How to backup your computer (Windows)

On some of the previous tips I have written I mentioned that backing up your computer is important to computer security because when something goes wrong in your computer system you can reinstall windows on your computer to eliminate the problem and use the backup of your computer to restore your files.

Steps:

1) Firstly, download a program called FBackup from the download page from the main page of the blog or click the link below.
http://www.fbackup.com/free-download.php#mirrors

2) After running and installing the software problem, click the Backup button, name your backup and select the files that you want to backup on an external hard drive.

3) Afterwards the program will ask: "How do you want to backup?" and select 'make full' and will also prompt you to encrypt the files to which you can decide whether or not if you want a password on your backup.

4) Next, the program will ask: "When do you want to backup?" and select manually as you want to back up the files now and then click save and run.

5) Your computer is now backed up. Enjoy!

3 Easy ways to boost your system performance

Many people have this problem, your computer is just so slow but you don't have the money to upgrade it or to buy another computer. Here are 3 easy ways to boost your system performance for free.

One easy way to boost your system performance is just by updating your system software. By updating your system software you can make the performance of your computer smoother as software updates include security updates, bug fixes and creates effiency within your computer system which ensures a faster and safer experience.

Another way to boost your system performance is keep your computer system sufficiently cooled because if the computer is not properly cooled then the overall system performance will suffer as the system will try to reduce system performance in order to cool it down. The best way to keep your system sufficiently cooled would be just to allow your computer to "breathe" properly by keeping the fan areas ventilated, cleaning the air fans by removing dust and cutting down the number of programs you are using by task manager.

Lastly you can also downgrade the visual effects in your operating systems control panel as some of the visual effects contribute to overall system usage and by disabling them you can free up some of the system memory that is being used and this will lead to an faster experience.

Most useful add-ons *FIREFOX*

So in one of my last blog posts I talked about some of the types of add-ons to avoid and so this time I will write about the most useful add-on programs that can get for free.

One of the most useful add-on programs that you can get for free that everyone can agree on would be Adblocker as this program blocks most of the advertisements that display on webpages while you are surfing the web. Pretty straightforward, but this does wonders for the overall loading speed of the webpage.

Another useful add-on program would be "Downthemall" this little add-on increases your download speed by 4 times the original and allows you to control your downloads effectively.

And another useful add-on program noscript" adds extra security to your browser while you are browsing the internet as it only allows trusted websites that you have visited before to run executible programs without your consent.

Another thing to note about these add-ons, they are for firefox only!!!

New Mac Virus

There has been a new virus that has been affecting Macintosh computers called (Backdoor_OSX_Morcut).
How the virus is spread is unknown, but there are several symptoms to the symtoms of the virus.

1. It can take full control on e-mail and chatting option of users.
2. It can take full control on Skype and MSN ID of users.
3. It can remove photos that have taken by webcam.
4. It can pass every login password.
5. Executive application, browse history, document screenshot, control on microphone, information on calendar, and addresses that have been stored in various ID’s can be controlled because of this Mac virus.

http://www.techstalks.com/mac-virus-mac-affected-by-dangerous-virus-again/

Referring back to my post about internet safety myths this proves that no operating system is safe, even Mac computers who used to be able to boast that their operating system cannot get viruses and have no need for an anti-virus software system. I hope this latest attack busts the myth once and for all.

3 Ways to improve your internet connection

1) Keeping your router in a central location, this simple step is one of the most important steps in ensuring total internet optimization as the router is the central hub for the internet connection and the less resistance that the signal has to go through the stronger your connection will be.

2) Another way to improve the internet connection is to make sure if no other wireless devices interfere with the wireless signal that the wireless router sends out, for example if the router is a 2.4 gHz and if you have other wireless devices that have a similar frequency they may interfere and cause a slower connection speed while both of them are online simulatneously.

3) Another way to maximize your internet connection is to check if anyone else is using your internet connection as your wireless signal can also be detected by your neighbours or other people and to check if anyone is using your wireless internet you can go to Control panel and to the left you will see beside the Network bar the names of every computer that is connected to the internet if you do not recognize some of the computers then someone is using your internet. To prevent this from happening secure your internet with a encryption key such as WEP or WPA with the use of your local router software.

Add-ons to avoid *All browsers*

 Browser toolbar add-ons - These add-ons are just a giant eyesore on the browser, these add-ons usually have nothing new to offer except for a google search bar, some colour customization schemes, social media shortcuts such as facebook or  twitter and some even add advertisements on your page. These tool-bars are also notoriously annoying to uninstall as they always manage to find their way back onto your browser screen.

