Steps to Take Before Reformatting Your Computer Hard Drive
Monday, October 13, 2008 | Labels: More Information | 0 comments »
Make Sure You Need to Reformat Before Erasing Valuable Files
If you've ever had to either reformat or replace a computer hard drive, you know how devastated you feel. Not only do you lose valuable files and pictures, but you also spend hours reinstalling programs. When you reformat a hard drive, you completely erase all data. This process, which is irreversible, entirely erases everything from your hard drive. That's why it's important to be sure that reformatting is your only solution before you do it.
Before deciding your hard drive is damaged, go through every possible step to determine if that is really the case. Too often well-meaning computer technicians fail to ask all the right questions before telling you that your hard drive is damaged. For example.....
If your cursor on your computer is frozen, make sure your mouse is working----Several years ago I spent hours on the phone with a computer technician, trying to correct a cursor that wouldn't move. After walking me through numerous steps, the computer technician determined that something was wrong with my hard drive and that I needed to order another one. Shortly after our new hard drive was installed, I noticed the same problem---a frozen cursor. Then, I wondered, Could it be my mouse?Why didn't the technician ask me to test my mouse? I hooked up another mouse from another computer and bingo, I found the problem. It wasn't my hard drive that was defective---just a bad mouse. I wanted to cry as I thought of all the valuable files and pictures I'd erased, mistakenly thinking I had a bad hard drive.
If you have no internet connection----Recently we had to reformat our hard drive, (again) as both our computer software company and internet provider were clueless as to why we couldn't connect to the internet. After hours on the phone with our internet provider, the technician was convinced we had a software problem. Then, after hours trying to understand a foreign accent, the software technician pointed his finger at the internet provider. Regrettably we were convinced it was a problem with the software. The technician asked us to test our modem---It worked on both our desktop and laptop computer. Therefore, the technician concluded it was the software. Fortunately, we still had our original computer disk, so we reformatted our hard drive. Then, after we lost numerous files and pictures, we realized that our hard drive was fine. No one had asked us, "Do you have a router?" After several days of wondering what was wrong, we finally had our answer---our router was defective.
If you do have to replace your hard drive, make sure you've back up all your valuable files on an external hardware drive (found in most computer store such as Best Buy or CompUSA). After learning the hard way, we now make sure we won't lose valuable data and files by backing them up regularly. A few of the files you should back up include your email address book, financial information and bank records, digital photos, purchased music you've downloaded, and other personal projects.
Finally, it's worth your time to take a course on computer problems. This is not to say that you don't need a computer technician. But you need to be sure to ask yourself all the right questions before reformatting a hard drive. As the saying goes...."an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Or, it's better to be safe than sorry.
If you've ever had to either reformat or replace a computer hard drive, you know how devastated you feel. Not only do you lose valuable files and pictures, but you also spend hours reinstalling programs. When you reformat a hard drive, you completely erase all data. This process, which is irreversible, entirely erases everything from your hard drive. That's why it's important to be sure that reformatting is your only solution before you do it.
Before deciding your hard drive is damaged, go through every possible step to determine if that is really the case. Too often well-meaning computer technicians fail to ask all the right questions before telling you that your hard drive is damaged. For example.....
If your cursor on your computer is frozen, make sure your mouse is working----Several years ago I spent hours on the phone with a computer technician, trying to correct a cursor that wouldn't move. After walking me through numerous steps, the computer technician determined that something was wrong with my hard drive and that I needed to order another one. Shortly after our new hard drive was installed, I noticed the same problem---a frozen cursor. Then, I wondered, Could it be my mouse?Why didn't the technician ask me to test my mouse? I hooked up another mouse from another computer and bingo, I found the problem. It wasn't my hard drive that was defective---just a bad mouse. I wanted to cry as I thought of all the valuable files and pictures I'd erased, mistakenly thinking I had a bad hard drive.
If you have no internet connection----Recently we had to reformat our hard drive, (again) as both our computer software company and internet provider were clueless as to why we couldn't connect to the internet. After hours on the phone with our internet provider, the technician was convinced we had a software problem. Then, after hours trying to understand a foreign accent, the software technician pointed his finger at the internet provider. Regrettably we were convinced it was a problem with the software. The technician asked us to test our modem---It worked on both our desktop and laptop computer. Therefore, the technician concluded it was the software. Fortunately, we still had our original computer disk, so we reformatted our hard drive. Then, after we lost numerous files and pictures, we realized that our hard drive was fine. No one had asked us, "Do you have a router?" After several days of wondering what was wrong, we finally had our answer---our router was defective.
If you do have to replace your hard drive, make sure you've back up all your valuable files on an external hardware drive (found in most computer store such as Best Buy or CompUSA). After learning the hard way, we now make sure we won't lose valuable data and files by backing them up regularly. A few of the files you should back up include your email address book, financial information and bank records, digital photos, purchased music you've downloaded, and other personal projects.
Finally, it's worth your time to take a course on computer problems. This is not to say that you don't need a computer technician. But you need to be sure to ask yourself all the right questions before reformatting a hard drive. As the saying goes...."an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Or, it's better to be safe than sorry.
Red Barn Computer Store, Sam's Computer Store and Comp USA
The Red Barn computer store in Binghamton is a great place where I have gotten my computer repaired and fixed several times. They are really helpful, their prices are affordable and they make the repairs extremely quickly. More importantly, the problems you had with your computer will not re-occur.
These are some of the services that Red Barn computers offer:
At Home repair pickup. If you live in the Binghamton area and don't have a car or are unable for whatever reason to get yourself over to Red Barn Computers, you can call the store up and arrange for them to pick up your computer, bring the computer to their own store. If you don't understand a program or application on your computer in your home, you can call the store up and they will send a technician to your home and teach you how to use the program.
At an office Red Barn computers can also set up several computers and internet access for employees. The specialties that Red Barn offers are: networking design, implementation, support, server design, software registration, virus protection, maintenance, on site help.
In addition, Red Barn computers sell a wide range of computers with the most up to date models from Dell and Pentium Processor and Macintoshes. They also sell computer parts to buy when something breaks down.
As I stated before, the prices for fees is really quite reasonable. Bench Fee is $30. A half an hour of labor is $22.50-$30. Rush repair is $90.
