Protecting Yourself From Online Computer Virus Attack and Personal Identity Credit Card Data Hacking

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best microsoft windows vista antivrus software

Best Anti-virus for Microsoft windows Vista

The primary goal behind the creation of Microsoft windows Windows vista was to improve the security of the Microsoft windows based pc after criticisms of its predecessor's weaknesses. Despite the security improvements developed specifically for Microsoft windows vista, advanced viruses was created to break or circumnavigate the security systems in position.
Read our Editors' review on Protect Your Computer From Viruses, Hackers, and Spies 

Even though Microsoft designed Microsoft windows vista to be naturally secure, third-party anti-spyware application applications are the best measure against strikes from viruses. The best Microsoft windows Windows vista antivirus application allows you to relax, knowing that your body is secure from potential risks. However, finding the right Microsoft windows vista antivirus system can be a tricky and difficult process. We analyzed and refined the top choices through the following requirements to help you keep your body secure.

Performance
All Microsoft windows Windows vista security applications have the capability of discovering different types of viruses, including basic viruses and competitive rootkits. The real difference among these products is not if they can find and remove viruses, but how good they are at discovering these risks. AV-Test, an independent analyze lab, analyse the best antivirus applications on the market, running them through extensive tests to determine each program's ability to identify both brand-new and older viruses. So, while you're looking for the best Microsoft windows vista antivirus application, check out the efficiency a lot of each system to makes it able to catching brand-new risks as well as established viruses. The best application ratings 99 or even 100 percent in security, so pay special attention to these applications.
Read our Editors' review on Protect Your Computer From Viruses, Hackers, and Spies 

Features
All the antivirus application we analyzed for Microsoft windows Windows vista offers email security, instantly clears contaminated information, tests messages and quarantines dangerous information so they can't spread to other information. However, only some of these applications can create bootable save drives that allow you to recover an contaminated computer, which can be incredibly helpful. Additionally, not every system defends against strikes via USB storage devices or has antiphishing investments in position. Ensure that to look for applications that meet all of your needs before making your choice.

Another element to consider when looking for antivirus application applications are how influential this method is on the host os. The top antivirus applications have no impact on your body efficiency, meaning you can visit websites, download information, use different applications and so on without any efficiency disturbance from the antimalware system. However, most applications have at least some effect on the human body's efficiency, generally a recession of around three seconds, which isn't terrible but is still noticeable.
Read our Editors' review on Protect Your Computer From Viruses, Hackers, and Spies 

Even with enhanced peace of mind in position with Microsoft windows Windows vista, antivirus application allows you to relax. Many can give you all the security you need. As new viruses appears every day, antivirus application advances to stay on top of these growing risks. Anti-virus application for Microsoft windows Windows vista helps your body remain secure against these continuous and ever-changing risks.

guide on how to prevent online identity theft fraud and scam

Prevent identity theft this holiday season by simply being smarter than your assailants. There is no better identity theft protection than education on the subject, and knowledge of the ways to keep you protected. Whether you're cruising Facebook or Twitter, or doing some holiday shopping online, it's always important to be aware of how to prevent identity theft.

How to Be Secured Online Here: CyberSecurity and CyberSafety Guide 

Here are a few little tips to help you prevent identity theft during this busy holiday shopping season:
Watch out for that keen eye that is just waiting to catch a glimpse of your pin number. Whether you are purchasing something with your debit card and entering your pin, or taking out cash to be a more responsible shopper, always be aware of your surroundings. This is the time of year when identity theft occurs nearly every minute around the nation, and if you can stay aware of your surroundings you will be one step ahead of the game.

Problem: Identity thieves glancing over your shoulder to see your pin.
Solution: Always cover or attempt to hide your pin number when entering it. It might look a little silly to some, and feel a little silly to others, but if you are in a sea of holiday shoppers waiting in line to take out cash or make a payment, you can never be too careful.

If you are using your debit and credit cards this holiday season, don't sign the back of the card. Yep, you heard me, don't sign the back of your card. To prevent identity theft you should write "please see ID" on the back of all of your cards. This will insure, hopefully, that as you checkout you will be asked for your driver's license. If they don't ask for your ID, be sure to tell management that there is sure to be an identity theft issue at their store.