 Youtube downloader add-ons - On a first impression these add-ons seem to be useful for downloading youtube videos quickly while on the go to put on your phone or ipod, but these add-ons are slow and require constant updates as browsers are regularly updated.

Translation add-ons - These add-ons serve almost no purpose as you get the same result by using google translate if not even better results as these programs are usually outdated verisons of previous translation software and serve only to slow your PC down!

'Money order' scams

As people start to use online advertisement websites to sell their unused merchandise, new scams have been appearing on these websites as individuals attempt to cheat others out of their belongings. A common scam that has been occuring on websites such as eBay, or Amazon is that when users put their auctioned item on the internet, for example a laptop computer some individuals may offer to buy the item by the use of a 'money order cheque'. These cheques may appear to work for the first couple of days, but after a couple of months when you have already shipped the product to the individual that gave the 'money order cheque' the cheque will bounce and you will be asked to pay the difference. This scam occurs mainly to items that are hard to sell, for example used laptops and it relys on the users haste to sell the item to which he will be glad to accept the 'money order' offer.

To protect yourself from this type of scam, accept only paypal or bank transfers as the method of payment as this will allow you to successfully confirm that the money has entered your account before sending off the item to the individual.

Conficker Virus

Conficker Virus- This computer virus has infected over 15 million computers to date from its discovery in Early 2008.  This virus expliots a vulnerability in the Windows service programs and causes your computer to download a copy of the virus therby infecting your computer. Your computer can also be used as a base to host future virus attacks on other computers once infected.

Symptoms of the Conficker Virus

- Being locked out User accounts
- Windows services disabled (Windows defender, Automatic Updates)
-Decrease in overall system performance
- Anti-virus systems disabled





To check if your computer has the conficker virus please visit:
http://www.confickerworkinggroup.org/infection_test/cfeyechart.html

Common Internet Safety Myths

Don't believe what everyone tells you these days, there is a lot of speculation these days to regards with  internet safety and most of the rumors that spread around are usually untrue and leave your computer open to malware and viruses.

1) A common myth to regards with internet safety is "Macs don't get viruses" refering to the myth that computers produced by Apple do not get viruses because they run on a different operating system. This is untrue as the Macintosh computers can get viruses just the same as windows computers, but at a lesser rate since viruses and malware are usually designed for the windows operating system.

2) "<Insert browser name here>" is safer than internet explorer". Everybody likes to bash internet explorer these days as it is slow and clunky in comparison to much faster browsers such as Google chrome. The truth of the matter is that each browser have an equal chance of getting infected with viruses and the protection is based upon what anti-virus software you have rather than the type of browser you are using.

3 Things to do after purchasing a new computer

1) Uninstall all of the "bloatware" on your new computer, new computers usually have fast performance so you will usually not notice the decrease in system performance in the short-run, but system performance will suffer in the long run. "Bloatware" on a new computer would be programs that come installed with the computer.

2) Install anti-virus software IMMEDIATELY it is vital that you add protection to your new computer as it is better to be safe than sorry. Just get it out of the way quickly and you won't have to worry about viruses in the future. A recommended anti-virus program would be Avast.

Avast Anti-virus program: www.avast.com

3) Backup your system on a CD. If a virus strikes and you have no way of fixing the problem without bringing your computer to a computer repair shop the usual solution is just to wipe your whole hard-drive and your system will be operational again.

WARNING Java Virus

I thought you guys should be aware that there is virus that infects the java update part of your system and it masquerades as a java update in order to infect your computer.  My laptop has just been infected by this type of virus so I thought it would be helpful to post the different steps to take if others are also infected.

Steps to take if you are infected by the official java website:
SYMPTOMS 

Malicious applets have been discovered in the Java cache directory. Anti-virus programs have detected such malicious applets in the following directory:
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Sun\Java\Deployment\cache

---

CAUSE 

Viruses found in this cache directory are not associated with the Java that was downloaded and installed on the system. A cache directory is a a temporary storage location. When the browser runs an applet or application, Java stores files into its cache directory for better performance.
Some examples of the virus reported in the cache directory:

• Trojan.ByteVerify
• Pdfjsc.CR
• Uutecwv.class
• Hieeyfc.class

---

SOLUTION 

If you find one of these malicious applets on your computer, please use an anti-virus program to delete the applet, or you can clean the cache directory manually. Follow the below instructions to manually remove these malicious applets from the Java cache directory:

1. From the Start button, select Control Panel.
2. In the Control Panel, open the Java Control Panel.
3. Click on Settings button under Temporary Internet Files.
4. Click Delete Files button at the Temporary Files Settings window.
5. Click on OK button at confirmation dialog.

