Johnny Doe, meet the McGeeks.
Archive for November, 2008
Think Nobody Is Watching You Right Now?
Nov 20th
Image by irrezolut via Flickr
Guess what? Almost every where you go online somebody, if not multiple sources, is tracking you. Most of the time this tracking is innocent enough (meaning not with malicious or illegal intent) and simply being used by site owners to measure their web site performance or advertisers who desire to better understand surfer’s habits.
Still, it can be disconcerting to suddenly realize that while you thought you were all alone in your home and anonymously browsing the web; the truth is you are not really alone or anonymous at all.
So, with that in mind here is some information on taking control of your privacy online.
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Anonymous Internet Surfing – Keeping your Surfing Private
by Jim Rjindael
Some people think that they are on the web they are relatively anonymous internet surfing. I’m afraid nothing could be further from the truth, when you request a web page all the information is passed to your web browser in clear text, your IP address is left in the web server logs and it would be relatively trivial to find out who and were you lived from that information from your ISP.
I’m afraid there’s more, your employer will have a full and exact list of all websites accessed, how long and when they were accessed. I have sat in security meetings with huge charts displayed on the wall with the exact web sites that employees have accessed during the previous month and I can tell you there are some amazing sites! Do these people know they can be traced I suspect not as they certainly wouldn’t be surfing those sort of sites at work if they did.
Anonymous Internet surfing by default simply doesn’t happen but it is possible. The most basic way of protecting your identity is to use an anonymous proxy to hide your IP address when you are surfing. Your communications can still be intercepted as the majority of that web traffic is in the clear but it’s less likely unless someone is deliberately targeting you, the main benefit is that your IP address is not left in the logs of the web servers and your web browsing will remain more private.
This is where many people make a really big mistake, this is what usually happens;
1. User decides they want keep their surfing anonymous 2. They search the internet for information and discover about anonymous proxies 3. They look for a list of free anonymous proxies and find one near them 4. They add the anonymous proxy settings to their internet browser and feel much more secure and private!
Unfortunately as is often true, anything that is free on the internet often comes with a hidden cost. Our privacy seeking internet surfer is indeed now masking their IP address from web servers they visit, all the logs will store the IP address of the proxy server as that is what is actually visiting the web site. The Proxy server is then passing back all the requests back to the user, all the users web traffic now goes through this proxy server.
Of course many hacking groups realise the value of proxy servers for privacy and it is why you’ll often find these lists prepared by hacking groups themselves then carefully allowed to drift out onto the internet by various means. Our hapless surfer may come across one of the many lists which are riddled by hacked servers which have had proxy servers installed onto them (usually without the owners knowledge). These servers specifically are monitored and data logged – you are in fact sending all your web traffic directly to a bunch of criminals or hackers, not such a great idea.
This really happens and more often than you think so please if you are going to use an anonymous proxy, make sure it is legitimate and the owner can be trusted. Don’t just use a free one you found on an internet list – not only will you have a limited anonymous internet surfing capability, you could very well be sending all data to a bunch of Eastern European Identity Thieves.
Of course there are commercial and secure services that can secure your identity and protect your privacy. I use a service which completely encrypts my who data stream with a US Military grade cipher (AES) and then uses a selection of high speed private proxies to make my browsing completely secure and anonymous and also safe from anyone who tries to eavesdrop.
Resources:
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All About Protecting Yourself From Online Scams
Nov 19th
We all like to think we’re smart or savvy enough to not get caught up in one of those silly sounding Internet scams we hear about on the news or TV shows all the time. But if we’re all so smart then why are scammers still running these schemes?
Simple, because most of us, while feeling safe and secure in our homes or offices and browsing the web, can get engrossed in the copy we’re reading and let down our guard just enough to get suckered.
I like to think that as sad as that is for us when it happens, it reflects a positive character trait that we’re basically optimistic and wanting to trust in each other.
Image by ToastyKen via Flickr
Still, it would be better if we weren’t being duped to show our good nature, so here are some recent resources for educating yourself on the scams that are going around right now and how to avoid them.
- Online Scams and Their Prevention : Scams are very common in our daily lives now. Be aware of them, and know as much as you can about it.
- Phishing and Email Scams on the Internet : While the internet has provided many benefits in the form of information and commerce, it has also produced new types of fraud. Phishing and scams from Nigeria both use email to deliver their message. The Nigerian scams are also known as 419 fraud.
