Internet Privacy
The World Wide Web, aka the Internet, consists of interconnected computer systems and networks. These systems and networks communicate via Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol, referred to as TCP/IP, in order to transfer data and process information.
The definition of privacy is the right to unauthorized intrusion. Therefore, Internet privacy is defined as the right to use the series of interconnected systems and networks without unauthorized intrusion, including and not limited to personal identifiable information being tracked or intercepted by another party.
Internet Privacy Software
You can get software to help protect your privacy. The wide variety of privacy protection software arms you with tools to battle unwanted Internet security breaches, ads, browsers hijacking, cookies, email invasion, porn and other unsafe intrusions, bugs, viruses and more.
Internet Privacy Download
Helpful Internet privacy download tools work to cover basic Internet security measures. Tops features of the tools are firewalls, ISP (Internet service provider) filters, and protection from unwanted viruses, worms, Trojans, spam and spyware.
Important Resources & Tools
Some important help for online and offline privacy follow, listed in no particular order of preference.
Offline tools that can help with online junk, too:
National Do Not Call Registry - put your number here and don’t give out info over the phone accidentally or otherwise: https://www.donotcall.gov
Free annual credit reports - get reports form the top three agencies annually at no charge and make sure no one is abusing your credit and identity: http://www.annualcreditreport.com
Stop Credit Offers - put an end to unwanted junk-mail of pre-approved credit card offers by signing up here: http://www.optoutprescreen.com
Ad-Blocking Software
AdSubtract Pro by InterMute
AntiPopUp for IE by Webknacks
PanicWare
PopUpCop
STOPzilla
xFX PopUpKiller
Preferred “Safer” Browsers to Use
Firefox
MyIE2 Browser
AVANT
Super Browser
Browser Cleaning Tools
CCleaner
IE Privacy Keeper
Tracks Eraser
Window Washer
Cookie Cleaners
CookieCop 2
Cookie Crusher
Cookie Pal
Email privacy Protection
Zixit
CipherSend
SafeIT
HushMail
Pretty Good Privacy
Protect Kids
SafeBrowse.com Safe Eyes 2006
Do You Know Where Your Kids Are Clicking?
Password Protection
Roboform
Password Agent
So arm your equipment, yourself and your family. Lock up by taking security measures both online and off. If you need help with all the online tools out there today, start by checking to see what’s available already on your computer and with your Internet service provider, email hosting account. Then check out tools packages, too, instead of piecing the remaining toolbox items together yourself, and see if perhaps one download can cover everything at once for you. Popular packages include (in no particular order):
Netkeys Ultra, Software Appliance Company
Proxomitron
Acronis Privacy Expert
PanicWare
Trace Removers
WebWasher
Web Bugs
Private Browsing
Simply ask your friends and associates for their recommendations, check at the point of purchase for your computer, your ISP, and make the best choices you can. Monitor activity and revise accordingly. And stay safe!
This article was written by Greg Johnston sponsored by nukeantispyware.a1wired.com. Antispyware Resources Site can assist you in finding the right AnySpyware Software that will help you fix any spyware problems. Reproductions of this article are encouraged but must include a link pointing to http:/nukeantispyware.a1wired.com.
Tags: adware, Internet Privacy, pc security, spywareFiled by itbsuperrich on July 4th, 2008 under free-spyware-guide.info | Comment now »
Spyware, Adware and Virus Removal First Steps Get Rid of Temporary Files
There are many software programs available designed to remove Viruses, Spyware, Adware and other nasties from your computer. Uneducated users simply run these programs in the mistaken belief that once they do, all is well.
For the best results, and to optimise computer performance and efficiency, it’s best to eliminate the many temporary files and temporary Internet files that build up on one’s hard disk over time.
Temporary Internet Files result simply from visiting web sites. Each web page usually consists of a number of individual elements, including one or more images. A typical business page is made from a large number of individual images, even if only a single image is visible when the page is fully loaded. Each of these images is stored on your hard disk in the Temporary Internet Files folder, also known as the Internet Cache”. Other elements such as cookies and multimedia files are also stored here. Particularly useful in the early days of the Internet when only dial-up accounts were available, the use of this cache idea helped speed up access to web pages on the second and subsequent visit. Because images and multimedia objects take a lot longer to download than text, once they were stored in a local cache, they would be displayed directly from the hard disk, and didn’t need to be downloaded again. Web access was therefore a lot faster. There appears no way of automatically deleting these files, and so the number increases constantly.
Temporary Files appear for other reasons. In the course of normal operation by some programs, they require “working space” and will create one or more temporary files. When programs are installed, particularly from zipped or compressed files, they usually need a temporary storage area in which to store files during the installation process. It would make sense in both these cases, for the programs to delete the temporary files when finished. However, it seems that in a lot of cases, the obvious doesn’t happen.
