Towards A Healthy Economy + Marketing World

“You’ve just won a fabulous vacation or prize package! Now, if you’ll kindly give me your credit card information and social security number for verification purposes, you will receive this awesome gift!”

Now why would they need my credit card or social security number to send me a freebie? Can you say, “identity theft?”

Although there are legitimate reasons for people to need that information, such as a purchase or job application, thieves need it to steal your life and money from you!

Crime officials are reporting that this kind of theft is becoming quite common. Don’t be a victim! Follow a few common-sense suggestions to avoid finding out someone else has taken over your life-along with your bank account!

-Do not allow anyone to borrow your credit cards! Your best friend may be trustworthy, but her boyfriend may not be!

-Don’t provide personal information such as date of birth, credit card numbers, your pin number, mom’s maiden name, or social security number over the telephone unless you initiate the call.
Don’t leave mail lying around for strangers to pry into. How well do you really know your teen’s friends?

-Destroy all bills, pre-approved credit card applications, credit card receipts, and other financial information when you no longer need such items.

-Don’t keep private information like pin numbers and such in your purse or wallet. It’s just too risky. We humans are much too forgetful. Be honest, how many times have YOU had to return to a restaurant or friend’s home to retrieve your purse? Is there anything in there that could harm you if it was stolen or lost? Time to check.

-Check your credit reports regularly. To order your report, call the three major credit bureaus at these toll-free numbers: Equifax at (800) 685-1111, Experian at (888) 397-3742, or Trans Union at (800) 888-4213. By law, the most you can be charged for a copy of your report is $8.50. To be safe, consider getting a copy from each of the three companies. If after reviewing your report you spot signs of a possible fraud, report it immediately!

-Keep your passwords and pins confidential and secure. Avoid passwords and pin numbers that will be easy for a thief to figure out. For example, don’t use your name, street address or birth date. Also, change your passwords every once in awhile, just to be safe.

- Get Identity Fraud Insurance. It’s just plain smart.

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. Report suspected Internet-based fraud to the Federal Trade Commission or the IFCC (www.ifccfbi.gov/Default.asp), a new joint project of the FBI and the National White Collar Crime.

Kristi Sayles invites you to her Internet Treasures Newsletter at
http://treasures.smartauthor.com to learn more valuable tips and freebies.

When thinking about a perfect gift for your loved ones, why not think about their security & safety? What could be better?

Think about Your - Children at home:

Think about Your - Children away from home at school:

Think about Your - Husband or wife while traveling:

Think about Your - Entire family in and around the home and neighborhood:

There are many gifts on the market that can protect you loved ones. Some examples are:

The “Child Guard”

Have you ever experienced the terror of thinking your child is missing or lost? We have all had the gut-wrenching feeling of turning around in a busy street and finding that our child is nowhere in sight. Now this could be prevented with the new improved Child Guard. A Kitty Child Guard or the Panda Child Guard worn by the child, the cartoon animal-shaped transmitter sends a constant signal to the receiver, which is held by the adult. The signal is adjustable - from a distance of 6 to 30 feet, so when the child goes beyond the set distance, the adult’s receiver starts to beep, letting them know that the child is starting to wander off. Frequencies adjust themselves automatically to alert the proper receiver if more than one adult is in the same area using the Child Guard monitoring system.

The Cutting Edge of new microchips produced by SMT® technology, also referred to as the IC unit, is wafer thin and performs with superb accuracy and is incredibly reliable. The IC unit is nicely hidden in a small plastic animal (looks like a toy) and can be concealed very easily under a shirt or jacket if desired. The YS-077 includes a parent receiver and, the transmitter is worn around the child’s neck. The YS-088 includes a parent receiver, and the transmitter is worn around the child’s wrist.

* Simple and easy to use compact wireless design.

* Child friendly design - Strategically hidden in a plastic toy looking transmitter.

* Has a rotating dial that you can adjust anywhere between 6 and 30 feet.

* Transmitter can be attached by buckle, to clothes, or worn as a necklace.

* Suitable for indoor and outdoor use.

* Lithium batteries included.

* Easy to understand instructions.

http://www.thespymart.com/childguard.htm

Personal Alarms:

Small and portable. Great for protection at home, at work or when you travel.

