Internet Security - Are We Ready For the Web?

Have you ever tried searching information about yourself on the Internet? You probably won't be disappointed. If you've been living online for a significant amount of time, this personal information will definitely be available. If you're wondering how or why, the answer is simple. With your personal information on your blogs, social networks, writing forums, and other publicly available databases, you won't be that hard to track.

Anybody who's ever had to substantially engage in Internet activity will have definitely made his online presence felt. In fact, companies and other organizations have been using this property of the Internet to turn up people's personal details easily for their legal ends. Once they get hold of job applicants' resumes, they may search these people up on the Internet as a way of narrowing down their choices on whom to hire. Landlords also benefit from this online feature which allows them to get to know their potential tenants before any contracts are signed.

There's actually more to these public databases than what might be beneficial to employers. To understand this means to be aware that public database searches base results on anything with the name of the person being searched. When this name makes a hit, the search will immediately display birth and death certificates, court records, vehicle accidents, criminal records and who knows what else it may bring for the searcher.

This particular ability of the Internet to reveal information about a person with such ease has drawn conflicting reactions from different sectors of society. For example, when people act as employers or landlords looking up information on their potential employees or tenants, this is viewed as an advantage. However, when these employers or tenants realize that they, too, could be the easy subjects of the same search, the idea is suddenly objectionable or even evil.

This double standard in digesting the realities of the Internet raises the question of whether people are, in fact, ready for it. The issue is further compounded by the existence of hackers and other types of Internet cons who relentlessly work at turning an otherwise innocent technology into a weapon for cyber warfare which the general surfing public will simply want out of.

The last thing that we all want to happen, though, is wake up one day and no longer be the person we always thought we were because somebody has stolen everything we were supposed to be. Identity theft is certainly no longer a fantastic idea that we only used to see in the movies. It has become real because of our IP address which serves as our trail that hackers can use to track back to us.

If the Internet is, at all, going to be a great place worth visiting, visit it with an IP changer to simply enjoy anonymous surfing.

Why Pressing 'Accept' Could Cost You Thousands of Dollars

We all know the dangers of malware, and we all try and avoid it with good protection and safe browsing practices. But what if in actual fact thousands of people every day -- people just like you -- were actually authorizing malware to be installed onto their computers, laying out the red carpet for spyware, keyloggers and adware to wreak havoc on your online and offline life?

Believe it. If you've ever had adware on your computer, chances are that you actually signed a disclaimer allowing this dangerous and annoying software to set up roost on your prized PC.

If you've ever downloaded software onto your computer -- or even signed up an account online -- you'll instantly recognise the End User License Agreement. That's that long, often capitalized and always boring panel of text that you have to accept before you can move to the next step in the installation process. Now that we know what the EULA is, let's have a reality check: can you honestly say that you've read every phrase in every EULA you've ever accepted? Maybe you've skimmed over the top of a few of them? Maybe you haven't read a single word before accepting?

If this sounds true, then don't feel too bad. Even though the EULA is in actual fact a legal document and by clicking 'Accept' you're basically inking your signature, the research tells us that very few people actually read the EULA in its entirety. Malware developers are keenly aware of this fact and a disturbing practice of actually stating the devious intent of the malware in the EULA has developed over recent history.

This practise is most commonly associated with advertisment supported freeware, from everything from game sites to browser add-on packs to adult orientated subscription-based websites. The trade is simple: we give you the software that you want, and you give us permission to serve you countless annoying popup ads that will test your sanity and suck the performance right out of your PC. Oh, and by the way: we'll also monitor your browsing history and send it back to a ex-Soviet bloc IP address.

Sounds like a fair trade?

The remedy to this is simple. Read every EULA before you click 'Accept'!

If the thought of reading every phrase in every EULA sends you to sleep, I don't blame you. That's why I want to give you access to a great free tool that analyzes every phrase in any EULA at a click of a button.