- Hook, Line and Sinker – 9 Proven Methods You Can Use to Keep From Being Caught in an Email Scam : Phishing can be simply defined as an attempt to obtain personal and sensitive information, generally accomplished with a fraudulent e-mail or website. The scam artists, who we’ll call “phishermen,” falsely present themselves as legitimate persons and organizations via e-mail or a website (the bait) and reel the victim into believing they are communicating with a trusted source.
- Spotting a Scam Before it Hits You : If you are going to go through life oblivious of the dangers of scams, then more than likely you are going to be a target. Spotting a scam can be the best way to ovoid falling into a nasty financial trap where you are the one snared and have no way of protecting yourself.
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Can You DIY on Spyware Removal?
Nov 18th
We’re always looking for good, reliable and affordable solutions to safe and secure computing online and off, so I was pretty impressed with an article I just came across from Tim Brendel on DIY spyware removal for Windows users.
It doesn’t take you through a step-by-step process, but provides the basic foundation knowledge you would need on spyware to begin researching options for yourself.
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Windows Spyware Removal – Do It Yourself & Save Money
by Tim Brendel
If you have a PC powered by Microsoft Windows, you more than likely have, or will experience spyware. In a nutshell, Spyware is an unwanted program that is installed onto your computer to intercept or take partial control over the user’s interaction with the computer, without the user’s informed consent. It is installed and runs without your permission in an attempt to gain statistics about your internet surfing habits. Spyware creators do this so that they can hopefully see what websites you frequently visit, and then advertise to you with related topics.
For example, let’s say you are shopping for a new vehicle. You visit a few websites, collect your needed information and move on. Suddenly, you get pop-ups, emails, etc. all related to purchasing a new vehicle! Another reason these spyware makers may do this, is an attempt to improve their software that you have already installed willingly. Yes, Microsoft & Adobe (the makers of the Flash Player and Adobe Reader) have, and still do use these spying programs to gain a better understanding of their target market. Spyware infections can get pretty nasty. If you have experienced an issue related to spyware, then there is a 90% chance that the rogue program isn’t alone on your computer. You more than likely have several other infections.
This is because of spyware Trojan Horses. They are installed onto your computer, then they go out and download and install other spyware programs, all without your consent or knowledge! This should be illegal, however the powers that be have realized that spyware makers are very sneaky, and do in fact deceptively get users to give consent to installing their software. They do this by providing little check boxes in a pop-up that read something along the lines of: “Click Here If You Accept the Terms and Conditions”. Does anyone ever read those terms? Short answer -
NOPE!
The good news is that Spyware is definitely not permanent, and in most cases can be removed quite easily if the infection isn’t that bad. You can take your PC to a repair shop, but be prepared to pay high dollars for this service. The going rate for reputable computer repair is upwards of $125 per hour, and spyware & virus removal services can take 2 to 3 hours or more. Sometimes, the other and most effective option is to backup your important data and reinstall your Windows Operating System from scratch. If you do end up having to go this route, you should know that your computer will be “like-new” when you get it back. Meaning, you will have to reinstall your printer, your internet software, and your favorite programs, etc. The up side to that is, there will be zero spyware or viruses when you get it back!
Tim Brendel – 28, Phoenix Metro Area, AZ has been a freelance writer for the last 5 years, and he loves sharing his knowledge and opinions for people to read. Tim is also an information addict! He wants to learn as much as possible about every topic that he get his hands on. As an author, he specializes in Technology, Advertising, Marketing, Social Networking, and in other areas of web copy.
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Are Hackers After Your Passwords?
Nov 17th
Yes they are! There’s no doubt about it, if your PC is connected to the Internet then right now one or more hackers is working on ways to access your passwords and other sensitive information.
It’s a fact of life online and there’s no way around it unfortunately.
However, there are some basic steps we can all take to protect ourselves and the following article illustrates them quite nicely.
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Learn This Simple Trick To Prevent Password Hackers
by Christopher Amissah
Your computer safety and security is not limited to anti-virus software, anti-spyware software, and firewalls, because the passwords themselves can be targeted by unauthorized people. It would be better for your overall security if you take the necessary precautions and means when it comes to dealing with password protection.
