Do you think your computer is 100% protected from viruses, spy wares & hackers?
Most of us have a misconception that by installing just an Anti virus programme, our pcs will be 100% safe from everything.
But to be 100% safe we need
A good Firewall
A good Anti virus programme
A good Anti spyware programme
A browser with good security
I will explain the details in the next posts.
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FIREWALL
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Why do we need a firewall? When your computer is connected to the Internet, not only can your PC access other computers online, but other computers can also access your PC. Unless you take precautions, malicious hackers can access your PC and steal important data, delete files and folders, or use your computer (via remote control) to attack other computers via remote control. This is true whether you use an always-on broadband Internet connection or a dial-up connection.
WINDOWS XP FIRE WALL If you use windows XP SP2, you can activate your fire wall bythese steps:
Click the Windows Start button and select Control Panel.
When the Control Panel opens, select Security Center from the Category view.
When the Security Center opens, select Windows Firewall.
When the Windows Firewall dialog box appears, make sure the On option is checked.
Click the OK button.
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OTHER FIRE WALLS
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In addition to the Windows Firewall included with Windows XP, there are many third-party vendors who offer their own firewall programs for use on your PC. Many of these third-party firewalls are more robust and offer more protections than the Windows Firewall.
However, you should only run one firewall program at a time, however. If you enable more than one firewall program at a time, you could cause conflicts between the multiple firewalls, leaving your system more vulnerable to outside attack. If you install a premium firewall, you should disable any other firewalls on your computer.
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FREE FIRE WALLS AVAILABLE ONLINE
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1. Comodo Firewall Pro 3.0.
Comodo Firewall Pro 3.0 is the best free firewall i have used.
It offers Firewall services which helps you to fend off hackers,
It offers Defense+ or Pro-Active Defense which gives you toltal control over your computer.
However if you are an inexperienced user, its better to switch off the Defense+
as you may not be able to understand the meaning of the alerts, which inturn can make the alert a Nagging
feature.
You can download Comodo Firewall Pro 3.0 from here,
If you don't have Service Pack 2 installed, get one installed asap!
Why bcoz it fixes lots of windows security holes.
If you are adamant on not installing the service pack,
you can download the older version from here,
2. Ashampoo Firewall 1.20
Ashampoo firewall offers a good firewall service.
It also has the 'Program Control' component which will alert you whenever a program tries to access internet.
Zone Alarm Firewall 7.0.362
Zone Alarm used to be the best free Firewall, but now its makers are concentrating on the Pro version.
This one offers Firewall services and Program Control.
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ANTI SPYWARE PROGRAMMES
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Why Spyware is Dangerous?
Spyware is not a computer virus, although the effects can sometimes be similar.
A spyware program can be installed without your consent or knowledge, or with your permission as a “tag-along” with new software. Once installed on your PC, spyware runs in the background, hidden from view, and can monitor your computer and Internet usage. That information can then be sent to an interested third-party. Some spyware programs -- dubbed adware -- are used by advertisers and marketers to use the collected data to send you personally targeted advertising.
How to Tell if You have Spyware Installed on Your PC?
Spyware is difficult to detect just solely by observation. While you may notice some sluggishness in your PC's performance, most spyware programs do not directly affect how the computer runs. You may notice an increase in the number of pop-up ads you see when you surf the web.You may also notice advertisements displaying on top of the normal banner ads you find on selected websites.
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FREE ANTI-SPYWARE PROGRAMS AVAILABLE ONLINE
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1. Ad-Aware 2007
Lavasoft's Ad-Aware 2007 is available for free.
The difference between free and pro version is that the free version doesn't offer a Resident Shield.
Still the scans are pretty much accurate and they are able to distinguish between harmless cookies and dangerous spywares.
2. Spybot Search & Destroy
Spybot S&D is a free software which can detect and clean spywares.
It also offers a "Tea-Timer" component which provides Pro-Active defense.
It also lets you immunize the system to prevent an infection.
3. Spyware Doctor
The free version doesnt offer real time protection.
But you can always run a scan whenever u need.
It can immunize your system against malwares.
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ANTI VIRUS
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Why Computer Viruses are Dangerous?
A computer virus is a malicious software program designed to damage your system or take control of your computer. Some viruses take advantage of weaknesses in your computer’s software and infect your system.
Some examples of what a virus may do to your system are:
Write strange messages on your computer screen, or cause your PC to emit rude noises.
Alter or delete certain files on your computer.
Overwrite the boot sector of your hard drive, which would keep your computer from running properly.
Hijack your email program and use the program to send copies of the virus to all your friends and colleagues.