I'll share this tool with you, along with four other great security tools that you've never heard of before just by signing up to the Malware Threat HQ mailing list. Best thing is that these tools are completely free! You can sign up to the mailing list by clicking here.

Once you're signed up, you'll also receive great articles, free tools and the tips that the pros use to keep their online identities safe.

Malware infection is incredibly wide spread. Whether or not you think you may have been infected with malware, it is best practise to scan your computer regularly for malware threats. At Malware Threat HQ you can download the best malware scanner available on the Internet today -- for free.

To learn everything that you need to know about keeping you and your family safe from malware, please visit us at Malware Threat HQ.

Cheers, and Safe Surfing!

http://www.idthefthq.com

Chris Brown

What Happened to the Conficker Virus?

Many of us were wondering that after all the hype generated from the media over the Conficker virus. For most of us, it was the exact same thing as new years day in January of 2000, lots of media attention with little to show for it. The truth is, Microsoft issued a patch for the Conficker virus back in January before the virus was even activated. The trouble is, many people ignore the updates or simply have no idea how to get them. Reports from Microsoft state that as much as 30% of users have not updated their systems yet.

The Conficker threat is still very real. The virus is estimated to be lying dormant on over 10 million computers and that's a very conservative estimate according to some sources. The biggest problem with this virus is that it has not activated yet. Some believe it is waiting for stage two commands to be given to allow it to do terrible things such as copying the personal information from your computer or holding your computer hostage and locking it up unless you purchase special software.

The most reported sign that you have been infected with Conficker, or many other viruses, is that your computer runs noticeably slower or if you can no longer update your operating system or your anti-virus software. Most of these programs target your antivirus software first to prevent them from being detected. Once they disable your antivirus program, they are free to run amuck on your system and spread throughout your entire system.

How do you know if you are protected from this virus? The first thing you should do is make sure your operating system is updated. On most Microsoft systems you can click on the START button in the bottom left side of the screen and then select the ALL PROGRAMS option to display a list of all the applications on your computer. Search through the list and look for the WINDOWS UPDATE or MICROSOFT UPDATE option and select it. You may have to do this several times to make sure you get all the updates. Some updates are dependent on others and will not show up unless the first update is installed.

Once you have your system updates it is time to make sure your anti-virus software is updated. If you do not have anti-virus software on your computer then I recommend you look at my website below for some good FREE anti-virus solutions and answers to your antivirus software questions. After you update your anti-virus program be sure to run a manual scan of your entire system. If you have updated your system from the Microsoft site and your antivirus software is up to date then you should be protected from most of the bad things going around the internet today. The trick is to keep your systems updated and schedule a scan several times per month just to be sure nothing slipped through.

Check out my website for a Free Virus Scan and Removal. It contains links to free antivirus programs as well as reviews of what is available and tons of other FREE help for your issues.

Use a Free Malware Remover Online to Keep Your Computer Safe, Fast & Clean!

I'm pretty confident my computer is safe. I run an anti-virus program, and I really don't go to many strange places on the internet. Most of the sites I go to are perfectly safe. But sometimes, I still worry. What if I type an address wrong and I end up on a bad site that infects my computer. Or what happens if I am not paying attention, and download an attachment that is from a friend and it really wasn't sent from your friend, but something that is in their computer. There is cause for concern, the amount of malware, spyware, and other viruses are on the rise. Sometimes, it isn't too bad, and is more of a nuisance. But some programs are designed specifically to log every stroke you make on your keyboard, or even worse steal all your private information.

Even as sure as I am, that my computer is safe, I still take precautions. I have gone online, and found a few programs that help keep my computer clean. Some programs you can download will run in the background and work by keeping the malware off your computer in the first place. Other programs are meant to be run by the computer user and will find the infected files on your computer. Then it is as simple as checking the boxes, and deleting the files.

