Top 5 Security Threats for Active Online Social Networking Users

When you log on any social media website there are potential threats that can damage your system and steal important data. You need to be vigilant against these threats and be aware of the ways by which you can prevent these malicious actions. Let us learn about the top 5 security threats that active online social networking users face.

Virus and malware threats -Viruses that enter your system can wreak havoc. Often the most vicious attack that a user encounters is while surfing social websites. This is where they run the risk of malware entering their system. Once this enters the PC, the user faces a lot of issues ranging from slow PC performance to software issues and error messages. If these go unattended then it can even lead to a system crash.

Phishing attacks - It has always been the trend that the most popular websites are prone to become the target of hackers. The reason is simple. People often divulge their personal information even to strangers who they meet via the web without knowing their real identity. This becomes a threat to their own security when the information shared is misused for the purpose of committing crimes or tampering with financial information. A simple way to avoid this mess is by not answering e-mails or chat messages that come from unknown or suspicious sources. Even if these are coming from a known source you still need to be careful.

Scam emails - Often it happens that a user may get an email that claims to have come from the administrator of a website. This kind of emails, trick the user into believing that the password has been automatically reset due to some technical difficulties. Now you are asked to open the attachment to get the new password. This is a potential threat to your system as this attachment is designed to steal your password. The hacker will get to know the details of your account and tamper with the information. The easiest way to recognize these are the numerous sentence constructions, grammatical errors that are there in the content. In order to prevent your computer from getting infected, avoid responding to these scam emails. One more thing to remember is that a social networking website may send you an email for resetting the password but will never do so without prior intimation.

Selective Sharing of information - While chatting with a friend or a random acquaintance you often share personal information. This information can be misused by anyone. Divulging information to a random stranger is a potential threat to your own security. You should avoid sharing information to people randomly as this is the only way by which you can be secure. What kind of information you are sharing and with whom is extremely important and you need to be very specific about choosing people when it comes to information sharing.

Privacy settings - You need to be aware of security and privacy settings once you access a social network website. Websites like Facebook, Orkut comes powered with various security measures. If you are not aware of them, you need to read their online manual for the required security settings and opt for ways by which you can protect your online privacy. You will find an entire step by step tutorial for setting up these privacy related filters.

Security should have multi-levels and multi-layers so that it provides complete protection. After realizing the potential threats prevailing on social networking website the next step is to secure you data and PC from hackers. To know more about securing your PC and protecting your privacy online you need to get in touch with a premium computer support provider that offers online tech support.

She is a Technology writer who is keen on any new emerging technology updates. She is working with Qresolve as a Technical Support Engineer. Semeli Karen McPherson has been offering online tech support to global customers for issues related to laptops, desktops, Mac and devices including iPods, tablets, iPhones computer support and more.She caters to the segment of core technology and provides viable solutions to any issues related to technology and software. Her expertise and skills in handling key technology issues is immaculate and quick result bearing. Through her articles and postings she aims to provide knowledge and solutions to common technology issues that a user faces.

Know All About Computer Threats and Ethical Hacking

In today's digital world, small, medium and big businesses are facing the biggest threats from hackers. Any computer hacking attack, if successful, can create a lot of problem to networks and in fact all the critical information stored in the various computers within the network. In the field of IT, there is a growing need for professionals having ethical hacking courses to work for them and provide security to their computers and networks. Known as white hat hackers or ethical hackers, these professionals are expert in the area of anti-hacking techniques. They work for preventing the motives of malicious hackers from stealing or damaging important data and ensure the safety and protection of computer systems and networks.

People with ethical hacking trainings work to provide security to IT systems. At times, if required ethical hackers can even break into any other system. But the reason for doing so must be a genuine one for the safety of an organization or company. In fact, both black hat hackers and white hat hackers do the same thing, but the major line of discrimination is that an ethical hacker has altruistic motivations.

There are many major threats and issues related to computer hacking that one must be aware of to understand Information Security in the true sense of the terms. Today there are many some basic threats that you may face as an individual or as an organization such as:

Theft of Passwords

E-mail based Threats

E-mail based Extortion

Launch of Malicious Programmes (Trojans)

Internet Time Theft

Here are some major corporate threats that needs to be handled by professionals having knowledge of ethical hacking and lots more:

Web Defacement

Corporate Espionage

Website based Launch of Malicious Code Cheating and Frauds.

