Another Day With My PC

The Antivirus program has long been taking credit for malware-free PCs, and many say that it should rightly so. Indeed, as its very name suggests, it is the one tasked to filter or ferret out viruses in our computers. However, the claim and accolade cannot be solely attributed to the antivirus software anymore. Times have changed and threats have multiplied. It is not surprising then that the antivirus program’s monopoly on PC security has gradually been eroding.

One of the security tools that’s already considered as indispensable as the antivirus is the firewall. A firewall is program, system, or device that acts as a gate between your PC and cyberspace. It checks every data or packet that comes in and out of your PC, thus ensuring that nothing unwanted goes in and out of your unit.

Unheard Of

Firewalls were not considered as important a few decades ago when the Internet as we know it today was still being brewed. In fact, only bespectacled computer science majors may have known of its existence. Firewalls gradually started to become a household name when the Internet was made available commercially.

Today, firewalls are already integrated in almost all operating systems, thereby highlighting its importance in PC security. Antivirus makers also bundle firewalls in their merchandise, acknowledging the fact that an antivirus software cannot fend off malware alone when the computer is connected on the Internet.

Tag Team

Firewalls and antivirus programs complement each other. They cannot effectively defend our PCs without each other. While you may contend that an antivirus is already enough on a unit that is not connected on the Internet, the lure of cyberspace and the various ways by which you could easily connect thereto is too strong and too tempting. It should be noted that many programs already require an Internet connection for registration and updating purposes.

Registry Cleaners

There are other applications that complete the security tools line up of every PC. A registry cleaner, such as RegCure, is also a must-have. There are times when malware escape firewall and antivirus checkpoints. When this happens, the unwanted programs almost always turn their sights first on the operating system’s registry. No antivirus and firewall function or feature could save your unit in this situation. The complicated task of ridding your registry of unwanted alterations is within the competence and expertise of a registry cleaner alone.

Each security program has its own area of responsibility. Keeping your PC free from malware is a team effort between your system’s firewall, antivirus, and registry cleaner software. Make sure that you have all installed in your computer.

Viruses and spyware are often blamed for computer slowdowns. Analysts and experts would usually prescribe a full system scan whenever they’re being bugged (pun unintentionally intended ) about laggard PC performance. But is malware the sole guilty party when it comes to a slacking PC?

Unwanted and pernicious programs are not the only ones putting a sack on the back of computers. Sometimes, even legitimate programs could be the burden that slows down PC performance. Applications that demand CPU attention would definitely make your PC run in slow motion. Running multiple programs at the same time could also produce the same effect.

Aging hardware could also be the culprit. Current applications are either already too big or too demanding for old processors and peripherals to handle. Running Vista on a Pentium II processor is like asking a turtle to overtake a rabbit. Your system will either try in vain or just simply expire trying.

There are many other reasons why computers tend to be slowpokes. However, it is conceded that malware is the most likely cause of it. Hence, don’t think twice in getting your antivirus and registry cleaner to work whenever your PC seems to be slowing down. Check your hardware and other programs, too, while you’re at it so that every nook and cranny is swept.

Do you ever wonder why your computer seems to be doing something even if you’ve already finished using it?

While you may think that something’s fishy is going on when your hard drive or DSL light blinks on you even when you haven’t touched the keyboard for quite some time already, your PC may actually be doing something that’s completely legit albeit without your permission.

Legit?

Take for example auto updates. Many programs update themselves automatically whenever you’re connected to the Internet. Windows XP and Vista are well known for this. There are many other programs that update themselves without prompting the user for each download session. Hence, do not be surprised why the hard drive and DSL lamps on your PC keep on flashing.

This doesn’t mean that you should smile whenever your PC seems to be working overtime. We all know that malware works undercover. Hackers take time and effort to make sure that their creations are as invisible as the latest bomber of the US Air Force.

As the saying goes, though, no bad deed goes undetected and unpunished. There are many ways by which you could check if malware is slowly taking over your system. If you’re observant enough, you could detect the presence of unwanted programs even without an antivirus’ sirens.

