Q: I have your article from 2011 on computer protection. The antivirus software you recommended failed to download to my computer. I have Windows XP and Microsoft no longer services this program. I am looking for a program that will keep my computer secure. Do you have any suggestions? I took Windows Essentials off the computer. — Marlene Bogard
A: I have to start by saying that no program can make Windows XP secure now that Microsoft has stopped supporting it.
I'd recommend free AVG: free.avg.com/us-en/free-antivirus-download
Use the address I gave you if you do decide to use it — AVG makes things difficult by labeling some programs that aren’t free, as free to download. And that is true, they are free to download but not to use.
Q: My anti-virus program only checks for viruses. Do you have a suggestion for a free mal-ware system? — Brenda Marquis
A: There are plenty of good ones out there, but I can easily recommend this one: Superantispyway (superantispyware.com). You'll find both a free version and a for-pay version there.
The online criminals should send you a birthday card each year.
That’s because almost all crooked schemes require help from you. Sometimes it’s what you do; other times it’s what you don’t do. But one thing is certain, without your help 90 percent of these online con games wouldn’t work.
What you don’t do
Let’s start out by talking about some of the things in the “what you don’t do” category that can get you in trouble. I know I sound like a broken record when I list these basic steps – but I’ll get over my shyness and do it again anyway. That’s because a week doesn’t pass without some sorrowful email from a reader who failed to do one or more of these things and then paid the price for it.
You must use anti-malware software. It’s not enough to just protect against viruses. You also need to make sure your software watches out for adware/spyware and half a dozen other little bugs that can do harm to you but that technically aren’t viruses. In past columns I’ve listed a variety of programs – free and for pay – that do that. And the list holds true. But today, just to keep this as brief as possible I’ll list the commercial program Norton 360 and the free programs AVG Free and Superantispyware.
Windows comes with a firewall – software that makes it more difficult to hack into your computer. Make sure it’s turned on. If you don’t know how to do that just go to the Windows Help section and type the word firewall in the Help menu. By the way your security is also enhanced if you use a router – the gadget that connects your computers.
Backing up your computer is important too. And for once I’m not talking about the need to back-up to save your data in case of a hard disk crash. That’s still a big deal but there’s another reason to back up these days. An increasing number of cons use malware to scramble your data – encrypt it. It’s still there but you can’t reach it because of the encryption. You get a notice on the screen demanding that you pay to get the information unscrambled. That’s where a back-up copy of your data lets you ignore the demand and simply restore the data. Some online back-up services now keep several versions of your data – just in case the most recent back up is a scrambled version.
What you do
Now let’s change categories and talk about some of the things you do that aid the computer crooks in their quest to steal your money and identity.
Clicking your way into trouble: It’s almost automatic for some of you. You see a link in an email and feel compelled to click it to see what happens. Or you are on a website and click to download some free software that promises to turn your computer into a turbocharged speed machine. Or maybe you get an email that carries an attachment that is guaranteed to wow you. Oh, it’ll do that all right – soon you’ll be saying “wow where has all my money gone.”
Now you are really in a fix: Your phone rings and it’s an earnest sounding fellow who says he is from Microsoft or maybe some other big name tech company. He wants you to know that they’ve noticed (gosh knows how) that your computer has been compromised. He offers to fix things. And your caller ID shows that the call is from Microsoft so you feel safe. Don’t. It’s amazingly easy to spoof Caller I.D. Don’t believe me? Just use the words “spoof caller ID” to see how easy.
From that point on the con can go in several directions. But if you are smart you’ll never sample any of the variations in this con. You’ll hang up – don’t explain anything to the guy on the phone, don’t talk, don’t argue just hang up.
Now a phony threat: It’s actually real enough and hits iPhones. And this one is part of a trend toward creating a problem and then blackmailing the user into paying to have the problem fixed. As I type this threat hasn’t hit the U.S. It’s been reported in Australia and New Zealand. But I write these columns far in advance of when you see them so, for all I know, it’s hit our shores by now.
Briefly the hacker locks your phone – making it unusable - and charges you to unlock it. Luckily there are some ways to avoid this. It's a long story so I'm going to send you to a link to learn more about it: symantec.com/connect/blogs/apple-ids-compromised-iphones-ipads-and-macs-locked-held-ransom.
OK. That’s it for today. Go ahead and be paranoid. They really are out to get you.
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