Internet Safety: How do I keep my computer safe on the internet?

It seems like not a day goes by where we don't hear about some new kind of threat aimed at wreaking havoc across machines connected to the internet.
Here are some things you can, and should, do to stay safe.

Web of Trust

Web of Trust warns you about risky websites WOT is a free Internet security addon for your browser. It will keep you safe from online scams, identity theft, spyware, spam, viruses and unreliable shopping sites. WOT warns you before you interact with a risky website. It's easy and it's free.

The Secunia Online Software Inspector

The Secunia Online Software Inspector, or short OSI, is a fast way to scan your PC for the most common programs and vulnerabilities, thus checking if your PC has a minimum security baseline against known patched vulnerabilities.

Feature Overview:

• Detects insecure versions of common/popular programs installed on your PC
  
• Verifies that all Microsoft patches are applied
  
• Assists you in updating, patching, and protecting your PC
  
• Activates additional security features in Sun Java
  
• Runs through your browser. No installation or download is required
  
• If you run the Secunia PSI or CSI - then you're already covered

German Researchers Score Conficker Detection Breakthrough

Just days ahead of an April 1st activation date for the Conficker worm squirming through the Windows operating system, security researchers at the Honeynet Project have scored a major breakthrough, finding a way to fingerprint the malware on infected networks.

SEE: CBS 60 Minutes covers Conficker, malware epidemic

rminder

With a phone and the Web, you can receive reminders. rminder is easy to use. Register with your phone number, type in the reminder, a time and date, and you'll get a call.

Goofy: How to hook up your Home Theater

Conficker Judgement Day on April 1st

I would never want to be labeled as an “Alarmist’ but I hope my post today will make some folks take some reasonable steps to protect themselves. After a lot of research and debate I have been convinced that April 1^st is not going to be a good day for the Internet.

Read more........

Get a Free PC Safety Scan

Windows Live OneCare safety scanner is a free service designed to help ensure the health of your PC.

* Check for and remove viruses
* Get rid of junk on your hard disk
* Improve your PC's performance

MailWasher Pro

With MailWasher Pro...
* Stop spam before it gets to your computer.
* Stop spam to all your email addresses in one place.
* Get free updates for life of the product!
* Keep your inbox free of junk and clutter.

MailWasher Pro lets you safely preview and delete bad email before it gets to your computer - never download another spam email to your computer again!

This is one of the few paid programs I recommend and use - Don

SelfGeek.com

Windows tips, tricks, & video tutorials. We teach you to be your own geek!
I love this web site - Don

Rogue antivirus software pays off for scammers

Online scammers are making a lucrative business out of redirecting visitors from legitimate Web sites to sites that try install rogue antivirus software, according to a report due to be released by security firm Finjan on Monday.

Nasty New Worm Targets Home Routers, Cable Modems

If you have DSL or cable Internet access, do yourself a favor and double-check your hardware's passwords. Are you using the factory defaults? Then change them, right away. A nasty new worm called Psyb0t is attacking home networks, trying out thousands of common user names and passwords until it gains access.

WinPatrol

WinPatrol will alert you to hijackings, malware attacks and critical changes made to your computer without your permission. Installing WinPatrol is quick and easy.
When you run WinPatrol you may not notice any changes at all. The only visible change you'll see is Scotty on guard down in your system tray. That means WinPatrol is quietly on patrol and you'll only know it's running if there's some kind of potentially dangerous change made to your system.

Exploit code sends Mozilla scrambling to fix Firefox

Mozilla’s security response team is scrambling to ready a patch for what appears to be a serious security flaw affecting its flagship Firefox browser.

Windows 7 RC download page goes up early, coming in May

It looks like someone flipped the switch a little early. The Windows 7 Release Candidate download page on TechNet has made a premature appearance, much like the beta* download page did before the beta was released to the public. The public Release Candidate will apparently be coming in May 2009, and not in April as previously rumored.

*a website or online project either in pre-release, during testing or shortly after release to the public.
Windows 7 is the successor to Windows Vista.

Nine Ways to Use Twitter

Have you been following the crazy ink that Twitter has been getting? The microblogging service is all over the news right now, and I'm sure it's all being orchestrated for the sole purpose of selling the company to Google or Facebook or, uh, someone else.

I Googled my phone number and it turned up my home address - is that legal?

I Googled my home phone number and it came back with my name, address and phone listed under an area I live near. Not wanting my info on the web, I contacted the directory listing service it appeared under and according to them the phone company sold them my private information. And, there's really nothing they could do. Isn't there any law to protect us against selling private information?

