This month I am continuing with my series of articles dealing with threats posed by internet pirates to you and your finances. If you missed the previous articles you can read the expanded full versions online on my blog at http://blogspot.reidyonline.com
Basic Safeguards
Protecting your computer from Internet security threats is a serious business and is something neither you nor any other amateur computer tech should dabble with. Failure to properly protect your pc will result in: at best in your computer becoming spyware infected and at worst will lead to serious financial loss to you due to credit card or other frauds.
Recognizing the Signs Of Infection
There are a myriad of symptoms associated with virus or spyware infection but the following are the most common signs your computer has become infected.
Symptom: You Receive Virus or Spyware warnings from newly installed software downloaded from the internet which offers to clean your system if your purchase the software.
Symptom: Gambling or Adult content pop ups appearing on your screen every time you launch your internet browser.
Symptom: Your computer is very slow starting and crawls on the internet. The machine hangs and crashes.
Symptom: Your friends notify you that they are receiving unexplained email messages from your email address
Recommended Action: In all cases the longer your leave your computer turned on and connected to the internet the worse the infection will become. Immediately shutdown your computer, disconnect from the internet and seek professional assistance.
Common Mistakes With Internet Security
The three most common mistakes I come across with regard to security are:
Mistake No 1. Relying On Free Anti-Virus Software Products To Protect Your Computer.
There is no “free lunch” when it comes to anti-virus software and I am always amazed that people will risk losing a substantial amount of money just to save a relatively small amount of money. Free products do not include the most important features of full anti-virus products and will allow infections into your computer. Even with purchased anti-virus software you must still be careful about how and where you browse the internet. Relying on free products to protect your computer will end only in your tears.
Mistake No 2. Relying on unqualified personnel to both recommend and install security on your computer including anti-virus software.
We all love a bargain but protection of your computer is an area where you can’t afford to install the cheapest product. You must take your internet security seriously or you “will be taken to the cleaners”. Don’t install products without the recommendation of a professional and if at all possible ensure you have a professional recommend and install security on your system.
Mistake No 3.Ignoring warning signs including unexplained loss of internet connections and or unexplained programs appearing on your system.
In the initial stages of a virus or spyware attack you will usually notice changes in both the way your computer performs and or a change in the programs that suddenly start appearing on your computer. Watch for anti-virus programs which you neither downloaded nor installed suddenly popping up and warning you of multiple virus infections. If you lose internet connectivity and your provider assures you that your connection is fine this is another sign of virus/spyware infection. If your machine suddenly becomes very slow this is yet another sign that a virus has gotten control of your computer.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Internet Security Do’s And Don’ts
Over the next couple of articles I will deal with the threats posed by internet pirates to you and your finances. Increasingly I am seeing more and more computers which have been hacked and the financial details of the owner stolen. In two recent cases over €1,000 had already been charged against the victim’s credit card before they became aware of the theft.
Basic Safeguards
I have always been a strong believer in the old adage “prevention is better than cure” and this is no where more true than in preventing your credit card details from being stolen on the internet. While some of the recommendations in this article require a degree of inconvenience to you I would suggest they are more than worth the effort.
How Your Computer Gets Hacked
Internet pirates rely on three primary methods to steal your financial details. In short these are as follows:
1. Installing software, commonly referred to as Trojans, which secretly scan your computer for your financial details and/or record your computer activity and send it to a remote computer. These Trojan programs are commonly hidden in illegal music, video, and software downloads and are also found embedded in certain websites.
2. Bogus emails posing as your bank or other financial institution requesting you update your account details, These scams usually include a full bogus website designed to look like your banks.
3. Bogus websites offering great deals which obtain your credit card details.
Hacker Software
Trojan software does not mysteriously land on your computer. It must be downloaded and allowed to install and for this reason it is rare for a properly protected computer to be successfully hacked. The following are the basic guidelines for maintaining your computer’s security.
Restrict Access To Your Computer
Most breaches of security are caused by individuals other than yourself using your computer to access websites which cater for illegal or adult activity. The current most common are websites providing illegal video and music downloads. If you want your computer to remain protected do not allow anyone to use your computer and ensure your computer is properly protected with a password known only to yourself. Even innocent use of your computer can result in an infection which will ultimately result in the security of the system being compromised. Multiple users on a computer are a bad idea as any one of the users can introduce spyware and or software which can compromise security. The rule of thumb is to guard your computer as you do your laser card which means no one should be allowed to use your computer! This rule is strict but it ensures the security of the system is under your control.
Install A Solid Anti-Virus Software Solution
Without fail many of the virus and spyware infected computers landing on my desk are protected by so called “free” anti-virus solutions or worse still anti-virus solutions bought on the recommendation of a salesperson. Much as you would like to believe it there is “no free lunch” when it comes to anti-virus software. You must ensure that your anti-virus software is up to date and working at all times. Even a minor slip in security will result in a virus or Trojan bypassing your security and infecting your machine. Seek professional advice in choosing your anti-virus software and where you suspect an infection immediately shutdown the computer, disconnect it from the internet and seek professional assistance.
