Internet Security for Normal Users

Do you use the Internet every day? Do you surf the web, or just go to specific web sites that you already know? Do you check out web sites that someone’s recommended to you? Or, do you skip all the web stuff and just do emails, mainly with family and friends?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you’re at risk. That’s right — we’re all at risk when we deal with the Internet.

Most sites on the Internet are perfectly legitimate. Most emails you receive are, too — unless you’re so unlucky that you get more spam emails than you get that are really from your family, friends, business associates and companies with whom you do business. But sometimes legitimate web sites get hacked, and sometimes spam emails appear to be sent by friends and family.

Over the last few years, the dangers of the Internet have changed, mostly changing because we (you and I) are using better and better protection tools. Even Microsoft has finally woken up to Internet Security as an issue.

Contine reading Internet Security for Normal Users

Blocking Call-Home Attempts by Microsoft Software

A reader wrote to ask for more details about how I configure my firewall to block Microsoft.com’s call–home attempts:

In your Email Newsletter — Volume 3, Number 12 — September 3, 2007, article “Windows Genuine Advantage SNAFU” you say, “When they want to check in with Microsoft, they run into my copy of Sunbelt Personal Firewall,” and “Sunbelt Personal Firewall has shown me that Microsoft’s products often want to connect to Microsoft.com, whether it makes sense or not.” You do not give enough details on the matter so one could take action…or not. QUESTION: 1. Is there a problem if they are prevented from calling home? 2. If not, how can I set up my Sunbelt PFW to do that, as you infer you have done. P.S. I used your links to purchase said product a while back along with Counter Spy and iHateSpam. Thanks in advance for your help.

The good news was that Ed was asking about Sunbelt Personal Firewall, since it will actually apply its controls to Microsoft’s programs. The process with SPF is easy, too.

Continue reading Blocking Call-Home Attempts by Microsoft Software

Popups and Popup Blockers

Subscriber Russ Alor wrote me recently about popup problems:

Terry:
I have been very satisfied with my virus protections but still
struggle with pop-ups even when Google has implied
“protection” running.

Is there available a popup guard?

Russ Allor

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I wrote back to say:

I’m assuming you mean popups from specific web sites. In that case, you need to try a different popup blocker.

On the other hand, if you’re having popups when using the Internet as a routine issue, you might have an adware problem. I suggest trying the 30-day free trial of CounterSpy — the trial is full-function, not cripple-ware.

Wait a minute — I recommend CounterSpy , period, because of its performance and its always-running control of adware and spyware. I use it on my computers. Give it a try. If you don’t like it, don’t buy a license (which is only $19.95). I also like the their firewall Sunbelt Personal Firewall which is also $19.95. I have individually licensed copies of both on my family’s Windows computers.

Continue reading Popups and Popup Blockers

Security Programs for Average Users

In every issue of my weekly online computer tips newsletter, I have my current security software recommendations. In that article, I write about the programs that I choose for antivirus, antispyware/antiadware, firewall and antispam. I also include a paragraph in the article on using a cable / DSL router.

But, I guess I haven’t had enough explanation in the article… Recently, I received an email from regular reader and subscriber, who asked:

Your security recommendations are all encompassing. They are an indication of what is needed. But, it would be clearer if you could state what type and brand of software you recommend for “Joe Average”.

It may be what you list or a variation of that so as not to overkill. Keep up the good info.

Continue reading Security Programs for Average Users

Slow-loading Web Browser Links

One of my forum readers in my Windows XP /2000/etc forum (which are now shut down thanks to too many spam posts) wrote about a problem he was having.

He wrote:

IE6 SP1 browser..links take long time to download

My computer contains: Athlon 3200gb, 1 gig Ram, I have WinXP SP2 Home, and IE 6 SP1. When I click on a link in my OE e-mail, I am immediately taken to the web-site. When on a web-site, and I click on a link within the site, it takes “forever” to download the page….I watch the green progress bar, not much happens. It says “done”, but I still have to wait a long time for the page to download. I click the F5 key to refresh and still it takes a long time for the page to download.

I’ve checked for malware (AdAware, SpyBot, MS anti spyware, CCleaner….none), I ran a system scan for viruses (AVG and then TrendMicro Housecall….no viruses), I cleaned out cache, Temp files and cookies. Nothing helps.

I also ran Start/Run/ sfc /scannow with my original Win XP CD and this didn’t help. I also ran IE Fix…didn’t help.

This problem occurs on e-mails with Links from e.g. PCMag.com; Lockergnome.com; AllExperts.com, etc.

What suggestions can U offer??

I would hate to format/reinstall.

_________________

Irving S.

