 1,000 recipients falls for their ploy. Someone just got 1,000 new customers!

How in the heck did those spammers get your address in the first place? Well, they actually use a variety of techniques. They use programs called spambots to search the web and pick up any email addresses that could be listed on websites. They use what’s called the “Dictionary” technique, where they take a well-known email extension (earthlink.net, for instance), and make up all kinds of possible user names to go with it. For example, with me they could try the usernames “kara”, “kara1?, “kara2? and so on, until they can confirm one of those connected to an earthlink.net extension is a valid email address. Kinda like going page by page through the dictionary.

Ever fill out a registration form on a website and find a little checkbox, probably near the bottom, asking if you want to receive additional information, newsletters, or something of that nature? Often the box is checked, and in order NOT to receive the info, you have to UNCHECK it (or else). Well if you miss those types of boxes on the wrong kinds of sites, your email addresses may be handed to spammers on a silver platter. Well, almost. Often a zillion email addresses are sold for next to nothing to spammers on CDs. (Couldn’t you almost call those silver platters?)

Many internet service providers (those guys that keep you connected to the internet so you can send and receive email) use a variety of methods to block spam before it ever gets to you. Nevertheless, we all know that some spam inevitably gets through to our inboxes. That’s when we need to take a proactive stance and install some sort of software to filter it out!

Importance of Registry Cleaner

June 22nd, 2008 | Posted by admin in Computer | Hardware | Security - (0 Comments)

Why do you need a registry cleaner? Registry cleaners are important because it protects your PC from harmful processes. Is your computer slowing down for no apparent reason? Are you having errors that are not solved by your anti-virus or anti-spyware program? Your PC might be affected by applications that are running without your knowledge. Registry cleaners are a must! Registry cleaners ensure that your registry is clean.

Some errors are just a quick registry fix, while others could be more problematic.

If you keep your registry clean, free of viruses and spyware your computer will last much longer. Spend the time or money now for a registry cleaner to save you even more time or money later down the road.

If you are short on cash then there is a free registry cleaner available that I use exclusively. The program is called Error Nuker and it is a free ware registry cleaner. Error Nuker works on Windows XP, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT4, and Windows 2000. Microsoft Windows does NOT come with a registry cleaner.

Computer Network and its Security

June 19th, 2008 | Posted by admin in Computer | Hardware | Security | Technology - (0 Comments)

In order to fully understand network security, one must first understand what exactly a network is. A network is a group of computers that are connected. Computers can be connected in a variety of ways. Some of these ways include a USB port, phone line connection, Ethernet connection, or a wireless connection. The Internet is basically a network of networks. An Internet Service Provider (ISP) is also a network. When a computer connects to the internet, it joins the ISP’s network which is joined with a variety of other networks, which are joined with even more networks, and so on. These networks all encompass the Internet. The vast amount of computers on the Internet, and the number of ISPs and large networks makes network security a must.

Hackers often try to hack into vulnerable networks. Hackers use a variety of different attacks to cripple a network. Whether you have a home network or a LAN, it is important to know how hackers will attack a network.

One common way for a hacker to wreak havoc is to achieve access to things that ordinary users shouldn’t have access to. In any network, administrators have the ability to make certain parts of the network “unauthorized access.” If a hacker is able to gain access to a protected area of the network, he or she can possibly affect all of the computers on the network. Some hackers attempt to break into certain networks and release viruses that affect all of the computers in the network. Some hackers can also view information that they are not supposed to see.

There are two major categories for destructive attacks to a network. Data Diddling is the first attack. It usually is not immediately apparent that something is wrong with your computer when it has been subjected to a data diddler. Data diddlers will generally change numbers or files slightly, and the damage becomes apparent much later. Once a problem is discovered, it can be very difficult to trust any of your previous data because the culprit could have potentially fooled with many different documents.

The second type of data destruction is outright deletion. Some hackers will simply hack into a computer and delete essential files. This inevitably causes major problems for any business and can even lead to a computer being deemed useless. Hackers can rip operating systems apart and cause terrible problems to a network or a computer.