Basic Safeguards
I have always been a strong believer in the old adage “prevention is better than cure” and this is no where more true than in preventing your credit card details from being stolen on the internet. While some of the recommendations in this article require a degree of inconvenience to you I would suggest they are more than worth the effort.
How Your Computer Gets Hacked
Internet pirates rely on three primary methods to steal your financial details. In short these are as follows:
1. Installing software, commonly referred to as Trojans, which secretly scan your computer for your financial details and/or record your computer activity and send it to a remote computer. These Trojan programs are commonly hidden in illegal music, video, and software downloads and are also found embedded in certain websites.
2. Bogus emails posing as your bank or other financial institution requesting you update your account details, These scams usually include a full bogus website designed to look like your banks.
3. Bogus websites offering great deals which obtain your credit card details.
Hacker Software
Trojan software does not mysteriously land on your computer. It must be downloaded and allowed to install and for this reason it is rare for a properly protected computer to be successfully hacked. The following are the basic guidelines for maintaining your computer’s security.
Restrict Access To Your Computer
Most breaches of security are caused by individuals other than yourself using your computer to access websites which cater for illegal or adult activity. The current most common are websites providing illegal video and music downloads. If you want your computer to remain protected do not allow anyone to use your computer and ensure your computer is properly protected with a password known only to yourself. Even innocent use of your computer can result in an infection which will ultimately result in the security of the system being compromised. Multiple users on a computer are a bad idea as any one of the users can introduce spyware and or software which can compromise security. The rule of thumb is to guard your computer as you do your laser card which means no one should be allowed to use your computer! This rule is strict but it ensures the security of the system is under your control.
Install A Solid Anti-Virus Software Solution
Without fail many of the virus and spyware infected computers landing on my desk are protected by so called “free” anti-virus solutions or worse still anti-virus solutions bought on the recommendation of a salesperson. Much as you would like to believe it there is “no free lunch” when it comes to anti-virus software. You must ensure that your anti-virus software is up to date and working at all times. Even a minor slip in security will result in a virus or Trojan bypassing your security and infecting your machine. Seek professional advice in choosing your anti-virus software and where you suspect an infection immediately shutdown the computer, disconnect it from the internet and seek professional assistance.
Friday, September 25, 2009
What Killed My PC - Part 3
This is the third in a series of articles in which I deal with the cause of many of the pc failures I encounter. This month I will deal with the third most common cause of pc failures - hard disk problems.
Hidden PC Killer No 3
Perhaps the hardest working, but least understood, device in your computer is your hard disk. You will also hear it referred to as a “hard drive”, “storage drive” and incorrectly as “memory” but regardless of the name used the bottom line is this is where all of your programs and information are stored. It is common for people to become confused between memory and hard disks. Memory, correct name RAM (Random Access Memory), is used by your computer to run your programs. Ram is volatile and once the machine is shutdown any information in RAM is lost. The amount of RAM in your computer has a direct impact on your hard disk.
How Memory (RAM) Affects Your Hard Disk
Each time you run a program your computer decides if it has enough free Ram to load the program. If there isn’t enough it uses the hard disk as a swapping device and will swap in and out the programs as needed. The more programs you run in memory the more the computer does this. If you are running multiple programs with insufficient ram your hard disk takes a pounding. I seldom see a machine which is not suffering from overloading and hence the hard drives are worked to death.
Managing Your Hard Disk And Storage
With the advent of online movies and songs many computer users fill their hard disk with music and video downloads. Filling the drive to near capacity puts added strain on your hard drive because windows must search for areas to store you regular data. Again the hard drive takes a pounding and the life is shortened. Use an external usb drive for movie storage or purchase a second hard disk for this purpose.
Your Hard Disk and Heat
You must keep your computer and hard disk cool. The fuller the drive the harder it has to work and the hotter it gets. This is particularly true of laptop computers. If the machine feels hot to the touch underneath turn it off and allow it and the hard drive to cool. Running a machine hot will eventually cause either the drive or the main board to fail. With the advent of large capacity drives, and in particular the one terabyte models, overheating of hard drives has become more commonplace. For many computer users they remain blissfully unaware that their hard drive is slowly melting.
Tips For Maintaining a Healthy Hard Disk
Hidden PC Killer No 3
Perhaps the hardest working, but least understood, device in your computer is your hard disk. You will also hear it referred to as a “hard drive”, “storage drive” and incorrectly as “memory” but regardless of the name used the bottom line is this is where all of your programs and information are stored. It is common for people to become confused between memory and hard disks. Memory, correct name RAM (Random Access Memory), is used by your computer to run your programs. Ram is volatile and once the machine is shutdown any information in RAM is lost. The amount of RAM in your computer has a direct impact on your hard disk.
How Memory (RAM) Affects Your Hard Disk
Each time you run a program your computer decides if it has enough free Ram to load the program. If there isn’t enough it uses the hard disk as a swapping device and will swap in and out the programs as needed. The more programs you run in memory the more the computer does this. If you are running multiple programs with insufficient ram your hard disk takes a pounding. I seldom see a machine which is not suffering from overloading and hence the hard drives are worked to death.
