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

Internet Security and Privacy at stake

Ever since the news broke out about the wide spread surveillance programmes through monitoring and interception of communications of individuals and organizations alike, the confidence of an average internet user is fast eroding in the security policies of the internet which seemed fool proof at least in terms of high end communications, such as ATM transactions and private communication networks.

But detailed media reports in the recent times showing how monitoring agencies carried out the surveillance, left many users high and sundry. Private organizations have alleged secret surveillance of their businesses and black listing them out for continued surveillance can sum up the seriousness of the issue. The data about how an organization is going to conduct their business in the near future can practically be damaging to the interests of a private business.

In other instances individuals are reported to have been fooled into believing that they are communicating or logging into servers of giants like Google is quite alarming. There are allegations in the media about surveillance agencies carrying out Man in the Middle (MITM) attacks thereby intercepting and routing the user generated traffic to servers belonging to surveillance networks without the user not knowing is quite alarming.

Industry experts are already pointing towards the damage these findings are causing to the internet industry world wide. The biggest names in the internet industry like Yahoo, Google, Microsoft and others are tight lipped and have confirmed of giving out data belonging to consumers to surveillance agencies when there are specific requests from the government. What this corresponds to is whether anybody has committed a crime or not you are going to be monitored. Even the banking transactions over secure tunnels of ATM network is not out of the purview of surveillance, which means any body using any thing on the internet is under constant surveillance. Whether they write emails, conduct monetary transaction, shop online or even read any material, someone out there is watching you.

Though the technology is highly enabling but constant and relentless requests by the governments can scare away even legal and law abiding entities who want their business transactions and other lawful business plans coming into the domain of intelligentsia could spell the doom for the industry.

Nobody any longer would want to believe the technology that used to rely on is secure and cannot be deciphered and analyzed for any length of time. The world has come to know bitterly that internet is not secure no matter what the encryption standards are no matter how private a network is, no matter what the industry has to offer.

Decades of innovation, research and design has come under intense scrutiny that has given rise to plethora of questions, whether the internet is going to be a secure, fast, reliable, anywhere, anytime communication technology is going to be seen in the near future.

An ISP can track you, a hacker could break into your network, a surveillance network can intercept your online data, cyber criminals looting your private data from public entities such as hospitals, insurance companies, banks. How is it going to be any safer on the internet?

For Further Reading :

Discussing Internet Privacy issues