Exchange of Criminal Ideas and Tools

Cyber Harassment

Forged Websites

Not only this, there are some also online threats that need to be also taken care of, such as:

E-mail Spamming

Theft of Software, Electronic Records, Computer Hardware, etc.

Cyber Stalking

E-mail Bombing

Morphing

Denial of Service Attacks

Apart from this, there are some other threats too related to computer hacking such as:

Theft of Information

Email Forgery

Theft of E-Cash, Credit Card Numbers, Online Banking Accounts etc.

Protecting your computer and network can be done by ethical hackers, but as far security is concerned, the first step is to secure the hardware on which all the valuable information is stored and by which it moves across the network. Basically, it means limiting who is able to actually touch the computer, and what a person can do with it if they do gain on-site access. To protect your computers, network, and data from all types of damage and loss that can be done through computer hacking, however physical security can make a lot of difference. Well in physical security, computers must also be properly protected from natural disasters and accidental damage in addition to deliberate acts.

Appin Knowledge Solution is an affiliate of Appin group of companies based in Austin,Texas (US) known worldwide for education and Embedded system training, computer hacking and information security training.

How to Secure Your Business Against Hacker Threats

After the recent disclosures on Wikileaks, which have marked the "life" on the internet and further, many businesses and organizations have begun to fear for their company's security posture and corporate data.

The extended use of social networks and new technologies such as cloud services are gaining the attention of businesses and employees. This leads to a wide use even in the workplace, but without taking the appropriate security measures, so as to ensure systems' functionality against hackers.

Below, there are three important ways to address these threats:

1st Step: Authentication

The authentication process uses a system to validate user's identity. For more than 10 years businesses use this system to provide users - employees with passwords and usernames, so they can access web applications and company's information system. In this way employers give rights to users for accessing business applications and can control everything that is being processed during the use. You can separate the access policy according to the type of user, e.g. one for employees, another for partners and a different one for customers.

2nd Step: Authorization

Authorization is a security policy that defines the type of data the user has access. The documents' disclosure from Wikileaks is a great example of lack of authorization. This means that very few people should have access to confidential information, which does not apply in the previous case.

3rd Step: Accounting

Essentially, accounting controls the reliability and security of the information system. The most popular method to make this possible is electronic discovery (e-discovery), through which not only we can preserve historical records and our actions, but also it helps in forensics investigations. There are many applications that can help you with this and usually work by sending an email each time it records something. New features are in the spotlight.

The benefits that you will gain by using these technologies are huge in comparison with the efforts that you will make to implement them. Do not let Wikileaks happen to you...

Trust-IT

Wireless Penetration Test

Protecting Your Computer From Security Threats

With all the great information and tools that the Internet can offer, it is also important to realize that it can be a landmine of potential harm as well. Because some small percentage of destructive people have malicious intentions, they make the Internet relatively unsafe for your computer and your personal information. That is why it is vital to protect your computer from cyber threats such as "worms" that can damage your computer programs and those of people in your email address book, viruses that can wipe out your data in a matter of minutes, and spyware that does exactly as it states by spying on your computer activities and personal information on it.

One means of protecting yourself is through programs that protect your computer and its data. One in particular is making some noise as an excellent addition to Norton and some of the other well-known security software. It is called PC Security Test and offers a different method of protecting your computer. This software actually simulates an attack against your computer so it can verify the efficiency your current protection offers in warding off attacks. PC Security Test is a free program that helps you understand the degree of safety your computer actually has to guard itself against worms and viruses.

Check out the PC Security Test site (pc-st dot com) to learn more and download a copy for your computer. This program should be used with your normal security scanning software such as your firewall, anti-virus, and anti-spyware programs.

Most new computers are actually protected well against viruses and Trojans, but many are not protected against spyware. This is why you need an updated anti-spyware program so that when you have spyware on your computer it can be promptly removed. Along with the test that PC Security Test offers, you should find out how much more protection you may need to keep the threats on the Internet exactly where they are.

