Antivirus to Deal with Harmful Effects of Virus Infections

Computer virus. The word alone lets us imagine the loss and destruction of work, crashing PCs, stolen personal information and ruining of finances. The computer virus is indeed a weapon which can lead to destruction. It is vital to have efficient antivirus software in order to save your PC from all the nuisance viruses which are capable of harming the health of your PC and work. The main purpose of antivirus programs is to halt all unwanted virus threats from ruining your system and the vanishing of data.

What to expect from antivirus software?

A user can never make out the entry and spreading of virus. The users' realization is only discovered when the infection is disseminated to the entire system. So it is better to shelter under the protection of a virus removal tool because:

1 - With virus removal tools you should be able to detect and take off all known viruses along with worms and Trojan horses. There are antivirus which are not able to be completely removed, but an ideal virus removal tool is highly effective in detection and complete removal.

Save Money on Your Antivirus Software

Regardless of what it is you want to do to protect your computer system, there are a lot of free available options. Virus removal software can be very expensive as most antivirus programs out there require a monthly or yearly subscription fee which can be quite hefty. If you prefer to save money, but want complete virus protection, the best solution is to find reliable free PC virus protection software for free. Here are some suggestions on the benefits that free malware protection software can provide for you without costing you an arm and a leg.

A lot of users often wonder are free antivirus download programs really any good? The answer to this question is a resounding yes. Free spyware protection programs can be as good as paid ones if downloaded from a reliable vendor. Various companies offer free PC virus protection software that are just as quick and effective at detecting viruses, malware and spyware as the pay-for antivirus versions.

What to Look for in Best Antivirus Software

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Working effortlessly and speedily is an amazing experience while using your computer, while running the fastest working internet service. But this experience can be hindered when you have to deal with a virus in your computer. These viruses not only prevent the normal workings of your computer but can actually cause the loss of important data as well as information which you share while working online. So, good antivirus software has been introduced to you so that you may not have to suffer while making the best use of your system, as well as the internet applications.

But a question always arises in every user's mind about the quality and the functionality of the antivirus download. Is the antivirus software installed good for your computer or not? As well as, is the antivirus software being used is compatible and easy to run with the software of your computer or not?

You can find here some of the best qualities of antivirus software which will not only remove the viruses but also provide the overall protection to your computer: -

1. The best antivirus software should be able to detect and remove all known viruses including worms and Trojan horses. Some average antivirus software can remove around 70-80 % of viruses from your computer but the best antivirus can provide overall detection and removal of all kinds of viruses.


2. Normally an antivirus has no protection against spyware or cracker tools but the best antivirus download can incorporate itself within the anti spyware within the antivirus program. Since spyware has proven to be the greater danger for your computer, the best anti spyware is needed to guard privacy and security for your computer.


3. The best antivirus software can prevent every entry point through which a virus is likely to enter and can also restrict the exit points so that the viruses are not allowed to spread to other computers.

How to Choose best Antivirus

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Just as no two people are exactly the same, no two computers can be treated in exact similar manners once they land into the hands of their owners. A person's need and use for computing technologies vary from the menial task of bookkeeping to the tedious job of creating websites. This is the reason behind the abounding options we have of antivirus programs.

Software designers are aware of the needs of computer users and the threats they face whenever they enter the worldwide web. Since the equipments have already been provided for us, our next challenge is to hunt for the antivirus program that suits our activities best.

You may have been stuck in this cycle for a while now; availing an antivirus, catching a malware, and trying out another antivirus that might just save you from another round of migraines.

Although auditioning multiple antivirus is an effective method in identifying you're your proper match, it can be too tiring and time-consuming. Besides, you can't risk your computer's safety in each attempt. Your guaranteed solution is to follow these steps we have enumerated for you.

Step 1: Identify and Reflect

This step will eliminate a large quantity of options that are not for you. First, identify what operating system you will use or are using. Of course you cannot avail an antivirus program that won't work in your system. Be more specific about your operating system's nature.

Is it the latest or the oldest? Those who are using ancient computers will do better to upgrade before undertaking this hunt. They will find that more opportunities open for them with bran new computers. Old ones may not be capable of supporting superior quality antivirus programs.

Reflect on the current performance of your computer. Is it already infected? You may want to have it reprogrammed by an expert first. Can your computer manage a disk-space consuming antivirus? Make a list of these particular details based on your evaluation.

Difference Between Computer Adware, Viruses And Trojans

In order to keep your computer clean and free from computer adware, viruses and Trojans it helps to know the difference between them. Many computer users mistakenly believe that their antivirus software isn't working, only to find out later that what their computer has become infected with isn't a virus at all, but a Trojan or adware software. Viruses, while still prevalent are by far the least common of the three.

