scott
07-21-2006, 06:07 PM
I have been computer consulting for businesses since 1995. I am amazed at how frustruting computers have become, especially for those wading out into the internet ocean. This post summarizes the same time-proven advice I have been giving clients for years. If you follow this advice, you will have few or no problems with your computer online. The problems I am trying to avoid include:
"My computer is much slower since I bought it"
Popup Ads
Viruses
Spam
Identity Theft
Here is the quick list of links:
http://www.trendmicro.com
http://www.opera.com
http://www.mozilla.com
http://www.grc.com
http://www.webroot.com
http://www.cloudmark.com
Here is a detailed description of what you should do:
Get real Antivirus protection. The only two programs that I could recommend with any confidence is Trend Micro Internet Security and Norton Antivirus. I especially like Trend Micro: it has proven to be better, smarter, cheaper, and more friendly than Norton. Do not use any other Antivirus products, especially on a business computer. Especially don't use McAfee or any free software. We rarely see them work as advertised. You can get Trend Micro Internet Security from http://www.trendmicro.com. It is also available in 3 and 5 packs for less than 2 copies of Norton. Cost of this recommendation = $25 to $50 per computer.
Stop using Internet Explorer. Microsoft has a proven track record of not providing a secure browser or operating system. After years of failing to protect us, don't expect XP service pack 2 to fix everything. You need to trust someone else to secure your computer. We recommend two different browsers that are gaining in popularity. Both are superior to Internet Explorer in just about every way. After using these browsers for a couple of years, I am amazed at how crude Internet Explorer feels whenever I bring it up to test websites for compatibility. The two browsers are Opera from http://www.opera.com and Firefox from http://www.mozilla.com. Both are free. Opera has a cleaner interface, better password management, and seems faster. Opera also blocks most popup ads out of the box. Firefox is more compatible on websites that use ActiveX controls, but some of these ActiveX controls should raise concerns about what you are installing. I use both browsers on a daily basis. Cost of this recommendation = $0 (Both browsers are free!).
Lock down DCom, Messenger, and PnP. These are services that are installed and turned on for many computers but never used by most users. They are, however, very useful for hackers who want to take over your computer. Unless you know you need these services, you should disable them. By the way, the Messenger service is not the same as Microsoft Messenger. You can download the tools to fix this by connecting to http://www.grc.com/default.htm and scrolling down to the box titled "Your Three Musketeers". You can use the same tools to turn any of these services back on as needed. Cost of this recommendation = $0 (The tools are free!).
Get Spyware protection. There are two different ways to do this, the free way, and the Microsoft way. First I will describe the Microsoft way. If you can't stop using Internet Explorer for whatever reason, or you have kids or a spouse who just can't stop doing it, then you need to purchase a Spyware protection package to keep your computer clean. I recommend the Webroot Internet Security pack that comes with Spysweeper, Windows Washer, Spam Shredder, and I believe something else. It is a good deal, and usually costs $40 to $50. You can buy this at Best Buy or get it from http://www.webroot.com The only other Spyware protection that I would consider is AdAware, but get the purchased version. The free stuff really doesn't work here. Now for the free solution: If you can stop using Internet Explorer, you may save yourself $40. Download the trial version of SpySweeper and run it for 30 days. Clean up your computer. If you start using Firefox and/or Opera, you can uninstall the trial version after 30 days and you may never see spyware on your computer again. I don't run SpySweeper or any other Spyware protection on any of my computers and I haven't had a problem in years since I don't use Internet Explorer. Cost of this recommendation = $0 to $50 per computer.
Buy a hardware firewall. Software firewalls are OK but they don't provide the level of security that a hardware firewall offers. The hardware firewalls also allow you to setup a home network (or even wireless) for a nominal fee. Hardware firewalls are especially important for high-speed internet users, since the hackers spend all day scanning the internet addresses of Comcast, SBC, AT&T@Home, and other users looking for a computer to take over. If you are not sure, do the ShieldsUp test at http://www.grc.com for the common ports and file sharing ports. You should see Stealth for every port. When you get a firewall, you should buy a Linksys, Belkin, D-Link or some other major brand, and you should get one with at least 4 ports on the back for desktop computers. Firewalls are available at Best Buy, Walmart, and most everywhere else that sells computer stuff. We recommend Linksys, especially if you want a firewall with wireless. Cost of this recommendation = $60 to $70 (perhaps $90 for a firewall with wireless).