The Red Barn store offers very friendly and helpful salesmen on hand in the store who make you feel welcome. If they see you searching for a particular item, they will come over to you to help you find what you are looking for. Even if the store doesn't have a particular item in store they will order one from their warehouse and it will arrive in the store for you to pick up within two weeks.
If you have computer programs or need help with computers, or are looking to buy a computer or computer parts, then Red Barn is a great place to stop by.
Another great computer place is Sam's Computer store. Sam's computer store is a little old fashioned and you can find old but reliable computer models mixed in with much of the new technology of computers. Sam's store has really nice people working there who will come right over to you and help you find what you are looking for. The prices are reasonable and many of the times they have some good discounts and items on sale. The only problems I have had with Sam's Store is that deliveries for computer parts can take up to 2 weeks which can be annoying if you need to use your computer right away.
Finally, in the Binghamton area there is a Comp USA store which is a chain store that sells a lot of computer software, computers and electronics. They do specialize in computers and the technicians on hand who deal with computers are really smart and know exactly what they are talking about. Out of these three stores I would say that Comp USA is the cheapest. The computers and parts they sell are durable and long lasting. In addition, you can get up to a 5 year warranty from Comp USA in which a Comp USA technician will come to your house to fix your computer.
The Red Barn computer store in Binghamton is a great place where I have gotten my computer repaired and fixed several times. They are really helpful, their prices are affordable and they make the repairs extremely quickly. More importantly, the problems you had with your computer will not re-occur.
These are some of the services that Red Barn computers offer:
At Home repair pickup. If you live in the Binghamton area and don't have a car or are unable for whatever reason to get yourself over to Red Barn Computers, you can call the store up and arrange for them to pick up your computer, bring the computer to their own store. If you don't understand a program or application on your computer in your home, you can call the store up and they will send a technician to your home and teach you how to use the program.
At an office Red Barn computers can also set up several computers and internet access for employees. The specialties that Red Barn offers are: networking design, implementation, support, server design, software registration, virus protection, maintenance, on site help.
In addition, Red Barn computers sell a wide range of computers with the most up to date models from Dell and Pentium Processor and Macintoshes. They also sell computer parts to buy when something breaks down.
As I stated before, the prices for fees is really quite reasonable. Bench Fee is $30. A half an hour of labor is $22.50-$30. Rush repair is $90.
The Red Barn store offers very friendly and helpful salesmen on hand in the store who make you feel welcome. If they see you searching for a particular item, they will come over to you to help you find what you are looking for. Even if the store doesn't have a particular item in store they will order one from their warehouse and it will arrive in the store for you to pick up within two weeks.
If you have computer programs or need help with computers, or are looking to buy a computer or computer parts, then Red Barn is a great place to stop by.
Another great computer place is Sam's Computer store. Sam's computer store is a little old fashioned and you can find old but reliable computer models mixed in with much of the new technology of computers. Sam's store has really nice people working there who will come right over to you and help you find what you are looking for. The prices are reasonable and many of the times they have some good discounts and items on sale. The only problems I have had with Sam's Store is that deliveries for computer parts can take up to 2 weeks which can be annoying if you need to use your computer right away.
Finally, in the Binghamton area there is a Comp USA store which is a chain store that sells a lot of computer software, computers and electronics. They do specialize in computers and the technicians on hand who deal with computers are really smart and know exactly what they are talking about. Out of these three stores I would say that Comp USA is the cheapest. The computers and parts they sell are durable and long lasting. In addition, you can get up to a 5 year warranty from Comp USA in which a Comp USA technician will come to your house to fix your computer.
Convert, File Finder and WiFi Radar: Helpful Computer Software for Everybody
| Labels: More Information | 0 comments »
Here are some software you might want to have in your computer. It is completely free and very useful for your studying and work.
1. Convert- Software to Convert All Kinds of Units
This software includes converting for density, distance, energy, flow, light, mass, power, acceleration, angle, area, computer, concentration, pressure, speed, temperature, time, torque, volume and volume dry with all common units. You can download "Convert" here for only about 800 KB of your system resource.
After downloading and installing successfully, you will see the appearance of "Convert" with many tabs. Simply choose the right tab and right unit. Fill in the "Input" section. The "Output" will appear automatically. Each category has all the general units that you need. For example, in temperature, we have Celsius, Fahrenheit, Kelvin and Rankine. "Convert" is just great for students and architects, who need to change from one units to another a lot.
2. My File Finder- Find Your Files in Half a Second
Instead of using "Search" in Windows to find your files and folders, you can use "My File Finder" because it gives out result much faster and professionally than "Search" feature. This software can find files or folders you want almost immediately. You can download "My File Finder" here.
The software is very easy to use. Simply type in the name of file at "Search" section. The program will give out location, size and date modified. You can open the file directly from "My File Finder".
3. Easy Wifi Radar- A Solution to Find a Nearby Wireless Network
Wireless Network is becoming more and more common at public place like school, hotel, library... However, it is not easy for everybody to set up SSID, IP, DNS... to use wireless network. If you are not familiar with these settings, you may want to use Wifi Radar.
You can download "Easy Wifi Radar" here. Of course, your computer must be able to connect to the Internet wirelessly to use this program. Normally, most of the laptop have wireless network card. Therefore, you only have to activate it before using this program. After opened, "Easy Wifi Radar" will find in-range network and connect to the Internet with the strongest public network automatically.
"Easy Wifi Radar" displays each wireless network as a dot. The red dot is locked network, the network you will need password to connect to. The green dot is public network. This software is very suitable for people, who often use wireless Internet. It is only about 2 MB of your system resource and is compatible with every version of Windows.
1. Convert- Software to Convert All Kinds of Units
This software includes converting for density, distance, energy, flow, light, mass, power, acceleration, angle, area, computer, concentration, pressure, speed, temperature, time, torque, volume and volume dry with all common units. You can download "Convert" here for only about 800 KB of your system resource.
After downloading and installing successfully, you will see the appearance of "Convert" with many tabs. Simply choose the right tab and right unit. Fill in the "Input" section. The "Output" will appear automatically. Each category has all the general units that you need. For example, in temperature, we have Celsius, Fahrenheit, Kelvin and Rankine. "Convert" is just great for students and architects, who need to change from one units to another a lot.
2. My File Finder- Find Your Files in Half a Second
Instead of using "Search" in Windows to find your files and folders, you can use "My File Finder" because it gives out result much faster and professionally than "Search" feature. This software can find files or folders you want almost immediately. You can download "My File Finder" here.
The software is very easy to use. Simply type in the name of file at "Search" section. The program will give out location, size and date modified. You can open the file directly from "My File Finder".
3. Easy Wifi Radar- A Solution to Find a Nearby Wireless Network
Wireless Network is becoming more and more common at public place like school, hotel, library... However, it is not easy for everybody to set up SSID, IP, DNS... to use wireless network. If you are not familiar with these settings, you may want to use Wifi Radar.
You can download "Easy Wifi Radar" here. Of course, your computer must be able to connect to the Internet wirelessly to use this program. Normally, most of the laptop have wireless network card. Therefore, you only have to activate it before using this program. After opened, "Easy Wifi Radar" will find in-range network and connect to the Internet with the strongest public network automatically.
"Easy Wifi Radar" displays each wireless network as a dot. The red dot is locked network, the network you will need password to connect to. The green dot is public network. This software is very suitable for people, who often use wireless Internet. It is only about 2 MB of your system resource and is compatible with every version of Windows.
Phishing, Spyware, and Zero-Day Attacks Are Just Some of the Information and Computer Security Threats All Businesses Face
Computer Security Threats for Small Businesses
With all the good that modern computer and networking technology can bring to a small business, there are also many computer security risks that may be involved. In this day and age, those that want to steal from small businesses' aren't necessarily going to walk through the front door anymore. They are just as likely to walk through the computers and networks that were set up to help a business grow. Hackers and other cyber thieves are more often targeting small businesses, rather than larger companies, since their computer security systems are more vulnerable to attack.
There have been numerous reports and studies that have come out recently on small businesses' attitudes towards computer security. One such report, the 2005 Small Business Information Security Readiness Study, shows, more than anything, that too many small businesses take a more complacent approach towards information and computer security. According to this study, approximately 70% of small businesses consider information and computer security a high priority, and more than 80% have confidence in their existing protective measures. Unfortunately, 56% of small businesses experienced one or more computer security incidents in the twelve months prior to completing the survey, and many were still not taking the necessary steps to help prevent these security attacks in the future. Even more alarming is that almost one-fifth of the small businesses surveyed didn't use virus scanning for email, which is one of the most basic and widely known information and computer security protection measures.
The study also suggests that the inability to measure the economic impact of these computer security attacks may lead to denial within the small business community. The most significant effects of information and computer security incidents on these businesses tend to be in areas concerning personal productivity; such as lost or corrupted files, slow computer networks, and lack of email. It is difficult for a small business to realize the financial impact of such productivity losses, and this is illustrated by the fact that the majority of small businesses that allocate little or no priority to information security also believe there has been no economic impact on their business from the information security incidents. The front-line staff feels the burden of these incidents more than management, which may also lends to why executives aren't giving information and computer security higher priority.
There are many types of information and computer security incidents that can hinder a business' operations. One of the newest, and most common, computer attacks is called phishing. These attacks steal personal identity data and financial information from businesses. Phishers often hijack brand names of banks, e-retailers, credit card companies, and other businesses, to convince the victim to respond to emails that lead them to counterfeit websites designed to trick the recipients into divulging financial data. There are various forms of phishing, but this is the most common facing individuals and small businesses.
Phishing is one of the most lucrative computer crimes, which continues to grow rapidly. In April of 2005, 2,854 unique phishing sites were found. That number jumped almost four times by April of 2006, with a record 11,121 unique phishing sites reported. These sites are not an amateurish knock-off of the sites they are portraying. Sophisticated phishers actually use server-side software that pulls all of the text, graphics, and links straight from the company's live site. What this mean is that all of the queries that are input go to the real site, except log-in information, which goes directly to the cyber thieves.
Experts at UC Berkley and Harvard published a study, entitled "Why Phishing Works", which 22 participants were shown 20 web sites and asked to determine which ones were real and which ones were 'spoofed', or fake. In this study, it was shown that even when people are specifically looking for phishing websites, many cannot distinguish between real and fake. The best phishing site in the study was able to fool 90% of the subjects. The study also pointed out that indicators designed to signal trustworthiness - padlock icon in browser, "HTTPS", yellow address bar background, etc...- were either misunderstood or completely unnoticed by many participants.
Another information security concern for businesses, as well as individuals, is spyware. Spyware is computer software that collects personal information about users without their informed consent. Personal information is recorded using a number of techniques; including logging keystrokes, recording internet web browsing history, and scanning documents on the computer's hard drive. Responsible for half of the computer crashes reported to Microsoft, and one out of four help desk calls for businesses, spyware is draining IT resources and lowering business productivity. Spyware that exposes personal data may result in undue public embarrassment, costly customer notifications, and compliance violations that bring hefty fines.
Detecting what programs are actual spyware is difficult, as these examples of different spyware types will illustrate:
Adware is a type of spyware that tracks user's information and web surfing habits through the use of cookies, programs intended to track this information to improve websites for users. Some of these cookies share this tracking data with third-party companies that deliver pop-up or banner ads. These are called adware cookies.
NonBizWare is a term used to describe programs employees download or install onto company PC's, which have nothing to do with the actual business. IM programs and peer-to-peer file sharing programs are common examples of such programs. These programs could open up back channels for cyber thieves to invade company systems and information. NonBizWare may also expose employers to legal liability associated with distribution of copyrighted music, pirated software, and pornographic material. So, even though many of these programs may not be actual spyware, many anti-spyware programs treat them as they were and delete them from computers.
A growing number of spyware programs are malware; malicious software intended to damage computers, steal data, or create an attack platform. Browser hijackers can change homepages, redirect web searches, and misdirect URL's to phishing websites. Keyloggers record document edits, email, instant messages, chat room conversations, and web form responses by relaying user keystrokes to remote attackers. Trojan downloaders hide in attachments and downloads, and open back doors for other vicious software to attack. These are just a few of the many examples of malware that is circulating the internet these days.
The creation of spyware itself has created a whole industry of anti-spyware programs and software, but also a new opportunity for cyber attackers to get to users. Rogue anti-spyware programs use pop-up ads and scare tactics to convince users to download phony anti-spyware programs. Once executed, these rogue programs generate false positive warnings that make users purchase clean-up programs or paid feature licenses.