Managing Your Hard Disk And Storage
With the advent of online movies and songs many computer users fill their hard disk with music and video downloads. Filling the drive to near capacity puts added strain on your hard drive because windows must search for areas to store you regular data. Again the hard drive takes a pounding and the life is shortened. Use an external usb drive for movie storage or purchase a second hard disk for this purpose.
Your Hard Disk and Heat
You must keep your computer and hard disk cool. The fuller the drive the harder it has to work and the hotter it gets. This is particularly true of laptop computers. If the machine feels hot to the touch underneath turn it off and allow it and the hard drive to cool. Running a machine hot will eventually cause either the drive or the main board to fail. With the advent of large capacity drives, and in particular the one terabyte models, overheating of hard drives has become more commonplace. For many computer users they remain blissfully unaware that their hard drive is slowly melting.
Tips For Maintaining a Healthy Hard Disk
- Don’t overload your hard disk with movies,music and spurious software.
- Don't install every internet application you come across. These programs use valuable Ram and this will eventually lead to bloat.
- Don’t continue to run your pc or laptop if believe it is overheating. On laptops you will feel that the bottom of the unit is hot to the touch. On pc’s you will hear excessive fan noise.
- Don’t move your laptop or pc when the machine is turned on.
- Don't continue to run your computer if you suspect the hard disk is failing. Turn off the machine and seek competent technical assistance immediately.
- Don't attempt to fix a hard disk problem yourself. I've seen multiple instances of valuable data lost because someone messed with the computer before it got to my bench.
Monday, August 3, 2009
What Killed My PC - Part 2
This is the second in a series of articles in which I will deal in some detail with the cause of many of the pc failures I encounter. If you take the time to read the articles and solutions you should be able to extend the life of your computer. This month I will deal with the hidden pc killer lurking inside your pc.
Hidden PC Killer No 2
At the heart of your pc is your computer processor. As you are no doubt aware it is responsible for all events occurring on your computer. These super small devices are extremely fast and it is mind boggling to consider how much information they can process. With ever year that passes the power of these processors increases. One of the unfortunate trade offs from the increased capability and the consequently amount of information flying in and out of the processor is heat build up and it is this topic I will deal with this month. Few of you ever considered that the cause of the unexpected demise of your computer was heat stroke.
Your Computer and Heat
Your computer must be kept cool. As delivered from the factory your computer will be equipped with at least two fans and various vents to enable cool air to be sucked in and the hot air to be sucked out. If any of these is blocked or malfunctioning the computer will heat up to the point where one or more components inside will be damaged and will fail. You may get indications of this but very often you will see or hear nothing until the damage is done and the computer just won’t boot.
Fans And Vents
The methods employed to cool your machine can also be the cause of its demise. As air is drawn in so too is whatever is in the air. Most manufacturers employ some type of filter system but this is not sufficient to prevent a build up of dust and dirt on and in the fans and vents overtime. Even if the input vents and fans are not blocked and working if the output vents are blocked or obstructed the whole process is compromised. Blocked and clogged fans and vents won’t stop your computer from running and unfortunately must systems do not have a fail safe system to prevent damage before it is too late.
Preventing Heat Build Up
Laptops
I will deal with laptops first because it is more common for heat damage in this group than in their desktop cousins. Firstly your standard laptop is not designed to be left on for extended periods. It is quite common for machines to be left on overnight after the teenager has fallen asleep. If you own a laptop you will be aware of the heat building up underneath and you may even hear the fan kick in to cool them machine. If your laptop is hot to the touch then the likelihood is that it is running too hot or you are running it for too long. In both cases you will eventually kill the machine. Thus it is sound practice to use the laptop in an area where it can draw in sufficient cool air (and no under the blankets is not one of those) and secondly do not leave the machine turned on for extended periods of time. When done turn it off and disconnect it from the mains, allow to cool before putting it in a laptop bag.
Desktops
With desktops the danger comes mainly from blocked input and output vents. I had a machine in recently where the measured temperature of the hard drive after two minutes was 190 degrees F or around 88 degrees Centigrade. The owner told me the machine had always been noisy due no doubt to the cooling fans being on full to cool the machine. This pc was a real fire hazard and worse still the owner told me he usually left it turned on. The problem was not blocked vents but a design fault which meant the machine could simply not stay cool enough as the case was too small. So how to prevent heat build up? Here’s how:
· Make sure your leave sufficient space around your computer for air to circulate.
· Ensure when placing your machine that you do not block the vents. You will find vents on the side and rear of most modern machines. Thus don’t jam your pc into a desk just because it looks neat!
· Monthly with the pc turned off and disconnected from the mains hoover in and around the machine and input and output vents. If the machine is near the kitchen the likelihood is that air borne cooking oil has attached itself to the fans and thus dust will cling to and build up on the fan blades. Smokers should also be aware that nicotine leaves a sticky residue on the fans which has the same effect.
· If the machine has never been in for service and you think you already have a dust and dirt build up send it in for a cleanup. I advise against doing this yourself as I’ve seen more than a couple of machines damaged by owners opening them up and trying to clean out dust. Those internal parts are delicate and you should not attempt to service the machine yourself anymore than you would service your heating boiler.
