Archive

Posts Tagged ‘virus’

Make your computer runs like new

March 4th, 2010

Cyber attacks and virus assaults are on the rise in 2009. From government systems to the home PC, no system seems truly safe anymore. According to the experts at McAfee, “Cyber assaults have become more sophisticated in their nature, designed to specifically slip under the radar of government cyber defenses. Attacks have progressed from initial curiosity probes to well-funded and well-organized operations for political, military, economic and technical espionage.”

Computer hackers and virus vandals deliberately assault either specific, high-value targets (such as various government and military systems) or try to do the most damage to as many computers as possible around the world. Since the widest-used operating system by far is some versions of Microsoft Windows, most viruses by far are designed to attack Windows systems. Specifically, the intended victim is often the Windows Registry.

The registry is a prime target for several reasons. First, it controls literally everything from the color of the desktop to the location and association of files. Second it is incredibly large, with many seemingly innocuous pockets where potential dangerous code can hide. Finally, it is an integral part of the Windows Operating system that cannot be insulated from attack without loss of functionality. It’s the job of outside hardware and software solutions such as firewalls to block potential attacks.

The registry can be attacked from a variety of fronts. One of the latest uses Adobe Acrobat Reader, one of the most popular software considered essential by most computer users. Another threat, the Downadup worm attacked more than 3.5 million PC(computer) before a security patch was released by Microsoft. Various programs install themselves when you surf the Internet, altering registry keys in order to track and transmit Internet usage data to an outside system. much keys can be affected and the program can replicate itself, saving copies all over your hard drive under a variety of innocent-sounding names that are difficult to track and eliminate.

Removing parts of the registry in order to counteract a virus is dangerous at best, since even the smallest change if done incorrectly can being the entire system to a halt. The process is as tedious as it is dangerous for an individual to attempt, since there may be thousands of key entries to examine for viral corruption. Several software companies have been working on the problem and have come up with various software solutions, each having its own strengths and capabilities. Sometimes the search for the right software to meet your needs can be as complicated as researching the viruses themselves.

One website that reviews and compares registry cleaning software is Answer Registry Reviews Visit Answer Registry Reviews site!, The site offers relevant articles on the Windows Registry and compares various registry cleaning software products. The website even offers links to directly download and purchase products such as RegCure, Registry Mechanic and Registry Easy (among others) online.

If your Windows system is running slowly or you suspect a virus, Answer Registry Reviews should be the first stop for information on what might be causing the problem and to download a product that would meet your needs to correct it.

 

Safe Internet Blog , , , , , , , , , ,

Get Rid Of Adware On Your Desktop

October 22nd, 2009
Comments Off

Adware is something that is more commonly found among those who browse the Internet unaware of what could effect their computer. Adware blockers is the best solution for removing normal adware. You have managed to do the right thing in removing any of these harmful installations but you want to do your best to prevent it from happening again.

Adware is not only an annoyance but also an invasion of privacy. For someone who is a fairly new computer user it could be almost impossible to remove something manually that you can not see in your program list. The sad thing is that adware is often bundled with these types of programs and when you install them into your computer you are also installing the adware.

There are many companies online that offer these types of programs but make sure to look for a reputable one. There are other types of malicious files and infections that can do far worse damage. Most of the time antivirus programs do not even detect it.

While looking for the best one you should consider purchasing one from a reputable company. Some adware can be removed manually if you are aware of how to do so or know what program the adware originated from. Most of the time the traces to the adware are hidden and you will be unable to find them in your startup menu for easy removal.

It will become quite annoying when trying to browse the Internet or work when you are getting constant pop-up advertisements flashing across your screen. Of course you will want to check for feedback on each company before downloading any software that could potentially cause you even more problems.

But as always nothing is 100% full proof so make sure to scan your computer on a regular basis. By taking the appropriate action to protect yourself you will minimize any chance that they will be able to flood you with unwanted junk mail, email spam or product fliers. Often you will find that your computer has been infected by either unscrupulous webmaster or by companies offering you freeware with a hidden agenda in mind.

Also you may see tons of popups for useless advertisements while browsing the Internet. While adware can be manually removed its not really recommended for a few different reasons. If you have already en infected you will be able to clean your system by using the fixer or cleaner.

You may need to reboot and repeat the process if there are more corrupted parts that need to be cleaned. You can find free ad removal tools online or at little cost. Make sure to always use your tools properly and do weekly scans.

It truly is an invasion of ones privacy and should not be tolerated. Check for ratings or feedback from other individuals to see if they have been previously contaminated with adware.

However many other infectious adware or spyware programs may pose a serious threat or major damage. So do you think you need an adware spyware removal tool? There are a few common signs that you may be infected and will need assistance in removing any adware or spyware from your computer. Another common sign that your computer may be infected is if your system seems sluggish or takes longer to load than normal.

You will notice that if your computer has been compromised by adware that your browser often takes longer than normal to load properly and how your Internet performs. Unfortunately those who are usually attacked have no clue whats going on until their computer crashes or needs to be reformatted by a trained technician.

Does your computer seem to be running sluggish or much slower than normal? Have you been getting annoying advertising boxes or banners popping up when browsing the Internet? Many individuals who experience these types of problems think its because their computer needs to be replaced, which isn’t the case at all. Why would these companies want to infect your computer with adware or spyware? Simply because they can make money off of you. Most of the programs actually have warnings inside of the terms of service but its rare that someone actually reads the whole entire thing especially the fine print where any warnings can be found.

Once we install the programs onto our computer we are immediately infected even before we see any type of signs. You need adware stopper to help clean your computer and prevent from future infections. This enhances your chances of defending off potential viruses or malicious programs that threaten the safety of you and your PC.

To find out more about adware 6 and adware removal software then have a look at get rid of adware.

Usually if this program is infected someone else has left negative feedback after becoming infected. Companies bundle their shareware or freeware with adware in attempt to steal your personal information for marketing tactics. The longer that you have the adware the slower the computer may seem.

Make sure to check your start up to see if any programs are restarting themselves after each reboot. The popups that you often see on your computer are the companies that are behind you installing the adware on your system to begin with.

Safe Internet Blog , , , , ,

Why Is My Computer Running Slow? – These Are The Reasons and Solutions

October 8th, 2009
Comments Off

I always receive phone calls from friends, families and work colleagues, few minutes into the conversation, they pause and ask me this same questions I have had to answer 2000 times in my career “Why Is My Computer Running Slow?”.

The simplest way to deal with this question is to use a simple analogy, and my favorite analogy is a car. People are familiar with car services. If you service car on a regular basis, you won’t have to worry about problems with the car, and your car will performs more efficiently.

Same thing applies to our PC. Over a long period of usage people couldn’t care less about “servicing” their system. Some of my friends and family don’t even have anti spyware installed on their system.

It should be illegal not to have antivirus, anti spyware, or firewall installed on your computer in this day and age.Previously, these malicious software (spyware, adware, keyloggers, virus etc) were developed by smart kids. These people were bored, and most of them hated Microsoft (I don’t know why – but most likely because Microsoft sells lots of software).

Today these malicious programs are created by huge network of criminals for profit. They develop spyware software to spy on your browsing habit. They use adware to display advertisement to your browsing habit, the more adverts you see and click on, the more money they make. On the other hand if they corrupt your system with a malicious software, they can also sell you another program to remove the software, because only them know how to remove what they installed on your computer.

If you are still asking yourself “why is my computer running slow”, then do yourself a favor, remove all the malicious (rogue) software on your computer, delete all the junk files, fix the computer registry, remove the start up items and maximize the memory use on your computer. Sometimes none of this will work especially if you have a very old computer. In that case I suggest you buy a new computer.

If you do not have a clue of how to fix all the computer problems I stated above, I suggest you watch my video tutorials that shows you step by step how to improve the efficiency of any computer system with point and click solutions.

Click here to download tools and resources to optimize your computer.

Safe Internet Blog , , , , , , , , ,

What Damage can Viruses Do At The Most?

September 20th, 2009
Comments Off

People may resent viruses, trojans, and worms, but believe it or not, computer virus, worms, and trojans are really a masterpiece. Not only that they prove that we really are prone to tragedy as mere human, taking into account that a most lethal virus not only was able to destroy internet network with hundreds of millions of dollars loss, and also that as a social community, we are all becoming connected very closely with each other through the internet, confirmed by how rapidly a virus can spread.

January 2007, the Storm worm started to spread. On October, it has reached and infected 50 million computers, according to scientists. Do you know how many computers and in what time in estimation that a worm named MyDoom infected in January 2004? Hundreds of thousands of computers in one day!

If you compare the damage it can cause with the code size and complexity of a worm or virus, those numbers are unbelievable. Computer virus programs are very uncomplicated and particularly small in size, yet they can cause almost indefinite damage.

What are the kinds of computer malicious software or malwares? Well these are the most common ones:

- Email viruses. Spreading through file attachments on emails, this kind of virus replicates itself by sending the same email attachment to every contacts it can find in the address book of the infected computer. Very bad ones can execute upon being previewed in the email client program.

- Worms. A worm software duplicates itself via networks by taking advantage of security defects, finds its way into any computers and multiplies itself until the whole network is infected.

- Viruses. A virus lives and spreads by parasiting to a real usually big program. It infects other programs by injecting copies of itself onto them.

- Trojans. Named according to an epic story about the same approach, a trojan finds its way into its victim’s computer by fooling that it is a common software. Once it’s got there, not only will it behave as it act act as if it does, if any, but it will also do harms or damages to the infected computer and data.

Safe Internet Blog , , , , , , , ,

Get to Know Essential Things About Internet Cookies!

September 11th, 2009
Comments Off

To get better understanding on how to prevent information theft in guarding computer security, it is best that we have this specific knowledge about cookies. This knowledge may be tiny and of less excitement but we can acquire a huge understanding on how they operate and use it for our protection against security threats.

1. Cookies place in local drives details about your computer and settings. For example, if you have been to a site before, meaningyou are a return user, and this information is stored in cookies. Besides that, it also can store specific informations such as city names that will be used for automatic local weather updates from a site.

2. Internet cookies are made by a web site server to be stored onto a computer at the time the user first visits a site. Later in the session between the user and the webpage, more cookies could be saved or altered.

3. Cookies are written in name-value pairs such as “ZipCode,” and the value is “60119″ for zip code a user last entered in a web page query.

4. Web site’s cookies will not obtain data from a computer. The user may be asked to provide data in a query regarding his / her personal information, but a cookie can’t obtain it alone although the file was in the computer drive.

5. Even though a cookie can store various other data, it can’t retrieve data saved in other cookies.

6. You are allowed to erase the cookies on your computer by going into the Temporary Internet Files folder.

7. In terms of internet cookies, “targeting” is intensely focused marketing to internet users based on information (like past preferences on sold items) found in their cookies.

8. Cookies are also used to track users whereever they are in the internet not just in one site. This technology was developed by DoubleClick company.

9. In 2003, White House Office of Management and Budget forbade the use of persistent cookies, which are cookies that remain active, even after a user has exited out of his or her Web browser. This kind of cookies are easily abused to become spyware and viruses.

10. The small, 1×1 pixel cookies called web bugs stored in banner ads are small 1×1 pixel cookies hidden in banner ads that store cookies onto a machine when a user clicks a banner ad.

Safe Internet Blog , , , , , , , , ,

5 Cheap and Simple Steps to Have Your Computer Free from Worms, Viruses and Trojans

September 10th, 2009
Comments Off

Do you find that you keep on getting compromised by virus, worms, or trojans although you have the best security tools installed? Each one of the details in the following list is part of an all-inclusive and easy to apply security system.

You can protect the system as well as the computer from threats on your security and privacy only by implementing the following points or something resembles them.

1. Each and every patches to Windows security for your Windows OS must be updated. All you need is a working internet connection and you will have an always updated Windows OS without any cost.

2. Have the best antivirus software installed. Consult software review for the best antivirus ranking to date. Nowadays, antivirus software solutions are sold at very affordable price; some with limited capablities are even free. Provide internet connection to let the antivirus update itself anytime, and let it run automatically when the computer starts. This can be done automatically by default with most programs.

3. Install a firewall and have it configured. Either a software or a hardware firewall will do fine, you just need to make sure it is working properly. A router, in case you are using it, usually have a firewall already built in it, so that you just need to set the rules to make it work properly and effectively. Software version of firewalls are widely available, even the free ones!

4. Don't let yourself run or install any program without having it tested and declared safe in a different computer first. A virtual machine or a virtual computer can do this tricky job with no cost at all and act as a free virus protection.

5. Keep a regular backup of your files just to be prepared. A best plan includes a way out of the worst. All you need is only a few DVDs. If you have a big harddisk to store a backup, there will be no cost at all!

Evidently, to fully protect yourself from the worst security threats cost almost nothing.

