Home Internet Security

Internet security is important for everyone regardless of business, personal use, etc. Looking at the home front, we as parents can’t always be at our kids shoulders watching every key being pressed while they are online. This is where K9 Web Protection comes in. I use this on our home network to monitor all internet usage. You can restrict time as well as what websites they visit. Up until recently, we were foster parents and having K9 Web Protection really helped us manage our internet access. Don’t ever assume that all is well. If you are not always there with your kids, then you can’t guarantee to yourself that all is as it should be. Don’t fall into the “Not My Johnny” trap or the “Not my Jenny” trap. So instead of being the fool that was fooled, take matters into your hand and put K9 on the scene and have piece of mind. You should also have Anti virus software installed on your PC as well as anti-spyware software. You can find this on Download.com.

Screen Saver Frenzy at the office

Ok, after being in data processing for over 18 years, I am fully aware and very much appreciate the NEED for security. With that said, I find one thing a little bit extreme when it comes to this topic. It’s when it’s decided that a PC’s screen saver is set to less than a time of 20 to 30 minutes until it goes active. It only proves one point here. Those behind this kind of decision do not have to deal with it on a daily basis. This especially applies to PC’s in a computer room where Computer Operators have a need to access the PC throughout the shift. Let’s be real here, 30 minutes is very much sufficient unless, the area of concern is frequented by “outsiders” more often than not. That would be a consideration for this type of action. But, computer rooms (data centers) don’t normally have this kind of traffic.

Recomended Antivirus and multi-care utillity

After going from one anti-virus system to another, I have found a FREE one that I really like and so far don’t have a reason to change. Now I only use this system on the Desktop PC’s and not my laptop. That could change later. Alvira Antivirus is my system of choice. You can find this on Download.com. As far as the multi-care utility, I found a program called
Advanced System Care (Free Version). This too can be found on Download.com. I want to express the fact that you don’t need to purchase a registry cleaner since you can get this one for FREE. Yes, there are paid upgrades if you want them. But, they are not necessary.
I’m saving $30.00 a year by using a BETTER system instead of purchasing a license to use one. For anyone needing to find a utility for just about anything, I recommend visiting Download.com

Test your data security skills

Just how prepared or how much do you know regarding data security? I took the quiz and passed, try it yourself – Take the quiz and find out:

Beware of Email Scams that appear to be from your Email provider

This morning, my wife got an email that looked legitimate enough and looked like it was from our Email Provider. This is the first time we had gotten one of these types pretending to be from our ISP. Usually, we get a phishing email from something that is pretending to be from a financial website. Since we are both “up” on this sort of thing, we immediately suspected it to be bogus and I called our provider to verify the email. Sure enough, the email was indeed bogus. Our provider never sent the email.

One really big point to keep in mind: Legitimate organizations will NEVER send an email to you asking for personal and sensitive information. If you suspect a bogus email, contact the organization that it was supposedly sent from to verify.

Here is an example of the Fraudulent email we got this morning, (the email provider name was removed):
————————–Example of Fraudulent Email—————————
From: “SUPPORT@YOUREMAILPROVIDER.NET”
Date: 2008/08/27 Wed AM 07:16:53 CDT
Subject: WebNews Email Account Update

THE “YOUREMAILPROVIDER” MAIL SERVICE WEBSITE WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT WE
HAVE SOME PROBLEMS ABOUT EACH CUSTOMER ACCOUNT EMAIL. DUE TO ERROR CODE
334409. WE DISCOVERD THAT IN FEW DAYS FROM NOW EACH CUSTOMER WILL NOT BE
ABLE TO ACCESS HIS OR HER EMAIL ACCOUNT.

IN THAT REGARD,YOU ARE REQUIRED TO SEND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AND PASSWORD
FOR A NEW ACCOUNT UPDATE.

YOU ARE ADVISED TO IMMEDIATELY SEND US THE REQUIRED INFORMATION SO AS TO
ENABLE US IMMEDIATELY UPDATE YOUR ACCOUNT.YOU ARE TO SEND US THIS
INFORMATION VIA EMAIL TO
account_update@sify.com

Note:You have to understand that the reason why we are not sending this
message from our own private account.This is due to some technical problem
we are having right now.
Thanks for your understanding.

BELOW THE INFORMATION RQRUIRED FOR ACCOUT UPDATE

1)Full Email Address:
2)password:
3)country:
4)date of birth:
5)First name/Last name:

YOUREMAILPROVIDER Privacy Statement | Copyright 2008 YOUREMAILPROVIDER . All Rights Reserved.

—————————————End of Example—————————–
NOTE: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THESE TYPES OF EMAILS!