A virus is something that spreads on its own across a network or by inserting an infected CD, DVD or floppy disk into the drive. Most antivirus software works fine to detect, clean and prevent virus infections on the PC. While it is true that Mac computers rarely ever get viruses, PC's don't get them very often either. What is more commonly seen today is known as adware and Trojans, both of which affect Mac computers and windows based PC's as well.

A Trojan is something that's taken its name from the mythological Greek Trojan horse because like the Trojan horse in the mythology a computer Trojan is a program that is designed to look like something innocent when the real function is to do something entirely different from what it appears to be. A prime example of a computer Trojan are the many variations of what's known as "fake antivirus" products. The fake antivirus Trojan infections commonly occur when the computer user is surfing the internet and sees an advertisement window pop up with an advertisement that doesn't state that it is an ad like it should, but instead has an image of what looks like an antivirus program telling the user that it has detected a virus infection on their machine and telling the computer user to click on it to remove the virus. Anyone who is not adept at spotting these type of ploys or scams may be tempted to follow the instructions that they are being given through the Trojan advertisement and when they are done they will have actually just installed the Trojan software onto their machine themselves and end up erroneously believing that their antivirus software has failed them.

Adware on the other hand is not as malicious as computer viruses or Trojans but can still have a harmful effect on the functionality of the computer. Many programs such as weather channel software, coupon printers and other seemingly useful applications are offered by the publisher in both free and paid versions. Weather reporting programs for example still have to be paid for somehow, so the publisher offers them in a free version to anyone that wants them however the free version also installs extra items onto the computer to display advertisements which they then receive a commission for displaying. These advertisements will usually slow down the computer, interrupt what you are doing to display ads and can cause conflicts with other programs if they have been poorly designed and tested as is often the case.

Knowing the difference between viruses, Trojans and adware is only the first step in keeping your computer free from them and running well. The second step which is often overlooked is to install the right security software in addition to your antivirus program to detect and remove the Trojans and adware should it find its way onto your computer. While there are many options available it is often advisable to consult your IT support staff or computer service center for recommendations as to which products to use and help you avoid installing an innocently appearing security product that is really a Trojan horse in disguise as something else.

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What You Need to Know About Malware

Derived from the words "malicious" and "software", malware is a type of program designed to steal information or cause internal damage to a computer. A lot of people confuse malware as a type of virus, when in fact malware is any kind of software that is intended by the developer to cause harm within another system or exploit other people's personal information. On the other hand, a computer virus is a small software that is purposely designed to spread from one computer to another and interfere with various computer operations. In other words, harmful software such as viruses, Trojan horses, spyware, and worms are categorized as malware and are generally harmful to any computer unit or even to the user if not taken cared of once malware infection signs are evident.

The threats of computer virus infections have increased in parallel to the number of internet users all over the world today. Unlike in the '90s where malware were only regarded as the result of experimentations and pranks by curious developers trying to expand their skills, malware today keeps evolving as a medium to wreak havoc and cause crimes in the cyber world. Compared to over a century ago where computers were yet to be introduced to households and access to the internet was limited, the spread of computer viruses today have become instantaneously rampant due to quick technological evolution - more and more tasks now require the use of technology while the internet has played a significantly important role in information sharing. Through the amplification of data and information sharing provided by the internet, the transmission of harmful software is now made more rampant all over the globe. Almost anyone from any part of the world can become a victim of malware; no one - not even your computer system - is exempted from the risk of a virus infection. Symptoms of a virus infection usually surface in the form of slow start-ups, slow programs, disabled hardware, and cause error messages to appear. Moreover, the damages a computer virus is capable of can range from minor computer problems like slowing down your e-mail, corrupting system files, and damaging or deleting data; to major dilemmas like identity theft, enabling other users to hijack your computer, and even cause you embarrassment or damage your credibility as an individual.

Computer viruses can be very dangerous, both to your computer and even to the user. As the threats of malicious software increase, reasons to protect your computer from it pile up as well. It is therefore important for computer users to protect your computer from various malware infection with the help of anti-malware programs that are designed to identify, quarantine and remove such harmful software at the very first sign of infection.

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Know About Keyloggers

If you want to be aware of all activities performed on your PC, you should consider getting a keylogger. This special software records all the real-time activity performed on the computer. In other words, the program keeps a log of the pressed keys and takes screenshots which you can use for checking what operations are performed on your computer. The main purpose of this innovative monitoring tool is to keep a track of the operations done by all users of the computer. Many parents use this app to check how much time their children spend before their PC screens and how they use their systems. Generally, keyloggers are installed secretly, thus can be successfully used by employees and big companies to monitor performance of their personnel. However, there are various malicious ways of using this software. For example, for stealing credit card information or passwords.