The 130db Personal Alarm is designed to draw attention to any crisis, the (PAL-1) 130db Personal Alarm is as loud as eight 100db alarms. The alarm is activated when the strap attached to the alarm pin is pulled. Travels easily on your belt or in your purse. The Door Alarm accessory converts the Personal Alarm into a portable door or window alarm. Great for home, hotel rooms, college dorms, etc. Use 9-volt battery (not included).

Personal Alarm (125db) with Flashlight:

The sleek, slim design of the (PL-6) personal alarm with flashlight fits easily into small hands, purses and even a pocket. Dimensions: 3.5″ x 2.5″ x 0.5″. The activation pin is connected to a wrist strap and when the pin is removed, the alarm sounds at an ear piercing 130db. The alarm is also equipped with a flashlight, useful for dark parking lots or when entering a dark building. Perfect for real estate agents, night-shift employees and even children! Uses 2 AAA batteries (included)

Personal Alarm and a Flashing Light:

The KC-45 combines the two best deterrents against attack–a 125db alarm and a flashing light. A hidden disarm switch ensures that only the owner can deactivate the alarm. Can be used as a flashlight without activating the alarm to provide additional nighttime safety. Keychain. Battery included.

Electronic pocket/keychain whistle:

You do not even have to blow the HP-388 electronic pocket/keychain whistle…just push a button. Emits a loud 120db whistle for as long as you push the button. Useful in sporting events, a locator in emergencies (earthquakes, collapsed buildings), referee whistle, traffic whistle for police, military training, dog handling and as a safety alarm for crime prevention. 4 inches long. Uses 4 LR44 batteries (included).

125db Door Stop Alarm:

Use this DSAL-2 125db doorstop alarm to block a door from being opened. If anyone tries to open the door, this 120db alarm will sound. Alarm shuts off when pressure is released from doorstop plate. The alarm is pressure sensitive and works as a door jam. Uses one 9-volt battery.

Dual Purpose 120db Alarm:

The AL-2 is a dual-purpose 120db alarm. It acts as a burglar alarm and a personal alarm. Hang it on any doorknob (non-metallic doors) and it instantly and automatically sounds when an intruder touches the doorknob. Carry it with you and just pull out the metal chain to sound the alarm and deter an assailant. Uses one 9-volt battery.

Mace Sport Strobe:

3 units in 1! To activate 3 in 1 Sport Strobe alarm, remove pin from the top of the unit to emit an 116db blast and flashing light. Small button on side of unit allows strobe light to be used as a flashlight. FREE attachment allows Sport Strobe to be used as a door or window alarm. Uses 9-volt battery (not included).

Mace Screecher Alarm:

Screecher Aerosol Alarm emits an “ear-piercing” blast readily recognized as an emergency call for help. Its high-pitched shriek can be heard up to 1/4 mile away. Convenient size for pocket or purse. 10-gram unit has a push-top activator. Contains approximately 30 short blasts.

Check them out at www.thespymart.com/alarm.htm

It is not easy to find the right hurricane shutter for your home, but it is a very important process that can protect you home for many years. Hurricane shutters offer protection from wind and debris as well as protection form the sun and trespassers.

The first two options you have with hurricane shutters are whether you would like them fixed or removable.

Fixed shutters rollaway when they are not in use, but they require the installation of a track and some housing for the shutters to roll into. The shutter itself lowers down over the window and has horizontal interlocking slats. These shutters offer the best protection and are easy to use. Many of these shutters can be automated so that they can be raised and lowered with the touch of a button. They can also be manually raised and lowered with a crank or belt pull. The down side to these shutters is that they do require professional installation that considerably raises the price. They are also a bulky addition to the exterior of any existing home.

The other alternative to fixed shutters is the removable kind. These shutters are simply a panel or board that is affixed to the outside of a window. These removable shutters are less expensive and do not require professional installation. They also do not alter the vanity of your home because the panel is completely removed when not in use. The cheapest way to install these is to use plywood boards and to simply nail them to the exterior of the home. This is the least effective way to cover your windows, but it is still effective. High winds can pull the wood right off of the house. To ensure maximum protection, you can install brackets that are screwed into the homes exterior. You may still use plywood, but you can purchase plastic panels that offer more strength and longer life. The plastic panels are now offered in a clear option that will let natural light in if you plan on using them for an extended period.

