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I've had a personal computer since, yes, 1981. Throughout the years, some concerns, such as security, have remained constant, while others, such as the proliferating amount of scumware, are new. On this page, I have distilled a very tiny amount of the important things you should know if you are connecting to the Internet.
As long as there have been computers, security has always been an issue. Today, with high-speed access such as cable modems and DSL, many people have an even greater risk of having their computer security violated and their systems hacked.
For example, here is a screen shot of one of the several attacks that have been made on my computer in just a few hours (I've hidden identifying information):
These attacks can be made against anyone's computer. But how can you make sure your system is secure if you aren't a computer expert? To paraphrase an Alan Parson's song, this used to be a problem, but isn't anymore. There is an excellent firewall available called ZoneAlarm (and one version of it is free!). (A firewall is a security system that prevents unwanted intrusions, such as from hackers, onto your computer. You would be surprised and dismayed at how many times someone tries to hack into your computer every hour!)
Read on...
Make your computer much more secure (and help support this Web site!) by purchasing your own personal firewall: ZoneAlarm Pro. ZoneAlarm Pro is a firewall, and it also blocks ads and cookies (configurable). I use it too!
View more information on ZoneAlarm Pro
You can also download the free version, which doesn't have as many features but will still keep your system just as secure.
ZoneAlarm Pro was PC Magazine's Editor's Choice on January 16, 2001. "Offering the most robust feature set of these personal firewalls, Zone Labs' ZoneAlarm Pro forms a barrier between your system and the Internet, protecting against intrusion, guarding against many types of malicious email attachments, and preventing programs from secretly sending personal information out over the Internet."
For more information on personal computer security, including some free tests to see how secure your system is, see Steve Gibson's site on computer security. There's a lot of very technical information at this Web site, but trust me—there are also some very easy tests you can run just by clicking a button. Start with Shields Up!, then proceed to LeakTest.
Be sure to have a good anti-virus program as well, such as Norton Anti-Virus, and don't open email attachments that are in any way suspicious, even if they are from someone you know and trust.
One of the unfortunate and distressing side-effects of the freedom of the Internet is that certain lower life forms can also use it. These lower life forms see nothing wrong with invading your privacy and ripping off Web site owners at the same time. (They probably crow about how they can kill two birds with one stone.)
Despite my contempt for this kind of lower life form, I would never want to retract any of our freedoms. Education in self-responsibility is my credo. My site does not use banner advertising, pop-up ads, scumware, spyware, or similar advertising or privacy-invading software. That's why this page is here.
One way scumware works is like this: You download a "free" application and install it. While it is doing whatever it was advertised to do, it is also silently keeping track of your personal information and sending it to one or more companies. Or, it may be inserting advertising banners on each Web page you visit, without the knowledge or permission of the Web site owner.
Another kind of scumware inserts hyperlinks on the Web pages you are browsing in the form of a thick yellow underline under certain words. If you move the mouse cursor over one of these words, you'll see a text message. If you click on the word, it takes you to a new destination. All of this without the Web site owner's permission.
You may be annoyed at the ads, but you blame the Web site owner. Maybe you don't even revisit the Web site because you are so annoyed (especially if the Web site states that it doesn't use advertising, and then you see these banners. You figure the Web site owner isn't telling the truth.) The truth is, you were duped. Worse yet, there are now sites that will silently download their scumware onto your machine without ever asking your permission.
What can you do about it? Plenty.
This is not a complete solution, however. Your browser may be infected by other spyware/scumware. For example, if you have VX2.dll in your computer, your computer has been infected by a particularly vicious form of silent spyware. You'll need to uninstall the program. See http://www.cexx.org/vx2.htm for more information.
Make sure you have and use it! Though I haven't tried it myself, I have heard good things about AVG anti-virus from Grisoft. (Free to US and UK citizens.) Or get Norton Anti-Virus.
Subscribe to Langa List, a wonderful (free and spam-proof!) e-newsletter that shows how to get lots more from your computer hardware, software, and time online.
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