Virus Protection

One of the saddest things in the entire world is hearing the words, "I think
I've been hit by a virus" or "my computer was destroyed by a virus, can you
help me please?"

Every time I hear these words I want to cry - well, actually I want to
scream in frustration and a little bit of anger. You see, it's not hard to
protect your system from destruction by any one of the fifty thousand or
more viruses out in the wild. In fact, it's so simple that it's pitiful that
anyone gets caught "with their pants down" more than once in his or her
lives.

By this time it's inconceivable that anyone with any contact with
civilization is ignorant of viruses and their destructive potential. A few
years ago you could claim ignorance (what's a virus?) but no longer. In
these years after "I love you" and "Melissa", well, virus attacks appear on
the 6 o'clock news at least once a week and in the newspaper just as often.

That's one of the reasons why I groan when I hear that someone has lost
their system to a virus attack. They cannot claim that they didn't know or
didn't understand. In addition, protection is so simple and cheap that no
one can use the excuse of "it's too expensive" or "it's too difficult".
Sorry, that just does not hold water.

Look at it this way - if someone is surfing the internet they must be paying
for a connection (say twenty dollars a month) and they have to have a
computer (perhaps a thousand dollars). It's hard to accept that they cannot
afford another thirty or fifty bucks for virus protection (in fact, many new
computers come with an antivirus program pre-installed).

All right, preaching aside, what's the best way to protect your system from
virus attacks? To begin with, assume that you or someone who uses your
computer might make a mistake and plan for the worst. In other words, make
the assumption that if a virus is received, it will be executed, so make
sure the things are removed or rendered harmless before you see them.

Define and follow a good backup plan - First and foremost, figure out how
you are going to back up your data. Didn't expect me to say that, did you?
You have to understand that no virus protection system is perfect. If a
virus does get through somehow, then you must be prepared to restore your
data and files from a backup.

It does not matter if you hand copy your critical files to a floppy disk
every night or if you have the most advanced optical or tape backup system
available. If nothing else, get a cheap ZIP drive plug it in and use the
backup software that comes with it (you can get this setup for around a
hundred bucks).

Don't even think twice about this - if you don't have a backup solution then
get one, now. If you are not keeping a backup then you are living on
borrowed time (this also protects you from system failures, hackers and
other dangers as well). ALL good security plans begin and end with the
backup and restore strategy.

http://www.internet-tips.net/Security/Backups.htm

Choose, install and maintain an antivirus solution - Personally, I really
like the Norton Antivirus program. I've installed it in our office and in my
home, and I have not yet found a better program anywhere.

There is far more to an antivirus program than just checking for viruses.
All of them do that. What Norton does that's different is very important -
it also scans incoming emails for viruses so they are removed even before
you open the message.

http://www.internet-tips.net/Products/nortonantivirus.htm

Schedule virus updates at least once a week - More importantly, you can
schedule virus updates to occur at regular (weekly) intervals. This is
extremely important. Your virus definitions MUST BE UPDATED AT LEAST ONCE A
WEEK. Otherwise, your protection slowly loses it's power to protect your
system. This is almost as bad as not having any protection at all - because
you think you are protected and you are not.

Scan your hard drive as often as possible - Use your virus scanning program
to scan your hard drive for viruses on a regular basis. I've scheduled mine
to scan every night while I sleep (the computer is not doing much else at
that time, after all). This way any viruses that do slip through your
defenses should be caught.

If you run Outlook, then download and install the Outlook Security patch
(unless for some reason you want to use email scripting, which you probably
only need if you are a developer). This will prevent you or anyone on your
computer from accidentally opening an attachment which is actually a virus.

http://internet-tips.net/Security/Virusoutlooksecuritypatch.htm

Install ZoneAlarm Pro - Not only is ZoneAlarm Pro an excellent firewall, it
is also a virus scanner. It actually scans files as they arrive on your
system and tags suspected viruses with a special file type. This will
prevent you from accidentally opening an email attachment that is a virus.

http://www.internet-tips.net/Products/zonelarmpro.htm

Subscribe to several newsletters about viruses - It's important to become
aware of viruses and the associated problems and risks. My recommendation is
to subscribe to the following newsletters. They are all free and even a
quick glance at each one will help you become more aware of what's going on.

