Archive for October, 2007
Wednesday, October 31st, 2007
Under Attack? Do This to Recover
In these articles I usually concentrate on protecting your computer from various Internet threats. But you should know a bit about how to react to and recover from a virus or hacker attack.
First, how do you know if you have been attacked? Well, your home page may change without warning, your computer may run slowly, [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Alerts by Syd Tash
Tuesday, October 30th, 2007
Keep Windows Updated – Carefully!
As you know, one of the essential steps in protecting your computer is to keep the operating system up to date. If you have a Windows XP or Vista machine, you must keep it current by visiting the Microsoft Windows Update site once a week or so, or by making the updates automatic.
Operating systems previous [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Updates by Syd Tash
Monday, October 29th, 2007
Your RAM & Virtual Memory
Windows uses your random access memory (RAM) to run your programs and open pages for you as you surf the Internet. It is the fastest memory in your computer.
It wasn’t that long ago that having 64MB of RAM was considered enormous. Today, Vista needs 1 GB (one billion bytes) to run well.
When Windows runs out [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Computer & Internet Security, Featured by Syd Tash
Saturday, October 27th, 2007
Safety First, Online & Off!
It seems hardly a week goes by without a report of computer break-ins, hacker attacks, new spam attacks, viruses and so on. This is why I insist so much on you having a full suite of security programs on your computer, and keeping everything up to date.
But not all threats are hi-tech, or can be [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Security by Syd Tash
Friday, October 26th, 2007
On a Public Computer? Outsmart Keyloggers!
I have long cautioned you to avoid public computers because of the danger of keyloggers, among other things. These are usually programs installed on a computer that record your every keystroke, including passwords and credit card numbers.
These are then sent to the criminals over the Internet. Even without a keylogger, someone could still see your [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Security by Syd Tash
Thursday, October 25th, 2007
Do You Change Your Passwords?
Change your passwords often, and make sure they cannot be easily guessed. Use a combination of letters, numbers and special characters (* ? ! $ #) if possible. Your password should be at least 6 characters long, preferably 8.
Do not use your birthday, dog’s name, street where you live, favorite restaurant, your kid’s name, nearby [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Security by Syd Tash
Wednesday, October 24th, 2007
Do Not Download Anything, Including Screensavers
Do not download anything from the Internet, unless you really need and will use it (other than updates to your defensive programs, of course). Do not download screensavers. Windows already has lots.
(To find them, right-click a blank area of the Desktop. Click “Properties”. Click “Screen Saver”. Click the little down arrow to the right [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Alerts, Security by Syd Tash
Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007
Email & Phishing Scams
I have often warned in this space and in my ebook about phishing scams, ie fake emails designed to entice you to give private or sensitive information on sites that look like they come from your bank, broker, store, eBay, PayPal, etc. I get a big bunch every day myself!
Anytime you want to contact these [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Security by Syd Tash
Monday, October 22nd, 2007
More on System Restore & Malware
Here’s yet one more reason to have a full set of security programs on your computer, and to keep them up to date. One fine day you may experience serious problems with your computer. You run all your security scans, but problems persist.
You are not worried – yet – because you know you can [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Featured by Syd Tash
Saturday, October 20th, 2007
The HOSTS File
I often mention the custom HOSTS file, and how it is an important part of your defenses. So here is a bit more detail.
The HOSTS file keeps you away from known bad sites, helps prevent ads from being fed to you, blocks tracking cookies and spyware, and can even speed up your computer because [...]
