The Firewalls-and-Virus-Protection.com
   Security Alert News Reporter   

Some Highlights from TODAY'S TOPICS

                                  
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►We post Kid Safe Sites, because like you, we care about the safety and security of our children and grandchildren...
...and to help parents, grandparents and guardians guide today's young internet surfers to safe sites. There are many other website creators who feel the same concerns and responsibility. These are just a few of their sites that we have personally reviewed and tested as safe for our Grandchildren. Check them out and share them with the young people you care about.
  Please note the 'AMBER ALERT" scrolling at the bottom of this table
  If you would like to help support the Code Amber project, please click here.

Reviews of Family Safe Sites
CRAYOLA	The Crayola website goes beyond being just for Kids with its sections for Parents and Educators, too.
	PBS Kids is a respected and trusted site. We would not hesitate to send our children and grandchildren there for entertainment and education, either.
	Our Firewalls-and-virus-protection.com website is Certified 'Family Safe' by the Institute of Family Safe Businesses.
Ask Jeeves for Kids	Enter your question here: Ask Jeeves is a trademark of Ask Jeeves, Inc., Copyright 1996-2000 Ask Jeeves, Inc. Ask Jeeves for Kids has great Study Tools, Fun and Games and News Resources,
Kid Safe Site from		A really cool Index to the Web for net Surfers ages 8 - 14.
	Check out the Kid Friendly pages HERE	and the Parent Friendly Links  HERE
	Your Site Support Supporting your Play Time with Kids for Kid approved activities that grownups love Click to visit Site
	We receive no compensation for displaying these links and you will be under No Obligation when you visit them. They are here because we care about the safety of everyone who uses the internet, especially our Kids.

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► Publications - Use these Reports to help your family and friends:
 
    . For those of you who have visited our Firewalls website and Security Alert Blog, you know that the information there is directed toward keeping you safe from hacker and cracker attacks. Additions to our bookshelf are selected with the same purpose - and we encourage you to share our reports freely. Don't miss the NEWest Free report

