The absolutely essential guide to computer security software

Every time you use the Internet - including using e-mail, you expose yourself to the seamy underbelly of cyberspace. However, there are simple, inexpensive (FREE!) steps you can take to protect yourself. Here are some programs you can install on your system to minimize the dangers. Notes:
a. I use all of these myself.
b. I install these for my customers.
c. All of these are for Windows computers; they don't work on Macintosh computers.

1. Firewall. A proper firewall keeps out the bad guys AND warns you if someone did get in and is trying to escape with who-knows-what from your computer. You can purchase "hardware" firewalls for $10,000 or more. For the everyday home or small office user, however, Zone Alarm is the best. Download Zone Alarm (FREE). If you are using a network, or if you want advanced features, consider getting one of the inexpensive advanced Zone Alarm programs. I use the free one. By the way, Windows XP and some Norton/Symantec products have a built-in firewall; forget them - while they are usually better than nothing, they fall way short of good old FREE Zone Alarm.
Do not underestimate the importance of a firewall. If you look at your firewall log in ZoneAlarm, you'll realize that every hour there are dozens or even hundreds of attempts to enter your computer. Zone Alarm not only blocks the intrusion attempts, it does so stealthily: the potential intruder never even gets any feed back to confirm that your computer exists. If they can't find you, they can't hurt you.

2. Anti-virus. Years ago, Mcfee produced the best anti-virus software. Then Symantec's Norton Anti-Virus took the lead. Nowadays, the two best anti-virus programs are distributed by a Czech company, Grisoft. They have a free version and a commercial version. I use the free version. Download it. Remeber that no anti-virus program is of any value if you don't keep it current; all of the good ones have built-in procedures for downloading the latest updates automatically. Updates are always issued weekly or semi-monthly.

3. Cookie and Malware Detection & Cleanup. Cookies are little data files installed on your computer when you visit websites. Before I learned about Cookie and Malware Detection & Cleanup software, I often found thousands of cookies on my computer (yeah, I have way too much free time). Most cookies are benign; the good ones serve only to help the web site maintain your customized settings for that web site. However, some are MALWARE - little programs that mine personal information from your computer and send it back to whoever is spying on you. I use the the FREE version of WinPatrol to track cookies and Malware. Download WinPatrol. Another great feature of WinPatrol is that it allows you to control which programs run automatically when your computer starts. Why is that important?
a. unnecessary programs running slow down your startup
b. unnecessary programs running slow down everything you do with your computer
c. some of those unnecesary programs might be Malware, doing who-knows-what damage or information theft.

4. Anti-spam. Junk e-mail (spam) isn't just annoying. It's clogging the Internet; 60% of all e-mail traffic is now spam. There are lots of ways to deal with spam. The 2 best are (you guessed it) FREE.
a. MailWasher works with just about every e-mail program in a home or small office environment. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) has a mail server; when you "check your e-mail", your computer's e-mail program asks the server to send all the e-mail to your computer. MailWasher sits between your ISP's server and your computer's e-mail program; it tells you what e-mail is waiting to be downloaded to your e-mail program. MailWasher allows you to delete, bounce, or accept individual e-mails. It learns from your prior actions and uses that "knowledge" to pre-screen e-mails in the future. It also allows you to build "friends" and "enemies" lists for future processing. I get much less spam now that I use MailWasher. Get MailWasher.
b. Even slicker than MailWasher is SpamBayes. It only works with Microsoft Outlook (2000, 2002, 20003, XP). It Does NOT work with Outlook express or other e-mail programs. SpamBayes "learns" your e-mail spam preferences so thoroughly that after a month I rarely saw ANY spam. It loads itself into Outlook and learns as you tell it what to do with each mail. Awesome, simply awesome. Download Spambayes. Note: Because the last anti-spam program that I tested was Mail Washer, I'm not currently using SpamBayes. I still recommend it.

5. Pop-up Blocker. Pop-ups are so annoying; some of them are very deceptive ads, and they can be used as an entry point into your computer. I block them as a side benefit of greatest Internet search tool ever. If you use Internet Explorer, and if you search the Internet, then you need the Google Toolbar. Like a Swiss Army Knife, it does a bunch of things really well. One of those is to block pop-ups. I can't say enough good things about all of its features. Just download and install the Google Toolbar - and see for yourself. If you don't use Internet Explorer, you'll need another pop-up blocker. Try these: Panicware, NoAdWare. PopupCop (not free)

There you have it: a few minutes of your time and some free software - and your Internet experience will be much more pleasant and much safer.

On the lighter side

I'm sorry about how slowly that loaded. The file consists of 40 frames at about 3000 bytes per frame. On a typical dial-up internet connection (50Kb per second), it takes about 20 seconds. It just seemed longer.

'Tis better to remain silent and appear the fool...

... than to use poor judgement when sending e-mails and erase all doubt.

OK, most of us have made every mistake in the book when sending e-mails. However, most of those mistakes aren't good enough to keep repeating. Let's all resolve to do better this year.

Common e-mail blunders:

• Forwarding bad advice. You've seen these e-mails. They carry warnings about some virus that the sender may have accidently sent to you previously. To solve the problem, you have to delete some file from your computer... and you have to forward the e-mail to all of your friends. Don't follow the bad advice, and don't forward the e-mail. If the e-mail is a hoax, you wind up looking foolish. If the e-mail itself contains a real virus, then you just helped spread the problem.
  
  Smart actions:
  • Research possible hoaxes at such web sites as
    Symantec
    Hoaxbusters
    Datafellows
  
  
  • Get professional help. (Drop me a note).


• Sending inappropriate e-mails, especially to someone's office. 'Nuff said?


• Sending large e-mails, anytime, anywhere. Big files sent can cause your recipients a large amount of grief. Your e-mail could tie up the internet connection and/or computer for a long time; such e-mails could also overflow an inbox and cause a system crash. Do that, and your friends may not appreciate your humor.


• Leaving a list of e-mail addresses in a previously forwarded message. I don't want my e-mail address in circulation; if I want you to know my e-mail address, I'll tell you what it is. Please don't spread it around without permission. If you pass along an e-mail that's been forwarded from someone else, erase the list(s) of previous recipients. If you don't know how, drop me a note and I'll explain it, step by step.


• Not virus-scanning an e-mail before forwarding it. You don't use a virus-scanner? Are you crazy??? One of the best is free! Download. Need help? Drop me a note.