By: Benjamin Hargis
Looking for free computer security tools to use?
Got Spyware?
There is now a bill in Congress to make Spyware illegal. Good luck at catching the creators, in the mean time here are two links you can use to get started on your journey against Spyware.
http://www.lavasoft.com Ad-aware http://www.safernetworking.com Spybot Search and Destroy.
Note there is better version available for a cost. There are many things you can also do to protect your computer Keep Automatic Updates turned on for all of your Anti-Virus Software, and operating systems. Clean out your cookies as well there is often cookies placed to track your whereabouts on the Internet.
Now the subject of viruses. There are commercial anti-virus scanner like Symantec Norton Anti-Virus and MacAfee in fact many new computers come with trial versions. Unfortunately when these versions run out users most of the time ignore it and wonder why do I have a virus? Let me explain something just because you have a antivirus software program on your computer you are not cured. Virus writers do just that write new viruses and edit old ones to do new things. You need to update your signatures of your anti-virus software continuously. Crafty virus writer’s code Viruses to disable your anti-virus software!
There is free anti-virus solutions one is called AVG http://free.grisoft.com. I personally use this product and love It, it is not a memory hog like Norton. And you can also set up schedules to run and get updates.
A good firewall is a must especially nowadays. This is because everyone for the most part is running DSL and Cable modems. Which are great for connectivity horrible because it’s like leaving your front door unlocked.
Check out http://www.zonelabs.com They have a product called Zone Alarm. It is customizable and blocks allot of attempts of entering your network. It is shocking to see the amount of people trying to get into your network. Zone Alarm will alert you to programs trying to access the Internet. This is kind of annoying but can be a life saver if a program is dialing Kenya on your telephone!! Zone Alarm can remember certain programs.
Windows Service Pack 2 has a firewall in it and I recommend enabling it.
There are many web browsers that you can use. I love Open Source you can probably guess I’m using Firefox www.mozilla.org/products/firefox.There are so many features that I can rave about like tabbed browsing, if your anything like me at home I have at least two or three browser running if using Internet Explorer, with Firefox I can have as many websites as I want open and tabs at the top with descriptions. it's ingenious in my opinion. I don’t have to switch browsers like I do with IE.
Internet Explorer is one of the most used browsers and most targeted. Mozilla Firefox has many advantages including security. It also does not use ActiveX.
Scan your own systems! To see what ports are open and running. DO you have services that do not need to be running?
Knowledge is power. I work for a technology company for three years and never have they trained any people in multiple departments on security that I'm aware of. I’m amazed to hear things from co-workers such as I don’t have an account with so and so bank but they wanted my information and I gave it to them! Corporate networks are and will continue to be infected by users that are untrained about computer security. People all the time open attachments that they do not know where they came from. Homes users are sometimes even more ignorant. That is not said in a mean way. File Sharing programs are popular and an opening to viruses, Trojans and other lovely things you don’t want in your network.