I wrote back to Irving with a list of suggestions — and his problem was solved.

Read how in Slow-loading Web Browser Links

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Wireless Security

First, be sure to connect to the router using an Ethernet cable for your configuration work – otherwise, with the first change, you’ll get locked out. If you are using wireless to login to the router, if you get locked out, you’ll have to wait for the router to time out and close that login.

Know these definitions,

* SSID = Server Set ID – basically, this is the network name
* MAC Address = a unique code for every networking device
* WEP = “Wired Equivalent Privacy” (don’t you believe it!)
* WPA = newer technology “Wi-Fi Protected Access”

First, I recommend that you secure your network.

Many people believe in having their network open — available to anyone who might want to use it. Without considering whether such sharing this may or may not be in compliance with your ISP’s terms and conditions of your service, you should consider the impact on the individual computers of your network.

Read more in my Wireless Security article.

Back-to-School – Turn Off File & Printer Sharing

Those of us with home networks usually share files, or at least printers, across our network.

This nice feature allows several computers to share and use one or more printers. At my house, we share an HP Laserjet 1200 and an HP ColorJet printer. That way, any printer can print color pages when we need them or print black and white laser quality pages (which also happen to be cheaper!).

But, as we send our children off to college, there’s a step that they need to take.

Windows allows us to easily turn OFF the “Windows File and Printer Sharing” in one place, rather than having to go and block each shared folder, drive or printer.

Read more in Back-to-School – Turn Off File & Printer Sharing

CounterSpy, iHateSpam and Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall coupons

Update 2010 – This blog entry was originally posted in 2006 – folks, blogs are posts at specific dates. There was a 2008 – that’s “8″ — post – and, of course, that code has expired now, too.]

– original post –
Sunbelt has an unadvertised coupon sale that runs until 12 midnight, Eastern Standard Time, December 31, 2006:

* Get $5 off a CounterSpy license with coupon code code has expired.

* Get $5 off a Sunbelt Kerio Personal firewall license with coupon code code has expired.

* Get $5 off a license for Sunbelt’s award-winning anti-spam program iHateSpam with coupon code code has expired. iHateSpam is for Outlook and Outlook Express only.

Sunbelt also has great discounts on multiple license purchases (of the same program). For example, 2 CounterSpy licenses are $29.92 instead of 2 times $19.95. Plus, you can use the discount code to get another $5 off your purchase.

Be sure to purchase by December 31, 2006 to get the coupon discount. Coupons have no cash value and are good only at the time of purchase. You can only use the coupon on one license per transaction and only one coupon per transaction.

IE7: Now on Automatic Downloads

I read a couple days ago that IE7 was showing up on Windows Updates automatic downloads. At first, I believed it. Then, when I checked manually (I have automatic turned off), Microsoft Updates did not show it available for my computer.

This morning, though, my desktop (my only computer that still has IE6) had the “updates available” icon in the status bar.

Sure enough, IE6 was there and waiting…

On that particular machine, I will _not_ install IE7 — but only because I need IE6 to be able to view sites in the browser that the Win98, WinMe, Win2000 and much of the WinXP world will be using.

Since I design web sites, I want to make sure that they look good in Firefox (my normal browser), Opera, IE6 and IE7.

Whenever you install IE7, make sure you have 20-30 minutes for the upgrade process. You’ll think that Windows is installing all over again .

The instructions say to turn off your antivirus and antispyware, since both of those types of programs try to protect Internet Explorer from changes — in this case, the protection would mess up the upgrade. So, I turned off NOD32, CounterSpy and WinPatrol. Since I was safely behind a router, I also turned off my firewall during the installation.
Of course, a reboot is required at the end. Actually, it took 2 reboots on my computers, the changes during startup interfered with my other startup programs.

Sunbelt Kerio Firewall – Intrusion Detection

Another neat feature of the Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall (my choice of firewall programs), is its two Intrusion Prevention systems.

The free version includes the Network Intrusion Prevention System (NIPS)

According to the program’s control screen:

NIPS scans network traffic andblocks recognized attacks based on a database of known attack signatures. Network connecitons carrying detected attacks are closed and dangerous data is not allowed to reach the application. NIPS can generate a small number of false positives.

One of kerio’s other features — one that’s available only in the paid version or during the free 30-day full-function trial — is its Host Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS).

According to the program’s control screen:

HIPS pevents attacks that reach vulnerable applications from succceeding by blocking any illegitimate behavior attmpted by the affected applications. HIPS does not require signature updates to learn about new threats and therefore is effective at stopping newly spreading or mutated attacks. HIPS rarely generates false positives.

I’m glad that I use the Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall