Effective Ways to Defend Your System Against Hackers and Viruses

Viruses are the deadliest enemies of computer systems. One encounter with a virus, malware or Trojan, can immediately lead to devastating effects. It can lead to alterations of how your computer operates normally, it can hack your information and worse, it can delete your hard drive and totally crash your computer. Install the best antivirus protection to protect your computer system from harmful viruses.

If you notice that your system has been working differently and misses some data, you could look at a few tips listed below that you could install which would work effectively in protecting your computer from harmful, malicious data.

Antivirus Program: This is the most obvious and the most important software needed to be installed in your computer system. Having an antivirus system will help you determine which websites you should not enter and will guarantee you a trouble free internet experience. Although it is pricey at first, the benefits and features will definitely exceed its price especially if you are the one who connects to the internet frequently.

Updates for Windows: A lot of users of the most common and most coveted operating system have become victims of hackers and viruses. It is very important to always update Windows especially when given a notification. Do not pass on updating your operating system as this will allow your computer to keep track of the different worms, viruses and Trojans.

Updates for Software Applications: All software applications you install in your computer need to be updated. These updates fix bugs and equip the software with their new features. Moreover, they come with enhanced security applications, making your computer safe more resistant to viruses.

Anti-Spyware Program: Some antivirus software, especially, free downloadable versions do not come with spyware protection. If this is the case, you need to avail of the antivirus software or download a different anti-spyware program. Spyware is a big threat to your computer; it can ruin your computer system and hack your information.

Software That Determines Hacker Prone Websites: Porn, free download and online gaming sites have made hacking an easy task. Do not fall into these traps. Instead, some antivirus software offers a service that immediately informs you whether or not the websites you are trying to visit are safe or not.

Firewall Program: Firewall programs are really important for a computer system. If you don't have any third party firewall program, have it installed to ensure that your system can filter all your data. Activate your Windows firewall to the latest Windows operating system version which will help filter data traffic. These firewall programs can easily and effectively filter incoming and outgoing data streams.

Software That Controls Email Spam: Spam mails are bogus emails that lure people into opening them. Once opened, a malicious code can enter your computer and hack your information. Be wary of opening file attachments especially from unknown senders. Although, web based emails come with extra layers of protection against spam, if you do not recognize the email, it would be wiser to just delete the email.

Data Backup: If most of your important information and work related stuff are stored in your computer, make sure that you back-up all of those data and store them in an external hard drive or store it in a drop box. A simple virus has the capability to hack your information.

Download the best antivirus for windows 7 from Internet to protect your computer from viruses, malwares and other malicious programs. There are many websites available on the Internet that offers antivirus software download service absolutely free.

View the original article here

How to Protect Yourself From Facebook Hackers Who Contact You As Friends!

I was connected to Facebook the other day, and I received a chat message from an old friend of mine, someone I knew at the university, and to whom I never talked since that time, that is some 19 years ago.

After some chat about how each one was doing, he asked me if I could do him a favor: He needed a recharge card for a cell phone for someone in Paris, and he told me that he will transfer money to me via a money transfer service.

I was feeling that it was strange to receive a favor request from a friend to whom I haven't talked for ages, but it was maybe logical since his country of residence was not the same as mine. Thus, I asked him when he wanted the card, and he said "right now, today".

Then he added "I don't like to ask anything from anyone, but I really need it, and because you're like a brother to me, I am asking you... "

I was never like a brother to that person! Was there a secret virtual bond between him and me without me realizing?

Still, since the favor he asked for was not a big deal to me, and since I like to serve friends, I was going to follow. I enquired further, and he told me to get him a 3 months recharge card or 2 cards of 1 month, which is not very familiar to me because I don't know how the recharge cards process works.

All that happened through Facebook chat. Right after, and while I was preparing myself to go get the card, I started reasoning:

-What was the eventuality of a friend to whom I haven't talked for 19 years contact me suddenly and ask for a favor?

-Why would a friend to whom I was never very close tell me I am like a brother to him?

And then it came to me that it was not him, that it couldn't be him. It was someone using his account to request recharge cards from his contacts or other favors.

There was no doubt to me anymore that my friend's account was hacked, and that the person who contacted me was a hacker trying to take advantage of the bonds and relationships of my friend. Maybe if I asked him a question about my friend or how I knew him, etc. he could even answer because Facebook contains a lot of personal information.

I looked in my friend's Facebook page if any information about his mobile number or email was found (even though email is not even secure because the hacker may have reached his Facebook account from hacking his email, or he may have also hacked his email account) to contact him and tell him that his account was hacked, but I couldn't find any.

I then told the hacker that I will contact him to give him the card number, and as expected he told me that his mobile was not with him (under repair): actually I didn't even know the number, I was just bluffing. I told him that I couldn't give him the card if I couldn't call him, he first asked why, then he said that he will contact me.

In my case, and even though the friend that contacted me was someone that I haven't talked to for years, I believed at first that it was him. But the hacker could have done better, and read in the hacked account past chats or in the hacked account contact friends walls how the hacked account holder used to interact which what friends in particular, when, in which way, etc. and thus the possibility is there.

