Senior Net
COMPUTER HOUSEKEEPING
Keeping Your Computer in Top Working Order
For Windows 2000 & XP Users
&
Keeping Your Computer Secure
For All Users
2006
2006
Rev: 8-06
Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................... - 3 Part I – Computer Housekeeping ...................................................................... - 5 I. Using XP’s Error-Checking Program ................................................................. - 5 1. Running Error-Checking ................................................................................. - 6 II. Using the Defragmentation Program ................................................................. - 6 1. Steps to running the Defragmentation program ............................................ - 7 III. Using the Disk Cleanup Program ..................................................................... - 8 IV. Backing up Your Files ........................................................................................ - 9 2. Installing Windows 98 or XP backup program ............................................. - 9 3. Backing up with Windows ............................................................................. - 10 5. Running XP System Restore .......................................................................... - 10 V. Power Management: Save Energy and Extend the Life of Your Computer - 11 Part II – Computer Security .............................................................................. - 12 I. Passwords ............................................................................................................ - 12 II. Virus Checkers ................................................................................................... - 13 III. Protecting your computer against program bugs ......................................... - 14 IV. Firewalls ............................................................................................................ - 15 Activating Windows XP firewall ....................................................................... - 15 V. Spyware Checker ............................................................................................... - 16 VI. Phishing ............................................................................................................. - 17 VII. Keylogging ....................................................................................................... - 18 VIII. A word about “Cookies” ............................................................................... - 18 IX. You’ve Got Spam! ............................................................................................ - 19 Six Ways to Curb Spam ..................................................................................... - 19 Appendix ..................................................................................................................... - 21 -
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Housekeeping and Computer Security
Keeping Your Computer in Top Working Order
and
Safe from Outside Attacks
by
JCA SeniorNet
Introduction
Housekeeping: Computer owners are often unaware of some useful ways to keep
their machines in top working order. In this manual you will learn how to use the
housekeeping utilities in your Windows XP computer that will both keep your computer
running efficiently and protect it against virual attacks. Viruses are mischievous and
damaging programs that get into your computer via e-mail attachments and over the
Internet. You will also learn to back-up your files so they won't get lost if the hard drive
(C Drive) fails.
Computers are akin to the average teenager whose top priority is not
orderliness. In the case of your computer, it throws new data helterskelter onto the hard drive and then spends increasing time searching
for the data you want. There are several utility programs stored in
your computer that are designed to help you organize and protect data
on the hard drive. And these programs can keep your computer from becoming seriously
impaired as more and more data are added to the drive. The goal of this manual is to help
you learn ways to keep your computer running trouble-free with the help of a few utility
programs.
In Part I, Computer Housekeeping, you will learn how to do the following:
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Organize and retrieve data that you store on the computer's hard drive, and
Protect your files from loss with back-ups (duplicate copies).
The good news is that a number of utilities are built into all Microsoft operating
systems. The trick is to locate the programs, learn what they do, know how they work
and remember to run them.
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Security: If you are using the Internet then your computer is in constant jeopardy.
Criminals, such as hackers and sleazy business people, constantly create new viruses to
attack your machine. Unfortunately we Windows users are left to our own devices to
protect ourselves by purchasing defensive software and taking other measures to secure
our computers.
We users have to take on the responsibility of protecting our machines from
hackers, spamers, viruses and spyware -- the malicious
software that hijacks your browsing and searching -- and
those who push ads at us through pop-up windows.
Microsoft should ensure that its operating system is free
of holes through which bad guys exploit our computers.
Microsoft is trying to rectify this situation by including a
security suite in its new operating system, Vista, to be
released sometime in 2007.
The security issues with Microsoft Windows are so profound that some computer
experts suggest that users abandon Internet Explorer and download Mozilla’s free Firefox
browser or the more popular but less secure Netscape browser. Some also suggest
switching to Apple’s Macintosh computer because of its virus free track record. Of
course, for most of us who already own a Windows computer that may not be an option.
In Part II, Computer Security, you will learn how to do the following:
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Keeping your Windows operating system (OS) updated;
Choosing well-formed passwords;
Using virus protection; and
Installing programs such as firewall and antispyware.
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Part I – Computer Housekeeping
I. Using XP’s Error-Checking Programs
Let's start with Error-Checking in Windows 2000 and XP -- and see what it does
and how to do it. Error-Checking checks your hard drive to make sure it's in good
working order. Here's what it does:
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Repairs errors that can occur with improper shutdown of
your computer
Repairs file system errors
Improves the response time of your computer
Fixes errors on hard drives, floppy disks and most other
data storage devices
The frequency for running this program depends on the amount of new data,
including e-mail, which you put on your computer’s hard drive. As a general rule, plan
on running the Error-Checking and the Defragment programs about once a month.
The Error-Checking program examines the surface condition of your computer’s
hard drive (C Drive). It looks for flaws that can impair the recovery of data. If flaws are
found, the program will isolate or "wall off" the flawed areas so your computer will not
use them again.
Error-Checking will ask you to restart your computer before it begins. This is
necessary in order to turn off all active programs. If other programs are active the ErrorChecking program will not run, it will keep restarting and finally stop altogether.
A word of warning: The Error-Checking program can take several hours to run,
depending on the time your computer takes to get the hard drive in shape. So consider
running this program when you are through using your computer for the day. The
computer will shut down after it has finished cleaning up you hard drive.
Note: If Error-Checking is unable to repair damaged data, or indicates that the hard drive
may have sustained physical damage, you may need to take your computer in for repairs.
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Running Error-Checking
Steps to use the Error-Checking program
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Open the Start Menu, My Computer, right click the C Drive icon
Click Properties in the dropdown menu
Click the Tools tab
Click the Check Now button in the box labeled Error-Checking
Highlight the C Drive in the drive selection menu
Check the Automatically Fix File System Errors box
Check the Scan for and Attempt Recovery of Bad Sectors box
Click the Start button
Click the Yes button at the next prompt. This will tell the computer to run
Error-Checking the next time the computer is started.
Close the program. Go to the Start Menu and restart your computer. This will
allow the Error-Checking program to examine the C Drive before Windows fully loads
all its programs.
II. Using the Defragmentation Program
The Defragmentation program is designed to pull together the data for each file to
improve the time it takes to launch, or open, programs. Disk fragmentation happens over
time with normal use of your computer; this phenomenon is called fragmentation. Here’s
how your computer works in storing files – including your e-mail messages. Initially on