► Bookshelf and Special Report Alerts
	"23 CRITICAL ALERTS You Should Consider when Maintaining Your Computer Security and Protecting  Your Personal Safety" FREE Downloadable eReport for ALL Subscribers  to the Security Alert News Reporter    Already a Subscriber? CLICK HERE to request your Free copy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Protect Yourself and Family from Dangerous Chat Rooms and Instant Messages. If you use them, you and yours are the Hacker's newest targets.   Hackers are already taking advantage of problems with today's IM systems. People not familiar with these new threats could easily open a new, harmless looking IM message that pops up on their screen. With one well intentioned click of their mouse on a Hacker’s phony message, could get infected. It's no longer just the teen age Chat Room users that are in danger. Whole families are threatened   In case you missed this FREE report on the Firewalls-and-Virus-Protection website, you can read it here.  Please print the report and share it with your family, friends and associates. Help them avoid the hidden dangers and threats often buried in IM messages and of predators lurking in Chat Rooms.                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                                            To Top
If you take your laptop computer with you on your travels, this interview with the Author of "Travel Cheap-Travel Well" contains tips and advice to help maintain your  Online Security while Traveling in the United States and Abroad. The author, Victor K Pryles, discusses computer security and offers first hand advice on maintaining personal safety while on the road, high seas and in the air. Click to read it here or Down Load it from this link and share this FREE 10 page report with the travelers you care about. (It's in eBook format; download in less than a minute and zip to open) DOWNLOAD HERE                                                  This is the book that prompted my interview with Victor Pryles. He included so many money saving Tips and Useful Resources that I sought his first hand advice on keeping my laptop free of bugs and stuff when traveling. There's so much more in his book, though, it would be impossible to describe it all here... but it's summarized on his web page where he describes everything he included, like --   all the travel hot spots, the unknown secrets, the special deals and comprehensive travel savvy, and a great deal more; knowledge that would take years to learn on your own. He put it all in one place --- in the "Travel Cheap - Travel Well!"- Confessions of A Traveling Pauper eBook.   I feel confident you'll find Victor's web page to be a  fascinating review in itself. Click here - it won't cost you anything to look.                                                ... Richard                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't get trapped by Rogue Anti-Spyware software     Trying a new anti-spyware program? Avoid being duped     or robbed by false positives.           "Rogue/Suspect" means that these products are of unknown,      questionable, or dubious value if used for anti-spyware      protection.      In case you missed this FREE report on the Firewalls-and- Virus-Protection website, you can read it here.  Please print the report and share it with your family, friends and associates. Help them avoid the hidden dangers and threats often buried in software programs that are supposed to clean up, not infect your computer.                                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Is Your Firewalls and Virus Protection Safe Enough? This FREE report will help you identify viruses, prepare for attacks and infections and guide you in their removal. It's a  9 page, easy reading guide that covers the threats we all face in our daily use of the internet. It's a basic education in understanding and Avoiding Virus Grief Down load it from this link (it's in PDF format):                          http://www.RichardPresents.com/safefirewall.zip The download includes a ReadMe page with instructions for unzipping and using your Acrobat Reader, and even a link to the Adobe website where you can get your own free Acrobat Reader if you don't already have one                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Is a Keystroke Logger Being Used To Spy On You? Many of the tools and tricks in use today to spy on your internet activities are exposed in this 7 page report. This look into spyware will alert you to the ease in which your identity could be compromised, or stolen. Open the FREE report in a new webpage by clicking Are Keystroke Loggers Spying On You? (No downloading necessary, and you can print it right from your browser window.)                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How Much Money would it cost you to regain the use of your computer after a serious virus infection? It cost one of our friends a whole lot of money, much aggravation and lost time, lost records, and a major inconvenience to recover from the havoc caused by the worms and viruses that had infiltrated their computer over a period of many months. In case you missed this FREE report on the Firewalls-and-Virus-Protection website, you can read it here. Our friends have recovered full use of their computer and now encourage everyone to learn from their experiences. Please print the report and share it with your family, friends and associates.                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What's an Internet Glossary?       NEW!                                             Ours is FREE. It's an alphabetical list of dozens of the terms you'll find used in many of the articles and news reports that relate to the Internet. With our Glossary, you'll be able to decipher acronyms, like CGI, CSS, DSL, GIF, ISP, and more Do you know the difference between      Cookies and Crackers?      Firewalls and flame?      Internet and Intranet?      Surfing and Scrolling?         Get the answers from our FREE Internet Glossary.         Click HERE to Download yours                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                                            To Top
There are a lot more Articles and Reports at the Firewalls and Virus Protection website. Look them over for the helpful 'keeping safe' info they contain. Our most recent library additions include                  PC Cleanup for Windows XP                  Viruses and Worms - The Problems and their Solutions                  Good Password Tips and Password Management                  Avoid Losing Data Files from your Recycle Bin                  Planning for Disaster Recovery -Protecting Your Data Files                  and visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website with its many publications relating to protecting the security of your family, both on the internet and off. They are FREE. You can go to their pages covering                    Consumer (family) Protection HERE.

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Browser Hijacking is still a major problem. One of the outstanding sources for information about browser hijackers and tools to remove these predators is still available on the SpywareInfo.com website.         It's loaded with powerful information and helpful advice that zeros in on the hijacking problem. If you are experiencing any similar problems, be sure to follow the link to their forum. There are literally thousands of postings from which you will learn and possibly find the advice that will help you resolve your own issues.        You can download HijackThis from the Software link on the SpywareInfo website. Be sure to read and follow their instructions to the letter if you want good results.                 We learned about this program from the extraordinary website and forums built and maintained by James Healan, webmaster of SpywareInfo.com.

DOWNLOAD latest cws shredder  which is now a part of Trend Micro http://www.intermute.com/products/cwshredder.html  It'll find and remove those nasty Cool Web Search trojan horses.

