Play it safe with these suggestions
Flu season never stops in the computer world. To avoid getting
infected or exploited, YourPCDoctor recommends the following steps:
- Check Windows
Update daily
- Have an active
anti-virus
client installed and running with up-to-date virus definitions,
preferably one that does real-time scanning
- Update your computer's virus definitions daily
- Scan for viruses weekly
- Don't open any .EXE,
.COM,
.VBS,
.SCR or
.PIF file,
no matter *who* sent it to you. This is the quickest way
of getting infected
- Microsoft will *never* send you an email with an attachment telling you to
install it. *Never* install patches that someone sends
you, no matter *who* sent it to you
- Email is not encrypted and travels from your computer
to your internet
service provider's server in
clear text.
If someone is connected to your wireless network and you don't
know it, they could be reading your email, therefore never give
the following out via email or
IM:
- password
- credit card number
- social security number
tips to Keep Spyware Off Your Computer
Spyware or
adware is rampant. Spyware and
adware are programs
that are installed on your computer (often without your
knowledge) that sends your information to advertisers or
identity thieves or will send advertising to you.
Spyware can
slow your computer down to the point that it is almost unusable
and can damage your computer to the point that it has to be
reformatted. Here are some tips to protect yourself from
spyware.
Tips to Protect Yourself from Spyware
- Read User Agreements Before Clicking Yes to Protect
Yourself from Spyware
User agreements often contain warnings that other software
will be installed if you agree.
- Be Careful of Advertising That Looks Like Windows
Warnings to Protect Yourself from Spyware
When online, some advertisements are cleverly disguised to
look like Windows warning dialog windows when they are a way
to install spyware on your computer. One of the catches are
that no matter if you click yes or no, the results are the
same - spyware is installed.
- Carefully Read Windows Warnings That Present
Themselves While Surfing to Protect Yourself from Spyware
Often Internet Explorer or Windows will warn you when a
program is trying to be installed - often that is spyware.
Carefully read the warning and don't just click yes so you
can go on surfing. Make sure to warn your children about
this.
- Install a Program to Detect Spyware and Scan Often to
Protect Yourself from Spyware
Programs are available to detect and remove spyware.
- Update Windows and Your Browser to Protect Yourself
from Spyware
All versions of Windows and browsers have security holes.
Often these security holes aren't found until virus and
spyware writers find them. Once they are found, then patches
can be added to original program to secure the hole. The
only w ay to do this is to regularly update Windows and your
browser so spyware is not installed on your computer.
- Be Leery of Installing Shareware and Free Programs to
Protect Yourself from Spyware
Not all programs that are free or low-cost are necessarily
bad but you need to be careful. Often programs that are
given away for free will contain spyware so the author and
distributor can make money from it.
- Install a Firewall to Protect Yourself from Spyware
Installing a firewall can protect you from unwanted
intruders and spyware programs.
- Increase Windows Security Settings to Protect
Yourself from Spyware
There are many ways to increase the security for the Windows
operating system to avoid spyware.
This
page has some great ideas for Windows XP. Specific
security instructions for Internet Explorer can be found at
the
Network Security site.
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