Window covering offer you the best protection from wind damage in a hurricane. Window replacement is timely and expensive. With more storms appearing every year, your home needs to be protected.

Find out everything that you should know about hurricanes at http://my-hurricane-guide.info.

Go into to any office and look under the computer keyboards and you’ll eventually find a little piece of paper with that users logon ID and passwords. Probably every password that person has.

This illustrates a serious problem with the use of networked computers in business. User apathy and IT security arrogance often combine to defeat the purpose of established security policies.

What happens is that IT security policies clash with usability. Most customers will not follow policies they see as too difficult. One place IT policies and user compliance clash is at the point of entry for any secure computer system. The logon screen.

First, let’s agree on a definition for a strong password.

From Webopedia, A password that is difficult to detect by both humans and computer programs, effectively protecting data from unauthorized. A strong password consists of at least six characters (and the more characters, the stronger the password) that are a combination of letters, numbers and symbols (@, #, $, %, etc.) if allowed. Passwords are typically case-sensitive, so a strong password contains letters in both uppercase and lowercase. Strong passwords also do not contain words that can be found in a dictionary or parts of the user’s own name.

Customers will not use difficult passwords. Sorry, they just won’t! For instance, you have two passwords: 1Xc%&27m3 and parrott5. Which is the strongest? Which do you think your customers will use?

The key here is education. End-users must be educated on the seriousness of computer security and IT security professionals need to be aware of the needs of their user base.

You should avoid sequential passwords: parrott1, parrott2, parrott3… You should use a password that is easy to remember, but not in any dictionary. Maybe combine parts of two words, adding capital letters and numbers.

IT security professionals may not like this compromise, but it is better than passwords that are easily broken.

Strong passwords are critical to the security of any computer security, but are they the best way to control access? In part two, we’ll look at alternatives to passwords.

Parrott Writing Services, a San Antonio Texas company specializing in web content, ghostwriting, website optimization, online/offline ad copy and technical writing to small businesses.

http://www.rickparrott.com

Send an email to: EBOOK@sasecure.net for a FREE electronic copy of my eBook on Computer Security!

Your home is your haven where you feel comfortable and secure, and it should be the last thing you should have to worry about. Thanks to technology, now you can pick and choose from a variety of home security systems, residential alarm systems, installation kits, do-it-yourself electronic goods and services, and secure your home or business in an easy but effective way.

A home security system can foil the attempts of the burglars. In an advanced system, the control box will activate a siren or other loud alarm noise flashing outdoor lights and a telephone auto-dialer. This alerts the occupants and neighbors that someone has broken into the house. It drives the intruder away and cna inform the police which house has been broken into.

The telephone auto-dialer can dial the police directly and play a pre-recorded message giving the address of the house and any other relevant information. This message will usually play over and over again to allow the police to hear it even if the call is put on hold for some time. Alternatively, it can dial the security company that installed the equipment that will then relay this information to the police. They can even dial your cellphone to alert you!

Home security is a rapidly growing field, and there are new and improved burglar alarms being invented all the time. All these systems are more or less built around the same basic structure. There is a central control box that monitors several motion detectors and the perimeter guards and sounds an alarm when any of them are triggered.

It is now quite common to have burglar alarms installed not only in stores and other businesses, but in private homes as well. These systems range from inexpensive do-it-yourself kits to sophisticated whole-house security networks that must be installed by professionals. However, some of the most effective alarm systems are also the simplest. The most basic burglar alarm is a simple electric circuit built into an entry way; it is as effective as the family dog. But the problem with it is that the intruder can cut off the connection by snapping the wires and render it useless.

To overcome this flaw the modern burglar alarms incorporate the control box into the circuit. It has its own power supply and monitors the circuits and sounds the alarm. The control box won’t cut off the alarm until somebody enters a security code at a connected keypad. To make it even more secure, you should place the control box in an out-of-the-way spot, so the intruder can’t find it and try to destroy it.

Another simple option of home security is the basic floor mat that uses an open circuit design with two metal strips spaced apart. These metal strips are pushed together when somebody steps on the mat and the circuit is completed.

All of these circuit systems are effective home security devices for guarding the perimeter of a house or business from the points an intruder is likely to enter the building. Once the entry points are taken care of your home security system is in place and you can feel absolutely safe and secure in your house.

