Your computer, SAFE

If you are connected to the internet, you need to make sure you get your computer set up properly if you want to avoid problems down the road. With all the viruses, spyware and other threats on the internet today, no computer should be set up without the proper protection. And that protection needs to be in place as soon after you hook up your new machine as possible.


Here are some tips on keeping your computer safe:

1. Spyware:
Spyware is software that sends your personal information to a third party without your permission or knowledge. This can include information about Web sites you visit or something more sensitive like your user name and password. Unscrupulous companies often use this data to send you unsolicited targeted advertisements. Some new computers might includes antispyware software, but most of them don't yet. There are quite a few anti-spyware programs available, some free and some not. Many of the programs don't catch it until you run a scan. Not only does this allow things to get on your computer, it also means you have to actually remember to run a scan. Never download programs or files from a website you don't know and trust. Never open email attachments unless you know what they are. If you receive an email from a friendFeature Articles, but the text is strange and you don't know what the attachment is do not open it. Write to your friend and make sure they sent the email. Keep an antivirus program running on your computer at all times. If a hack ever says disable your anti-spyware, DONT!

2. Hackers:
A hacker is a programmer who breaks into computer systems in order to steal or change or destroy information as a form of cyber-terrorism. A firewall is a piece of software or hardware that sits between your computer and the internet and only allows certain types of things to cross the wall. For example, a firewall may allow checking email and browsing the web, but disallow things that are commonly not as useful such as RPC or "Remote Procedure Calls". (Make sure to consider a firewall.) Sometimes, typically via email, Hackers are able to cross the wall and end up on your computer anyway. A virus scanner will locate and remove them from your hard disk. A real time virus scanner will notice them as they arrive, even before they hit the disk, but at the cost of slowing down your machine a little. (Always have a virus scan ready.) Some small ways that are done manually are if you notice the background on your desktop, files being moved to the recycle bin, your computer not starting up the first time, big exe programs being shut down while in use and not being aloud to go to security websites.

3. Viruses:
A virus is a software program capable of reproducing itself and usually capable of causing great harm to files or other programs on the same computer. A true virus cannot spread to another computer without human assistance. Be wise in what you open as an attachment or web-page. If you don't know the sender or are not sure of the content, email the sender to find out more information about it (or just delete it). There are many many anti-virus programs. Consider downloading a few of those and run them always. If a hack ever says disable your anti virus programs, DONT!.

4. Yourself:
A lot of computer crashes and things like that are caused by yourself being careless or not knowing what you are doing. As I said before if anybody ever says disable your anti virus or anti spyware, DONT! Make sure you always turn on and off your computer the right way. Be careful not to drop it! If your computer gets a virus go to your anti virus/spyware control panel and click lock down firewall until the problem is fixed. When you have a virus do a virus scan, updates, disconnect your internet, leave your computer off when your not using it. Never ever ever ever ever ever ever put anything in or take anything out of your system32 folder. Don't even go into it! Never try to alter any big files. When your computer is starting up don't press anything.

5. The conflicter-worm:
The conflicter-worm is a worm released april 1st 2009. It deletes big exe files installs spyware, downloads viruses, blocks you from going to security websites, closes programs, automatically shuts down your computer, doesnt let it start up some times and several more bad things. How you get it is from some downloads from non-trusted sites, email attachments, file sharing, through even some online games, and from smaller viruses. Some tips on keeping your computer safe from the conflict worm are always make sure downloads and attachments are trusted, do scans a lot, updates a lot, and make sure your games are sucure.

My fingers hurt right now, I will do the rest later...