Problem: Using debit and credit cards.
Solution: Always write 'please see ID' on the back of all of your cards.
Many of us take for granted the system of garbage pick-up that occurs throughout the nation. To prevent identity theft, it is crucial that you are aware of what you are throwing away, or recycling. Sure, it might make you feel wonderful to be helping out the environment by recycling all of your paperwork, invoices, and receipts. You should feel that way, however, you should also be shredding it all first. Many local areas will have shred-a-thons to help you get rid of all of that confidential information that absolutely anyone can see by digging through your trash. It may seem like a dirty job, but it is one of the most common ways that identity thieves will steal your information.

Problem: Tossing out receipts.
Solution: Use a shredder...always!
Everything is done over the internet these days. We'd rather talk to each other on Facebook and Twitter than meet face-to-face for some coffee. Complete strangers know more about us through our social updates than our own families do. Times certainly have changed, which is why you have to change your habits online. While we've talked about protecting your identity on social networks many times here, we also need to point out that it's imperative that you don't store absolutely everything on your computer.

If your computer is infected with a virus that was created by hackers and identity thieves, they can easily read your confidential information and use it to their advantage. In order to prevent identity theft on your computer, back up all of your personal information onto another hard drive that you can unplug. You can either purchase another small hard drive to use, or you may use a flash drive.
Problem: Computer viruses that can read your confidential information.
Solution: Store your personal information on another drive.

Lastly, and most importantly, check your bank statements and your credit reports frequently, especially during and just after the holiday season. This is prime time for identity thieves, and to prevent identity theft it's always best to stay on top of it. Know where you've spent your money, and know exactly how much you've spent. If there is something that doesn't look right or match up on your bank statement, don't hesitate to call them and discuss the problem. In most cases, they will be willing to work with you to figure out how that charge on your account came to be.
Problem: Reckless spending.

Solution: Always stay on top of your bank statements, and keep all receipts until the statement and charge has cleared.

While these are just a few was to prevent identity theft, I hope that we've brought to attention the multitude of ways that identity thieves attempt to steal your personal information. This list could go on and on, and the only way to stay protected is to stay informed. If you want more information on how to prevent identity theft, visit http://www.idsafeusa.com for more information.
Kandice Day is the founder of http://www.LinwrightDesign.com, a content marketer and web designer.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kandice_Day/478758


VoIP phone call tricks about virus on your pc home office computer online

The phone rings, you answer, and someone says they are from Microsoft or your Internet provider and have detected a virus on your PC. What next?
Well, it depends on how much time you have on your hands and your sense of humour, but before we get to that let's just explain what is going on here.

I've been plagued with these calls, often once or twice a week. Someone, usually with a heavy Indian accent, calls and reports that they are calling from 'Microsoft Security Centre', stating that they have 'detected viruses on my machine over the internet'.

Myth buster number one: This is not possible! Firstly, Microsoft never phones people to tell them that their PC is infected (assuming it actually is). Secondly, how would a company get your phone number based on your PC?

Top-Best Antivirus Software for total online and Offline Computer Security.


I had one such call recently and had a bit of time so I thought I'd a) waste their time so that they weren't conning some unsuspecting old lady, and b) find out exactly what they were doing in order to 'prove' to people that there were problems with their PCs. I had what is known as a 'virtual machine' installed - this is like Windows running as an app in Windows. It is totally ring-fenced, and to the outside world they could not tell any difference. By letting them run in a sand-boxed system I knew that my main system was completely safe.

Step 1 - they gain access to your PC
After you've admitted that you have a PC they'll start saying things like 'have you noticed it going slow recently'. Let's face it, all Windows PCs get slower over time, especially without a little bit of house-keeping, and they are never as fast as we want them to be. They will then ask you to go to a website and run an app. This part is actually legitimate as they are using a third party product that allows for remote support. You run an app, it displays a set of numbers which you then read out to the person on the phone, and they enter it into the software at their end - they can then see your desktop and control your keyboard/mouse as if they were in front of the PC. Note that at this stage your PC is not infected with anything - you've simply allowed remote control so that they can prove that your PC is compromised.

Step 2 - the convincer
Now they have to prove to you that there is a problem. The person that connected to me did two things:
a. They ran the Windows Event Viewer. This is an app installed on all versions of Windows that logs any errors that happen on the system. Note that an error to Windows is not always what we would consider an error. For example, when Windows boots up it'll check to see what printers are available. If you have a printer driver installed, but the printer is switched off that will log an error. So our friendly 'Microsoft Technician' told me to go into the Event Viewer and proceeded to show me all of the errors on my PC. He told me on no account to click on any of the line items as he said that this would damage things further. In reality he was concerned that I would read the error log and see that it was telling me that my printer was not switched on...

b. Next he opened a Dos window by running 'CMD' from the Start/Run option. He typed TREE /S, which is a simple command that shows every single file and folder on the PC. As you can imagine on even a fresh install of Windows there are tens of thousands of files, so this takes a few seconds as they go whizzing up the screen. And while that is going on he's typing something in the background which is only displayed once the computer has finished listing all of the files and folders. So at the end of this I could see 'System Error: Antivirus software disabled'. Of course, this was not actually the case!