a new computer, all files follow each other in lock step. As you begin to delete files you
no longer need, you create “holes” or vacancies in the file structure. Windows fills these
holes with new data into order to maximize disk space. However, sometimes the new
files are bigger than an existing hole, so Windows puts part of the file in one hole and
parts in other holes. This means the entire file is on your hard drive, but is “fragmented,”
with pieces scattered in various places. Your computer will work OK in this condition,
but it can take longer to load files and applications, and there is an increased chance of a
piece of a file getting corrupted.
The situation is illustrated below. The first line represents your “new” computer with
all files in order. The second line shows what happens when you delete files. Deleted
file B and file D leave empty holes. The third line shows the situation when a new long
file F is added. It is fragmented into sections, filling in various holes on the hard disk.
Finally, the fourth line illustrates the file structure after the disk has been defragmented.
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File Fragmentation Illustrated
File A
File B
File C
File D
File E
File A
Hole
File C
Hole
File E
File C
File F-2
File E
File A
File F-1
File A
File C
File A
File E
File F-3
File F
When your computer is asked to retrieve file F from the hard drive, it has to move
to several locations on the disk to pick up the various pieces. This slows down the
computer and makes it prone to errors.
You can correct the fragmented situation by running the Defragmentation
program. This utility will put the files back in proper order, as they are in lines 1 and 4 of
the above illustration.
Steps to running the Defragmentation program
Begin by closing all programs you have opened. Then:
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Open Start Menu, click My Computer
Right click on the Local Disk C icon
Click Properties, click the Tools tab
Click the Defragment Now button in the box labeled Defragmentation
Wait to see if you are told the C Drive needs to be defragmented, if so,
Click the Defragment button
Click Close Program when program finishes
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III. Using the Disk Cleanup Program
Disk Cleanup is a quick and easy way to remove unused system files, old
programs and other extraneous bits of information that your computer collects as you
cruise the web. (Disk Cleanup is accessed in the same way on all versions of Windows)
Steps to Running Disk Cleanup:
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Open the Start Menu
Go to Programs, Accessories, System Tools
Click Disk Cleanup
Select C Drive and OK
The computer will calculate how much space can be freed-up on your C
Drive. Displayed are the items the computer recommends you trash, as they
are no longer needed. By highlighting each file type, you will get a
description of what's in each of the “components.” (Also, click on the More
Options tab for additional clean-up possibilities.)
Check the box on left if you want to remove the contents of file (see
illustration below).
Click OK
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IV. Backing up Your Files
1. About Backing Up
The hard drive contains all the data that makes your computer useful. Any other
part of the computer can fail and be replaced, but if the hard drive dies, all the data will
be lost. Hard drive failures occur more often than you might expect. The question is not
if your hard drive will fail but when? It’s the only moving part in your computer (besides
the fan), and it will fail sooner or later, and it can't be prevented. The solution: make
backup copies and store them in a separate place.
There are two types of files in your computer – data files and program files (often
called application files):
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Data files are the documents you create: Word documents, Excel spreadsheets,
pictures, e-mails, etc.
Program files are the files you use to create your work: Word, Excel,
Photoshop, etc.
There's no need to backup the program files; they can be reinstalled from the CDs
that were used to set up your computer. The important data to backup are the files you
create. If they are lost, you'll have to recreate them. The best choice for backing up your
files is to buy an external hard drive. A 250 to 300 gigabyte drive, which plugs into your
computer’s USB port, can cost as little as $200. You could also consider a flash memory
or “thumb” drive. A 1-GB drive costs around $30 or less. It is fast to use and very
portable. However, it is the priciest option per gigabyte and limited to 16 GB’s.
2. Installing Windows backup utility
There are a number of options to consider when deciding what device to use to
back-up your files. A CD holds 650 megabytes. If you have a lot of photos and music on
your computer you will have to burn a number of CD’s to accommodate all your files.
You can store 4.7 gigabytes of information on a DVD and double that with a “doublelayer” burner. A popular option is an external hard drive which will easily hold every file
you’ve created. Hard drives start at 40 gigabytes and go to a full terabyte – 1,024 GB or
one trillion bytes. USB memory sticks are also an option for smaller file sizes, and can
easily be stored away from the computer in a safe place.
A Microsoft backup program is available in your Windows XP operating system
CD but it is often not installed. You may need to install it with the Windows XP CD that
came with the computer. This backup utility will backup to a magnetic source or to a
USB flash memory stick – it will not write, however, to a CD or a DVD burner.
To install Microsoft’s backup program:
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Click Start
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Double click My Computer then double click on Control Panel
Double click on the Add/Remove Programs icon
Click the Windows Setup Tab
Double click System Tools on the list
Check Backup box and have Windows 98 or XP CD ready. (This is a small
program so it will load quickly.)
Insert the CD into your CD drive and the program will load automatically.
3. Backing up with Windows XP
Steps to locating and running Windows Backup program:
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Click Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Backup
Click Create a New Backup Job.
Click Back up Selected Files, Folders and Drives
Click the + at the C drive to expand the folder list.
Click the box at My Documents to Select This for Backup. To limit the
backup size to a reasonable amount, select the My Documents folder which
contains your data files. If this has been done, then click only that folder and
click Next
Select the All Selected Files button or the New and Changed Files button
Click Next
Select the destination for your back up in the Where To Backup dialogue
box. (See the discussion above). After you make your choice, click Next.
Check the Compress the Backup Data to Save Space box.
Check the Compare Original and Backup Files to verify data was
successfully backed up. Click Next.
Give a name to your backup file. The current date is a good choice, click OK,
click Start, click OK and Exit
Your backup is now complete. Remove the disk, or other media, and put it in a
safe place.
4. Running Windows XP System Restore
Windows XP comes with a System Restore program. The computer automatically
records system data, not program data, on your computer at preset times, e.g., every 2
weeks. (Note: this program does not record your work product, only system settings.)
The program is located under System Tools. With this tool, you can choose "restore my
computer to an earlier time" or "create a restore point." If you plan to install or remove a
program, it's good practice to first select "create a restore point." The computer will make
a backup file of your system data, which can be accessed if problems occur while adding
or removing programs. If you forget to create a backup file, you can still access an
earlier backup file, if needed.
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V. Power Management: Save Energy and Extend the Life of Your
Computer
A typical 150 watt computer uses about or 876 kilowatts a year. That electric bill
can easily be reduced by changing the computers power management settings to put the
monitor and the hard drive in sleep mode when not in use. In addition to the obvious
advantage of saving energy costs you will also help to extend the life of your monitor and
hard drive. Aside from the fans, the hard drive is your computer’s only moving part.
The spinning disks in the drive can be programmed to idle when not in use, thus saving
wear and tear on this vital storage unit.
Steps to putting your computer on a power diet:
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Right click on the Desktop
click on Properties
Select the Screen Saver tab
Click on the Power button to the right of the Energy Star icon
Select the Power Schemes tab of the Power Options Properties dialog box
For desktop PC’s, choose “Home/Office Desk” power scheme
Under “Turn off monitor” and “Turn Off hard disk” pick the times you desire.
(For Example: “After 15 min” for the monitor and “After 30 min” for the hard