Conclusion
Heat build up is a real problem with computer systems and it not only can damage your computer but can turn it into a fire hazard. If you suspect it is overheating get it looked at sooner rather than later and take appropriate precautions before you do.
Hidden PC Killer No 2
At the heart of your pc is your computer processor. As you are no doubt aware it is responsible for all events occurring on your computer. These super small devices are extremely fast and it is mind boggling to consider how much information they can process. With ever year that passes the power of these processors increases. One of the unfortunate trade offs from the increased capability and the consequently amount of information flying in and out of the processor is heat build up and it is this topic I will deal with this month. Few of you ever considered that the cause of the unexpected demise of your computer was heat stroke.
Your Computer and Heat
Your computer must be kept cool. As delivered from the factory your computer will be equipped with at least two fans and various vents to enable cool air to be sucked in and the hot air to be sucked out. If any of these is blocked or malfunctioning the computer will heat up to the point where one or more components inside will be damaged and will fail. You may get indications of this but very often you will see or hear nothing until the damage is done and the computer just won’t boot.
Fans And Vents
The methods employed to cool your machine can also be the cause of its demise. As air is drawn in so too is whatever is in the air. Most manufacturers employ some type of filter system but this is not sufficient to prevent a build up of dust and dirt on and in the fans and vents overtime. Even if the input vents and fans are not blocked and working if the output vents are blocked or obstructed the whole process is compromised. Blocked and clogged fans and vents won’t stop your computer from running and unfortunately must systems do not have a fail safe system to prevent damage before it is too late.
Preventing Heat Build Up
Laptops
I will deal with laptops first because it is more common for heat damage in this group than in their desktop cousins. Firstly your standard laptop is not designed to be left on for extended periods. It is quite common for machines to be left on overnight after the teenager has fallen asleep. If you own a laptop you will be aware of the heat building up underneath and you may even hear the fan kick in to cool them machine. If your laptop is hot to the touch then the likelihood is that it is running too hot or you are running it for too long. In both cases you will eventually kill the machine. Thus it is sound practice to use the laptop in an area where it can draw in sufficient cool air (and no under the blankets is not one of those) and secondly do not leave the machine turned on for extended periods of time. When done turn it off and disconnect it from the mains, allow to cool before putting it in a laptop bag.
Desktops
With desktops the danger comes mainly from blocked input and output vents. I had a machine in recently where the measured temperature of the hard drive after two minutes was 190 degrees F or around 88 degrees Centigrade. The owner told me the machine had always been noisy due no doubt to the cooling fans being on full to cool the machine. This pc was a real fire hazard and worse still the owner told me he usually left it turned on. The problem was not blocked vents but a design fault which meant the machine could simply not stay cool enough as the case was too small. So how to prevent heat build up? Here’s how:
· Make sure your leave sufficient space around your computer for air to circulate.
· Ensure when placing your machine that you do not block the vents. You will find vents on the side and rear of most modern machines. Thus don’t jam your pc into a desk just because it looks neat!
· Monthly with the pc turned off and disconnected from the mains hoover in and around the machine and input and output vents. If the machine is near the kitchen the likelihood is that air borne cooking oil has attached itself to the fans and thus dust will cling to and build up on the fan blades. Smokers should also be aware that nicotine leaves a sticky residue on the fans which has the same effect.
· If the machine has never been in for service and you think you already have a dust and dirt build up send it in for a cleanup. I advise against doing this yourself as I’ve seen more than a couple of machines damaged by owners opening them up and trying to clean out dust. Those internal parts are delicate and you should not attempt to service the machine yourself anymore than you would service your heating boiler.
Conclusion
Heat build up is a real problem with computer systems and it not only can damage your computer but can turn it into a fire hazard. If you suspect it is overheating get it looked at sooner rather than later and take appropriate precautions before you do.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
What Killed My PC? - Part 1
Hidden PC Killer
You can’t see it, you can’t smell it but in the blink of an eye it will attack your computer and render it scrap metal. The hidden pc killer lurking in your home is hiding behind your power plugs - Its’ electricity.
Your Computer and Power
Unlike some electrical items, such as your electric cooker or microwave, your pc does not need the full level of power provided by the ESB. To reduce the power down the computer uses a power supply. If you have a laptop you can see your power supply it’s that small black box that connects between the pc and the power plug. The power supply is the heart of your system and once damaged your pc will not turn on.
Electrical Problems
The quality of electricity provided by the ESB is subject to environmental conditions and the demands placed on the grid. Both of these can cause serious electrical problems in the form of surges, spikes, brownouts and cuts. All of these conditions result in poor electrical supply which is poison to your computer and has the potential to damage your power supply. In severe cases the problem passes through your power supply and your memory, hard disk or motherboard sustain damage. When these problems occur it is rare to observe any indication that it has happened. You won’t see sparks, blue flashes, or smell burning but you may notice the lights flicker or dim. Electrical problems will damage not only your computer but will take out your broadband modem/router and I’ve seen this numerous times. These problems are not rare and occur fairly frequently. During storm conditions, common here on the east coast, the power levels can drop and sometimes there are multiple short term electrical power cuts. Each time these conditions occur they may also been accompanied by surges and spikes.
