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Winning the Online Battle: How to Stop Spam, Viruses, and Hackers Dead in Their Tracks By Greg Reynolds Spam Virus Help.com Net Sense.Info Introduction About The Author: Greg Reynolds is a 23-year veteran of the computer industry and the President of Net Sense, an IT consulting firm He has worked on systems integration projects with some of the largest companies in the U.S including IBM, Bank of America, Wachovia, and Bell South A graduate of the University of Michigan, Greg has been hands on with computers since the days when keypunch cards were used for data entry When he can get away with it, he likes to work on his notebook computer out on the back deck overlooking the lake His consulting practice with Net Sense focuses on network security and project management for corporate clients The Spam Virus Help web site is geared toward assisting home computer users Greg lives outside Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife and six kids When the five boys aren’t beating him up in various sporting activities, he serves as the First Bank of Dad for all their financial needs And, of course, his daughter already has the keys to the vault! About This Book: “Winning the Online Battle: How to stop spam, viruses and hackers dead in their tracks” is work in progress This ebook version is free for anyone to download You have full usage and distribution rights You not have the right to reprint, alter, or convert the content of this book into any other form Copyright Notice: This book is copyrighted, March 2004, under the laws of the United States All rights reserved Version: This edition is Version 1.3 Check the web site for updates or subscribe to the Net Sense newsletter Table of Contents Winning the Online Battle: How to Stop Spam, Viruses, and Hackers Dead in Their Tracks By Greg Reynolds Spam Virus Help.com Net Sense.Info Table of Contents Introduction Building Your Castle Walls Start with a strong foundation Use the right building materials 10 Hardware firewall 11 Software firewall .12 Protect your castle from spam and viruses .12 How break-ins occur 13 Let right in .13 Hand-delivered .14 Piggyback programs 15 Guessed right 15 Summary 16 Hiring The Right Gatekeeper(s) 17 Trustworthy 17 Multi-talented 17 Multi-tasking 18 Always on duty .18 Updated regularly 18 Gates To Guard 18 Internet connection point 19 Email .19 Attachments 19 Backdoors 20 Gatekeeping functions 20 Selection criteria 21 Cost 21 Ease of setup 22 Functionality 22 Automation 23 Upgradeability 23 Compatibility 23 Beware the Universal Solution 24 Summary 24 Eliminating Spies .25 Adware 25 Spyware .26 Malware 27 Summary 28 Acquiring the Cloak of Invisibility .29 Cookies 29 IP Tracking 30 Email Address Theft .31 Online Communication Eavesdropping 32 Summary 33 Use A Multi-layered Defense .34 Best Practices - Computer Security 34 Best Practices – Firewall 34 Best Practices - Spam Prevention 35 Best Practices – Antivirus Protection 35 Best Practices – Spyware/Adware Detection .35 Best Practices - Malware Defense 35 Summary 36 Computer security for your Windows PC 37 Windows security patches 37 Internet Explorer Security 38 How to secure Internet Explorer .39 Create a multi-layered defense .40 Spam filters block 93.7% of your spam email 41 Good spam filter: Spam Agent 41 Better spam filter: Spam Inspector 4.0 42 Best Spam Filter: Spam Arrest .43 Free Spam Filters are great anti-spam blockers 46 Free Spam Filters For Home Users 46 Free Spam Filter #1: Spam Pal .46 Free Spam Filter #2: Spam Weasel 47 Free Spam Filter #3: Spam Buster 48 Spam Prevention Tips: Anti-Spam Do's & Don'ts 49 Spam Prevention rules to live by: 49 Don't post your email address online .49 Don't open spam, ever 49 Don't buy anything from spam messages .50 Don't use spam "remove me" links 50 Do use an anti-spam filter or spam blocker 50 Antivirus software defeats the virus epidemic .52 Antivirus Review Criteria 52 Our Good Antivirus Software Pick: 53 McAfee VirusScan (#3 overall) .53 Our Better Antivirus Software Pick: 54 Panda Titanium Antivirus 2004 (#2 overall) .54 Our Best Antivirus Software Pick: 54 Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal Pro (#1 overall) .54 Norton Antivirus 2004: Free Download Info 57 Norton AntiVirus software 57 Product Overview 57 Product Features 57 Product Problems 58 Product Pricing .58 Free Download .59 Norton Antivirus 2004 Update 59 Free Antivirus Software .60 Free Antivirus Software #1: 60 AVG Anti-virus 60 Free Antivirus Software #2: 61 AntiVir Personal Edition 61 Free Antivirus Software 62 Free Anti Virus Downloads .63 Free Antivirus Download #1: 63 Panda Titanium Anti-virus 63 Free Antivirus Download #2: 64 Kaspersky Anti-virus .64 Free Antivirus Download #3 65 Norton Anti-Virus 2004 65 Free Virus Scan Websites 67 Trend Micro HouseCall 67 Kaspersky Virus Checker 68 Need a free virus scan? 68 How to your Free Virus Check .69 BitDefender Free Online Virus Scan 69 Panda ActiveScan - Free Online Scanner 70 Spyware removal protects your privacy .71 What is Spyware? 