These were just a few of the thousands of spyware examples. They illustrate how diverse spyware programs can be in their delivery and attack method. These examples also showed how spyware can affect business operations from many different angles.
One of the most vicious internet attacks a company can face is called a zero-day attack. This is an attack against a software flaw at a time when no security patch or update is available to fix the flaw. The reason these attacks are so devastating is because they can attack well-maintained and secure systems, leaving the users and IT professionals almost helpless.
The most dangerous of these pre-patch attacks permit drive-by downloads, where simply browsing a poisoned site or reading an infected HTML email, can trigger an invasion capable of filling your PC with all kinds of spyware, Trojan horses, and other malware. Microsoft products such as Internet Explorer, Office, and the Windows operating system are common targets of zero-day, and other, attacks, partially because they are so widely used in the market.
The zero-day attacks on MS Word and other Office products differ from the Internet Explorer attacks. Since these applications can't employ drive-by downloads, the cyber criminals typically rely on getting the victim to double-click an email attachment. By sending employees of a targeted company a spoofed email message that appears to come from a coworker or somewhere else within the organization, these attackers have a much better chance of getting unsuspecting victims to double-click these attachments.
It may seem that it's just too dangerous out in the world wide web for small businesses and individuals, but there are ways you can safe guard your data, and ultimately, your money. With all of these threats, come an onslaught of software to help protect against them. The next few paragraphs discuss some of the key security features every small business owner and manager should know.
First step for a small business owner to do is set up a firewall on all computer networks. A firewall's basic task is to control traffic between computer networks with different levels of trust. Most internet and computer security systems come with some form of a firewall program, or management can always upgrade to a more powerful one.
Although firewalls are universally deployed and necessary, with all the new information security threats that have, and will, come to fruition, firewalls are just not comprehensive enough when it comes to major data and financial protection. Many internet security firms believe that using multiple security features is a more realistic way to safe guard your business. Essentially, this gives hackers and cyber thieves more obstacles to overcome.
Besides buying and installing security features and programs to thwart these attacks, management needs to make sure all computer systems and security programs are updated regularly. It's not enough to just have these programs installed; management needs to stay up to date with them. Most of the reference material I have come across also stresses the importance of updating the 'human factor'. This is keeping all employees, not just management, knowledgeable about what to watch for and what to avoid while working on the internet.
Computer Security Threats for Small Businesses
With all the good that modern computer and networking technology can bring to a small business, there are also many computer security risks that may be involved. In this day and age, those that want to steal from small businesses' aren't necessarily going to walk through the front door anymore. They are just as likely to walk through the computers and networks that were set up to help a business grow. Hackers and other cyber thieves are more often targeting small businesses, rather than larger companies, since their computer security systems are more vulnerable to attack.
There have been numerous reports and studies that have come out recently on small businesses' attitudes towards computer security. One such report, the 2005 Small Business Information Security Readiness Study, shows, more than anything, that too many small businesses take a more complacent approach towards information and computer security. According to this study, approximately 70% of small businesses consider information and computer security a high priority, and more than 80% have confidence in their existing protective measures. Unfortunately, 56% of small businesses experienced one or more computer security incidents in the twelve months prior to completing the survey, and many were still not taking the necessary steps to help prevent these security attacks in the future. Even more alarming is that almost one-fifth of the small businesses surveyed didn't use virus scanning for email, which is one of the most basic and widely known information and computer security protection measures.
The study also suggests that the inability to measure the economic impact of these computer security attacks may lead to denial within the small business community. The most significant effects of information and computer security incidents on these businesses tend to be in areas concerning personal productivity; such as lost or corrupted files, slow computer networks, and lack of email. It is difficult for a small business to realize the financial impact of such productivity losses, and this is illustrated by the fact that the majority of small businesses that allocate little or no priority to information security also believe there has been no economic impact on their business from the information security incidents. The front-line staff feels the burden of these incidents more than management, which may also lends to why executives aren't giving information and computer security higher priority.
There are many types of information and computer security incidents that can hinder a business' operations. One of the newest, and most common, computer attacks is called phishing. These attacks steal personal identity data and financial information from businesses. Phishers often hijack brand names of banks, e-retailers, credit card companies, and other businesses, to convince the victim to respond to emails that lead them to counterfeit websites designed to trick the recipients into divulging financial data. There are various forms of phishing, but this is the most common facing individuals and small businesses.
Phishing is one of the most lucrative computer crimes, which continues to grow rapidly. In April of 2005, 2,854 unique phishing sites were found. That number jumped almost four times by April of 2006, with a record 11,121 unique phishing sites reported. These sites are not an amateurish knock-off of the sites they are portraying. Sophisticated phishers actually use server-side software that pulls all of the text, graphics, and links straight from the company's live site. What this mean is that all of the queries that are input go to the real site, except log-in information, which goes directly to the cyber thieves.
Experts at UC Berkley and Harvard published a study, entitled "Why Phishing Works", which 22 participants were shown 20 web sites and asked to determine which ones were real and which ones were 'spoofed', or fake. In this study, it was shown that even when people are specifically looking for phishing websites, many cannot distinguish between real and fake. The best phishing site in the study was able to fool 90% of the subjects. The study also pointed out that indicators designed to signal trustworthiness - padlock icon in browser, "HTTPS", yellow address bar background, etc...- were either misunderstood or completely unnoticed by many participants.
Another information security concern for businesses, as well as individuals, is spyware. Spyware is computer software that collects personal information about users without their informed consent. Personal information is recorded using a number of techniques; including logging keystrokes, recording internet web browsing history, and scanning documents on the computer's hard drive. Responsible for half of the computer crashes reported to Microsoft, and one out of four help desk calls for businesses, spyware is draining IT resources and lowering business productivity. Spyware that exposes personal data may result in undue public embarrassment, costly customer notifications, and compliance violations that bring hefty fines.
Detecting what programs are actual spyware is difficult, as these examples of different spyware types will illustrate:
Adware is a type of spyware that tracks user's information and web surfing habits through the use of cookies, programs intended to track this information to improve websites for users. Some of these cookies share this tracking data with third-party companies that deliver pop-up or banner ads. These are called adware cookies.
