Introduction: To Search this site, Press Ctrl-F  The recent proliferation of viruses, worms, trojans, spam and now, Identity Theft, has prompted me to assemble this website. Viruses and worms are created by computer-savvy people who have nothing better to do with their time; they can attack our computers if we are not fully protected. We get them mainly via email, websites and Instant Messengers, then spread them by unwittingly opening or previewing email attachments or going to websites that contain the bugs. These bugs can cause the Internet to bog down, attack another website, send your private information (credit card, social security and bank account numbers that you have stored on your computer or that you type on your keyboard) to the maker of the bug, destroy data on your hard drive, cause your computer to crash, etc. etc. The two most important things to do are: 1/ Have your computer protected and 2/ Be careful with email attachments and websites. So how does the average technophobic computer-user know what to do? I have tried to pull together, in one document, the basics you will need to protect your computer and data. If you do the six things in the reddish boxes, you will be in pretty good shape. If you do all the additional suggestions, you will be as protected as I am (whatever that means!). At the end, I also provide references to sites that I have found particularly informative. *** NEW *** Identity Theft vulnerability if you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer (other browsers do not seem to have this vulnerability and may give varying results): Note: I had to remove the following browser test from this website because McAfee antivirus reported it as a trojan and blocked this page. GOOD FOR McAFEE! The bad news is that Norton still lets it get through (as of 4/8/04). While the test was innocuous, McAfee is correct in blocking it, because it could have been a someone trying to get personal information from you! The other good news is that Microsoft has fixed its Explorer browser; so be sure to do the latest update to get it. Test the security of your browser for the latest vulnerability of spoofed addresses. I have just been informed about yet another way to get credit card and other sensitive information from unsuspecting people. A vulnerability has been identified in Internet Explorer, which can be exploited by malicious people to display a fake URL in the address and status bars. This trick has been used to fake E-Bay, Citibank, Amazon.com, Earthlink, and other addresses. To see if you are vulnerable, click on the following link. If you receive a message that the URL is invalid, or if you see the full spoofed address, you pass, and are safe. But chances are you will be taken to another page of this website, and your browser will have "www.yourbank.com" in the location box at the top! Now, if my site were made up to look like your bank's website and it asked you to enter your credit card number, social security number and/or mother's maiden name, I'd have all I need to steal your identity or your money. No matter which browser you use: Never give personal information in response to an email, even if it seems to come from some trusted source like your bank, or E-Bay, PayPal, etc. If you receive such a request, open your browser, and TYPE the URL of the bank (or E-Bay, or whatever) into the location box, then log in. If the bank needs confirmation of any private information, you will get a message on the site. Chances are, you won't get that message. Also, look in the bottom right of the browser for the padlock. It should be locked, indicating that you are in a secure site. If you get an email request to click on a link and confirm private information, run the following check. If the pasted address isn't the same as the address in the link; exit the site and do not submit any information Right-click the link, and then click Copy Shortcut. Click Start, and then click Run. Type Notepad, and then click OK. On the Edit menu in Notepad, click Paste More info at http://www.secunia.com/advisories/10395/, http://support.microsoft.com/?id=833786, http://www.antiphishing.org/ Online Identity Theft is an out-of-control problem. The E-Bay scam is the most recent (see here). Be sure to visit the links in that article. See what the bogus E-Bay message looks like and get information on dealing with this problem here. "A lot of solving the identity theft problem has to do with very basic steps people can take," says Fred Felman, a Zone Labs vice president. "Make sure your passwords aren't easy to guess and obtain. Be protective of physical access to your computers. Be aware of who you're talking to on the other end of a piece of communication." Running personal firewalls and updating antivirus software are atop Felman's list of technical steps users can take to protect themselves. (PC magazine) Disclaimers: Please read the Disclaimers before proceeding with this document. Update Notification: If you would like to be notified of significant updates to this site, as well as recent security warnings, click here.    The following are very important, do them NOW Protect your computer from viruses: If you don't have an AntiVirus program - get one now! Norton and McAfee (but Norton missed a spoofed address which McAfee found, see above) are both good, there are others (see PCMagazine review). There is no substitute for having an AntiVirus program on your computer. But you must keep your virus definitions up-to-date (update once a week). You will probably have to pay an annual subscription fee to get the definitions after the first year, but without the most recent definitions, you will just have a false sense of security. The program should be set to scan email as it arrives and leaves your computer. Run a full system scan if you have not done this recently (or at all).   