Safe Internet Blog , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Computer Virus Spreading Through Psychological Lures

September 6th, 2009
Comments Off

I guess you have been in a situation where you are convinced to buy certain goods but regretted later when you’ve got home. I have. I usually categorize that kind of marketing as high pressure psychological selling, because the salesman usually applies high level of psychological pressure on the prospect to finally succeed in selling the goods. Trojans and worms are more and more into these practices of iplementing psychological pressure in order to compromise a victim. Such techniques implements but not limited to the exploitation of human basic psychologies: Curiosity, Greed, and Fear. How do we tell that a trojan or a worm virus is trying to get into our system using a psychological pressure? These are things to beare of to help us tell just prior to their attempts to compromise our system: 1. Is it forcing us to run or download something, for fear of something such as getting our computer infected by a trojan, computer virus or worm? If it is while it’s not at all the active running antivirus software we have installed, we can say that it is definitely a virus, malware, or even a worm. 2. Is it free and giving away a software that's too good to be true even after we cross checked it with other people? At times, it can be just a marketing hype, but it’s a best practice to beware about the urge to download or agreeing on something it is offering. Downloading a program or just opening a page containing java script or flash application would be enough to get our computer compromised by a computer virus, malware, or trojan. 3. Are we aware of the brands (if any)? Is it a rather famous antivirus brand, or just some very popular one, but not an antivirus? At times the viruses take advantage of well known brand names only to trick uncautious people. Do you remember the “XP Antivirus 2008″ virus disguising Antivirus Software Downloads? Its high success rate really was boosted by the “XP” brand, riding on Windows XP’s brand. Lately, a brand new release of the virus is already spreading, one that we know as “XP Antivirus 2009″. 4. Always best to double-check weather the URL or domain name we type is right to make sure it is safe. You have to do this if you wish not to unwantingly enter a phishing site, in which case is a much worse scenario compared to contracting a virus. A rogue site is an latest psychological scam in that it tricked visitors into thinking that it’s the right site they’re searching to visit. Everything they have on the page would in turn then be taken for granted by unsuspecting visitors. 5. If you are not sure about those things mentioned above, consult someone you know who knows better about them. There should be at the very least something certain about it, like a popular brand name of antivirus or computer security software solution, the exact URL or at least domain name of the target site, what should be classified into being too good to be true and what not. The success rate this way of contagion has is surprisingly high, assuming the wide availability of legitimate computer security software and antivirus or Internet Security Software available in the market. Based on this fact, I always tell everyone who asked me about computer security to continuously learn about it, even for just a small bit of knowledge. As only with knowledge even for just a little, can we actually pertain in the safe environment against malicious software.

Safe Internet Blog , , , , , , , ,

Free Spyware Removal Tools Are Available!

July 11th, 2009
Comments Off

When it comes time to purchase a spyware removal program you will possibly most likely be put off by the high cost. Because the overall development of a good spyware removal program requires a large team of programers to work together to provide a good solution that will assist in the removal of spyware from your computer. All of this unfortunately costs money and is the very reason that you generally do not find free spyware removal tools easily available.

There Is No Harm In Trying

Of course, many of us realize that it is necessary to pay for spyware removal tools, but, we don’t have to if we don’t wish to. The fact is that with a little research it is possible to find free spyware removal tools though many of these options are actually nothing but free trial versions of the paid spyware removal tools. Anyhow, if you do get to have a try of some free spyware removal software then there is no harm done in doing so because with any luck you may be able to remove the problem without having to buy the full version of the software.

Of course, many of the features found in the paid spyware removal tools might actually be disabled in the free spyware removal tools version, but, there is no harm in trying the free trial versions because you never know whether with some luck such tools might even be able to get rid of your spyware problem in the preliminary stages.

A good example of free spyware removal tools, Lavasoft is generally believed to be a good option that might be able to solve your spyware problems for you. It is certainly critical for the health of your computer that you remove spyware before things go completely awry. In case you suspect that your computer has become infected with spyware you should try out the first spyware removal tool that you can lay your hands on.

Of course, the experts Will warn you against depending on free spyware removal tools to remove all the spyware and in fact these removal tools might not be absolutely free and they are also less than efficient, in most cases. What’s more, you need to be especially watchful that the free spyware removal tools that you plan on downloading and installing on your computer are not infected with their own spyware which will really mean more big trouble for you.

It could be a better idea not to depend on any of the trial spyware removal software and instead to pay a little extra money to buy a good and an efficient spyware removal tool. This means that you must first know where to find the best free spyware removal tool. Some would say that one tool that goes by the name of Malwarebytes might actually be the best option.