You need to understand that not all of the available keyloggers are alike. Thus, before buying any software it is necessary to consider several important aspects.

Here is a list of things you need to check.

To avail all advantages of using a keylogger it must be installed and used secretly. Thus, make sure it is not shown on the screen in the form of the toolbar or icon. Besides, this software should not be detected by the anti-virus program installed on the PC.

The next aspect you need to check is whether the administrative activity of the app you consider purchasing is protected by a password. This aspect is very important, because the process of installing the application should be reliably protected. Only one person (generally, the owner of the PC) is authorized to set up the levels of logging and view the activity log. Otherwise, there is no point in installing the app. The other beneficial feature this software can offer is the function of sending longs on email. The logs are sent with regular intervals and therefore you can monitor activity of your PC even remotely.

In addition to keystrokes monitoring, high-end applications allow to keep track of printing activity and visual screen images. Many advanced programs make screenshots which are compressed and stored on the disk. These could be additional benefits you can get. Thus, make sure you check this aspect.

Modern applications are available in a great assortment. Many can be downloaded for free. Using free programs is recommended for the trial purpose mainly. Free software can be easily detected by most anti-keylogger programs. Thus, the user can easily detect that the system is equipped with the monitoring tool. Most paid apps offer excellent performance. However, even the most advanced program can be detected by the experienced user. But such cases are quite rare.

Speaking short, keylogger is a great monitoring tool that can be successfully implemented in home and business environment. When used by business organizations it helps improve employee performance.

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Tips to Prevent a Computer Virus

When your computer is performing suspiciously slower than usual, automatically shuts down, or is popping error messages, it could be infected with a virus. A virus could hamper the performance of your computer and put all your files at risk. Over the years, viruses have become more advanced and more difficult to detect and kill. Here are some ways to prevent a computer virus and stop putting your PC at risk.

Prevent a PC virus with reliable anti-virus software.

It is a lot easier to protect a computer from virus than fix it when it has already been attacked. The best form of action when dealing with viruses is protection. There are so many brands of anti-virus software available in the market. Invest in a business grade anti-virus and don't settle for the free or pre-installed kinds.

Avoid computer virus by browsing securely.

Whenever you go online, don't let down your guard. Be wary of suspicious sites and don't give out sensitive information at a drop of a hat. There are plenty of sneaks on the web and one innocent form can cost you all your relevant data and important files.

Always create a backup.

Viruses are usually created to mess up with your PC by erasing or altering relevant computer data. While there is no fool-proof way of preventing a computer virus, you can protect your files by creating a backup. It also won't hurt to have a remote backup online just in case your flash disks get messed up too.

Be wary of suspicious emails.

Most viruses are transmitted through emails. It is so very easy to open an attachment without scanning it. Next thing you know, you can no longer use your PC. Scanning email attachments first before opening them is a good way to avoid PC virus. Scanning files could take a while but every second is worth it. It doesn't matter who the email is from. Make it a general rule to scan and save. Another important reminder about emails---don't be trigger happy when it comes to website links. These links often contain all kinds of malware and virus that could make it into your PC without your knowledge. If you want to open a website, the best way is to type the address manually.

Prevent PC virus by avoiding plug-ins.

These innocent applications that claim to do a number of stuffs are often embedded with virus. Once you install them, it can slow down your PC and expose your computer to a spyware of some kind. Prevent computer virus attacks by saying no to plug-ins.

Fix errors.

Errors can make your PC vulnerable to virus attacks. A good program to invest in is Smart PC Fixer. This program scans and repair errors in minutes. It is also an effective anti-virus application. It scans your PC for virus, malware, and spyware. This is a very neat way of keeping your PC healthy and preventing all kinds of computer virus.

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Web Surfing Tips - Keep Safe from Viruses

Initially it is all about keeping yourself safe online without too much dependence on external security. You need to change your surfing habits that will ensure that you are not falling into the virus infection trap. It is essential that you follow smart computing tips.

Following are some of the tips that you can keep in mind while surfing online:

• It is advisable no to open or even access e-mail attachments from unknown sources. Additionally, to be on the safer side do not open an e-mail attachment if it looks suspicious even sent by a known contact. Often an infected PC sends auto-generated e-mails with malware within attachment.

• Fake e-mails are generated that seem to come from financial institutions like banks. A better practice is to copy the URL and paste it in your browser to find out if it is authentic.

• Never reply to e-mails that are asking for your bank details or details related to your transaction.

• It is essential to keep your security suite updated and patch up your security. Often malware enter your system due to flawed security patch or outdated security. Remember to update your security suite. Opting for software like Personal Software Inspector by Secunia is another way of detecting system vulnerabilities.