drive.)
To wake the computer, simply move the mouse or press a key on the keyboard.
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Part II – Computer Security
Keeping your data and personal information private and your computer safe from
intruders (i. e. viruses, worms, spyware, spam, keyloggers and
phishing)
If you are connected to the web, computer security
software is no longer an option. It is a must! Your computer will
be compromised if it is not fully protected. Surprisingly,
Microsoft estimates that 70 percent of Windows users do not use
security software or have let their antivirus software expire.
If not fully protected, unauthorized programs created by another user will surely
find their way into your computer. Fast, always-on connections offer an open door into
an unprotected hard drive. The likely route for invaders is via the Internet, via e-mail by
opening an attached document, or from software you download from the web. A virus
can take several forms such as a seemingly innocuous bit of data (i.e. a macro) in a
document or spreadsheet. Regardless of how it gets on your computer, it can corrupt
your data and/or your operating system. It can even reformat your entire hard drive.
Windows XP has a firewall utility as part of its security center. While the security
center warns of the need to protect your computer from virus attacks, it does not contain
an antivirus utility, nor does it even mention the need for spyware protection. We
recommend that you download three defensive utilities – an upgraded firewall, antivirus
and antispyware (see the Appendix for recommendations) and turn off Microsoft’s
security center firewall once you have loaded your own – you don’t want two firewalls
running. You might also want to consider, as an alternative, installing a security suite
which gives you all three products in one package (see Appendix).
I. Passwords
When you are setting-up your web access to your bank account, or your personal
account on Amazon.com or other sites that require special secure access, you will need to
establish a password so when you return to that site you can re-access your account. It is
important that you choose a password that another person cannot guess at or use a
computer program to access your personal accounts.
Choosing a Good Password
For the most secure password you might be able to use special characters (*!$+)
mixed with letters and numbers at some sites. You can always use mixed upper-and
lower-case letters. Putting capitals in random locations throughout a password is
effective. You also might consider using punctuation characters mixed with letters and
numbers or nonsense words that are easy to pronounce but aren't in any dictionary.
Whatever you choose for a password, make sure it has six or more characters.
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Do not use any of the following for a password: Any part of your name - first,
last, or middle – or your initials; your social security number; names of friends, family or
pets; birthdays, phone numbers, addresses or any other personal information that could be
guessed at; place names. Also, don’t use words from the English dictionary; words from
a foreign dictionary; your username or login name; your computer's name; repetition of
the same letter; sequences of keyboard keys such as "12345" or "qwerty" or any minor
variation of the above, such as spelling backwards or appending a character to the end of
your name.
One suggestion: you might use an old home address. For convenience sake don’t
make the password too long. Long passwords increase the chance of typing errors. To
increase security, consider mixing upper and lower case letters (most sites are case
sensitive) and including symbols. Some examples:
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4220walnUt
reA157baD
hOt*tea!
II. Virus Checkers
What is a virus? - A virus is malicious software planted
expressly to cause disruption and damage to computers. How does
it get into your computer? In the 1980s, viruses were passed on by
trading floppy disks. The next trend was the transport of viruses
through e-mail attachments of Microsoft Word documents. The
newest danger comes from mass-mailing (often called “spam”),
which can contain "worms" -- self-replicating, mutating viruses that
can penetrate your address book, and thus send themselves,
randomly, to multiple recipients.
One should be aware that Microsoft’s Outlook Express (OE) users are much more
vulnerable to virus attacks than users of Netscape, Eudora, Mozilla Thunderbird, or even
AOL. There are two reasons for this: The most obvious is that OE is the most widely
used e-mail program -- it comes with every edition of Windows. The virus problem goes
deeper than just being the most popular program. Microsoft tried to make Outlook
Express more powerful by integrating it with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and allowing
it to load many types of data and run programs normally confined to Web browsers. As a
result, OE can also run dangerous content sent to you by strangers. A survey in late 2004
by AOL and the National Cyber Security Alliance found that the majority of home users
think their computers are safe. But in fact, four out of five home computers harbor
unwanted spyware, and one out of five is infected with a virus.
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What is a virus checker? - A virus checker is a program that runs continuously
whenever your computer is on. It monitors the contents of e-mail attachments as well as
programs that run on your computer. It detects and disarms viruses and prevents damage
to your computer before they start trouble.
Why do you need a virus checker? - You need a virus checker program to
prevent corruption of your data and software. The program will also catch a virus
attached to an e-mail. (If you use a Hotmail e-mail account, it comes with the McAfee
virus checker/protector. An AOL account comes with a virus checker.) There are 70 to
100 new threats discovered each day. In any given month, hundreds of viruses are
actively floating around – some harmless or simply annoying and others malicious and
destructive. Your computer will almost certainly be corrupted sometime if you don’t
have a virus protection program, which is updated regularly with new virus definitions.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
How do you select and maintain a virus checker? - Virus checkers have an
automatic update feature that will keep your virus checker current. Because new viruses
are constantly being created, these protection programs use a virus data-reference file that
resides on your hard drive. Setting the automatic update feature will enable the virus
checker to keep this file up-to-date without your intervention. To select a virus checker
program see the recommendations in the Appendix.
Update regularly - Remember, effective virus and Windows System protection
depends on your computer being regularly updated. You should set your virus protection
software so it calls in every day. One survey found that Windows users were three times
more likely to be infected by a virus than Macintosh users.
III. Protecting your computer against program bugs
Bugs are not viruses or invaders but software program
errors that often are only discovered after the product has
been on the market for awhile. All programs contain
bugs. For this reason it is important to remember to
regularly update your operating system, web browser,
and other key software by using the manufacturer’s
update features. As the manufacturers of these programs
discover the problems, they often offer updates, patches,
hotfixes or service packs that can be downloaded from
the manufacturer’s web site.
Microsoft updated Windows XP’s in 2005 with a
Security Center (Service Pack 2) which automatically updates Windows. With Windows
auto update you need do nothing. Windows will automatically check for updates every
so often and download new critical updates as they become available.
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IV. Firewalls
What is a firewall? - A firewall is a digital barrier that shields your computer by
examining incoming and outgoing traffic from another computer on your network or
from the Internet. The firewall watches for unwanted traffic trying to get into your
computer through your Internet connection. A firewall program should also have
outbound controls to watch for a Trojan horse or spyware trying to call out from your
system. This protection is strongly recommended if you are using a broadband cable
modem or a high-speed DSL line (i.e. digital subscriber line -- usually from your phone
company). If you are on a local area network a firewall is built into your internet access
system (cable or DSL modem or router).
Why do you need a firewall? - The short answer is that a firewall blocks
unwanted access to your computer that could corrupt your data and operating system.
While the virus checker looks at programs the firewall looks for unwanted traffic/data
going from and to your computer. This unwanted traffic usually comes from a location
with the intent to compromise your computer by installing a virus or Trojan horse. A
Trojan horse is a program that has been installed on your computer without your
knowledge. These insidious invaders are used for purposes such as gathering personal