Click this link for more information: Fraud and Scam Alerts – Phishing

See also: More on Phishing

Trouble accessing Internet from a Network now and then

A few years ago, I discovered a problem that kept me from accessing the Internet. My computer was on Linksys / wireless network that could manage 4 desktop PC’s directly wired too as well as wireless systems. The problem I would have is that every several months, I could not connect to the Internet.
I would spend hours trying to fix this. Then with no avail, I would call my ISP (Verizon.net) and have a techy help me through this ordeal. After this happened again several months to a year later, I again called for help. After this experience, I made notes on what happened and what was done. When it came around again and it did, I said wait a minute, I know how to deal with computers, I should be able to figure this out. So, I examined what was going on combined with what was being done to fix this. Then it hit me! They are having me do all this crap and what I really only have to do is reset my password from within Linksys!!!! All that frustration for such a simple and minor thing. So basically if you are on a network (at home), and you are not able to connect to the Internet, you can try accessing your Linksys and changing the password. This password is the SAME password that you use to check your email from your ISP. If you have any questions, feel free to email me. I do not guarantee that this is the problem that you could be facing, but, it could be a pretty good bet!

Backup Integrity and Security

I’ve been noticing that there are a number of services available via the Internet to assist in providing Backup services for your PC or Laptop. I even use one of these services that came along with my new laptop. Throughout the years, I have learned the importance of not only having reliable backups, but secured ones too. While I do use an online backup service, it is not my only means of backing up my files. Now, regarding the security aspect of your backups…I understand that the services will guarantee security of all files that are backed up. Afterall they have to for the obvious reasons. I’m sorry to have to point this reality out, but, the only real way to ensure or guarantee total security and integrity is to create, process your own backup rotation. Having your own backups at home or office (or a backup site if business) is the only true way to safe guard your backups. Now you just seen that I used a word a couple of lines up called “rotation”. If you have a business, then this word strongly applies to YOU! Having backups for your computer system is essential, but, a backup rotation is of prime importance if you are a business. An example of using a backup rotation would be having a 3 day prior backup of your files. This way you could go back 3 days to get data to help fix a problem.

Back to online backup services…I’m not putting these services down at all. I am only pointing out that there are certain realities when using these services. A very good example or reason is that if your internet goes down and you need a backup file, then you have a problem as to how to get it. Having your own backup would eliviate this problem.

See also….

Who else wants a reocurring virus.

Hacking – Part 2

In a very simple way to describe a hacker, this is someone who brakes into your PC via the Internet. You can find more information on Hacking by clicking the link at the bottom of this article. With the amount of PC / Internet security available for FREE, there is no reason why someone can’t have their PC protected against a wide range of security issues. One site that I frequently use which is Download.com where you can find a wide range of software to assist you with PC / Internet Security. I have a wide range of services running on my PC every day. Everything from the system’s Firewall, Anti Virus software through Spyware software. All this software was FREE.

Hacker as defined by Wikipedia

Safer Browsers

While working on one of my blogs today, I found out about a website called http://www.browsehappy.com promoting safer browsers. While looking at this site, I said to my wife, that I really don’t have any issues right now and can’t see the need to change. She replied, “if it’s not broke don’t fix it”. So, I did not change browsers. In the past I had multiple browsers on my PC. But, now that I have a new laptop that is one of the near top of the line models, I decided to keep it simple. I think what they are promoting does take some merrit. But, in my case, I’m not changing unless the need warrents.

Hacking – Part 1

I’m currently researching information on Hacking to share to readers of this blog. I purchased some magazines and am searching the NET. I have to be careful on two fronts with this subject, one that I understand the issue that I read and two that I can put it in words that anyone who reads the post can understand. I just started to read an article and I didn’t even understand what the heading meant. Well, I had a very small inkling, but, that is all. I’ve done articles on Spam, Spyware, Backups, Phishing, Security, and found that Hacking is a good subject to add to this range of topics. Anyone from a System Administrator down to a regular everyday home PC user needs to have a concern with this subject. If you have an Internet connection, you could be vulnerable.

Why am I reading computer related magazines? Yes, to get information, but, to see what is going on out there in Computer-Land. You just never know what lies around the corner. I heard of a device that even if your PC is turned off, someone can turn it on from another location. Now, this was a long time ago. I don’t even remember what it was called. The catch was that the PC had to be plugged in. I saw this take place and was instantly amazed.

Take a quiz to see how you are on Security. Click the link below for the article on being a Security Wizard:

Security Quiz – Are you a Security Wizard?

I know, this is a post in the blog, but, I thought it just fits in with this post.

More to come in Part 2.