Using Virus Protection to Prevent a Breach of Security in Your PC

Thousands of viruses are roaming around your computer and in the online world. Since they can create havoc by stealing your personal information and data, a complete virus protection for your PC is must. Using the best virus removal software can do wonders for your computer by providing regular alerts and by removing malicious programs from your system.

For better security from malicious activities you should get a free antivirus download which enables your computer to work efficiently and speedily without any charges. Antivirus software will scan your computer and remove all the unwanted and harmful software and will immunize your PC against malicious behaviors.

Not only virus but your computer can be affected from worms, Trojans or malwares, so a complete computer virus removal program is essential for you. Good virus removal software will generate a complete scan report and will undertake any required action to protect against viruses without changing the normal working of your computer. It is to be noted that every virus needs different types of solutions. Since, worms, Trojans, malwares are all different and act differently, the removal activities should also be different from each other. Moreover, cloud antivirus will provide protection against viruses, spyware, root kits and worms without downloading signature files and will provide smart virus detection technology that will not slow down your PC.

The most important use of antivirus is that it can also protect you from online identity theft and monitors your computer through a complete virus protection.

Virus removal softwarecan also perform multiple scanning operations so that you can be assured that your computer is totally free from viruses and malwares. Apart from that, a good antivirus can also repair and remove the infected areas of your hard drive so that your PC is totally cleaned.

Individuals use their PC for different types of activities. You may use computer at home and in offices and in both the places the threat of malicious attacks on your data is a burden. Since antivirus software is designed differently for specific purposes, If you are a home user you need a separate antivirus program, but corporate users require a different level of protection. You should also keep in mind which antivirus you are going to install or download for your computer according to your needs.

The best antivirus software will deliver great security and usability with minimum amount of time, money and system resources. You can search online to find the best services for your PC protection and online security.

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Keep Your Computer Secure When Surfing

Only a few years ago, most people looked forward to the arrival of new phone books. Today they seem superfluous. We have become accustomed to finding the information we want online. We have even started to do a lot of our shopping online. But how do you protect your privacy, important information like credit card numbers and your computer itself while online surfing?

The first step is to make sure you have a good software firewall in place. It should be a firewall that stops unwanted outbound (dial-home) attempts as well as inbound ones. The firewall that ships with Windows XP only stops inbound attempts and this is not sufficient. (You may also want to contact your internet service provider to see if there are any settings you can change on your router to increase your on-line security.)

Secondly you need a good antivirus program, with up to date virus definitions installed and actively running on your computer. Third, use a safe browser- older versions of Internet Explorer should be avoided. Whichever browser you use, you will want to keep it up to date, as most browsers are constantly patched to close security holes as these are found.

You want to avoid phishing attempts. Never click on a link in an email that purports to be from your bank or any other site where you would enter a sensitive log-in when you get there. Most companies will not tell you by email that there is a problem with your account, just because of this. If you ever do get such an email DO NOT follow the link, instead type the name of their web site into a new browser window. That way you will know that you have arrived at the genuine site and not a copy owned by crooks for phishing purposes.

There are certain types of sites that are notorious for being places your computer can pick up a virus. These include porn sites, crack sites (no, not the type of crack you smoke, the type that helps you run software without paying for it), and gaming sites. If you must visit such sites you need to take extra precautions as no firewall or antivirus software is perfect. You should run an isolation program like Sandboxie. These programs keep all your surfing activity quarantined, and make it easy to delete all files that were created during a surfing session.

Two more suggestions. Once in a while you should use a different antivirus program to scan your computer. The best practice is to download their virus definition updates, disconnect your computer from the internet, turn off your regular antivirus program and then scan. You can use the free versions of Super Anti Spyware and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for this. If you suspect that you have picked up a cloaked root virus, you will need a recent anti-virus program that is combined with a boot disk. It is usually impossible to find a virus in your boot sector without this type of disk. Remember to turn your regular anti-virus program back on afterwards to keep your computer secure when surfing.

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Ways On Hiding Your IP Address

An IP or Internet Protocol address is a numerical number assigned to every computer that takes part in a network. Internet protocol is used for communication in this case. You can hide your IP address from internet servers in most cases. However, in some cases, it is not possible to hide Internet Protocol address of a computer as other devices will not be able to communicate with it.

One of the common methods to hide your IP address is the use of Proxy servers.This server is a special purpose computer that allows users to have indirect connection to other services present on the network. The user first connects to proxy server and then the file or connection is requested. The resource is provided either by serving it from cache or by a specific server connection. However, the server's response or user's request may get altered for some purposes.