Get rid of Spam. Email Spam is a huge problem with no easy answers. If you have a business with a large enough office, we can setup a mail server that filters almost all the Spam out. If you need protection for home computers or a small business, you can get excellent protection using Cloudmark, but you need to use Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express for your email. Cloudmark is the only offensive weapon out there for fighting Spam. By joining the Cloudmark community, you not only block messages, but your mouse clicks to block Spam also prevent others from seeing the same junk messages. Every email you receive is checked against an online database where other Cloudmark users may have already caught that Spam message. This online effort makes 95% of the Spam completely disappear. It is very effective and far more satisfying than the competing programs. You can get cloudmark from http://www.cloudmark.com. Cost of this recommendation = $40 per computer.
Get rid of file sharing programs. These programs open your computer up to hackers and viruses. Get rid of Kazaa, Napster, and any others. You are insane or foolish if you keep these programs after reading this post. If you have to steal music, do it like a real crook and shoplift. Don't risk your computer's security to feed your desire to break the law.
Be suspicious. You need to think about the websites you visit, the things you download, and the email attachments that you open. Picture and movie attachments are usually safe. If you have decent antivirus protection (i.e. Trend Micro), you shouldn't worry about opening office documents. Macro viruses are easily caught by modern antivirus packages. But unless you are absolutely sure about what you are doing, you should NEVER open an email attachment that is an application or executable. If you don't know what these are, don't open ANY attachments until someone shows you the difference. Don't download programs from websites unless you trust the company where you are downloading. Don't visit hacker websites from Russia and Eastern Europe unless you know a lot about computers. Even if you do, don't download anything from those sites.
Be suspicious (part 2). When receiving emails or phone calls from companies, don't give any personal information out. If you receive an email from a bank or other financial institution, don't click on the link to login. Open a browser and type in the web address. Fake email links are the most popular trick for getting your login information or social security number. You may think you are logging into eBay or PayPal, but you are really connected to a site in Russia that wants to steal your identity. Also, when you receive a phone call from a company asking to verify your identity or address, don't do it. Ask them to read what they have about you and confirm it. You are under no legal obligation to provide information to other companies about yourself. If you need to confirm your identity, ask for a phone number to call them back so you know they are reachable in some way. The crooks that want to steal your identity will refuse to give you a way to reach them. I have even been hung up on by someone pretending to represent my bank when I asked for the phone number to call them back.
If you follow these instructions, you will have few if any problems online, and this list is not expensive. It may cost $70 to protect your house or office network, and it will cost less than $100 per computer if you stop using Internet Explorer. This cost will easily be made up for by the increased productive of a faster computer with no viruses, popup ads, or spam.
Have fun,
Scott Lynn
President
Online Solutions, Inc.
"My computer is much slower since I bought it"
Popup Ads
Viruses
Spam
Identity Theft
Here is the quick list of links:
http://www.trendmicro.com
http://www.opera.com
http://www.mozilla.com
http://www.grc.com
http://www.webroot.com
http://www.cloudmark.com
Here is a detailed description of what you should do:
Get real Antivirus protection. The only two programs that I could recommend with any confidence is Trend Micro Internet Security and Norton Antivirus. I especially like Trend Micro: it has proven to be better, smarter, cheaper, and more friendly than Norton. Do not use any other Antivirus products, especially on a business computer. Especially don't use McAfee or any free software. We rarely see them work as advertised. You can get Trend Micro Internet Security from http://www.trendmicro.com. It is also available in 3 and 5 packs for less than 2 copies of Norton. Cost of this recommendation = $25 to $50 per computer.
Stop using Internet Explorer. Microsoft has a proven track record of not providing a secure browser or operating system. After years of failing to protect us, don't expect XP service pack 2 to fix everything. You need to trust someone else to secure your computer. We recommend two different browsers that are gaining in popularity. Both are superior to Internet Explorer in just about every way. After using these browsers for a couple of years, I am amazed at how crude Internet Explorer feels whenever I bring it up to test websites for compatibility. The two browsers are Opera from http://www.opera.com and Firefox from http://www.mozilla.com. Both are free. Opera has a cleaner interface, better password management, and seems faster. Opera also blocks most popup ads out of the box. Firefox is more compatible on websites that use ActiveX controls, but some of these ActiveX controls should raise concerns about what you are installing. I use both browsers on a daily basis. Cost of this recommendation = $0 (Both browsers are free!).
Lock down DCom, Messenger, and PnP. These are services that are installed and turned on for many computers but never used by most users. They are, however, very useful for hackers who want to take over your computer. Unless you know you need these services, you should disable them. By the way, the Messenger service is not the same as Microsoft Messenger. You can download the tools to fix this by connecting to http://www.grc.com/default.htm and scrolling down to the box titled "Your Three Musketeers". You can use the same tools to turn any of these services back on as needed. Cost of this recommendation = $0 (The tools are free!).