Do a free online security scan of your computer: Do the free Security Scan at the Symantec website. If you don't have an up-to-date AntiVirus program, do the free Virus scan as well, although other sites are suggested as better for the anti-virus scan. Note that this is not a substitute for the constant protection you receive from having the program running on your computer (see above).   Check for free Windows Updates now and at least once a month: Microsoft is constantly issuing patches to close security holes in its operating systems. If you haven't updated Windows recently (or at all), Go to your Start Menu and select "Windows Update" or log on to http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp. Follow the directions to get all the "critical updates". Some updates will require a reboot before you can get the rest. To be sure you get all the updates, after the first install, reboot your computer and log on/install/reboot again and again until there aren't any more "critical updates". More...   Install a free Firewall: If you have DSL or cable, you computer is vulnerable any time it is turned on, even if you are not using it (even with dialup, you are vulnerable while you are connected). A firewall will block external access to your computer so that things like the Blaster worm cannot get in. A good firewall is ZoneAlarm, and it is free. More... Here are some suggestions for avoiding email and IM problems on an on-going basis: Email Never open an attachment that you weren't expecting, even if it comes from someone you know - check with the sender first. It is OK to open a .jpeg or .jpg attachment. These are pictures, and it is not possible, yet, to put a virus in them. But many trojans and viruses do arrive in attachments; be especially wary of .vbs, .bat, .exe, .pif and .scr files, unless you really know what you are doing, don't open (i.e. don't click on) them. Opening attachments is probably the single most dangerous thing you could do on your computer, yet we all do it so casually. Be careful! Never go to a website (URL) listed in an unsolicited email - it could allow a virus or worm to be downloaded to your computer. Also, do not execute software that is downloaded from the Internet unless it has been scanned for viruses. Simply visiting a compromised Web site can cause infection if certain browser vulnerabilities are not patched. Never respond to an unsolicited email which says that you can be "removed from the list by replying" (unless it is a list to which you had previously subscribed), this just confirms that the spammer has found a real address. Watch for Hoaxes and Chain Letters: Interspersed among the junk mail and spam that fills our Internet e-mail boxes are dire warnings about devastating new viruses, Trojans that eat the heart out of your system, and malicious software that can steal the computer right off your desk. Added to that are messages about free money, children in trouble, and other items designed to grab you and get you to forward the message to everyone you know. Most all of these messages are hoaxes or chain letters. While hoaxes do not automatically infect systems like a virus or Trojan, they are still time consuming and costly to remove from all the systems where they exist. More... Turn off your Preview Pane in Outlook. Trojans can launch if the mail is opened in the preview pane. From the menu bar select View and then Preview Pane.Other measures should also be taken in this and other email programs. Be sure your AntiVirus program is set to check email as it arrives and leaves. More... To avoid spam, don't allow your email address to be on the web. More...   Instant messenger (IM) programs - MSN Messenger, AIM, ICQ, and so on Most IM systems were not designed with security in mind. The best you can do to avoid exploits is to watch for advisories and keep your software (including browsers and e-mail programs) up to date. You should also be very skeptical of messages that ask you to visit a URL, accept a file, or run a program. More...  Now, on to even more: Browser This is one that you won't see recommended everywhere, and may not be absolutely necessary, but it will close a few more holes in your system. Check out your browser for free at the Qualitas site - you'll be amazed. Your browser can do more than you think, such as allow hackers to run programs on your computer, collect information from your system, and even read what's in your clipboard!   An incomplete patch has opened a vulnerability in Internet Explorer, and security experts say there are at least four methods attackers can use to compromise vulnerable PCs. In order to exploit the weakness, an attacker needs only to entice a user to open a malicious e-mail or visit a Web site, where a Trojan horse or other malicious code could be automatically installed on a user's PC. Officials at the CERT Coordination Center suggest that editing the Registry to delete a key related to the problem is the most effective method of preventing exploitation. The key that needs to be renamed or deleted is HKEY_LOCAL_ MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\MIME\Database\Content Type\application/hta.   After a security scan, Windows update, and installation of an Antivirus program and firewall, your computer will be in better shape, but not yet secure. You still should check for spyware, deal with spam, etc. See the General Suggestions, below.   