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Dealing with anti-virus and firewall
protection may sound about as exciting as flossing your teeth, but
it's just as important as a preventive measure. Having intense dental
treatment is never fun; neither is dealing with the effects of a
preventable computer virus.
Anti-virus Software
Anti-virus software protects your computer from viruses
that can destroy your data, slow your computer's performance, cause
a crash, or even allow spammers to send email through your account.
It works by scanning your computer and your incoming email for viruses,
and then deleting them.
To be effective, your anti-virus software should update routinely
with antidotes to the latest "bugs" circulating through the Internet.
Most commercial anti-virus software includes a feature to download
updates automatically when you are on the Internet.
Anti-Virus Software- What to Look For and Where to Get It
You can download anti-virus software from the websites of software
companies or buy it in retail stores. Look for anti-virus software
that:
- recognizes current viruses, as well as older ones
- effectively reverses the damage
- updates automatically.
Here's a sample list of anti-virus software that you can purchase
online.
http://security.getnetwise.org/tools/results/any2.php
This list was gathered and provided by the GetNetWise website.
We cannot guarantee the effectiveness of any of the products listed
on the GetNetWise website, nor do we endorse any products. The National
Cyber Security Alliance is also unable to provide any technical
assistance with any of these tools.
Firewalls
Don't be put off by the word "firewall."
It's not necessary to fully understand how it works; it's enough
to know what it does and why you need it. Firewalls help keep hackers
from using your computer to send out your personal information without
your permission. While anti-virus software scans incoming email
and files, a firewall is like a guard, watching for outside attempts
to access your system and blocking communications from and to sources
you don't permit.
Some operating systems and hardware devices come with a built-in
firewall that may be shipped in the "off" mode. Make sure you turn
it on. For your firewall to be effective, it needs to be set up
properly and updated regularly. Check your online "Help" feature
for specific instructions.
Information on how to turn on your operating system's firewall.
Windows XP and Macintosh OS X operating systems have a built in
firewall. Here's a video that teaches you how to turn on the firewall
for each of these operating systems. This option is available only
if you have these operating system versions.
Window's XP
http://security.getnetwise.org/tools/firewallxp-instruct
This video tutorial shows you how to enable the firewall option
built into the Microsoft XP operating system.
Macintosh OS X
http://security.getnetwise.org/tools/firewall-osx-instruct
This video tutorial shows you how to start the built-in firewall
of the Macintosh OS X operating system. This option is available
only to users of the Macintosh OS X operating system version 10.2
or later.
If your operating system doesn't include a firewall, get
a separate software firewall that runs in the background while you
work, or install a hardware firewall — an external device
that includes firewall software. Several free firewall software
programs are available on the Internet. You can find one by typing
"free firewall" into your favorite search engine.
Here's a sample list of firewall software that you can purchase
online.
http://security.getnetwise.org/tools/results/any1.php
This list was gathered and provided by the GetNetWise website.
We cannot guarantee the effectiveness of any of the products listed
on the GetNetWise website, nor do we endorse any products. The National
Cyber Security Alliance is also unable to provide any technical
assistance with any of these tools.
Anti-Spyware Software
Anti-spyware software helps protect your computer from malicious
spyware that monitors your online activities and collects personal
information while you surf the web. It works by periodically scanning
your computer for spyware programs, and then giving you the opportunity
to remove any harmful surveillance software found on your computer.
Some anti-virus software contains anti-spyware capability. Given
the increasing sophistication of spyware programs, consider using
two different anti-spyware program search one looks for slightly
different sets of threats, and together they may offer increased
protection.
Zombie Drones
Some spammers search the Internet for unprotected computers they
can control and use anonymously to send unwanted spam emails. If
you don't have up-to-date anti-virus protection and a firewall,
spammers may try to install software that lets them route email
through your computer, often to thousands of recipients, so that
it appears to have come from your account. If this happens, you
may receive an overwhelming number of complaints from recipients,
and your email account could be shut down by your Internet Service
Provider (ISP).
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