Get Spyware protection. There are two different ways to do this, the free way, and the Microsoft way. First I will describe the Microsoft way. If you can't stop using Internet Explorer for whatever reason, or you have kids or a spouse who just can't stop doing it, then you need to purchase a Spyware protection package to keep your computer clean. I recommend the Webroot Internet Security pack that comes with Spysweeper, Windows Washer, Spam Shredder, and I believe something else. It is a good deal, and usually costs $40 to $50. You can buy this at Best Buy or get it from http://www.webroot.com The only other Spyware protection that I would consider is AdAware, but get the purchased version. The free stuff really doesn't work here. Now for the free solution: If you can stop using Internet Explorer, you may save yourself $40. Download the trial version of SpySweeper and run it for 30 days. Clean up your computer. If you start using Firefox and/or Opera, you can uninstall the trial version after 30 days and you may never see spyware on your computer again. I don't run SpySweeper or any other Spyware protection on any of my computers and I haven't had a problem in years since I don't use Internet Explorer. Cost of this recommendation = $0 to $50 per computer.
Buy a hardware firewall. Software firewalls are OK but they don't provide the level of security that a hardware firewall offers. The hardware firewalls also allow you to setup a home network (or even wireless) for a nominal fee. Hardware firewalls are especially important for high-speed internet users, since the hackers spend all day scanning the internet addresses of Comcast, SBC, AT&T@Home, and other users looking for a computer to take over. If you are not sure, do the ShieldsUp test at http://www.grc.com for the common ports and file sharing ports. You should see Stealth for every port. When you get a firewall, you should buy a Linksys, Belkin, D-Link or some other major brand, and you should get one with at least 4 ports on the back for desktop computers. Firewalls are available at Best Buy, Walmart, and most everywhere else that sells computer stuff. We recommend Linksys, especially if you want a firewall with wireless. Cost of this recommendation = $60 to $70 (perhaps $90 for a firewall with wireless).
Get rid of Spam. Email Spam is a huge problem with no easy answers. If you have a business with a large enough office, we can setup a mail server that filters almost all the Spam out. If you need protection for home computers or a small business, you can get excellent protection using Cloudmark, but you need to use Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express for your email. Cloudmark is the only offensive weapon out there for fighting Spam. By joining the Cloudmark community, you not only block messages, but your mouse clicks to block Spam also prevent others from seeing the same junk messages. Every email you receive is checked against an online database where other Cloudmark users may have already caught that Spam message. This online effort makes 95% of the Spam completely disappear. It is very effective and far more satisfying than the competing programs. You can get cloudmark from http://www.cloudmark.com. Cost of this recommendation = $40 per computer.
Get rid of file sharing programs. These programs open your computer up to hackers and viruses. Get rid of Kazaa, Napster, and any others. You are insane or foolish if you keep these programs after reading this post. If you have to steal music, do it like a real crook and shoplift. Don't risk your computer's security to feed your desire to break the law.
Be suspicious. You need to think about the websites you visit, the things you download, and the email attachments that you open. Picture and movie attachments are usually safe. If you have decent antivirus protection (i.e. Trend Micro), you shouldn't worry about opening office documents. Macro viruses are easily caught by modern antivirus packages. But unless you are absolutely sure about what you are doing, you should NEVER open an email attachment that is an application or executable. If you don't know what these are, don't open ANY attachments until someone shows you the difference. Don't download programs from websites unless you trust the company where you are downloading. Don't visit hacker websites from Russia and Eastern Europe unless you know a lot about computers. Even if you do, don't download anything from those sites.
Be suspicious (part 2). When receiving emails or phone calls from companies, don't give any personal information out. If you receive an email from a bank or other financial institution, don't click on the link to login. Open a browser and type in the web address. Fake email links are the most popular trick for getting your login information or social security number. You may think you are logging into eBay or PayPal, but you are really connected to a site in Russia that wants to steal your identity. Also, when you receive a phone call from a company asking to verify your identity or address, don't do it. Ask them to read what they have about you and confirm it. You are under no legal obligation to provide information to other companies about yourself. If you need to confirm your identity, ask for a phone number to call them back so you know they are reachable in some way. The crooks that want to steal your identity will refuse to give you a way to reach them. I have even been hung up on by someone pretending to represent my bank when I asked for the phone number to call them back.
If you follow these instructions, you will have few if any problems online, and this list is not expensive. It may cost $70 to protect your house or office network, and it will cost less than $100 per computer if you stop using Internet Explorer. This cost will easily be made up for by the increased productive of a faster computer with no viruses, popup ads, or spam.
Have fun,
Scott Lynn
President
Online Solutions, Inc.