I run two preventative programs in the background all the time. I have an anti-virus program that is constantly scanning my computer. These programs use minimal resources, and will let me know the second something is suspicious. I also have three other programs that I use to scan my computer every few days. All of these programs were free online. Some programs say they will scan your computer for free, but in order to get anything fixed, you have to buy their software. In any case, you can do a basic internet search and read reviews of the different products that are available. The more you research, the better the chances that you will find what you need to keep your computer safe.

The best software I have found for removing malware is:

MalwareRemovalBot!

Internet Fraud and How to Avoid It

Fraud on the internet is increasing, and in my line of business, I am shocked to discover the amount of people who do not know the basic things to look out for. They are hypnotized by colorful looking sites, the products they feature and the price. Fast delivery is important too.

So when you surf the net for a product, what are are you thinking? You browse a dozen sites, comparing the quality, the price and fast delivery. You think of nothing else. By now, you could be tiring of checking this site against another. All you want now, is to make your purchase. So you place your order in the shopping cart and make payment. Job Done !

Or is it?

You were totally focused on sourcing the website that best suited your needs in terms of quality, price and delivery. You never thought about the payment. It was just an action you completed. In most cases you never bought from a well known or branded retailer.

So who did you really buy from?

Here's some tips to check out:

1. Do they display an easy to find trading address? 2. Is there an easy to find contact number? 3. Is that phone number at a premium rate? 4. Are they based in your own country? 5. Do they have a returns policy? 6. Do they accept credit cards?

Here in the UK, for purchases in value of £100.00 or more, always use a credit card. You have buyer protection from your credit card company. I cannot comment for credit card holders in other countries. If you use a debit card or any other method, you will have no recourse.

So if your purchase is under £100.00, what should you do?

You are taking a gamble. Make sure you know who you are dealing with. You can go to WhoIs lookup and enter the website address to inquire who registered the site. This should give you their name and address, contact phone number and more details. If the information states the registrant is "by proxy" and no other details, they are hiding behind a smoke screen. Avoid this site.

A typical fraudster will not display their trading address, or if they do, it is either fictitious, or they do not trade from that address. In the UK, it is illegal to display a website without a trading address. There will be no contact number, only email. If there is a number, it may be at a premium rate. Avoid this site

A reputable trader will publish their address and phone number in an appropriate place for you to find easily. Remember: For purchases of £100.00 or more - Always use a Credit Card.

I hope this article will assist you for your internet shopping.

Free legal advice and legal representation at the fraction of the price a solicitor would charge you. You can contact me: http://www.smallclaims.uk.com

How to Protect the Investment You've Made in Your Website

One night about two months ago I was on the phone with a client, discussing the content of a fundraising letter we were planning, when she glanced at her e-mail and saw a message telling her that her website was down.

She thought it must be a faulty connection on the part of her writer's ISP - of course her website wasn't down!

But it was. We both went immediately to check and found that it just wasn't there.

OK - she decided to take a deep breath and contact her "web guy." She hung up, telling me she'd call back in a few minutes.

When she called back the news was not good. Her web guy had decided he didn't want to work for her any more. The idea that she planned to solicit donations to help with the animal rescue work she was doing offended him.

And, since she had trusted him to "take care" of everything, he was able to take down her site, leaving her with nothing - not even control of her own domain name.

That happened 2 months ago, and she's still struggling to re-create her website.

Something similar, yet less drastic, happened to a friend of mine who let one of her trusted employees set up their web account. He was listed as the account administrator, because he was the one in the organization who knew how to take care of the site. All was well - until he passed away. She went through months of proving who she was in order to gain control of her own site.

So what can you do to protect your website?

First, and most important: own your own domain name. Do the work of purchasing it yourself and list yourself as the responsible party. You can give someone working for you access to your user name and password - and you'll have the ability to change those names should you and your web builder part company.

If you're thinking of buying into a "template site" check first to see that you'll be able to make changes to your title tags and other meta tags - and that you'll be able to add alt tags to your photo images. These can make a huge difference in your search engine optimization, so don't let anyone tell you it doesn't matter.

