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Meltwater. Torrents. Meanderings. Delta.: Computer Virus Protection

I wish it were so simple: just put a tiny rubber condom on the ethernet plug and voila--my computer would be safe from computer viruses. Over the last week I've been struggling with restoring data and software and productivity lost by a number trojan viruses that struck our system. By the way, isn't the name of the virus class ironic? TROJAN! When Trojan is by far the most popular brand of condoms meant to protect you? But I digress.

In any case, I've never had a virus before. I've always kept my home computer virus protection and firewall software up to date. But some times in a corporate environment, things can get a little behind. So I wanted to share with you some of the things I've learned to help protect you.

1) Always, always, always keep your virus protection software up to date with the latest version of the software, and always, always, always subscribe to the latest virus definitions. DO NOT under any circumstances, no matter how much it costs, let your virus definitions and software versions become out-dated. That's how my work computer got infected--not that we let our virus update subscription lapse, but because we didn't install the latest version of the anti-virus software. Somehow, somewhere, our software was upgraded to version 7.0 and then to version 8.0, but on most of our work computers, version 6.0 was running and that left all computers connected to the internet vulnerable, including mine.

2) Be careful of adding toolbars to your browsers. Most toolbar installations carry some form of cookie, spyware, or adware that compromises the security features of your browser. It is very easy for those writing malicious virus code to get to your browser and to your computer through the vulnerabilities of toolbars.

3) Popups are not your friend. Clicking on a popup can initiate the download of executable files onto your computer. Some of these even self-install. If you come across a warning dialog box on any website that you visit that pops up and tells you that your computer is infected or that your virus definitions are out of date or your performance is slow and offers you a fast and easy solution, DO NOT fall for it. And if after you try and close the window but it keeps re-opening anyway, it's probably too late and you have been infected. Run your full virus scan immediately or call the Geek Squad.

4) JPEGs can spread viruses. I encourage you all to read this PC World article. This article is several years old. Be careful when copying or downloading web graphics from sites that you don't know. No file should be considered safe until it is scanned by the lastest anti-virus software with the latest anti-virus definitions.

5) Shareware. You get what you pay for folks. Only download shareware from trusted sites. Plugins and code from your friend down the street might be cool, but they could also be virus bait. Not only might they be vulnerable to virus attacks, they might have viruses and spyware included in them. This is especially important for the blogging community that likes to try out cool widgets and the latest plug-ins on their wordpress and blogger blogs.

6) Avoid the bandwagon. Those of us in the blogosphere like to be at the forefront of new software, technology and innovation. Avoid the latest releases and the coolest new features if they are in beta testing. Wait until the software has been out there, tried, tested, AND patched before you update your system.

7) Research. In order to protect yourself and your hardware and your dollars, you have to know what the threats are, what the level of risk is, and what the remedies are. Don't trust any one source for your information. Read several newspapers, magazine and PC-oriented websites. Stay up to date. If you're going to play in the sandbox, you gotta find a way to keep the sand out of your shorts.

Thanks for reading.

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Fast antivirus solution for home use

Most people usually complain of Antivirus software slowing down their computers. They look for a fast scanning & reliable antivirus program that wont miss new virus threats, already combined with an integrated shield protecting their system from further infection.

This time I'll present you the new free Spyware Terminator antivirus program.

http://www.spywareterminator.com

After playing with it here are the results & features of Spyware Terminator which I've found:
It has a light and almost intuitive easy to use interface. Virus scanning is fast and the program virus definitions are being updated daily. The software is reliable and could be used together with ClamAntivirus.
Program's executables take around 15mb of computer's memory. When compared with Norton Antivirus, BitDefender, Avast, Kaspersky(KAV) and Nod32 the program takes smallest amount of computer's memory.
The integrated real-time antivirus shield functions alright and actually stops virus infections. The program catches objects (spyware, adware, trojans & viruses) that both SpyBot and AdAware are missing.

For advanced users
Spyware Terminator has easy explainable processes database, allowing you to choose and keep only those that you actually need.
The full spyware and virus cleaning involves the free integrated antivirus ClamAV. Hint: If you experience that your computer has become slower than before just disable the ClamAV shield and you'll be fine.

Once finished with full spyware and virus scanning Spyware terminator enables its unique HIPS protection.
HIPS is short for Host Intrusion Prevention System - a system that maps the local files on your hard drive. Then if an unknown virus is found the antivirus easily restores the infected file without damaging it. There's no need to worry: the whole mapping will not slow your computer or take lot of your hard disk drive space.

Also nice feature of the program is that it manages and uninstalls easily the resident(remaining in computer's memory) viruses and trojans even the one spawned from processes such as explorer.exe without a need of system restart.

After each cleaning you'll see that Spyware Terminator creates a clean windows restore point. This allows you to get your system back when the computer has been in a good shape.

In case you find an unknown adware, virus or a trojan you can send the infected file to the spyware terminator labs for an examination - either with the application itself or using their website forum. In a few weeks the updated antivirus definitions will be released thus fixing your problem.

Deep file scanning
I recommend you to do a monthly deep file scan with SpywareTerminator & ClamAV combined and an option checked on detect alternate data streams. This way ST will scan for files hidden in the NTFS file system. The scan could take a while but it's worthy of discovering hidden rootkits and spyware on your system.
HOW to enable: Go to Settings->Scan Settings and check the option Scan Alternate File Streams

Playing games, installing software
If you switch to install mode you'll receive less notifying pop-ups from the application when installing a new trusted software. When done, just uncheck the install mode.