NonBizWare is a term used to describe programs employees download or install onto company PC's, which have nothing to do with the actual business. IM programs and peer-to-peer file sharing programs are common examples of such programs. These programs could open up back channels for cyber thieves to invade company systems and information. NonBizWare may also expose employers to legal liability associated with distribution of copyrighted music, pirated software, and pornographic material. So, even though many of these programs may not be actual spyware, many anti-spyware programs treat them as they were and delete them from computers.
A growing number of spyware programs are malware; malicious software intended to damage computers, steal data, or create an attack platform. Browser hijackers can change homepages, redirect web searches, and misdirect URL's to phishing websites. Keyloggers record document edits, email, instant messages, chat room conversations, and web form responses by relaying user keystrokes to remote attackers. Trojan downloaders hide in attachments and downloads, and open back doors for other vicious software to attack. These are just a few of the many examples of malware that is circulating the internet these days.
The creation of spyware itself has created a whole industry of anti-spyware programs and software, but also a new opportunity for cyber attackers to get to users. Rogue anti-spyware programs use pop-up ads and scare tactics to convince users to download phony anti-spyware programs. Once executed, these rogue programs generate false positive warnings that make users purchase clean-up programs or paid feature licenses.
These were just a few of the thousands of spyware examples. They illustrate how diverse spyware programs can be in their delivery and attack method. These examples also showed how spyware can affect business operations from many different angles.
One of the most vicious internet attacks a company can face is called a zero-day attack. This is an attack against a software flaw at a time when no security patch or update is available to fix the flaw. The reason these attacks are so devastating is because they can attack well-maintained and secure systems, leaving the users and IT professionals almost helpless.
The most dangerous of these pre-patch attacks permit drive-by downloads, where simply browsing a poisoned site or reading an infected HTML email, can trigger an invasion capable of filling your PC with all kinds of spyware, Trojan horses, and other malware. Microsoft products such as Internet Explorer, Office, and the Windows operating system are common targets of zero-day, and other, attacks, partially because they are so widely used in the market.
The zero-day attacks on MS Word and other Office products differ from the Internet Explorer attacks. Since these applications can't employ drive-by downloads, the cyber criminals typically rely on getting the victim to double-click an email attachment. By sending employees of a targeted company a spoofed email message that appears to come from a coworker or somewhere else within the organization, these attackers have a much better chance of getting unsuspecting victims to double-click these attachments.
It may seem that it's just too dangerous out in the world wide web for small businesses and individuals, but there are ways you can safe guard your data, and ultimately, your money. With all of these threats, come an onslaught of software to help protect against them. The next few paragraphs discuss some of the key security features every small business owner and manager should know.
First step for a small business owner to do is set up a firewall on all computer networks. A firewall's basic task is to control traffic between computer networks with different levels of trust. Most internet and computer security systems come with some form of a firewall program, or management can always upgrade to a more powerful one.
Although firewalls are universally deployed and necessary, with all the new information security threats that have, and will, come to fruition, firewalls are just not comprehensive enough when it comes to major data and financial protection. Many internet security firms believe that using multiple security features is a more realistic way to safe guard your business. Essentially, this gives hackers and cyber thieves more obstacles to overcome.
Besides buying and installing security features and programs to thwart these attacks, management needs to make sure all computer systems and security programs are updated regularly. It's not enough to just have these programs installed; management needs to stay up to date with them. Most of the reference material I have come across also stresses the importance of updating the 'human factor'. This is keeping all employees, not just management, knowledgeable about what to watch for and what to avoid while working on the internet.
Like babies, new computers are especially vulnerable to viruses, predators, and other threats. Internet and email hackers can wreak havoc on your new computer if you simply connect it to the internet without protection. Before you go online for the first time there are a few things that you will want to do to protect your computer, software, and personal information. Here are some tips on installing some basic security software and firewalls, as well as warning signs that your computer is hosting a virus, worm, adware, or spyware.
Before you connect to the internet directly from your new computer, you will want to install some sort of software protection. Windows XP only comes with a partial firewall that protects you when surfing online. It's called the Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) and it will protect you when checking email and that sort of thing, but when it comes to software you are virtually unprotected. Software firewalls will protect your computer from hackers, and block all attempts to steal or copy your software. Make sure that you install a 2-way firewall that scans all incoming and outgoing files. Using a software firewall will help keep Windows functioning properly, and will also help stop transmission of data to spyware creators.
After you have installed a software firewall you will want to also install a hardware firewall. It seems extensive, but you are asking for trouble if you do not install the necessary security components. When you are setting up your wireless or internet connection you should make sure your PC files and devices like printers, cameras, and scanners are protected from online predators. Any home wireless router or broadband connection offers some sort of firewall protection, but as with the software firewall you should back it up with a regular firewall program.
Now you computer is pretty much ready to go online, and it is safe to connect your broadband router or wireless source. Before you start checking email and surfing your favorite web page there is one page you should visit first. Go to http://www.downloads.microsoft.com and download the following programs:
• Windows XP Service Pack 2- SP2 is a system patching tool for Windows security that fixes the many glitches in the new operating system.
• Internet Explorer Service Pack 1- SP1 is a system maintenance tool for Internet Explorer 6.0 and above.
• Windows Defender- In the past this download was called Microsoft Anti-Spyware Beta. Windows defender will help protect your computer from all sorts of online terror like worms, Trojans, hackers, and viruses.
After you have downloaded each of the programs, install and run them on your computer. You should also check to make sure that your Windows Automatic Updates are installed and a download time is set. If you do not have Automatic Updates, you can download a new version from the Microsoft website.
Once you've installed all the necessary security components you should lock the administrator account on the computer. This can be done by setting up a new password under User Accounts, on the Control Panel Menu. Choose a password that you can remember, but is not too easy to guess. For each person that uses the computer you will want to create a user account, with or without passwords. If you want to make sure your new computer is further protected you could place it in a private room where guests will not be able to access it. Often the living room or kitchen is not the best place for your computer, but a bedroom or office is much better.
If you've noticed lately that you computer is running slow or taking a long time to load internet pages you may be under attack from a predator. Online threats are actually quite common, and the more time you spend on the internet, the more likely you are to be attacked. Often times, downloading programs and files from the internet can be pretty risky too. Many P2P or file sharing programs like Kazaa often are installed with Trojans and spyware that can harm your computer and cause damage.
