Dear Folks,
In light of my recent computer debacle, I thought I'd share a few tips about protecting your computer from Malware attacks. Worse than virus' as far as I'm concerned.
My computer was recently "hijacked", my start page changed, a new tool bar added, and so many pop up ads flying around I could barely get offline, not to mention shutting the computer down. Many of my data files were corrupted. Favorites were added to "My Favorites!" A little "Horoscope" program that WASN'T a horoscope program was dowloaded. And scariest of all, I couldn't delete these programs or registry keys associated with them. They protected themselves! Also, a tip off to all of this, my computer was running more and more slowly as days, then later hours past.
Result? I had my hard drive formatted ... everything gone. All the info I backed up was contaminated as I had apparently been harboring some malware for about a week before "The Crash". I also cancelled the one credit card I use online. Spyware can take any info about you it so desires. I was told to do this by the computer dudes.
I have a great place I now take my computer for repairs where about 80% are now in for the same Malware attacks -- a close gal friend was just recently attacked as was HER friend. Per, Todd, my computer hero, sigh
, "The internet is a nasty place these days with fewer and fewer safe sites." Sad but true.
I now have the most up to date Windows Service Pack, actually a beta test given to my computer guys. But this is what you need to do...
UPDATE WINDOWS.
UPDATE YOUR NORTON ANTIVIRUS.
Go to http://www.downloads.com and get
AdAware by Lavasoft
SpyBot
and I purchased SypSweep by Webroot as I then had a disc to start protecting myself with BEFORE logging on again with my pristine computer.
I've also ordered a laptop (there goes my savings) my computer guys are building one for me to spec at the mo. This will be a backup that WILL NEVER GO ONLINE. My writing, my Quicken, my website HTML, etc. Thank God I print out hardcopy as well. A few perfectionistic OC-ish tendencies have served me well. And my website was up on a server. A friend also has a copy!
BACK UP VERY REGULARLY. I do, but unfortunately, I was already infected when I backed up stuff and didn't know it!
Be careful out there!
Love,
Dreamer
:shock:
The evil is not in ourselves, but in our hard drives! :twisted:
In light of my recent computer debacle, I thought I'd share a few tips about protecting your computer from Malware attacks. Worse than virus' as far as I'm concerned.
My computer was recently "hijacked", my start page changed, a new tool bar added, and so many pop up ads flying around I could barely get offline, not to mention shutting the computer down. Many of my data files were corrupted. Favorites were added to "My Favorites!" A little "Horoscope" program that WASN'T a horoscope program was dowloaded. And scariest of all, I couldn't delete these programs or registry keys associated with them. They protected themselves! Also, a tip off to all of this, my computer was running more and more slowly as days, then later hours past.
Result? I had my hard drive formatted ... everything gone. All the info I backed up was contaminated as I had apparently been harboring some malware for about a week before "The Crash". I also cancelled the one credit card I use online. Spyware can take any info about you it so desires. I was told to do this by the computer dudes.
I have a great place I now take my computer for repairs where about 80% are now in for the same Malware attacks -- a close gal friend was just recently attacked as was HER friend. Per, Todd, my computer hero, sigh
, "The internet is a nasty place these days with fewer and fewer safe sites." Sad but true.I now have the most up to date Windows Service Pack, actually a beta test given to my computer guys. But this is what you need to do...
UPDATE WINDOWS.
UPDATE YOUR NORTON ANTIVIRUS.
Go to http://www.downloads.com and get
AdAware by Lavasoft
SpyBot
and I purchased SypSweep by Webroot as I then had a disc to start protecting myself with BEFORE logging on again with my pristine computer.
I've also ordered a laptop (there goes my savings) my computer guys are building one for me to spec at the mo. This will be a backup that WILL NEVER GO ONLINE. My writing, my Quicken, my website HTML, etc. Thank God I print out hardcopy as well. A few perfectionistic OC-ish tendencies have served me well. And my website was up on a server. A friend also has a copy!
BACK UP VERY REGULARLY. I do, but unfortunately, I was already infected when I backed up stuff and didn't know it!
Be careful out there!
Love,
Dreamer
:shock:
The evil is not in ourselves, but in our hard drives! :twisted:
