Virus - This is a program or code that replicates by attaching itself to another program on the same such as erasing your files on your computer or changing your system files that your computer needs when it is turned on. A virus usually arrives on the computer as a file attachment to document or to a message that you receive by email. A virus can computer. A virus can create an annoying like pop-up window with a message. One should not forget that a virus can still do serious damage when it is transferred by a disk (floppy, Zip, CD) from computer to computer.
Trojan Horse Program - This is a program that appears to perform a valid function because it may arrive as useful software. It relies on someone emailing it to you. The program has hidden in its code, instructions the cause damage - sometimes severe - to your computer. The most famous Trojan Horse program was a lady named Melissa. She used email to spread herself and in doing so did a lot of damage to internet and company mail servers.
Worm - This is a program that makes copies of itself and can send itself through email. It can arrive at your computer as an email attachment that has subject matter that appeals to you and therefore has to be opened. The message will appear to be from someone perhaps known to the user and contain inviting subject lines like ‘approved’ or ‘screensaver’ and instructions to ‘see attached file for details’. Once activated, the worm searches for email addresses on the computer’s hard drive and send copies of itself to those addresses.
The following is how a nasty self-replication was to work in the real world. The example was a worm called SoBigF - a worm modified for the 6th time (Note Version F) by very inventive but unscrupulous person(s). The worm appeared in late August 2003 timeframe. It contained an electronic timing control and it proceeded to swamp email inboxes on corporate computer systems and on individual PC’s. Once the file was opened and the computer was infected by the worm, the computer was instructed to contact another offline server or host at a specify time and receive additional havoc-making instructions. ( Note: This operation was SoBig because 20 servers/hosts were eventually identified.) These offline server instructions had these possibilities:
It took a security team from F-Secure in Helsinki, Finland working with the FBI and various internet service providers to remove and isolate these servers from the network. They were able to stop the worm before it propagated. You can appreciate the magnitude of ‘misplaced’ thought that went into this worm’s design.
Another major worm around this time was MS Blaster or LovSan. It was designed to commandeer computers with operating systems Windows® 2000 or Windows® XP and use them to strike the Microsoft web site flooding that site with requests for service so as to deny service to anyone else. Blaster’s major symptom was to cause the users computer to reboot repeatedly. Microsoft was able to identify this vulnerability in their Windows programs and release a security patch.
The question arises about how to protect your computer’s vulnerability to viruses/worms accessing your computers hard drive. Here are two methods.
Anti-Virus programs can be purchased separately. However, some companies bundle all their programs together as ‘Internet Security Suites’. The purchaser gets Anti-Virus, Firewall, and other features such as Privacy Control, Ad Blocking and Spam Alert in one package. These ‘Suites’ such as Symantec’s Norton Internet Security are certainly worth considering.
Advertisers took advantage of a feature in Widows Messenger service that was built into PC’s using Microsoft® Windows® 2000 and XP operating systems. This feature was to allow network administrators of a corporate network to broadcast text pop-ups to their respective computer users on their intranets. ‘Hackers’ found out about this little gem in fall of 2002 and began to exploit it. Advertisers soon gravitated towards it as means of ‘pitching their wares’ to any web-connected PC. And so came the ads for countless weight loss products; sexual enhancement products and websites - and this rather amazing -that offered software to block these very unwanted Pop-up boxes.
There are a number of ways to prevent this intrusion .
Visit your favorite Web site, and you'll likely be slapped with "pop-up" windows that block the screen you want or "pop-under" windows that hide behind the main browser until you close out. These “pop-ups” are the devilish work of the ‘S & A’ boys; Mr. Spyware or Mr. Adware.
These ‘boys’ usually introduce themselves to the computer’s hard drive on the back of some free program that the user downloads. The free program can be for automatic time updates or for music-sharing files. Before the download begins, the user is presented with a wordy legalistic EULA - End User License Agreement. Buried within the the terms for the use of the free program is acceptance of Spyware/ Adware software. Most people scroll down to ‘I Accept’ or ‘Okay’ without really taking the time to read the pages of fine print in the EULA. When you click that mouse on the above, it’s an ‘I Gotcha’.