There are basically two kinds of damaging spyware that can be put on your computer; adware and malware. Malware is software that was designed to damage computer systems and includes Trojans, worms, viruses, and other spyware tools. Most all of these internet tools are illegal in all states, and punishable by law. People that create internet annoyances can, and do go to jail.
Adware is software that is supported by advertising like messenger service and browser tools. Adware automatically displays pop ups and advertisements, sometimes with sound and video when you are online, and it is annoying at most but usually doesn't cause extensive damage. Sometimes adware can make your other programs load slowly and also cause conflicts when surfing the net or playing interactive games. Adware is usually bundled with other downloadable programs so if downloading, choose Custom Install to pick what components will be installed, and which ones will not.
Before you connect to the internet directly from your new computer, you will want to install some sort of software protection. Windows XP only comes with a partial firewall that protects you when surfing online. It's called the Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) and it will protect you when checking email and that sort of thing, but when it comes to software you are virtually unprotected. Software firewalls will protect your computer from hackers, and block all attempts to steal or copy your software. Make sure that you install a 2-way firewall that scans all incoming and outgoing files. Using a software firewall will help keep Windows functioning properly, and will also help stop transmission of data to spyware creators.
After you have installed a software firewall you will want to also install a hardware firewall. It seems extensive, but you are asking for trouble if you do not install the necessary security components. When you are setting up your wireless or internet connection you should make sure your PC files and devices like printers, cameras, and scanners are protected from online predators. Any home wireless router or broadband connection offers some sort of firewall protection, but as with the software firewall you should back it up with a regular firewall program.
Now you computer is pretty much ready to go online, and it is safe to connect your broadband router or wireless source. Before you start checking email and surfing your favorite web page there is one page you should visit first. Go to http://www.downloads.microsoft.com and download the following programs:
• Windows XP Service Pack 2- SP2 is a system patching tool for Windows security that fixes the many glitches in the new operating system.
• Internet Explorer Service Pack 1- SP1 is a system maintenance tool for Internet Explorer 6.0 and above.
• Windows Defender- In the past this download was called Microsoft Anti-Spyware Beta. Windows defender will help protect your computer from all sorts of online terror like worms, Trojans, hackers, and viruses.
After you have downloaded each of the programs, install and run them on your computer. You should also check to make sure that your Windows Automatic Updates are installed and a download time is set. If you do not have Automatic Updates, you can download a new version from the Microsoft website.
Once you've installed all the necessary security components you should lock the administrator account on the computer. This can be done by setting up a new password under User Accounts, on the Control Panel Menu. Choose a password that you can remember, but is not too easy to guess. For each person that uses the computer you will want to create a user account, with or without passwords. If you want to make sure your new computer is further protected you could place it in a private room where guests will not be able to access it. Often the living room or kitchen is not the best place for your computer, but a bedroom or office is much better.
If you've noticed lately that you computer is running slow or taking a long time to load internet pages you may be under attack from a predator. Online threats are actually quite common, and the more time you spend on the internet, the more likely you are to be attacked. Often times, downloading programs and files from the internet can be pretty risky too. Many P2P or file sharing programs like Kazaa often are installed with Trojans and spyware that can harm your computer and cause damage.
There are basically two kinds of damaging spyware that can be put on your computer; adware and malware. Malware is software that was designed to damage computer systems and includes Trojans, worms, viruses, and other spyware tools. Most all of these internet tools are illegal in all states, and punishable by law. People that create internet annoyances can, and do go to jail.
Adware is software that is supported by advertising like messenger service and browser tools. Adware automatically displays pop ups and advertisements, sometimes with sound and video when you are online, and it is annoying at most but usually doesn't cause extensive damage. Sometimes adware can make your other programs load slowly and also cause conflicts when surfing the net or playing interactive games. Adware is usually bundled with other downloadable programs so if downloading, choose Custom Install to pick what components will be installed, and which ones will not.
Tips and Tricks to Increase the Speed of Your Computer
A computer being used over time collates many miscellaneous files, registry entries, programs, extra downloaded files. It can become over a long period of use like an unorganized filing cabinet and you will find your computer is much slower than when you first purchased it.
Here are some tips and tricks that can assist in increasing the speed of your computer.
Remove by Uninstalling any programs no longer in use.
Remove those programs, utilities, games and trial software that you may not have used for three months or longer. All those programs are doing is clogging up space that can be used for future items you may wish to use on your computer at a later date.
In Windows XP - Click on the Start Menu, click on Control Panel, click twice on Add Remove programs. Click once on each program and click once on the Uninstall item.
In Windows Vista - Click on the Start Menu Circle, click on Control Panel, click twice on Programs And Features. Click once on each program and click once on the Uninstall item.
Most computer users follow the old 20/80 rule, we tend to use 20% of our programs, 80% of the time.
Remove Unnecessary Start Up Programs
This is a feature inherent in almost all versions of windows, this is designed to as your Windows computer starts to have a facility to automatically start a certain number of programs. Whilst a handy feature, it uses up Ram and usually these programs can be started form your All Programs menu or via a shortcut on the desktop. Most often programs that run are the Sound Bar, CDDVD utilities, Music Players, Instant message programs, and many more.
In both Windows XP and Vista - Click on the Start Menu, click once on Run, type in the white box 'msconfig' (without the quotes) and press enter once on the keyboard. Click once on the Startup tab. You will see a list of Programs, if you are unsure what program to deselect (by clicking once on those items with a green tick), a quick search on Google or Yahoo can assist with identifying the program name. One word of caution here, do not turn off your Anti virus program. If you are unsure what these programs are, leave for now.
When you restart your computer, a message will appear stating "you have made changes to the way Windows Starts'. Click once on 'Do not show this message in future. This message will then not reappear again unless you make further changes within msconfig.
Clear your Registry of clutter
Your registry is where alot of information on how Windows will perform certain tasks when a computer starts and what function to perform when programs are started. Over time some items may not have been fully cleared out (like when installing certain older programs may leave some registry entries). Download ccleaner at ccleaner download. This is a great utility for removing unwanted registry entries that also provides a facility to backup the Registry before cleaning.
