Suggestion - Is Your Family Protected?

[Lyte]

Is Your Family Protected?

When you think about Security, what do you think of? We all have one device or another to assist in keeping us safe. We have pad locks and security systems to safe guard our home, alarm systems to protect the equipment in our cars, parental controls on our cable TV and satellite accesses. We even have ways to protect our loved ones from computer invasions.

But are we protected enough, are we using the best devices to combat the unwanted and dangerous intrusions, not to mention keeping our family from stumbling across those out on the internet?

Let's face it, without the proper software to protect your computer, you are at risk every time you connect to the internet. There are the viruses, the Trojans and unwanted spam, not to mention the chat rooms where millions fall victim of on-line predators, and let's not forget the #1 problem on the internet, pornography.

You may be saying, but I have the best anti-spyware money can buy and my internet service provides parental controls. Here's the underlying question: How effective are they? Statistics show that 95% of internet users don't have the adequate security to prevent attacks or control the content the computer user can access. The average computer is scanned by online intruders on average of 12 times a day. More and more victims are realizing the importance of these safety devices. The newest trend for identity theft is to steal information and cash out, out side of the country making it impossible to trace and leaving the victims with nothing to replace the funds.

What do I do, you ask? Let me begin with the basics. There are four steps to take into consideration.

1. Evaluate- There are diagnostic tools to find and identify dangerous threats to your computer. These tools are as simple as popping into you computer and scanning your hard drive. Threats are then identified with the proper recommended course of action to take.

2. Eliminate- Once the threats have been identified the obvious next step is to eliminate. These security tools help scan, eliminate and block threatening spy ware, annoying adware and cookies, damaging worms and Trojan horses.

3. Protect- Set up a barrier around your computer. This will keep intruders out and create a fire wall. This is the most effective way to defend you against hackers and avoid identity theft.

4. Control- This final step will create a peace of mind for you, with the knowledge that you can avoid potentially dangerous web sites. You can block undesirable websites as well as avoid ones that try to download spy ware onto your computer.

So what's the next course of action? Find a security device that will cover these four steps and protect you from all of these hazardous things. There are even programs that will do this and automatically update every month to ensure added safety and avoid any new unknown danger.

My advice, find them, get them on your computer to avoid any heartache that could happen. The average cost for these programs, to completely cover you computer, vary from $40- $120 depending on the collection of software you use. The products that will automatically update usually run $5 - $10 a month to give you the essential idea of, get it and forget it. Too many times we forget to update our securities and fall victim of these malicious acts. Don't wait, don't become a victim before you take action. What is the price for your safety?

[cheapquality]

I heard that webcam is also not good for room security, there are some viruses which can open webcam automatically and peoples could see you without you know.

[Dave]

Another good article, Lyte!

I heard that webcam is also not good for room security, there are some viruses which can open webcam automatically and peoples could see you without you know

It's not the webcam that is the culprit; it's the lack of security to prevent the trojan from getting in there and letting someone remotely control the camera.

As a friendly note and joke, I sent my niece a trojan. When she logged in, I would know. So, I would make her CD drive open. After doing that for several times a day for a week or two, she thought something was wrong but didn't know what. Then I sent her the BSOD a couple of times and when she would hit any key, it was fixed. The best was the message that said the Federal Communication Bureau had discovered pirated software of her computer and would be contacting her about this illegal proceding. After a couple of weeks, I went to her house and installed a couple of free programs to find the trojan and prevent it from happening. Then I told her that I had done it, but it was to prove the need for her protection.

There are several companies that have some very good protection programs like Lavasoft, AVG, Uniblue, etc. They just need to be checked out, find out what best suits your needs, and get 'em!

[Lyte]

Hey Dave!

Fun lil joke!!!

Every now and then, our IT department likes flipping our screens 'round so that everything appears backwards! As if you're on the inside of the monitor and looking out! lol It's kinda freaky looking!

Lyte

[bbalegere]

Nice article.
But honestly all this is required only if have Microsoft system.
I actually use Ubuntu which according to me is much safer than XP.

[Dave]

I agree that Ubuntu and Linux (et al) are much much safer than Microsoft systems. However, every system has its vulnerabilities and needs security.

At my old job, I was part of the IT/IS department. I used to put some nice little things on people's computers when they left them open and weren't around...kinda' like a lesson you know. We had a flip screen (upside down) and one little program that would make the letter "C" make a commode flushing sound everytime it was depressed.

BTW, anyone remember the Energizer Bunny Interrupter? I loved that one!