DataDoctor says…

The first danger you face once you have your PC set up and ready to use is power problems in the form of spikes and surges, brownouts and outages. Protection against these problems is easily obtained by using either a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) which will probably have surge protection built in as well; or a Surge Protector which will at least stop power spikes from damaging your equipment.

Differences between a UPS and a Surge Protector:

• A UPS will allow your PC to continue to run during power outages and/or brownouts, so that you can exit and save your work before shutting down your PC.
• A UPS will sound an alarm indicating a power problem, most Surge Protectors don’t have this feature.
• Replacement batteries for the UPS will be required after 2-3 years, Surge Protectors don’t have batteries.
• Surge Protectors don’t protect against outages, just surges or spikes that might damage your equipment.
• UPS equipment is more expensive that Surge Protectors, but provides greater protection.

Both provide telephone line protection if you are using a dial-up connection. Most PCs that are damaged by surges and lightning, by far, are hit through the TELEPHONE line, not the power cord. Even cable connections have been known to carry destructive surges if not properly grounded. You can purchase special protectors for this, and some UPS units have network protection built in.
Neither of these devices will provide protection if your home wiring is not properly grounded.

• Never assume an outlet is grounded. Even if you’re in a new home, there is always the risk for human error during installation. If you’re in an older home, check every outlet to ensure protection for your machines. A tester will cost you $3 at the local hardware store, compared to several hundred or thousand dollars for a new computer.
• Always check your UPS to determine if there is a fault in the line (if your UPS has a fault detector). If the UPS detects a fault, use another outlet. If the fault indicator shows a fault, better check your wiring.

As far as using a UPS, if the alarm sounds and your PC begins to run on its batteries, don’t keep on as if nothing had happened. The UPS has given you a chance to save your work, and your PC, from being damaged or lost, so don’t waste it. Stop what you are doing and save your document, close your browser, or whatever you were doing, and shut down your system. Sure, the power may come back on in just a few seconds and it will seem like a waste of time, but the next time may be much longer and if the batteries don’t last the entire time you’ll regret delaying.

Next time I’ll cover the other danger your PC faces, attack by Internet.

Tags: Hardware, Security // 2 Comments »

Even beginners can use the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) to help secure their PC. It gives a nice report of what it found, how it found it and how to fix it, all in accordance with Microsoft security recommendations and offers specific remediation guidance. Improve your security by using MBSA to detect common security misconfigurations and missing security updates on your computer system.

MBSA Version 2.0.1 will scan Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 systems for security weaknesses in your browser and operating system settings and provides easy instructions to correct them. This includes missing critical Windows security updates, system vulnerabilities, disabling unnecessary services and your Internet Explorer security settings.

Get the download here: Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer.

More advanced users may want to try the Belarc Advisor. It’s a free tool that does some of the same things for Windows 98 & ME users. It builds a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware, missing Microsoft hotfixes, anti-virus status, CIS (Center for Internet Security) benchmarks, and displays the results in your Web browser. All of your PC profile information is kept private on your PC and is not sent to any web server. The initial report is a nice description of your system, both hardware and software, but the method of describing remedies to any problems uncovered may be beyond the beginner.

Tags: Freeware, Security, Software // 2 Comments »

Adware is software which contains advertisements or other marketing materials, and are included with or automatically displayed during its use. The developers justify adware by saying that it helps recover development costs and holds down the cost for the user.

This name has been used by spyware developers to disguise the fact that the ads are selected by using user information captured seruptiously, usually without the user’s knowledge.

Tags: Definitions // 3 Comments »

Spyware is any program that covertly gathers user information from your computer without your knowledge, and sends that information through the user’s Internet connection back to its author who will either use it themselves or sell the information to another party. Spyware is like a Trojan horse that users unwittingly install when they install what they think is desirable software.

Spyware applications are typically included as part of freeware or shareware programs that are downloaded from the Internet. Once installed, the spyware monitors your activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else. Spyware can also capture any information stored on your hard drive, including credit card numbers, passwords, private financial information, in fact, every piece of information on your PC.

Aside from the questions of ethics and privacy, spyware steals from the user by using the computer’s memory resources and bandwidth as it sends its stolen information back to it’s home base via the user’s Internet connection. Poorly written spyware can crash your system, creating mysterious and hard to solve system problems. Sometimes the crashes aren’t accidental, but intended (see malware).

Spyware can attach to your machine without your doing anything but visiting a website. You don’t have to sign up for anything, give your email address or even click on an ad.

The licensing agreements that accompany spyware installations will sometimes warn the user that a spyware program will be installed along with the desired software, but the notice is often hidden in obtuse, hard-to-read legalese.

Tags: Definitions // Add Comment »