If you have a Problem Now: If you think you have a virus, Trojan or worm now, click here Other suggestions of things to do to make your computer safe: Turn your computer OFF It is a myth that turning your computer on and off does damage. This was true many years ago, but no longer. Your computer cannot be attacked from the web, or used by a malicious program if it is not turned on. Turn the computer off when you won't be using it for more than an hour or so, and every night. Windows NEEDS to be rebooted at least once a day anyhow to perform optimally; it gets stuff stuck in its memory leading to crashes and slowdowns. So, if you turn it off every night, then you are automatically doing the recommended once-a-day reboot. You'll also conserve electricity. Windows NT, 2000 or XP If you are using Windows NT, 2000 or XP, get a copy (free) of Steve Gibson's Shoot the Messenger and run it. Windows has a big security hole in it that allows popup messages to appear on your screen unexpectedly. This simple program closes that hole. More at PCMagazine. The DCOMbobulator allows any Windows user to easily verify the effectiveness of Microsoft's recent critical DCOM patch. Confirmed reports have demonstrated that the patch is not always effective in eliminating DCOM's remote exploit vulnerability. Go to Gibson Research for more information. Top Spyware and other Malware - Remove them with free programs Be careful about loading "free" programs such as Gator, Kazaa, RealPlayer, Comet Cursor, and on and on, all send information back to their makers. Scan for and remove these with AdAware and SpyBot. (Some free programs are fine!) Never download any pirated programs from a "warez" site. They are almost guaranteed to contain viruses or Trojans. Never download a "free dialer" that is proported to give you free anything (usually pictures). Frequently they quietly connect your phone to a $25/minute call. More... Top File Sharing Peer-to-peer file-sharing networks have come a long way since the dawn (and demise) of Napster, with LimeWire, Kazaa, Morpheus, Grokster, and others offering everything from MP3 files to movies, software, and anything that can be exchanged across a digital network. If you're using or plan to use such networks, you should know that copyright infringement isn't the only issue to consider. You also open up your system to a host of security and privacy threats, including viruses, worms, Trojan horses, snooping, data theft, spyware, and more. See the article in PC magazine. Spam How do they get my address, and what can I do? Some ideas Blocking: Once you get on spammers lists, it is very difficult to block spam - your best shot is if your ISP (the company that provides your Internet hookup - Earthlink, SBC Yahoo, Verizon, AOL, MSN, etc.) has spam-blocking software that you can use. If not, there are services to which you can subscribe, and programs you can run on your computer. For a review, see ZDNet. Avoiding: Never respond to an unsolicited email to be "removed" from the list (unless it is a list to which you had previously subscribed), this just confirms that the spammer has found a real address. See more... If you keep getting a lot of spam, the only solution is to close out your email address and get a new one. Get the new address first, then send an email telling all your friends and business acquaintances of the change. Do this FROM THE NEW EMAIL account, not the old. While you are at it, learn to use "BCC" so you don't give all your contacts all your friend's email addresses. More information on BCC... Report Spam: SpamCop website will report spam to the ISP of the sender for you, and will do it anonymously. If enough people complain, the ISP may shut down the sender's account. Top Passwords Don't use easy to remember passwords like your birthdate, address, social security number, dog's name, your phone number, etc. These are too easy to guess. Don't use words, unless you know an obscure word in some obscure foreign language. Use at least 6, and better, 8 characters, composed of Upper and lower case, and also numbers. Punctuation usually can be used as well. Here's a sample of a good password: IK84xEr5. You could make it even better by adding punctuation IK%84;Er5. Hard to remember, yes, but almost impossible to guess. Use the first letters of a favorite book title, add a numeral or punctuation, and you have a great password that will be easier to remember. How about MacBeth "Is this a dagger which I see before me?" "ItadwIcb4m?" Store your passwords in a safe place on the computer, I like Password Safe from Counterpane Labs. I store all my passwords, social security number, bank account info, etc. in this password-protected program. For use on the web with Internet Explorer, get Roboform, a free password manager that will fill in passwords on your websites as needed. It can be password protected too, so no one else can use it. There is a free, automated password-generator available, and you can test passwords here. Remove Windows Scripting Host - VBScript and VBS files VBScript is a scripting language that allows developers to create a list of commands that can be executed without user interaction. As with any scripting language, it is frequently used to automate actions. Unfortunately, virus writers can also take advantage of its capabilities to infect computers and cause extensive damage. The Windows Scripting Host (WSH) is a feature of Microsoft Windows operating systems. It enables .vbs files to run in Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0, and Windows 2000. In the case of the VBS.LoveLetter.A and VBS.NewLove.A worms, it enabled the virus writer to automate actions that ran a direct script execution without end user intervention. Go to Symantec here for more info and a script-disabler program. Top Backups If you have a CD burner, there is no