Figure Out Why You Need Security Patches (Microsoft Patches)

The big software programs that run on PCs today consist of thousands and sometimes even millions of lines of source code (the step-by-step instructions that give the program its functionality and personality). That’s a lot to keep track of and (as with anything made by people) flaws can creep in.

Software can be as complex as any mechanical orchestration of gears, shafts, pulleys, bearings, levers, switches, and so on. But unlike physical machinery, software is almost entirely abstract it’s a set of electronic instructions. You can’t just hold it in your hand or put a wrench on it to tighten it up; that makes it harder to examine for strength, robustness, resiliency, and integrity.

It’s difficult to watch software’s inner workings in action:

There is rarely something you can actually watch. Even a word-processing program consists of mostly mathematical calculations, data buffers, table lookups, device management, and other steps that mostly push electrons around, far removed from what we see on the screen.

Challenges like this make it difficult to know whether a complex software program is error-free and whether it does exactly what it’s supposed to do and nothing else.

Understanding the Antivirus Software

Before I explain what antivirus software is, it’s worth reviewing the nature of software in general. Understanding software doesn’t mean you have to write computer programs or wear a hat with a propeller on top. The fact is that the word software is at the heart of viruses and the defenses against them. Knowing some basics about software will help you to understand viruses and how to stop them in their tracks.

These days, the term software is roughly synonymous with computer program. A program used to be a set of instructions individually written for every task a computer did. Software began as a package of programs designed to handle a range of specific tasks consistently. These days it’s a packaged product that tells the computer what to do consistently. There’s the rub: A computer is, after all, a machine that’s no smarter than its creators; software is still a set of instructions that makes the computer do everything. If a hacker can figure out how it does that, then the computer is ripe for a sneaky takeover.

Yep, viruses are software: Nasty, illicit software. As such, they can only be effectively fought with Antivirus software is specifically designed to rid your computer of viruses and to keep them at bay, usually by three methods:

·         By identifying viruses and arresting them when they try to invade

·         By identifying viruses already present in the computer

·         By removing viruses and making simple repairs to the computer

So your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to figure out whether you already have antivirus software on your computer and, if so, whether it’s working.

Why does scanning take so long?

Scanning your entire hard drive could take an hour or longer. This depends upon many factors, including:

·         The speed of your computer’s processor

·         The size of your hard drive

·         The speed of your hard drive

·         The number of files on your hard drive

·         The extent of fragmentation on your hard drive

·         Your patience

So it’s hard to say how long it should take, but here’s why it takes so long. . . .

There are over 60,000 known viruses today, and your antivirus program has “signatures” on each one of them in your computer’s virus definition file.

When your antivirus program scans for viruses, it opens each of the over ten thousand files on your computer, and examines each one for the presence of all of these viruses.

Can online scan programs be trusted?

How can one be sure that the online virus scanning tool is doing what it’s supposed to, and nothing else?

Personally, I put more trust in an antivirus program that I buy at the local computer retailer than I do in an online virus-scanning program. But only a tiny bit more.

High-risk activities and Places

The types of activities performed on your PC also contribute to your risk, whether high or low. Each of these activities is related to how social you permit your computer to be. Do you often take it out in public where it can exchange information with other computers? In the analogy between biological viruses and computer viruses, a high degree of socialization (mingling with others) increases risk. The following sections look at some examples.

Wireless “Hot Spots”

Hoping to attract well-to-do customers, many public establishments such as coffee houses, restaurants, and other businesses have installed so-called Internet hot spots. These hot spots are Internet connections that a customer can use to connect to the Internet with a laptop computer, provided it’s equipped with a wireless networking (also called Wi-Fi or 802.11) capability. Some establishments charge a fee for the use of their hot spots; others permit use free of charge.

Developing Good Habits About Virus

People remember their firsts — the first time driving a car, first kiss, first surgery, and first computer virus. (Well, okay, some Firsts are better than others but most are memorable.) In the case of this first, here’s something to keep in mind. .

If you got a computer virus, human error was probably a factor. Somebody probably wasn’t doing something right.

That or you were extremely unlucky.