Circumstantial Evidence

While flashing DSL and hard drive lamps on an idle PC is not a concrete sign of spyware or virus infection, you could reasonably presume that something quite smelly is going on inside your unit. Many types of malware need Internet access so that the hacker or other malicious programs could access the host unit. Every upload and download, then, would naturally trigger the DSL light. Data are also being transported in that process. Hence, your hard drive lamp would most likely be flickering signs of impending doom.

Blinking lights are not sure gauges malware activity. However, they could help you in detecting them. Hence, antivirus and registry cleaner programs are still indispensable. Even if you develop a very good nose for sniffing viruses out, you would definitely need help in eradicating them.

What do you do when your PC slows down?

While some people try to examine what’s wrong with their computer when it’s performing under par, others are quick to put their unit out of its misery by discarding it and replacing it with a new one.

Computer manufacturers have mix reactions as to the option or solution of early retirement for PCs performing below expectations. Of course, they’re very happy with people buying new computers all the time since this would mean millions or billions in profits. However, this impatient and wasteful attitude of PC owners may also damage their name and goodwill since their units’ underperformance might be taken as a sign of poor manufacturing techniques.

Many users exhibit more patience in handling PC slowdown situations, though. Oftentimes, the problem lies not on the hardware but on the applications that are running the show. Indeed, Acer, HP, Dell, and other PC makers take pride in their units and warrant them for any defects.

PC slowdowns are usually caused by malware. You don’t have to kick the hard drive out of your system when viruses or spyware make it their abode. The simple, most effective, and cost-efficient solution for this is to run an antivirus and registry cleaner scan on your system. This does the trick almost 99% of the time. So please, don’t euthanize your computer. There are many cures out their in the market, such as RegCure.

Malware could be very unforgiving when it decides to strike. While some unwanted programs would already be contented in creating small shanties for themselves inside your hard drive and just monitor everything that you do, others are not so passive and will pillage your system until they are the only applications left in it.

Of course, antivirus and anti-spyware programs are always there to save the day. But what if the carnage happened before you installed your security suites?

The Easy Step / Solution

Before anything else, let me just make it clear that anti-malware programs will still work even if you install them after your PC gets infected. Antivirus programs do not just prevent unwanted apps from entering into your system, but they also remove those which have already injected themselves therein.

The most common solution to an infection is to run a thorough virus or anti-spyware scan over your entire system. The security suites would automatically do the detection and removal of the malicious programs. Most of the time, the detection and removal will be successful. However, things will become a little bit different and complicated when the infection is so severe and it already involves vital system files.

It Doesn’t Always Win

There are times when security software cannot safely remove a virus from a file. Even if it can, doing so might render the file useless as the removal process could damage the data. In cases like this one, what the antivirus program usually does is to just leave the file as it is and recommends that you replace it with a new but similar one. This may seem easy, but I’m telling you that it isn’t. Take note that many programs come from zipped or compressed files. This means that you can’t just look for the infected program’s installation disk and get the needed file therein. You won’t find it in the disk. What you’ll probably see is just a few compressed files that need to be decompressed or unzipped first.

The Final Solution

If the infection is extremely severe, such as when a variety of malware have already nailed a “home sweet home” sign in your computer, then opening your antivirus to extract a cure may already be futile. The infestation in this case is already so serious that you cannot anymore remove the unwanted programs without damaging the whole operating system.

If your antivirus cannot remove many of the malware found in your system and you can’t also delete the infected file because it is vital to your system’s operation, then the only viable and effective solution to the problem would be to reformat your hard drive and reinstall your OS. This may seem a very tedious task that but a pandemic definitely requires the most extreme solution.

Fresh Start

Reformatting your hard disk and reinstalling your operating system would give you a fresh start in your effort to keep your system free from malware. A reformat would wipe out all programs, good or bad. As with all fresh starts or second chances, make sure that you won’t have to go into that situation again where you have to go back to the drawing board. Before you go online or introduce other programs aside from your OS, make sure that you install an antivirus and a registry cleaner first. This would ensure that no malicious program would get in your way when you surf the Web or run any application.

When somebody tells you that your old neighborhood hacker took the weekend off to go fishing, don’t be surprised when you see him bringing a laptop instead of a hook, line, and sinker. You could bet your hard drive’s last kilobyte that he will not be looking for his next meal or a new addition to his aquarium. Unless he’s really fishing with an “F,” what he’ll probably do is phish for data rather than fish for, well, fish.

