Protect the innocent among us

I believe we all have a powerful desire to protect the helpless, weak, and small. Even if we ignore the feeling, it's ingrained inside us. We love rooting for the downtrodden, the underdogs, and the undeserving--especially in sports. Sometimes we can't simply stand on the sidelines and cheer; we must get up and get involved. One example is when we see someone being bullied. It's a difficult circumstance to find yourself in, with lots of dangerous possibilities, and you must make a choice about what to do.

Inserting yourself into the lives of others isn't a thing to be taken lightly. We want to protect, yet face problems from the very act of protection itself. Sometimes the consequences can be severe indeed. In modern society we tend toward not getting involved, particularly when it's uncomfortable or consequential. The television show "What Would You Do?" is popular in the United States, which takes the "Candid Camera" concept and applies it to situations we all might find ourselves facing. It's heart warming to see how most people actually will do the right thing, despite the pressures applied. When the television cameras are revealed, there's not just a sense of relief, but satisfaction and pride.

Don't give up on us. Sure, there's bad people abounding in our societies, but there are also plenty of good people to tip the balance well into the favor of the kind and generous. Yes, there is evil. There is also good. And good wins out in the end. Never forget that.

- M

Protecting your computer from the evil internet

Being a computer programmer, I get asked a lot how to protect yourself online. Well, firstly I'd say stop clicking on ads or anything that looks unsafe. Basically, if you didn't specifically want to go someplace, don't let a website steer you. With that out of the way, you probably want to invest in a good solid anti-spyware/anti-malware program. There are plenty to choose from, and if you go to any electronics store that sells software you'll be fine with what you find there. Particularly you want "active" protection that scans your computer as you use it, as well as the regular "scans" when you tell the software to check out your system and fix anything fishy. McAfee is wonderful, while Norton is loaded on everything these days. Both work great.

If you're wanting something free, check out Spybot for active protection (though it also scans) and MalwareBytes for powerful scanning. The combination of these two works great to keep you safe online, and you can upgrade to the purchased version for nice bonuses as well. So, even on a limited budget you can still keep yourself safe. And, if you don't like it, you've wasted nothing.

As general rules, keep in mind that this isn't the Wild West. With an active scanner in place there is little to fear. Sure, there are times, but when you have your computer scanned regularly, while also being monitored as you use it, then you are pretty safe. Yes, be careful (haxxer sites with free movies/music/etc are like going into a lion's den with a steak around your neck) and stay away from shady stuff. Just like the rest of life, if it stinks it's probably dead.

- M

For a bit of the funnier side (and a lot of hyperbole), check out this video:

Viruses, Malware, Trojans, and all kinds of nasty critters

 

I've spent a great deal of my life understanding computers, and one thing that has never changed is that there are rodents out there who enjoy causing pain and suffering through computer viciousness. Back in the beginning the main ones were viruses and trojan horses (time-delayed viruses essentially). There were a number of other things (like "worms") but they dropped out of the dictionary because nobody understood them anyway. Sadly, people are still doing it and are getting vastly better and more devious than ever before.

 

Sony suffered a major attack this past week, when a group called *G.O.P* (not the political party) stole 5 movies and threw them out to the Internet. Then there was Stuxnet which the United States intelligence community deployed into the Iraq manufacturing sector and destroyed a bunch of equipment. Now the FBI has issued a severe warning about destructive malware. The supposedly invulnerable "Blackphone" has already been successfully hacked.

 

So, what can be done? First, don't click on any web advertisements (unless you are sure they are what they appear to be). Second, arm your computer with some form of anti-virus (Malware Bytes & Spybot are free, but there are many other fine one to purchase). Third, be aware that threats are out there and be cautious. Fourth, do not click on any emailed links unless you absolutely trust the email's sender (even then, examine the link's address and make sure it goes where it says it does). It's ridiculously easy to spoof a link, so err on the side of caution.

 

I hope these tips help you out. There are lots more things to do, but awareness is where it all starts. If you want to know more, Microsoft has an excellent site: http://www.microsoft.com/security/pc-security/protect-pc.aspx.

 

- M