Posts Tagged ‘computer internet security’

10 Ways To Find The Best Internet Security Software

Congratulations on making a very smart conclusion regarding your personal or commerce-related computer internet security with respect to buying antivirus software or perhaps upgrading what you are now are using. Now that you are ready to take the jump and expend some cash on online security products such as antivirus software, it is important to understand exactly what this protective software does and what options to search for before you purchase. In this commentary we will look at 10 crucial questions you need to inquire and find answers for before you obtain any internet security product.

Now that you are all set to take the initiative and expend some money on internet security products such as antivirus software, it is important to understand exactly what this protective software does. Ultimately antivirus software has three goals:
1. To stop a virus infection from reaching your computer/network system before any damage can be accomplished. The antivirus software has a database containing the virus identification (called signatures) of all known viruses (at the time the software was created), and this can run into thousands of signatures. When you download data to your computer or network from an remote source, be it the Web , a diskette, or a CD-ROM, the antivirus program checks the arriving information for any of the virus signatures that are in its database. If a virus is recognized, you are notified, before the downloaded information is permitted entry into your computer or network.
2. Provides a first line of defence against incoming virus threats, if the software is installed on a computer network, so that the network administrator has time to take action to prevent the virus from accessing the system, or if by now there, control it from spreading and then disinfect (clean) any portions of the network that have been corrupted by the virus.
3. To take the essential steps to clean and restore your computer and/or network by either eliminating the infection and fixing spoiled files or transferring the ruined files to a secure or quarantine area so that no additional damage can be accomplished by the virus.

Understanding what an internet security system should do is only one function of the purchasing decision. It is also very essential to be able to achieve an knowledgeable decision as to the best internet security software that will achieve your needs from the scores of internet security products at present accessible.

Here are ten crucial questions to ask about any computer internet security you may perhaps be preparing to obtain that will assist you to find the best internet security software for your needs.
1.  Given the reality that the computer industry experts claim that there are between 1 to 500 new viruses appearing each day, you need to ask how many different viruses the internet security software can identify.
2.  As observed in the opening question, with the enormous number of viruses appearing, ask how often you will be provided with updates to the antivirus program database to make sure that your protection is current.
3.  Inquire how easy it is to get the updated information about recent viruses.
4.  Does the antivirus software have the ability to detect unusual or suspicious activity in your computer or network that may be the effect of an mysterious virus?
5.  If purchasing the internet security system for use on a server, then can the antivirus program become aware of virus threats in compressed files?
6.  How secure is the virus alarm system, as you do not want to be swamped with virus warnings that turn out to be phony?
7.  Ask how the internet security system informs you of an imminent virus threat.
8.  Are there any special settings existing in the computer internet security program that would permit you to hastily scan particular parts of your hard drive files and directories which could be more prone to virus infections?
9.  Is there a scanning log to inform you on what was identified, what was done to the infected files and what if anything more you need to do?
10. What outcome does installing and operating the computer internet security software have on your computer and/or network operating speeds? (Some types of security software may not be advisable for slower Internet connection speeds or even allowed by the Internet Service Provider due to their drain on the system.)

I sincerely hope that utilizing the questions offerred above as your buying guide will help you to make an educated choice about the best internet security for your computing requirements when looking at the many distinctive internet security software reviews and products.

Computer Internet Security and Computer Viruses

The extraordinary development in Internet usage during the previous decade has given birth a new breed of nasty uninvited guests to your computer and/or network.  Computer viruses are unfortunately alive and well, and just waiting for a chance to contaminate your computer.  This makes the necessity for decent quality  computer internet security more essential than ever. This piece of writing will consider some of the more widespread signs that will warn you to the fact that your computer may be residence to some unwanted guests.

If you are are a computer user of any kind, recreational surfer, gamer, or internet marketer, the threat of a computer virus assault should not be utterly  new to you.  Computer internet security is huge business these days as evidenced by the many internet security products or internet security systems  currently obtainable to help defend your computer and/or network.  With anywhere from 100-500 new types of computer viruses being revealed on a daily basis, this is  a very money-making niche to be in at this point.

Ideally lots of readers of this commentary will own some brand of computer internet security installed as most commercially sold computers do come with some  type of antivirus security pre-install and operating systems such as Window XP and Vista do have at least basic onboard programs running that will  detect many general viruses, provided you perform your updates on a recurring basis.

Sorry to say these “free” antivirus whether part of your computer O/S, pre-loaded on your computer or accessible as a download can only provide  you a fundamental level of protection. Unquestionably this not the best internet security to be had, but obviously much superior than no virus protection at all.

Any sort of an antivirus computer internet security system will give you with some kind of virus infection notification. Most often some kind of a  scanning log that informs the computer user what was discovered and steps taken to deal with the virus hazard.  Unfortunately you obtain what you pay for with respect to antivirus programs, so the quality of the computer internet security software you have installed will determine just how many viruses  kinds will be uncovered, (providing you do regular updates), and efficiently dealt with.  Unluckily it is very probable that you can have viruses on  your computer that your current antivirus program, or lack of one, may not even see as being present.