longer an excuse. Get 10 read/write CD's and a backup program (you may have one that came with the CD burner). Make a full backup, then incremental backups as frequently as you have data you don't want to lose. (I do this weekly). Backup your Registry The registry is a big file that contains all sorts of information about the operation of your computer. A virus or Trojan (or even a program that you try, then decide to remove) can add commands to the registry that are difficult or impossible to remove (if you can even find them). If you have a backup, you can simply replace the registry with a good copy. There are many such programs, I like WinRescue. Be sure to get the version for your Windows system. Defragment your Hard Disk Not a security issue, but it will keep your computer running faster. You can use Microsoft's Defrag, or Norton Speed Disk about once a month. Firewall - Get a free firewall To see if you need a firewall, go to Steve Gibson's GRC.com and at the bottom of the screen, first do "File Sharing", then "Common Ports". The site gives suggestions on what to do, but basically, if your ports aren't "stealth" or at least "closed", you need a firewall (lots of details on the site). Symantec also will scan your computer. The Blaster worm could find and infect your computer even if you are online for only five minutes, so it is important to have a firewall. The "Blaster" gets on your computer via port 135 simply while you are online, you don't have to do a thing - isn't that nice! If you have DSL or cable, you are online whenever your computer is on, but even if you use a dialup modem you are vulnerable. A good firewall (also free!) is ZoneAlarm, click "Download Free ZoneAlarm" on the top of the page. Review of ZoneAlarm From Download.com: "ZoneAlarm installs easily, and a simple setup wizard helps you configure standard Web applications, such as your e-mail client and Web browser, to access the Web without the need to fiddle with port addresses or proxy settings. After the wizard has finished doing its job, you're up and surfing. When other programs or processes attempt to access your Internet connection, a window pops up that prompts you to permit or deny access. ...If an unknown outside source attempts a connection to your computer, the pop-up window alerts you to the intrusion and again prompts you to choose whether to grant access. Advanced users can configure these settings in the options window. Home users will have to watch the nag screen reminder while the program loads, but that's a small price to pay for this level of protection.... Note: ZoneAlarm is no longer compatible with Windows 95." See Steve Gibson's review of firewalls and PCMgazine review for more info. ZoneAlarm takes a bit of time and thinking to get set up, but it is great - it not only protects you from the web, but prevents Trojans and adware from using your computer to send out data. Top Email Don't open e-mail from unknown senders. We know those subject lines look enticing, but we guarantee you won't find what they promise when you open them. Never open an attachment that you weren't expecting, even if it comes from someone you know - check with the sender first. It is OK to open a .jpeg or .jpg attachment (but see this). Many trojans and viruses arrive in attachments. Some of these are programs that allow another computer to take over your computer for an attack on via the web, or they schedule your computer to do various nasty things without you even knowing. They can spread themselves by sending an email to everyone in your address book! To eliminate these from your computer, you need to run an AntiVirus program and a Spyware program. Be careful with "E-cards" What's in a greeting card? If it's an e-mail card, there may be a whole lot more to it than you thought. (This from an advisory I received from PC Magazine 9/4/2002) According to an advisory posted at the Web site of security firm Sophos, "Technical support has received a significant number of calls from customers concerned about a widespread e-mail which invites users to pick up an 'E-Card' from a Web site called either FriendGreetings.com or Cool-Downloads.com." The advisory says that if users click on the link in the e-mail, they are invited to install an application onto their computers which includes a license agreement "to send a similar greeting card to all addresses found in the user's Outlook address book." In a separate advisory to PC Magazine, Grey McKenzie, founder of software firm SpyCop, says that "a new hybrid form of spy software has been released called Email PI. This nasty new spy software allows 'remote installation' by e-mail, via an e-card greeting card." Email PI is a commercial product. A FAQ from Email PI's Web site says such greeting card schemes are above-ground strategies: "Email PI can be sent to any e-mail address in the form of a greeting card in order to spy on anyone." Create a whitelist of acceptable e-mail senders and use filters to move spam and potential virus-laden e-mail to the trash folder. Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express are the most popular, and therefore the most vulnerable, programs. Since they are so wide-spread, hackers write viruses and Trojans for just them. These malicious programs can mail themselves out to everyone in your mailing list, or send your email password, mail received, and message subjects, etc. to the virus author. The list goes on and on. If you can, use a different program. I use Eudora; Pegasus is also reported to be good. Be careful using email and the web in a public place, like on a library or cybercafe computer. Be sure to log out, so the next user cannot get back into your email or bank account. Top Instant messenger (IM) programs Most IM systems were not designed with security in mind. The best you can do to avoid exploits is to watch for advisories and keep your software (including browsers and e-mail programs) up to date. You should also be very skeptical of messages that ask you to visit a URL, accept a file, or run a program. All of the popular IM systems have built-in mechanisms to let users exchange and share files, and these features can be dangerous. If configured incorrectly, a file-sharing mechanism can share far more than you intend. What's more, once a worm or virus has control of your machine, it can use file-sharing and transmission features to send your personal information to a malicious third party or to propagate itself. AIM, .NET Messenger, and others let you disable file transfers from the Preferences or Options menus; it's a good idea to do this. If you receive an AIM notice that someone wants to send you an image or file, use a mechanism other than IM (such as phone or e-mail) to verify that the request is legitimate. IMers often fall victim to social engineering attacks, in which a message convinces a user to run a malicious program, reveal a password, or otherwise expose the user's system. PCMagazine has more information on IM's here. Top What if I suspect I have a virus, Trojan, worm, etc.? 1. First, be sure your AntiVirus program has up-to-date definitions. The run a full scan of your computer. (you can do this on-line right now if you don't have an AntiVirus program at Symantec) 2. Download and run AdAware and SpyBot - Search & Destroy. These are free programs that scan your computer for "spyware". Be sure to click on "Check for Updates" or "Search For Updates" before running the programs. Read the warnings that come with the programs - some programs on your computer depend on ads (spyware) and will not run if they cannot report back to their maker about your computing habits. 3. If you have a recent backup of your registry, try restoring it. Any programs installed after the registry was backed up may not work, but then, that's the idea, isn't it? 4. Go to Symantec and search for information on your problem. Do a Google search, using a few key terms indicating the problem - scan the results to find authoritive sites such as Symantec, McAfee, Sophos, Experts-Exchange. You are probably not the first to have this particular problem. The following steps are not for the faint-of-heart 5. For more in-depth scanning of your computer and information on how to use free on-line expert advice, see HijackThis. 6a. If you still have problems, restore the hard disk from a backup if you have one. 6b. You can go one step further, and reformat the hard disk, install the operating system and your backup program, then restore it from a recent backup. If 5, 6a and 6b are scary, you'll have to pay someone to try to fix the computer. This may be worth it! There is also a lot of information on the web, if you can find it! Do a Google search for a few key terms. Top Other things Internet searches - PC Magazine recently reviewed search engines. They (and I agree) rate Google the best; you can get a neat free toolbar that becomes part of your Internet Explorer browser from Google. In the popup window that appears, select "Install without Advanced Features". (With the advanced features, Google gets a record of all the sites you visit - you don't want that!) The toolbar only works with Windows 98 and above; but you can use Google without installing the toolbar - just type www.google.com. Incidentally, if you have AOL, its search engine is rated way down - it misses a lot - use Google there, too. Popups and advertising on web pages Those extra windows that open when you are browsing a site, or are open when after you leave a site, are called popups (or pop-unders). You can eliminate most of these with a free program called Proxomitron. Get the "June Version", It is available as a zip file or with an installer. You may want to get the installer, since this is a complex program to install unless you know about proxies. Popups on your desktop (Windows NT, 200 and XP only) Get Shoot the Messenger for free. Check email from anywhere Check your email from any computer, anywhere in the world. It's free, and you don't have to register: CheckMyEmail or Mail2Web Secure Web mail addresses: Other than not allowing your email address to be put on a website, or using "disposable addresses", this problem is up to the webmaster to solve. The spam problem does not come from human visitors to a website, it comes from spam crawler robots. They crawl a web site for only one purpose -- to add your email addresses to their spam lists. There are a number of ways to hide an email address from a robot, yet make it perfectly clear to humans. None of the addresses in this website actually exist as such in the code for the web page, so the robots will miss them. They are created by a JavaScript when you click. For more information, see the free EScrambler. Top Definitions: Cookie The main purpose of cookies is to identify users and possibly prepare customized Web pages for them. When you enter a Web site using cookies, you may be asked to fill out a form providing such information as your name and interests. This information is packaged into a cookie and sent to your Web browser which stores it for later use. The next time you go to the same Web site, your browser will send the cookie to the Web server. The server can use this information to present you with custom Web pages. So, for example, instead of seeing just a generic welcome page you might see a welcome page with your name on it. See webopedia.com. Hoax (2) Usually an email that gets mailed