Computer Security

[Conflow]

COMPUTER SECURITY

An on-going topic has been running on this Forum for the past few weeks,viz:-"Computer Internet Privacy" ~ There have been many contributions on the subject which over the course of time, the objectives have become blurred and this is an attempt to rectify the situation by means of simple explainations.

SPYWARE

Spyware is a perfectely legitimate means of Internet Advertising used by virtually every large Company in the World. When you go On-Line you personally advertise to the World your Computer IP.Address which is clearly visible to all and sundry. Had you recently visited the 'XXX Corporation' their Server installs a small 'index device' on your PC called a 'cookie' now every time you go On-line (unknown to you) their Server is searching for an IP.Addresses which recently visited them, so naturally they will try to update you concerning their recent products. Their 'cookie' on your PC is the identity link to activate that Advert.

However there are 3rd Party Servers who don't play fair, in that they will Advertise anything for a payback ~ this means that everytime they 'hit you' they collect a fee and are known to corrupt the 'cookie' so as to lock you into their activities. Thats Bent SpyWare.

Remedy:- Install an Anti-Spyware Program.

HI-JACKERS

Now it gets more serious and here's how it happens. Your PC has an Internet Program designed to search the Web for you, it could be Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape, Opera, Firefox etc;etc. They all have two thing in common:- A generic designated 'Home Page' (your default page) and your 'Search Page'. This allows you to switch between 'Search Pages' as you roam the Net, but you always have your 'Home'Page' to jump back to ~ its simple.

Now, there are those which exploit that democratic principle in that they "illegally" capture or steal your current 'Search Page' and having done that they Hi-Jack your 'Home Page' ~ in effect they have Hi-Jacked your PC ~ because what you see, is what they want you to see... you have no choice in this matter. You will now be invaded by a plethora of Porn Site, Adult Sites, Cell Phone Ring Tones, and whatever they decide to throw at you. Furthermore they can WAKE UP your PC while you are working on a legitimate Word Document or playing Music etc; These programs go under the generic name: Hi-Jackers of which the most notorious is 'CoolwebSearch' and there are some 127 variants of that.

It gets even more serious:-

Some of these criminals have invented a thing called a 'KeyLogger' whose purpose is to record your Keyboard activities where after they use 'Filters' to pick-up any numeric data you have typed in. This compromises your 'Credit Card' and other 'Personal Data' you may have submitted, in particular, to the Travel Industry and the Bank Industry.

Remedy

Install an Anti-HiJack Program ~ However there is a penalty with many of these in that you may be required to Manually Remove certain artifacts of the parasite whereas if you are not competent to do this you will cause very serious damage to your PC, usually its terminal. Removing the infection after the event is akin to 'closing the stable door once the horse has bolted' ~ do you see what I mean ?.

Good PC.Management

If you have not done so, there is a very good 4 pronged approach to these problems which deploys the simple principle of "Prevention rather than Cure" viz:-

* Install a good Firewall ~XP already has one but it's useless without the SP2 ~SP6 updates.

* Install a good A/V Program such as Norton, McAfee, Zone Labs there are many others.

* Install a good Anti-Spyware Program such as Spybot, XoftSpy, AdAware, SpyDoctor, there are others.

Finally

Install Microsoft Beta-1 (V2) Anti-Hacker, Anti-HiJacker Program because:-

* Its proven and known to be the most effective 'Always-On' scanning deterant ~ it fights the infection BEFORE it gets on to your PC.

* It also REPAIRS the PC for you should you become infected ~ other's cant do that.

* It's designed by Microsoft for their 'Windows Operating Systems' ~ and who better to do that job ?

I hope this has simply explained the three most important 'PC.Security Issues' that currently exploit our personal Computers and that the paragraph on 'Good PC.Management' will help those unfortunate's who are struggling with these infections.

I would like to thank Igor for this oppurtunity in using the Forum Board for these explainations.

Brian.Conflow.

[bharkins]

Brian, I always enjoy your computer topics (even if off topic from PTE) . The PC security issue is of concern to every user that has an Internet connection. I have all the safeguards you mention including MS Antispyware Beta 1. However, I can not find an MS AntiHacker program as you mentioned. Can you direct us to the proper URL?

In your message, you did not mention the issue of RootKit viruses. I just discovered the term a few days ago. There is a lot of info about the topic by running a Google search. The root kit software gets in under Windows and it can't be seen by the normal AV software and is almost impossible to get rid of. Worth investigation.

Bill

[Conflow]

Hi Bill,

Many thanks for your comments and in answer to your queries:-

1) The Anti-Hacker, Anti-HiJack Program is in fact the Microsoft Beta-1 (Version2) which is specially designed to prevent unauthorised 'Hacker' intrusions onto your PC. whereas Norton addresses the problems of EMail Script intrusions + Viruses, both being complimentary to each other. If you have not done so, may I suggest that you 'update' your current Microsoft Beta-(V1). The New V2.Upgrade came out about 2/3 weeks ago.

2) The 'Root-Kit Virus ' is a derivitive of the old version detected in Nov.2003. The recent one can ride in on the back of a 'Coolweb Parasite' incorporating a particularily nasty Trojan that gets into the Win.INI System 32 Kernel. Both Microsoft & Norton Updates of last Wed 20th. attended to this matter so did SpyBot. The latter I must admit, I really like because it physically "innoculates" the Browsers against some 2000 known "rogue sites" ~ very effective.