This is especially important if you use Microsoft Internet Explore (IE), which is an open target because it is the most commonly used browser. Programs that open in IE are the most vulnerable to spyware and viruses because some of these threats attach themselves to IE and create hassles that are difficult to eliminate. If any of this sounds like your sad experience, make sure you take the time to try PC Security Test to see how well it protects you.

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The Reality of Internet Threats and How to Protect Yourself

It may be hard to believe but yes, you can just download an innocent-looking file off a website and your computer could shut down in a second. That's how easy your system can get infected and if you're not careful enough, you'll end up losing important documents every now and then. Worse, you could end up being robbed of your identity. Many things could happen in between and if you simply want to avoid any of these cyber menaces, it is crucial to ensure that your computer's security settings are up to date. Common sense also goes a long way in deciding whether or not a file is safe for downloading. If you're simply not sure, don't risk it.

If you're using Windows Vista, XP, 2000 or ME, you can easily select an option for automatic security updates while earlier systems must be done manually. A firewall is always basic in protecting your computer as well as anti-virus software which, when set to automatically scan email attachments, could help much in preventing hackers who might be snooping around for your personal information such as banking passwords, social security number and the like. Those spam emails should be blocked as well to further control the number of potentially harmful emails.

If malware such as viruses, worms, trojans and the like do manage their way through your computer, the only thing you can do is get rid of it them as soon as possible. Remember that the longer they stay in your system, the more damage they're able to create. If you're a computer whiz, you may as well take out those malware yourself either manually or with the use of a software intended for the purpose. If you're not an expert, there's no reason trying to act like one. Besides, you might only end up risking your computer's safety even more. Do seek out the help of a professional when dealing with this type of problems.

It is definitely a good idea to protect yourself while you're online by updating your security settings regularly as well as scanning your system for malicious codes or programs that you may have downloaded unknowingly. You can also get these unwanted elements through links in your email which you may have clicked. Because things can get very shady around the Internet, it's never advisable for one to have the least thing to do with any link or file whose integrity is unknown. All it takes is one false move and you could be compromising your whole system in a matter of seconds. This is, of course, something you'd never want to happen so always be sure about the things you do online.

Another way of protecting yourself online is by installing a software that allows you to change your IP address while you surf. When you have your real IP hidden, you can be sure that no hacker will find his way to your computer. After all, that path has been put out of view which means the hacker may try to make you his victim, but he'll never be successful because he'll never know the right path to you. In fact, he could be mislead by the fake IP which your software supplied for you to use.

In other words, when it comes to online security, anonymity can save your system and if this is exactly the level of safety you want, get an IP changer.

The Latest Internet Security Technology For Malware Threats

Titanium strength technology is a must for combating malware, malicious software that is hostile, intrusive, or annoying program code designed to infiltrate your computer system without your consent. It includes computer viruses, spyware, Trojan horses, worms, adware, rootkits, botnets, crimeware, and other unwanted software.

The US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation says that malware involves organized Internet crime. In 2009, businesses lost $120 million in the third quarter to phishing and Trojan-based online banking scams. $25 million was lost by small businesses. Basically a cyber-criminal's objective is to make money from invading computers. There are less computer viruses or worms but we are seeing more phishing attacks and spam numbers are exploding with organized crime and more pieces of malware.

Although tracking browsing habits and advertising are part of the crimes, primarily these are targeted attacks that use computer systems for criminal activities. Anti-virus software has been retired in lieu of more savvy in-the-cloud technology geared to automatically stop viruses and spyware for complete Internet security.

In an annual report of the FBI-backed Internet Crime Complaint Center, Internet crime loss complaints in the United States have almost doubled in value from $265 million in 2008 to $560 million in 2009. The total dollar loss from all referred cases was $559.7 million with a median dollar loss of $575. At 65.4 percent, the U.S ranked highest for the number of perpetrators. These statistics are why Internet security and safety is critical today. The Center also reported that the unit handled 336,655 complaints in 2009.

The challenge is that malware works fast in stealth mode, and data-stealing malware can cause damage via one click which can compromise a company's reputation or personal confidential data.

Here are some basic guidelines for safe computing online:

1.) Always install Microsoft's critical updates - the monthly software updates designed to patch security vulnerabilities and threats. It is critical to install monthly updates from Microsoft.

