What is Spyware? How to protect your Mobile/PC from it?

A Software program designed in such a way to extricate information from a device Mobile/PC or communication/electronic device including identity details, financial transactions, property certificates, bank information, credit card information, other personal communications etc.,

 Intrusion into a system through a software program is one of the ways to do it. Often spyware is loaded on to a computer in the form of a legitimate PC game or a Browser Tool bar etc etc.,. Then it logs your activity, the sites you visit, the communications you make and transfers data remotely without the user even knowing about it on a regular basis, unless it scanned and removed from the system regularly.

Often the cookies that you receive from the sites you visit they record and trace your browsing info, but when you store those cookies continuously, they will continue to know about even after several months that you have visited their site. The companies use such information to target customers when they are browsing the Internet. And ads that Pop up in your browsers reflect that reality. Those are Adware.

Always have an Anti-Virus and Spyware protection on hand. Run the spyware scan and remove any unwanted program on your computer. Buy your Spyware Protection and Anti-Virus from a reputed brand.

There is no fool proof security, some or other way a User clicks on unwanted Pop-up. Sometimes visit a website while browsing and malware catches it. It's always useful to close Pop-Ups by clicking the X sign instead of cancel.

Don't click on suspicious links on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace etc.,

Three basic steps for Android Users :
1. Do not leave 'unknown sources enabled'
2.Avoid third party apps i.e., use only apps from Google Play store.
3. Read App Permissions carefully.

For Apple Users :
 It is a Unix based operating system it is less susceptible to attacks.

1. Apple has built in Anti-Malware X protect officially known as File Quarantine, snow leopard, Apple OS X
2.  Do Not Install Norton Anti-Virus on a Mac machine. Not compatible and it will seriously damage your device
3. Number of fake security products don't install them.
4. Block Pop-ups
5. Avoid suspected websites
6. Avoid Peer to Peer communications.
7. Consider using Mac OS X built in firewalls.
8. Use an Anti Virus Program like ClamXav.

Further reading :

What is malware? How to protect your PC/Mobile from it? 

What is Computer Virus? How to protect your Mobile/PC from it? 
 
  Valleyz

What is Malware? How to protect your Mobile/PC from it?

Malware is an abbreviated term for various types of malicious piece of software like Viruses, worms, Trojans, RansomWare, SpyWare, Adware, ScareWare etc., causing your mobile/PC to malfunction.

If your computer/Mobile holds crucial data and a virus attacks it, then it could cause temporary or permanent damage to your hard disk and operating system unless you take remedial measures.

Worms are standalone malicious code and does not attach itself to other files but perform same disruptions as a Virus does.

Trojans are hidden pieces of software that were shipped along with your hardware device from the assembly line itself. or Installed on to your PC through online software purchases or through other peripherals connecting your PC.

Install a reputed Anti-Malware software from vendors such as Symantec, Google Play Store, Samsung or Apple, Avast, Kaspersky for your PC/Mobile. or Download online from Original vendor and not any other third party source.

Do not click on unwanted ads of email links or suspicious looking Pop-Ups on your computer or Mobile.

Always make a habit to click the X on the top right corner of a Pop-up instead of the 'cancel' button.

If you are using a cable internet always log out off your account. Install reputed company firewalls to protect your computer from unwanted traffic.

Scan any attachable peripheral before downloading any files from it on to your PC/Mobile phone. Do not fill in financial details in online forms from suspicious links.

Keep your confidential information like Credit/Debit cards safe. Don't store it on your computer. Don't give out your info even somebody calling on the phone from the bank, because banks never ask such info on the phone.

Don't click on to unknown websites/Ads or email links etc.,

Don't get drawn away by lottery win e-mails or 'collect a gift that you have won' asking you to pay for processing fees or inviting you to a seminar abroad and asking for fees.


Don't click on suspicious links on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace etc.,

Three basic steps for Android Users :
1. Do not leave 'unknown sources enabled'
2.Avoid third party apps i.e., use only apps from Google Play store.
3. Read App Permissions carefully.

For Apple Users :
 It is a Unix based operating system it is less susceptible to attacks.