Visit our site - Home Security Package

I’ve tried using a number of personal firewalls, including WRQ
AtGuard (since purchased by Symantec), BlackIce and ZoneAlarm.
On my opinion, ZoneAlarm Pro is by far and away the best
personal firewall on the market.

I like this firewall because it is the first product of it’s
kind that actually seems to have been designed for normal human
computer users instead of techno-nerds. The product simply
installs and runs. You can use it out of the box with no
configuration at all. The program will ask a few questions and
learn from you exactly what is allowed and not allowed. What
could be more simple?

This program is one of the very best defenses against spyware,
which is software that “phones home” every once in a while with
information about you. Unlike most other personal firewalls,
ZoneAlarm Pro (as well as the free version) stops outgoing
transmissions as well as incoming ones. This in itself is a
major benefit to the product.

One of the major advantages to this product is the way you can
configure it to know the difference between intranet and
internet accesses. That’s the problem with some competing
firewall products - they do not understand that intranet access
is always to be allowed while internet access must be
controlled. ZoneAlarm made this distinction easily.

One of the problems that has been found with other firewalls is
the “pattern” for determining the identity of something
accessing the internet is the program name. Well, as it turns
out, this is very simple for hacker software to fake. ZoneAlarm
was the first product to recognize and fix the weakness by
actually performing a checksum of the product. This allows
ZoneAlarm to be absolutely sure it has the correct program
identified.

One of the absolute coolest things about ZoneAlarm is that it
also protects your system from email viruses. For example, today
I received an email with an attachment. The attachment was a
virus, and it was renamed by ZoneAlarm to make it obvious that
it was a problem. My antivirus software would have caught it as
well, but it was really nice that my firewall stopped the virus
even before that point.

So to sum it all up, yes, I would highly recommend this
firewall. In fact, it is recommended over any other software
firewall product.

Additional Information

Firewalls protect your system
http://www.internet-tips.net/Security/Firewalls.htm

You must protect your system with a personal firewall,
especially if you are using DSL or cable modem.

Products - Sonic WALL
http://www.internet-tips.net/Products/sonicwall.htm You really
want to protect your personal computer? The best possible
firewall solution that I have found is the SonicWall.

Tanstaaf - Spyware
http://www.internet-tips.net/Tanstaafl/spyware.htm Be careful
installing ad supported products - you may find that you every
move on the internet is being watched!

Do you sometimes notice your computer running slower. Is your computer acting strange almost like its possessed? Well, it just may be plagued with Spyware. Spyware is a common term for files that are installed on your system without your knowledge. It allows companies to monitor your Internet activity. Believe it or not, Spyware is now the leading threat to our computers, and our online privacy. It’s ahead of viruses.

Spyware programs work behind the scenes, collecting and sending information about your browsing habits; and interfering with the normal operation of your machine. They can add toolbars that you didn’t request, run programs, and even alter your system settings.

Aware, or advertising-supported software, is any software application in which advertisements are displayed while a program is running. It is commonly know as pop ups. System Monitors can keep track of every keystroke that you make on your computer. Yep! Credit card numbers, bank account information, and everything else that you don’t want to share with thieves.

Adware is not a virus and may not be detected by anti-virus scanning programs. It does not spread the same way as most viruses spread. Many users do not know they are downloading a free program along with adware onto their computer. Some spyware is clever enough to hide in your hard drive. For those who haven’t yet had an encounter with spyware, count your blessings and hope your time never comes. Be careful. Don’t just download programs that are free, or sound too good to be true. We all know that anything that’s sounds too good to be true, usually is.!!

What is Adware?

Adware is any software application that has the ability to display advertisements on your computer. Some adware may track your surfing habits. These ads may be displayed in many forms, including pop-up, pop-under and banner ads. Remember, adware that tracks your movements and generates a profile of your habits should be regarded as a threat or risk to your online security. Using your information without your knowledge is an invasion of privacy.

How Does it Work?

Adware watches as you surf the internet and disrupts visits by popping up context-related promotions right on top of the screen, causing you to second guess your next online move. Stay on one website, or click on the pop-up and go to a new site. Adware is “a form of spyware that collects information about the user in order to display advertisements in the Web browser based on the information it collects from the user’s browsing patterns.”

