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| anti-virus anti-virus products work by using one of two primary methodologies. signature based scanning or heuristics. signature based scanning is where the software uses a 'master file' of viruses and checks files against the list of virus 'blueprints' or signatures. this can be done in real-time as files are accessed on the computer or in a user initiated or scheduled scan. the second method is heuristics. heuristics attempts to detect virus-like behavior instead of a specific virus signature. this technique can be effective against polymorphic viruses that try to disguise themselves by changing their 'signature' or code structure. most high-quality anti-virus products will utilize both techniques. some viruses are very sophisticated and constantly change their signature to avoid detection. one of the most dangerous developments in viruses is the use of email propagation. wide spread use of email and the failure of users to properly protect their computers with antivirus software results in viruses that spread across the globe in minutes and hours instead of days, weeks or months. a common method employed by the virus to is to use the user's own address book to spread itself to all addresses that user has saved. one reason this is so effective is that the receiving user believes that the email is from someone they know and trust and then unknowingly open the mail and infect themselves. protect yourself ! use a quality anti-virus product and keep it updated as often as possible. a computer that has internet connectivity must have anti-virus in todays environment. ideally a computer should also have some type of firewall or intrusion detection system. see the privacy & control link for more information recommendation: i use panda software's products for all my anti-virus needs. i currently use panda platinum 2006 that updates signatures daily. home users would probably be better served with their titanium product. i have used panda about four years now and i have never been infected with any type of virus. norton antivirus is a popular product but we do not recommended it for several reasons. use the link below to check your system for viruses! |
wireless networking wireless networks have exploded popularity over the last 2-3 years. home and small office users will find that manufacturers have made it easy to purchase off the shelf products and assemble a wireless network. newer versions of windows will almost configure themselves and attach to wireless networks within range. while this ease of use makes for easy setup for users, it leaves networks and computers wide open to access by unauthorized persons. all wireless networks should be protected from unauthorized eavesdropping and access. for most home users the simplest way is to enable wep security (64 bit) at a minimum. firewalls on each wireless attached computer is also very good idea. businesses should have a higher level of security. wep with a 128bit key or wpa-psk are the starting points with vpn for the most secure connections. recommendation: have a knowledge person or company verify that your wireless router or access point is configured correctly to minimize interference and prevent intrusions. |
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