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Welcome To
The Better Systems Podcast!
 
February 27, 2010 Show Notes (PodcastIT005):
"How do I protect my computer from Malware?"
This is the $100,000 question, or is that $1 Million with inflation?
If you don't have
internet access, your battle is almost over. However, who doesn't
have any kind of
internet access now a days? We can even get internet on our phones,
and some people have access in their cars! However, if you are still
one of the few who don't have internet access (or know of someone in
that situation), then just don't install software from a "friend"
who downloaded it from the internet, unless you know they have had
it on their computer for some time.
Now for the rest of us. Actually, the same helpful hint goes for us.
This time, include
any internet program that a "friend" recommends you to download.
Never download software from a "disreputable" source - meaning some
place you don't know. To help you, can use the "Web Of Trust" that I
mentioned in Better Systems Podcast, Episode 3! This is helpful as
others before you can help give you feedback about websites.
Secondly, if you get emails with attachments, don't open the
attachments! Even if it is
from someone you know, check with them first. Millions of people got
a virus from Face Book when a virus ended up on their servers, and
then it sent emails to everyone in their contact files to propagate
the virus. Propagating onwards, it looked up all your contacts in
your email program and continued the virus by sending the emails to
them. So, only open the attachments from "friends" only when you are
expecting them. If you get emails from someone you don't know with
attachments, do not open them! If you have to open attachments in
your email, then please make sure you have an automated email
attachment scanner loaded, or a resident anti-malware software
running.
Finally, there are many sites that offer free products such as
music, movies, pictures
(most are not legal?). Before clicking, hover your mouse over the
link and look in the
bottom left of your Internet Explorer (or somewhere in the bottom of
other internet
browsers). You will see where the link is going to. If you see
something ending in
".exe", stay away! Clicking that link will download an executable
software and will run on your computer. That is not a picture, a
music file, or a video. It is a program.
Better Systems Tech Tip: Have a reputable anti-malware software
program. I listed 3 in Better Systems Podcast, Episode 4. You may
ask why I suggest none of the major anti- malware software like
Norton or McAfee. Well, besides being packed with "bloatware" that
will slow down your system, people programming malware will make
sure that these programs will not stop their malware. Another
program that I have been using recently is VipreRescue. This seems
to be extremely powerful, but will take a bit longer to run. It has
caught some viruses that the other 3 did not catch. To get to the
link for VipreRescue, please go the show notes for this episode at
www.houstonoutsource.com/podcastit.
VIPRERESCUE by Sunbelt Software
Check Out Our Other Show Notes!
My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-c744dad21fa26dc837ce88662dc12dff}
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