Regardless of the huge numbers of viruses lurking on the Web or hidden in contaminated software, there are some common characteristics that will give us effective clues that we have an unwanted visitor living in our computer. Some clues are
1. Baffling keyboard glitches such as keys unexpectedly not working or not doing what they generally should.
2. Programs starting and running much slower than usual.
3. Vanished data files or files that inexplicably will no longer allow access.
4. Computer hard drive filling up for no understandable purpose.
5. Display monitor showing strange colors or letters moving towards screen base.
6. Appearance on screen of machine gibberish, stupid messages, threats, etc. for no apparent reason.
7. E-mails sent out from your computer to persons in your address book, without your knowledge.

Unfortunately the above list of glitches may possibly not be all that is happening to your computer and/or network. Various viruses now work in the background doing their dirty  business without you knowing, such as the infamous “key logger” viruses, that can embezzle your passwords and credit data, then send it on to  their inventor without your knowledge!

Naturally once you become alert that there is a strong prospect that your computer and/or network is under attack, STOP using your computer  system until you can deal with the hazard successfully.  This should indicate purchasing and loading a  high-quality computer internet security software or  upgrading what you have installed now, to something newer and improved. If you are a network user, advise your network administrator right away of the virus assault to help prevent  the virus infection from spreading to other users.

Remember the greatest computer internet security begins with YOU, the computer owner-operator, and how agreeable you are to carry out careful computing  operations and to spend your money on the best internet security software you can come up with the money for.

Computer Virus Information You Need To Know

If you still think that your computer or e-business is unaffected from viruses, think again! With industry experts claiming more than 5000 new viruses uncovered each year, it is not a question of IF you will suffer a virus attack, but instead WHEN!  At this time dependable computer internet security is vital for guarding both you and your online business. In this commentary we will explore why you should be concerned about computer viruses and how these nasty “critters” work their destruction on your personalcomputer.

It is amazing number of individuals; both informal Internet “surfers” and online marketers opt to pay no attention to computer internet security. Maybe it is just due to unawareness as to how extensive and hazardous computer viruses are or that they are plainly “too cheap” to invest in good quality internet security products. Then again it could be a case of their naive belief that “it can never happen to me”. Whatever the cause, with some computer industry reports stating nearly 5,000 “new” computer viruses being discovered each year, whether you are a informal Internet surfer or a determined online business person, you can’t afford not to take computer virus threats very seriously!

Just envision logging into your computer one fine afternoon to verify your bank account or PayPal account only to find all your funds are gone! Your hard earned money, either from your traditional job or web business (perhaps both) have been swiped. Yes, there are viruses out there that are capable of gathering sensitive information (passwords, credit card information, etc.) from your computer devoid of your knowledge and transferring it back to the crooks that made the virus programs. Good-bye funds! So it is well worth your time to invest in the finest internet security software that you can afford.

So what is a computer virus anyhow? In basic terms, a computer virus is a program that has the power to spread throughout your computer and/or network by attaching itself to your program files or host files. After the computer virus has duplicated itself throughout your computer system, based on the sort of virus, it begins to interfere with the usual operation of your computer and /or network in a assortment of ways which we will talk about in a later article.

Sorry to say computer viruses come in lots of distinctive forms, so there is no one common cure that will prevent and wipe out all the scores of viruses out there. Some of the more common viruses are:
A) Boot sector viruses that concentrate on infecting the boot sector of a hard drive as well as the “master boot record”. Merely starting or “booting” your computer is enough to activate this nasty critter if your computer is infected.
B) File infector viruses like to attack your application programs by binding themselves to the code of the host file. This allows them to proliferate from one computer to another over a network once the host application is used by the computer user (you).
C) Macro viruses are actually tiny programs on their own which can creep into an application program and then begin to swap standard programming code to trigger baffling and potentially destructive actions, which may result in data loss and more.

Other types of computer viruses that are becoming more widespread and that you need to be knowledgeable of consist of:
1. stealth viruses which have the capability to disappear from all but the top internet security programs,
2. time bomb viruses that are developed expressly to become operational on a specific date or time determined by their originator,
3. polymorphic viruses have the built in skill to actually change their code to con basic anivirus scanning software until they are prepared to launch an attack,
4. multipartite viruses are a blend (or hybrid) of two or more viruses such as a boot sector virus and a file infector virus,
5. logic bombs are developed to strike when a precise event, prearranged by their creator, happens. Until that time, they act like a time bomb virus, lying in wait.

One final piece of information just in case you even now are unconvinced of the seriousness and threats to your computer internet security posed by computer viruses. Depending on your information resources, estimates of new computer viruses identified each month vary from as low as 100 upwards to over 500! Undoubtedly it is no longer a problem of “if I do catch a computer virus infection”, but rather, “when I contract a computer virus infection”.