71 How you got infected with Spyware 72 Why you want spyware removal 72 Spyware Removal Review Criteria 73 Good Spyware Removal Pick: 73 X-Cleaner from X-Block (#3 Overall) .73 Better Spyware Removal Pick: 74 Spy-Killer V3.0 (#2 Overall) 74 Best Spyware Removal Pick: 76 PestPatrol (#1 Overall) 76 Free Spyware Removal Programs 78 Adware .78 Spyware 78 Free Spyware Removal #1 .79 Lavasoft's AdAware .79 Where to download AdAware .80 Free Spyware Removal #2 .80 Spybot Search & Destroy .80 Where to download Spybot Search & Destroy .82 Free Spyware Removal #3 .82 PestPatrol (#1 Overall) 82 Spybot Search & Destroy nails 99% of spy bots .84 Spybot Home .84 Why Spybot S&D gets rave reviews .84 Where to download Spybot Search & Destroy 85 Where to get updates 85 Where to get Spybot SD questions answered 86 A Personal firewall keeps you safe online .87 A personal firewall blocks, on average, three hack scans a day 87 What is a firewall? .87 How a firewall works .87 Hardware firewall 88 Software firewall 88 Free personal firewall 89 Where you can get a free firewall 89 Free Firewall Software .90 Personal Firewall Software #1 90 Zone Alarm (#1 overall) 90 Personal Firewall Software #2 91 Tiny Personal Firewall (#2 overall) 91 Personal Firewall Software #3 92 Norton Personal Firewall 2004 (#3 overall) 92 Firewall Downloads .92 BlackICE Firewall 93 Outpost Firewall 93 Stay Safe in Your Castle 95 Resource Links Save You Time & Money .96 Spam Resources 96 Antivirus Resources .96 Spyware Resources .97 Firewall Resources 97 Ebook Resources 98 Computer Resources .98 Webmaster Resources 99 Security Resources 99 Additional Resources .99 Introduction The key to winning the online battle is to think medieval And no, that’s not really as odd as it sounds You need to be a little Machiavellian – building up your castle walls, hiring the right gatekeeper, eliminating spies, and acquiring the cloak of invisibility – to win the online battle Then, once you have good defenses in place, you can protect easily protect yourself while you venture online as long as you keep your head about you And how you that? Simple You just use common sense: • • • • You You You You don’t don’t don’t don’t leave the front door open at your castle let anyone in unless they know the password let spies leak valuable information let anyone see where you’re going So how does that translate to staying safe online? You put systematic procedures in place that watch your back When you are connected to the Internet, no one can possibly keep up with all the communication process going on between your computer and the outside world However, by using a combination of specialized programs, you can put a multi-layered defense that monitors all the communications to and from your computer and keeps your castle safe Every online computer needs the following: • • • • Personal firewall Spam filtering Antivirus protection Spyware/malware detection With these tools you can easily win the online battle and stop spam, viruses, and hackers in their tracks The next few chapters will walk you through the basic concepts followed by chapters describing how these products work, covering best practices, and providing detailed product information Building Your Castle Walls In medieval times, castle walls provided a good defense against attackers Sure, there were still some risks such as bad guys scaling the walls, sneaking in the gates, or shooting flaming arrows over the walls But, all in all, living behind strong walls was a lot safer than being unprotected The same holds true today Your computer is your online home and it needs to be a fortress to protect you from attack In other words, PC = Home = Castle So, how you go about turning your computer into a fortress? You begin by building your castle walls We’ll get to guarding the gates, becoming invisible, and knocking off pesky spies in future chapters Start with a strong foundation To build strong castle walls, you first need a good foundation With your computer, that means having your hardware and software up-todate, all the holes in your computer’s operating system plugged, and any necessary patches applied Otherwise, your foundation will be weak because the building blocks weren’t strong enough to handle the load The unpatched operating system means the mortar was weak, causing holes and weak spots to be left in your castle walls Today’s programs place more demands on your computer than ever before You need a fast enough processor, sufficient memory, and a large enough disk drive to handle all the work Otherwise, you won’t have enough men to defend your castle Most home computers today come with enough processing power, but are woefully short of