1. Apple has built in Anti-Malware X protect officially known as File Quarantine, snow leopard, Apple OS X
2.  Do Not Install Norton Anti-Virus on a Mac machine. Not compatible and it will seriously damage your device
3. Number of fake security products don't install them.
4. Block Pop-ups
5. Avoid suspected websites
6. Avoid Peer to Peer communications.
7. Consider using Mac OS X built in firewalls.
8. Use an Anti Virus Program like ClamXav.

What is Spyware? How to Protect your Mobile/PC from it?

What is Computer Virus? How to Protecct your Mobile/PC from it?

 Valleyz

What is a Computer Virus? How to protect your Mobile/PC from it?

A Computer Virus is a malicious software code that is designed to spread from one system to another by attaching itself to a system file of an attacked computer system or Mobile rendering it to malfunction or rendering it's Operating system corrupt.

For example:- An infected Universal Serial Bus (USB) or Pen drive can infect the computer or the Mobile Phone. It not only infects but multiplies itself in to many copies and transfers itself to other computers on the network.

In order to prevent a Computer Virus to attack your system, it is highly recommended that a User should install an Anti-Virus software from a reputed vendor like Symantec/Norton, Kaspersky, Avast, Google Play store, Apple or Samsung etc.,

If you do not have an Anti-Virus installed on your PC or Mobile and your computer is already attacked by the Virus then try to install the new Anti-Virus software downloaded online or purchased through original vendor in the form of a CD/DVD. If the system has totally collapsed. Then it is bad news as all your data on Mobile phone or the PC will be lost.

So it is highly essential to scan a USB, CD or any other devices attached to your system/Mobile to be scanned first to check any hidden Virus.

Viruses could be downloaded on to your system through  Internet also. In order to protect your PC or Mobile Phone from online attack, avoid clicking on to suspicious links in e-mails or websites offering murky deals. Install a firewall to block unwanted and suspicious traffic entering your computer.

Outdated Operating systems should be removed from your system  and latest OS should be installed for your Anti-Virus Program to function properly and protect your PC or Mobile phone.

Always download your Anti-Virus software from original vendor online. Also download other essential utilities such as Adobe flash player from the Adobe site itself by visiting the site.

Also another grey is peer-to-peer or P2P networking, where online users use bit-torrent technologies such as now defunct Lime-wire to share movies, games, software, and other pirated data. There lies a potential threat of Trojans (hidden malicious codes) presenting itself as a genuine file getting downloaded on to your system.

Android phones are reportedly leaking data worldwide,  don't leave 'unknown sources enabled', avoid illegitimate apps i.e., outside of Google Play Store.

Downloading files on a Mobile is very much similar to a PC, always see what permissions you are allowing newly installed software/App access to on your device, that is the crucial thing to stop your device being manipulated. If you suspect anything suspicious twice check the credentials of the software again online before continuing with the installation.

Often clean your devices of temporary files, free up disk space, keep your installed programs regularly updated through visiting original vendor sites. Never let your personal device in a public space unattended or hand over it for even a few moments.

Always lock up your PC/Mobile through a Pin/Password or Pattern or Voice or Facial recognition lock, don't modify i.e., jailbreaking.

Wireless security is another area where users have to be cautious connecting to an unsecured network, where any one can log in and install a virus. Use a secure Wireless connection only. Bluetooth devices have potential security problems, like Bluetooth Holes and Bluetooth Bonding, often scan your Bluetooth devices for viruses.

Don't click on suspicious links on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace etc.,

Three basic steps for Android Users :
1. Do not leave 'unknown sources enabled'
2.Avoid third party apps i.e., use only apps from Google Play store.
3. Read App Permissions carefully.

For Apple Users :
 it is a Unix based operating system it is less susceptible to attacks.

1. Apple has built in Anti-Malware X protect officially known as File Quarantine, snow leopard, Apple OS X
2.  Do Not Install Norton Anti-Virus on a Mac machine. Not compatible and it will seriously damage your device
3. Number of fake security products don't install them.
4. Block Pop-ups
5. Avoid suspected websites
6. Avoid Peer to Peer communications.
7. Use an Anti Virus Program like ClamXav
8. Consider using Mac OS X built in firewalls. 