data, doing damage to your software and monitoring both your web usage and keystrokes
(i. e. keylogging).
How to maintain a firewall? – Firewalls have an automatic update feature which
updates a firewall data reference file that resides in your hard drive. Setting the update
feature to automatic will keep this file current without your intervention.
Activating Windows firewall
Windows XP comes with a built-in firewall that will block illegal attempts to
access your computer. (When you download Microsoft’s Service Pack 2, the firewall
will automatically be turned on.) Be warned, however, that this firewall does not offer
outgoing controls to block a Trojan horse or spyware from capturing your address book
and mailing itself to all your friends. For this reason you are urged to install an alternate
firewall rather than depending on Microsoft’s program to protect your computer. You
should turn off Microsoft’s firewall to avoid conflicts with your new firewall program. If
you need to access the firewall utility here is how you find it:
Steps to accessing the Windows firewall
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Open Start Menu, click Control Panel *
Double click on the Firewall Connection icon
* The first time Windows XP users open the Control Panel you will not see the icons. To
display the icons click on the “Switch to Classic View” link at the left of the Control
Panel screen. Next open the View dropdown list in the menu bar and select Icons.
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V. Spyware
Computer interconnectivity has opened a world of possibilities, and our
lives are more convenient because of it. One trade-off, however, is that
it's now possible for prying eyes to monitor virtually every action you take
on your computer. - Laptop Magazine
What is spyware? Spyware was originally, designed not to
do mischief, but rather to gather information. More recently,
spyware, or ad-ware, has changed into an invader of your privacy. It
examines programs and “cookies” on your computer looking for
items used to either gain data from your computer or track your
Internet use. A spyware checker is a program designed to protect
your personal information. The most common type of spyware,
more properly termed adware, generates pop-up and other ads. You
might harvest dozens of these mini-programs which can bring your computer to a
complete halt. According to a study by AOL and the National Cyber Security Alliance,
80 percent of participants have had spyware in their computers.
Spyware is becoming a major tool in the hands of unscrupulous people. With
hundreds of thousands of copies of surveillance software currently in use worldwide,
there's a good chance your computer may be infected already. It is now surprisingly easy
for anyone to install spy programs, called keystroke loggers, on your computer and watch
your every move. Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes.
Without Spyware protection you could easily become the target of anyone who
wants to spy on your computer activity. Even by opening a pop-up window you can
launch a spyware program. Spyware can also be acquired by simply clicking on a banner
ad or just by web surfing. There is also "hybrid spyware" which disguises itself as an ECard greeting card. The moment you open it, you're infected. Unfortunately, spyware is
so easy to install and use, it can turn any eight year old into a seasoned hacker.
Privacy software expert Steve Gibson of Gibson Research (www.GRC.com)
explains: "Spyware is any software that employs a user's Internet connection in the
background (the so called 'backchannel') without their knowledge or explicit permission.
Silent background use of an Internet 'backchannel' connection must be preceded by a
complete and truthful disclosure of proposed backchannel usage, followed by the receipt
of explicit, informed consent for such use. Any software communicating across the
Internet absent of these elements is guilty of information theft and is properly and
rightfully termed: Spyware."
Advertising companies often try to install additional
tracking software on your system, which will then continuously
"call home," using your Internet connection to report information
about you and your surfing habits to a remote location. While the
privacy policies of the companies claim that there will be no
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sensitive or identifying data collected from your system, the fact remains that without
firewall, antivirus and antispyware software programs installed, your PC is sending out
information to an anonymous site about you and your surfing habits.
Do I Need Spyware Protection? The answer is “Yes!” A number of software
applications are available. (See the appendix for contact and pricing information.)
Spybot Search & Destroy and OptOut (by Gibson's company), are available as freeware
to help computer users search for and remove suspected spyware programs. Beware that
many firewall programs will not stop spyware from getting into you computer. Look for
software which specifically targets spyware.
Windows XP users should be aware that Service Pack 2 doesn’t prevent
spyware, nor will it detect and remove spyware on your PC. Unfortunately, spyware
continues to be one of the most pervasive threats facing Internet users. The use of an
antispyware program is essential to reducing your risks from hackers, spyware, worms,
Trojan horses, keystroke loggers and more.
Besides installing an antispyware program (two programs is even better) you
should beware of any offer of free software. Often freeware can be used as an agent to
hide spyware downloads into your computer. Also, beware of e-mails offering upgrades
from major companies. Don’t click on the links, they are often bogus. Rather go to
your browser and type in the address directly.
VI. Phishing (i.e. fishing)
The Phishing scam has become one of the top consumer crimes. A recent report
estimated that 1.98 million American were victimized by phishing scams between May
2004 and May 2005. They estimate the phishing scam stole some $2.4 billion from their
checking accounts. As of April 2006 the number of phishing sites climbed to a record of
11,121 --four times the number found just a year ago.
Phishing scams are phony e-mails demanding that recipients
verify their financial data by clicking on a link which takes one to a
website that looks just like the real thing – a bank, broker, Paypal or
credit card issuer’s site. You are then asked to “reverify” your
credit card number, birth date, social security number, etc. If you
get such an e-mail from an institution you deal with asking you to
sign onto or reverify your account assume it is a scam. Don’t click on the provided link.
Instead, go to the web site in question by typing in its URL address into your browser or
call the institution in question to see if it is legit. Most likely it is not legitimate.
Financial institutions are aware of phishing and make it a practice not to ask for
confidential data via e-mail.
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VII. Keylogging
The newest criminal activity, “keylogging” is the silent copying of your keystrokes
as you type your password and login information into your bank account, brokerage or
credit card web sites. Keylogging software exploits security flaws in your computer that
allow criminals to see what you are typing. Keylogging programs can be very selective -only passing back to the intruder keystrokes of selected sites where password information
is sought. The use of “crimeware” like keyloggers, while relativity new, has soared. In
2005, iDefense, a computer security tracking company, reported finding over 6,000
keylogger variants. It is estimated that as many as 9.9 million computers may be infected
with keyloggers. That translates into as much as $24 billion in bank account assets at
risk! The keylogging programs can be hidden inside ordinary software downloads or email attachments. It is estimated by Spohos, a network security firm, that an unprotected
computer has a 94 percent chance of being infected by a malicious worm, including a
keylogger, within an hour.
What can you do to prevent keylogging? Luckily most major antivirus and
antispyware utilities will seek out keylogging. However, you can’t rely on these
programs to catch them all. You must also take care not to click on unfamiliar links sent
by e-mail and to keep your Windows patches, antivirus and antispyware updates current.
Defenses
Keep abreast of the threats by subscribing to security-focused websites such as
F-Secure at www.f-secure.com/webblog, Kaspersky at www.viruslist.com/en/feeds, or
Sophos at www.sophos.com.
VIII. A word about “Cookies”
Should I worry about them? Cookies are commonly used to rotate the banner
ads that a site sends, so that this site doesn't keep sending the same ad as you view a
succession of requested pages. They can also be used to customize pages for you based
on your browser type or other information you may have provided the Web site. Web
users must agree to let cookies be saved for them, but, in general, it helps Web sites to
serve users better. Numerous web sites won't work if you have cookies disabled including almost all e-shopping sites.
Activating Internet Explorer’s Cookie Control Program




