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Outsmart Hackers With These Simple Steps

admin — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Hacking has quickly become one of the most prevalent attacks upon society over the past 10 years. The good news is that there are an abundant amount of strategies and programs to help the user counter these malicious attacks. Understanding how to use these techniques to protect your computer and the information that is contained on that computer is the most important step to full protection.

Your first line a defense when protecting yourself from hackers is to make sure your firewall is always on. The next step and maybe most important when dealing with a home network is to keep your network password protected. Networks without passwords are the easiest way for hackers to access your personal information. Another target for hackers is your e-mail accounts. The number one searched word for hackers when searching a victim’s e-mail is password. Many times a user will forget their password and have it e-mailed to them and then forget that their password is sitting their waiting to be stolen by a hacker. The final and easiest step in protecting your information from hackers is with a malware, virus, and spyware scanner. Some of the best security software is available online and is also free. That means there is no excuse in not having this vital protection from one of the most devastation forms of theft

Safe Online Shopping – Keep It Secure

admin — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Shopping on line cannot only save money over department store prices, but also eliminate the need for going to crowded malls and stores, especially during the holidays. However, it’s important to make sure that your online purchases are safe and secure from cyber thieves. Here are a few tips to making your online purchases as safe as possible.

Before making any online purchase check with your credit card company to make sure you have adequate fraud protection in the event a hacker does get your information.

The first thing to look for while shopping online is a logo or icon that resembles a closed padlock or a key. All reputable websites will have this icon as well as a web address that begins with “https” rather than just “http” denoting that your connection to their site is secure.

Make sure that the online store you are using has contact information such as a phone number or a customer service email address, and that all charges are clearly explained including shipping charges and taxes. After your purchase, check your credit card records to make sure you have been charged the correct price, and print and save any invoice or confirmation email from the merchant.The information doesn’t stop now. Keep looking: Occupy the Web Hackathon (in San Francisco this Weekend)

Keeping Personal Information Safe On Public Networks

admin — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Public networks are a nightmare when it comes to internet security, but with a few precautions one can avoid most problems. A firewall is the first line of defense, and a reputable anti-virus is essential. There is a step most people don’t think about that can protect personal information while using public networks, and that’s using a guest account instead of an administrator account. This limits the functionality of the operating system, and while it’s only a roadblock for a hijacker, it may be enough for deterrence.

Do not access bank accounts or any other financial service while on a public network. Passwords for social and other sensitive sites should be changed before and after use of any public network. Try not to sit in an area where people can possibly take cell phone pictures or video while the computer is being operated. There have been many instances where bank information has been stolen by people who appear to be talking on a cell phone, while they’re actually recording keystrokes.

Try to use networks that have a password, in order to reduce the possibility of a “drive-by”.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and prevents headaches.

Getting Rid of Your Old Machine

admin — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

You use your computer for a lot of things – accessing wirelessinternet, paying your bills online and even emailing friends and family. So what happens to all that sensitive information when you go to destroy your machine? Here are the best ways to get rid of sensitive data when you get a new machine:
Pay Someone to Do It: Lots of reputable companies like Best Buy will wipe your harddrive for a nominal fee. It’s usually less than 10 and then they’ll responsibly dispose of your old computer so it’s a twofold deal.
Wipe it Yourself: You can find various online tutorials concerning getting all the old info off your machine and they can be quite helpful. Just don’t follow through on anything until you’re sure you’re finished with the old piece.
Send it Off: There are a number of companies who will accept and sometimes even pay for your old laptop which is a great way to get rid of it and get some money back. They’ll wipe your hard drive for a fee but it’s well worth it.

Clean Your Old Machine

admin — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

You use your computer for a lot of things – accessing wirelessinternet, paying your bills online and even emailing friends and family. So what happens to all that sensitive information when you go to destroy your machine? Here are the best ways to get rid of sensitive data when you get a new machine:
1. Pay Someone to Do It: Lots of reputable companies like Best Buy will wipe your harddrive for a nominal fee. It’s usually less than $10 and then they’ll responsibly dispose of your old computer so it’s a twofold deal.
2. Wipe it Yourself: You can find various online tutorials concerning getting all the old info off your machine and they can be quite helpful. Just don’t follow through on anything until you’re sure you’re finished with the old piece.
3. Send it Off: There are a number of companies who will accept and sometimes even pay for your old laptop which is a great way to get rid of it and get some money back. They’ll wipe your hard drive for a fee but it’s well worth it.