Next, even if you have hired a "web guy" to do all the work, learn how to access your site to make changes. Then set up a FTP program on your own computer, and download all your files for safekeeping. In addition, put them on a back up disk or an external hard drive, to protect against disaster should your own computer crash.

This is not only a smart move for protection - it will allow you to make small changes immediately without the expense (or the wait time) of calling in the web expert.

Host your site with a well-known, solid company rather than an off-shoot that may or may not be around next year. And before you choose, make sure that they offer solid customer support. I happen to love GoDaddy because I'm hopelessly non-techie. Their support people are on duty 24 hours a day and always willing to walk me through any problems I create or show me how to do something new.

Make sure the company you choose offers support for programs such as WordPress, so you're not limited in what you can do with your site. You may not want a blog today, but you could change your mind in 6 months. Keep your options open.

When you do choose that web expert, make sure he or she is willing to use copy you provide from any source. If he insists that only he or "his friend" can produce your copy, or if the price quoted includes all your copy, move on to another expert. Copywriting and website development are two different specialties, and one person is not necessarily going to be expert at both.

The bottom line: Maintain control of your site. If a programmer you interview has a problem with that, choose someone different.

Marte Cliff is a Freelance Copywriter who specializes in making people feel good about buying products or services, or donating to worthy causes.

She has extensive experience in writing search engine optimized web copy, direct sales letters, postcards, space ad copy, press releases, and more. She is also available for marketing plan creation and editing services.

You can visit her at http://www.marte-cliff.com. While you're there, sign up for one of her marketing ezines. She promises to gently nag you about ways to make your own marketing efforts more productive - whether you're selling a product or service, or promoting a non-profit organization.

How to Prevent Fraud While Shopping Online

Internet has greatly changed the shopping habits of the people precisely because of the convenience it provides in terms of saving time and money. You do not have to travel from one shop to the other; you can simply sit in the comfort of your home and browse through the various websites, do a comparison shopping and buy the goods online using your credit card. That said, there is a catch and that is online frauds. Today, making money online is very easy and there are lots of opportunities available on internet. Online retailers have to provide safety measures to build consumer confidence. If you have an e-commerce business you must ensure that it is 100 percent secure and the sensitive information they provide is completely protected. Keep in mind the following points to prevent your E-commerce website against fraud.

Fraud Detection Service

There is a fraud detection service you can avail of to prevent fraudulent activities. The fraud detection service asks the consumer to verify an address and compares it to what is one file with the credit card issuer. It the address matches, the customer is given permission to go ahead with making a purchase.

Credit Card Verification Codes

The credit card verification code is the three important numbers found on the back of a credit card. As a consumer, you would be asked to insert those numbers when you shop on a site. In order for someone to place website fraud, they most acquire the credit card numbers and the credit card as well. So if you have the verification system is place, you can decrease the risks of fraud significantly.

Site Design

You website design can also help to reduce online frauds. For this, your website should be designed with the latest versions of scripting languages and programs to fight off hackers and protect the integrity of your business. You may have to shell out extra money to make sure fraud is not occurring, but it is well worth it in the long run. Having a secure site will save you money and protect your customers, which is perhaps the most important aspect of online business.

Go for a trusted web design company to ensure that your website is protected against frauds. ITRIX Technologies, http://www.itrixtechnologies.com is one such company providing neat, clear-cut secure web design services customized to their customers' unique requirements. Their certified web designers have extensive experience in web site design and graphic art. The company understands that your website represents your brand and can help design a solution that not only strengthens and creates brand awareness but also fulfils your business objectives. ITRIX Technologies can take care of your web needs from web hosting to web page design to online marketing.

Mark Alter, the author of this article, writes about the benefits of a trusted web design to ensure that your website is protected against frauds. Want to know more about ITRIX Technologies and web design? Still lots of things remain to explore.