Source: http://www.java.com/en/download/help/cache_virus.xml

3 common signs that show that your pc has a virus

Well viruses are becoming more commonplace even with the advance in anti-virus software in this age. Viruses linger around in your pc and you may not even know that your computer may have a virus right now.

1) One common sign that your computer has a virus is that the system performance decreases dramatically, for example if your boot-up time slows down considerably it could be that a virus has infected your programs and cause considerable lag time in the boot time.

2) Another sign that you may have a virus is if your computer blinks when you issue a command to the computer, for example when you click the mouse and if the computer screen blinks, you may have a key logger on your computer. A key logger is a program that records your keyboard as you type sensitive information such as personal information such as a bank login and password.

3) Another sign that you might have virus is if your anti-virus software is disabled such as for example,  if essential programs such as windows defender or firewalls are turned off you may have a virus on your computer which allow people to access your computer while your computer protection is disabled.

To counteract these viruses you should scan regularly with a simple full system scan of your computer at least once a week which will allow you to scan for these viruses before major problems arise.

 

2 EASY ways to Boost Computer Start-up speed

We've all experienced it, slow boot-up on a laptop or desktop and you just want to get your computer started up, but it is taking an eternity to start-up.

1) The easiest way to boost your start-up speed on your computer is just to remove all of the junk off of your computer, things such as temporary cache files, a full recycling bin and downloads that you no longer use. Now this may be a tedious task to do by yourself, but there is a free cleanup program called CCleaner that can help you do this with a push of a single button!

CCleaner download link: http://www.piriform.com/CCLEANER

2) Another way to boost your start-up speed on your computer would be to defragment your computer. What this means is that in your computer there may be many files on the computer that may be broken and fragmented and this will slow down system performance if many of these files are present inside of your hard drive. This can be easily solved by searching for 'Disk Defragmenter' on your windows search bar.

Counterfeit items scam

This scam is occuring mainly on internet shopping websites such as eBay or Amazon as people begin to look for used products in order to save some money.  Items such as sunglasses, headphones and clothing can be easily faked and passed off as genuine items and so people purchase these items without knowing that it is real or fake. The problem lies in time as people do not suspect the item is fake, but it starts to show when the item is used more frequently and by the time that they figure out that the item is fake the refund period will have expired and they will be left with a fake product.

The best way to avoid these scams is by purchasing at the retailer's specific store, for example if you are purchasing Ray-Ban sunglasses, then you should purchase them at the retailer's website or stores.

Paypal Scams

This type of scam occurs when you are selling an item on an online website, for example eBay or Amazon and a person responds to your advertisement on the item that you are selling that he/she would like to purchase the item. These people usually respond to expensive items that are hard to sell, for example used computer hardware and prey on the seller's anxiousness to get the item sold quickly. After the item is shipped to the scammer's address the address will usually be a fake address and that paypal (the online transaction system) will have deducted the costs out of your own account and both your money and the item will be gone.

You can prevent these scams by just doing a simple background check on the buyer, for example phoning the seller directly about his purchase or checking if the address is real.

Facebook virus

Lately people have been encountering a new virus on facebook that is infecting computers all over the world, that virus is called the Koobface worm. This virus is spread via facebook and usually uses a unique title to masquerade as "breaking news" and when the post is clicked you will be directed to what looks to be a  youtube video and then you will be prompted to update your flash player to watch the youtube video which is in fact the Koobface worm. Once the worm is installed your facebook account will be taken over and you will post the worm to your facebook friends. The danger of this virus is that your personal information on facebook will be compromised and your computer can used to spread the virus which will put other personal information on the computer at risk.

The best way to avoid this virus is to think before you click on a link that redirects you even if it is from a friend on facebook and avoid installing any software that you are unsure of.

"Investment" scams

This type of scam tries to get the victim to purchase "penny" stocks as it usually advertises that it is a good investment choice and that you will be able to make huge profit on this investment. The trick of this scam is that it is built like a pyramid and that the people will continue to purchase the stock as they see the increase in the share value, but once the person at the top sees that the price has reached it's peak then it will finally sell off all its share at the current share value and all the people that had invested in the stock will suffer massive losses. The easiest way to avoid these scams is to check with professionals if the stock is from a reputable source.