• One more thing that you need to keep in mind is avoid visiting websites that are full of XXX content or videos. Often these are the means of entrapping a visitor for inflicting malware attack.

• Often whenever an advertisement appears you have a habit of closing the window by clicking the X button. This in turn launches the malware in your system unknowingly or redirects you to a malicious website.

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Best Antivirus Software for Your Need

There was a time that the only function antivirus software programs were designed to perform was to protect one product - the personal home computer. That purpose is long gone for most of the world. However, there are still some people who only use a PC and have older, slower models. To claim that there is only one "Best Antivirus Software" program is to ignore the fact that every household has individual needs, usage, installed applications and IT products. Before deciding to buy antivirus software, take a minute to review what protection is available on the market today.

Independent Product Reviewers

There are several professional reviewers that do independent testing, followed by giving IT products a rank and approval code. There are two professional organizations that reviewers rely on for their test reports - AV-Comparatives and Virus Bulletin. In addition, independent IT magazines hire reviewers who use various products and combine their experience with that of the test reports from the professionals.

In the field of antivirus software, the organization known as AV-Comparatives is the most respected and trustworthy. This company is sought out by antivirus developers to test their products before they are placed on the open market. If AV-Comparatives find that particular software passes their tests, they issue an official certification. They issue free reports with the results on a regular basis.

Virus Bulletin primarily tests for Malware and Phishing protection. This organization issues newsletters with the results of their testing.

Free Antivirus and Firewall Software: What is Good?

Free antivirus is one of the most in-demand downloadable software on the Net today. Even with the limited protection they offer, computer users still use them because they're free. There are actually good antivirus firewall software programs that can be downloaded for free.

Take a quick look at some of the antivirus firewall software programs that are actually reliable yet free.

AVG Free. AVG Free is one of the widely used free antivirus applications. It has real-time threat scanner and checks out which website is safe to visit and which has a possible threat (for Internet Explorer and Firefox only). It updates regularly and does not require large system resources.

Avira Antivir. This is a technical user's choice of antivirus program. The average computer user may find it not very easy to use because you have to be knowledgeable about some technical stuff to be able to use this. But, despite that, it is considered the most meticulous in protecting your computer and also the fastest.

Avast! 24.8 Home Edition. It has all the features that the commercial Avast! Antivirus program has. It is good in protecting your computer and detecting possible malware, though it may not be as good or as aggressive as Avira Antivir.

How Antivirus Work?

If you want to make sure that you're protected from viruses, you should get some antivirus software. This software can offer peace of mind, even for experienced computer users who would be unlikely to open a simple virus.

Antivirus software works in two ways. Firstly, it has a big 'dictionary' of viruses, allowing it to scan files and flag any that are known to be viral. Secondly, the software monitors the system for any suspicious activity. One method involves creating decoy files that are hidden from the user and monitoring them to see if they are altered - if they are, then it was almost certainly a virus.

The two giants of the antivirus industry are McAfee and Norton. They are both commercial software based on yearly subscriptions, and at this point there's little to choose between them - some people swear by one, but just as many will swear by the other. However, both are quite expensive, especially if you buy them as part of the complete security suite.

If you want a free antivirus program, the best around is widely considered to be AVG (the Free Edition). It's a small but effective antivirus application, popular firstly for being free and secondly for using hardly any system resources to run. AVG is capable of running very fast, even on older computers.

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Searching For Free Antivirus

These are some of the best, completely free antivirus software and add-ons available on the internet for download.

Avast Home Edition: This is a completely free but one of the best antivirus applications available anywhere, which is intended for non-commercial use. You can download and register it on their website (www.avast.com) free of cost. The Avast Home Edition features an On Demand Scanner, On Access Scanner (to protect e-mail clients, instant messengers, etc). It also has P2P protection and a lightweight firewall. The NNTP Scanner can scan all Usenet Newsgroup traffic and all operations with files on PC. It also has a real-time protection feature which is rather powerful. Program and database updates are also incredibly fast.

602LAN Suite (http://www.software602.com/products/ls/): This secure mail server has an inbuilt antivirus and anti-spam guard. The firewall is meant to control internet sharing and is equipped with NAT and Web content filter proxy. It also features standards based SSL SMTP/POP3 e-mail server that enables encrypted communication, junk mail protection and an integrated fax server. Access to the Web mail client, shared address book, remote administration and user home pages is provided by the integrated Web server. Other features include includes text content based Bayesian spam filter, Web Mail Client with WAP support, network address translation, attachment filter, PureSight proxy content filter, auto-update and ActiveReports.

AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic (http://www.free-av.com/): Another one of the few, but great free antivirus software available for download. The AntiVir PersonalEdition is for individual and private use on a single PC-workstation only, which can detect and remove more than 230,000 known viruses. It features a resident Virus Guard which monitors file movements automatically such as downloading of data from the internet. It scans and repairs macro viruses and protects against boot record viruses and master boot record viruses, Trojans, worms, and other malicious activities. You can easily update the database and support is free of charge through the AntiVir Bulletin Board (http://forum.antivir.de/).

AVG Free Edition: The free edition is available to home users for personal and non-commercial use on a single computer. Though it is limited in features compared to its professional counterpart, the AVG Free Edition does include useful features such as Automatic healing, Reliable scanning engine, Scheduled scanning frequency and Scheduled update frequency (both once a day only), Optional automatic update upon Internet detection, and Options to define file name extensions. There is also no technical support available.

Futureca AntiVirus Outlook: This is a special add-on designed specifically for Microsoft Outlook. It scans all incoming and outgoing mail messages for viruses in real time, and immediately alerts the user if it detects one. It is quite useful if you are a regular Outlook user, and the virus definition database can easily be updated over the internet. You can download it from [http://www.futureca.com/downloads.htm].

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Free Antivirus Software

It is important for you to install antivirus software at your computer or notebook. Antivirus software will give protection from various harmful things such as viruses, spywares, adwares, worms, Trojans, rootkit infections, and much more. The old version of antivirus only detected the viruses while the old version of spyware removers just detected spyware. Now, the limit between antivirus and spyware removers is unclear. The antivirus software available today provides better detection rates for various malwares.

Those malwares are including viruses, worms, adware, keyloggers, and many dangerous threats for your computer. Since the number of malware keeps increasing, it is impossible for antivirus software to keep up. However, using more than one antivirus can cause the conflicts and reduce the protection. Because of this reason, it is more recommended for you to choose the best antivirus for real time protection. You will be able to increase the protection using security software. Here are some free antivirus software programs which can be your consideration.

The first program is Avira AntiVir Personal Edition. Due to its high quality, many people choose to use this program. Avira faced some controversies related to re-branded Ask toolbar in their installer and temporary spate of advertisement to promote a possible scareware company. Despite of its negative issues, Antivir is still top notch antivirus. It offers outstanding detection rates of malware. The ability is higher than other antivirus programs. Because of the ability, Antivir is still a good choice for free antivirus software programs especially for high risk users.

When you are using Avira, you will not be able to scan any website or e-mail. You can only get this feature from commercial versions. For the people who are using the free version, you will not get any warn of an infected emails before you open it. However, when you open the infected email, Avira will take the action.

Another option you can get is AVG Anti virus. In the past days, this antivirus provides some shaky results in detection. Current AVG antivirus provides higher level protection due to Identity Protection. It provides very important layer of protection. The weakness of AVG free antivirus software is its big size and slow scan speeds. It also has advertisements but you can disable them.

Avast free antivirus software can also be good option. This program improves the detection rates over these past years. It offers real-time capabilities such as web, e-mail, IM, behavioral blocker, and much more. The latest version even offers more features such as internet site ratings plugin, script malware, and much more.

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Best Antivirus - Free vs. Paid Antivirus

Like many people I thought that my computer was well protected against viruses and other malicious software by the name brand antivirus software that was included with the computer when I bought it.

I browsed the Internet with no problem and everything seemed to work smoothly until one day something took over my machine. Random sounds and music began playing and the screen would flicker. Little cartoon characters would briefly appear on the screen. Yikes. What had infected my computer?

I cleared the browser cache, shut down the computer, and rebooted. The thing was still there. I ran a complete scan using the antivirus software that came with the computer. It did not find the problem.

I was still able to access the Internet, so I started searching for better antivirus software. I wasn't looking for a casual recommendation on a forum or someone's blog. I wanted to find some test results from a recognized authority. I was looking for an antivirus program with high detection rates, whether it was free or required payment.

I found that testing antivirus software is a specialized business now. Even the people at PC Magazine said that they don't do their own tests with live viruses. They rely on tests conducted by independent testing labs, including AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, ICSA Labs, Virus Bulletin, and West Coast Labs.

These independent testing labs have reliable data on detection rates for both free and paid antivirus software. However not all of these testing labs have user-friendly websites for the general public.

Pros and Cons of Free Antivirus Protection

The antivirus industry is one of the fastest growing global markets, which is successfully driving users to get the protection installed. Various virus attacks are unleashed on regular basis online thus safety is always imperative. Advent of free antivirus software has certainly changed many things thereafter. Free antivirus software isn't that good in comparison to its commercial counterparts but irrespective of that it is pretty good for most users.

There are advantages as well as disadvantages for free antivirus programs which come up with advanced detection technologies. Most of the people are of the opinion that commercial antivirus software is a complete rip-off of technology. With free programs, it's always necessary to get the renewal of license by asking a user to pay a certain amount of money in return. If the license gets expired, such commercial antivirus protection software would stop detecting newer viruses. Free antivirus softwares thus requires regular renewal of licenses. They are guaranteed to be free to download as they are easy to download, install, run and update when necessary.

An antivirus program is a really good option as it helps detect all the hidden malwares and one doesn't require paying for it too. Virus signature database can be very well updated without paying a fee for it. Unluckily these free versions are however meant for personal and non-commercial use only. There are many other antivirus free programs out there, which aren't that good enough to provide proper security to your system. Free antivirus softwares don't really come-up with advanced detection technology and thus they fail to detect different variants of viruses.

Such antivirus software isn't certainly worth anything if you are planning to get it for free. It's important on part of user to make an informed decision to install it to your system. Virus guard supplied is typically lower than that of commercial security tools. There is complete confidence that catalogued Trojans, worms and spywares can't breakthrough from outside. Pests that have already infested compatibility of your system can be easily spotted and neutralized easily. Some internet defence should be bundled with the distributive to receive the features of the best antivirus protection.

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Amazing Alternatives to Costly Software

In order to run a business online or be a successful internet marketer, there are a few tools you're going to need. The cost for brand name software tools are often too expensive, especially when every dollar counts. Fortunately, there are alternatives to the big software names. These alternatives will fill your needs, and they are absolutely free.

FTP Utilities

Everyone needs an FTP program right? FireFTP is a free, secure, cross-platform FTP client for Mozilla Firefox which provides easy and intuitive access to FTP servers. It's an add-on for your Firefox browser. It starts as a new tab within your Firefox browser and you FTP right from your browser.

addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/684

AutoMailer

Marketers need to manage their email lists. Rather than pay a monthly fee to a service like aweber.com, here is a free (GNU license) PHP script you can install. poMMo is versatile Mass Mailing software. Add a mailing list to your website, or organize stand alone mailings. Unique features such as the ability to mail subsets of your subscribers set it apart from alternatives.

sourceforge.net/projects/pommo/

Antivirus Software

You really can't afford to work online without some virus protection. ClamWin is a Free Antivirus program for Microsoft Windows 98/Me/2000/XP/2003 and Vista. ClamWin Free Antivirus comes with an easy installer and open source code. You may download and use it absolutely free of charge.

clamwin.com

Benefits of Antivirus Software

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Installing computer antivirus software on your computer is important. It can be the life saver of your PC and the savior of your important files and data. Therefore you must make antivirus a priority when it comes to the things installed in your computer.

The most important reason behind having computer antivirus software is for the protection of your gadget. Viruses are invaders that can breakdown your computer's operation. It could destroy all vital data and disturb the operating system making your computer worthless. Viruses cannot easily access the central processing unit of your PC when you have protection software against these viruses. CPU is the brain and heart of your computer that is why it is imperative to have a protection gear against unwanted attackers.

Second reason in having computer antivirus software is to protect you from hackers. Hackers are people or group of people who illegally penetrate personal information such as bank accounts, credit cards and other related data. They use this personal info to gain access in someone's financial activities, lend some money using others account and illicitly transact for someone's behalf. Hackers are living viruses that you must avoid. Antivirus program prevents these people from making connections through your internet and even blocking unwarranted messages from coming in your emails.

Next benefit that you will gain from having this software is the cost efficiency of your unit. Although some antivirus is relatively costly, there are also wide arrays of free and downloadable software in the internet. Antivirus software can extend the life and usage of your computer by protecting the hardware and the operational software from harmful viruses. Even if you pay a higher rate in purchasing these commercial softwares, the benefit of having to enjoy your computer longer can go beyond the price that you spend. The efficiency is measured not on the price but on the quality of service you will have.

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Top Free Antivirus Software

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If you suspect that your PC has been infected by malware (virus, Trojan, adware, spyware, etc.), one of your first stops should be at a web site that allows you to download a free antivirus package.

Many companies offer free programs that are cut-down versions of their commercial products. Some programs are also available as freeware or Open Source. In general, these antivirus programs are free for non-commercial use only. This means that the program can only be used at home or college and is for your personal use only. If you use the program at work, or install it on more than one computer system at a time, you are usually required to pay for it.

Some companies ask you to register the software before using it. Registration is often required if you want to be able to update the program via the Internet. Although it might be a little inconvenient, registration costs nothing and helps software developers continue to let people use their programs for free.