Symantec AntiVirus Research Center Newsletter
http://www.sarc.com/avcenter/newsletter.html

McAfee.Com Dispatch
http://dispatch.mcafee.com/default.asp?

Trend Micro Virus Alerts
http://www.antivirus.com/subscriptions/

Additional Information

Backing Up Your stuff - Part 1
http://www.internet-tips.net/System/backup00.htm
Backup may seem to be a pain, but it's one of the most important things that
you can do to protect your system.

Backing up your system is an essential part of your security scheme
http://www.internet-tips.net/Security/Backups.htm
Backups are extremely critical to keep your system secure. If your system is
damaged by a virus or an intruder you have a way to recover. Remember,
however, that you must think through and test your scheme.

Outlook Security Patch
http://www.internet-tips.net/Security/Virusoutlooksecuritypatch.htm
If you run Outlook and you want to protect yourself, you should install the
Outlook security patch.

Products - Norton Antivirus
http://www.internet-tips.net/Products/nortonantivirus.htm
You need antivirus protection for your computer. Norton Antivirus is by far
and away the best solution for the desktop.

Products - ZoneAlarm Pro
http://www.internet-tips.net/Products/zonelarmpro.htm
ZoneAlarm Pro is quite possibly the best firewall product for personal home
use that currently exists. Highly recommended.

Viruses
http://www.internet-tips.net/Security/Viruses.htm
The most important thing you can do to protect your system is install a
virus checker (also known as an anti-virus program). These programs will
scan your system for viruses and Trojan horses and delete or repair them.
There are several products including those by McAfee and Norton (Symantec).

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard Lowe Jr. is the webmaster of Internet Tips And Secrets at
http://www.internet-tips.net - Visit our website any time to read
over 1,000 complete FREE articles about how to improve your internet
profits, enjoyment and knowledge.

Adware and Spyware Explained

Adware is any software application, which makes banners that appear the whole time it is in function. In addition, the adware program can install components that will transmit information about the user. Tracking the behavior and the work on the PC. Unlike spyware programs, the user is asked when the program is being installed.

An adware comes with a basic function along with a hidden one. One that makes it show popup or banners on occasions. These may be downloaded any time from certain internet servers.

Spyware is a program that is usually received over the internet. It sends information about the user without them knowing it. Every time they connect to the internet, this information is collected. Usually they are after their marketing info. Most do not go for your private or personal stuff. This is not always the case, as some programs will collect personal information as well.

Some applications are both adware and spyware; this is not a common however. Most of the times spyware applications have installed themselves. They are working without the user knowing it. Opposed to the adware files that cannot be installed without the consent of the user.

For a long time quality and free software was installed and used free. As the complexity of the programs grew and their costs rose adware and spyware were developed. Developers just had to find out methods of reducing cost. One of the easiest ways was delivering along with their programs application like adware and spyware. Many commercial programs became free and legal to use by being added to the adware category.
From the harmless intention of showing, some commercials and analyzing information about the users software or hardware configuration. To programs, that today can literally take over a computer. Adware and Spyware in the beginning was only an engine that downloaded commercials, showed them in pre-calculated windows, and let developers see how their software was working. The adware industry has evolved, and grew into an uncontrolled hacker's environment. They now use different tactics some of which are very dangerous to you and your computer. They are able too alter your browser and its settings while at the same time they launch background applications that monitor your PC activity.

Some of the effects that follow installing spyware and adware:
1. Adding links to various magazines.
2. Adding new commercials on the web pages, sometimes replacing the existent ones.
3. Monitoring browser behavior in commercial purposes.
4. Gaining access to passwords and credit cards.
5. Slowing down the computer.
6. In some cases, they can call telephone numbers with high costs.
7. Changing the browser's homepage in commercial purposes.
8. Strange icons and new software might appear on the desktop.
You can enter their online sites and try the services free; before you do, you should decide if it is really something worth the risk of using.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_R_Smith

Malware Explained

Malware, or malicious software, are programs and software which attempt to download itself onto your computer to potentially harm your computer, access your information, or perform harmful operations without your consent. Malware can be downloaded onto a user's site through various means, such as search toolbars, game demos, music players, free subscriptions and other downloadable programs from the web.

