9 Basic Safety Rules Necessary For Preventing Computer Infection

By Charles Uwalaka

The most reliable and thought-out measures cannot provide you with 100% protection from computer viruses and Trojans, but, with this set of 9 rules in mind, you will significantly lower the likelihood of virus attacks and the level of potential damage.

One of the basic methods of battling viruses is, as in medicine, well-timed prevention. Computer prophylactics involve a rather small number of rules that, if complied with, can significantly lower the likelihood of being infected with a virus and losing data.

The basic safety rules are given below. By following them, you can avoid virus attacks.

Rule No. 1: Use antivirus software and Internet security programs. To do so:

• Install your anti-virus as soon as possible.
• Regularly update the threat signatures of the program. You can update the signatures several times per day during virus outbreaks. In such situations, the threat signatures on your anti-virus provider update servers are updated immediately.
• Select the security settings recommended by anti-virus provider for your computer. You will be protected constantly from the moment the computer is turned on and it will be harder for viruses to get onto your computer.
• Configure the settings for complete scan recommended by the anti-virus experts and schedule scans for at least once per week. If you have not installed Anti-Hacker, we recommend that you do so to protect your computer when using the Internet.

Rule No. 2: Use caution when copying new data to your computer:

• Scan all removable storage drives for viruses (floppies, CDs, flash drives, etc.) before using them.
• Treat e-mails with caution. Do not open any files that have come through e-mail if you are not certain that they were really supposed to be sent to you, even if they were sent by people you know.
• Be careful with information obtained through the Internet. If any web site suggests that you install a new program, be certain that it has a security certificate.
• If you are copying an executable file from the Internet or local network, be sure to scan it with your anti-virus.
• Use discretion when selecting which web sites you visit. Many sites are infected with dangerous script viruses or Internet worms.

Rule No. 3: Pay close attention to information from your anti-virus provider.

In most cases, your anti-virus provider announces a new outbreak long before it reaches its peak. The likelihood of the infection in such a case is not so great, and once you download the threat signature updates, you will have plenty of time to protect yourself from the new virus.

Rule No. 4: Do not trust virus hoaxes, such as prank programs and e-mails about infection threats.

Rule No. 5: Use the Microsoft Windows Update tool and regularly install Microsoft Windows operating system updates.

Rule No. 6: Buy legit copies of software from official distributors.

Rule No. 7: Limit the number of people who are allowed to use your computer.

Rule No. 8: Lower the risk of unpleasant consequences of a potential infection:

• Back up data regularly. If you lose your data, the system can fairly quickly be restored if you have backup copies. Store distribution floppies, CDs, flash drives, and other storage media with software and valuable information in a safe place.
• Create a Rescue Disk that you can boot with, using a clean operating system.

Rule No. 9: Regularly inspect the list of programs installed on your computer. To do so, open Install/Remove Programs in the Control Panel or view the contents of the Program Files directory or the startup folder. You can discover software here that was installed on your computer without your knowledge, for example, while you were using the Internet or installing a program. Some of them are almost always potentially dangerous programs.

Charles is a prolific writer with several years of experience on issues that has to do with computer security system and how to deal with any threat to your computer security. For helpful information on what to do when your operating system (computer) is attacked or what to do for adequate protection visit http://pcsecurity.fateback.com

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Fraudulent Online Web Charges - 6 Tips to Protect Yourself

By Barbara Filla

Here's what I learned from my experience this week. Hopefully my story and tips will help you become more aware and more astute in protecting yourself from unauthorized charges to your credit card or checking accounts from the internet.

Nearly $600 hit my business checking account as an 'immediate transfer charge' from internet Merchant Account, i.e., Paypal. It could be one of many internet services where we have an account.

I received letter from bank saying I need to add cash to my checking account to cover that transfer charge, which was denied because of insufficient funds in my account.

I knew I did not purchase anything that large recently. I contacted the Merchant Account and they had already put a 'hold' on my account as they recognized this as an unusual charge. The hold would prevent additional transactions to the account in the future. (Don't assume that all merchant account companies will do this, because they don't.)