There are scores of Antivirus programs readily available today. They can sometimes catch spyware and for the most part do a fair job. The best two products in my opinion for detecting spyware are Spybot and Ad-aware and are both available as free download. Both are dedicated anti-spyware products.

How Spyware Gets Into Your System

Spyware files are often combined together with other software downloads so users don’t even know they’re getting these programs. Or you unwittingly invite them into your systems, believing you are getting something else. So sad, but oh so true! With just one innocent click of the mouse you can unleash a vicious program masquerading as anti-spyware, but is actually an unwanted program. Spyware can make your life miserable. It can and will make everything you try to do possible to prevent its removal. It can block the downloading of genuine real anti-spyware software. It can substitute one of its own advertising pop-up pages every time you open your browser. It can prevent the download of pop-up blocking software; and the list goes on. Spyware is similar to a Trojan horse in that users unknowingly install the product when they install something else.

Spyware applications are typically bundled as a hidden component of freeware or shareware programs that can be downloaded from the Internet. However, it should be noted that the majority of shareware and freeware applications do not come with spyware. Once installed, the spyware monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else. Spyware can also gather information about e-mail addresses, and even passwords and credit card numbers. Aside from the questions of ethics and privacy, spyware steals from the user by using the computer’s memory resources and also by eating bandwidth as it sends information back to the spyware’s home base via the user’s Internet connection. Because spyware is using memory and system resources, the applications running in the background can lead to system crashes or general system instability.

Pop-up Ads

Pop-up ads turn up when you launch a web site, and as you browse the internet. Pop-ups come in different forms, but they generally want to sell you something. By clicking anywhere in this type of pop-up window, you may trigger a spyware install off your radar in the background. Illegitimate pop-ups can perform programs and are downloaded without your knowledge or consent. A similar pop-up ploy asks you to accept a download, and then won’t stop popping up until you do what they want. Many users have low internet security settings and these low settings allow the operating system to perform various activities on your computer without letting you know beforehand. Don’t be fooled. Pop-ups could install spyware on your PC to capture and transmit your personal data across the internet. Or it could be adware, another form of spyware.

Common sense tips for avoiding spyware:

If a program looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Practice safe surfing

Beware of cookies, be cautious

Secure your browser

Delete all spam

Beware of peer-to-peer file sharing services

Run anti-spyware software daily

Be extremely cautious when considering a download of any kind. It’s hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys today. Many legitimate free programs include spyware in their downloads.

Important - Read the license agreement carefully before proceeding. Established spy software companies usually ask purchasers to agree through a EULA (End User License Agreement) not to monitor users without their knowledge and consent. READ – READ - READ.

Common Terms Used in the Article:

Adware tracking cookies trigger the most common form of pop-up ads. Cookies that reside on your PC serve up pop-up ads related to the site you are visiting and expose your personal information or online activities. The more cookies you have on your PC, the more pop-ups you’ll see.

Spyware applications often install a new search toolbar on a system with the intention of hijacking searches for search terms. Works behind the scene collecting personal data.

Dialers can initiate outgoing calls from your PC to 900 numbers with the sole intention of generating large phone bills charged to that phone line. Dialers can also change your dial-up settings to an international or 900 number, instead of your local Internet dial-up number Spies intentionally ‘misuse’ monitoring software. Here’s an excellent article on Auto- Dialers. Established spy software companies usually ask purchasers to agree through a EULA (End User License Agreement) not to monitor users without their knowledge and consent. You guessed it- most spies have absolutely no intention of letting users know they are under surveillance. Unidentified toll charges will appear on your phone bill.

Trojan horses are a malicious, security breaking programs disguised as something benign. Deleting history and computer use logs does nothing against true spyware. While erasing usage history is useful to protect your privacy, this type of protection is useless if your activity is being logged or snapshots are being taken of your computer use. Deleting history, files, cache and cookies cannot, and will not, protect you against the prying eyes of active spies on your machine.

Anti-Spyware Software Programs – Free Downloads

There are numerous free programs that can be downloaded. Get some good anti-spyware software as soon as possible. Run them frequently. Check the list below for some Free downloads.