Best Online Scanners To Check PC Security

admin — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Computer security is a really important topic that a manual isn’t written for. We don’t get books that tell us how to be safe. In the end, it doesn’t mater how good your password is and how private you keep it. If your computer is compromised, all bets are off. That is why it is important to have a good security scanner installed.

The top scanner on my list is Malwarebytes. It is noted as being one of the few tools that can reliably remove malware masquerading as anti-virus software. The free version needs to be run manually; but, the pay version will scan your computer as your using it.

Next on the list is Spybot Search & Destroy. Spybot is a free as in beer (to take) and speech (as in to take and modify). The databases are updated very regularly and the tool is very un-intrusive. Malwarebytes requires manual scans, but Spybot will take care of it all for you, scanning your computer live.

Microsoft Security Essentials is another good alternative for people who run Windows. Install it directly from Windows Update, and it will take care of the rest.

Whichever tool you choose to use, keep your PC protected!

Free Programs To Secure Your Personal Information

admin — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

There are many programs available for your PC. None of which are as important as security programs. With all the attacks against computers, security programs are quickly becoming the most important part of your computer program library. These programs can be expensive, but if you know what to look for they can also be free. A great place to start is with Microsoft’s Security essentials. It provides you with a combined antivirus, antispyware and firewall protection all rolled into one program. A must have for even the most basic PC. Another fantastic and free program is Defensio. Defensio is a program created to protect you from the many malicious links associated with Facebook. One way hackers attack and collect personal information is by obtaining passwords. Most people make the mistake of only keeping one or two passwords for all their protected sites. A key remedy for this is a program called Password Safe. This handy program gives you the ability to have a different and interkit password for each site you visit. It does all this, and only asks that you remember one password. Remember, you would not give your personal information to random strangers so don’t let hackers have this capability. Protect yourself, your family, and all your info. You can do this without paying dime, so there is no excuse.

Hackers Have New Tricks Every Day

admin — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Criminals that primarily earn a healthy living as computer hackers that steal valuable information develop new tricks each and ever day! If the truth is to be told, these criminals often come up with new and clever improvements to their so called “craft” on an hourly basis. This is why the companies that develop security software come up with new versions each year that have daily database updates. They are not trying to overcharge or burden their customers; they have to constantly improve and alter their product to match every new trick that the criminal minds come up with.

The constantly evolving nature of such criminal activity does not necessarily mean that PC owners need to always buy the newest version of each program every year. What these PC owners should be doing is to make sure that they always keep their software’s databases updated however. There are some security applications that can be set to update their database all by their self on a regular basis, yet it never hurts for the owner of the software to check in to make sure that updates are in tact.

Hackers Have New Tricks Every Day, and people need to keep their security software databases up to date if they hope to successfully counter any possible criminal attacks.

Watch Out For Harmful Email Attachments

admin — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

It’s important while opening email to watch out for harmful email attachments. Aside from being the number one way to unleash malware or harmful computer viruses and malicious software, it is also the most common way to pass it on to everyone in your email address list. To date, the only guarantee of not getting a harmful email attachment is simply not to open it. This approach seems simple enough; only most malicious software presents itself as having come from a seemingly trustworthy source that can fool the best of us into unleashing the worst upon our computer’ s operating system.

Some of this harmful software is designed to work very quickly by extracting confidential information before destroying the entire computer operating system. Installing computer security applications can help prevent this. Other malware attachments are designed to replicate and send themselves to everyone in your address book. So not only is it maliciously ruining your computer and possibly stealing your sensitive information, but that of everyone else you send it to; which is one more argument for having desktop security software.

Harmful email attachments can’t always be prevented, but regularly updated anti-viral software can help watch out for harmful email attachments.