Security

Infopackets Reader Lou G. write s: " Dear Dennis, Last week I was flooded with Klez virus containing emails which didn't effect my PC as I avoided opening them until I had tested the sources by replying. One source which constrained an obvious virus ... attachment was sent by someone who has denied knowing anything about the virus. It has become obvious from my communication with this person that another web site where both of us are listed was the source of information that the hacker used. The hacker used this source to gain both a "From: and a "To:" for their dirty trick(s ... (view more)

Abstract Due to the length of this article, it has been sectioned into two parts. This article presents an overview of current privacy issues, discusses potential methods in which an individual's privacy may be jeopardized, and examines specific ... countermeasures that can be used to protect private information. The focus of this paper is primarily the privacy of individuals using personal computers in a home environment and on the Internet. All software applications referenced herein have been tested by this writer on the Windows 98 Second Edition operating system. Other operating systems may ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Robert W. write s: " Dear Dennis, I read your article in the Lockergnome newsletter about McAfee Virus Scan. I have had problems in the past with both McAfee and Norton virus programs and abandoned them a while back in favor of a ... better and FREE antivirus program. It is AVG AntiVirus and can be found at grisoft.com . I work as a computer technician and have heard of many complaints for both McAfee and Norton products not finding viruses even when you have the latest update. I have also seen this first hand in servicing computers with viruses on them. I highly recommend ... (view more)

Abstract This article is a continuation of last week's issue of the Infopackets Gazette. This article presents an overview of current privacy issues, discusses potential methods in which an individual's privacy may be jeopardized, and examines ... specific countermeasures that can be used to protect private information. Information Technology Abuse -- Privacy Issues (Part 1 of 2) -- Third Layer: Firewalls, Web Filters, and Tracking Detection Firewalls: Any computer system that accesses the Internet should be equipped with a firewall to enable the user to detect and prevent unauthorized access to ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader "Jeff" write s: " Dear Dennis, I read your eZine with great interest. One thing I would like to see addressed is how does the average person without a great deal of technical knowledge, handle Windows updates. Six weeks ago, for ... example, I purchased a new PC with Windows XP. Every day I am told that there are updates waiting! My conundrum is that the PC works fairly well at this time. Should I update and risk having something go wrong? Should I just update blindly downloading and installing everything? I have tried to read the technical notes for each ... (view more)

" Increase your download speed with software X! " At some point, you've probably come across a program that claims to download programs faster: Download Accelerator (Speedbit), Marketscore (previously Netsetter), and GetRight (Headlight Software) ... are just a few popular titles. But did you know that these programs do more harm than good? How download speed is effected by a download accelerator When a file is being downloaded, it is sent to your computer using a single connection: you are connected to the web site, and the web site is sending you a file. A download accelerator works ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Marty T. write s: " Dear Dennis, I have a bunch of young kids, and they like to compute, play games, etc. Is there any way I can dumb down the PC so they can't wipe out the file system, lose/delete critical files and have their ... own private/personal workspace? Is there something really easy to use for the inexperienced? " My Answer: I did some scouring and found a program to hide programs on your desktop and start menu. The program is called Quick Hide, and it serves two purposes: " First, you can use it as a Boss Key program to instantly hide any non-work ... (view more)