Nobody’s exempt from human error. You may have opened an infected attachment by Mistake, or missed out on the latest antivirus update. Or your friend who helped set up your computer may have skipped a step or left the wrong default in place. However it happened, you need to discover where the error came from. If you’re like most people, you may be able to safeguard your computer by changing some habits. Those changes take two forms:

Stopping virus-prone habits that put you at risk

Starting some virus-savvy habits that make you less of a target

Having good, up-to-date antivirus software is essential. But there are some other good defensive tools such as firewalls and antispyware. In addition to these nice defensive tools, you may still have some old habits to break and new habits to take up. The first good thing you did was to see my article. Now if you read carefully and take my advice to heart, you’ll be much safer in the long run.

Keeping antivirus software up to date

Antivirus software is of little value if it’s not kept up to date. One of those big-ego computer scientists once said that out of date antivirus software is as bad as having none at all. (Hey, sometimes the scientists are right.) The best antivirus program is next to useless if it’s not kept up to date.

Scan for viruses periodically

Looking at Common Virus Symptoms

Talking the wild computer virus starts with observation: There are a lot of ways that a computer can begin to act strangely for no apparent reason. These changes in behavior may be the result of a virus, but there are other possible explanations as well.

This section describes some typical virus-induced symptoms, as well as some ways to determine whether a virus is responsible for your computer’s symptoms.

Computer too slow

The first thing to check when your computer is slow is to make sure that your computer isn’t in a school zone. Seriously, a slowing in your computer can be the result of a number of circumstances — and a virus is definitely among them. The following list provides some considerations for making an educated guess as to why your computer is slowing down:

Have you made any changes to your computer lately? For instance, have you upgraded to Windows 2000 or Windows XP? These newer operating systems require a lot more memory than their predecessors.

Indications of a Trojan Attack

Indications of a Trojan Attack

Unusual system behavior is usually an indication of a Trojan attack. Actions such as programs starting and running without the user’s initiation; CD-ROM drawers opening or closing; wallpaper, background, or screen saver settings changing by themselves; the screen display flipping upside down; and a browser program opening strange or unexpected websites are all indications of a Trojan attack. Any action that is suspicious or not initiated by the user can be an Indication of a Trojan attack.

Countermeasure Techniques in Preventing Trojans

Most commercial antivirus program has anti-Trojan capabilities as well as spyware detection and removal functionality. These tools can automatically scan hard drives on startup to detect backdoor and Trojan programs before they can cause damage. Once a system is infected, it’s more difficult to clean,

Types of Trojans

Trojans can be created and used to perform different attacks. Some of the most common types of Trojans are:

·         Remote Access Trojans (RATs)—used to gain remote access to a system

·         Data-Sending Trojans—used to find data on a system and deliver data to a hacker

·         Destructive Trojans—used to delete or corrupt files on a system

·         Denial of Service Trojans—used to launch a denial or service attack

·         Proxy Trojans—used to tunnel traffic or launch hacking attacks via other system

·         FTP Trojans—used to create an FTP server in order to copy files onto a system

·         Security software disabler Trojans—used to stop antivirus software

What is Trojan and Bakdoors

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

he guy who co-founded most successful technology company ever, the guy who gave the world at least five revolutionary tech gadgets, namely Macintosh, mouse, iPod, iPhone and iPad, the guy who changed the way we compute or communicate today has died.

Steve Jobs was 56 when he died moments ago from advanced pancreatic cancer that he had fighting since 2004.

This is a sad moment for entire world, specially the tech enthusiast from around the globe.

Apple’s board of directors has issued following statement to press:

We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today.

Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.

His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts.

Apple has setup this page on it’s website in the memory of Steve Jobs. You can email rememberingsteve@apple.com to share your thoughts, memories, and condolences.

World HABITAT Day 3 October, 2011

The United Nations has designated the first Monday of October every year as World Habitat Day.  This year, World Habitat Day will be celebrated on 3 October 2011 and the Global Celebration will be hosted by the Government of Mexico. The idea is to reflect on the state of our towns and cities and the basic right of all, to adequate shelter. It is also intended to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat.

Naseer-U-Din Shah (Provisional Manager UN-Habitat Balochistan)

The United Nations chose the theme Cities and Climate Change was chosen because