What is Malware? How to Protect your Mobile/PC from it?

What is Spyware? How to Protect your Mobile/PC from it?

Valleyz

Bogus E-mails 'From' FDIC Link Computer Users To Viruses, Says Computer Forensics Expert

Cyber criminals are using fake messages claiming to be from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to deliver a virus capable of stealing unsuspecting victims' bank passwords and other sensitive personal information, says a computer forensics specialist.

Read the full story at Science Daily

How to Secure yourself Online?

                                          
Computer and Network Security has become one of the most crucial sector nowadays with viruses, Trojans, malware, bots etc., wreaking havoc on computer systems day in and out. The most shocking thing is, even when you are fully updated with the latest security software and regularly scan your system, you are still not safe, with the new viruses hitting the web every minute. It is an ongoing battle, the only way we could remain safe is through constant vigil when using computer systems and also now the mobile phones.

And on the other hand you have website hacking, impersonation ( identity theft ), DOS ( Denial of service attacks), Phishing etc., and lots of other threats to computer networks across the world. Victims of such attacks come from a wide spectrum including popular government websites and other important public figures.

Also in the recent past there was a strong speculation of Network attacks being used as a modern form of warfare by targeting the adversary’s vital communication networks.

I will suggest using best practices in the industry to prevent any data loss on your computer system and more importantly protecting your online identity, it being so crucial nowadays, as we are now transacting more and more on the internet.

I will suggest keeping yourself updated every now and then with latest security features and scan your machine regularly.

I will suggest you to use anti-virus software’s scanning for viruses and using separate dedicated software for scanning Spy wares.

Registry checkers are very tough things to use and only users with expert knowledge can handle it, as tinkering with the registry is like playing with the soul of your machine and if anything goes wrong it’s very hard to revert back.

Never trust every other website for software’s when downloading, always buy authentic software from the original vendor, and always check the necessary credentials of a website before downloading anything like music, video or games. Many websites are attack websites and can pose a threat to your computer security.

If you are using Firefox, though it consumes little bit of more memory, but should work fine on faster machines, you have a good add-on in it like WOT. WOT (Web of Trust) is an add-on for Firefox which lets the user have knowledge of a site’s worthiness and other features with indicators of green, orange and red. So, that you don’t visit a website which might attack you by running malware’s on your machine or copying sensitive information from your computer.

If you have sufficient knowledge you can add your vote, it’s basically a user shared experience of a website, mostly it is true and sometimes it can be misleading or wrongly suggesting an authentic site to be an attack site.

Always be in touch with what processes your machine is running on your system, as there are many methods through which Trojan’s and Spyware’s get activated on your machine, they may be lying hidden in a program that you might think safe, but they get activated as soon as you run that program.

Image objects in the email many times have a malicious code embedded into it and they get activated when you open your email and click the object, the spamming follow the same procedure affecting the networks traffic besides fraudulent information solicitation emails.

Password thefts are serious, a threat to your identity being impersonated online; there are many ways that you could lose your password, by losing your physically stored details in the form of a diary or other object, by selecting easily guessable passwords in the form of names or other popular places and public figures or even your favourite dish.

There are several password breaking methods available unless you use a strong password in the form mixing upper case, lower case letters, adding some numbers and some special characters on your keyboard to it, so that it is at least eight characters strong.

Your password is an input to the encryption scheme employed by an online service and sometimes if you reverse that scheme (decryption) the password could be guessed, using strong passwords makes your password hard to break.

So, as you can see there are two elements in this security, you need to rely on your password and the encryption scheme being employed, if anything is weaker then the integrity of the information being transmitted or accessed could be compromised, mostly many popular online services like email and chat clients use latest encryption methods, but what if you have landed into an unchartered territory and are required to use a service whose encryption scheme is not as strong as it should be, your strong password could save you the day.

Mostly passwords are easiest thing that bad guys rely on breaking into someone’s online account either email, bank or any other online service.

Here’s a link for Microsoft’s password strength checker page

I will try and keep updating you on this topic from time to time. Thanks for reading, enjoy :) !