2.) Make sure you have installed anti-virus/spyware/malware protection. Watch for cloud technology to automatically stop viruses and spyware before they reach your computer.

3.) Add a Firewall to block a hacker's attempts to access your computer. Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 all have firewalls which block and filter Internet traffic so harmful programs like viruses and spyware don't have access.

4.) Install Opera,Firefox, or Chrome as a second browser because most spyware and viruses target Internet Explorer. Often a virus is designed to keep Internet Explorer from accessing the Internet when a computer becomes infected with spyware.

5.) Always disable Java Script - viruses and spyware are using Java script to launch attacks so you should disable or at least change the browser setting to ask before running Java script.

6.) Do not ever open email attachments from someone you don't know - as it is a fact that most all viruses infect computers through email attachments. One should click on the attachment and delete the email immediately whenever you get an email from someone you do not know.

7.) Do not install programs off the Internet. The Internet is full of websites designed to trick you into downloading spyware and viruses. When you see random pop-ups from an Internet site asking you to install something, especially a ".exe" file - just say no.

8.) Don't forget to back up all your critical data - bills, banking or tax information, school work, email or other critical information on your computer. Create a weekly backup by using an external hard drive, a flash drive or subscribe to one of the many online backup services.

Traditional content security solutions are simply not fast enough to keep pace with the thousands of new attacks being created on an hourly, basis. But there are exciting new technologies that can assist consumers and enterprises alike in fighting the war against cybercrime.

Kristin Gabriel is a marketing professional working with Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security for Netbooks which uses cloud technology to automatically stop viruses and spyware before they reach your computer. Real-time updates keep PCs protected from the latest online threats. Using less than half the disk space and memory of traditional security products, Titanium is light on system resources so computers run faster. Visit: http:/www.trendmicro.com.

Spyware, Viruses, and Other Online Threats - Is Your PC Properly Protected?

AOL and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) released their second annual Online Safety Study a few months back, and the results weren't pretty. While the latest survey did find that users were getting better at taking the steps necessary to keep their PCs properly secured, the findings show that there are still plenty of people who just don't understand online risks.

Some of the key facts uncovered by the Online Safety Study included:


81% of home PCs lack one of the three main sources of protection - a secure firewall, anti-virus software, and spyware protection.
56% of users had no anti-virus software installed, or had not updated their virus definition files in the last week.
44% of users did not have a properly-configured firewall in place.
38% of users lacked spyware protection.
Most telling, perhaps, is the fact that even in light of these findings, 83% of users surveyed still believed that their PCs were safe and properly secured.

The online security threat landscape has certainly changed from the days when viruses were home users' biggest worry, but the survey shows that users are largely not keeping up with the times. Every PC connected to the Internet today should be configured with the following (at an absolute minimum):


A personal firewall capable of filtering both inbound and outbound traffic.
Updated anti-virus software that offers real-time protection, the ability to scan on-demand, and email message scanning features.
Updated anti-spyware software that not only scans for and removes spyware on demand, but also proactively protects against threats in real-time.
Windows Automatic Updates turned on (to download and install critical security patches, service packs, and updates automatically), or weekly visits to the Windows Update web site to obtain the latest critical updates.

Thankfully, keeping your PC updated and properly protected against online threats needn't cost you a penny. There are a number of anti-virus, anti-spyware, and personal firewall programs available free for personal use. A simple web search will turn up direct links to some of the more popular options, which I will be discussing in more detail in future articles.

For the time being, however, considering beginning your PC lockdown process by taking a look at my beginner's guide to eradicating spyware, The Best Free Anti-Spyware Programs. A secure PC is a fast PC, so take the time to start locking down your home computer today. Your system will thank you!

Dan DiNicolo is the author of the book PC Magazine Windows XP Security Solutions, and the managing editor of the online learning web site 2000Trainers.com

Safety On The Internet For Kids - The Threats Ever Rising!

The day by day advancement in the technology and online world has only served to fuel further the rising concern for safety on the internet for kids, why? Aren't we suppose to be in a better condition now that our lives are surrounded by facilities enabled by the latest technologies, which were a dream for others few years back?