To Top  Here's a powerful, inexpensive, and helpful resource Did you know that popular, everyday gadget items like MP3 music players (Apple iPod for example) and digital cameras can "walk" your precious data and records off your premises, right under your unsuspecting nose? In The Hacker's Nightmare™ the danger is fully explained and an inexpensive, easily-implemented solution offered. You'll learn the dangers and the means of prevention.   Hackers, virus and spyware writers and other unethical persons are becoming more and more sophisticated every day. Their attacks and the undesirable and often dangerous stuff they sneak into our computers slow them down, and threaten our personal lives with increasing severity.   Ever since I found the eBook, "The Hacker's Nightmare" that tells how to really Keep Hackers, Worms and Germs out of my PCs, it has received my highest recommendation to family and friends. It's my Computer Security Bible.       Bill Hely, 20 plus year veteran of internet security consulting. has loaded it with valuable information and  plain common sense. We could fill this and future issues of our News Reporter for the next few months just talking about them.       Bill has designed a webpage that describes many of the security tricks and tools that will help keep that nasty stuff out of your computer. Review The Hacker's Nightmare Story HERE. Some sample (Free) chapters are available to early visitors.   Some testimonials Bill received recently--   "My heartfelt thanks to you for finally writing a book about Internet security in a language that us 'non-techies' can understand... "Reading The Hacker's Nightmare actually made me physically cringe as  I realized just how easily [intruders] could access my system despite the  fact I have installed expensive software to prevent just that."                                                                           - Eric Hart - Proprietor                                                                      - Hints-Tips-Newstuff.com                                                                  - Christchurch, New Zealand                 --------------------------------------------  "If anybody is interested at all in protecting their system [The Hacker's Nightmare] is certainly a purchase they should consider making."                                                                                     - Bob Parsons                                                                          - Founder & President                                                                            - Go Daddy Domains                                                                     - Scottsdale Arizona USA   and here's My Favorite Resource                     i-Cop is a resource I'm proud to be a part of.   You have probably noticed the various references to it throughout this newsletter, the Firewalls and Virus Protection website and my Blog.   It's the International Council of Online Professionals, i-Cop for short. I believe anyone actively using the internet to provide information, services or sell products will benefit by subscribing to i-Cop's publication - The Internet Marketing Trade Journal. It truly sets the standard for Honesty and Integrity Online. I'm proud to be a member.   This FREE ezine is vitally important to online business owners and anyone even considering making money online! We keep folks informed about all online issues and programs to participate in, or avoid. Subscribe to The Internet Marketing Trade Journal here:: http://www.i-Cop.org/trade-journal.htm                  ...Richard           thank you, Richard

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In a recent release of the news at ZDnet.com I read,  the U.S. Department of Justice announced that a Federal Grand Jury indicted three people accused of sending pornographic bulk e-mail in a major international spam case.

The DOJ accused the three of distributing bulk e-mail advertising pornographic Web sites containing explicit images of adults having sex. The unsolicited e-mails may have numbered in the tens of millions.

The grand jury issued indictments against former Arizona resident Jennifer R. Clason, 32; Jeffrey A. Kilbride, 39, of California; and James R. Schaffer, 39, of Arizona.

A fourth person involved in the case, Andrew Ellifson, 31, had pleaded guilty last February to one count under the Can-Spam Act and one count of criminal conspiracy. His conviction marked the first related to the distribution of obscene spam e-mails, the department said.

The defendants were accused of sending the spam to earn commissions. They designed the e-mails to make it difficult to determine the identity of the sender by falsifying the "from" line and sending the spam from Internet addresses registered in the Netherlands while the domain names were registered in Mauritius.

Federal investigators noted that from January through June of 2004, America Online received more than 600,000 complaints regarding obscene e-mail that allegedly had been sent by the defendants. Investigators also pointed to data collected by Spamhaus, a nonprofit agency, that they say shows the defendants' operation to be among the 200 largest in the world and one that may have generated tens of millions of unsolicited bulk e-mails.