memory Imagine defending your castle with soldiers who couldn’t remember what they were supposed to and had to stop and think about it before acting By then, things may have gotten out of control Or, worse yet, everything will happen in slow motion as your computer slows to a crawl Windows computers need a ton of memory to handle the many processes they are running simultaneously When you build your castle walls, you’ll be adding even more tasks to their to-do list Do your computer a favor and give it sufficient memory to all the jobs quickly and easily At a minimum, Windows XP systems should have 512k of memory By upgrading your computer’s RAM memory to that level, you’ll ensure that every task is handled swiftly Likewise, having enough disk space is critical to your system’s performance Today’s software programs are enormous compared to the programs in use a decade ago As you add more files to your hard drive, the response time slows as more data is searched to find what is needed If you find your system slowing down, check and make sure that you have enough space available on your hard drive For more information about all the various performance settings to check and adjust on your computer, see the Chapter on “PC Settings Best Practices” Use the right building materials Once a good foundation is in place, it’s necessary to use quality materials to build your castle walls The basic building blocks are: • • • • Hardware firewall Software firewall Antivirus protection Spam prevention A computer firewall is simply a hardware device or software program that allows into your computer only the programs and data you decide are acceptable Firewalls are the best defense a computer can have Where to get Spybot SD questions answered Check the FAQ page: Spybot Question FAQ Then go to the support page: Spybot Support Page Spybot Search & Destroy has an excellent search function linked to their database, so finding an answer to almost any Spybot SD question is quite easy The Spybot S D site provides multiple language support (45 different languages) and extensive help files This spybot remover will definitely search and destroy all spyware on your computer Download your free Spybot Search & Destroy program today A Personal firewall keeps you safe online A personal firewall blocks, on average, three hack scans a day Today's computer security threats make using a personal firewall more important than ever A computer firewall is no longer an option for any Internet-connected PC At a minimum, you must use a free one to protect your Internet computer connection from hackers and all sorts of malicious software What is a firewall? A computer firewall is simply a hardware device or software program that allows into your computer only the programs and data you decide are acceptable Firewalls are the best defense a computer can have Simply put, a firewall detects, rejects, and protects How a firewall works A firewall isolates your computer from the Internet by inspecting each piece of data - inbound or outbound - as it reaches the firewall It uses certain basic rules to decide what goes through and what doesn't Each little package of data must correctly identify itself by specifying a destination address and a port number on that computer It must also contain its originating address and the port number from which it was sent Think of it as the address information on a regular envelope - both return address and recipient Since every data package contains this address information, a firewall can selectively accept or reject the various packages of data it receives Certain rules specify which ports are valid destinations on your computer Other rules specify which ports are valid senders from your computer Each data packages also contains a little snippet which states whether it is initiating a conversation or acknowledging one that is already taking place Rules stipulate how data conversations can be initiated and how they must be acknowledged Your firewall knows which packages match its rules and are therefore acceptable All other packages are refused delivery and go no further than the firewall Hardware firewall A hardware firewall is an external device that resides outside your computer A software firewall is a program that resides inside your computer Both types of firewalls analyze all incoming and outgoing traffic according to preset rules You can also add additional instructions to your firewall that will allow certain types of additional communication Using a hardware firewall on a home computer is rare as they are designed to isolate and protect computer networks In some cases though, you might use a hardware firewall at home Many people network their home computers together and connect to the Internet through a single, high-speed connection, usually cable or DSL Several manufacturers include firewalls within the cable/DSL