These internet ads have become big business because they produce revenue for those that generate these ads. They’re here to stay - so here are some several preventive measures that one can avail him/herself to.
The fastest way to eliminate these ads according to Kenneth Terrell of U.S. News &
World Report, is to turn off your browser's JavaScript function which is required for
the interactive features of Web sites. In Internet Explorer, click on Tools
and select Internet Options. From the Security folder, choose Custom Level, scroll
down the menu to Scripting, and set Java applets to Disable. You can opt for Prompt,
which warns you when a pop-up may be coming and lets you choose whether to block
the JavaScript.
In Netscape Communicator, click on Edit in the toolbar and select Preferences from
the drop down menu. Click on Advanced in the new menu, and you'll get a page
where you can turn off JavaScript.
Now for the ‘down’ side of this method. Disabling JavaScript does make some
popular sites unusable and could radically alter the looks of others. You can keep
JavaScript running and dodge the ads by downloading and installing a program
developed specifically to block pop- ups. Here are some popular programs which
their links:
This is a non viral junk email and a form of spam. The spammer sends out emails which have the appearance of being from a legitimate source such as an online bank or online store. Their email could read like this:"We suspect that an unauthorized transaction has been made in your account. We want to ensure that your account is not compromised. Please click on the link below and confirm your identify”. The PC user is asked to submit their account number, a password or the PIN number of the credit card. If the PC user does that, what you have is a case of plain old identity theft where these operators will make unlawful charges in your account.
Here are some some Tax Phishing Schemes that have that innocent appearance.
Here are some of AOL’ s top Global Spam Subject Lines.1 The subjects are wide ranging and there’s something for everyone.
Ref (1): Top Spam Subject Lines, Discover AOL: http:daol.aol.com/articles/spam2005
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has a number of suggestions on How Not To Get
Hooked by a ‘Phishing' Scam.
For the Consumer Alert complete text, Click on URL Address: HNGHPS
This Article is listed in Consumer Alerts.
Here are the highlights from that FTC Consumer Alert. Note:Item #2 contains additional information relative to its topic taken from a CSM Article.
1. If you get an email or pop-up message that asked for personal or financial information DO NOT REPLY. DONOT click on the link in the message either.
2. Use anti-virus software and a firewall on the input to your computer.
Remember to Keep them Up-To-Date frequently.
If the individual computer user has a subscription service with one of the commercial anti-virus companies,
the virus update will be installed by them automatically over the internet.
Here’s the good reason for Updating. It’s to avoid ‘Pharming’.2
The ‘pharmers’ rely on the fact that the word address you use to connect to your
financial organization is connected to a distinct numerical address. This routes your
browser to the right website through the domain name system (DNS) servers. It takes a
lot of expertise to corrupt a DNS. It’s far easier for the ‘pharmer’ to go after and –
GET INTO - individual computers.
Their need is to plant – in your computer – software (A virus) which will send you to a
bogus website – even though you have typed in the correct website address. All you
have to do is answer a bogus email – from a financial organization – by clicking on a
hyperlink and then supply them with passwords or account numbers.
The ‘Pharmer’ will then return you to the correct website so that you are not aware
of what has happened. It's all very transparent. These are fake websites which last only a few days or hours because it's important
for 'pharmers' to move on before they can be found out and shut down.
Ref (2): New Twist on ‘Phishing Scam – ‘Pharming’; http://csmonitor.com/2005/0505/p13s01-stin.htm
3. Never email personal or financial information. Email is not a secure method of
transmitting personal information. If you initiate a financial transaction or want to provide personal financial information,
look first for indicators that the site is secure.
There should be a padlock symbol at the bottom of your browser or a URL that begins with 'https'.
The 's' stands for secure.
(Note: Click on the padlock symbol to open the SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) Certificate.
From the Details tab, chose Subject. The current information should appear and an
appraisal can be made of this information.