In order to remain anonymous on the network, different types of proxy servers can be used:

Proxy servers that are browser configured

These types of servers are standalone and configure your internet browser to route the traffic through a machine. This machine sends the request from your side and then displays back the results to you. In most cases, these servers are free to use but they are slow because they are accessible publicly. These servers come in different types:

• Anonymous Proxy - This server reveals its identity as a server but does not disclose the original IP address. Although this server can be detected easily but it can be beneficial for some users as it hides the Internet Protocol address.

• Transparent Proxy - This proxy server again identifies itself, and with the help of http headers, the original IP address can be seen. The main benefit of using this type of server is its ability to cache the websites. In some cases, your IP may get banned due to the use of transparent proxy. Your Internet Protocol address is not hidden in this server.

• High Anonymity Proxy - This server does not reveal its identity and it does not allow the visibility of original IP address. Your Internet Protocol address is hidden when this server is used.

• Distorting Proxy - Distorting proxy also reveals its identity but incorrect IP address is made available when http headers are used. Your Internet Protocol address is hidden in this case also.

Proxy Servers that are based on Website

It is a type of proxy website that allows you to enter the URL of the website that you want to visit using the proxy. When the desired page request is sent, the proxy website requests that page. Moreover, it does not reveal its identity as a proxy server and your IP address is not passed also. The price and the features may vary when these proxy servers are used. But some of them are free of cost and you can easily find them on the net. This is how you can hide your Internet Protocol address.

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Virtual Private Networks - Things To Look For In A VPN Provider

Virtual Private Networks allow secure connections between private networks through the use of the internet. They let the computers even those in the remote areas to operate as though they were on the same local and secure network. A lot of businesses use VPN because they are efficient, useful, and secure. Imagine, you can be at home and access the computers in your company as if you were just sitting there! And while doing this, no third party intruder can tap, snoop, or interfere with your data. Clearly, having a VPN is a great thing, right?

Now, although working in a VPN is indeed a great idea, it is important to make sure that you choose the right provider for you. Of course, this will highly depend on your needs and priorities. Some people need to use a private network to bypass an internet restriction or get through blocked websites. On the other hand, some might use a VPN just to watch foreign TV shows online, or surf the web while hiding their real IP address.

Most VPN service providers work to get the largest number of features in their services. Naturally, they want to encourage and please as many users as they can at the same time. However, this doesn't mean that you always have to choose the provider, which has the most number of offers. It is wiser to choose a VPN provider based on other more important criteria.

For one, you might want to find out about the available servers of the Virtual Private Networks providers in your area. Where are they located? This can be important, as you may need authorization to use other servers in the future.

It is also important to check the speed of their connection. Sure, the provider can give you an idea; however, you're not supposed to just take their word for it. They are, after all, doing business, right? Of course, they would tell you all the good. But, to ensure that they're giving quality service, it would be helpful to read reviews and feedbacks from other clients.

When the feedbacks are good, then you are likely looking at a good provider. But apart from checking out their server locations and speeds, you should also consider the procedure of setting up the account. How is the installation and configuration going to be? It should not be too long or complicated. If it is, you may have a long and complicated problem in the future too.

The bandwidth limit is also something you may want to check. Generally though, it may run anywhere between 5 and 20 GB per month. However, some providers offer premium packages that give you unlimited bandwidth. Depending on your needs, you may want to subscribe to something like the latter.

Finally, the technical support also matters a lot when it comes to looking for the best VPN service provider. As virtual private networks are established for special purpose, it's important to keep them running as smoothly and perfectly as possible. Hence, any good VPN provider should be able to provide its client with a fantastic and reliable after-sales service.

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How to Improve Network Security

Using internet applications is great fun but they are sometimes unsafe and susceptible to unauthorized access, security threats and the inability to access inbound and outbound traffic. Sometimes you may also face the stealing of some crucial information and the interruption of some unauthorized software which consequently hampers your software and increases the security risks. Making use of internet security firewalls is the best way to protect your computer.

With firewall security you can stop unauthorized access to the network or internet by allowing authorized communication to take place. If there is an attempt to access the network or internet, it allows the user to block and encrypt the attempts which are blocking them. It is one of the ways to remain safe from viruses, Trojans or malware, which repeatedly continue to interfere with and connect to the internet or network. A typical firewall works only one way by keeping vigil on inbound traffic; for example, Windows XP and Vista, which are unable to control the multiple threats. So it is better to install the two-way firewall that checks both the inbound and outbound traffic. Such a firewall allows the creator to manipulate the system while recording the keystrokes, including internet banking accounts and keywords and send those logs to the creators. The two-way firewall works at the Intrusion Detection System which initiates an outbound connection.

