Free Internet Tools

I have compiled a few links (tools) to help you secure your web experience. 

For a good overall Anti-Virus Software I recommend Avira.  For a  comprehensive anti-virus product` with low overhead you can't beat it.   

For a FREE & good Anti-Virus:

http://www.avira.com/en/avira-free-antivirus

 A secure web browser is a must for anyone who uses unsecured web"hot spots."  Ideal for the business traveler who needs to gain access to the web from hotels or coffee shops.  I recommended LOCKFOX  for just such a task.

For a FREE & good Secure Web Browser try:

http://www.lockfox.com/Download

 Web shields are also a must for today's wireless environment.  A must have tools for anyone who wants a secure connection on a wireless network.  ANCHORFEE is a free shield that gives you an added security along with LOCKFOX.

For a FREE & good Web-shield  try:

http://anchorfree.com/

 GLARY UTILITIES is a diagnostic utility  for  hard disk, software  and  registry problems for windows operating systems.  Thirteen programs in one!

For a FREE & good system diagnostic tool try:

http://www.glarysoft.com/

Click Here for a Full List of  Useful Tools.

Simple Online Quck Scan for Viruses

Internet Safety Tips For The Family:

• Look into safeguarding programs or options your online service provider might offer. These may include monitoring or filtering capabilities.
• Always read a website's privacy policy before giving any personal information. Also make sure that a website offers a secure connection before giving credit card information.
• Websites for children are not permitted to request personal information without a parent's permission. Talk to children about what personal information is and why you should never give it to people online.
• If children use chat or e-mail, talk to them about never meeting in person with anyone they first "met" online.
• Talk to children about not responding to offensive or dangerous e-mail, chat, or other communications. Report any such communication to local law enforcement. Do not delete the offensive or dangerous e-mail; turn off the monitor, and contact local law enforcement.
• Keep the computer in the family room or another open area of your home.
• Get informed about computers and the Internet.
• Let children show you what they can do online, and visit their favorite sites.
• Have children use child-friendly search engines when completing homework.
• Know who children are exchanging e-mail with, and only let them use chat areas when you can supervise. NetSmartz recommends limiting chatroom access to child-friendly chat sites.
• Be aware of any other computers your child may be using.
• Internet accounts should be in the parent's name with parents having the primary screenname, controlling passwords, and using blocking and/or filtering devices.
• Children should not complete a profile for a service provider and children's screennames should be nondescript so as not to identify that the user is a child.
• Talk to children about what to do if they see something that makes them feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused. Show them how to turn off the monitor and emphasize that it's not their fault if they see something upsetting. Remind children to tell a trusted adult if they see something that bothers them online.
• Consider using filtering or monitoring software for your computer. Filtering products that use whitelisting, which only allows a child access to a preapproved list of sites, are recommended for children in this age group. NetSmartz does not advocate using filters only; education is a key part of prevention.
• If you suspect online "stalking" or sexual exploitation of a child, report it to your local law-enforcement agency. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) has a system for identifying online predators and child pornographers and contributing to law-enforcement investigations. It's called the CyberTipline^®. Leads forwarded to the site will be acknowledged and shared with the appropriate law-enforcement agency for investigation.

 How to Prevent Email Worms and Viruses

Anti-virus software is simply not enough. An email worm can spread worldwide in just minutes, but it takes hours for antivirus vendors to analyze, create, and deploy signature updates. Fortunately, there are five easy steps you can take to help close that window of vulnerability and help keep email worms off your system.

Rule 1: Identification - Understanding the nature of the attachment is the first step towards email safety. Any executable type attachment has the potential to be infected. This covers a wide range of extensions. Complicating matters is that, by default, Windows suppresses file extensions. Make sure you have file extension viewing enabled. {i]Hint: If you aren't sure what file extensions are, sign up for the free Windows Basics online course.

Rule 2: Intent - An executable type attachment should not be opened unless it was specifically requested or expected. Since email worms are sent to addresses found on infected users' machines, just knowing the sender is no proof of intent - they may well be infected. In fact, odds are an email worm will arrive from someone you know and the sender is oblivious to the viral email being sent from their machine. Worse, today's worms spoof the From address, so it may well be that it's not even from the person you think it is. If there's any question as to the intent, see Rule 3 below.

Rule 3: Necessity - This is the simplest rule to follow, but one that many people ignore. If you do not need the attachment, don't open it. Delete the email instead.

Rule 4: Secure your client - To date, many email worms and viruses have taken advantage of security vulnerabilities found in Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express. However, any mail client that supports HTML and scripting should be considered at risk.Rule

5: Patch your system - Microsoft routinely releases approximately 100 security patches per year. Keeping abreast of these and understanding which are applicable to your system can be a daunting task. To help ease the pain, Microsoft provides a Windows update site. The site will automatically scan your system and provide a list of recommended updates specific to your operating system. Install any updates marked as "Critical". And remember - security is never passive. It's an ongoing process and new vulnerabilities are constantly discovered. Visit the Windows update site monthly to ensure all necessary patches are installed.