Open your Internet Explorer browser
Click on Tools in the Menu Bar
Click on the Privacy tab
Use the slide bar to increase or decrease cookie control.
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Activating Netscape’s Cookie Control Program





Open your Netscape browser
Click on Edit
In the dropdown menu click on Preferences
Click on Privacy and Security
Click on Cookies
Activating Mozilla Firefox’s Cookie Control Program





Open you Mozilla Firefox browser
Click on Tools in the Menu Bar
Click on Options
Click on the Privacy tab
Check to two boxes that read “Allow sites to set cookies for the originating site
only.”
IX. You’ve Got Spam!
Unwanted e-mail, referred to as “spam,” has become a major problem for everyone
using e-mail. You can’t stop spam completely but there are some things you can do to
reduce the amount of spam you receive. We offer the following suggestions with our
thanks to the September 2004 issue of Consumer Reports Magazine:
Six Ways to Curb Spam






Don’t buy anything promoted in a spam message. All that does is encourage
more spam.
Don’t reply to spam or click on its “unsubscribe” link.
Disable your e-mail preview window so it will not report back that your address is
active. (See directions below for Outlook Express users.)
Get two e-mail addresses from your internet service provider (ISP). Use one for
family and friends and the other for everyone else (public mail). Use your ISP’s
website to check your “public mail” so you don’t download spam to your
computer. Or use a free service from Hotmail or Yahoo which does not require
you to download mail to your computer. If too much spam is being received,
abandon your address and get a new one.
Your ISP should be filtering your e-mail. Check its filtering features with
competitors to see if another service will do a better job.
Don’t post your e-mail address on a publicly accessible web page. If you need to
put your address on a web page use “at” in place of the “@” so harvesters will not
recognize it as an e-mail address.
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Disabling the Outlook Express Preview Window
There have malicious threats that take advantage of the Outlook Express preview
pane. This pane displays the contents of a message without your having to open the email message. Turning off the preview pane will prevent “instant” virus and worm
infections from entering your computer.