Symptoms Of Electrical Damage
Electrical damage to your pc can take two forms. The easiest to identify is component failure. Simply put your pc refuses to turn on and the power light is off. The second form of electrical damage results in what I term as a “walking wounded” computer. In this form one or more of your components is damaged but the pc will turn on and function. After several weeks or months the damage component will fail and you are left scratching your head as to the cause.
Preventing Electrical Damage
The simplest and most effective steps to prevent electrical damage are as follows:
1.Purchase good quality surge protectors designed to protect your computer and electronic equipment. I recommend Belkin surge protectors but surge protectors by APC are also of good quality. Don’t skimp here and buy cheap ones as they are a waste of money and simply do nor work. Electrical problems can also travel down the phone line and when purchasing surge protectors you can also protect your broadband modem with one equipped with phone line protection. Don’t forget to buy one for the big screen television if you have one.
2.Turn off and disconnect your computer and other sensitive components during stormy conditions particularly if you see lighting or the lights dim. Leave it off during the storm.
Battery Backup Systems (UPS)
My own systems, and the computers I repair ,are protected not only by surge protection but I also use backup battery systems which are called UPS's. This stands for uninterruptible power supply. A battery backup not only provides emergency power in a power cut but also provides surge protection. The models I use, from APC, monitor the power and alert me with a warning signal whenever they cut in to protected my systems from an abnormal electrical condition. During the winter months I hear this alarm quite frequently and only last night(Sun 28th June,2009) I heard the alert beep. Less than a minute later there was a short power cut. Once again my trusty APC backup saved me! If you run a business from home I recommend you protect your computer with a ups.
Ed Note: (I posted this article on the 29th in the morning by the afternoon I had my first call for a machine that was damaged during the aftermentioned power cut.)
Conclusion :
Friday, May 29, 2009
Protect Yourself From Internet Fraud – Expanded Version
This month I’ll be giving you some tips on how you can protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud on the internet. I’ve seen a marked rise in the number of cases recently and in one case over a €1,000 had been charged against the victims’ credit card before they realized it. If you follow the steps outlined you should be able to avoid this unpleasant and costly experience.
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Identifying Possible Attacks
The three primary fraud methods currently in vogue are : Unsolicited email invitations, virus-spyware infections, and fake websites. I’ll deal with each of these in turn and outline the preventative steps to avoid them. Before I do a word on anti-virus software which is your primary defence against virus attacks.
Anti-Virus Software
Here are a couple of simple truths about anti-virus software. Firstly free anti-virus products will not protect your computer from a serious virus attack. Secondly do not rely on a computer shop assistant to advise you on what anti-virus/security tools you should buy. They are not technicians and their advice, for the most part, is worthless.
Lastly do not rely on so called “computer whiz kids” to advise you on your anti-virus needs as a “little knowledge is dangerous”.
Email Fraud
Email fraud attempts to get you to hand over your money in exchange for a supposed greater reward. In the past these included inheritance scams but today the criminal may use other less well known methods.
Prevention: Do not in any way engage the sender of the suspected fraudulent email. Do not open the email, browse to any included web links, or view any attachments that came with the message. If you inadvertently open the email turn off the pc, disconnect it from the internet, and seek professional advice immediately. It takes less than a second for your machine to become infected so don’t take chances.
Virus-Spyware Infections
Virus and spyware infections increasingly use two methods to defraud the victim. The first is to get you to pay for their virus/spyware removal tool by scaring you into thinking your machine is near the point of collapse. The second method is to install software to steal financial details on your computer.(commonly referred to as hacking). Once the criminal gets hold of your information it will be almost instantly used to purchase good/services.
Prevention
Fake Websites
Increasingly used as a quick method to get your credit card/bank details the criminal will attempt to get you to reveal your account details by sending you an email asking you to visit the website to confirm your details.
The fake website will look and act like your online banking/credit card site or it may be a fake social networking site. If your machine has been hacked then there is no need for the email they simply redirect you to the site and wait for you to attempt to login. As with the other attacks you will be unaware that your security has been compromised.
Prevention
Recommendations
- Avoid all illegal gaming, gambling, video, music and adult content sites.
- Do not install Limewire ,Bearshare or other internet sharing programs and do not download any illegal content from the internet.
- Install and use Firefox as your primary program for browsing the internet.
- Do not allow your computer to be used by anyone particularly teenage visitors to your home.
- Purchase and Install a solid anti-virus program (I recommend support and sell Escan Anti-Virus software)
- Have your machine checked if you suspect any type of virus or spyware infection.
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Protect Yourself From Internet Fraud – Expanded Version
This month I’ll be giving you some tips on how you can protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud on the internet. I’ve seen a marked rise in the number of cases recently and in one case over a €1,000 had been charged against the victims’ credit card before they realized it. If you follow the steps outlined you should be able to avoid this unpleasant and costly experience.
Don't Miss out subscribe to this blog. It's free and your email is confidential and will not be used,sold,or transferred to third parties. We won't annoy you with offers either.