Online guide to Spy & Anti-Spy Software
www.spywareguide.com

Eliminate an insidious pest that Spybot and Ad-aware can’t stop.
http://tinyurl.com/6rnzy

Microsoft Anti-Spyware Beta
http://tinyurl.com/59lgo

Block Web bug elements in email messages without having to turn off HTML.
http://tinyurl.com/4e56e

Spy Ware Doctor
http://tinyurl.com/3r373

Additional resources and downloads
www.pcworld.com

One Final Note

Be suspicious if you are offered a free demo version that requires you to pay for the full version before it will remove any spyware it finds on your system. The best anti-spyware software is totally free and you get the full working version. Only use anti-spyware that has been recommended by a trusted source. There are many scammers out there doing a convincing job of representing themselves as legit.

Don’t be tricked by similar, look a like products. Here is one I ran across some time ago: At first you would think its Ad-ware, but after a second look it’s Ada-ware instead of the excellent anti-spyware product Ad-aware. They are every so clever and are constantly finding ways to infect are systems. The spread of spyware has become much more than a nuisance. It has now reached the level of an epidemic. Some spyware is relatively harmless. However, a good deal of spyware can be very dangerous, leaking your very private and confidential information to scammers and other people. Knowing how spyware works and which programs to fight spyware with are both important.

The safest way to remain free from spyware is to use one or more anti-spy programs that actively scan your system for intrusion and utilities that help inoculate your system from penetration. Good anti-spy programs will use a variety of methods for detection including registry scanning, signatures, windows titles and other that spyware leaves on your machine.

Even with anti-spy software programs active, do not develop a false sense of security. The battle to contain these programs rages on a daily basis. One lapse in security can lead to unwanted infection. So above all- use common sense. Don’t download files or open e-mail attachments from sites you don’t know or trust. Be sure you have good anti-virus and firewall software running at all times

Always make sure that any website that you make purchases on uses a secure server. The Web address should start with https:// rather than just http:// and there should be a padlock visible on the bottom of your browser window. Spyware may be sold under legitimate pretenses. Because of this legitimacy these programs are often missed by anti-virus software designed to target viruses and Trojan horses.

Blogs If you are a blogger the information should be of interest to you.

Hackers are using blogs to infect computers with spyware, exposing serious security flaws in self-publishing tools used by millions of people on the Web. I would explain what a blog is.

Blogs Carry Spyware Infections This is just too icky.

“Hackers are using blogs to infect computers with spyware, exposing serious security flaws in self-publishing tools used by millions of people on the Web.

The problem involves the use of JavaScript and ActiveX, two common methods used to launch programs on a Web page. Security experts said malicious programmers can use JavaScript and ActiveX to automatically deliver spyware from a blog to people who visit the site with a vulnerable Web browser.

Spyware tools also have been hidden inside JavaScript programs that are offered freely on the Web for bloggers to enhance their sites with features such as music. As a result, bloggers who use infected tools could unwittingly turn their sites into a delivery platform for spyware.”

Reference URL: Is your blog a carrier?

References:

http://www.pcworld.com/

http://www.lavasoft.com/

http://www.spywareguide.com/

http://www.Spybot-Search-Destroy.com

http://www.defendingthenet.com/

http://news.com

http://www.devshed.com/

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Copyright © 2005 – Mike Pulli http://www.foolishtimes.com All rights reserved. E-mail notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: mike@foolishtimes.com

Copyright © 2005 – Mike Pulli. All rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mike Pulli is the owner of http://www.foolishtimes.com and invites you to take a
look at the services and download free helpful information e-books, articles, and more.
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The average internet user’s computer is very likely to have some sort of hidden spyware infection that is slyly monitoring their internet activities.

Thousands of spyware applications exist making it difficult for users to avoid the threats when using the internet for numerous purposes. While online you could become infected with spyware by downloading games, music,
screensavers, pop ups, pictures, emails, freeware and shareware.

A spyware or adware infection can slow down your computer, sometimes causing it to crash because advertisers bombarding you with pop ups and monitoring your activity are using all the system resources. Spyware programs latch onto computers to track your uses and acquire personal information to be sent out to intruders, all done without your permission or knowledge.

Legislators are now looking into making laws that would protect internet users from the privacy invasive software. Consumers must beware of spyware because it can uncover and take advantage of your personal information including credit card numbers, passwords, social security numbers and more. Malicious operators can hack into your computer and take control which could cause more permanent, serious damage to you and the computer.

