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Like
it or not, if your PC is connected to the Internet, it
has some form of
Spyware on it. In the olden days (gosh, what was
that... 2 years ago?), “Internet
Cookies” were the big concern among novice users. As
we came to learn, cookies do not scan your hard drive
for credit card info, and are more annoying to disable
while browsing than not.
Today, certain forms of
Spyware have evolved into a malicious beast. Now our
concern is real, and we can no longer pawn it off as
just annoying. For example, there are forms of Spyware
applications called “key loggers” that can see your
every keystroke or “Trojan
horses” that actually take control of your PC.
Not surprisingly, most
Spyware applications are included with most file-sharing
services such as Kazza, Morpheus and LimeWire. If you
thought you were getting away with something by
downloading FREE stuff, you’re sorely mistaken. The
price is your privacy.
You can’t.
Spyware
should be given the same respect a virus has. If you
want to be a part of the Internet community, then you’ll
also have to put up with the thugs out there who take
pleasure in making your experience a bad one.
Having said this, there
are a few things you can do to minimize your
vulnerability:
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Use hardware and
software firewalls.
Combine a hardware firewall with a software firewall
and monitor outgoing as well as incoming Internet
traffic.
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Set your Internet
browser security to at least medium.
Anything less than this will allow Active X controls
to be installed without your approval. Active X is
your best friend and your worst enemy in a Microsoft
world.
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Be email aware.
Keep your email virus and Web bug free by using
antivirus software and by blocking cookies from
known advertising sites.
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Get software help.
Use a Sypware removal program and scan your system
regularly.
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Avoid file-sharing
programs.
Programs like Kazaa and Morpheus should be avoided.
Or Contact us
and let us do the hard work for you!
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Redcross
IT - Services