Click Here To Subscribe To This Blog
Identifying Possible Attacks
The three primary fraud methods currently in vogue are : Unsolicited email invitations, virus-spyware infections, and fake websites. I’ll deal with each of these in turn and outline the preventative steps to avoid them. Before I do a word on anti-virus software which is your primary defence against virus attacks.
Anti-Virus Software
Here are a couple of simple truths about anti-virus software. Firstly free anti-virus products will not protect your computer from a serious virus attack. Secondly do not rely on a computer shop assistant to advise you on what anti-virus/security tools you should buy. They are not technicians and their advice, for the most part, is worthless.
Lastly do not rely on so called “computer whiz kids” to advise you on your anti-virus needs as a “little knowledge is dangerous”.
Email Fraud
Email fraud attempts to get you to hand over your money in exchange for a supposed greater reward. In the past these included inheritance scams but today the criminal may use other less well known methods.
Prevention: Do not in any way engage the sender of the suspected fraudulent email. Do not open the email, browse to any included web links, or view any attachments that came with the message. If you inadvertently open the email turn off the pc, disconnect it from the internet, and seek professional advice immediately. It takes less than a second for your machine to become infected so don’t take chances.
Virus-Spyware Infections
Virus and spyware infections increasingly use two methods to defraud the victim. The first is to get you to pay for their virus/spyware removal tool by scaring you into thinking your machine is near the point of collapse. The second method is to install software to steal financial details on your computer.(commonly referred to as hacking). Once the criminal gets hold of your information it will be almost instantly used to purchase good/services.
Prevention
Fake Websites
Increasingly used as a quick method to get your credit card/bank details the criminal will attempt to get you to reveal your account details by sending you an email asking you to visit the website to confirm your details.
The fake website will look and act like your online banking/credit card site or it may be a fake social networking site. If your machine has been hacked then there is no need for the email they simply redirect you to the site and wait for you to attempt to login. As with the other attacks you will be unaware that your security has been compromised.
Prevention
Recommendations
- Avoid all illegal gaming, gambling, video, music and adult content sites.
- Do not install Limewire ,Bearshare or other internet sharing programs and do not download any illegal content from the internet.
- Install and use Firefox as your primary program for browsing the internet.
- Do not allow your computer to be used anyone particularly teenage visitors to your home.
- Purchase and Install a solid anti-virus program (I recommend support and sell Escan Anti-Virus software)
- Have your machine checked if you suspect any type of virus or spyware infection.
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Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Getting The Most from Your PC In a Recession Part 2
This month I’ll be giving you some tips on how you can use your pc to sell goods on the internet and also how you can use your pc to product cash budgets.
Selling Goods On The Internet
The internet, and in particular Ebay, offers you a quick and convenient way to sell your unwanted goods. Like any business there are a couple of key areas that you should be aware of before you start selling on the internet.
Getting Paid
You need a seller’s Paypal account to sell on eBay. Paypal is the preferred method for most people buying goods on eBay as it offers both the seller and buyer a degree of protection from fraud. (You’ll find a link to the Ebay seller requirements on the link page at the bottom of this article.)
Postage
Start small and avoid selling delicate items. Research what it will cost to ship your product and remember your buyer may be from anywhere in the world.
By starting with small items you will keep your first transactions simple and learn as you go. Delicate items can be easily damaged in transit so avoid then until you are confident that your packaging is up to snuff.
Packaging
This is a key point and you should pay particular attention to how you package your goods for shipping. Poorly packaged items will result in unhappy customers and this can cause problems and these include not being paid. Happy Selling!
Creating A Cash Budget On your PC
Your pc is the ideal tool for creating a budget to control and monitor your spending.
Don’t be intimidated by the thought of using your pc for budgeting. With the right software you can easily create your budget and get control of your spending. The software you will need may already be installed on your computer and if not you can download a free version from the internet. (Visit the links page at the bottom of this article to download the “free” software.)
Software You Will Need
Any of the following software packages is capable of creating your budget.:Microsoft Works , Microsoft Office Excel, and Sun Systems Open Office Spreadsheet. Open office is free for non-commercial use and if you are familiar with Microsoft Office you’ll have no trouble using Open Office. Even if you are not familiar with any of these programs virtually all contain templates for budgeting. If you use a template all that is required is for you to fill in the numbers and the template does the rest. Even if you’ve never used a spreadsheet before you will find it relatively easy to use the built-in budget templates. For a quick online budget visit www.itsyourmoney.ie and click on budgeting to use their simple online budgeting tool.
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Selling Goods On The Internet
The internet, and in particular Ebay, offers you a quick and convenient way to sell your unwanted goods. Like any business there are a couple of key areas that you should be aware of before you start selling on the internet.
Getting Paid
You need a seller’s Paypal account to sell on eBay. Paypal is the preferred method for most people buying goods on eBay as it offers both the seller and buyer a degree of protection from fraud. (You’ll find a link to the Ebay seller requirements on the link page at the bottom of this article.)
Postage
Start small and avoid selling delicate items. Research what it will cost to ship your product and remember your buyer may be from anywhere in the world.
By starting with small items you will keep your first transactions simple and learn as you go. Delicate items can be easily damaged in transit so avoid then until you are confident that your packaging is up to snuff.