Phishing is the term used to describe the illegal or fraudulent act of acquiring personal information through deceptive means. Hackers usually do this by sending deceptive e-mails or other electronic messages that ask users for certain information about themselves. Many have already been deceived and victimized as criminals use methods which lead people to believe that the sender and the message are legitimate ones.

Not Just by e-mail Alone

While e-mail service providers have already rolled up their sleeves and took on the challenge of putting a scarlet letter on bogus or fraudulent e-mail senders or addresses, hackers have found another way of phishing passwords, account numbers, and other sensitive details from unsuspecting persons.

e-commerce is growing at a tremendous pace, and thousands or even millions now send out credit card numbers, bank passwords, and other financial details on the Internet. These information are usually asked for by and entered into e-commerce Web sites, such as e-Bay, Amazon, and other businesses or institutions, such as banks. Criminals are aware of this and have built numerous Web sites which replicate the ones where people usually go to shop or do financial transactions. As a result, a good number of people unsuspectingly types in sensitive data that the bogus site asks for, practically giving it to hackers on a silver platter.

Seemingly Unimportant Questions

Pop ups are also used as phishing instruments. PCs infected with spyware, adware, and other forms of malware are usually prone to phishing activities since hackers already have a hold on the unit. Pop ups might ask you for certain personal details. Some of the questions may seem harmless and you might not suspect it to be malicious, especially if it’s not asking for your social security or credit card number. However, be very wary on the questions that you answer, whether they come from dubious pop ups or seemingly legitimate e-mails. Questions asking you as to your favorite food, the name of your pet, or your mother’s maiden name might seem inconsequential. However, take note that these questions are usually the ones that are also being asked by e-mail service providers or e-commerce sites in case you’ve forgotten your username or password.

Nip the Problem at the Bud

Keep your PC safe and secure at all times. Malware oftentimes monitor Web surfing activities. If the malicious software detects that you’re a frequent user of online banking services or an occasional customer of e-shops, then you’ll probably be subjected to all sorts of phishing tactics or methods. Keep your PC from being infiltrated by installing security tools, such as registry cleaners and antivirus programs. These applications will ensure that everything that you do or send on the Internet will not be made known to anyone.

Many computer users who are looking for anti spyware programs on the Internet may end up with a product that claims to be anti spyware… but in actuality, it’s actually spyware itself. Instead of removing the unwanted items from your computer, which is what true anti spyware software does, these bogus software programs actually install more spyware on your system, usually so the developer can profit from taking control of your computer system and web browsing abilities. Anti spyware programs are not the only ones being exploited, fakes also masquerade as anti virus and registry cleaner software as well.

Before purchasing, downloading, or installing any anti spyware software, do a little bit of research. Never install software on your computer unless you are positive you understand exactly what the software will do. Research some of the reputable anti spyware titles, and find the software which is verified and recognized as an actual anti spyware program, instead of just choosing the first anti spyware program you find online. Software which is one type and pretends to be another type is called rogue software, and that is what the fake anti spyware programs are.

If you are looking for a good reputable anti spyware program to keep your computer safe, there are some products that you should avoid, because they are rogue software instead of actual anti spyware programs. WinFixer and WinAntiVirus Pro 2006 are both spyware programs which masquerade as anti spyware software, and these programs try to pass themselves off as official programs from Windows just by the name of the product. Users believe they are installing a legitimate anti spyware or virus program from Windows, and instead spyware is installed.

SpyProtect, SpyShredder, SpyDawn, SpyLocked, Your Privacy Guard, AntiVirus Gold, PAL Spyware remover, and SpyAxe are all products which claim to be anti spyware programs but these products are in fact spyware instead, and these are just a small fraction of the true number of rogue software programs which pretend to be anti spyware. All of these software titles have been verified as spyware, and are known offenders who install their software under false pretenses for malicious purposes, without the informed consent of the user.

Fake anti spyware programs have become so common that there are banner advertisements all over the web for these products. Secure Computer was the first rogue software developer to be sued, and this was done in the beginning of 2006, in a suit filed by the Washington state attorney general and Microsoft over the product Spyware Cleaner. By the end of the year Secure Computer had settled with the state of Washington for a one million dollar sum, but Microsoft was not included in this settlement and their case is still pending.