Why should we care that we have all these unwanted files on our hard disks?
Firstly, they do take up disk space unnecessarily, and secondly they reduce the performance of our computers. But in the context of viruses, spyware, adware, malware and other nasties, there are two reasons why all these temporary files are unwanted.
Most of the “nasties” mentioned above, apart from viruses, infiltrate our computers whilst visiting websites. Objects downloaded from web sites sit on our hard disk in the Temporary Internet Files folder. Deleting these files, therefore, is the first step to eliminating nasties. Some viruses and nasties will install themselves, or a copy of themselves in the Temporary folder where no-one can find them. Have you ever run a virus or spyware scan only to find that the culprit comes right back afterwards? The other reason to delete these files … and there could be a great many of them over time … is to minimise the time the scanning software has to run by reducing the number of files it has to scan.
Fortunately, Windows gives us a simple method to delete these files.
Click on “Start” and “My Computer”. With the right mouse button, click on your primary hard disk, usually the C: drive, known in Windows XP as Local Disk (C:). In the menu that opens, click on the “Properties” selection at the bottom. The window that opens will display a graphically representation of your hard disk showing the total space, and the amount used and free. On the left is a button called “Disk Cleanup”. Press that button.
Windows will now check your hard disk and open another window showing how many temporary and temporary Internet files there are. If you click on “ok”, Windows will proceed to delete those files. It’s safe to do so. The recycle bin is also listed, and if you haven’t emptied it for a while, now is a good time to do so. Leave the other options unchecked.
Your virus scanning software and “anti-nasties” programs will now run more quickly, and in fact, you might find your whole computer seems faster and more responsive.
There is one limitation of the Windows built-in file cleaner though: it often doesn’t delete all files, and the only way of doing it is to manually delete them. That’ll be covered in a future article.
Frank Wrobel is a computer consultant with many years experience in supporting everything from home computers to corporate networks.
http://www.fixcomputernasties.com/
Filed by itbsuperrich on July 2nd, 2008 under free-spyware-guide.info | Comment now »
How to Stop Spyware
Spyware is one of the biggest threats to your privacy and the security of your data. Here’s a series of helpful questions and answers that can help you remove and minimize future spyware from your computer.
Spyware comes in various forms, but basically it is a program or piece of information on your computer that either sends data about you or your computer habits to someone else on the Internet. This can be a company that is collecting data, or a thief seeking to steal access to your computer or data like bank information on it. Spyware can also be a program that places unwanted ads on your computer. Cookies can be considered spyware. They are little piece of information placed in your web browser to track your web habits. This is useful sometimes as a web site can see you have visited it before and let you on without a registration process. Cookies are also used to keep track of your progress through a web store. They are also used to customize website ads to your likes and dislikes.
Spyware is bad because for one it can hog precious system resources like memory and hard disk space. It can also compromise your privacy, providing outsiders with information about your computer habits. If a spyware program installs a keylogger it can capture your keystrokes and send it to a third party. This can potentially expose your user IDs and passwords to thieves. Some spyware are trojans which allows someone to log into your computer remotely and use it for their own purposes like sending spam or launching malicious attacks on other computers on the Internet, making it look like you are at fault.
There are several techniques how spyware get’s on your computer. Sometimes they arrive as an automatic download from a website you are surfing. Typically this happens a lot on porn sites. Sometimes if you download a free or illegal piece of software, they are embedded in the installation process. Or spyware can get on your computer via an email attachment that you shouldn’t have opened.
Sometimes a spyware program is very obvious and it can be deleted manually. It adds itself to your menu bar and be found listed in your Add/Remove Programs list in your Windows Control Panel. Click START, (then if you have Win95/98/Me click Settings) then Control Panel then Add/Remove Programs and look for a program that you don’t recognize. Sometimes its obvious….like “XXX dialer” or something like that. Just use the Add/Remove Programs features to remove it. Sometimes its not as evident and you have to go diving into the registry and delete entries and also search for specific files on your hard drive and remove them. There are good list of spyware removal techniques that can be found on the internet.
There are a few things you can do to stop spyware. Don’t download programs by companies you are not familiar with. Avoid shareware and freeware. Don’t download illegal pirated software. Set your browser security to high. One Internet Explorer, click Tools > Internet Options > then the Security tab and move the slider to MEDIUM or preferably HIGH. The only problem with this is it may block access to some websites you want to see. Ultimately your best bet is to get an anti-spyware program and scan your system regularly.
Mike Stewart and his company http://www.Freespamfilter.nl provide Free Anti Virus - Spyware remover - Adware removal - Pop Up Blockers and Spam Filters at their website http://www.Freespamfilter.nl
Tags: adware, anti virus, blocker, free, pop, popup blocker, removal, remover, software, spyware, up
