Symantec Update For 1 Clean Computer

OK, looks like Symantec was working triple time over the holiday weekend. I have to give credit where credit is due - and they do deserve credit for issuing a patch for this vulnerability so quickly. . .especially in a field where it usually takes weeks or months to correct these kinds of flaws.

"Symantec is a company used to responding rapidly," Vincent Weafer, a senior director at Symantec Security Response said. "In less than 24 hours of the issue being reported to us, the Symantec teams delivered [intrusion protection] signatures to protect our customers from any possible exploit attempt -- and in less than three days, Symantec delivered fixes for the vulnerable product."

I will eat crow on this one - my hat is off to Symantec for their timeliness and responsiveness on this issue.

Fight Crime For 1 Clean Computer

One of the best ways to fight crime is the same offline or online. What to do? Report it! IC3, or The Internet Crime Complaint Center, is a partnership between the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Nation White Collar Crime Center (NW3C). It is considered a centralized source for reporting Internet crime. There are different agencies to report different crimes - everything from child pornography to computer hacking to Internet bomb threats. The Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) breaks down the different agencies responsible for each different type of crime.

Symantec's Norton Antivirus NOT for 1 Clean Computer

Uh oh. Looks like Symantec's Norton Antivirus made a big boo-boo.

The Associated Press via CNN.com broke a story that headlines, "Symantec Corp.'s leading antivirus software, which protects some of the world's largest corporations and U.S. government agencies, suffers from a flaw that lets hackers seize control of computers to steal sensitive data, delete files or implant malicious programs, researchers said Thursday."

I've never been a fan of Norton Antivirus. In fact, I recommend a free antivirus program from Grisoft called AVG Free. You can upgrade to the full version AVG Antivirus if you'd like for more features and benefits.

What Does The IRS Have to Do With 1 Clean Computer?

Most people want to stay off the IRS radar screen. Nobody jumps up and down and says to the IRS "Hey look over here! Look at me!" But apparently there are idiots who do just that.
Now we have to beware of Tax Refund Phishing Scams. Yes, people have websites where they actually pose as the IRS just to get your personal information. You almost have to give these idiots points for creativity!

Just remember, the IRS doesn't email taxpayers. So if you get an email in your inbox from the "IRS", delete it!

Don't Be Without One For 1 Clean Computer

Let’s face it, we spend a lot of money on our toys. We buy expensive and sophisticated computers, entertainment centers and electronic equipment. And yet, as sophisticated as our electronics are, they are still not equipped to protect themselves against voltage attacks. Are you willing to risk irreparable damage to your computer because you didn’t buy the proper surge protector?

Surge protectors are simple to install, maintenance free and very affordable. And you MUST NEVER be without one.

It doesn’t take much to damage electrical circuits. And that damage can occur either instantaneously or over time as smaller surges cause the gradual deterioration of internal circuitry. Voltage surges and spikes, which are sharp and brief jumps in power, can happen for a number of reasons. Voltage surges last for as little as three nanoseconds (one nanosecond is one billionth of a second); spikes last for one or two nanoseconds.

Both can do their share of damage in that miniscule amount of time. They occur for a number of reasons, but the most common is the sudden jump in voltage that occurs when large electrical appliance, such as refrigerators and air conditioners, start up. A surge protector is necessary to protect these surges and spikes from potentially destroying your computer.

Surge Protectors act like an electrical sponge, absorbing dangerous excess voltage and preventing most of it from reaching your sensitive equipment. Like a sponge, surge protectors have a limited capacity to absorb. Once the capacity is reached, the unit is no longer protecting your equipment and it should be replaced.

When shopping, note the difference between a power strip and a surge protector. Power strips offer additional outlet space. Surge protectors provide protection from changes in electrical current.

As with most things, you get what you pay for when purchasing a surge protector. Check out 1CleanComputer to learn more about what to look for when shopping for a surge protector.

What Do You Do With Your Old Computer?

You got a new computer, and now you have to decide what to do with the old one? Well, if you're not going to keep it, you do have a couple of options:

1) Donate it - if it's less than 5 years old, and in good working condition.

2) Recycle it.

Whatever you choose, make certain you completely clean off your hard drive first. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gives you all the information you need to make your decision.

Erase Your History for 1 Clean Computer

There are times when we need to make certain that personal, sensitive information is completely erased from our computers. Especially if you use your work computer for personal business (let me say upfront that I do not condone it!), you will find it necessary to completely erase your history from the computer.