Ad-Aware is a anti spyware program which has a free version available, and this software is a legitimate anti spyware program. This program and hundreds of others actually do what they advertise. Unfortunately, because of the rogue software out there pretending to be anti spyware when it is not, you should be cautious and verify the anti spyware that you choose before you install it.

Programming is not that esoteric. While applications are made up of ones and zeroes, modern programming tools or languages already allow us to create software using words that do not compete with Morse codes as far as understandability is concerned.

Many of today’s viruses or spyware infect programs by inserting seemingly meaningless words or series of characters into the lines that make up the application. If you want a hands-on experience in removing malicious codes, then you could do so by opening up the program into its bare essentials. All you have to do thereafter is to look for the line that is not included in the original make up of the software. This may seem easy if the lines or codes are just a page long. However, most applications nowadays contain kilometers of programming sentences.

Malware that strikes Windows registries also perform their pernicious act in similar fashion. You may remove the malicious line or instruction by yourself without the aid of any tool, but this is very dangerous as any erroneous alteration could lead to a system crash. This is the reason why you should leave Windows registry cleaning to RegCure. RegCure eliminates unwanted instructions inside your system’s registry, thereby enhancing your PC’s performance and ensuring the integrity of your operating system.

If you have a Flash Player plugged in to your browser, then you’d better read this.

Adobe has recently announced the release of an upgrade/patch for its graphics and video player. The company advises all Flash users to immediately shift to the latest version, 9.0.124.0, in order to avert possible malware attacks.

The patches plug the security gaps that make the player vulnerable to banner advertisements that are infected with spyware or adware. A PC that gets infected with this type of malware through the Adoble player defect could be susceptible to control by unauthorized third parties.

There have been increasing reports of bogus ad banners that are exploiting Flash’s security lapse. Infection immediately takes place once the user clicks on the malicious advertisement.

Download the upgrade immediately. Don’t be too complacent or confident simply because you have a wide range of security tools or software in your arsenal. It’s definitely better if all your bases are covered.

It’s difficult having an obsessive-compulsive disorder. People who have this tend to repeat things needlessly or be overly cautious about something. One of the things that you’ll immediately notice in a person who has this is his penchant to always clean things. Now imagine what suspicious looking pop ups or notices could do to that person.

It’s not only obsessive-compulsive or OC persons who always feel the need to meticulously check his computer for unwanted applications. I won’t be surprised if you run your antivirus or registry cleaner once or twice daily, especially if your PC’s hard drive practically holds everything that is dear to you.

Already Taken Cared Of

Although I’m quite particular about PC cleanliness, both in and out, I don’t feel the compulsion of having to scan through my whole system everyday for viruses. For one thing, antivirus programs already do this, albeit silently in the background. Every activity in your computer is already being monitored by your security suite. You’ll most likely be prompted if the software detects any attempt to change the entries in your Windows registry or modify your other system files.

Don’t get me wrong, though. I’m not saying that you don’t need to get directly involved in keeping your PC safe from unwanted software. All I’m saying is that you don’t need to get jumpy everytime something suspicious transpires in your computer.

Good and Bad Bacteria

Not all pop ups are caused by spyware. Although pop ups are the necessary consequence of spyware or adware infection, this is not always the case. There are some who come from legitimate applications or Web sites. It may be that the manufacturer of your operating system or other program is reminding you to update or renew its license. Reminders are often in the form of pop ups, especially if they’re urgent.

Before you press the panic button, carefully scrutinize the pop up first. Check if it’s a notice for an update. If it is, then see if you really have the software that is stated in the message. If you have that program installed, then the pop up is a legitimate notice. You don’t need to run an antivirus for that as it will most likely go away after a few appearances.

The Sign

If the notice or pop ups get too annoying for comfort, such as when it appears every minute or every hour without telling you what to do, then chances are is that your PC is infected with a spyware or adware. This is especially true of the pop up is advertising something. In this case, you’d better run a full system scan.

While PC users need to be very careful and vigilant against malicious programs, they need not be too OC about it. Running an antivirus to check on every pop up is overkill, especially if the notice is not persistent or appears to be coming from a legitimate source. Check the pop up first. A minute of scrutiny could save you from hours of needless scanning.

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