Change The Virtual Memory Settings
Virtual memory is used by all Windows computers by placing some temporary information onto the hard drive when the computer runs out of physical ram. This is most noticeable when running high graphic games, creating movies, encoding sound or music and rendering on CAD programs. Most day to day tasks will hardly use Virtual Memory. The basic setting will shrink and grow Virtual Memory when windows needs it.
Click on the Start Menu, click once on Control Panel, click twice on the System icon and click once on the Advanced System Properties tab. Near the top of the dialog box you will see a heading called "Performance', to the right click once on the settings... button. Click once on the advanced tab, click once on the change button next to the Virtual memory heading. In this dialog box, click once on custom size. Type in a number that is 1.5 times your physical Ram. So if your Ram is one Gigabyte (1024 Megabytes), type in the number '1536'. Click the OK button, click the OK button, click the OK button.
If you have 4 Gigabytes of Ram, make the setting 4095, windows will not accept a number above this.
Get rid of the temporary files on the computer
Over time, each time you open some programs (like Microsoft Office), open a photo, use your Internet browser, download a program, play music, temporary files are created and stored for 'quicker' access by windows to provide the illusion that windows will find these files faster. In fact your computer will become slower whilst windows tries to find these files and update them to your new ones. Here is how to clear your temporary files.
Click on the Start Menu, click once on Run, type in the white box 'cleanmgr.exe' ,press enter on he keybpoard, select all files to remove. This will remove all temporary files you select.
Also - backup and remove from your computer any files you don't really use often, these files are usually, emails (archive and delete), photos, music and videos.
Defragment the Hard drive and remove the Indexing Service
Over time windows moves files around on your hard drive as you add or remove files and programs, these files are cut up into 'bits', these bits start next to one another and will, over time, spread apart. The net effect is it will take the computer extra seconds to find all the bits and run the file or program.
From the desktop, click twice on My Computer, right click once, click twice on your C: drive, on the menu that appears, click once on properties, click once on the tools tab, click once on Defrag now. Usually as this process can take several hours, run this process overnight.
Whilst we are here, click once on the General tab, and down the bottom of the box, if there is a green tick in the 'Index this drive for faster searching', deselect it, so there is no tick. This is a a great feature, yet if you are not constantly looking for files nearly everyday, having this feature turned on will slow the computer.
Run Your Anti Virus and AntiSpyware Programs
Run your usual anti virus and antispyware programs, these should be run weekly as a matter of course. This will also help remove any unwanted programs that download without your permission (Spyware) and remove any lurking virus' your computer may have. You may have these items already and may have read elsewhere about these types of programs. If you haven't , at a minimum, obtain these three programs.
Spybot Search And Destroy
Adaware Personal Edition
AVG Personal Anti Virus
The Ultimate Computer Speed Up
Now not for the uninitiated, one of the best ways to provide a dramatic speed boost is too backup all your files, clear the hard drive entirely and re-Install Windows fresh. The downside to this is putting your programs back on one by one, reconnecting your Internet and putting your files you want to use back onto the computer.
A computer being used over time collates many miscellaneous files, registry entries, programs, extra downloaded files. It can become over a long period of use like an unorganized filing cabinet and you will find your computer is much slower than when you first purchased it.
Here are some tips and tricks that can assist in increasing the speed of your computer.
Remove by Uninstalling any programs no longer in use.
Remove those programs, utilities, games and trial software that you may not have used for three months or longer. All those programs are doing is clogging up space that can be used for future items you may wish to use on your computer at a later date.
In Windows XP - Click on the Start Menu, click on Control Panel, click twice on Add Remove programs. Click once on each program and click once on the Uninstall item.
In Windows Vista - Click on the Start Menu Circle, click on Control Panel, click twice on Programs And Features. Click once on each program and click once on the Uninstall item.
Most computer users follow the old 20/80 rule, we tend to use 20% of our programs, 80% of the time.
Remove Unnecessary Start Up Programs
This is a feature inherent in almost all versions of windows, this is designed to as your Windows computer starts to have a facility to automatically start a certain number of programs. Whilst a handy feature, it uses up Ram and usually these programs can be started form your All Programs menu or via a shortcut on the desktop. Most often programs that run are the Sound Bar, CDDVD utilities, Music Players, Instant message programs, and many more.
In both Windows XP and Vista - Click on the Start Menu, click once on Run, type in the white box 'msconfig' (without the quotes) and press enter once on the keyboard. Click once on the Startup tab. You will see a list of Programs, if you are unsure what program to deselect (by clicking once on those items with a green tick), a quick search on Google or Yahoo can assist with identifying the program name. One word of caution here, do not turn off your Anti virus program. If you are unsure what these programs are, leave for now.
When you restart your computer, a message will appear stating "you have made changes to the way Windows Starts'. Click once on 'Do not show this message in future. This message will then not reappear again unless you make further changes within msconfig.
Clear your Registry of clutter
Your registry is where alot of information on how Windows will perform certain tasks when a computer starts and what function to perform when programs are started. Over time some items may not have been fully cleared out (like when installing certain older programs may leave some registry entries). Download ccleaner at ccleaner download. This is a great utility for removing unwanted registry entries that also provides a facility to backup the Registry before cleaning.
Change The Virtual Memory Settings
Virtual memory is used by all Windows computers by placing some temporary information onto the hard drive when the computer runs out of physical ram. This is most noticeable when running high graphic games, creating movies, encoding sound or music and rendering on CAD programs. Most day to day tasks will hardly use Virtual Memory. The basic setting will shrink and grow Virtual Memory when windows needs it.
Click on the Start Menu, click once on Control Panel, click twice on the System icon and click once on the Advanced System Properties tab. Near the top of the dialog box you will see a heading called "Performance', to the right click once on the settings... button. Click once on the advanced tab, click once on the change button next to the Virtual memory heading. In this dialog box, click once on custom size. Type in a number that is 1.5 times your physical Ram. So if your Ram is one Gigabyte (1024 Megabytes), type in the number '1536'. Click the OK button, click the OK button, click the OK button.
If you have 4 Gigabytes of Ram, make the setting 4095, windows will not accept a number above this.
Get rid of the temporary files on the computer
Over time, each time you open some programs (like Microsoft Office), open a photo, use your Internet browser, download a program, play music, temporary files are created and stored for 'quicker' access by windows to provide the illusion that windows will find these files faster. In fact your computer will become slower whilst windows tries to find these files and update them to your new ones. Here is how to clear your temporary files.