Packaging
This is a key point and you should pay particular attention to how you package your goods for shipping. Poorly packaged items will result in unhappy customers and this can cause problems and these include not being paid. Happy Selling!
Creating A Cash Budget On your PC
Your pc is the ideal tool for creating a budget to control and monitor your spending.
Don’t be intimidated by the thought of using your pc for budgeting. With the right software you can easily create your budget and get control of your spending. The software you will need may already be installed on your computer and if not you can download a free version from the internet. (Visit the links page at the bottom of this article to download the “free” software.)
Software You Will Need
Any of the following software packages is capable of creating your budget.:Microsoft Works , Microsoft Office Excel, and Sun Systems Open Office Spreadsheet. Open office is free for non-commercial use and if you are familiar with Microsoft Office you’ll have no trouble using Open Office. Even if you are not familiar with any of these programs virtually all contain templates for budgeting. If you use a template all that is required is for you to fill in the numbers and the template does the rest. Even if you’ve never used a spreadsheet before you will find it relatively easy to use the built-in budget templates. For a quick online budget visit www.itsyourmoney.ie and click on budgeting to use their simple online budgeting tool.
Don't Miss out subscribe to this blog. It's free and your email is confidential and will not be used,sold,or transferred to third parties. We won't annoy you with offers either.
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Click Here To visit The Links Page
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Getting The Most from Your PC In a Recession
This month I’ll be giving you some tips on how you can get “more bang for your buck” out of your pc.
Reduce Your Printing Costs
Printing costs money in both paper, ink and electricity but you don’t need to print if your pc has a pdf print driver installed. With PDF the computer captures a print image which can be viewed on screen and printed later if required. PDF stands for Portable Document format and it was developed to enable documents to be moved or printed between computers without the requirement for the original document. The PDF format is owned by Adobe but a variety of programmers have produced generic versions of the product. Drop me an email and I will point you to where you can download these free versions which can save you a bundle on your printing needs.
Saving On Electrical Costs
Leaving your desktop computer or laptop connected to power consumes electricity even when the computer is in sleep mode.The same is also obviously true for your printer scanner and speakers. Bottom line here is turn off the equipment if you are not using it. If you don’t have a switched socket disconnect the equipment from the power outlet. Remember if you are not going to use your scanner or printer for a particular computer session don’t turn them on.
Reduce Telephone/Mobile Costs
Most people are familiar with making calls over the internet. You can save a huge amount on making internet calls but I recommend you shop around as some of the more popular programs are now over subscribed and the quality is poor. If you call/text mobiles a lot you can use some of these programs to call mobiles at a reduced rate. To save on texting use the free web text service offered by many of the mobile providers. Vodafone as an example gives you 300 free web texts a month which would cost you around 60 euro if you sent them direct from your phone.
Shopping For Bargains
Most of us love a bargain and the internet is a handy way for you to save time by checking on prices before your visit the supermarket. Take advantage of the fact that those suppliers who offer online shopping publish their prices. You can check their prices before you go to store and build yourself a shopping list accordingly. When it comes to holidays and travel I am not convinced anymore that the internet offers you the best value but it is no harm to check.
Selling Products/Services Budgeting
Next month I will discuss how you can use your pc to sell goods on the internet and also how you can use your pc to product cash budgets.
Reduce Your Printing Costs
Printing costs money in both paper, ink and electricity but you don’t need to print if your pc has a pdf print driver installed. With PDF the computer captures a print image which can be viewed on screen and printed later if required. PDF stands for Portable Document format and it was developed to enable documents to be moved or printed between computers without the requirement for the original document. The PDF format is owned by Adobe but a variety of programmers have produced generic versions of the product. Drop me an email and I will point you to where you can download these free versions which can save you a bundle on your printing needs.
Saving On Electrical Costs
Leaving your desktop computer or laptop connected to power consumes electricity even when the computer is in sleep mode.The same is also obviously true for your printer scanner and speakers. Bottom line here is turn off the equipment if you are not using it. If you don’t have a switched socket disconnect the equipment from the power outlet. Remember if you are not going to use your scanner or printer for a particular computer session don’t turn them on.
Reduce Telephone/Mobile Costs
Most people are familiar with making calls over the internet. You can save a huge amount on making internet calls but I recommend you shop around as some of the more popular programs are now over subscribed and the quality is poor. If you call/text mobiles a lot you can use some of these programs to call mobiles at a reduced rate. To save on texting use the free web text service offered by many of the mobile providers. Vodafone as an example gives you 300 free web texts a month which would cost you around 60 euro if you sent them direct from your phone.
Shopping For Bargains
Most of us love a bargain and the internet is a handy way for you to save time by checking on prices before your visit the supermarket. Take advantage of the fact that those suppliers who offer online shopping publish their prices. You can check their prices before you go to store and build yourself a shopping list accordingly. When it comes to holidays and travel I am not convinced anymore that the internet offers you the best value but it is no harm to check.
Selling Products/Services Budgeting
Next month I will discuss how you can use your pc to sell goods on the internet and also how you can use your pc to product cash budgets.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Top Five Computer Problems - Part 2
Product Abuse
I see this mainly with laptops and the damage is totally avoidable. Laptops are delicate and should be treated as such. Follow these simple rules and you will significantly extend the life of your laptop.