Whether we like it or not, fact is that we are at the stage where for most of us cannot live without computers and internet anymore, indeed. The present cyber age which we and our children live in is a fast paced modern world where we are becoming more and more dependent on the use of computers and internet to get most things done.

Computers and internet indeed make our life easier. We are able to get many things done in no time at all which otherwise use to be considered difficult tasks. Children not only depend on it for their school research project works but also loves spending time on the internet surfing and also for entertainment like gaming. They frequent online chat rooms and social networking sites exposing themselves and revealing personal information online.

In the present times many parents rest oblivious of the fact that the online world can present threats and dangers to their kids. The possibility of harm to their kids from a medium which is purely online seems a far fetched possibility which they do not give it a thought even. This is the reason why many parents do not take the right steps to ensure safety on the internet for kids, which is critical.

The time has come when every parents must be aware and educate themselves of the threats and dangers online. Then only will they be in a position to guide their kids and teens in safe practice online. In todays times parenting is incomplete without ensuring safety on the internet for kids, indeed.

The parents of the kids who became victim of cyber bullying, some kids who very unfortunately ended their lives even, would surely have wished that had they been better aware of the happenings in the online world they could have taken necessary precautionary steps in time.

The fact is, every parents would do everything they can, in fact would not leave out anything, to keep their children safe and secure. It is important for them to realize that when it comes to the online world, why should it be any different? for the threats and dangers are very real. And it is in this very world where online predators lurks around, that children innocently go about their activities online.

If you are a parent, first of all know this that parenting today is incomplete without you being educated and well aware in the areas of the latest happenings in the online world, especially the threats and dangers to kids, also what children really does during their time online.

Please understand that their innocent activities, due to lack of proper guidance, can not only put themselves in danger, but can put the whole family in a very difficult and embarrassing situation.

Learn today how you can ensure internet safety for kids by educating yourself and taking the right steps, including using tools like internet safety software, so that your most important duty as a parent is taken care of, that of safety of your kids, including safety on the internet.

Safety On The Internet For Kids - The Threats Ever Rising!

The day by day advancement in the technology and online world has only served to fuel further the rising concern for safety on the internet for kids, why? Aren't we suppose to be in a better condition now that our lives are surrounded by facilities enabled by the latest technologies, which were a dream for others few years back?

Whether we like it or not, fact is that we are at the stage where for most of us cannot live without computers and internet anymore, indeed. The present cyber age which we and our children live in is a fast paced modern world where we are becoming more and more dependent on the use of computers and internet to get most things done.

Computers and internet indeed make our life easier. We are able to get many things done in no time at all which otherwise use to be considered difficult tasks. Children not only depend on it for their school research project works but also loves spending time on the internet surfing and also for entertainment like gaming. They frequent online chat rooms and social networking sites exposing themselves and revealing personal information online.

In the present times many parents rest oblivious of the fact that the online world can present threats and dangers to their kids. The possibility of harm to their kids from a medium which is purely online seems a far fetched possibility which they do not give it a thought even. This is the reason why many parents do not take the right steps to ensure safety on the internet for kids, which is critical.

The time has come when every parents must be aware and educate themselves of the threats and dangers online. Then only will they be in a position to guide their kids and teens in safe practice online. In todays times parenting is incomplete without ensuring safety on the internet for kids, indeed.

The parents of the kids who became victim of cyber bullying, some kids who very unfortunately ended their lives even, would surely have wished that had they been better aware of the happenings in the online world they could have taken necessary precautionary steps in time.

The fact is, every parents would do everything they can, in fact would not leave out anything, to keep their children safe and secure. It is important for them to realize that when it comes to the online world, why should it be any different? for the threats and dangers are very real. And it is in this very world where online predators lurks around, that children innocently go about their activities online.

If you are a parent, first of all know this that parenting today is incomplete without you being educated and well aware in the areas of the latest happenings in the online world, especially the threats and dangers to kids, also what children really does during their time online.

Please understand that their innocent activities, due to lack of proper guidance, can not only put themselves in danger, but can put the whole family in a very difficult and embarrassing situation.

Learn today how you can ensure internet safety for kids by educating yourself and taking the right steps, including using tools like internet safety software, so that your most important duty as a parent is taken care of, that of safety of your kids, including safety on the internet.