"Penny Auction" scams

Recently there have been websites that have been advertising that you can win various different prizes for usually just a fraction of the cost. Of course there is a catch to these "auctions", you need to purchase "bids" to which allow you to bid on an auction and when the auction ends the last bidder recieves the prize, for example an xbox 360. The trick is that these sites use computer automated "clickers" that bid on the auctions at a instant and so the chance of winning an auction is very low and these "bids"cost real money every time so in the end you will have won nothing and your money will have been spend on these useless "bids". 

The best way to avoid these scams is to refer back to the quote "If it looks to good to be true then it probably is".

"Employment" Scams

In the current state of the economy, more and more people are turning to the internet for employment and so many of these "employment" scams showed up with the intent of scamming these type of people. This type of scam is spread from e-mail and usually promises the victim a large salary for doing something very simple such as recieving cheques. The trick of this scam is that they will try to get the victim to use their own money to send back to the scammers while they can keep the cheque that they sent to the victim. The cheque is usually fake and the victim will have sent his own money to the scammers in return for a fake cheque. The easiest method to prevent these scams is just to ignore the e-mails.

4 Different ways to protect yourself from internet scams

1) If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Most scams prey on people that look to make a quick and easy buck and in the real world there are no free handouts and so this rule should apply to the internet as well.

2) Don't open suspicious e-mail attachments from people that you don't know. The attachment could contain spyware and other malicious programs that can steal your personal information.

3) Before signing up to a website, check to see if the website is reputable and check what other people are saying about it. If this information cannot be found, take caution.

4) Keep your computer protected with anti-virus software at all times. Most anti-virus software have a list of malicious websites and will block connections when you encounter these websites.

Watch out for fake websites

This type of scam is occuring more frequently as people are signing up to various different websites with the intent of shopping online. This scam revolves around a fake email that claims that your account has been "hacked" and your information is at risk and tells you visit the link below to "confirm" your data with the website. The threat of this situation is that you are not giving your information to a "trusted" source, for example eBay, but rather another person who will then use your information for malicious intent.

If you see such an email pop up in your inbox immediately delete it or check with the official website if such a email has been sent before clicking on it.

Threats
-Credit card information, personal information will be leaked
- Malicious software can be downloaded without your consent

Best Anti-virus software to protect your computer from scams/viruses

One of the best ways to prevent yourself from encountering internet viruses, scams and all the other nasty stuff is by installing anti-virus software. Avast anti-virus 2012 software includes various different features that allow you to guard not only against computer viruses from email, websites or any other location, but also it has a database of known internet scam websites to which notifies you immediately when you visit a malicious website. This will allow you to guard against most of the main stream scams that are taking place all over the internet as Avast already has a database full of these websites. Finally the best part about this is that this anti-virus software is free.

Download link: http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download#FDI

"Antivirus" hoaxes

Another common thing to watch out for is anti virus advertisments some will try to persuade you to purchase anti-virus software by claiming that your computer is infected with some sort of virus and that it will clean and disinfect your computer completely of all viruses for a fee to purchase their software.

Concerns
- Your computer may not be infected with viruses as stated by the advertisement and the software may not clean the computer completely, it is best to read trusted anti-software reviews to find out if it is a good choice.

"Congratulations You've won" Scams

Another common scam that usually appears on the side of a webpage as an advertisement, It usually advertises that you've won a prize of significant value such as an Ipad, playstation, xbox360, iphone etc. After you click the advertisment you usually have to enter your mobile phone number in order to claim the prize. What they don't tell you is that you will be charged a fee once you give them your mobile phone number and the prize may not be given to you even after all this.

Lottery Scams

I'm sure everyone has seen this in their email somewhere claiming that you have won a large sum of money to which all you have to do is to click a link to claim the money. The link will usually take you to a site where you will be asked to disclose personal information such as your name or address in which can be used to steal your identity or bank account information.

Threats
- Sensitive information (name, address, phone number,) can be used for malicious intent once it is disclosed
- Link may contain viruses to "phish" your personal information such as passwords to bank accounts

"Make Money Fast" scams

You see this all the time while browsing the internet, all of a sudden you are browsing and you see an advertisment to the side that advertises that you can make fast money by doing some trivial task such as browsing the internet or downloading a certain type of software.

This type of scam is designed to lure its users to the incentive of making money fast and usually requires the user to purchase a product or download a certain software.

Threats
- Downloading unknown software can result in computer viruses
- The advertisement might require you to sign up to which your personal information could be sold to other people

Internet Lookout Introduction

This blog was created to help people to navigate the vast and interesting world of the internet safely. This blog will include information of the different type of internet scams that are being created each and every day by internet users all of the world and also different situations that you must take caution to at all times. Hope you enjoy reading this blog.