Eraser is a secure data removal tool for Windows. It completely removes sensitive data from your hard drive by overwriting it several times with carefully selected patterns. Eraser is open source software - meaning it's completely free.

Open source is called that because the source code is also available in case advanced users want to fiddle with the software to make it work a little differently or make it work for their specific needs.

The only thing we need to know is that it means that it's free for us to use - and I'm a huge fan of open source software. Download Eraser and let me know what you think.

How To Evaluate Information on the Internet

Ok, we've talked about getting free information off the Internet and the need to take precautions.

I can't say it better than John Hopkins University in their article about evaluating information you find on the Internet.

Basically, what they say is that you should consider:

1) who wrote the article and what are their qualifications
2) who published it - an organization or an individual
3) everybody writes with a bias
4) if the author has knowledge of, or refers to, other sources
5) are the results verifiable
6) the information is timely and current

Check out the article yourself by clicking here. And be safe with 1 Clean Computer!

It's Free - But At What Cost?

There's a lot of cool stuff to be found on the Internet. Some of it's free. Some of it's not. Before you throw caution to the wind and assume all the information and freebies you find are treasures at the end of the rainbow. . . WAIT! There are certain precautions you should take. Especially if you are investing hard-earned dollars or downloading questionable software onto your computer.

You can find anything you want on the Internet - from homes and cars to health information and life long love. There's free information, free software, free games and free gifts. But surfer beware! All that is free is NOT good!

Let's start with information. Anybody with an Internet connection and a keyboard can post anything they want to the Internet. And the same way you can find bad people in the offline world, there are also bad people in the online world.

Some of those bad people try to get you to download something for free - and then they install spyware or viruses on your computer.

Some of those bad people send you emails (phishing) to try to get your passwords and personal information.

Some of those bad people will install spyware or viruses on your computer and then steal your personal information and impersonate you - making you a victim of identity theft (one of the fastest growing crimes in America according to the FBI).

And some of those bad people will give you incorrect information - just for kicks. There are, of course, others (not so bad, just not so bright), who give incorrect information because they don't know any better.

Now, I don't want to scare you away from the Internet. There is a wealth of good information and good people on here too. What I am saying is. . . be cautious!

Keep It Running. . . .Keep It Clean

One of the best ways to keep your computer running is by keeping it clean - inside and out.

The benefits of having a clean computer cannot be argued:

1) Save time - when your computer is in the shop, it's not at home!

2) Save money - after just one visit to the shop for repair or cleaning, you'll know exactly what I mean! $$$$$$$

3) Protect your information and privacy - yes, with a "clean" computer.

4) Save more time - the cleaner your computer, the better and faster it will run.

5) Impress your family and friends with special skills!

Internally, if your computer is not “clean”, it can cause crashes, allow hackers into your PC, and cause it to operate sluggishly.

Externally, if your computer is not clean, it can cause anything from a gradual decline in performance to outright failure.

How To Identify Phishing

Phishing are emails that pretend to come from a company or bank. Their objective is to get you to click a link in the email they send so you will log onto your account - thus giving them your password and free access to any money you have in that account. It's dirty, it's unethical and it's illegal. So how do you protect yourself?

First, check to see who the email is addressed to. Any company you do business with has your name and will address you by your name - not "Dear Customer" or "Dear Valued Subscriber" or "Dear [your email address]". If it's not addressed to "Stephanie Trahd" - I know it's phishing.

Second, you can check to properties of the sender to see who sent it. You can bet your balance that your bank or PayPal won't send you an email from a Hotmail or Yahoo! address!

Finally, if your curiosity is getting the better of you, click on the link - but I don't recommended it. Sometimes those emails contain a virus that is activated by clicking on the link. Just delete it.

Always contact the company in question and report the email. They will also let you know if it is a legitimate email (which it most likely isn't).

Here's a copy of the most recent phishing attempt I received. As you can see, it looks EXACTLY like a email from PayPal - but I guarantee you, it is not!

Peeved About Phishing

One of my peeves is phishing scams. The last one I got was an email that appeared to be from PayPal telling me they received a payment I made in the amount of $298.85 for a Sony Ericsson W800i Camera made payable to a Larry Stark in Fresno, CA. I had to use their link to log onto my account if I wanted to dispute the charges.

What really got me about this one is that it appeared like an invoice - like the money was already taken out of my PayPal account. Luckily, I knew better - but there are so many folks who don't. Just for kicks, I clicked their link and logged on with the password "YouAreStupid".

I know it didn't do anything to them. . . it just made me feel better. :)