Zone Alarm Personal Firewall.Trusted by more than 9 million users to protect their computers; winner of numerous prestigious awards; and a ZDNET Number One download. Find out why ZoneAlarm 2.1 is the security-of-choice for SO MANY - and it is still FREE for personal and non-profit use. check it out.
AVG Anti-Virus Killa."Now, you can get your free copy of the AVG 6.0 Anti-Virus System - AVG 6.0 Free Edition and you will be able to use it for an unlimited period of time. With AVG, you will get the high-end software solution for reliable protection against the threat of computer viruses. This software product is equipped with revolutionary technologies like Virus Stalker and Active Modular Core" Check It 0uT.
both above programs will automatically protect one against MOST email attachment virii that one may unknowingly try to click & install/open/view. Note: there are instances, due to the default Active X and Java settings in Internet Explorer and therefore Outlook & Outlook Express, that certain hidden "scripts" carrying spooky code will activate automatically, simply by reading an email or veiwing a web page. Here's a great site w/ complete instructions on howto disable the above, and more, settings:
Zen Security Tutorial
as for email attachments, and files downloaded from "iffy" websites, or through ANY internet chats...ALWAYS self-check these things prior to even thinking about opening ANY newly downloaded file, or email attachment: "is this person familiar to me?" -- "am i supposed to be getting this email and/or file from this person?" -- "do i REALLY trust this chat buddy?" -- "does the email message make ANY sense to me AT ALL?!" -- and if the answer to these and similar questions are NO, or even "well, maybe...", just Don't 0pen The Attachment/File!
AND: if the attachment has a "double extension", such as: "thefile.doc.exe", or: "don't_open_me.xls.scr" or any combination of double "."'s ...hey, guess what: DON'T OPEN those attachments too! (especially those)
IT WILL [more likely than not] HAVE A VIRUS IN IT, i promise.
ALWAYS SCAN any file you get off the internet or email, even from the most trusted of friends and family (like after you install the AVG Anti-Virus program listed above, for instance, simply 'right click' on the suspected file, and select "scan with AVG" from the drop menu).
those friends and family, most likely won't even know they sent you a virus, so be gentle w/ your replys to them, after you've used that "restore disk." :)
i could tell you many, many actual horror stories of veeery important files lost after a virus erased all, or part of, the hard drive (usually the parts that HAD the important stuff on).
When In Doubt: SCAN ALL FILES before accessing them--period, and... always be in doubt.
AND: always update your anti-virus software data files.
better to be safe, than you-know-what.
nuff said.
and if you haven't already seen these, here's some links regarding System Security that may be of interest, especially to u visiting IT folks:
SANS Intrusion Detection FAQ
Virus Writers 3Xp053d, and why d00 "they" write that phunny-kine code anyway?
Network Administrator? keepin` those systems patched!
Security Writers Guild
White Hats, black hats, grey hats... whatevas.
The Python ...programming interests.
IT Experts Exchange /* fer de IT ppls */
#include UNIX_Admin.h ...for that UNIX admin stuff.
IT World ...for the descriminating IT profeSSHional.
and, for some other possibly, kinda interesting security links:
here's a virus program for use in DOS:
F-Prot
and yes, it fits on a single floppy.
howabout a listing of Known SpyWare programs, that you probably unknowlingly already have loaded in your computer, and is (at this very moment, & anytime you're on-line) sending regular updates of 'who-knows-what personal information' to the home planet?!!
and, if you want to Know if they ARE there, lurking in your box, and Get Them Out... "Ad Aware" will do it for you, for FREE!
if you want to see just how vulnerable your "box" (computer) is, while innocently surfing for that purple dinosaur screen saver,
then let "Sheilds UP!" test your ports for you.
don't worry, it won't hurt, i promise ;->
tip: if you've downloaded and installed "Zone Alarm," go to the above site and do a firewall ON then 0FF tests, it's (at least) veeeery interesting indeed.
heck, go there anyway... no firewall needed to test Your open ports.
ouch!
okay, wanna see a little deeper into just what some of your 65,535 ports are?
and "what the heck are these reports that: Zone Alarm are flashing me, all about"...
here at the: "Firewall Forensics" web site, you may find out.
awesome information.
and just in case you were REALLY curious about "other" systems security errata, and stuff... "Attrition.Org" has StuFF 4 u.
they are, of course: CORE, and quite funny too. ;->
it's what they d0, it's ALL they d0.
(okay, maybe not ALL they d0)
here's a great site for checking on any Virus Hoax or general virus info:
THE Security Information Center: "F-Secure."
enter the virus name or warning line of the supposed virus into the box at the bottom of the above web page. you'll find out quick if it's a real virus warning, or another hoax.
...of course, you do know NOT to forward ANY virus warning you get in an email, right?? whether it's real or a hoax.
as it is the job of ONLY your system administrator, if you're on a network, and/or of your internet provider, if they actually provide that service, (which most unfortunately don't) to warn other users on their system of the real threats.
if you get a virus warning, or even a real virus file (that AVG or ZoneAlarm protected you against) then foward the warning/email w/ virii attachment to your system administrator or your ISP.
at the very least, check the above site before you forward any "real" warning to your email list.
and here's a site with pretty complete listings of Internet Scams, like that "Nigerian Fee Scam" email that is STILL floating around, and other stuFF here @:
"Scam Busters! Search" ... gooood place for checking BEFORE (instead of) "Forwarding" an email onward.
and if you want to search for security info/software/toolz - here@:
"Security Search.net" ...is the security search portal.
btw, if SPAM is a problem, here's the "StopSPAM" page.
with links, and great FREE tools for tracing and reporting those pain-in-the-@ss! spammers.
AND, send a letter that legally obligates a SPAMMER to Pay You for every spam they send you... (yea right)
click Here
along with a bunch of other information regarding SPAM.