This is why I decided to write this post, so that:

- If a friend (even a close one) contacts you via email or Facebook or whatever electronic means (chat software, small messages, etc.), you do not communicate personal information to him or her until you make sure in a way or another that it is him or her

- If you feel someone is asking you for something strange or unusual, do not hesitate to be suspicious, because it is the right attitude.

- Most importantly, use different complicated passwords for all your electronic email and social accounts with a lot of special characters and a combination of numbers and letters both upper and lower case.

View the original article here

Hackers and Their Methods of Operendi Don't Always Give Them Away

Often hacker groups methods to pin the crime on someone else. So, let's say you have 160 known hacking groups world-wide, most are loosely affiliated. Plus, you have government and foreign military or cyber-spy commands perhaps adding another 50 or so to the mix, some quite sophisticated. Not long ago, I was reading 150 page research report on cyber security, cyber warfare, hactivists, and criminal hackers. Okay so let's talk for second shall we?

One of the chapters in the report suggested that it was easy to tell if a hacking group was part of a state-sponsored cyber command, or just would-be hackers messing around because you could tell by their style and methods. However, I would question this because cyber commands would be wise to cloak as hactivists, or petty hacker teenagers when trying to break into a system of a Corporation, or government agency. Meanwhile the report proposes that the hackers aren't that smart, and that they always use the same methods of operandi, I completely disagree with this.

There may be some that do, but I bet most of them have many tricks up their sleeve, and they may even purposely mimic the methodologies and tactics of other hacking groups to shield and hide their own identities - in other words, mix it up a little so they don't get caught. Wouldn't they, or are we to believe and think hackers are stupid or something? They aren't, they're obviously smart enough to break into nearly every single computer system on the planet, they have been busy breaking into everything in the last few years, these aren't stupid individuals - in fact, I wonder if anything is safe of sacred anymore?

Next, I'd like to point out that the authorities are busy hiring these hackers who have experience for their own security computer needs. If these hackers were so naïve and stupid, then I doubt very much if the corporations, and government agencies would be hiring them in the first place. Whereas the methods and strategies, as well as the tactics used by various hackers could at times act as a fingerprint, it might also be nothing more than a false positive or a disguise purposely used to conceal their own hacking group.

Therefore, I thought it was rather naïve of that research paper, partially completed by a computer scientist, to even suggest such. Even if they were talking in hindsight or about how things have historically been in the past, I think they might be missing something. Sure some of the hackers that aren't perhaps wise enough to understand this concept, or are still learning might make such a mistake to always use the same methods, but I doubt that is true for experienced hackers.

Heck even chimpanzees, don't always use the same methods as to not give away their intentions, so I thought humans understand this concept too. Of course, that's just my opinion after reading about 1000 pages last week of research reports on cyber security. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Internet Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/

View the original article here

What If The Hackers Put a Virus or Worm in the US Food Stamp Program Computer System?

Well, there is a famous quote from a famous socioeconomic philosopher explaining how stable societies can unravel. He noted that a society is only as stable as can ensure the next three meals of the population. In other words, if the citizens of a given nation or region miss three meals, they will be rioting in the streets and ripping the civilization apart before long. If you doubt this ancient wisdom, merely fast-forward to the present period and look at the Arab Spring.

If that's not enough for you, consider the riots in Spain, Italy, and Greece just at the thought there might be economic collapse, or food shortages. Folks can get riled up pretty quick and the mass mob mentality will take over. It doesn't take much. Some say it could never happen in the United States, but to that I say; oh poppycock. It could easily happen here. We've had riots before, and we've had civil unrest, and we've had looting of grocery stores and retailers. How about the LA riots, Chicago riots, or the New Orleans Hurricane Katrina looting? Have you forgotten your recent history?

Recently, on Coast-to-Coast AM a guest speaker came up with a frightening scenario; an EMP device takes down Washington DC and all of the computer systems. One of the first to go happened to be the "food stamp program" which 47 million people are currently on - he noted that there could be riots in every major city within hours. Sure, that could happen, but what if it were something else such as a computer virus or worm and it took down only that government computer system?

Now then, I'm not one to participate in doom and gloom conspiracy theories, but occasionally I do like to listen to that late night talk show to see just what sorts of interesting commentary and intellectual conversations might pop up. We have far too many people on food stamps that are now relying on the government. Instead of teaching them how to fish, we've given them free fish, and they expect that entitlement to continue forever. Do you know what happens when the government takes something away that it is promised the people?

Do I need to remind you of the ancient wisdom above, or the recent rioting we've had in the US, or that which we've seen around the world which was far worse? I think not, I believe you to be an intelligent reader if you are reading my intellectually driven philosophical articles. I ask that you please consider all this and think on it. How safe is the US food stamp program? It may turn out to be a very unwise choice, and this attempt to domesticate American citizens with free food could come back to bite us.

What happens tomorrow if it isn't there?

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Scary Internet Stuff. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/

View the original article here