Safe Internet Blog , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Spyware Removal Programs Will Reduce Risk Of Infection

July 2nd, 2009
Comments Off

Some spyware that will infect a computer is definitely an unwelcome presence that overstays its welcome and does some nasty damage to the host computer which of course is your computer and also to you, the end user. Spyware will make your computer slow down serverely and it will also  attempt to steal your personal details including your credit card number and pass-words. Also anything else it can be captured through surreptitious means. The best way that you can prevent such a bad thing from happening to you, is to protect your computer. This is only possible if you use good spyware removal programs.

You Secret Information Will Be Compromised

Spyware will attach it to your files and that in turn means that it gets an opportunity to gain access to vital information stored on your computer. If you want peace of mind then invest in good spyware removal program and help get rid of the problem before it harms you and your computer.

A good spyware removal program must be designed in such a way that they will remove every last piece of spyware from your computer. The high importance of using good spyware removal software is such a good thing that you simply cannot put off buying and installing one at the earliest. Given that you will be using the Internet which is the home of all spyware it makes sense to first install good spyware removal program and then do the surfing rather than use the opposite route.

If you surf the Internet without protecting your computer against spyware you might find that even a very good spyware removal program will not be able to undo all the damage that the spyware has caused in the meantime. Good spyware removal programs are those that can scan your computer in real time and ensure that the risk of infection from spyware is minimal. Of course, even good spyware removal programs cannot entirely prevent spyware from sneaking into your computer; but, they will ensure that the risk is very little.

To install an effective spyware removal program you must first become knowledgable about what spyware really does and how it get into a computer system. Only by inspecting some of the best options available, will you be able to source the best spyware removal software for use on your computer.

Of course, you should always pick the best spyware removal program. That in itself means choosing only a proven spyware removal program that is absolutely efficient and which is also inexpensive. Don’t go for the cheap and nasty spyware removal programs because they will be unlikely to detect all manner of spyware and secondly they may not even be able to effectively remove those spyware that it has detected.

Safe Internet Blog , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The 2 Biggest Computer Virus Threats

May 12th, 2009
Comments Off

It is essential when surfing the net to have effective computer security such as a solid anti virus protection suite. In fact, surfing the net without anti virus protection is like walking through a hospital without having an immune system. There are threats in the thousands from minimal nuisances, like pop ups and add banners to very severe viruses and worms that can completely and permanently disable vital functions, such as Internet browsers, parts of hard drives, destroying even the best of computer brands, including, Dell computers as well as important data. 

There are many different types of malware and viruses, as well as different types of security software that can protect, detect and remove these threats. The best anti virus software will have real-time or drive-by protection that will alert to and block malicious sites and downloads when surfing the web. There are many cheap computer softwares that are very effective at preventing virus infections.

Malware is short for malicious code software (mal-ware), which includes any and all forms of malicious code designed for destruction, advertising and other schemes. Malware is the term under which all Internet dangers fall, such as viruses, worms, spyware, adware, phishing, tracking cookies and rootkits.

2 Worst Computer Infections and Threats

Viruses
Computer viruses range from intermediate to severe in danger levels.  And there are thousands of different viruses and new ones emerging everyday. Viruses are malicious pieces of code that download to computers and existing programs. Viruses on computers can spread quickly and cause lots of damage. Including potential destruction of operating systems and data. The Trjona viruses comes in several forms and is some of the most dangerous viruses in history. The Conficker virus is the latest of major threat viruses to computer security.

Computer viruses can not only disable major computer functions, such as Internet browsers, they can also destroy data and completely lock you out of your system.

Rootkits
Rootkit are especially dangerous because they actually hide the existence of Malware from computer operating systems and from users. Rootkits create stealth program codes that run at a lower level than the user can see with most below average anti virus software. 

Not all anti virus software have rootkit protection so it is important to choose one that does.

One thing to keep in mind is to never surf the Internet or have an open connection to the Internet without a solid computer security virus protection suite installed, up to date and running on your PC. The best protection against computer viruses is prevention, early detection and removal. A good anti virus software has an accurate and up to date virus database and can detect, quarantine and remove malware efficiently. Another crucial

It is much more difficult to remove viruses if infection occurs than to protect against it. This is why it is crucial to have real-time or drive-by protection. This feature actually has a real time scan running as you surf the web and will alert you to bad sites and viruses trying to install themselves. This is not always standard with all anti virus software and should be a part of any good virus protection suite.  Prevention with anti-virus and Spyware software is key to keeping your computer secure and safe from malware.

Safe Internet Blog , , , ,