Here's a great post on Internet security in the Security Alert Blog                          The Firewalls and Virus Protection Security Alert Blog
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           SECURITY ALERT BLOG 

   Vital Internet Security Alerts and Information for the everyday Non-technical Computer user, Internet User and Web Surfer who just wants to be safe doing basic stuff without the hassle of viruses, spyware, or worse.

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                 October-November-December 2009
December 14, 2009   Holiday Issue of the Security Alert NewsReporter

  Includes fun gifts for the family and kids, along with some important updates on current threat activity on the Internet.

                  Get you free copy here click>>  Holiday Issue


  Just two weeks left to get your Free eBook on Kids Internet Safety.
       Click on Get A Free Copy at the Family Safety webpage

                                                                          
 



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                              Remember Pearl Harbor
December 7, 2009   Are you shopping online during work hours?

Something many of us experience in our workplaces was a headline article in the December 5th edition of the Tuscaloosa News -

What is it? Surfing the internet for holiday gift deals during working hours - using the company's computer and internet connections.

Surveys by the National Retail Federation, CareerBuilder and Accountemps suggest anywhere from 20 to 50 percent of U.S. office workers will be browsing retail Web sites this holiday season.

Businesses may not like it, but online shopping is very common at work, and according to the article, accounts for a big part of American retailers’ sales.

Not only must businesses protect their computers from viruses, spam and other threats associated with online shopping, but those of us who may be guilty of work hour shopping must practice extreme care and caution when visiting retailers websites.

Carelessness can jeopardize our employer's business in many ways - and even subject them to legal challenges if hackers and cyber criminals compromise private and personal information, which could include theft of customer credit card information, bank account numbers and worse.

Read the Tuscaloosa News article here for their full story.


.
..and be as careful at work as you are at home
 
                                                          ... Richard
 



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               Just a few weeks left to get your Free eBook on Kids Internet Safety.
                      Click on Get A Free Copy at the Family Safety webpage
December 4, 2009   What are going to do with that old computer?

Thousands of old computers will be replaced by brand new state of the art laptop and desk top machines this year. Christmas, Hanukkah, "holiday" gifts will bring new excitement and capabilities to families everywhere.
 
What do you plan to do with your old computer if new ones arrive at your home?
 
Two major concerns are worthy of consideration - how to keep your old files and personal information fr
om getting into the wrong hands - and where to dump those old machines.
 
First of all, your computer is probably loaded with personal information, a history of your surfing habits and sites you visit, passwords, financial data, and even more threats to your identity security
 
If nothing else, remove the hard drive, and if you don't intend to use it elsewhere, physically destroy it!


Read more tips on recycling items like computers and old TVs here

                                                           ... Richard

 



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Monday, Nov 30, 2009 Cyber Monday! Is your computer prepared for it?
                                             Are You
?

 
Cyber Monday is the shopping season kickoff on the Internet. Not only will
many thousands of shoppers be searching for deals, bargains, and hard to
find gifts, there will be thousands of cyber criminals lying in wait for them.

You can avoid the treats they pose just by exercising good judgment, like making certain that your firewall, anti-virus, anti-spyware, and Operating systems are up-to-date, and you don't allow your excitement and determination to cause you to drop your guard.

There will be a variety of clever scams and tricks aimed at trapping you.

The major Security Software providers, LavaSoft, Symantec, Sunbelt
Software
, and others are working hard to help us stay safe.

For example, Symantec has detected more than 250 distinct rogue
security software programs. During the period from July 1, 2008, to
June 30, 2009, Symantec received reports of 43 million rogue security software installation attempts from those 250 distinct samples.

TrendMicro reminds us that that spammers will be rushing to offer
consumers bogus promos and discounts. Their Threat analysts discovered
messages that purported to come from Media Service. The email bears the subject, “Congratulations,” and informs users that they won a Macbook Air.

It also entices users to open the attached .ZIP file, which supposedly contains the details. Of course, the attachment does not hold any details but does contain an executable Trojan file. Read more at the TrendMicro Blog

Panda Labs posted a great discussion and diagram of how Rogue Security
programs work to trap us into spending our money to remove viruses that
are usually false alerts. Read about Rogue Software Here

And LavaSoft points out that nearly 90% of all computers are affected by
spyware - virtually everyone with an Internet connection. They listed 12
Steps to Online Safety at their Security Center.

Basic stuff like being wary of e-mail attachments and links in both e-mail
   and instant messages. Use caution even when the message appears to
   come from a safe sender, as identity information in messages can easily
   be spoofed.

Never log into your bank or other financial accounts from public computers
   or from wireless networks where login information can be stolen. You can
   check the rest here- LavaSoft Security Center

All of these experts point out one major thing - being aware of the threats and practicing common sense and good judgment will go a long way toward avoiding trouble.