At this point he's now 'convinced' that my PC is heavily compromised and that I need upgraded antivirus software. Bearing in mind that up to this point it had taken about 15 minutes.

Step 3 - the closer
They use standard sales tactics here of offering 'either/or' options rather than yes/no. He didn't say 'we can provide protection - would you like it'. It was more a case of 'we can provide one year at £199 or three years at £299'. For that he would download and install some antivirus software for me. Most probably this software would be loaded with its own viruses or malware, or worst still it would silently log all of your keystrokes and pass it back to them, providing all of your passwords as you move around the Internet. £199 is a lot of money in anyone's book for antivirus software. I don't pay anything for mine - there are plenty of free antivirus apps which sit quietly in the background doing their thing without costing you anything.

Anyway, back to our friendly tech support guy, who is now pushing to see which of his two options that I want. At this point I'd seen enough and advised him that he was playing around with a virtual machine and that I was simply wasting his time so that he did not scam any innocent people. Strangely he hung up after that...

So in summary all he'd done was connected to my PC, opened the Windows Event Viewer and run a harmless command in a Dos window before I cut him off, but it is easy to see how people get suckered in.

Golden rules
These rules help against any scammers, not just those trying to sell you antivirus software:
  • If someone calls about a virus on your PC it is 100% a scam. Microsoft do not have time to call the millions of people around the world that get viruses on their PCs every week.

  • Never give out any personal information on the phone unless you are 100% sure that the person/company calling you is legitimate. For example, I had a call from my bank's security company the other day. They asked me to give them my date of birth to check that I was me. I was not prepared to do that because I had no way to confirm that they were indeed my bank. So I asked them for their number and called them back (after verifying on the Internet that the number was indeed correct). Also, call from a different phone, as often scammers will stay on the line, and when you go to dial out they'll pretend to answer the phone so you think that you've rung them back again...

  • Do not respond to telephone surveys. These are 'phishing scams' - they are trying to collect enough information about you in order to use your identity fraudulently. Maybe they've already managed to get some details about you, such as your name, address and social security number, but perhaps they just ask you to confirm your date of birth or mother's maiden name, which on their own you may not be suspicious of. Note that they may call you a couple of times over a period of time and ask different questions to build a profile on you.

  • If they are making you an offer that is too good to be true then it probably is e.g. iPad for £50 etc. With the Internet these days it is very easy to validate a company. A quick search on the company name or website will generally reveal if it is a scam site or not.

  • If you get suckered once you most likely will go onto a hotlist where others will try to scam you again a different way.
If you have time to kill
Finally, when these people do call, and call they will, you can always have a little fun. I actually posted this story onto a business forum I frequent to warn others, and it was hilarious to see what others were doing. My favourites were:
  • Passing the phone to a toddler, who would simply make random noises down the phone to them
  • Keeping a football whistle by the phone and blowing it full blast down the receiver - my personal favourite and one that I may well use in the future!
  • Asking them to call your mobile number as your home phone battery is about to die, and then giving them a premium rate gay sex line
  • Simply saying 'can you wait a moment, the doorbell's gone' a few minutes into the call, then keep coming back to the phone every few minutes saying 'won't be a moment'. One guy kept them on the line for 35 minutes
  • Of course, the old classic of screaming down the phone at them is always great for relieving tension
If at least one person is not scammed as a result of this article then I'll be happy. These people preying on others that are trying to make the best of technology that simply don't have the IT skills to know they are being duped and are putting their PC and identities at even more risk.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Martin_E_Bailey/240614

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Two things to bear in Mind while we talk about Protecting yourself Online in order to Prevent Online Identity Theft and being Victim of Cyber-Criminals:

A. Keep in mind that antivirus software protects only your device, not your internet connection. It’s only Secured and Protected Virtual Private Network, VPN can securely protect your internet connection communications between your computer device, servers and websites.

B. A VPN is a must-have utility to protect your privacy and prevent hackers and snoopers from stealing your personal information.