Secure Internet Browsing Tips

If you have not already done so, install an antivirus application. The default installation of Norton AntiVirus® activates an Automatic LiveUpdate feature that regularly checks Symantec's servers for new antivirus definitions. Don't disable this feature. When you connect to the Internet, Automatic LiveUpdate will run. Don't abort installation of new anti-virus definitions. If you abort installation, you may have real problems thereafter with this feature. Norton AntiVirus®, also, includes an Auto-Protect feature that provides real-time scanning for viruses. Don't disable this feature unless you are installing software that requires it to be disabled. Even if you have Automatic LiveUpdate activated, it is advisable to run LiveUpdate on a weekly basis to ensure that Norton AntiVirus® components and virus definitions are fully updated. Don't neglect to renew your subscription service before it expires.

Make sure your PC has the latest operating system updates. http://update.microsoft.com/

According to Symantec, the "blaster" worm, also known as "LovSan" infected more than 400,000 computers around the world. Had the worm infected Windows®9x machines (on the home user level, only Windows 2000® and both versions of Windows®XP® were open to infection), the number of infected machines would have been much greater. The lesson learned from this worm is that an updated antivirus application will not protect you if the virus makes its way onto your computer by exploiting a flaw in the operating system or browser. Be sure to download and install all current critical updates and appropriate operating system patches.

If you have a broadband connection (DSL or cable), you should be concerned about security. These "always on" connections make your system vulnerable to penetration by hackers. While there are many types of software and hardware security solutions, one of the simplest and most effective is a router. A router is a piece of hardware typically containing a firewall that provides a defense against unauthorized intrusions. Physically the router sits between your DSL or cable modem and your PC. Using CAT-5 cable, you connect the modem to the router and then connect the router to the network card on the back of your computer. Unless you are a router expert familiar with arcane filtering rules, don't alter any settings on your router. The router provides security two ways. First, it only allows connections to your computer where you make the request. If you click on a hyperlink to retrieve a Web page, the page will load. If a hacker tries to gain access to your computer using the http port (port 80), the attempt will be blocked by the router. Second, the router hides your IP address. Using the Network Address Protocol (NAT), the router allows for sharing of a single IP address assigned by an ISP by all computers on a LAN. NAT dynamically assigns IP addresses to the computers on your LAN that are mapped to the single IP address and reverse maps the dynamically assigned addresses to the single IP address. The NAT assigned addresses are private, local addresses that cannot be accessed by intruders. In addition to the security afforded by a router, it allows all computers on your network to share files, printers and a broadband Internet connection. Please note that a router does not protect you against viruses. Remember to install an antivirus application and update the virus definition files and components regularly.

Be very careful with e-mail.

Hoax e-mail scams are on the rise. A scam message will spoof a legitimate e-mail address and sender. For example, the message may appear to emanate from Pay Pal with a subject field reading "Account verification required." You click on a link in the message and go to a knockoff Pay Pal site that looks authentic. You enter personal data, including credit card details. You hit the Submit button and your identity has just been stolen.

A worm, W32.Mimail.J@mm, uses a variant of the Pay Pal account verification scam to trick users into supplying credit card data, which the worm then sends to certain e-mail addresses. Unlike the knockoff Pay Pal scam described above, the worm creates pages for data entry on the user's own computer. For more information, go this Symantec page. And this from internetnews.com (http://www.internetnews.com/ec-news/article.php/3109201, Pay Pal Phishers Turn to E-mail Viruses, November 14, 2003), quoting a Sophos security expert, "It's the first time I've seen someone trying to steal personal information by spreading an e-mail virus. It just shows that the spread of viruses and spam have started to intermingle at a dangerous point. It shows that users need a solution to deal with both problems at the same time."

Since some viruses can launch and infect your computer if you view e-mail in the preview pane, don't use it (If is visible, from the menu bar, select View > Preview Pane to hide it.).

A virus spread by e-mail named "W32/Klez.e@MM" continues to infect machines. While the virus has several symptoms, the most common is a fake error message, such as "There is not enough memory to start LOYE292.EXE quit some programs, and try again." If you perform a search of your hard drive, you will not find LOYE292.EXE. If you re-boot your computer, you will get the error message again, but the file name will be different. If you computer is infected with this virus, it can prevent running a virus scan using your anti-virus application. It can corrupt Word® and Excel® files so that they can't be opened. Removal of this virus requires a special tool and re-installation of the anti-virus application after the system has been cleaned. While some may say Klez, which first appeared in October 2001, is old news, variants are found with some degree of frequency on machines that we repair more than two years after its initial debut.

Don't download any program unless you fully and completely understand what the program will do. Don't be fooled by programs that promise to accelerate your Internet connection. Most Spyware programs contain code that causes them to load when you start your system, sapping system resources and degrading performance, especially when you are on the Internet. Some of these programs are virtually impossible to un-install without losing your Internet connection or causing a system crash.