Makes sense to me - how about you?
                                                             ... Richard
Tags:  virus removal, anti spyware,




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November 21, 2009     Your Flash Drives and their Security

Flash drive, jump drive or thumb drive are all names for the same kind of storage device. They are portable. You can use them anywhere you have a computer with a USB port. Your data is always with you when you need it.

They are durable. You can hang them on a lanyard, place them in your purse or in your pocket.

They can store massive amounts of data that you can access from any computer with a USB port.  But -

If you connect it to an infected PC and are unprotected, the risks of a virus or spyware infecting your flash drive are high. (The Conficker worm is reported to have spread to thousands of computers through infected USB flash drives)


There is something you can do to protect yourself using free, downloadable security software. Read more here
                                             
... Richard
Tags:  virus removal, anti spyware,



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November 15, 2009  Are You making Plans for the Holidays? So are we.

Our plans include participation in the U.S. Marines 9th annual Toys for Tots program, and we are proud to be a part of it again this year.

A SAD FACT: Millions of children in the
United States will not have a single gift to open on Christmas Day! We aim to change that and make sure every child has at least one present from Santa under their tree.

Won't you join us? It's a rewarding experience and warming thought that we can help a needy child enjoy the holidays simply by clicking on a link, or image on a webpage.

Thank you for your support.
Richard Rossbauer
 

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November 11, 2009  Yesterday was Microsoft's Patch Tuesday.
                                  Did you Update?

It's a good idea, and I suggest it's better insurance to select and follow the postings and announcement of the Security Software manufacturers if you want to be aware of the threat levels of Cyber Space.

For example, Sunbelt Software posted the following update in their recent
Security newsletter -

"Today (November 10) is Microsoft patch Tuesday and we are told there will be six updates, four for Windows (Win2K, XP, Vista as well as Server '03 and '08) and two for Office. Important note: Adobe is recommending that users upgrade their Shockwave Player to version 11.5.2.602 multiple vulnerabilities that can lead to execution of arbitrary code have been reported ...etc"

 Good idea to check that your systems and software have these updated patches.

  Why not do it now?        
                                                              Richard

Tags:  virus removal, anti spyware,



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November 3, 2009    Fewer Passwords to remember - It could soon be
                               possible


Interesting post at the Google blog regarding passwords - how many we accumulate, have to remember, and often re-create for many of the sites we regularly visit.

Thanks to the utilization of new technology, Google reports seeing large-scale success in eliminating the need for passwords while increasing the successful registration rate at websites. The most visible examples come from Plaxo, Facebook, Yahoo! and Google.

(You may be regular visitors to a few of them)

Google's report explains how it's happening - and how this can lead to the reduction in the number of passwords we must remember (and often forget)

We'll still have to practice proper security precautions in protecting our passwords, but there might just be fewer to defend.
                                                                      ... Richard
Tags: Good Passwords




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October 31, 2009  Limited time availability of FREE Kid's Safety eBook

For a limited time only, I'm offering my ebook on child safety - "Keep Your kids Safe Online" as a FREE gift for visitors to my Family Safety website.
 
You can get your copy (plus a second bonus report) by going to the Family Safety page of Firewalls and Virus Protection
 
When you get there, find and click on the "Click Here to Get a FREE Copy" link above the image of the book.
 
Here's the link to the Family Safety webpage -
 
www.firewalls-and-virus-protection.com/Family-Safety.html
 
Hurry on over and get your eBook now before I close the offer on Dec 31st.
 If you do it now, it won't slip your mind, and you'll be able to download, and even print it for sharing with your children and other family members.
                                                                                       Richard
 Tag:
Internet Safety Rules,  kids Internet safety ,

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October 16, 2009   Are you backing up your computer data - regularly?

Nearly everyone knows of or has heard about someone whose computer
crashed
. It's a frightening and frustrating experience. The loss is usually very
personal - family pictures, financial files, email records, dozens of programs,
and more.

That person probably thought that it couldn't or wouldn't happen to them
until it did.

Computer crashes for businesses can be even more devastating. Many times smaller businesses rely on just a few computers, each possibly dedicated to specific tasks. Crashes could involve losses of customer lists, sales records, inventory data, product data bases, even personal records of employees.

Recovery from losses such as these can be accomplished if backup policies
are established and followed. Technology today makes backup relatively
easy. Sometimes so easy that there's little or no excuse for not being
proactive.

It is not hard to put a backup system in place. When you (read more)


                                                                                      ... Richard Rossbauer

Tag:
Disaster Recovery,

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October 3, 2009     What's Your ID Score? - are you a Prime target for
                             Identity theives?


The October 3rd issue of the Security Alert News Reporter now available with some mighty interesting and valuable insight into the sneaky stuff still spreading through cyber space - and protection tools - some FREE.

