*** Virus Protection, Malware
etc. ***
|
* = free
# = paid version available % = often 1 year free with new PC & = subscription $ = Relative cost |
*** Anti-Virus,
Malware, Spyware etc. ***
We all know that a {virus} Virus
- Similar to human infections, a computer virus gets in to you machine
and infect certain types of files, in particular files that are
exacutable like program files, or any support files for that program. A
virus can be benign, doing nothing but pop up messages, or it can cause
major damage to your system. Some virus programmers do it for fun just
because they can, still others to wreak havoc.
can cause all kinds of problems to our health and well
being..
When a {virus} infects our personal computer those same kinds of
problems may also potentially come true. When a personal computer is
infected by a virus, data loss, information theft (especially the
personal information we all may have stored on the machine or the
network) and other undesirable consequences may be the result. Theft of
personal information can lead to something as simple as receiving
email's from someone we do not know, or to identity theft involving
bank and credit card information. {Malware}
Malware,
short for malicious
software,
consists of
programming (code, scripts, active content, and other software)
designed to disrupt or deny operation, gather information that leads to
loss of privacy or exploitation, gain unauthorized access to system
resources, and other abusive behavior. It can be considered a form of
virus.
can be a form of virus, or a "bug" looking at what you do with your
computer. It may allow someone to send you information about products
based on your internet browsing habits. Maybe not such a bad thing, but
often you are overloaded with such information. This is
called {Spyware}
Software is considered to be malware based on the perceived intent of the creator rather than any particular features. Malware includes computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, spyware, dishonest adware, scareware, crimeware, most rootkits, and other malicious and unwanted software or program. Spyware
is a type of malware that can be installed on computers, and which
collects small pieces of information about users without their
knowledge. The presence of spyware is typically hidden from the user,
and can be difficult to detect. Typically, spyware is secretly
installed on the user's personal computer. Sometimes, however, spywares
such as keyloggers are installed by the owner of a shared, corporate,
or public computer on purpose in order to secretly monitor other users.
. The following links provide tutorials on viruses
and malware...Most virus or malware infections occur due to ones browsing and email habits. You get and email that contains some web link to someplace you may be interested in. Bit, you do not recognize the sender. If you select the link, you have no real idea where it will take you. The rule of thumb in these cases is "if you do not recognize the sender, do not select any links in the message". If you do, then be prepared to suffer the consequences. Not everything bad will be caught by your anti-virus program. Seems the evil doers are working overtime to mess you up. Not every virus will do damage to you machine, or "mine" your data for personal information. Some will just put up a message to say hello. Some will add something to your machine to cause you to go to their web site under certain circumstances, even if you think you are going elsewhere. Sometimes they will change your default home page. I once worked on a friends machine where the home page was changed, causing 25 porn pages to come up. "His son paid for that one." There are so many possible things that can go wrong, so beware of your browsing and email habits. The column on the left lists some Anti-Virus and Malware utility programs. All those presented provide a "free" version, and some will have a paid version with more capabilities. The last three are commercial versions. The first AV utility, Microsoft Security Essentials, is high on the list of most reviewers and testers. (It is the one I use.) All of the AV programs provide for automatic or manual operation. They automatically scan incoming email and web browser activity in real time. A complete scan of your computer can also be set up, using a predetermined schedule of your choosing, or ran run manually during real time. Complete scanning of all files stored on your computers or computer network’s storage devices should be done periodically, like a complete scan daily, weekly, etc. A complete scan should also be done when first an Anti Virus program installed. Selecting one of the programs to you left will bring up a pop up page with a bit of information about the product and a link as to where to get it. When you set one up (only run one), be sure you have the option for automatic updates selected. Set if for a daily update at a time of youe choosing. The database of virus definitions is produced by the supplier at least once a day. If you prefer a commercially produced "for-fee" program, then look at McAfee, Norton, amongst others. These are complete suites with anti-virus, {firewall} Firewall (computing),
a technological barrier designed to prevent unauthorized or unwanted communications between
computer networks or hosts.
, spyware and malware protection. Trial versions or 1 year
subscriptions often come
with new computers. For a
software firewall, use the one that comes with your operating system
when using free Anti Virus software. A firewall
will, using a set of predefined and custom rules, block access to your
computer
from outside sources, and even those on your private network if you
choose.*** More on Firewalls - Routers
***
As mentioned before, a firewall attempts to prevent access to your computer from outside sources. This can also mean prevent access from inside sources including other computers on your own private {home network a.k.a LAN (Local Area Network)}. Home
Network
- also known as a "LAN" ot Local Area Network, is
usuful if you have more than one PC in your home or small office. All
that is required is a router to go between your PC's and your cable
modem. The router provides an internet address to each PC on
the LAN and routes traffic to the correct PC. (Even if you
only have one PC, the router provides security to the PC.) See the
"Router
& Security Information page for more.
If you have more than one computer in your home, you may then want to interconnect them to configure a LAN via some form of router. Routers are a hardware device that are may be of the wired or wireless form, and they allow multiple devices, e.g., personal computers, TVs, printers, cell phones or smart phones, eBook readers, etc., to access the internet through a single connection via the locally available ISP service connection. A router may provide only for hardwired devices or may, in addition, also be compatible with wireless or mobile devices through its internal “Wi-Fi” interface. Hardwired devices are connected to the router via {CAT5} CAT5
- A special
high quality cable that looks like a telephone cable, but with an 8-pin
connector on each end. The newest version is speced at 1 gigabyte
bandwidth. (Bandwidth
is related to the maximum speed of a network. Most home systems will
only be 100 mz.)
cable. Every
router has an internal "switch" or "hub". The function
of the switch or hub is to allow each hardwired connected
device, each in
its sequenced turn, access the internet or the home network.One of the functions of a router is to act as a firewall. The router’s firewall setting is usually enabled by a factory default setting and should not be disabled. Even if you only have one computer, you should consider having one as your first line of defense. They are generally inexpensive (say $50-75) and readily available. Some internet providers now supply them as part of the service. Verizon and Cablevision will when subscribing to their services. Usually you can use the default settings for the hard-wire routers. When using a router as your firewall, you may disable the software version. If you use wireless connections to a router, be sure you enable the wireless security feature. There are three versions of wireless router connections: WPA is the recommended method as it is much more secure. WEP on the other hand is easily hacked you need more on this, go to the Wireless Router INFO page which should provide enough information to set up most wireless router brands. Without one enabled, you are open to outsiders using your network. |