Open Outlook Express and select View
Select the Layout option
Uncheck the box next to “Show preview pane.”
For Outlook Express 6.0
 Open Outlook Express
 Open the Tools menu
 Select Options
 Click on the Security tab
 In this tab you can also block images and attachments that might contain viruses.
# # #
If you need further assistance or have comments on this manual please contact
Larry Williams at lwindc@starpower.net. Put in subject line “Computer
Housekeeping.”
My thanks to the following SeniorNet Bethesda, Maryland volunteers for their
contributions in the development of this manual:
Editor: Marion Chafetz
Research: Barbara Rodes
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Appendix
Sources of Further Information on Security
Fighting “Badware”
A group including Google, Harvard and Oxford universities and Consumer Reports WebWatch have joined together to help computer users fight spyware and other malicious
computer programs. The web site www.stopbadware.org was launched in January, 2006.
The group will spotlight firms that make “badware” with the hope of either stopping their
bad behavior or launching class action law suits against them. The site catalogues
programs that infect unsuspecting users’ computers and lets them know if a program is
dangerous before downloading it.
The nonprofit Internet Education Foundation, in a joint effort with Dell Computer has
mounted a spyware awareness campaign with a website www.getnetwise.com that
provides useful information on Internet security.
Firewalls
There are no recent reviews of stand-alone firewall programs. However, the Aug.15,
2004 issue of the Washington Post recommendation of Zone Alarm is considered the best
of the bunch by most experts in the field:




