Safe Specs - Protecting Yourself in the Age of the Internet Columbia SC

Posted by : Lincoln Spector

In one important way the Internet is like an endless succession of one-night stands: You have to protect yourself. You must ask the right questions, think before you hop into just any Web site, and always be ready with the protective latex of good software.

Here are some of the biggest online dangers, along with ways to protect yourself.

Viruses

Viruses have plagued computer users since the days of DOS, but the Internet has allowed them to spread like bootleg "Lord of the Rings" DVDs. In the old days, we never had to worry about mail worms or any of the most prevalent and dangerous infection found today: the hoax virus.

For instance, the previous paragraph infected your computer with the very dangerous hoax virus, FalsePositive. The only way to remove FalsePositive from your computer is to format your hard drive, throw away your Windows CD-ROM, and move to Kentucky.

To protect yourself from future viruses, get a good antivirus program like AntiMatter AntiVirus. AntiMatter works in the background, asking every new file and e-mail message if it contains a virus. Should a file or message answer "Yes," AntiMatter will push your computer into another dimension.

Spam

It's getting harder and harder to separate your spam from those occasional pieces of legitimate e-mail, thanks to the forged From addresses, deceitful Subjects, and other spammer's scams for tricking you into opening their missives. The e-mail may appear to be from ...

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