security

" What the heck is a blended threat? " I'm glad you asked ;-) According to searchSecurity.com a blended threat is "a computer network attack that seeks to maximize the severity of damage and speed of contagion by combining methods, for example using ... characteristics of both viruses and worms, while also taking advantage of vulnerabilities in computers, networks, or other physical systems." (Source: searchSecurity.com ) Now that's a mouthful! In more simpler terms, a blended threat is an attack that combines two or more vulnerabilities or attack methods on a remote machine. Blended threats are ... (view more)

This entry is the second part of a three part series on spyware prevention tips. In the first article , I overviewed an excellent (and free!) tool called SpywareBlaster whose sole purpose is to prevent the installation of spyware on your computer. ... SpywareBlaster is lightweight, easy-to-use, and continually updated. Today I'm going to share a second spyware prevention tip. Are you ready? Spyware Prevention Tip #2 - Stop Using Internet Explorer Fact: Some popular forms of spyware specifically target vulnerabilities associated with Microsoft Internet Explorer. Fact: Internet Explorer has a ... (view more)

SpywareStrike is the latest rogue anti-spyware application to hit the 'net. As early as last week, users began reporting popups, homepage redirects, and annoying taskbar popup security warnings indicating that there was "an intrusion" on their PC. ... SunbeltBlog reports that infected machines are being redirected to fake "online security" websites, including (among others): securitycaution.com, dnserror404.com, todaywarnings.com, updatesystempage.com, and yoursecuritysystem.com. [Sample screenshot here]. All of these sites are designed to dupe unsuspecting users into ... (view more)

SpywareStrike is the latest rogue anti-spyware application to hit the 'net. As early as last week, users began reporting popups, homepage redirects, and annoying taskbar popup security warnings indicating that there was "an intrusion" on their PC. ... SunbeltBlog reports that infected machines are being redirected to fake "online security" websites, including (among others): securitycaution.com, dnserror404.com, todaywarnings.com, updatesystempage.com, and yoursecuritysystem.com. [Sample screenshot here]. All of these sites are designed to dupe unsuspecting users into ... (view more)

Many security forums and security blogs are buzzing around the 'net with much talk about SpyAxe. Fact: Computer Associates Security Advisor page suggests that SpyAxe gets onto susceptible Windows machines through a vulnerability in Internet ... Explorer. Web sites with the hidden 'Trojan-Downloader.Win32.Zlob' pass on SpyAxe as its "payload." Fact: Anti-virus firm F-Secure reports that up to twenty-five hundred (2500!) new machines per hour are infected with SpyAxe. Fact: Lavasoft quickly discovered as many as five new SpyAxe variants per week are installed onto users' machines. (A ... (view more)

So many people have become enamored with home wireless internet access, and with good reason. It's simple, relatively cheap, and very convenient. Now you can watch TV in the family room while playing poker online. Yeah! It's so easy in fact, that ... all you have to do is run out and buy a wireless router, a wireless card, plug them up and then by basically using the default configuration for both, start surfing! Unfortunately, that is exactly what most people who don't know better do. What many people don't realize is, as easy as it is for you connect to your new wireless connection, it's ... (view more)

You've just come home with your new computer. How delightful! Now you're ready to surf the web and download some music -- legally of course -- and send out a few emails to family and friends. As you're about to plug in the networking cable you ... remember something the sales associate mentioned. "Be sure and get some anti-spyware and security stuff". "Bah," you figure. The guy is just trying to sell you more that you don't want or need, right? Onward you go, dismissing the comment and salivating as Google pulls up page after page of amazing information about things you never knew ... (view more)

Folder Iconizer An easy three steps wizard to change the computer folders identity, by adding icons or de-iconizing them according to the user's desire. http://users.spark.net.gr/~stamatb/freesoft/index.htm 6 Dumbest Ideas In Computer Security What ... are they? They're the anti-good ideas. They're the brain damage that makes your $100,000 ASIC-based turbo-stateful packet-mulching firewall transparent to hackers. Where do anti-good ideas come from? They come from misguided attempts to do the impossible -- which is another way of saying "trying to ignore reality." Frequently those misguided ... (view more)

The Control Panel is part of the Microsoft Windows graphical user interface (GUI) menu. It is accessible from the Start Menu, which allows users to view and manipulate basic system settings and controls, such as: adding hardware, adding/removing ... software, controlling user accounts, changing accessibility options, and more. The Control Panel is accessed by going into Start -> Settings -> Control Panel on Windows 95, 98, and Me and directly from Windows XP. Control Panel Categories in Windows XP In Windows XP, the following Control Panel options are present: Accessibility Options: allows ... (view more)

In today's world of Spyware threats and other Internet nasties, not knowing what is running silently in the background of your computer can be a serious problem. Unfortunately, Task Manager [CTRL + ALT + DEL] isn't helpful in reporting which ... processes are critical to your system, which ones can be terminated safely, and is horrible at troubleshooting problematic and suspect tasks. So how do you know "what's what"? Introducing WinTasks 5 Professional: the Ultimate Task Manager WinTasks 5 Professional is a state-of-the-art Task Manager replacement designed to enhance your computer's ... (view more)