routers sold in most home electronics stores These hardware firewalls disguise everything behind them with their own unique addresses, called subnets Communication like this uses Network Address Translation (NAT) NAT essentially hides you from prying eyes outside, just as if you were behind tall castle walls Software firewall A software firewall performs the same functions as a hardware firewall It places a wall of code in front of all data transmissions instead of a physical device that essentially contains its own wall of code Either type of firewall will provide the necessary castle walls you need for your computer In addition, you'll need to strengthen your castle walls with antivirus protection, spam prevention, spyware removal software Free personal firewall A free computer firewall provides security software that blocks trojans and worms on a cost-effective basis Your software firewall is easy to install from a firewall download You'll quickly have much needed firewall protection in place in less than five minutes Firewall software is a must to keep hackers out of your PC Your firewall also provides a multi-layered defense against virus attacks Get your protection in place BEFORE it's too late Where you can get a free firewall Every computer needs firewall protection Several companies make free personal firewalls available The best one is Zone Alarm from Zone Labs Zone Alarm is a scaled down version of the top-selling Zone Alarm Pro Millions of people use this award-winning security for Internetconnected PCs You can get their excellent free firewall, Zone Alarm, or a 30-day free trial of Zone Alarm Pro Both keep hackers at bay with protection against worms, Trojans, spyware The Pro version also protects against 47 types of malicious email attachments Zone Alarm Pro includes Cookie Control and Ad Blocking for a faster, safer Internet experience Click here for your free personal firewall software You know there's absolutely no sense in not keeping your computer and private data as safe as possible Add firewall protection to your computer today Free Firewall Software Using a free firewall is a vast improvement over the risky choice of not using one at all It may not be the best firewall protection compared with the more robust commercial versions, but the best firewall software will keep you safe from most Internet-related trouble Obviously, for your internet firewall to be completely effective, your Windows PC must have all the Microsoft security patches applied You should also be sure to adjust your Internet Explorer settings as detailed on our Computer Security page Personal firewall software can't save you from yourself, so you should also be using a Spam Filter and Antivirus Software as well Now that we've covered the basic necessity of having a multi-layered defense, let's examine what a free firewall can offer you • • • • • Controls traffic based on protocol, ports and application Blocks the network traffic based on the content of packets Regulates access behavior such as application startup & interaction Limits access to internal resources such as hard disk and system Protects your data against un-trusted programs or users Personal Firewall Software #1 Zone Alarm (#1 overall) The most popular personal firewall is Zone Alarm by Zone Labs Zone Labs is the leader in personal and distributed firewall technology trusted on over 25 million PCs Their proven firewall technology protects your identity by keeping hackers away from your passwords, account numbers, and valuable data Zone Alarm's advanced privacy solutions stops Web sites from following you online plus it also stops annoying pop-ups The Zone Alarm firewall software is extremely easy to use Novices can protect their computers immediately Advanced users can personalize their privacy protection Zone Labs continues to win its share of industry awards They offer three versions of personal firewalls - Zone Alarm (free), Zone Alarm Plus (adds MailSafe), and Zone Alarm Pro (adds cookie/spyware control) These are products you can trust Zone Alarm offers the best in free firewall protection Click here for the best personal firewall software: Zone Alarm Personal Firewall Software #2 Tiny Personal Firewall (#2 overall) Tiny Personal Firewall 5.0 (TPF5) represents the next generation security solution It integrates several protection layers for the ultimate safety of computers running the various Microsoft Windows operating systems The Tiny firewall software blocks network activity, stops unknown viruses and spyware, accurately controls application behavior, and protects your files and settings Tiny Software's security technology allows you to create rules for specific applications running under specific accounts and apply them simultaneously to different users on the Windows XP Home and Pro operating systems Tiny Personal Firewall is not supported on any