A nine-count indictment was issued to the three defendants. Each was indicted on two counts of fraud under the Can-Spam Act and one count of criminal conspiracy. Under the Can-Spam Act, it is illegal to distribute unsolicited commercial bulk e-mail. (from news at ZDnet.com)
 
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Teen hacker goes to the house of detention
highlights from an article by René Millman of the SC Magazine dated Aug. 18, 05

A teen hacker who rented out botnets to launch Denial of Service attacks has been sentenced to five years in juvenile detention and ordered to pay $35,000 in restitution.

Jasmine Singh, 17, of Edison, New Jersey, admitted he caused attacks against the websites of jersey-joe.com, based in Delran, New Jersey and Distant Replays of Atlanta, Ga. Three other retailers were also thought to have suffered attacks. Singh was accused of launching more than 30 attacks of which he admitted to five.

Deputy State Attorney General Kenneth Sharpe said the attacks cost the victims more than $1.5 million through lost sales and getting websites back online.

Singh uses the botnets at the alleged bidding of 18-year-old Jason Arabo of Southfield, Michigan, to help give Arabo's rival website an advantage in selling his sporting goods, the court was told.

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     The US Department of Justice receives August's  'Good Guys' check mark.√
    and another goes to NJ Deputy State Attorney General Kenneth Sharpe √    
       'Good Guy Check Marks' to date ) √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √(See Archives)
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► "User Education" is the focus of our Firewalls and Virus Protection website and the "Security Alert News Reporter".  
 
Are your IM and Chat Room Buddies alert to the growing Instant Messaging and Phishing threats?  In case you missed this FREE report on the Firewalls-and-Virus-Protection website, you can read it here.  Please print the report and share it with your family, friends and associates.
        
As a P.S. to the above comment, encourage your friends to check out our  "Security Alert Blog". The most recent Blog entries include these helpful and timely posts:

               ●  Helping the Victims and Survivors of Hurricane Katrina

                   ●   Warning for Children - The hidden dangers of Dust Off !
 
               ●  Law enforcement officials arrest two young men suspected  of
                        being responsible for the Zotob computer worm. (August posts)

                  ●  Up to the minute running report on the Zotob worm with instant
                       publication of detection and removal software (August Posts)
 
               ●  How Should everyday home users plan for a computer disaster?
                       (August Post)

                   ●  Add our information blog to your list of Must Read spyware
                       avoidance resources. The more useful information you have about
                       the scourge of malicious spyware, the better chance you'll have of avoiding
                       the grief and frustration it can bring.

There are dozens more posts available in the Blog Archives. Read our Blog Posts HERE. I urge you to Comment, Challenge and add your own opinions to ours.

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  With your permission, we'll publish your questions and answers in future issues of the "NewsReporter".
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  Sharing ? If you have the opportunity to help family members, associates, or friends by sharing any of the information in this "News Reporter", please suggest that they subscribe for their own personal copy.

  They can subscribe here and we'll never share their information with third parties.

  If your friends are hesitant or uncertain about the benefits of visiting with us,
suggest that they review the help that's readily available at our one page summary of the Online Security Consideration and Protective Tactics that are designed to keep them safe on the Internet. They Can Check out these Considerations HERE.


 
And finally for this issue, we hope you can take our one minute mini- survey (We'll give you a nifty and entertaining Free eBook on Coping With Your Stresses for your time) and visit our Blog Pages, read our postings and contact us with your comments and opinions.

Everything you have to offer will help us do a better job of helping you.
 Thank you. ...Richard
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As promised in our first issue, we aren't going to stuff your mail box with un-ending mailings every day, week, or whenever. When there's important news about the topics we've noted, we'll let you know, usually monthly. 
To avoid unwanted and unnecessary filtering of our messages, we will send a very brief text email to you. It will have a link to this News Reporter and an un-subscribe link. The email subject line will identify the contents as "Latest Security Alert News Reporter - Issue ##" and the email "FROM" address will be "richard@richardpresents.com"

                                                      
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