Tips to Prevent Infections and Other Problems

Tips to Prevent Infections and Other Problems

* When you visit some sites, they will tell you that you need to allow the installation of software to continue. On well respected sites, the option is entirely yours. If you decide not to download the software, you will still be able to browse the page but the functionality may be reduced. On less well-respected sites, the problem is that the only apparent choice you have is to click on the dialog box to allow the software to be loaded onto your computer. On those sites, you can not go 'back' and the dialog box is 'locked' on top of the browser window. One option you have is to hit ctrl-alt-delete. This will bring up the task manager. Click on the 'processes' tab and end all of the IEXPLORE.EXE processes. This will close the browser windows. After all of the windows close, you can re-open the browser and visit a different site. If you download the requisite piece of software, it's likely that you will have downloaded some sort of malware. Of course, downloading software from companies like Microsoft, Macromedia and Adobe is perfectly fine. It's when you're 'forced' to download software from less well known companies that you run into trouble.

* Do not use the computer with broadband service without the firewall AND virus software running. Both Zonealarm and Anti-Vir will have pop-up reminders about every 2 weeks asking if you want to update the software. You need to allow the software to update itself so that you have the best protection against the most recently produced malware.

* Do NOT click on any flashing banners that say that you've won a prize. This includes all of the little games that ask you to see if you can hit a target. Most of these 'games' are nothing more than gateways into the world of spam.

* Do NOT enter your email address anywhere except for legitimate sites (wal-mart and other major retailers may be OK but you will likely be added to their mass mailing lists if you don't opt-out -- look for a 'check-box' that allows you to opt-out). When you enter your email on most sites, they will be added to a huge database that will email you with significant amounts of spam (undesirable email).

* Do NOT enter your email address or passwords into any email forms in unsolicited email. If it seems to be from a business you deal with, go directly to the business' site and log in to see if there is a request for information. If you think the email is from an unscrupulous source, forward it to the business that it appears to be from. Most of the time the proper address for this type of reporting is 'SPOOF@business.com' (i.e. spoof@ebay.com, spoof@paypal.com...). Most businesses want to know when this type of email is being sent out and will respond quickly to it.

* When you see an address on a web site like ebay.com it will generally have 'ebay.com' in the address. Even if it has a link to a different section of the site, you will see the 'ebay'com'. If you receive an email that contains what is supposed to be an ebay address and looks similar (i.e. www.ebay.subscribe.com), you see that the 'ebay.com' is broken up and the address is likely not an ebay address. Also, when you receive an unsolicited email from a company, you should look at a couple of things. When you position your mouse over a link, look at the status bar (at the bottom of your browser window) to see if the link matches the text in the link. Try it with the following examples:

http://www.ebay.com/

http://www.ebay.com/

* Many times, the address will have a number instead of a name. In virtually all of the cases, these are sites to avoid. Most legitimate sites want you to be able to remember their names so they use a name.com/name.org/name.net type address. Sites that use an IP address are more likely to have malicious intent.

* I strongly recommend against filling the 'auto-fill' forms such as those offered in the Google toolbar (or in any other software). Having this information on your computer in a location that's going to be common to many computers means that it will likely be targeted by trojans. In my opinion, it's best to take the time to fill in forms manually when it's needed on a web site.

Protect Your Computer and Your Personal Information from Theft

As most computer users know, it's very difficult to surf the web without annoying pop-ups or other distractions. This page is to help you have a better experience on the net and to help keep your computer healthy. Some of the malicious software (malware) can actually cost you money. Automated dialers can call chat lines without your knowledge. If you use a computer that is in any way connected to the internet or other computers, you are at risk of identity theft, theft of passwords, loss of important files and spying.

Different Types of Malware

There are many different types of malicious software. The following are the most common types:

Virus:
Many people refer to all types of malware as viruses. To be more precise, viruses are malicious code that are designed to do damage. Some delete or corrupt files. These are the most damaging type of infection because you will, many times, lose important information.

Macro Virus:
If you've used spreadsheets or software like Word, you know that there are 'macros' that allow you to do common, repetitive tasks more easily. While these tools may be helpful, they are also a danger to your computer. If you open an infected document into a program that supports macros, the macro could perform some malicious task and cause you grief. If you don't know who sent you the document, don't open it.

Worm:
A worm is a self replicating piece of malware that copies itself onto as many computers as possible. This type of software can bog down networks but usually doesn't purposely damage or delete files.

Trojan:
Trojans are malware the arrive within a seemingly benign piece of software or code. The malicious code can come in as a screensaver or even as an image file^‡. They are designed to do several things but generally, they provide access to your computer to a hacker. Many times, the trojan will open a backdoor and allow access to information including passwords, personal information or any other information on your computer.

Hybrid:
Hybrids are malware that are a combination of one or more of the previous types of malicious code. These will likely become more and more common as the malware writers seek to inflict the most damage possible.

Adware:
Adware is software that is used to place ads on your computer. Typically, they are in the form of pop-ups. These are commonly loaded when you visit sites where you expect to get something (bootlegged/illegal software, free music...) for nothing. Some of offending software includes music download software (kazaa, grokster...), smiley face animations, screensavers, search bars (with a few exceptions), fancy cursors and in many circumstances codec packs. When you unpack/install the software, the installer program loads additional software onto your computer that spies on your surfing habits and loads ads to try to sell you something. These can easily overwhelm your computer and render it unusable.

To avoid problems with ads or undesirable tracking that are associated with any 'free' software, read the EULA (End User License Agreement) to learn the terms of use of the software you're downloading. The EULA is the text that you typically blindly agree to when loading software. If the software manufacturer/author is honest, they will spell out all of the terms of use associated with the software. They should tell you what information is gathered and how it's to be used. It should also tell you if other software is to be bundled with it. If other software is in the package, you may need to find the EULA for the respective software.

Dialer:
A dialer is a piece of software that uses your modem^* to call very expensive sex chat lines. It can do this without your knowledge (until you get your phone bill).

*: Even if you have broadband service, you may still have a modem. Many people have the ability to send faxes with their computer. The fax software would require a standard phone line hook-up to be able to dial the other fax machines. If this is the case on your computer, be very careful about what software you download from the internet.

Keyloggers:
Malicious keyloggers (a form of trojan-horse malware) monitor and report keystrokes (on your keyboard) to a third party. Typically they are used to capture passwords and other sensitive information. The information collected is often used for credit card fraud. Some of the software recommended on this page detects a few keyloggers. If you want the best protection against this type of malware, you need to use a dedicated anti-keylogging program. A Google search should turn up quite a few. If you find one you think you want to use, do a search for it specifically to see if it's a legitimate program. Check Major Geeks for applicable software.

Toolbars

Many sites will will ask you if you want to install their fancy-pants toolbar to help you better search the net. In most all circumstances, do NOT do it. Most are adware/spyware infected and will cause more problems than they solve. One of the few exceptions is the Google toolbar (http://www.toolbar.google.com/). When it asks if you want to allow anonymous usage statistics, tell it no.

Note:
The Yahoo toolbar and the eBay toolbar are also good, safe toolbars.