But the existing unauthorized fraudulent transaction would be presented again to my checking account until a letter of denial was received from my bank or there was sufficient funds in the account again. Wow, that's dangerous because I fund that account when I pay my monthly bills! So at some point, there could be cash enough to cover the charges!

I was lucky this time because my account had minimal balance right now.

The error correction process is circular making it difficult to make changes, reverse errors, and protect your cash. Technology is not as flexible as a real person.

Six Tips to Protect Yourself From Fraudulent Online Purchases

This is general information, and is not intended to be a comprehensive list. But these tips will give you a good head start on staving off fraudulent online purchases.

Tip 1: Only buy goods from secure websites you know and trust. Secure website addresses start with https and may use a security system such as Verified by Visa or MasterCard SecureCode security for online payments.

Tip 2: Credit cards are by far the safest way to pay online, according to the National Consumers League. That's because your liability is limited to $50 under the Fair Credit Billing Act.

Many credit-card companies have $0 liability policies. This means you won't be held accountable for any fraudulent purchases.

However, read the fine print. MasterCard has zero liability policy good only for U.S. issued cards. And you are limited to one purchase in last 12 months, plus your account must be in good standing.

Tip 3: Look for time limits on filing a claim. Some companies require a claim must be filed within 30 days of the fraud.

Tip 4: Never click on links or attachments in emails unless you are 100% sure that the email is legitimate. Protect yourself by always typing in the address of your bank or online shopping site yourself, rather than by following links.

Tip 5: Debit card payments have limitations. Your liability limit under federal law increases the longer you wait to report any unauthorized activity. If you report it within two days, your liability is capped at $50. Wait longer than two days, though, and it skyrockets to $500.

And if you don't report the unauthorized debit transaction within 60 days, you could be liable for the full amount -- even if it exceeds $500, says the Federal Trade Commission

Tip 6: Review the charges to your bank and credit card accounts regularly, at least weekly. I've always done this and have caught several errors. These days I think this kind of review is more important than ever before.

Have a happy day and keep your cash safe.

Barbara Filla Business and Life Coach and Successful Entrepreneur, helps many become the next success story. Whether you're looking to create and build a successful business, be an ex-corporate CEO of your own home-based business, the next millionaire Mom or Dad, Barbara can assist you to create a primary or second stream of income and greater peace of mind. http://netwebmarketer.com/barbarafilla/wordpress

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3 Simple Things Students Should Look For in a New Laptop

By Doug Cook

There are several things to take into consideration when purchasing a laptop for school. Space, type of tasks, battery life, size, and price are all important components of your decision. I have had experience with several different makes of machines and I will outline here the pros and cons of each. But first, make note of these general laptop words of advice. Here are 3 easy things to keep in mind when you are making your purchase.

1. WHEN BUYING A LAPTOP, ALWAYS PURCHASE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY.
-Why always? Because things happen no matter the brand when it comes to laptops. The last thing you want is to be writing an important paper and suddenly your hard drive craps out on you, and you are stuck one month out of the warranty that it came with.

2. DON'T THINK THAT A HIGHER PRICE MEANS GREATER COMPUTING POWER

There are brands out there that will stick it to you in the form of fancy software and features that a student just doesn't need. Find a sales associate and explain the tasks you will be performing with your laptop. They should be able to fit your needs with an appropriate product within your price range.

3. DO NOT BUY FIRST GENERATION PRODUCTS.

I purchased a MacBook when they were first introduced with Intel processors. I had a laundry list of errors and hardware failures that could have been avoided if I had chosen a product that had its bugs worked out. The only thing that was pleasant about it was the customer service that apple is known for.

Looking for a list of free software as well as more tips for students?

Go to http://donein4.com to find it!