earlier versions of the Windows operating system before Windows 2000 There is an online and downloadable PDF version of the manual Click here to access your free firewall download of Tiny Personal Firewall Personal Firewall Software #3 Norton Personal Firewall 2004 (#3 overall) Technically, the Norton firewall software is not a free download, but rather a free 30-day trial of the commercial version However, the Norton brand name creates considerable demand for this product Norton Personal Firewall 2004 delivers all the basic firewall functions in a comprehensive package You get access control, privacy control, intrusion detection, and live updating of protection files New this year are ad blocking integrated with Internet Explorer, and Network Detector, which allows you to specify different network protection rules for different networks That's a very useful feature for a notebook PC More problematic is their new activation key When you want to convert your free trial download to a fully functioning version, you pay online and receive an activation key by email Needless to say, the process is not always smooth and free support is by email Phone support is charged by the minute That's not a pretty picture when you're trying to get someone's software to function properly Norton Personal Firewall 2004 works with Windows 98 and higher It's also available in small office bundles, and in various combinations with other Norton software products Click here to download Norton Personal Firewall 2004 Firewall Downloads The top five free firewall downloads are: • • • • • Zone Alarm Personal Firewall Norton Personal Firewall 2004 Tiny Firewall by Tiny Software BlackICE Firewall by ISS Outpost Firewall Free Note: Symantec's McAfee Firewall is not available as a free download Since we've already covered the top three firewall downloads, let's take a look at BlackICE firewall and Outpost firewall free version BlackICE Firewall This firewall software is quite popular with more advanced users BlackICE PC Protection features both an intrusion detection system and a personal firewall for a one-two punch of protection The BlackICE firewall automatically detects and blocks attacks through a comprehensive inspection of all inbound and outbound information to your computer There is a free download version that you register to convert to the always updated commercial firewall Click here for BlackICE Firewall Then click on the Download button on the upper right to get to the hidden free firewall download Outpost Firewall Outpost is available in two versions: Free (1.0) and Pro (2.1) Here is a quick comparison of the differences between these versions Both versions have the standard packet/application filtering, network monitoring, and web privacy components Outpost Pro Firewall software also includes stateful inspection, components control, automatic updates, and, of course, support That brings up an important point If you don't know what you're doing, then either pick the straightforward Zone Alarm firewall or set your firewall software to the default settings You can get your free Outpost firewall download here: Outpost Firewall There are other free firewall utilities available, but I recommend sticking with mainstream products wherever possible The programming code is better, updates are more frequent, and there are upgrades available to their more advanced commercial brethren So, pick the free firewall download you want to try and get your PC protected today Stay Safe in Your Castle Now you know how to stay safe within your castle walls It’s time to translate knowing into reality Take the time to protect your castle correctly: • • • • • • Tighten your computer security settings Select a personal firewall as your gatekeeper Add spam filters to your email to keep out the riffraff Use a virus scanner to catch anything with criminal intent Eliminate spies with a strong spyware remover Use best practices and common sense I can’t overemphasize the last point You will be safest when you are cautious in your dealings with strangers and when your castle has the highest possible level of security Now that you know how to protect yourself, don’t wait any longer Let’s be safe out there! Resource Links Save You Time & Money Our handy resource links will help you quickly find the best sources Websites are categorized within specific groups Be sure to download our free ebook, Winning the Online Battle: How to Stop Spam, Viruses, and Hackers Dead in Their Tracks" It's a PDF file jam-packed with all our great spam, antivirus, spyware, and firewall info Plus, it contains all the resource links :-) You'll have a handy reference ebook to access whenever you need it Share a copy with your friends or give it away from your website You have full use and distribution rights Spam Resources Spam Inspector 4.0 - The Spam Inspector offers award winning spam