| Computer
Security: How to maintain a healthy PC |
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By SSG Jim Ramm
What is a virus?
A computer virus is
a program usually hidden within another seemingly innocuous program
that produces copies of itself and inserts them into other programs
or files, and usually performs a malicious action (such as destroying
data).
The two main types of viruses are worms and macro viruses.
Computer viruses are never naturally occurring; they are always
man-made. Once created and released
their spread is not directly under human control.
The primary way Personal
Computers become infected with viruses is by opening email attachments.
Files that end in .exe are programs that have the potiential to
damage your system.
Some users believe their computer is safe if they only open attachments
from people they know. Many systems have viruses and regularly spread
the infection without the owner's knowledge. Some viruses will automatically
send an email to every person in your address book to infect other
computers.
The first rule is to always assume the file is a virus and delete!
If you use a service like Yahoo they will check your email for you
and it is probably safe.
If you must open attachments
this is where anti-virus software is needed. Ethically-challenged
individuals are constantly designing new viruses. You must download
weekly software updates to be protected from all the latest viral
strains.
Beware!
Anti-Virus Software running all the time can really drain
system resources & slow down your computer.
You probably won't notice the speed reduction with a
newer PC but the older systems will crawl.
| Microsoft
software is unstable & insecure |
The first problem with
Microsoft's crapware is software bugs and plenty of them.
Computer Bugs are errors, flaws, mistakes, failures, or faults
in a computer program that prevents it from working correctly or produces
an incorrect result.
MIcrosoft has a long history of releasing unstable crap they call
software and later providing fixes on the Internet, only after the
consumer complains. Often such mistakes become apparent partly through
the development cycle, but by then it is too late to go back, and
the only alternative is to plow ahead, get things working as well
as possible, and resolve to patch things up in the next release.
Some software has more bugs than others.
Software developers can spend their time either adding features or
fixing bugs. If you spend too much time doing the former, you will
not have enough time for the latter.
Microsoft has historically bitten off more than it can
chew when developing operating systems.
Too much code is thrown away and rewritten or replaced.
Not too much, but just enough to make the ship deadline
in a mad rush for the monopoly to maximize profits.
With the creation of Windows NT based operation systems
the stability issues were mostly corrected yet
security problems remain.
All Windows systems lack even the most basic security features assuring
that the Hackers will have plenty of targets.
Even the firewall that comes with Windows XP is total crap
and should be disabled.
A computer running
any windows operating system is
like owning
a house with thousands of doors
(called computer ports) that aren't locked.
Gangs of niggers (Hackers) keep checking the doors
(port scanning) to see which are open so they can
rush inside to rape, loot and murder your machine.
A firewall locks these doors and keeps the niggers out.
| Everyone
needs a firewall |
What is a firewall?
A system designed
to prevent unauthorized access
to or from a computer network. Firewalls can be
implemented in both hardware and software,
or a combination of both. Firewalls are frequently
used to prevent unauthorized Internet users from
accessing private networks connected to the Internet.
Firewalls block all Internet traffic from reaching your
computer that you have not specifically requested.
Those using A Dial-up
connection should have a software firewall like Outpost Pro. It is
excellent software and free!
Outpost Pro works fine for Dial-up but isn't secure enough
for a high speed connection.
Routers used with DSL or Cable are about 100 times more secure than
any software firewall. Used together with Zone Alarm your PC is
about as safe as it gets.
Those who use a software
firewall only with a high speed connection are just asking for trouble.
However, If your firewall is your sole security system , and someone
gets in some other way, you're in real trouble.
Malicious software can also arrive via floppy disks,
CD's or any computer medium.
The most secure computer
is one that is shut off!
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