Although antivirus programs may offer lots of different features, most work in basically the same way. When the program first starts, there is a short delay while it checks the computer's memory and other locations for signs of virus infection. Next, the program will usually attempt to update its internal database of virus information via the Internet. The amount of time this takes will vary according to the speed of your Internet connection but shouldn't take more than a minute of two. Once any updates have been downloaded, the program will then carry out a full scan of your machine. This can take a long time, so be prepared to wait patiently or, better still, go and grab a coffee!

Android Anti-Virus Software Easily Fooled

Anti-virus software made by 10 of the biggest Android security providers can be bamboozled by an embarrassingly easy malware disguise, according to a new report.

Android phones are known for being more vulnerable to malware than their Apple peers, but they also come with lots of anti-virus options such as those provided by Symantec, AVG, Kaspersky Lab, Trend Micro, ESET, ESTSoft, Lookout, Zoner, Webroot and Dr. Web.

Unfortunately, the Android anti-virus software made by all these companies is easily fooled by a simple trick, according to a report from researchers at Northwestern University and North Carolina State University.

"Mobile anti-virus products don't provide real security value to users, given how easy they are to bypass," Duo Security CTO Jon Oberheide told TechNewsDaily. "It's not to say that installing a mobile anti-virus app is a bad thing for users to do, but users would be right to question whether it's something worth paying for."

Read Full Story here: http://www.technewsdaily.com/17982-android-antivirus-serious-weakness.html

Different Types of Antivirus Software

If your computer runs normally, it is a sign that it is working properly. If however, your computer starts to function in a way that it is far from normal, consider that as a warning sign that your computer is about to suffer from a viral attack. Computer viruses and trojans can have a serious impact on your computer such as deleting your hard drive and even taking control of your computer. With sufficient and adequate antivirus protection, you can counter the effects of an unwanted attack.

There are good free antivirus programs, however the only drawback is that it consumes a huge amount of memory. If installed on a laptop, there is a chance that this program will cause the laptop to hang. A desktop computer carries more memory than a laptop, therefore it may withstand the free antivirus software's memory consumption. This is what happened in my case. As my commercial antivirus program expired, I was left with the dilemma of protecting my computer. As I searched for a good antivirus, I finally selected one which protects against most viruses and at the same time consumes the least amount of memory. Best of all, it's free.

An Overview of Norton Antivirus

Computers have become valuable to the lives of millions around the world. Every aspect of our daily routine is reliant to computer processes. Every sector of society is run by computer generated system.

Despite the many good benefits we derived from computers, there are people who are trying to destroy these productive processes by creating computer programs aimed at destroying the computer system. They create viruses that harm computers when victims accidentally open them.

The advances in computer operating systems are continuing. Experts are trying to improve further these computer systems for personal and commercial usage. There are also efforts to counter the worst of effects of computer viruses. One of the software to combat these viruses is the Norton AntiVirus or the NAV.

The NAV was developed by Symantec Corporation. It detects and removes viruses, spyware, adware, and other possible risks to computers.

The Norton AntiVirus is offered for sale as a product by itself. It means that it can be installed in computers as a program. This product is also sold as a component of other Norton software program. Norton Internet Security and Norton SystemWorks includes the antivirus program as one of their programs.

Computers Hacking - Information

PC hacking entails the exploitation or method of cracking network and human vulnerabilities to gain access to otherwise safety protected information and facts. These methods of gathering information and facts have already been around for a really long time and go effectively beyond just a machine. Infiltrating a target also includes utilizing phone systems, wireless networks, closed networks, or fundamentally anything which will shop info. Computers will be the most typical of targets for intrusion on today's planet due to the vast amounts of variables involved which can be taken advantage. Each and every machine has its personal uniqueness primarily based on the human user.

A hacker is really quite a broad based term to describe a person that might use a bunch of unique varieties of technological specialties. You can find several distinctions in the world of network safety that differentiate a script kiddie from a white hat. There have also been loads of media consideration paid to the subculture of hackers. Modern movies portray gothic or emo looking teenagers applying overly elaborate graphical interfaces to take down an entire country's infrastructure from a few easy keystrokes. While that is fine for making drama, it's not actually reflective of true life. Actual hackers tend to be effectively educated computer system specialists or hobbyists that conduct their activities utilizing many personal computer code tests. A hacker looks at the puzzle in front of them and thrives on getting the loophole within the code to resolve the problem from within. They're seeking that bit of data that nobody else has paid consideration to before.

Tips: Save Your Wireless Network From Hackers

Creating a wireless network at your house is an excellent idea, it's really easy to do plus it enables you to surf the net conveniently from anywhere at your house.The problem is that lots of people are unaware of the danger that's added when using the home Wireless in an insecure manner.