Malware is closely related to viruses, however it includes larger potential for issues. This might include Trojan horses, worms, root kits, various adware and spyware. Once downloaded, malware may report your personal information to distant servers, hijack your web browser and redirect you to advertising/phishing pages, send you targeted email, log your keystrokes, observe your browsing choices, steal your passwords, or spawn pop-up windows. Be careful with malware as it attempts to trick the user through one common method: disguising itself as an anti-virus program. In doing this, the malware appears automatically in attempt to run a scan of your computer. Once it runs, it "finds" other viruses on your computer in numerous places.

The malware then attempts to persuade you to purchase their anti-virus program in order to rid your computer of these potential dangers by continuously scanning your computer (even if you cancel the scanning operation) and stating that the only way to remove these "viruses" is by purchasing their product, and in effect you losing money and adding more malware to your computer.

The main disadvantage of malware is that it can operate in your system unnoticed. It can also disable many of your system features that can help to stop the malware processes (such as task manager). Furthermore, malware continues to not uninstall properly, it is designed to be undetected by legitimate anti-virus programs, and malware usually requires special programs and operations to delete them completely.

No PC user is safe from malware because of their function to be secretly downloaded. Please follow these steps to prevent malware from being downloaded into your computer system:
Pay attention to how your computer is operating. Unexpected activity or sudden slowness of your system can be a sign of malware presence.

Set your Internet browser to highest security, so it will notify you when any program attempts to download.
Do not download programs or software from untrustworthy web sites. These programs often seem to be innocent, but they may contain malware that will be installed on your computer.

Always read the fine print when downloading anything from the web. The end-user licenses might seem boring, but there can be useful information in them, such as you giving permission to a company to place various forms of malware on your computer.

If you suspect that your computer may be infected with malware, please contact technical support specialists at Relia-Tech and let their experts clean your computer of all and any malicious software you may have.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tomas_Kliment

Trojan Downloader Removal Tool

There may have been countless times that a security alert dialogue box may have popped up on your screen prompting you that your system has been infected with spyware commonly with the name Trojan.Downloader. The dialogue box will try to influence the user to use an anti spy ware tool to remove the Trojan.Downloader or provides the user with a contingency that if the like is not done, data loss may occur. It only requires the user to press the dialogue box and as it suggests, Windows will download the most fitting and the latest anti spyware software for the user. Generally, this is a hoax and a simple click can actually cause the anti spyware Trojan.Downloader to creep into the system. The reason that the anti spyware fools the user is because of it being an almost carbon copy of the original dialogue boxes that appear on the screen courtesy Windows.

If the Trojan.Downloader enters the Windows registry, there will be a loss of important data. The registry is an essential part of Windows and all essential settings are present in the registry. The registry allows for the operating system to function smoothly and also allows Windows to start with maximum stability and ensures constant performance. In the event that a user may feel the need to change the settings using the Control Panel such as the "add or remove a program" option, all these changes will be registered and recorded in the registry. Anti Spyware such as Trojan.Downloader can change the entries in the registry and cause the operating system to malfunction.

It is therefore important to remove trojan virus with registry cleaner by following a few simple steps. The user will need to start 'Run" and type "regedit" needs in the field given blank. The Registry Editor will open; the left side shows the registry keys whereas the right side provides the definition. The user will need to click "Edit" and then "Find" and type the Trojan.Downloader that needs to be found. The Trojan.Downloader registry key will appear, use the "Modify" tab and then press "Delete" to rid the operating system of the malicious attack.
It is very important to remove the trojan virus as not only will it cause little interruptions like changing your homepage of the browser you use but also attack the registry that will disrupt the entire operating system. If you as the user do not feel that you have enough knowledge to clear away the Trojan.Downloader, then seeking a professional's help will be wise.

Removing Trojan.Downloader is easy to do with registry cleaner. If you scan your computer it will detect the errors in your registry and safely remove them.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hason_Lacny