Prevention: Never move your laptop while it is turned on. Do not leave your laptop turned on overnight. Do not drink or use liquids anywhere near your laptop. Purchase a solid laptop bag and, when not in use, store your laptop in the bag in a safe location.
Near leave your laptop on the floor where others may step on it or hit the screen accidentally.
Disk Failures
Often resulting from a combination of one or more of the problems outlined in this article disk failure is the most common cause of severe data loss. I am always amazed at the faith pc owners place in their hard disk.
Prevention: Avoid overloading your hard disk. Simply put these means don’t install every free internet program you come across and don’t store gobs and gobs of movies on your hard disk. An overloaded hard disk must work very hard to service the operating system and this puts excessive strain on the disk. Purchase, install and use a solid backup device capable of storing multiple copies of your data. Usb keys are handy for single copy backups but multiple copies of your data gives you a good chance of minimising the effect of a disk failure.
Heat Damage
The hidden killer of both laptops and desktops is overheating. Until recently overheating was most common on laptops but I have seen an increase in the amount of desktops with this problem. As with any electrical or mechanical device overheating can and does result in total system failure. Safeguarding against overheating is easily preventable and it will cost you nothing.
Prevention: If you hear excessive fan noise from your computer have it checked.
Ensure when placing your pc you do not block vents and avoid placement in an enclosed area. With laptops you should also take the additional precaution of disconnecting your laptop from the mains when not in use and if the laptop bottom becomes very warm to the touch turn it off, disconnect from the mains and allow to cool before using it again.
I see this mainly with laptops and the damage is totally avoidable. Laptops are delicate and should be treated as such. Follow these simple rules and you will significantly extend the life of your laptop.
Prevention: Never move your laptop while it is turned on. Do not leave your laptop turned on overnight. Do not drink or use liquids anywhere near your laptop. Purchase a solid laptop bag and, when not in use, store your laptop in the bag in a safe location.
Near leave your laptop on the floor where others may step on it or hit the screen accidentally.
Disk Failures
Often resulting from a combination of one or more of the problems outlined in this article disk failure is the most common cause of severe data loss. I am always amazed at the faith pc owners place in their hard disk.
Prevention: Avoid overloading your hard disk. Simply put these means don’t install every free internet program you come across and don’t store gobs and gobs of movies on your hard disk. An overloaded hard disk must work very hard to service the operating system and this puts excessive strain on the disk. Purchase, install and use a solid backup device capable of storing multiple copies of your data. Usb keys are handy for single copy backups but multiple copies of your data gives you a good chance of minimising the effect of a disk failure.
Heat Damage
The hidden killer of both laptops and desktops is overheating. Until recently overheating was most common on laptops but I have seen an increase in the amount of desktops with this problem. As with any electrical or mechanical device overheating can and does result in total system failure. Safeguarding against overheating is easily preventable and it will cost you nothing.
Prevention: If you hear excessive fan noise from your computer have it checked.
Ensure when placing your pc you do not block vents and avoid placement in an enclosed area. With laptops you should also take the additional precaution of disconnecting your laptop from the mains when not in use and if the laptop bottom becomes very warm to the touch turn it off, disconnect from the mains and allow to cool before using it again.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Top Five Computer Problems - Part 1
This month and next I will outline the top five problems I encounter in computers I repair. The old adage “Prevention is better than cure” applies to all these problems and you can, with a little care and a small investment, reduce the chances of you falling victim to them.
Electrical Damage
More common than you might imagine is damage due to electrical problems either within your home or when you use laptop while travelling. Most electrical damage is not obvious at the time it occurs. You won’t see sparks or smell burning but the damage is permanent. Quite often the electrical surge or power failure will result in what we technicians call “walking wounded”. By this we mean that the computer often continues to function for several days or weeks before finally failing.
Prevention: Purchase a solid dependable surge protector for your computer and always use it. With a desktop computer plug in your printer and monitor to the unit as well as these are equally at danger from electrical damage.
I recommend products by Belkin as I have yet to lose a machine protected by one to electrical damage. A Belkin model will cost you €20 for a laptop model and slightly more for a desktop pc model. Don’t skimp on your surge protector and don’t buy a “no name” brand.
Spyware/Virus Infection
One of the most common problems I see virus/spyware infection can not only disable your computer but can and does result in severe data loss. Spyware is increasingly common and more difficult to detect and remove. In severe cases there is no option but to erase the hard disk and this is costly as your data and operating system must be secured and restored during the process. Bottom line if you use Microsoft Windows and browse the web, unprotected and/or without due care, you pc will be infected by a virus or spyware. Viruses and spyware are very rare on Apple based computers due to the operating system used on these systems.
Prevention: Purchase a solid anti-virus program and seek professional advice on the best and most effective products before buying. Many commercial products are virtually useless as is witnessed by the amount of pc’s I see with these products installed but which are virus and spyware infected.
Avoid all illegal music, video, gaming, gambling and nefarious sites as they are riddled with spyware which in turn will pull viruses into your pc.
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