A New Version of AVG Anti-virus Free Edition Is Available

AVG Free Edition is the well-known antivirus protection tool. AVG Free is available free of charge to home users for the life of the product. Rapid virus database updates are available for the lifetime of the product, thereby providing the high level of detection capability that millions of users around the world trust to protect their computers. AVG Free is easy to use and will not slow your system down (low system resource requirements. Highlights include automatic update functionality, the AVG Resident Shield, which provides real-time protection as files are opened and programs are run, free Virus Database Updates for the lifetime of the product, and AVG Virus Vault for safe handling of infected files.

Browser Showdown: Internet Explorer 8 vs. Firefox

IE 8 is Faster, But Will You Notice?

In practical, everyday use, you likely won't notice much of a difference between IE 8 and Firefox 3. Due to the fact that broadband connections are so commonplace today, and the fact that browsers in general can load pages faster than they could even a couple years ago, the page load time differences between the two are relatively moot. If you use Firefox and are happy with it, you may as well stick with it.

Two New Improvements to Google Results Pages

Google announced two new enhancements to its core search engine, specifically what you see in the results pages following your search. The first involves longer summaries of the Web sites listed in the results pages when users type in longer queries. If you’re digging deeper with your query, then Google should offer more in the summaries. That makes sense.

The second is the use of a new technology that, according to Google, “can better understand associations and concepts related to your search.” The first use of this technology comes in the form of “related searches” links found at the bottom - and sometimes top - of the results page.

The Price of Piercing

While body piercing has increased in popularity and social acceptance, long healing time, infections and scarring can plague those who pierce.

Speed Dial Feature for Firefox

Direct access to your most visited websites. Click below

Increase The Size of Your Browser Window

To increase the size of your browser window for easier viewing.
Press the Ctrl key + Move your mouse wheel.

Report: Rogue antivirus software pays off for scammers

Online scammers are making a lucrative business out of redirecting visitors from legitimate Web sites to sites that try install rogue antivirus software, according to a report due to be released by security firm Finjan on Monday.

Finjan's Malicious Code Research Center came across a traffic management server in Ukraine used by underground online scammers to keep track of how many redirects their rogue antivirus sites get from legitimate sites that have been compromised.

I Stole My Friend's Identity

If you've not yet leapt into the great abyss of social networking, then you haven't created any accounts that can be compromised, and you're safe, right? Not!

Windows Internet Explorer 8

Microsoft released the full, shipping version of Internet Explorer 8 last week. This may be the company’s best browser, ever. However is it better than Firefox or Google Chrome (which just had another major beta release)? PCMag has a hands-on review and all the answers.

The Best Deals on Desktop Computers

Looking for the perfect desktop computer? Computer Shopper is your one-stop source for the best deals on desktop computers. Read expert reviews, check editor ratings, and compare prices. We're committed to helping you find the best desktop computer deals! The latest desktop computer deals are listed below.

How Much Do You Owe Uncle Sam?

How Much Do You Owe Uncle Sam? Tax-Prep Sites May Disagree
We ran the same tax situation through five popular tax-preparation sites, and got totals that varied by almost $2000.

Read the story

Top 10 Twitter Tips for Beginners

Ready to jump into Twitter, but don't know how to get started? Follow these 10 tips and you'll fit right in.

Read the full story here.

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 8.5.278

Need to download AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 8.5.278 again?

Download now

Are your security needs slowing you down? Set your scans to run at a more convenient time.

Schedule your AVG virus scans

Round out your protection portfolio with these additional free apps.

Strengthen your defenses

VersionTracker Pro, a new CNET service, keeps your software and drivers up-to-date and secure.

Keep AVG updated automatically

5 Tips To Avoid Social Mistakes On The Internet

Somewhere right now on the internet, at least 25,000 people are blogging, video’ing, Twittering, Facebook’ing, MySpace’ing or whatever other-ing something they really shouldn’t about someone in their social circle. Shortly after what they post these people will encounter the wrath of those they posted about (and probably in less than 24 hours). Nasty emails will be shot back and forth and friendships will be ended.

If you want to avoid internet social mistakes that "deal the drama" as they say, below are my tips for keeping drama at bay.

Google Pack

Google Pack is:

• Software specifically selected by Google
• Always free - no trial versions or spyware
• Ready to use in just a few clicks

StopBadware.org

StopBadware.org tests and evaluates applications that come to our attention as potentially exhibiting badware behaviors. If we find that an application violates our guidelines, we issue an alert to notify the public. In some cases, we follow an alert with a more detailed report to shed additional light on the application and its behavior. About StopBadware

Monitor Resolution And Your Eyesight

Is there such a thing as too much resolution? Yes. And it matters, because for many, anything over 1280×1024 is just too much, mainly due to the fact there’s much squinting involved when running native.

You may have noticed over the past few years that OEMs (Original equipment manufacturer, the original manufacturer of a component for a product, which may be resold by another company)
and monitor makers are purposely downing the native resolution on LCD monitors. This is because too many people were complaining that they couldn’t even read the text under their icons on the desktop without upping the font sizes at least 4 to 6 points (which is a lot).

