IT Security Blog

Tips to Keeping Your Computer Protected From Viruses

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Even in this age of hacking, viruses, malware and all other online hazards, you can still keep your computer protected. And you know what? It doesn’t take an expert to do so. Here are a few simple tips to keep your computer protected from viruses.

Tip #1: Install an antivirus

First things first: you should install an antivirus in your computer. You can purchase one, whether through the Web or at a shop, but support and updates for it are typically good for only a year. However, while updates last, these premium antiviruses provide really effective protection for your computer. Good examples include Webroot Secure Anywhere and Norton Antivirus. [Read more…]

The Usual Malware Target

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Malware developers have a special place in their hearts for successful and popular systems, platforms and devices.  Why this is so is readily understandable.  The more successful and popular the target is, the more people are bound to be affected.  Also apparently, there is much pride in being able to penetrate what is touted to be secure and impenetrable.

Windows is said to be the king of malware being targeted by thousands of computer contaminants in the form of viruses, worms, trojan horses, spyware, crimeware, scareware, and unwelcome adware.   Google, Bing, Yahoo,Facebook and Twitter are likewise preferred targets precisely because they are all successful and popular in their own rights.  There is a growing consensus that Android is fast becoming the “Windows of Mobileware”, targeted by the same cybercriminals targeting other platforms that have since declined. 

Success and popularity as usual have their two sides, attracting patronage and attacks at the same time.  Malware attacks users through the very pathways where functionality is obtained which is primarily through the Internet.  Traditional protection are not able to stop the effects of more recent malicious attacks.  There exists a dilemma in the fact that fiercer malware are spurned faster more than solutions are produced. 

In the face of the unrelenting attacks on the most used platforms in spite of best efforts to keep them at bay, consumers are reminded to exercise caution and use common sense in their transactions.  Malicious intents always come with offers that are too good to be true.  Information requests which are obviously unrelated to the transaction  such as getting list of contacts for a game download should never be entertained.  Remember that cybercriminals will always be after two things:  your money and your personal information.

 

Trying Out Anti-Virus Software Independently

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For each PC owner, there will be a preferred setting and software to use. It may depend on the impact and addition of processes or how they protect your computer from malicious intent stemming from viruses and spyware that are spread all over the web. But in the end, you may ask yourself which is the best among these anti-virus software solutions and which can really protect my computer from potent intrusion?

Seriously, there is no definite answer for this. We may see a lot of reviews and best ranked anti-virus software on the web but none of them guarantee 100% protection. Viruses and malware will always find a way and the degree of infection can start from minimal to dangerous at times.

While you can always rely on brand recall, depending on how you understand reviews and features that each software could give, trying them out one by one via their trialware options when you download and evaluation copy would be great. However, beware of some marketing gimmicks such as warning you of infections that may be dangerous to them yet minimal to others.

Anti-virus software selling is still a business and to get the nod of consumers, you have to impress them by showing them something. This is not to say that software companies are actually turning to these low way of marketing their product but why would you purchase an anti-virus software if you have nothing better to show than the price?

That is why you would be better of trying majority of these software programs. For sure you will know which are really needed and which are not.

Telecommuting Woes???

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telecommute.jpgResearch has shown that a survey conducted within a large company shows that although telecommuting is very much productive for many firms it tends to be on the downside for those employees who do stay within the physical office itself. This can be in the areas of personal assistants/secretaries and other office workers who are left to run the office in the absence of their counterparts/coworkers. This leads to dissatisfaction in the workplace hence lowering productivity and encouraging home-bodies to engage in dangerous liaisons from within and outside of the office.

The hatred felt is seen in the rising occurrences of these same people becoming the entry point for attacks on corporate networks when they visit social sites to pass on the otherwise boring day. This is also counterproductive for their attention to work and the other nuances such as physical security and IT security is so much a threat that it is under study on how to improve the working conditions for these people. They are distracted and left to do almost anything they please which is where the security gap seems to be, using the corporate network to access social sites to which they are members of. Even the installation of hardware and software security measures cannot guarantee security coverage at all angles for the main security risk is still the human behind the keyboard who does the typing and not on the structure of the system itself. It might be helpful to get them out more often to allow their facilities more practice letting the steam and pressures/boredom to dissipate. Role rotation may be a key but is not always feasible for there are certain knowledge associated issues that have to be addressed to be able to do that. Training and re-training people allows them to sharpen skills and add new knowledge to their already bored lives.

Cyber Wars: A Lost Cause

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We know for a fact that the battle towards malicious software and viruses released on the web has caused a lot of pain as far as pinpointing and remedying them but apparently nothing has been done to really resolve them. We buy licensed software but we have to ask ourselves on the extent of their coverage. Are they up to date and can they really save us from all these uncertainties of getting online?

Microsoft has been a prime target, being one of the widely used operating systems we know of today. But while Bill Gates and company are doing their part in being able to address the various intrusions and headaches that they can do with a simple click, you just don’t know who to trust these days. Even the software companies have the ability to manipulate and do some foul work and they are occurring right under our very noses.

Security researchers concede that their efforts are largely an exercise in a game of whack-a-mole because botnets that distribute malware like worms, the programs that can move from computer to computer, are still relatively invisible to commercial antivirus software.

So with all these things set on the table, is the cyber world safe for anyone? We can fend off threats but the question is are we resolving the situation or merely providing a temporary solution to the problem? Sad to say, it is the latter. We are content with detecting them but it is really the cleaning and protection part that needs improvement.

Be Wary of Giving out Your Email Address

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Emails are supposed to make life easier but sometimes, it may be wise to choose who you give out your email to. Today, a lot of mischief can be done and normally this comes in forms of email attacks or email bombs. In such scenarios, don’t be surprised if you find your email downloading hundred to a thousand emails in one sitting. That is not the best part. You would be lucky if this was done only once since others would schedule it daily.

Why do they do it? One is for trials of these foolish software and the other can perhaps be for malicious reason. It is a fact that while many people on the web cannot be harmed physically, they can create headaches for you in the form of discomforts from the privileges you get from the web. One of the main elements an online user would need to use is his email and by doing these email attacks, it burdens the person on how to get important information usually sent through the web.

One cannot avoid such instances. But the best way to prevent it is to choose the people you give it too. For people you meet on the web, it would be wise to use free mail accounts from Gmail or Yahoo over your personal one. Avoid the troubles of such since it will not only be a discomfort, but a forgettable experience as well.