protection integrated directly into your email program Without changing the way you send and receive email, simply installing Spam Inspector gives you the power to CLEAN YOUR INBOX, PROTECT YOUR FAMILY, AND FIGHTBACK AGAINST SPAM Download your free copy today SpamAgent from SpyTech Software - SpamAgent has a comprehensive set of filters (over 1500!) that block spam and unwanted emails - before they reach your inbox The software allows you to block all incoming attachments, or just executable/program attachments that may potentially damage your PC! Get a free 30-day trial Antivirus Resources Panda Titanium Antivirus 2004 - The ideal solution for users who need security combined with ease of use: it detects and resolves security holes, includes self-diagnosis and can reinforce itself against virus attacks The most advanced security technology ensures maximum speed with minimum resource use Quick free trial download Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal Pro - Kaspersky Labs is the leading European security software company In every major competition, their antivirus engine consistently outperforms all other contenders by blocking 100% of virus attacks Free trial available The Anti-Virus Directory - Top name Anti-Virus Software Companies One of the largest Anti-Virus Directories online Spyware Resources Pest Patrol - The #1 spyware detection and removal program PestPatrol is a powerful security and personal privacy tool It detects and eliminates destructive pests like trojans, spyware, adware and hacker tools PestPatrol is #1 in the worldwide market for a reason Download your free copy today X-Cleaner from X-Block Software - X-Cleaner scans for spyware and adware It also cleans cookies, cache, memory, temporary files, instant messaging files, picture files, and a host of other handy cleanup areas The program protects your start page and includes a drop-and-drag shredder utility to really remove deleted items Firewall Resources Zone Alarm Firewall - The award-winning PC firewall that keeps your personal data and privacy safe from Internet hackers and data thieves Shield your system with our proven, award-winning personal firewall Firewalls and Virus Protection - Use a Firewall with anti virus software to maximize online security and avoid data recovery anguish from a Hacker attack and virus infection Before and After guidelines and info on Cookies, Spam, Spyware and Adware, popoups and popup blockers, hoax warnings, and much more Easy reading, too Ebook Resources Ezinebonanza.com - Quality Bargain & Free Ebooks Ezinebonanza.com is a quality ebookstore for small businesses We have a great collection of ebooks - home business, internet marketing, real estate, ebay marketing, asset protection, FREE newsletters, resources and more This is great place for stay-at-home moms, small business owners, unemployeds Computer Resources PC Home Help - PC Home Help support for the home or office has online, phone and on-site technical support for you Personal Computer Ranging anywhere from the Internet, hardware, software, Windows 98/XP/2000/ME and other programs Tutoring and other IT Solutions We come to you at home or office Bestsoftwareprice.com We offer a large selection of computer games and childrens software at wholesale prices Vic's Computer Service - For any board level, laptop repair, call Vic's Motherboard repair is our specialty, we can work on any laptop motherboard Eisp.biz: High Speed Dialup Access And Business Affiliate Make money from buying Internet Access! Pays on levels, with a generous $10 cash payout for each referral! $12.95 a month for High Speed Dialup Access Network Design and Integration, Network Management, Disaster Prevention and Recovery Planning - Netwise Group Inc is a Los Angeles based consulting company that provides business automation, computer network, wireless, internet and security solutions, remote and on-site support, and cost-effective IT outsourcing Wonks Wireless And Electronics Wireless network equipment for the home or small office Simple to setup and easy to use Webmaster Resources Search Engine Promotion Service Search engine promotion service Website promotion tips and list of all search engines Get Listed Now.net Your number #1 resource for search engine submission.Offering various submission solutions designed for affordability while providing a professional service to get your website listed online LinkMarket :: Where link exchange is Free and Easy! Have you ever tried to exchange links? Was it hard? Use LinkMarket instead, - it's easy to use, free and very smart It will save you hours of work! autoresponder Free follow up Pro autoresponders Follow-up automatic responders that automate tedious email tasks, build opt-in list, newsletter, and ezines Follow up with your leads www.AceResponse.com Security Resources SANS Top 20 Computer Vulnerabilities - The vast majority