The Threats and Solutions to Ecommerce

To every question there exists a solution. The perplexing problem of carrying out a business successfully with minimum investment is the question, to which there exists the wonderful solution of Ecommerce. The Ecommerce carried out on the Internet involving money transfer, selling/purchase of goods/services, e-banking, in short, all monetary transactions done over the Internet form an exclusive part of Ecommerce.

The Internet is a wonderful place where you encounter people of all races, genders and social status just on your computer screen right at your desktop. This is the biggest market that one can target. However the bigger the market the more is the responsibility. The Ecommerce development lately owes to the emergence of geniuses in the programming field, which work day and night to ensure the safety of our funds on the net. However, where there is good there always is evil. When you have constructive geniuses working day and night to ensure the smooth working there always will be there counter parts working day and night just to destroy the smooth functioning and the entire system.

The question arises - 'Why?' 'What forces them to destroy things? , The answers are many. We shall look into some of them in this article. The first aspect that we consider here is the psychological aspect. The destructive geniuses out there do not know where to channel all that effort and brain. They do not realize what they are looking for and how it can be used in the right way. So fall in the wrong company, begin to think its cool and when they realize its something wrong it is too late because they start enjoying the company of Hackers and Crackers and even get a notorious reputation for being one of them. It's a way of bullying people in the Cyber world when you are too geeky to Bully people in the Physical world. Some people see it as a way of getting back at this world.

Now comes the financial aspect. Human beings are very greedy and in order to satisfy their greed they can go to any extent. For instance, if there is Web-site operating on the Net which is way too popular and offering some tough competition to its rivals; all one of the rivals has to do is hire a really good hacker. The Hacker hacks the website, finds loopholes in the structure of the Web design, the very popular method prevalent nowadays is sending an army of bots that corrupt the server you are on. It depends on the skill of the Hacker how strong a threat; he can pose to your web. On the other hand, the fact that you have a very good and secure Ecommerce web site design and server is at your advantage. The people who made your website usually ensure most Professional web design. The security is usually good however the threats are way more dangerous.

You can make sure that your database is designed keeping the latest technology in mind and the server you use (presently Apache seems to be hot favorite) should be on a secure network. Lastly, get yourself updated about the latest patches made for your site and server to cover up the vulnerabilities in the frame of your database construction.

The writer specializes in writing on technical topics like, offshore software development, custom software development, ecommerce development, web marketing etc. To know more, visit offshore software development company

The Latest Internet Security Technology For Malware Threats

Titanium strength technology is a must for combating malware, malicious software that is hostile, intrusive, or annoying program code designed to infiltrate your computer system without your consent. It includes computer viruses, spyware, Trojan horses, worms, adware, rootkits, botnets, crimeware, and other unwanted software.

The US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation says that malware involves organized Internet crime. In 2009, businesses lost $120 million in the third quarter to phishing and Trojan-based online banking scams. $25 million was lost by small businesses. Basically a cyber-criminal's objective is to make money from invading computers. There are less computer viruses or worms but we are seeing more phishing attacks and spam numbers are exploding with organized crime and more pieces of malware.

Although tracking browsing habits and advertising are part of the crimes, primarily these are targeted attacks that use computer systems for criminal activities. Anti-virus software has been retired in lieu of more savvy in-the-cloud technology geared to automatically stop viruses and spyware for complete Internet security.

In an annual report of the FBI-backed Internet Crime Complaint Center, Internet crime loss complaints in the United States have almost doubled in value from $265 million in 2008 to $560 million in 2009. The total dollar loss from all referred cases was $559.7 million with a median dollar loss of $575. At 65.4 percent, the U.S ranked highest for the number of perpetrators. These statistics are why Internet security and safety is critical today. The Center also reported that the unit handled 336,655 complaints in 2009.

The challenge is that malware works fast in stealth mode, and data-stealing malware can cause damage via one click which can compromise a company's reputation or personal confidential data.

Here are some basic guidelines for safe computing online:

1.) Always install Microsoft's critical updates - the monthly software updates designed to patch security vulnerabilities and threats. It is critical to install monthly updates from Microsoft.