Zone Lab’s Zone Alarm (http://www.zonealarm.com) Look for the free version or
the Pro-version.
Sygate (www.soho.sygate.com)
Outpost Firewall from Agnitum (www.agnitum.com/products/outpost)
Kerio (www.kerio.com/us/kpf_home.html)
Steve Gibson of Gibson Research gives you the latest updates on computer security
issues. The site also provides a tool to check the quality of your computer security. The
checker is called, appropriately “Shields Up”. See www.grc.com
Antivirus Programs
Many internet service providers are providing antivirus and antispyware programs for a
reduced cost to their customers.
For antivirus software Consumer Reports (Sept., 2006) recommends:



BitDefender Standard (www.bitdefender.com) - $30 plus $20 annual fee
Zone Lab’s Zone Alarm Antivirus (http://www.zonealarm.com) - $30 plus $20
annual fee
Kaspersky Lab (www.kaspersky.com) - $35 plus a $30 annual fee. Good
protection that’s free:
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
Alwil 5 – (www.avast.com) provides a full-featured program for free but provides
only e-mail support
PC World (March 2006) recommends these three utilities as their top choices.
 Bitdefender 9 Standard -- (www.bitdefender.com/) $30, review at:
find.pcworld.com/51130.
 McAfee Virus Scan 2006 – (McAfee.com) $40, review at:
find.pcworld.com/51132. Kaspersky Lab Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal 5.0 –
(usa.kaspersky.com) $40, review at: find.pcworld.com/51134.
Also, AntiVir Personal Edition Classic 6.32 (www.free-av.com), reviewed at:
find.pcworld.com/51140. AntiVir ranked seventh on their list of top 10 antivirus
programs – but it is free!
In addition, PC World did not evaluate Zone Lab’s ZoneAlarm Anti-Virus -(www.zonelabs.com/store) $30 – for technical reasons but it was their “World Class
winner” in 2005.
(Warning: if you are installing new antivirus software be sure to uninstall the old
software first. Serious computer problems can develop with two antivirus programs
running at the same time.)
For information on the latest virus threats and description of viruses, see
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/.
For information on virus hoaxes, see


http://www.vmyths.com
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html
Antispyware
The creation of so-called “Trojan horses” (i.e. spyware hidden in a seemingly innocuous
attachment such as an e-greetings card) is big business. Criminals earn several dollars for
every Trojan horse secretly installed on a PC. They can make thousands of dollars each
month. It is recommended that you use two antispyware programs (one free such as
Spybot) to provided extra protection.
For antispy software Consumer Reports (Sept., 2006) recommends:


F-Secure Anti-Spyware 2006 (www.f-secure.com) - $60 plus $50 annual fee.
Webroot Spy Sweeper 4.5 (www.webroot.com) offers a free Spy Audit program
that will scan your PC for unwanted visitors. $25 plus a $20 annual fee
 PC Tools Spyware Doctor 3.8 (www.pctools.com) - $30 plus $20 annual fee
A free complement to your main antispyware:
 Spybot Search & Destroy 1.4 (www.spybot.info) Free.
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PC World (November, 2005) gave high ratings to the following stand-alone programs:


Spy Sweeper by Webroot Software (www.webroot.com) - – Tests by PC World
found that it removed 90 percent of spy ware attacks. $30 (For further information
see: www.find.pcworld.com/48344.)
AntiSpyware 2006 by McAfee (www.mcafee.com) -- Removed 79% of spyware
components. (See: www.findpcworld.com/49378)
Note: Microsoft Windows Defender antispyware Beta 2 got a strong rating as one of
three “free stand-alone programs” by PC World but noted that the program only removed
66 percent of active spyware components. Microsoft has stated that it will remain free
and will be integrated into the new Windows Vista operating system.
For Product Reviews, check out these sources. Use the “Search Box” on home pages to
find specific information.