This only works if you have the in your possession the TRUE website information to compare with.)
It is unfortunate that these security schemes are not foolproof. Some of these spammers
can and do generate forged security icons.
If you are not sure, STOP THE PROCESS and contact by phone your financial organization for help.
4. Review your credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them.
Better yet, review these accounts on line because they are up-to-date.
5. Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloads of files from emails you
receive - REGARDLESS of who sent them.
(You could be compromising the security of your computer.)
6. Forward spam that is phishing for information to spam@uce.gov and to the company, to the bank, or to the organization that has been impersonated in the false email. They certainly have vested interest in this.
7. File a complaint with the FTC if you believe you have been scammed. Victims of phishing can become victims of ID theft. It is in your interest to visit the FTC’s Identity Theft website. Click on URL Address: FTCIDTFT
CAN-SPAM is an acronym for Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act.
On January 1,2004, the federal anti-spam law known as CAN-SPAM when into effect.
First, let's start with the 'BAD' News.
Now, here is the 'GOOD' News. Here are highlights of What the Law Requires since it merely regulates Spam.
The law provides Penalties if these type of Rules are not followed. Each violation of the
above provisions is subject to fines up to $11,000.
There are additional fines if commercial mailers gather - 'Harvest' - email addresses from
web sites that have published a notice prohibiting the transfer of email addresses for the
purpose of sending email.
There are criminal penalties - (This where the DOJ gets involved) - such as
imprisonment for commercial mailers who do - or conspire to:
The reader can obtain additional information on the above subject. Click on URL Address: CanSpamReqts
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Internet Providers (IP's) like AOL and Yahoo have taken numerous separate actions against these Spammers.
HOWEVER, these actions are against Spammers – Originating Only in the USA. The present Can-Spam law does not address the spam that comes here from overseas.
What can be done about this porous opening in the Can-Spam Law?
The FTC wants Congress wants a change in the present law that will allow the agency to share spam information with the law organizations that exist in other countries who understand the problem and are willing to cooperate with us. That maybe a very tall order when dealing with Third World Countries in Africa and Asia who may have a very different legal system and different laws than ours. Congressional action on this change to the present law is now in process.
The internet knows no boundaries and the free email as we know it today is a benefit we get only from the internet. And because it is FREE, this allowed the Unscrupulous Element (UE) to make their assault on it with a vast number of unsolicited offers that threaten its very nature. This benefit was being abused severely and the legitimacy of electronic messages questioned. Something legally had to done. Congress acted and passed a law. This is why the CAN-SPAM Act came into being two years ago.
It is estimated that there are hundreds of million spam messages being generated each day. How does this Phnom happen you ask ?The answer is Zombies! The UE has some 'Clever' computer guru's within its ranks. They have developed programs which take over a computer and turn that computer into a robotic spitting spam generator. The FTC has reported that 60 to 80 % of today's generated spam comes by way of big Z's .
Meanwhile, the IP's have not been asleep at their wheels. They had their 'Clever'
computer guru's look at the spam proliferation problem, too. Their answer was:
Use the Bayesian Filter to 'scrub' these email messages. These are programs that look for spam in an email. On recognition, they don't pass GO.
They do a BIE (Block It Entirely) or a DIS (Divert It Somewhere).
(Note: Bayesian filtering is named for English mathematician Thomas Bayes who developed the theory of probability of inference.)
If you wish to pursue greater knowledge of how these filters work, click on URL Address:
BaySpamFltrs
An example of this type of service is AOL® 9.0 offers its users an 'Adaptive Spam Filter'. This sends e-mail directly to a spam folder based on user words or addresses that are not part of the users daily contact list. The user can view the contents of your spam folder and decides whether to Open or Delete. This is a great service to AOL users. Now you have the pleasure of sending into Cyberspace with a simple click of the mouse:
The IP's have powerful computers at their disposal to perform the necessary calculations when it comes to filtering these vast numbers of emails for spam that pass through their domain. They also limit the number of messages sent by any one using their service.