The best firewall can block different ports through which an unidentified logger can seek information from your system by blocking unauthorized traffic online. So if you want to minimize the threat, use the best firewall protection software. One should select the appropriate firewall security system/software that should be compatible with your system and should provide the best internet security.

You will find many antivirus companies that can also provide firewalls. They can be disabled or reinstalled according to the user's desire. For complete internet security, you can install a firewall in every computer in the network. The added benefit of it is that if any one of the computers is being infected with viruses, it cannot be spread to the other computers in the network if each and every computer in the network is protected by the firewalls.

The function of firewall security is very simple since the mode of communication in the network is transmitted into small packets and these packets are equipped with both the originator of the message and the receiver of the same. The firewalls installed can determine the type of application message and properly assemble it to find whether the originator is authentic or not.

Therefore, the basic function of the firewalls is to protect the computer from unauthentic and illicit networking and thus provide the best network security.

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The Estonian Cyber National Guard

During his opening keynote speech at ICEGOV 2011 in Tallinn, Estonia, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves highlighted efforts of the Estonia's Cyber Defense League, an operational arm of the country's National Defense League.

An all volunteer force, the Cyber Defense League acts as a national guard to protect Estonia from cyber attack, following the major assault on country in 2007 by Russian hackers.

"Our country encourages IT professionals to contribute to national defense as part-time members of our cyber national guard," said Ilves; these are young people "who are motivated, patriotic, and think it (contributing to national defense) is pretty cool."

Traditional Barriers to National Service Removed

Recruits entering their country's national service, such as the army, normally follow a similar track. The first year of service provides an exercise in mental torture, mental strengthening, physical training, gathering skills to function in the infantry, and all the other training needed to bring a civilian into a basic level of competence for military service.

This standard routine serves to exclude individuals who may be far more interested in technology, academic pursuits, sciences, and to be honest, becoming serious network or software geeks. While there may be an argument that military organizations have become much better in their cyber-warfare capabilities, it can also be argued many of the best minds in a country are those developing technology systems, rather than super users.

Estonia, home of Skype and other global software initiatives, is harnessing the power of their intellectual resources in a positive way, which also promotes national security, pride, and patriotism.

Cyber Weekend Warriors

The Cyber Defense League (CDL) is a uniformed service, equal in stature and responsibility to other arms of the National Defense League. Recruits require security clearances, and are available for mobilization in the event of a national emergency - regardless of the nature of that emergency.

CDL members muster for weekend duty, exercises, and additional cyber security and warfare training.

Cooperation between private industry and national defense is much closer than in countries such as the US, where even during national emergencies commercial companies are rarely engaged in immediate cyber attack and response - at least not in full cooperation with the government or military. There may be representation in groups such as the CERT, however even those organizations generally act outside the scope of national defense.

In Estonia, now commercial companies and many of their employees are an inherent component of the national cyber defense.

... Be Cyber Strong

So, if we consider a model of supplementing national security by recruiting engineers, developers, and technicians in a single model location such as the Silicon Valley, train them to extend their skills to support national defense, complete a background check and offer a security clearance, what would the potential impact be on reinforcing our California or national Cyber Protection capacity?

Add more highly skilled engineers from other technology "industry cluster" states to the defense system, and it is highly probable that we will make great strides in further strengthening our local and national cyber defense.

Of course in the United States we do have to get over some additional concerns, such as suspicion among many in Internet and technology communities who may not fully trust the intentions of the government.

The burden is on the government to establish programs, develop a thought leadership campaign to build a sense of service and pride, and then fully embrace extremely motivated and intelligent IT professionals into the military community.

One of those programs is the DOD's Defense Industrial Base Cyber Pilot, which allows the DoD to share some information with private enterprise regarding threats to security. However it is clearly a superficial attempt, and does not seek to actively engage those who potentially have the best skills to offer.

Estonia is a small country, struggling to break free of the social and institutional constraints imposed by nearly 70 years of Soviet and Nazi occupation, and economic restrains of a global recession. A country with a motivated workforce, and a need to protect all their national wired resource from theft, exploitation, and attack.

The Cyber Defense League is a very unique, and creative step to provide that security and protection.

Securing Your Privacy in an Online World   Internet Cyber Security: How Do Firewalls Work?   Email Archiving Protects Your Data From The Wrong Kind Of People   VeriSign Secure Site Pro (SGC) With EV SSL for Securing Online Transactions   How to Keep Children Safe While Browsing the Internet   VPN Services Vs Proxy Services