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You Probably Need to Change Your Password

By Davey W Miller

In an article that has Change Your Password as part of the title, it's fairly clear what I'll be discussing: that's right, Change Your Password! It's a pain, we dislike it, and with all the various forms that you fill out online, sometimes you just can't remember new passwords every single time! But those are all very very good reasons that each person reading these words should have at least some kind of "tickler" that reminds you to change your password a few times every year.

1. It's a pain to change your password. If you don't change your password frequently, the "bad guys" will find it. And can I tell you something straight up, when they get some very personal information from you, they won't think it's a pain. At all. So change your password before the bad guys get a chance to hack into your system. (And don't think they are not trying even as you read this. They are).

2. We dislike changing our passwords Of course we do. That goes right along with it being a pain.We dislike having someone we don't know remind us that it's time to "change your password." Yeah, yeah, yeah, you say. Sometimes for your own security you need to-repeat after me-change your password.

3. Different forms, different passwords. You can argue all day about the need to keep different passwords to access different online accounts. These accounts range from library to banking accounts to amazon to paypal to ebay. Informational to Financial to pretty much everything in between, people want some information from you. Some may require a short password plus your email account. Others, such as a bank, should require more stronger account and password information. Fortunately, not all passwords or accounts are created equally.

However, there are some really good inexpensive (and free) programs on the market that will help you organize your growing list of passwords so that black hat types can't find you before it's time yet again to change your password.

In my next post, I will discuss tools you can use to help you organize your passwords so that when you do change your password, it will all be recorded.

Davey Miller is a technical writer who loves to tell people to Change Your Password. Yeah, he doesn't get out all that much...

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Easily Stay on Top of Microsoft Driver Updates

By James Cannon

Trying to find all the latest Microsoft driver updates can be a very frustrating and tedious chore if you go about it the usual way, but it really doesn't have to be. Today we have an alternative means for staying up to date with all the latest updates, as well as making sure we're using the best ones for our system.

Drivers are an extremely important part of your PC's performance, simply because they are what make your devices work. With so many different models of all types of components, computers actually only communicate with them on a very basic level. They send generic signals out to a device whose corresponding driver then translates into commands and functions the device understands. Without the correct driver, not only are you missing out on some of the best features a device has to offer, but you are highly vulnerable to errors and system instability.

Unfortunately, drivers are the type of thing where you only know if they're not working properly once a device stops responding or errors start appearing. Add in the fact that tracking down the right drivers that you need has you spending lots of time and energy using a search engine and wading through page after page of useless information, the whole idea of keeping up to date and well optimized seems nearly impossible. But it isn't.

Microsoft driver updates can be tracked easily using automatic driver software. These programs not only make sure your system is the most up to date it could possibly be, they also do standard driver health checks which ensure that you're using the best, official, and most importantly, working, driver for your devices.

Scanning your system and identifying all its devices, these software titles will then make a report based on their findings. From there, you are given the option to download and install the most up to date, official and correct drivers for your system.

So if you've been frustrated trying to find all the latest Microsoft driver updates, give one of these software titles a try. You may be shocked to learn just how out of date your system really is.

For my personal recommendation on which of these titles you should be using, visit today for a free scan and learn just how easy standard computer maintenance can be with the right tools!

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The Blue Screen of Death - Not Good News

By John Mowatt

Some kinds of computer errors will completely shut down your computer. An error of this kind is called a Stop Error for obvious reasons. There are a number of different kinds of Stop error and one quite well known and feared example is the blue screen of death or BSOD for short.

In the case of a BSOD error you will be shown an error code and a message on the blue screen. The error code and the message will help you find a starting point for correction of the problem. A BSOD problem can be the result of either a hardware or software malfunction. A hardware problem is however the most likely cause.

Examination of the BSOD will show the error description such as KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED along with a decimal number error code. The BSOD screen will tell you how to undertake some troubleshooting of the problem under the error details.

This troubleshooting process will tell you to

1. Make certain that any new hardware or software which you have recently installed has been properly installed.
2. Remove or disable the newly added software or hardware item to see if this resolves the problem.

This error description will show the eight digit decimal numbered error code. Four more numbers in parentheses will usually be present and give more information about the error.