AOL has published some very revealing results on their efforts to stem Spam.1 Their methods are a combination of software tools, filtering technology, public policy, and litigation and enforcement.
Ref (1): Spam By the Numbers, Discover AOL: http:daol.aol.com/articles/spam2005.
Spam Filtering has also brought about a host of new products for the consumer computer market.
Security companies such as McAfee, Symantec, eTrust offer software filters for these computers along with firewalls and anti-virus software.
Does all this Spam Filtering work?
YES! People do receive less spam than before.
Has this WAR been Won?
The IP's to their credit have taken the first steps to combat this problem. As we know from medieval history, castles even with their high walls can be breeched despite the deep moat that encircles it.
Spammers will continue to try and find ways to bypass these filters since technology is a never ending process.
BATTLEFIELD SPAM C-0-N-T-I-N-U-E-S !
The FTC website offers a "For Consumers" section on Spam. Click on URL Address:
FTCSpamHP
If a virus does manage to infect your computer and you do not know how to delete or correct it, it is suggested that you contact a computer professional to help you get rid of it before it does further or subsequent damage to your computer. It pays to be a bit PARANOID WHEN IT COMES TO VIRUSES.
Remember when you were a kid and you would raid the cookie jar. You loved those cookies, but the cookies that the various web sites deposit in your computer are different. Internet sites and online advertisers want to:
Website use cookies which acts like a coded identity card that is placed on your hard drive to track your ‘surfing’, remember your shopping preferences, or to compile a profile of your web habits. This may look perfectly harmless as first for they do allow you to ‘surf’ web pages quickly. However, a lot of internet users think that cookies are a invasion of their privacy. There are two sides to this issue: Ease of Computer Use versus Privacy. It’s Your Choice.
Here are some websites that relate to the workings of Cookies.
Cookie Wrap-Up.
Cookies were originated by Unix programmers when the web browser came into being a-way back then.
Cookies are Very Small Files (VSF) that :
The web pages become available to the public on the web when they are published. The publishing is accomplished through an FTP program: File Transfer Protocol. Here are two popular FTP programs.
There is JavaScript and Java™. These are two different approaches to creating a web page.
Financial information sent over the internet from an individual’s computer to another site be it a bank or an e-commerce site must be secure so that it cannot be tampered with and used by some third party. The valid user must have an User ID and a Password or a Personal Identification Number (PIN) before any personal or financial information is displayed. The receiving website encrypts the data that is sent to the site’s secure server from the individual’s computer browser.
Encryption is mathematical process that takes a message and conceals its meaning. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is used to implement this method. How can one tell if SSL is working? You look for two (2) things.
SSL uses public-key encryption. These keys can be of various sizes (56-bit, 128-bit). The whole idea is that larger the key length (This creates greater the number of possible keys) the more difficult it is to decrypt the message.
An excellent website that explains SSL in greater detail is Verisign® (Vrsg).
As the Internet continues to grow, it becomes more likely that the information we want is out there - somewhere. Finding it is the trick. The following are some special "search engines" which may help.
Here are three definite possibilities.
There are three Wi-Fi sections to this Update. Click on the link below to connect to specific section of interest. Use you Back Arrow on your Browser to Return You Here.
A. Wi-Fi: In The Home
This wireless technology uses the 802.11 family standard for over-the-air modulation techniques
which are defined by the b, a, and g amendments to the original standard. 802.11b was the first widely accepted wireless networking standard,
followed somewhat by 802.11a and then 802.11g. The 802.11b and 802.11g standards use the 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) band.
The 802.11a standard uses the 5 GHz band. The 802.11g technology operates at around 54Mbps at 2.4 Ghz. which is five times faster than the older 802.11b standard.
The reader can investigate these two printer possibilities. Here are hyperlinks to three different vendors who make a limited models of printers
equipped with either of the above technologies. These printers cost range is between $200 - $300.
Wi-Fi is short for Wireless Fidelity.In Year 2001 Wi-Fi was nil. Today, it’s the rage and it will soon be everywhere.