of worms and other successful cyber attacks are made possible by vulnerabilities in a small number of common operating system services Attackers are opportunistic Protect your computer with a multi-layered defense Net Sense Consulting - Net Sense delivers cost-effective solutions for computer security, wireless network security, computer networking, remote access, IP telephony, spam filters and other antispam countermeasures Additional Resources Fundraiser Help - Fundraiser Help provides fundraising event ideas and tips on school fundraising, church fundraisers, and any type of youth group product fundraiser Good source of fundraising information The Knowledge Network - The Knowledge Network is a directory and search engine for finding the top websites around the globe Search more of the web [...]... exposure when your computer is connected to the Internet You have spam, viruses, and hackers trying to invade your castle almost nonstop To be safe, you have to construct a multi-layered defense against intrusion, information leaks, identity theft, and malicious code Your castle walls need to be strong, high, and airtight The best way to protect yourself is to combine best practices with common sense... detected and quarantined That’s why it’s so important to keep your operating system and your applications patched with the latest updates to close the holes these viruses are designed to exploit Later on, we’ll cover spam and antivirus protection in depth and then lay out best practices to follow to keep your castle safe Right now though, we need to look at the remaining weak points in your castle walls How. .. you, you’ll need to learn how to stay safe In a subsequent chapter, we’ll examine the various prevention and removal tools available to combat spyware, adware, and malware But right now, we’re going to complete our introduction by finding out how to be invisible online Acquiring the Cloak of Invisibility Becoming invisible online is a worthy goal It will help you greatly in your efforts to protect your... your computer can be breached It’s somewhat akin to firing an arrow over the castle walls and striking an unseen target A potential intruder scans the Internet for likely targets and tries thousands of addresses per hour automatically By chance, your address is selected and the hacker tries to gain admittance to your system They can quickly try dozens of automated probes looking for weak spots in your... hook onto your browser and track your surfing habits, reporting them back to the originating site Web site owners can see what kind of operating system and monitor you're using, what part of the country or world you're in, and when you last visited their site They can tell which Web site you visited before theirs, and which one you went to next Many websites use cookies to track user visits and preferences... technical knowledge to eavesdrop on network communications It simply requires a “packet sniffer” tool and a moderate understanding of what to look for and how to reassemble the packets Given that there are free versions of packet sniffers available online, one could safely surmise that almost any Internet communication was subject to eavesdropping In practice, it is somewhat difficult to target a specific... spyware Spyware is potentially far more dangerous threat than Adware because it can be used to record your keystrokes, history, passwords, and other confidential and private information It is often sold or freely distributed as a spouse monitor, child monitor, a surveillance tool or simply used as a tool to spy on users to gain unauthorized access Spyware is also known as: snoopware, PC surveillance, key... breach and possibly lose valuable information to a hacker or even lose all your data if/when a virus attacks your PC Deploying spam blocking and virus protection are a must for keeping your castle walls intact However, there’s one important consideration that’s critical to maintaining a strong defense against intrusion and that’s selecting the right gatekeeper Let’s move on to the next chapter and see... your name (and all the details from your cookies) with information stored in huge databases which are readily accessible to almost any business Your credit history and payment records can be accessed by a business For a small fee, your personal financial history is laid bare for anyone to see Best to take precautions and be invisible to prying eyes Online Communication Eavesdropping There are several... fights attempts to remove it Malware poses significant risks to your computer and to your pocketbook because it can damage your PC, destroy critical data files, require an expert to remove and restore everything, or, as in cases involving hidden installations of auto-dialers, run up a huge phone bill for a dial-up user Summary Now that you know what kind of trouble spyware, adware, and malware can