Read more.....

Enhancing Desktop and Laptop Security Performance with Disk Defragmentation

The use of an automated defragmentation tool provides an excellent compliment to security software. Advanced technology such as the ability to run invisibly on a computer, and solving disk fragmentation in real-time are vital.

Faster detection of new threats means faster elimination. Using real-world scenarios, this study presents the impact of fragmentation on the performance of security scans from the most popular anti-spyware and anti-virus solutions on the market today. Click below to get a FREE defragmentation program which is easy to use.

Windows 7 build 7048 vs. Windows 7 beta 1 vs. Vista vs. XP - which is best?

Windows 7 is still a work in progress (and realistically, probably will be for a good 9 - 12 months after launch) and drivers are still pretty new. However, four patterns do emerge:

* Windows 7 is, overall, better than both Vista and XP.
* As Windows 7 progresses, it’s getting better (or at least the 64-bit editions are).
* On a higher-spec system, 64-bit is best.
* On a lower-spec system, 32-bit is best.

For those brave souls who want the details, click on the logo below:

KeePass Password Safe

KeePass Password Safe is a free, open source, light-weight and easy-to-use password manager for Windows. You can store your passwords in a highly-encrypted database, which is locked with one master password or key file.

Online Safety Tips for Facebook Fogeys

Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them.
Grownups, take note! Here is what you need to know before "friending" your first Facebook connection.

Windows Help and How-to

Windows Basics - Learn about your computer

• Introduction to computers

• Parts of a computer

• Using your mouse

• Using your keyboard

• Turning off your computer properly

Desktop fundamentals

• The desktop (overview)

• The taskbar (overview)

• Windows Sidebar and gadgets (overview)

• Working with windows

• Using menus, buttons, bars, and boxes

Programs, files, and folders

• Using programs

• Working with files and folders

• Getting started with printing

• Using Paint

• Using WordPad

Internet, e-mail, and networking

• Exploring the Internet

• Getting started with e-mail

• Managing your contacts

• Understanding security and safe computing

• Setting up a wireless network

Pictures and games

• Working with digital pictures

• Learn about Windows games

Help and support

• Getting help

• What accessibility features does Windows offer?

HDTV Guide: How to Buy Your Next TV

Although flat-panel high-definition televisions—whether based on plasma, LCD, or DLP rear-projection technology—have decreased in price sharply, they certainly aren’t low-cost impulse buys. Most of them offer a stunning picture, but if you don’t do your research, you could end up spending hundreds or even thousands on a model that doesn't meet your expectations. Before you splurge on an HDTV, check out our quick guide and some buying basics.

The Best Free Software

Computer Shopper Magazine found that most consumers can get many of the features they need out of freeware, and in many cases, professionals can, too, depending on their business needs. They take a look at everything from our the favorite free games to the top 5 must-have utilities. They will also show you when it pays to buy software.

Access multiple email accounts with Gmail in 3 easy steps

Many people have multiple email addresses. Gmail’s multiple inboxes feature allows this.
The multiple inbox feature can be enabled to access third party email (hotmail, your Internet Service Provider email, etc.) alongside your Gmail account and can even be used to display certain sections or labels within your Gmail account simultaneously, e.g. by creating a search filter for a labeled or starred email.

What are these blue lines on the left of my email?

The blue vertical lines on the left side of an email, how do you get rid of them? Sometimes you can delete them & sometimes when you try to, the whole email disappears. They are just annoying & tacky looking. We never use to see them & now they are just about on everything!

Inside Outlook Express

Frequently asked questions about Outlook Express
Why ... ?

Scam Alert: Don't Fall for Bogus 'Stimulus' Checks

FTC, BBB officials say that sites promising a piece of the stimulus action are misleading at best, and may charge big bucks to provide information you could get for free.

Top 10 Most Popular Standalone Utilities

Service packs are all very well and good, but what utilities can add life to almost any system? Our readers voted by downloading software to protect their data and streamline their systems. Between them, these programs back up, compress, and recover data. Others fine-tune PCs six ways to Sunday. And almost all of them are free.

Clean out your Web browser's records

Modern Web browsers record nearly everything you see and do online. The saved information is often a convenience. However, it can be easily found and seen by the wrong eyes. This is especially true on public computers, but also a concern on a shared family computer.

Password checker

Your online accounts, computer files, and personal information are more secure when you use strong passwords to help protect them.

Test the strength of your passwords: Enter a password in the text box to have Password Checker help determine its strength as you type.

I Am Back!!

I have just returned from a cruise to the Western Caribbean. It was warm and relaxing. We went on Holland-America. We have sailed with them before. They are very good.

TheFreeSite.com, Home of the Web's Best Freebies.

Sign up for TheFreeSite.com's free E-mail newsletter and get a weekly roundup of the Web's latest and greatest free stuff.