First, Lets look at its existence in the HOME. You already have a DeskTop Computer (DTC) located in a small room upstairs in your house (Your Office)
or perhaps located in the corner of your recreation room in your basement.
You’re on the main floor – living room, dining room, bedroom, TV room. You read ‘Something’ in a book, magazine or a newspaper; or see ‘Something’
on TV that makes you want to ‘Surf the Net’ and find out more about that ‘Something’.
You can do this very easily using a notebook computer- Laptop (LT) - with Wireless Capability and because it contains its own Rechargeable Power Source.
This is true Portability1.
You do pay a price for this Mobility. A well equipped LapTop (LT) will probably cost 3x to 5x the cost of a DTC depending on the options.
Another thing to remember is that Wi-Fi signals do not travel particularly long distances. They reach theoretical distances of 150 feet.
A MacMansion due to its size and floor levels might cause a problem depending on its structural and material content.
First, you need to install a wireless router2 located in the wireline between your Cable/DSL modem
and your DTC. This router provides:
Note 1: A LT contains an internal rechargeable battery as its power source.
You have a choice of the LT power source within the home environment;Internal battery power or the house line -115Vac - power.
The LT comes with an external power supply that operates from the house line power.
You need this to recharge the internal battery which is generally a Lithium ion battery pack.
Battery life is measured in Hrs-Min and is very dependent on the user’s interaction with the LT and its features such as the CD Burner/DVD combo drive.
It’s an excellent idea to use the LT on Battery power at least one a month. The battery life is enhanced by performing this monthly discharge.
Note 2: The need for a router was described in Section (B)(2) of this C&C: (B) Protect Your Computer; (2) Install A Firewall.
Today’s Laptops have the wireless functionality described above built into them (The Intel Centrino Chip is good example of this.)
An external Wi-Fi card is needed if this circuitry is not available. This Wi-Fi card is attached to the Laptop through a USB port or through its PCMCIA ( Personal Computer Memory Card Interface Architecture.)
The next level in Wireless Connection is between the Laptop and a Peripheral such as a Printer. Here are three possibilities to Make Your Day.
The Advantages: Available In-House @ Zero Cost.
The Disadvantage: LOCATION! LOCATION! It’s not NearBy !
Are YOU ready for a LP with wireless capability? It is suggested that the following reference3 be read which will provide the
reader some insight into this question. This reference takes you through various Set-UP steps that are required in order to connect;
Its A Do-It-Yourself approach. Remember, if you get ‘lost in these technicals’, there is professional help available - via your local
computer dealer or through a major computer store - that can get you on the ‘air’.
Note 3: AARP’s How To Guides: Connecting to Wi-Fi. Click on link:
WiFiHowToConnect.
The reference in Note 3 listed a number of HotSpots. These links are repeated here.
B. Wi-Fi: Outside The Home ; ala ‘Surfing the Net’
Wi-Fi is being installed today in a number of places. Some of these installations are Free and some are Commercial.
Wi-Fi operations can be found in shopping malls, hotels, bookstores, college campuses, pubs and coffeehouses4.
If your LapTop is Wi-Fi equipped, you could be sitting right now in your favorite Starbucks sipping your favorite latte
and ‘Surfing the Net’. Starbucks Coffee Company has teamed up with T-Mobile to provide HotSpot Service at their various locations.
A HotSpot is defined as a location which has wireless network capability.
C. Future Developments
Wi-Max stands for ‘Worldwire Interoperability for Microwave Access’. It refers to any
broadband network with wireless access and is based on the new IEEE 802.16 standard.
Wi-Max is capable of transmitting signals covering in excess of 30 Miles of linear service area.
This is MUCH greater coverage than that offered by Wi-Fi and makes it very suitable:
If you’re in the market for a Dgital Camera, All You Want to Know About Digital Cameras, Is Now Playing at These Websites.
Each year the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences™ (IADAS) sponsors
The Webby Awards (WAw).
The Webby Awards honor the most creative and innovative Web sites on the Internet.
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