If you are wondering what spyware may be latching onto your computer try downloading spyware scanning tools that can detect and eliminate malicious codes such as spyware. Spybot, Pest Patrol and ZoneAlarm Pro and popularly used removal tools.

Mitch Johnson is a successful freelance author that writes regularly for http://www.1st-in-spyware.com/ , a site that focuses exclusively on spyware removal software, as well as tips on how to prevent spyware from popping up on your computer. This site articles on has spyware guard, http://www.easy-spyware-killer.info/ as well as spyware scanner, http://www.easy-remove-spyware.info/

Back in the day “my other life” as I called it, the restaurant business was how I made my living. It didn’t take too long to learn there were only three groups of people trying to steal from you: employees, customers and suppliers.

As far as employees were concerned, being the naïve bumpkin, I thought they were all honest until “given” the opportunity to take something. In other words put some obstacles in their way and chances are honesty will prevail. Don’t make it easy!

The same notion applies to protecting your home whether you are out of town or not. Put some obstacles in the way-DON’T MAKE IT EASY!

Here are some simple easy steps to take to protect your home.

1. Make sure your home always looks like someone’s there and not vacated.
Little things like leave your curtains open but don’t have valuables like TV’s etc. in plain sight.
Stop the newspaper, have someone mow the lawn, stop deliveries if you are away.
Leave lights on. Don’t be so obvious that no one is at home.

2. Always secure your house.

If you have a burglar alarm set it. Lock windows and doors-even upper level windows. Lock the garage and make sure your tools are locked in a secure place and any ladders are secured as well. Many homes have been broken into with
tools and ladders from the garage.

3. Let your neighbors and police know if you’re gone
The value of neighborhood watch groups is enormous. Ask them to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Your neighbors will appreciate it when you return the favor for them. If police have knowledge of your absence it doesn’t mean they will patrol, but at least they are aware.

With just a little bit of effort and some advance planning you can take three simple steps to make your house safer so that when you return from an extended vacation or a trip to the store everything will still be there.

Jack Krohn is a veteran of the food industry who lives in Colorado. His business now -Security Solutions- specializes in home and personal protection products and security devices for home and business use.
http://www.aaa-safetyfirst.com and http://www.secure-at.com.

Spyware is software or hardware installed on a computer
without a user’s knowledge. It gathers information and
reports it back to its source. It ties up bandwidth, slows
down CPU speed and generally is a nuisance.

In its more malicious forms, it can disrupt the PC so much
that it is unusable; it can run up modem bills, it can spam
or send copies of itself to everyone in your address book
and it can download pornographic material to your PC.

The last is probably the one most likely to make everyone
stand up and take notice. Downloading porn at the office
can get you fired, downloading child porn anywhere can get
you arrested.

The only way to keep these and all the other problems
associated with spyware from infecting your life and
disrupting your activities is prevention. As the old
saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure.

There are numerous programs available (both for free and
for pay) that offer protection from spyware and its related
cohorts. Most free programs remove spyware that’s already
been downloaded and installed to your machine, such as Ad-
Aware, one of the first original anti-spyware programs.

The free version requires that you scan to capture and
remove spyware. The pay for version includes a real-time
scanner that actually prevents spyware from downloading or
installing itself.

There are numerous other products on the market, but don’t
be taken in by their pronouncements of being anti-spyware.
Be wary, a few of the free programs are just spyware
themselves.

Security for your PC at the home includes using up-to-date
virus software, installing an effective firewall, employing
reputable anti-spyware tools, making sure all patches and
being sure to install all updates for the operating system.
The best thing to do is to avoid risky online behavior or
the downloading of every free offer that literally “pops
up”.

Never download anything from an unknown source. A lot of
home PC users can find their machines besieged by problems
because they downloaded something they weren’t sure about
or just assumed was safe. Don’t assume, be sure. You can
even check security settings for different websites you
visit. Be sure what you’re downloading is from a reputable
source.

You wouldn’t invite just anyone who knocked on your door
into your house; you shouldn’t let any file or program into
your computer. Spyware at its best is a nuisance, and a
potentially dangerous and damaging element that can cost
you real time, and worse of all, money.
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Tom Jenson has worked in software development for 20 years.
He’s seen spyware develop from an occasional problem, to a
daily, hourly threat to all pc’s. He made it a mission to
research these threats, and work out how best to combat
them. Now this series of article helps others protect
their computers too.