Barbara,
This is what happened to me personally. It might not hold true for
everyone.
I had McAfee internet security. I had just upgraded the the whole program a
couple days before when I got the badtrans virus. This caused a great deal
of problems with many of my programs. I dumped McAfee and went to Norton
Internet Security, including the firewall, ad protector, and virus
protector. I have not been sorry one day since I did so. I also had to
change my passwords, my bank account numbers and my credit card numbers
because I do purchase things on-line, and pay some bills.
Before buying this program, I went to the internet site and did a system
check. Norton found the virus, told me how to clean the virus, and also
told me I needed to safeguard my personal records because this particular
virus was intended to find passwords and account numbers. This was all free
of charge. I also had a system check. This check told me where I might be
lacking in my security. I was lacking all over. So when I bought the
internet security from Norton, they made it easy for me to understand the
need to update my protection...the cost of updating included for the year's
protection in my initial investment. They made scheduling virus scans
simple. They tell me when I do not need updates. They encouraged me to keep
a background check going at all times, which I do. I have children who use
the internet and often open e-mail they should not. In the past week, I
have had two viruses isolated by my Norton Virus Protection during the time
that a child was on the computer.
I also have a hacker alert. Yes, some firewalls will alert you when an ad
is trying to download into your system or a website is placing a cookie in
your machine, which amounts to dozens of times during a week. But with mine
this has not been the case. The three or four times I have gotten a hacker
alert, it has been a genuine attack on my computer. Last week I decided to
investigate more. I went to
Google.com and typed in such key words as
"hacker security internet" and so forth. A website came up called SamSpade.
It had to do with tracing the attempted hacking to the source.
My Norton Internet Security had given me the number of the hacker. Not
knowing what I was doing, I put the number in every spot that would accept
it. One came up that I understood. My number was between the numbers of
thus and so and was issued to the area of the Arab Nations. It did me no
good to know this, it just gave me satisfaction that I could dig up
something on them, too. Someone who knows more, might have benefited by this
knowledge.
When someone tries to hack my system, my Norton (McAfee might do this too,
but I had no instance of it) will keep them from attempting to contact my
computer again for 30 minutes. This is supposed to deter them from trying
again, as there are other systems that are easier to enter. To be sure, if
they are able to enter the Pentagon's computers, they are able to enter
ours. But we are only able to do so much. And the hope is that they will
go on to easier places, depending upon their intentions.
This is what I have scheduled for my computer:
A virus background scan going at all times
a complete system scan everyday at 6:00 p.m.
a live update on upgrades and virus definitions every Saturday morning
an ad blaster, that immediately sends the empty ad to the bottom of my
screen. If one accidentally gets through, there is an ad trash can that I
can drag it to. Then it is also remembered as an ad and will be taken care
of accordingly.
and my firewall enabled at all times, except when installing some new
programs.
And, when I read of a legitimate new virus, I don't wait until Saturday for
the update, I immediately contact Norton for my live update.
If something looks strange, I immediately scan it. If I get an attachment
from someone who I don't know, I download it to my desktop and scan it
before deciding if I should open it. I educate myself on different
extensions and wordings of certain viruses.
I go to a Virus Hoax website to check on the many alerts I receive through
e-mail...most are just that, hoaxes. I e-mail the person back that if they
really wish to pass information on to others that will help them, give them
the site where they can do a system protection check. I include the url for
the Hoax website, and encourage them to look it up before sending on the
information. Lastly, I tell them that the best way to help and protect
others is by fully protecting themselves by a program, not an alert.
The badtrans virus used to be a huge attachment. I received it 3 times
yesterday from the same person who was on a genealogy mail list. It has
been reduced to 19 or 20 kbs instead of 150 or 250, sneaky. The message,
which highlights part of your own message, encourages, "take a look to the
attachment." It is an awkward way of saying, "see attachment" and alerts
me
to a foreign originator. Most senders of viruses, as you know, are innocent
victims themselves. Some, though, are intentional. There was one Reverend
someone, who kept sending me various viruses. I ended up blocking his
e-mails, another protection against such things.
I probably have told you more than you wish to know. But I feel so strongly
about our own personal responsibility to be aware and protected that I just
can't shut up. I just wish people would stop wasting theirs and everyone
else's time by sending alerts, when what they need to do is protect
themselves and encourage others to do the same. It is sad that in one
year's time I went from a naive, trusting soul who was friendly to everyone
and happy to receive greetings in the form of an attachment from perfect
strangers to a cautious, suspicious internet user, who would rather insult
someone by dumping their attachment without looking at it than to take a
risk and get a virus. But that is how the system goes.
Hope you are as happy with your protection as I am mine. And thank you for
protecting me by protecting yourself.
Melody
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