Post by Wetdog on Feb 15, 2005 11:04:33 GMT 1
Lately there is a greatly increased risk of virus infections to your computer from the internet and emails. If you do not have virus protection program on your computer, I use and recommend AVG 7--the basic program is free and provides excellent virus protection.
You can learn more about it and download it here: free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/
Spyware is another rapidly growing problem/concern. These are "cookies" planted on your computer without your knowledge or consent and transmit information about you, your computer, where you visit, and what you do on the computer. Some of these could be serious security or privacy risks although most are simply meant to gather information about your interests or habits--it all depends on the intent of the person planting the cookie--or the person intercepting the information(which might not be the person intended). At any rate, benign or malicious, the use of tracking cookies and files to return information about you and your computer usage is growing at an exponential rate--and can make your system run slower, or even freeze up or crash altogether. To get rid of these cookies and files, I use and recommend Lavasoft Ad-Ware SE. It is a new and improved version,(I have been using the previous version almost everyday)---and WOW, it detected 157 registry files, other files and cookies the first time I ran it--and this is with using TWO different spyware programs. The personal usage program is free and you can download it here: www.lavasoftusa.com/
Another problem that is growing at a huge rate is "pop-up" advertising. When you click on a window, it automatically opens other windows that you did not select and don't want--sometimes several. An effective tool to prevent this is Popup Stopper by Panicware. The personal use version is free and you can download it here: www.panicware.com/product_psfree.html
You can learn more about it and download it here: free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/
Spyware is another rapidly growing problem/concern. These are "cookies" planted on your computer without your knowledge or consent and transmit information about you, your computer, where you visit, and what you do on the computer. Some of these could be serious security or privacy risks although most are simply meant to gather information about your interests or habits--it all depends on the intent of the person planting the cookie--or the person intercepting the information(which might not be the person intended). At any rate, benign or malicious, the use of tracking cookies and files to return information about you and your computer usage is growing at an exponential rate--and can make your system run slower, or even freeze up or crash altogether. To get rid of these cookies and files, I use and recommend Lavasoft Ad-Ware SE. It is a new and improved version,(I have been using the previous version almost everyday)---and WOW, it detected 157 registry files, other files and cookies the first time I ran it--and this is with using TWO different spyware programs. The personal usage program is free and you can download it here: www.lavasoftusa.com/
Another problem that is growing at a huge rate is "pop-up" advertising. When you click on a window, it automatically opens other windows that you did not select and don't want--sometimes several. An effective tool to prevent this is Popup Stopper by Panicware. The personal use version is free and you can download it here: www.panicware.com/product_psfree.html