in chain letter fashion describing some devastating, highly unlikely type of virus. Symantec Security Response uncovers hoaxes on a regular basis. Please disregard the hoax emails - they contain bogus warnings usually intent only on frightening or misleading users. The best course of action is to merely delete these hoax emails. Certainly, before taking any action, refer to Symantec or the Hoaxbusters site of the DOE whenever you receive what appears to be a bogus message regarding a new virus, or promotion that sounds too good to be true. Top Spam (1) Electronic junk mail or junk newsgroup postings. Some people define spam even more generally as any unsolicited e-mail. However, if a long-lost brother finds your e-mail address and sends you a message, this could hardly be called spam, even though it's unsolicited. Real spam is generally e-mail advertising for some product sent to a mailing list or newsgroup. In addition to wasting people's time with unwanted e-mail, spam also eats up a lot of network bandwidth. Consequently, there are many organizations, as well as individuals, who have taken it upon themselves to fight spam with a variety of techniques. But because the Internet is public, there is really little that can be done to prevent spam, just as it is impossible to prevent junk mail. However, some online services have instituted policies to prevent spammers from spamming their subscribers. There is some debate about the source of the term, but the generally accepted version is that it comes from the Monty Python song, "Spam spam spam spam, spam spam spam spam, lovely spam, wonderful spam" Like the song, spam is an endless repetition of worthless text. Spyware Most people are familiar with freeware, shareware, cookies, media players, interactive content, and file sharing. What they may not realize is that some of the aforementioned may contain code or components that allow the developers of these applications and tools to actually collect and disseminate information about those using them. They can track your surfing habits, abuse your Internet connection by sending this data to a third party, profile your shopping preferences, hijack your browser start page or pages, alter important system files, and can do this without your knowledge or permission. The security and privacy implications of these exploits should be quite obvious and undesirable on any system or network! There are also many PC surveillance tools that allow a user to monitor all kinds of activity on a computer, ranging from keystroke capture, snapshots, email logging, chat logging and just about everything else. These tools are often designed for parents, businesses and similar environments, but can be easily abused if they are installed on your computer without your knowledge. Scan for and remove these with AdAware and SpyBot. There are many websites that discuss this and give more complete lists, including http://simplythebest.net/info/spyware.html, http://www.cexx.org/adware.htm. For more, do a Google search for "spyware". Trojan Horse (2) A program that neither replicates nor copies itself, but causes damage or compromises the security of the computer. Typically, an individual emails a Trojan Horse to you-it does not email itself-and it may arrive in the form of a joke program or software of some sort. Virus (2) A program or code that replicates; that is, infects another program, boot sector, partition sector, or document that supports macros, by inserting itself or attaching itself to that medium. Most viruses only replicate, though, many do a large amount of damage as well. Worm (2) A program that makes copies of itself; for example, from one disk drive to another, or by copying itself using email or another transport mechanism. The worm may do damage and compromise the security of the computer. It may arrive in the form of a joke program or software of some sort. Top I hope this helps. I'd appreciate your feedback. Links AdAware - Anti Spyware program Blaster - PC Magazine article on how to avoid CheckMyEmail or Mail2Web - Download email from anywhere EmailHelpCenter - Discusses email viruses, email wiretapping, links to tips for securing Eudora, Outlook, Netscape, Pegasus EScrambler - JavaScript to protect web email addresses Eudora - Email program Gibson Research Corporation - favorite site for security information. Shoot the Messenger, Firewall info Google - the best search engine. For the Toolbar go directly to http://toolbar.google.com/. For a good article on uses of Google, see PCMagazine, and Google's list of tools and options. McAffee - Antivirus program Roboform - Fort-filler for Internet Explorer Paranoia - Another website like this, about home computer security considerations, bad user habits, home computer usage security issues and recovery. A bit paranoid, but additional useful tips. Password Safe - Store passwords securely; also generates good random passwords. Password - generator, test. PC Magazine - 10 Fast and Free Security Enhancements (excellent) Pegasus - Email program Proxomitron - Popup stopper Qualitas site - Check out your browser Security Scans - suggested sites SpamCop - Analyses your spam emails, and sends a report to the ISP of the sender SpyBot - Search & Destroy - Anti Spyware program Symantec - Excellent information on viruses, hoaxes, etc. Tools for removal. Home of Norton AntiVirus. Sophos -Another excellent AntiVirus site. Also see here for information on the one jpeg virus that has been created. The PC Guide - A comprehensive, general resource on IBM-compatible personal computers. How everything works. WinRescue - Registry backup program ZoneAlarm - Excellent firewall. Also see the Main Page for other information. Top