Take over your PC and turn it into a remote-controlled "zombie" to launch attacks on other systems.
Viruses that replicate themselves via email or over a computer network not only affect the infected PC, but also increase the amount of traffic over the network or the Internet. These fast-replicating viruses — called worms — can completely overload a company's network, shutting down servers and forcing tens of thousands of users offline.
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FREE ANTI VIRUS PROGRAMMES AVAILABLE ONLINE
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1. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition
* Easy to use, low system resources
* Automatic update functionality
* Real-time protection as files are opened and programs are run
* AVG’s Virus Vault for the safe handling of infected files
3. avast! 4 Home Edition
* Has an interesting interface which looks more like an mp3 player.
* You can customize the looks as more skins are available.
* Offers the Resident shield and regular updates.
BROWSER SECURITY Firefox2.0 is supposed 2 have an edge over IE7, but...overall both have same Security features
Why Some Internet Explorer Security Settings can be Dangerous In addition to the ActiveX settings, several other security settings within the Internet Explorer web browser can increase the risk to your computer system. These settings determine how certain risky files, actions, and downloads are handled. These settings include:
Display mixed content.
Installation of desktop items.
Allow Web pages to use restricted protocols for active content.
Don't prompt for client certification selection when no certificate or only one certificate exists.
In all instances, you want to be prompted before any risky content is downloaded or displayed. If this content is downloaded or displayed automatically, without prompting, you could introduce harmful files or viruses from unsafe websites to your PC.
How to Configure Internet Explorer 6's Security Settings To best protect your Internet Explorer browser from the dangers of unsafe websites, you should follow these steps:
1.From within Internet Explorer, select Tools > Internet Options.
2.When the Internet Options dialog box appears, select the Security tab.
3.Click the Default Level button. (Default settings for more recent Internet Explorer buttons are generally set correctly.)
If possible, upgrade your Internet Explorer to Internet Explorer 7.
You can get the software from here
A FREE & ESSENTIAL BROWSER ADD- ON - - A MUST!!
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WARNS YOU WHEN YOU ARE ABOUT TO ENTER A "RED"SITE
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You can get Siteadvisor from here,
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THIS IS A NICE ADD ON THAT BOOSTS FIREFOX SECURITY
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NoScript, winner of the "2006 PC World World Class Award", provides extra protection to your Firefox. This extension allows JavaScript, Java and other executable content to run only from trusted domains of your choice, e.g. your home-banking web site. Such a preemptive approach prevents exploitation of security vulnerabilities (known and even unknown!) with no loss of functionality...
PC UTILITIES Why You Should Optimize Your PC's Performance
Microsoft Windows includes several utilities to help you keep your system running smoothly. These utilities are found on the Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools menu, and include Disk Defragmenter(to defragment your hard disk), ScanDisk(to check your hard disk for errors), and Disk Cleanup(to remove unused files from your hard disk).
While Windows' built-in utilities are quite useful, they don't do everything possible to maximize your PC's performance. This is why many third-party software manufacturers offer their own PC optimization programs.These programs help to improve how fast your computer runs by removing unnecessary files and by fine-tuning your hard disk for optimal performance. For optimal PC performance, it is useful to install and run one or more of these optimization programs on a regular basis.
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A FREE OPTIMISATION PROGRAMME I USE
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1. Advanced WindowsCare Personal 2.70
Removes Spywares.
Immunizes your pc against spywares.
Cleans your Registry and Repairs errors.
Optimizes your System.
Removes unwanted programs from Windows Startup.
Removes a junk files in your pc.
Clears the History of your browser.
Allows you to use System Restore easily
The Memory & Disk managers help you to tweak your system/
I will give this freeware 5 out of 5 stars.
2. Ccleaner (Formerly called "Crap Cleaner" Cleans the following
* Internet Explorer
Temporary files, URL history, cookies, Autocomplete form history, index.dat.
* Firefox
Temporary files, URL history, cookies, download history.
* Opera
Temporary files, URL history, cookies.
* Windows
Recycle Bin, Recent Documents, Temporary files and Log files.
* Registry cleaner
Advanced features to remove unused and old entries, including File Extensions, ActiveX Controls, ClassIDs, ProgIDs, Uninstallers, Shared DLLs, Fonts, Help Files, Application Paths, Icons, Invalid Shortcuts and more... also comes with a comprehensive backup feature.
* Third-party applications
Removes temp files and recent file lists (MRUs) from many apps including Media Player, eMule, Kazaa, Google Toolbar, rxpg
, MS Office, Nero, Adobe Acrobat, WinRAR, WinAce, WinZip and many more...
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Topic Tags: 
A good Firewall