  Like the New FREE anti-virus and anti-spyware from the Microsoft
       Company named "Microsoft Security Essentials"
 
  Other Free anti-crimeware software
 
  The latest attacks against Facebook and Twitter, and what to
      watch out for
 
  Calculating your ID Score (and why it's such an important part of your
      plans to avoid Identity Theft
 
  How and where to get free updated personal Credit Reports
 
  Another IRS fraud threat! This one is big and growing
 
  and more Links to free courses on "Avoiding Current Security Threats",
       "Avoiding Identity Theft", and "Protecting Your Home, Your self, and
       your whole family"

Download and read the Security Alert NewsReporter in your browser HERE

                                                            ... Richard
Tag:  virus removal, anti spyware,  spyware



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October 1, 2009   October is National Cyber Security Awareness
                                  Month -Are Your Prepared?


  

Why just October? Shouldn't every month be devoted to Cyber Security - or
every week, maybe every day - how about every minute spent online?

But human nature is what it is, and with so many distractions from anything we may try to focus on, or do, highlighting the urgency of Cyber Security with banners proclaiming it as a special event can help develop an awareness, and a habit for exercising sufficient precaution.

That's the goal of the National Cyber Security Alliance(*) and they promote it with sites like StaySafeOnine.org.

Content on this Website is developed in cooperation with many partners including government, industry, non-profit, and education partners. Since the goal is increased education about and adoption of cyber security practices, all of the content found at StaySafeOnline.org may reproduced, if provided for free, to educate the public on good cyber security and safety practices.

I encourage everyone, young or older, to visit and benefit from the wealth of information, tools, guidelines, and just plain common sense presented there.

One of the best ways to minimize the threats associated with the Internet is to be aware of them, know how to avoid them, and how to recover from accidental entrapment by cyber criminals.

Are you ready to help spread the word? By participating in my Security Awareness campaign, you'll be helping others stay safe, and in turn, help yourself. Visit Stay Safe Online here

                                                                    ... Richard
Tag: (*) National Cyber Security Alliance



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Don't hesitate to express your views and opinions on my Security Alert Blog and Cyber Security Alert postings (easily done by clicking on the highlighted 'COMMENT' |  at each post. Watch for postings on fraud alerts, virus alerts, worm alerts, Internet Security alerts, security scams, parental controls, online predators, net security, and more. Be sure to visit our Firewalls-and-Virus Protection website for even more help

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Evergreen      Free report - "Avoiding Current Security Threats"

   There are still some unresolved issues with the Conficker worm.

   As of this writing,(July 11, 2009)the worm, which started spreading to millions of computers last year, appears to be turning its infected hosts into servers for e-mail spam, and some Denial of Service attacks, security experts recently reported.

   Apparently, the payload has been made more of a threat by adding a a version of My Doom, and a second virus, called Waledac which adds infected computers to botnets which send out e-mail spam.

   And yet a third virus carried by Conficker prompts infected PC owners to purchase a fake (rogue software) anti-virus program called
Spyware Protect 2009
for $49.95. (Don't fall for it!)

   But you can take steps to avoid these security threats, and I have outlined them in a new report you can have for Free.

   This report is an update and a bit of an overview of the information published in my newsletters, blog and websites.

   It covers the basics of what to look for and how to prepare your computer to avoid the next high risk threat. It's a quick download (PDF file) which you can obtain by going to the registration page and leaving your email address so that the download instructions can be sent to your email inbox.

Get Free Report here and share this web address with your friends so the emails you get from them are clean and free of malware.

http://www.richardpresents.com/avoid-threat-registration.html
                                                          ...Richard  
 
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Evergreen    
    
Please accept our INVITATION to Help Parents
Teach Their Kids to be Safe Surfers – an Invitation to Help other Parents, Grandparents and Guardian by Sharing Your Experiences of Teaching Your Children To Be Safe When They Were learning to Surf the Internet. Please Tell Us About It HERE

 

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Evergreen      Update your Emergency Virus Protection program

Free mcAfee STINGER backup virus scanner and removerIf you don't have your Virus Protection program yet, here's an Emergency Step you should take, Right Now!
 
 McAfee offers a FREE Virus Scanning program named
                  
STINGER.

  It has grown in size a little over the past few years and no longer fits on a single floppy Disk. But so many of the newer PCs, including lap tops don't have a "A" floppy drive anyway, you should burn it to a CD or memory stick for an offline back up tool.

  You can use it as we do, to check any of your PC computers for viruses, without being on line.

  It is an 'After the Fact' application, which means that it does not scan incoming email files, attachments or downloads, but it does scan whatever you have already received online.

  It currently checks, and repairs over 200 recent viruses. It's FREE to download from McAfee
STINGER

                              
 Stinger - Click for Latest Version  
                                                                                               
                                                                                                       ... Richard

 

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More Tags:Internet Safety Rules,  kids Internet safety , parenting teenagers,
          cyberbullying,  spam
Firewalls, Keyloggers,  Disaster Recovery,
        
 botnet,  identity theft, phishing, , Trojans,
          virus removal, anti spyware,  spyware
         Conficker, virus removal, anti spyware, Rogue software
 

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