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All Simply just about Computer VirusInternet Scams 102 -- Hijackings and Spyware
by:
Janette Blackwell
My friend Janice is afraid to go on the Cyberspace because of the terrible things that power happen to her. She views a simple trip to get e-mail the way she views going alone, late at night, to a dangerous part of town.
Please . . . it’s not that bad. Though, move to think of it, it’s All but that bad: hijackers can now do things to folk who already have antivirus and anti-spyware programs. To folk who have with kid gloves
NOT clicked on scam e-mails. Several hijackers can disable your firewall, your antivirus software, and your spyware killers. Or they can prevent antivirus and spyware from being updated.
But there are solutions. Here’s what you do:
HIJACKINGS
You cognize you’ve been hijacked if your start page is several and if you support deed things you didn’t intend to get -- oft sexy
sites and popup ads. You change things back the way they were, but they won’t stay changed.
These nasties nabbed you through a safety hole in Microsoft Windows. If you haven’t been caught and don’t want to be, http://www.spywareinfo.com/articles/hijacked/prevent.php says,
“First and most simply, finish mistreatment Cyberspace Explorer. If you use either Mozilla, Firefox or Opera, you are immune to virtually all browser hijackers.”
Actually, it’s not that simple. There are route scammers can get about Firefox. Microsoft is as well busy protection
its barn doors, tho'
I’m afraid the horse has already been stolen.
If you decide to stay with Cyberspace Explorer, be sure to support it up to date, especially with what they call “critical updates.”
PREVENTING ATTACKS
The most basic and most necessary protection, one you’ve probably installed already, is antivirus protection. The antivirus programs upgrade perpetually
to protect us from the latest viruses. Norton is the most common, and a nice choice. If you prefer a simple, uncomplicated solution, go to the site that sells Norton, http://symantec.com/, and transfer
all the antivirus protection you want.
If you’re a thorough person, however, one who wants to discover just about all the options, go to http://antivirus.about.com/od/antivirussoftwarereviews/, and you wish discover of problems and solutions you ne'er
unreal
existed.
WHAT YOU GET FOR NOTHING IS NOTHING -- OR WORSE
Unfortunately, an antivirus program alone is not enough these days. You need ANTI-SPYWARE.
Because the latest hijackers can disable anti-spyware -- AND support you from downloading updates -- you want several that is really, actually good. The technician
who manages my website says, “Get thing
that can WARD OFF attacks, not just move out them after they’ve infected you. Once actually vicious spyware is on your machine, it may be impossible for anyone but an expert to move out it.”
“But what just about all the free anti-spyware?” you ask. If you go to http://www.apcug.net/Reports/Editorial/2004.htm, you’ll see under Gregorian calendar month
2004 an article “Beware of SCUMWARE Deceit to be Anti-Spyware” which tells one man’s experience. Sometimes what you get for nothing is nothing. Or worse than nothing.
Once
my computer ran slower and slower, several parts of my website disappeared, and question marks appeared all over my website homepage, I yelped for help. Should have yelped sooner, but better late than never. Asked my website manager what he uses. He uses Lavasoft’s PROFESSIONAL program of Ad-Aware and Ad-Watch. I bought it, and it found 17 pieces of spyware (Alexas and chase cookies), plus a possible browser hijack attempt. (The technician
said, “That’s nothing. They found 83 pieces of spyware on mine!” But then he’s a pro.) Ad-Aware removed all the problems except the question marks on my website house page, http://foodandfiction.com/Entrance.html. These are probably due to the unsuccessful
hijack. I’m stuck with them. As luck would have it they don’t show on any computer except mine.
If you want to lead a simple life, move here to http://lavasoft.com and transfer
their PROFESSIONAL type of Ad-Aware and Ad-Watch.
If you prefer an in-depth investigation of anti-spyware,
http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,119572,00.asp can help you. They’ve tested most of the anti-spyware out there, tho'
I must say that Ad-Aware’s pro version was not tested, only the pc version.
Simply don’t wait until you’re in big trouble. Do thing
now!
IF YOU’VE BEEN HIJACKED
A good, basic article can be found by going to http://www.apcug.net/Reports/Editorial/2004.htm. Scroll down to Sep 2004 and transfer
“Help! I’ve Been Hijacked . . .”
Another nice article is, “How to Move out Adware and Spyware,” http://antivirus.about.com/od/securitytips/a/removespyware.htm.
You power as well see “Invasion of the Browser Snatchers” at
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,84464,tk,dn021402X,00.asp. The article wish explain how to undo the damage -- tho'
several hijack damage can’t be removed that easily.
MORE INFORMATION
Here are much nice sources of spyware information:
http://www.scumware.com/ - a website just about nothing else but.
http://www2.spywareinfo.com/category/news/ has fascinating current Cyberspace safety news flashes, which you wish enjoy if you like to feel that civilization as we cognize it is under constant threat.
Simply just about the author:
Find the better recipe, food gift, and healthy fast sites in Janette Blackwell’s Pleasing
Food Directory, http://delightfulfood.com/main.htmlOr enjoy her country cook at Food and Fiction, http://foodandfiction.com/Entrance.html
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