Firewalls and Anti-Viruses:
I liken these two bulwarks of WWII to Germany that had the
Ziegfried Line and France matched it with the Maginot Line. Both were impregnable, so what
to do? Go around them!
Firewalls and anti-viruses can also be circumvented unless
you have two very reliable programs running. Here is another case of the freeware being
acceptable and reliable. My PC Tools Firewall works well for me along with the AVG
anti-virus. You can navigate to freeware or put the titles in your search engine and make
your choice, compatibility is no problem, remember, only one of each to be running. Once
they are installed, it is up to you to keep them updated. If you wish, put them into
Automatic Update.
My preference is to update manually to keep tabs on what is
happening. A little curiosity keeps you up to speed about what is going into your
software. In the case of Microsoft and Windows, I do encourage you to put them in the
Automatic mode. If you are running Windows XP with Service Pack 2, you have to replace the
integral firewall. The Windows firewall is only one way. It stops traffic coming in but
not going out. If you happen to have Malware in your computer, it can send messages back
home which can be very dangerous. Security - Here is a more concise list of the source of
ITDs (Internet-transmitted diseases).
Any of the following can wreak havoc with your computer:
- Downloading music
- Steal your identity
- Spam in your e-mail
- Bombard you with advertising
- Steal your credit card numbers
- Download your private files
- Monitor your e-mails and keystrokes
- Watch the sites you visit
- Sharing photographs
- Downloading games
- Open e-mail attachments
- Chat rooms
- Clicking on pop-up ads
- Adult-related Web sites
- Downloading games
- Downloading free sites
Bear in mind, this is far from a complete list, but it does
give you some idea of what you have to avoid and be protected against.
House Calls - I want you to make sure you
understand what is going down when people call these companies and set up a house call. If
it is a legitimate company, it is the so-called reps that are suspect. I have previously
related the story about a very close friend who was victimized by a "house call"
rep.
Recently I have heard a couple of more incidents. One man
stated that his computer was passworded, but the rep stated that he could not possibly
repair it without the password. He refused and sent the rep. on his way after coughing up
$2 a minute for 40 minutes.
There is no guarantee that they can repair or fix a
problem. They are getting the $2 a minute carte blanche whether they can fix it or not. I
have not heard of any estimates being made for the out-of-house repair. Their reason,
"We do not know what has to be done," and the lack of knowledge of the computer
owner can be a major portion of the bill. What protects your computer in the hands of
someone else? I know the reps are employees of a company, but the company only has just so
much control over their reps' activities in the field, and your identity and personal
information are a marketable item.
Caveat emptor!
Vista - I now know two men who have taken
the "plunge" into Vista. The one I discussed previously had bought a new laptop
just for Vista; my associate has installed it on a separate partition with a selective
boot-up program. I know! I will not be without Vista for very long. I know what I have
said in the past but, after all, I am a "tinkerer," and this is a
"tinkerer's" dream.
E-mail - One of the biggest problems
facing the Internet is e-mail. This is a worldwide problem. Recently in Europe, a Trojan
named Storm Worm was exploiting people during the severe weather they were experiencing.
An e-mail claiming breaking news on the weather front was used to get the unsuspecting to
click on an executable file. This was followed by six subsequent waves of the attack. Each
e-mail lured people into downloading an executable file. There was even a claim that Fidel
Castro had died and that the Chinese performed a missile attempt against a weather site.
Once an executable file is downloaded, the code opens a back door in the machine, which
allows it to be remotely controlled, while installing a root-kit to hide the malicious
program.
Botnets are controlled with a central server, which - if
found - can be taken down. However, this botnet can operate on a peer-to-peer network.
This is getting to be the utmost of sophistication in the nasty world of ITDs. Take heart!
All of the major anti-virus software companies, both here and abroad, are aware of what is
going down, and they are staying abreast of all of the chicanery. It is your
responsibility to be protected and to keep your protective programs updated daily.
Paranoia? No! Safety first!
An update only takes a couple of minutes, and it is time
well spent. How Was Your Weekend? - Mine was replete with a spring cleanup of my computer,
including upgrading and eliminating a lot of software. Preparing for Vista? Hmmm! The fins
on the cooling fans were ready to be cleaned and, while I was at it, I blew the dust from
the rest of the machine -20 minutes well spent. The largest improvement I made was to get
rid of a lot of clutter on my hard disk and in the registry.
Personal - An e-mail received alluded to
my being beholding to certain software suppliers. This has to be a fairly new reader since
I covered this subject in detail some time back. I am a freelance writer. Everything you
read here is my opinion and the experience, success or failure I have had with products I
have ran and/or tested. This newspaper is not in any way responsible for the opinions
expressed in this column; they are mine and reflect my more than 45 years in computing.
Next week's lead subject will depend on you. Keep the e-mail coming, and stay well!
Copyright © 1995 - 2007 Townnews.com All Rights Reserved. |