2.) Make sure you have installed anti-virus/spyware/malware protection. Watch for cloud technology to automatically stop viruses and spyware before they reach your computer.

3.) Add a Firewall to block a hacker's attempts to access your computer. Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 all have firewalls which block and filter Internet traffic so harmful programs like viruses and spyware don't have access.

4.) Install Opera,Firefox, or Chrome as a second browser because most spyware and viruses target Internet Explorer. Often a virus is designed to keep Internet Explorer from accessing the Internet when a computer becomes infected with spyware.

5.) Always disable Java Script - viruses and spyware are using Java script to launch attacks so you should disable or at least change the browser setting to ask before running Java script.

6.) Do not ever open email attachments from someone you don't know - as it is a fact that most all viruses infect computers through email attachments. One should click on the attachment and delete the email immediately whenever you get an email from someone you do not know.

7.) Do not install programs off the Internet. The Internet is full of websites designed to trick you into downloading spyware and viruses. When you see random pop-ups from an Internet site asking you to install something, especially a ".exe" file - just say no.

8.) Don't forget to back up all your critical data - bills, banking or tax information, school work, email or other critical information on your computer. Create a weekly backup by using an external hard drive, a flash drive or subscribe to one of the many online backup services.

Traditional content security solutions are simply not fast enough to keep pace with the thousands of new attacks being created on an hourly, basis. But there are exciting new technologies that can assist consumers and enterprises alike in fighting the war against cybercrime.

Kristin Gabriel is a marketing professional working with Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security for Netbooks which uses cloud technology to automatically stop viruses and spyware before they reach your computer. Real-time updates keep PCs protected from the latest online threats. Using less than half the disk space and memory of traditional security products, Titanium is light on system resources so computers run faster. Visit: http:/www.trendmicro.com.

The Threats and Solutions to Ecommerce

To every question there exists a solution. The perplexing problem of carrying out a business successfully with minimum investment is the question, to which there exists the wonderful solution of Ecommerce. The Ecommerce carried out on the Internet involving money transfer, selling/purchase of goods/services, e-banking, in short, all monetary transactions done over the Internet form an exclusive part of Ecommerce.

The Internet is a wonderful place where you encounter people of all races, genders and social status just on your computer screen right at your desktop. This is the biggest market that one can target. However the bigger the market the more is the responsibility. The Ecommerce development lately owes to the emergence of geniuses in the programming field, which work day and night to ensure the safety of our funds on the net. However, where there is good there always is evil. When you have constructive geniuses working day and night to ensure the smooth working there always will be there counter parts working day and night just to destroy the smooth functioning and the entire system.

The question arises - 'Why?' 'What forces them to destroy things? , The answers are many. We shall look into some of them in this article. The first aspect that we consider here is the psychological aspect. The destructive geniuses out there do not know where to channel all that effort and brain. They do not realize what they are looking for and how it can be used in the right way. So fall in the wrong company, begin to think its cool and when they realize its something wrong it is too late because they start enjoying the company of Hackers and Crackers and even get a notorious reputation for being one of them. It's a way of bullying people in the Cyber world when you are too geeky to Bully people in the Physical world. Some people see it as a way of getting back at this world.

Now comes the financial aspect. Human beings are very greedy and in order to satisfy their greed they can go to any extent. For instance, if there is Web-site operating on the Net which is way too popular and offering some tough competition to its rivals; all one of the rivals has to do is hire a really good hacker. The Hacker hacks the website, finds loopholes in the structure of the Web design, the very popular method prevalent nowadays is sending an army of bots that corrupt the server you are on. It depends on the skill of the Hacker how strong a threat; he can pose to your web. On the other hand, the fact that you have a very good and secure Ecommerce web site design and server is at your advantage. The people who made your website usually ensure most Professional web design. The security is usually good however the threats are way more dangerous.

You can make sure that your database is designed keeping the latest technology in mind and the server you use (presently Apache seems to be hot favorite) should be on a secure network. Lastly, get yourself updated about the latest patches made for your site and server to cover up the vulnerabilities in the frame of your database construction.

The writer specializes in writing on technical topics like, offshore software development, custom software development, ecommerce development, web marketing etc. To know more, visit offshore software development company