http://www.pcmag.com
http://www.pcworld.com
http://www.zdnet.com
To search in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, see: http://support.microsoft.com/
All-in One Security Utilities
All-in-one security packages have not been considered a good alternative to downloading
three separate programs to protect your computer (i.e. antivirusware, antispyware and a
firewall). However, PC World magazine evaluated Kaspersky’s Internet Security 6.0 in
their August 2006 issue. They found that this suite scored well above its competitors, but
at a price of $80 retail. (For a full discussion of this test go to: find.pcworld.com/53744.)
Consumer Reports (Sept. 2006) gave ZoneAlarm their thumbs up for “best all-around
protection.” In July 2006 PC World magazine evaluated 10 other security suites (A full
discussion of their test results can be found at: find.pcworld.com/53488.) Here are their
findings:






Kaspersky’s Internet Security 6.0 – the best of the bunch -- $80 retail, $70
download, $60 renewal.
Symantec Norton Internet Security 2006 – very good rating -- $70 ($35 renewal).
McAfee Internet Security Suite 2006 – very good rating -- $70 (35 renewal)
Panda Platinum 2006 Internet Security – very good rating -- $80 ($60 renewal)
Zone Labs ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite – rated 6th with only a good rating
because of its weak antispyware component. One to watch, however, because of
its excellent firewall. Their antispyware feature has been upgraded since this test
-- $70 ($25 renewal).
Microsoft Windows Live OneCare -- good rating – rated 7th place -- $50 (allows
the installation on three PC and no renewal charge)
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Antispam Programs
The Mozilla Thunderbird e-mail program (www.mozilla.com/thunderbird) has a junkmail filter, and the software is free. It will import you Outlook data and screen your mail
for you. A guide to using Mozilla Thurderbird can be found at: www.opensourcearticles.
com/thunderbird_15/english/part_06. There are also programs available that filter Spam.
Here are three:



Spam Eater Pro ($25 – www.hms.com)
Spanfire ($40 – www.matterform.com)
Qurb ($30 – www.qurb.com)
Consumer Reports rated antispam programs in Sept. 2006. The antispam program built
into the newer versions of Outlook Express got a high rating from CR and it’s free. For
add-on programs their highest ratings went to the following:

Trend Micro Anti-Spam Pilot (stand alone version) (www.trendmicro.com) – Free
If you use an e-mail program other than Outlook or Outlook Express:
 Allume Systems SpamCatcher (www.allume.com) - $30 with a $10 annual fee
For news, commentary and tips for fighting junk faxes, visit Steve Kirsch’s Web site at:
www.junkfax.org. The Federal Communications Commission’s consumer primer on
fighting junk faxes is at www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/unwantedfaxes.html.
Phishing






For more information on phishing scams, visit Anti-Phishing Working Group’s
web site at www.antiphishing.org/phishing_archive.html.
Also check out the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Alert, “How Not to
Get Hooked by a ‘Phishing’ Scam.” The site offers tips on avoiding phishing
scams at www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/phishingalrt.htm.
You also might try the NetCraft toolbar (toolbar.netcraft.com) which can warn
you of suspicious sites.
PayPal gives tips to safeguard your account at its Security Center site at:
www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_security-center-outside.
FraudWatch International is a valuable online site in Britain that tracks phishing
attacks at: scams@fraudwatchinternational.com.
Also check out another helpful British antiphishing resource which is updated
daily: www.millersmiles.co.uk.
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Alternative Browsers
Alternative browsers to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer are available that are far less
susceptible to virus and spyware attacks. (If you load Firefox and Mozilla all you
bookmarks and e-mail addresses will automatically moved to your new browser and email program.) They are free except where noted.



Firefox (www.mozilla.com) (Note: If you switch to Firefox you will need to
reinstall Adobe Reader (www.Adobe.com).)
Mozilla adds an e-mail program and a web-page designing tool to the Firefox
browser.
Opera (www.opera.com) Claims to be the fastest browser ($39). They offer a free
version with advertising.
CERT Coordination Center at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh
(www.cert.org/tech_tips/securing_browser/) has posted ways to tweak various Web
browsers to help prevent hidden code on Web pages from invading your computer – a
common tactic used by purveyors of keyloggers and others.
Backup Utilities
PC World Magazine reviewed 5 backup utilities in their August 2006 issue. Here are
their findings in order of their performance:





NovaStor Nova Backup 7.3 -- $50 – Best Buy, Very good rating. See
find.pcworld.com/53610
Roxio BackUp MyPC, Deluxe 2006 -- $50 – Very Good. See
find.pcworld.com/53612
Genie-Soft Genie Backup Manager Pro 7.0 -- $70 – Good. See
find.pcworld.com/53614
EMC Retrospect 7.5, Professional -- $119 – Good. See find.pcworld.com/53624
Uniblue WinBack 2.0, Standard -- $50 – Good. See find.pcworld.com/53616
Backup Drives
Consumer Reports (Sept. 2006) recommends purchasing an external hard drive, or for
smaller requirements a flash memory drive. Both plug into your computer’s USB port.
Their external hard drive recommendations are:


Iomega Triple Interface Black Series 33090, 250 GB (www.iomega.com) $220
Seagate Pushbutton Backup ST3300601CB, 300 GB (www.seagate.com) $260
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