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All Just just about Computer network ChatThe Top Twelve Threats No Computer User Should Ignore by Kai Chandler
by:
Kai Chandler
The Top Twelve Threats No Computer User Should Ignore
The computer network is doubtless a fantastic resource for
families and offers a rich vein of educational content.
However, there are potential dangers - welcome to the
seedy earth of viruses, spam, trojans, pornography, spyware
and another nasties.
Here are the Top Twelve Threats No Computer User Should
Ignore:
1. Viruses - A computer program that copies itself. They
often disrupt your computer system or damage your data.
Viruses are normally received by email attachments so be
careful opening thing
from a dubious source. They can
affect anyone, for example, the annihilating Mydoom worm
affected one out of three small and mid-sized businesses.
2. Spyware - Sends information just about you and your computer
to person else. Spyware may send the addresses of sites
you have visited or worse still, transmit personal
information. With today's concerns just about identify larceny
this is a real worry. For example, CoolWebSearch may hijack
web searches, house page, and another Computer network Adventurer
settings. Spyware is normally received as part of software
or software downloaded from the web.
3. IP Spoofing - A technique to gain unauthorized access
to computers, whereby the interloper sends messages to a
computer with an address indicating that the message is
coming from a sure host.
4. Trojans - An apparently legitimate computer program
that is actually intended to disrupt and damage computer
activity by causing information, possibly even as passwords
onto a third party without you knowing. As an example,
recent emails entitled "Osama Bin Laden Captured" unsuccessful
to transfer
the "Trj/Small.B." Trojan if the embedded URL
was clicked. This trojan attempts to hijack the PC.
5. Spam - Unsought mail often promoting products of a
dubious fiscal or sexual nature. Don't leave your email
address on websites and computer network bulletin boards as they
are harvested by spammers.
6. Adware - puts advertisements on your screen. These take
many forms including popups, popunders and advertisements
that appear later, even as if your browser is closed. Several are
sent exploitation the Windows Courier service which allows a
spammer to direct an ad straight to your
computer by consecutive
causing messages to IP addresses.
Always irritating, they are besides often of a sexy
nature.
7. Diallers - for those of us still with dial up modems,
dialler programs airt calls to a really big-ticket number.
You won't cognize until you get the bill.
8. Hijackers - Hijackers take control of your web browser
and may reset your house page, search bar and search pages.
They can airt you to undesirable sites or finish you
going to particular sites.
9. Hackers - With so more personal data accessible online
to anyone with a watchword you must be sure your watchword is
secure. If you are exploitation your mother's maiden name, your
cat's name or your birthday then your watchword is at risk.
Here are two tips for devising a secure password. Know-how
One -
pick two random unrelated three letter words and two
digits. Mix them up and what do you have? A secure watchword
such as "red19cat" or "hotpin73". Know-how
Two - pick a short
sequence of words such as Now Is The Winter Of Our
Discontent Ready-made Glorious' and you have a watchword of
"nitwoodmg". You could even as change the I's and O's to
digits.
10. Phishing - Emails purporting to move from reliable
sources such as Paypal, Ebay or your bank. Often wanting
you to verify your account details, they can look really
realistic but are generally scams to harvest usernames and
passwords. Always open a new browser winder and type the
address there, rather than clicking on the link provided.
11. Hoaxes - Chain letters, scams, false alarms. At better
they take up time and information measure
but at worst vulnerable can
be victims of fraud. Pass it on!
12. Stranger-danger - For those of us with children - do
you cognize what they actually do once
they are online? Are
they working on prep tasks, downloading amerciable music
or pornography? Or are they chatting to strangers in chat
rooms? You should consider block access to undesirable
sites and work
their work with a police work tool.
Oh, and don't forget that wherever
children are concerned,
computers should always be unbroken
in a family room and ne'er
in their bedroom.
Three Step Action Plan
There are three essential steps that should be taken to
ensure your PC is unbroken
threat-free.
Firstly, be sensible once
opening attachments or following
email manual from apparently esteemed sites.
Secondly, do sure you are exploitation the latest service pack
of Windows as Microsoft is continually closing loopholes to
tighten up security.
Finally, there's a range of low cost tools such as
firewalls, antivirus, spam blockers and spyware killers
available. Like everything else they vary in quality and
you tend to get what you pay for so always do your research
first and possibly try a free trial before acquiring your
credit card out.
http://www.surfcontrols.com specializes in providing
reviews and recommendations of top-rated tools to help
protect your online experience. There's a quick reference
list to dozens of top sites promoting some aspects of
safe surfboarding packed with useful information and there's
also a great set of top tips for safe surfing.
Copyright Kai Chandler (#12t5109)
Just just about the author:
Kai Chandler is a project manager and journalist
particularly interested in tools and techniques to protect
his family and computer against spam, porn, viruses and
malware. As a father of two he is keen to ensure that
his children enjoy a safe surfboarding surfing experience. His
reviews of the really better parental computer network filters,
anti-virus, anti-spam, anti-spyware and police work tools
are at http://www.surfcontrols.comIt's essential reading
for any parent and computer owner.
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