Concerning being 'Off-Subject' yes I acknowledge this and my gratitude to Igor to allow this'Topic Posting' onto the Forum Board. Because the PTE Program is becomming so popular a potential danger exists in that the Program may be 'accidentally' used to spread these parasites via CD-Rom Shows from infected Computers. I know Igor is very aware of this and my simple explainations are my contribution in helping other Forum Members become aware of these dangers and protect themselves accordingly.

Isn't that what a Forum is all about ~self help.

Brian.Conflow.

[Ronniebootwest]

Hello Brian,

You still haven't answered the this question, "Can you direct us to the URL where MS Beta version2 can be downloaded".

I have noticed before (in your excellent write ups) that you always write AV or A/V when talking about viruses. This may be a mute point, but some folk could be excused for thinking that you are talking about 'AUDIO VISUAL' especially since PictruresToExe is an audio visual type of program. Can I suggest that abbreviations such as AV or A/V should be avoided, after all it doesn't take much more time to type the whole thing. I know you mean ANTI VIRUS but others may not!

[Ken Cox]

ron

see

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...en&Hash=GHMJT6C

ken

[Conflow]

Hi Ken and Ronnie,

Ken'

Many thanks for Posting that Link ~ I had forgotten to mention, that when you 'download' the most recent version of Microsoft Beta-1, you are in fact downloading the V.2 version.

I tend to forget these things as the Program 'auto-updates itself'

Ronnie,

Follow Kens Link or simply go on to the Microsoft Site www.microsoft.com

and you will see Microsoft A/V (Anti-Virus) posted there ~ just download it.

By the way it checks your PC to verify what version of Windows you are using and what condition its in. It then sorts out any errors in your Operating System and upgrades your Security to 128 Bit Encrypt Code (if not already done)...Only then will it proceed to download the Program and auto-install it and run a 1st Initialising Scan.

The matter of A/V ~ yes you made a good point there, however we in the Trade use A/V as anti-virus ~ "its a catch 22 situation" ~ but I promise to avoid the use of A/V if I catch myself on in time ?

Regards,

Brian.Conflow.

[bharkins]

Hi Bill,

Many thanks for your comments and in answer to your queries:-

1) The Anti-Hacker, Anti-HiJack Program is in fact the Microsoft Beta-1 (Version2) which is specially designed to prevent unauthorised 'Hacker' intrusions onto your PC. whereas Norton addresses the problems of EMail Script intrusions + Viruses, both being complimentary to each other. If you have not done so, may I suggest that you 'update' your current Microsoft Beta-(V1). The New V2.Upgrade came out about 2/3 weeks ago.

2) The 'Root-Kit Virus ' is a derivitive of the old version detected in Nov.2003. The recent one can ride in on the back of a 'Coolweb Parasite' incorporating a particularily nasty Trojan that gets into the Win.INI System 32 Kernel. Both Microsoft & Norton Updates of last Wed 20th. attended to this matter so did SpyBot. The latter I must admit, I really like because it physically "innoculates" the Browsers against some 2000 known "rogue sites" ~ very effective.

Concerning being 'Off-Subject' yes I acknowledge this and my gratitude to Igor to allow this'Topic Posting' onto the Forum Board. Because the PTE Program is becomming so popular a potential danger exists in that the Program may be 'accidentally' used to spread these parasites via CD-Rom Shows from infected Computers. I know Igor is very aware of this and my simple explainations are my contribution in helping other Forum Members become aware of these dangers and protect themselves accordingly.

Isn't that what a Forum is all about ~self help.

Brian.Conflow.

Now I'm confused. You say Anti hacker/Anti Hijack program, but Ken's link leads to MS Anti Spyware utility which I have had for a couple of months. Is this the same thing? I regard as Anti Hacking is to route out malware, not Spyware. Please clarify.

The root kit issue has a few programs out there that try to weed out the bad malware that is "underneath" Windows - such as Hacker Defender detector. In my reading it seems as though a lot of the root kit malware is emanating from Czechoslovakia. I wonder what's happening along that line in Russia - Igor?

Bill

[Conflow]

Bill,

This is a 'once-off' only in respectful reply to you Post ~

1) HACKER

Anybody or Any-Machine that deliberately tries to get into your Computer (without your knowledge) whether by 'Manually Means' or 'Automated Means' is a Hacker.....per se.

2) Hi-JACKER

Anybody or Any-Machine that deliberately 'Steal & Holds to Ransome' your Search Page or Home Page is a 'Hi-Jacker'.....

3) ADWARE & MALWARE

I have already explained that in my Article submission.

4) KEYLOGGER

An 'Automated Scanning Process' ....Like 'Phone-Tapping' (without your knowledge) for the purposes or gathering Personal & Business data about you ~ This for sale to a 3rd Party or for use to commit a Theft by deploying the confidentiallity of that Data.

My Posts are by there very nature meant to be simple explainations usually prompted by a question from a Fellow Member(s) which may be of interest to others ~ or at least to warn others of potential risks to their PC's and in particular when swopping & downloading Audio-Visual materials over the Internet.

PLEASE TAKE NOTE

There are very good (in-depth papers) on these subjects from the Microsoft Data Library and I must ask people to use these resources when they wish to pursue these topics beyond the simple explainations given here.

The Forum is not the place to discuss personal PC.Security Problems.

Brian.Conflow.