If you want to protect your WiFi in order to prevent your neighbors from using up your bandwidth, then sure that's a sound cause to protect your WiFi, however it mustn't be your primary worry. The greatest problem with insecure WiFis happens when a hacker is able to connect to your WiFi, if he succeeds on doing that then he can easily read the information that's sent between you and the router and reveal your usernames, passwords or everything else that's sent between your devices, regardless of whether you are using SSL. This attack is known as "Man In The Middle" or MITM and it can easily be performed by even a rookie hacker rather quickly. Securing your Wireless will greatly lessen the chance of this occurring. Almost all hackers that try to get into WiFi's will quickly give up attempting to hack a secure wireless network as there are countless insecure networks out there which provide a considerably simpler target.

All of the approaches that are going to be explained here require that you log in to your access point's user interface and change a few of its options. If you don't know how to do that then go over to your access point manufacturer's web site and look for the guide for your particular model. Try to find information about how to gain access to that router's web interface.

1. Make use of a secure encryption
Using a secure encryption is an essential course of action, this makes certain that you can only connect by using a password. Choosing this options is generally done from the security tab in the Wireless setup menu. You may generally pick from three or four options: Disabled, WEP, WPA, WPA2. You'll want to choose WPA2 or WPA - and absolutely under no circumstances choose disabled or WEP! WEP encryption is an extremely broken encryption algorithm that can be broken in a few minutes by a completely inexperienced hacker. If your router only supports WEP encryption but not WPA then you should replace that router ASAP.

2. Utilize a strong encryption password
I'm certain you hear this phrase a lot "Use a strong password" and numerous people are thinking to themselves that on WiFis it's not too important, new flash - On WiFis it's extremely important to use strong passwords. Its a piece of cake for a hacker to use a program that scans the WiFi for millions of password combinations in mere minutes and crack it. Use at least eight to ten characters and a mixture of numbers, special symbols and letters. Avoid using dates, names or phones numbers - This is the very first thing hackers try.

3. Alter the SSID name
The SSID is the name of your wireless network, it's that name you choose from the list of nearby networks when you try to join. It's recommended that you alter that name and not use the default name. Modify it to a name that doesn't completely reveal who is the one who owns this wireless network, such as your surname - this is especially essential if you're living in a dense population area for instance an apartment building.

4. Restrict the Wifi's range
Restricting the transmit range will decrease the possibility of someone looking to hack your network. In many homes the Wireless may be detected from outside of it and there's generally no reason for this. Limit the transmission range, go outside your property and look to find out if it could be discovered from there. When possible you may relocate your router towards the center of the household to gain optimum coverage without creating blind spots caused by the restricted Wireless network range.

5. Alter the router's interface security password
The router's password is the password you need to type whenever logging in to the web interface. Technically if the hacker can connect to the access point's web interface then it's already too late and the hacker has gained access to the wireless network already, but nonetheless, this is a good precaution step to take and it will limit the control that the hacker has over your wireless network. Modify the password to a one that's difficult to guess and is different than the one used for the encryption.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7613065

Secure Passwords Tips and Tricks

Source: songbirdblog.com via Kelly on Pinterest

I saw an amusing video from Ellen DeGeneres recently, and it started me thinking about the issue of password security. The video shows an infomercial for a really stupid solution, but there are several real steps we can all take to safeguard our passwords.

Use Different Passwords
The infomercial is based on the idea that we use different passwords everywhere. This is an important first step, since if a hacker gets access to one password it limits the damage that can cause. The problem with this, of course, is how to remember all those multiple passwords.
You can save the passwords in a text file or spreadsheet, or you can use a password manager. Be sure to protect your master list with a password that is easy for you to remember but difficult for anyone else to guess. If you accidentally (or deliberately) attach this master list to an email, nobody can read it without the master password.
I use a password manager (Roboform) for most of my passwords, but keep a spreadsheet for my websites, since for those I need to keep a lot more information than just the password.

Use Strong Passwords
It's amazing how many people choose "password", "123456", or their name as their password. A strong password comprises 6 or more characters and includes numbers and upper and lower case letters. If the application allows you to use special characters as well, by all means use them.
For example, if you use "password" (not recommended!), you can write it as "9@$$w0Rd". It looks close enough to the original word that you can remember it without too much effort, but is much harder for hackers and their programs to crack.
Better still, use a password generator, such as that included with your password manager. to generate really strong passwords.

Change Passwords Frequently
Yes, I know changing passwords is a pain, but it's a lot more of a pain if you get hacked! I make a point of changing the critical passwords, such as banks and credit cards, every month or two, but I must admit that I often forget. Some applications - banks, for example - require frequent changes: this is where a good password manager eases the chore.
If you choose to use Roboform, you will find the free version is only useful to see how it works: you will need to pay a small annual fee for real application. (By the way, I am not affiliated with Roboform in any way - it's just what I use.)

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7660640