Hacking to retrieve your password is one of the ways intruders can attack your computer. Once they get your passwords they can access your online accounts, access your email to send and retrieve messages from your address, enter secure networks etc.
The most important thing to do, is to secure your files and folders, especially highly important ones with a password protection software. If these files are left unprotected, it would be easier for these intruders to get a hold of them and do what they want, or other users of your computer example your kids can accidentally move them or even delete them.
For added security, you need to change your passwords regularly, especially for your more important data. If your passwords remain the same for a long period of time, hackers and intruders would have an easier time figuring them out. By doing so, the intruders would have to start over again since you have a new password, thus making the possibility of frustrating them greater.
Using a number of different characters, especially the combination of letters, numbers, and symbols, can make it difficult for hackers to figure out your password. However, be sure to memorize the combination particularly if you change passwords regularly.
Do not use relevant information to you, such as your birth date, spouse’s name, car registration number and others as passwords. Because it is easier and quicker for them to figure out such passwords.
It would be to your advantage if you acquire a password encryption software. This software disguises passwords written in cleartext into ciphertext format, which is a combination of different symbols. On the other side, intruders try to create decryption softwares, which change the ciphertext back into cleartext that they can see and understand.
Password encryption software comes with various levels of security, some contains a higher level of encryption than others. Higher encryption levels would make it more difficult for the intruder to break in. Password encryption software can be purchased online or in your computer software shop.
In conclusion, securing your important files and folders with passwords, changing passwords regularly, using a combination of characters for passwords, and encrypting them through password encryption software, would guarantee your safety from password hackers.
Computer intruders and viruses should not be taken lightly at all, It would therefore be important for you to know the types of computer viruses available, in order to better protect yourself from them. Find Out These Dangerous Computer Viruses so you can Always Guard Yourself Against them.
Christopher Amissah love to help others to be safe and secured while they are online . You can visit him at http://your-computer-safety.blogspot.com
Protecting Your Children from Online Pornography
Nov 14th
Our primary goal on this blog is to help people enjoy a safer and more productive computing experience. Whether we’re talking about ways to block or fix spyware and adware, or dangers on the web that should be avoided it is always with that primary goal in mind.
Today I came across a fantastic article about managed Internet filtering services that block adult oriented materials before they reach your PC, a far better method than older filtering software which resided on your PC and only worked on content which had already reached your machine, and I wanted to share it here.
This article was written for the purpose of promoting a specific managed filtering service, however the information is general and well worth reading if you’re worried about what your kids are seeing online.
Please note that McGeeks.com has not reviewed the specific service mentioned at the end of the article. We are sharing the article here for informational purposes only and it should not be considered an endorsement of any individual product or service.
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Addicted to Love- Pornography and YOUR kids
by Veronika Lazabal
For today’s parents, keeping porn out of their homes- and out of their children’s hands- is a real concern. In our internet fueled world, pornography addiction is a growing problem, especially among those under 25. The challenge for adults, then, has become how to block porn on their home computer; no small feat, considering the fact that there are literally millions of pornography websites on the web- with hundreds more being added each week.
When it comes to porn filters, however, not every one is created equal. Parents looking for an effective way to block pornography have their work cut out for them, as there are dozens of different systems out there. There are downloadable programs and software available that range from free to outrageously expensive, and choosing the right one for your family can prove to be a daunting task.
The problem with many of these pornography filter systems is that they put the burden of blocking porn on the parents. This usually means hours of figuring out complicated computer programs, and creating endless blacklists of blocked sites. Also, whenever you’re dealing with passwords, you run the risk of having an intrepid young mind figure a way around it.
The best choice in porn filters is usually a managed internet filtering service. These programs take a new approach to battling an impending porn addiction. They also take the work out of a busy parent’s hands. It’s porn blocking using a human approach. Real people combine with state of the art technologies to create a customized filter for your home.
Whichever approach you take to keeping porn away from your kids, the key is starting early. Children and teens are spending more time than ever on the internet. It has become their most important resource for school and recreation. You wouldn’t let your teen ride a bike without a helmet, or cross the street without looking both ways. Why would leave them unsafe on the web?
We are the first company to offer a Fully Managed Internet Filtering Service™! You continue using your existing internet service provider (ISP) and we take over the task of filtering and monitoring the internet for you!