Here are some ways you may go about repairing the BSOD errors:

A. The first thing you should do is to use your antivirus program to scan and remove any viruses which could be causing your computer problem.

B. Use a good antispyware application to scan the hard drive for malware. There are good free applications such as SPYBOT or ADAWARE which you can download on the internet to scan for and remove malware.

C. Check the memory sticks in your computer to ensure that your RAM is working properly. If you find any evidence of damage it will be necessary to remove and replace the damaged memory stick.

D. If the BSOD happens soon after you have installed new software try uninstalling the software to see if this resolves the error.

E. If you have just installed or updated a driver use the Device Manager which is installed in your computer to uninstall or reinstall the driver and the update.

Finally if none of the above have corrected the problem there is a good probability that the crash has been caused by a corrupt registry.

The registry is a huge databank which contains all the files used by the operating system to run the computer. Over some time as the computer is used many fragments of data can accumulate in your registry causing it to bcome corrupted. The operating system then has difficulty in accessing the data it requires to run the machine.

As a result the computer runs slow and you should use one of the top registry cleaners to fix registry problems. There are a number of Windows XP registry cleaners available for download from the internet.

A good windows reg cleaner will first offer you a free scan to determine whether or not you actually need to fix registry problems.You can check the results of this absolutely free scan and decide whether or not you want to do registry repair. Actually it is highly advisable to use the Windows registry repair software to do the job for you. If you attempt it manually and remove just one essential entry by mistake you may disable your computer.

A good PC registry repair application will do the job quickly and easily. This is good PC registry repair. We tested several of the popular Windows XP registry cleaners and found that whilst they will all do the job some are much better than others. We found one in particular which provided superior results.

Would you like to have an absolutely free scan of your computer to fix registry errors? Would you like to know which of the Windows XP registry cleaners we found to be by far the best? Check out our website for lots of free information and resources: Computer runs slow

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Have Your Computer Been Hijacked?

Google Hijack Virus - How to Remove the Google Hijack Virus
By Jim Marshall

Have you been infected with the Google hijack virus? You are probably aware of the symptoms. You type a specific term into the search engine. When you click on the link you are suddenly redirected to an advertisement site.

At first I thought it was a new tactic from Google to make some extra advertising revenue. But then I quickly learned that it is actually a virus planted on your computer from a malicious party to hijack your system.

Unfortunately it can get worse than simply redirecting your searches. Some strains of the Google hijack virus have been shown to have spyware. What spyware does is use sketchy practices to record sensitive information on your computer. This can include passwords, credit card, bank account, and other private data.

Typically the Google virus will get onto your system through a browser hijacker. Certain sites can secretly take over your browser and infect it without you even knowing about it. This is why it is best to have some kind of real time protection running when browsing the web.

Google Hijack Virus Removal

In order to remove the Google hijack virus, you need to get into the registry. Just a little warning first. Do not attempt to remove or alter registry entries unless you are a COMPUTER EXPERT. If you begin messing with the wrong files you can cause severe damage to your system.

Go into the registry editor by clicking "run" and typing "regedit". Look into the following folders and eliminate any suspicious looking files.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\

HKEY_USERS\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\

Unfortunately the files can take on random names so we cannot predict which they are. But for those of you who have an intimate knowledge of the registry they should stick out.

Remove Google Hijack Virus Automatically

For those who aren't computer experts, there is an easier way. Simply scan your computer with a specialized Google virus removal tool. Follow the instructions and you should be free of the virus in minutes. The software also offers real time protection to prevent future attacks.

Tired of viruses infecting your computer? Want to surf the web with the peace of mind that your computer is safe and secure? Get your free scan from the top virus protection and remove Google hijack virus.

Jim Marshall is an expert computer technician with fifteen years of experience in the industry. Since his own computer was destroyed by malicious software, he has been studying antispyware, adware, and malware systems for years. His website details the comprehensive results of this research, ranking the best antispyware and antivirus programs available.

http://www.spyware-fix.net

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