Don't forget
After downloading and installing, please update program's definitions.

Overall I can recommend this software to people who want to have a fast free antispyware/antivirus scanner & schield.

for more information please read: http://www.net-security.org/review.php?id=160

JC in da house: I can't blog... HELP!!!

Recently, I have been facing a lot of problems concerning my laptop.

It doesn't work well.. Sometimes the server is slow, sometimes the laptop stop loading.. Therefore, I had to manually shut down the laptop by pressing the 'power' button..I know it hurts the computer..but I had no choice.

I am feeling so tired of it. I've been searching for the free antivirus, and I've tried installng a few (in separate timing). From AVG (30 days free-trial version) , to AVAST, until Spyware Terminator. Not only they are not helping, while I feel my laptop is getting sicker by installing them.

Just like today, my Facebook account encountered something really strange and it only happened on me. The whole screen of my profile page went blank and I couldn't see anything. I felt so upset and helpless... I decided to uninstall the antivirus which I had just installed this morning. After restarting, my Facebook is finally back in good condition. Thanks God!

But now, the whole setting in my Blogger account has changed. No more buttons to upload photo and video. The page is so 'white', it's totally different from the normal layout. What happened? Who can tell me?

I'm so sick of all these problems..

I thought I could post all the pending posts on today, who knows all these computer problems wasted my big time ! I'm so helpless.. Without blogger, I feel like I'm a bird without wings.... Can't blog!

Who can advise what's wrong and how to solve this problem? Please help :(

UPDATED: I've solved the Blogger 'create post' problem, if you want to know how I did that.. pls read this http://joanne-chan.blogspot.com/2009/08/ive-solved-blogger-create-post-problem.html :)

comfort reads, pt. 2

When I first discovered book blogs, one of the first I read was Rosario's Reading Journal. She's been keeping it for quite a long time, and has an extensive archive of her great reviews. Anyhow, while puttering around her site I discovered that she was a fan of one of my favorite authors evah, Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels, and in turn made me an instant fan of hers. Recently, Rosario revisited one of my favorite Peters books The Street of Five Moons.Ms. Peters is best known for her historical mysteries featuring Amelia Peabody, but I came to those books late, after reading many of her others. My mother introduced me to Peters/Michaels at the tender age of 12, and I was hooked. As Peters, she writes comic mysteries, as Michaels she writes Gothic Romantic suspense, but her books all had intelligent (if sometimes TSTL) heroines, exotic international locations, plots with lots of archaeology, art history and history, and sizzling, yet tame sexual tension. To boot, the author actually has a PHD in Egyptology. Absolute catnip to a geeky, brainy tween from the 'burbs.

Anyhow, while Amelia Peabody may be most people's favorites, my heart belongs to Vicky Bliss, the art historian heroine of the Street of Five Moons, and her on again, off again lover, the third great imaginary bad boy hero love of my life (following Fonzie and Han Solo), Sir John Smythe. The man was British, he was an art thief, he quoted Shakepeare and John Donne, and he always, always saved Vicky. Witty banter and romantic tension abounded.

So Rosario's review inspired me to re-read Trojan Gold and Night Train to Memphis, my personal faves, and they've really done the trick in cheering me up. These books feature mysteries involving ancient artifacts, they are fast paced, very funny and have Peters' hottest love story. One caveat, they are definitely intentionally over the top and tongue in cheek. They're also a bit old fashioned (well, they did come out a long time ago). Vicky is constantly bemoaning the fact that she is an intelligent, feminist academic trapped in a tall, hot, blonde, curvy body. She embodies the TSTL heroine in some ways. She always gets everything wrong, always expects the worst of John and always ends up in the worst possible situation. But within the context of the book it works. These books are just plain fun, and that John (again over the top) is just too yummy. It's books like these that led me to romance, and they just don't make 'em like this anymore. I bought the most recent Vicky Bliss mystery, Night Train to Memphis, during my freshman year in college, people. Peters has since been devoted to the Peabody mysteries alone, but after 12 years I refuse to give up hope that she will some day return to Vicky. They should be read in order, see here.

HACKING COMPUTER , COMPUTER TIPS, BEST TIPS: Remove rorton anti ...

Found this on the Norton Web site.

I finally got fed up with Norton 2004 AV and switched to Avast.

Had lots of problems removing Norton, lots of stuff left over in the registry.

After a few Google searches, I found this.

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nav.nsf/docid/2004020909040706?Open&src=&docid=2001092114452606&nsf=nav.nsf&view=df0a595864594c86852567ac0063608c&dtype=&prod=&ver=&osv=&osv_lvl=

FYI, this is from the Symantec.com Site, so I am guessing it is nice and safe

If you scroll down to the "Removal instructions" the first option is "To remove Norton AntiVirus from the registry" Click on the Plus sign and you can down load the removal tool (it is a .reg file that removes all the keys for Norton.)

Direct Link for the file:

ftp://ftp.symantec.com/misc/consumer/nav/nav2004xp_reg_removal.reg

After I got done, Avast started working right and my system seemed to be running alot better. (after Avast found 14 virues that Norton did not find.)

uzobvvde

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Wednesday, 26 August 2009

Meltwater. Torrents. Meanderings. Delta.: Computer Virus Protection

Fast antivirus solution for home use

JC in da house: I can't blog... HELP!!!

comfort reads, pt. 2

HACKING COMPUTER , COMPUTER TIPS, BEST TIPS: Remove rorton anti ...

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