Click on the Start Menu, click once on Run, type in the white box 'cleanmgr.exe' ,press enter on he keybpoard, select all files to remove. This will remove all temporary files you select.
Also - backup and remove from your computer any files you don't really use often, these files are usually, emails (archive and delete), photos, music and videos.
Defragment the Hard drive and remove the Indexing Service
Over time windows moves files around on your hard drive as you add or remove files and programs, these files are cut up into 'bits', these bits start next to one another and will, over time, spread apart. The net effect is it will take the computer extra seconds to find all the bits and run the file or program.
From the desktop, click twice on My Computer, right click once, click twice on your C: drive, on the menu that appears, click once on properties, click once on the tools tab, click once on Defrag now. Usually as this process can take several hours, run this process overnight.
Whilst we are here, click once on the General tab, and down the bottom of the box, if there is a green tick in the 'Index this drive for faster searching', deselect it, so there is no tick. This is a a great feature, yet if you are not constantly looking for files nearly everyday, having this feature turned on will slow the computer.
Run Your Anti Virus and AntiSpyware Programs
Run your usual anti virus and antispyware programs, these should be run weekly as a matter of course. This will also help remove any unwanted programs that download without your permission (Spyware) and remove any lurking virus' your computer may have. You may have these items already and may have read elsewhere about these types of programs. If you haven't , at a minimum, obtain these three programs.
Spybot Search And Destroy
Adaware Personal Edition
AVG Personal Anti Virus
The Ultimate Computer Speed Up
Now not for the uninitiated, one of the best ways to provide a dramatic speed boost is too backup all your files, clear the hard drive entirely and re-Install Windows fresh. The downside to this is putting your programs back on one by one, reconnecting your Internet and putting your files you want to use back onto the computer.
Cyberlink DVD Solution has features that allow consumers to copy and burn videos, images and other files onto CD-R disks and DVDs. This product also allows users to watch DVDs on a desktop or laptop computer using Power DVD. Although Cyberlink DVD Solution is easy to use, this product can be very aggravating. The menus and buttons for this product are self-explanatory. Each selected task has easy instructions that are very helpful for consumers that are not tech savvy.
One good thing about Cyberlink DVD Solution is the design and ease of use. It is not a complicated product to use if you want to burn a few CD collections of Beyonce or back up files on your computer. The layout is easy to maneuver through and follow the instructions. However, Cyberlink DVD Solution can be very slow when burning a CD or DVD. This only occurs when it can actually burn a DVD. This computer software product cannot easily read all DVDs that are authored elsewhere.
Some schools and companies use Power DVD for various tasks. I have tried to copy a DVD using Cyberlink DVD Solution and have encountered problems. After appearing to copy and burn one movie onto a blank DVD-R, this program was not able to do so. The original DVD was authored using a stand-alone DVD Recorder and Macintosh computer. Therefore, consumers who plan on copying DVDs should research the compatible formats with Cyberlink DVD Solution before purchasing this product.
Another problem with Cyberlink Solution is with its sidekick program, Power DVD. This computer software program is used to watch DVD movies and videos on home computers. Many times than none, Power DVD freezes up or causes movies to skip. It creates an unpleasant viewing experience. Many computer software products freeze or skip sometimes. However, this should not happen frequently. Frequent viewing problems are the case with Power DVD. It causes one to close the program and use other video programs to watch movies.
In these cases, it may be best to just watch a DVD movie on a regular DVD player and skip the computer viewing altogether. The only thing that Cyberlink DVD Solution seems to be good for is copying photos and files onto CD-R or DVD-R disks. Any other task will cause absolute stress. With the availability or more reliable computer products, this is not worth it. Unless Cyberlink DVD Solution is provided for free, it is not worth the time or stress. Even if you can get it for free, there is not much that can be done with the product because of the many glitches.
Cyberlink DVD Solution is a nicely designed program. It is also easy to use for average consumers and home computer owners. However, it takes too much time and effort to watch a movie using Power DVD. Cyberlink DVD Solution also causes too much aggravation when trying to decide which DVD movie is compatible enough to copy with the program. This can be a good product to use as a backup, but not as your main choice for DVD viewing, burning and copying.
One good thing about Cyberlink DVD Solution is the design and ease of use. It is not a complicated product to use if you want to burn a few CD collections of Beyonce or back up files on your computer. The layout is easy to maneuver through and follow the instructions. However, Cyberlink DVD Solution can be very slow when burning a CD or DVD. This only occurs when it can actually burn a DVD. This computer software product cannot easily read all DVDs that are authored elsewhere.
Some schools and companies use Power DVD for various tasks. I have tried to copy a DVD using Cyberlink DVD Solution and have encountered problems. After appearing to copy and burn one movie onto a blank DVD-R, this program was not able to do so. The original DVD was authored using a stand-alone DVD Recorder and Macintosh computer. Therefore, consumers who plan on copying DVDs should research the compatible formats with Cyberlink DVD Solution before purchasing this product.
Another problem with Cyberlink Solution is with its sidekick program, Power DVD. This computer software program is used to watch DVD movies and videos on home computers. Many times than none, Power DVD freezes up or causes movies to skip. It creates an unpleasant viewing experience. Many computer software products freeze or skip sometimes. However, this should not happen frequently. Frequent viewing problems are the case with Power DVD. It causes one to close the program and use other video programs to watch movies.
In these cases, it may be best to just watch a DVD movie on a regular DVD player and skip the computer viewing altogether. The only thing that Cyberlink DVD Solution seems to be good for is copying photos and files onto CD-R or DVD-R disks. Any other task will cause absolute stress. With the availability or more reliable computer products, this is not worth it. Unless Cyberlink DVD Solution is provided for free, it is not worth the time or stress. Even if you can get it for free, there is not much that can be done with the product because of the many glitches.
Cyberlink DVD Solution is a nicely designed program. It is also easy to use for average consumers and home computer owners. However, it takes too much time and effort to watch a movie using Power DVD. Cyberlink DVD Solution also causes too much aggravation when trying to decide which DVD movie is compatible enough to copy with the program. This can be a good product to use as a backup, but not as your main choice for DVD viewing, burning and copying.
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