Go get it
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Get rid of CoolWebSearch
browser hijacker
This is another browser hijacker making it's rounds on the internet
these days.
There is a remover tool named Cool Web Shredder you can download and
run
to restore Internet Explorer.
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Go get it
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Removing Browser Hijackers
Ever visited a website and had home page reset, or had Internet
Explorer slow down so much
that it takes forever for pages to load. Download and run HijackThis
a great free utility.
Be careful what you remove though.
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Visit
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Prevent Shockwave
from accessing your Microphone, Webcam and Hard Drive
When you install the Macromedia Shockwave player, it automatically grants
itself access to your Microphone and Webcam if installed, and allocates
storage space on your hard drive. To change the settings,
right click on a Flash image and click the Settings tab. Click
Image to see how to disable it, or click Visit to go to the Macromedia
page that explains it.
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Set Outlook Express to automatically
empty the Deleted messages folder
Ever shut down and then wonder if you emptied your deleted messages
folder because there's one you don't want anyone to read, or maybe one
that contained a possible virus. You can set outlook Express to
automatically empty the folder when you shut it down. Click
Tools > Options and then Maintenance and check the box: "Empty messages
from the deleted items folder on exit"
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Go get it
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AdAware
It can be used in windows 95, however the "installer" for the SE version
won't run on Windows 95. So the trick is, install it in a machine
with a newer version of Windows and then simply copy the Lavasoft folder
from C:\Program Files and place it in C:\Program Files on the 95 machine.
Then create a Desktop shortcut to AdAware.exe and Bingo, it will run
in Windows 95. The reason to do this is that there are no longer updates
provided for older versions.
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Secure your
Clipboard
When you are on-line, it is possible for a web site to read the contents
of your clipboard. To prevent this from happening, go to Internet
Explorer, Tools Internet Options, click the Security tab and then click
Custom level. In the security Settings panel, scroll down to Scripting
and make sure that "Allow paste operations" is set to Prompt.
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Go get it
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Autostart
Explorer
Autostart Explorer by Magnus Mischel will show you any and all programs
that are automatically launched when you start your computer.
It's free for personal use, and is one of the nicest utilities I've
seen in quite a while.
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Go get
it
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Monitor your computer's "Internet
Activity" with XploiterStat
A great little free utility by Simon Steed, that monitors IP addresses
and ports they are using. Can be configured to save a log file
to be viewed later, and also to warn you if a program tries to access
a "forbidden" port.
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Force Windows and Internet Explorer
to ask "Permission"
With all of the "bad" things floating around the internet these days,
it's a good idea to make windows and IE ask "permission" to download
files and or install them. If you've ever checked the "Always trust"
box IE will download files with out asking. To restore the feature,
Right click the IE icon, click properties and then Content. then click
the Publishers or Certificates tabs and take the little Image tour.
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Slow down or stop Spam E-mail
Some "web sites" ( for lack of a better word ) use a java script routine
to determine your "Default" e-mail address when you visit their "sites,"
and it doesn't matter if Outlook Express is running or not, as they
pull it out of your registry. To stop this, create a "Bogus" e-mail
address so if they do get one it won't be real. To do this, in
an Outlook window click Tools and then Accounts and follow the steps
shown in the little tour that starts when you click Image on the left.
Just remember you MUST make sure to select a valid "From:" address from
the drop down menu in the "From:" box each time you open the New mail
window after you install this "Tweak."
( This tweak appears in both Privacy and Outlook )
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Go
get it
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Anti Virus
protection
I believe there are two kinds of computers, those that have had a virus
and those that will. I made it several years without any Anti
Virus software by following all of the "rules," but when I got hit it
was format and reinstall time. There are several free anti virus
programs available, but the one that seems to work the best on this
old slow computer is AVG by Grisoft. It has an auto update feature and
there is NO doubt in your mind when it detects a possible virus.
Make sure you enable the Outlook Express plug in. ( Note: I am not a
reseller for Grisoft. )
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Use sounds
to tell you when programs open and close.
Trying to figure out if you have "unknown" programs running in the background?
Use the Open program and Close program sound events to tell you.
As Windows is running, every time a program starts or stops Windows
can play a sound to let you know. Go to Control Panel, Sounds
and select a sound for each event.
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The importance of Scandisk and
Defrag
You're done surfing the internet and answering e-mails, you've emptied
your Deleted e-mails, dumped the Temporary Internet and History
files, and emptied the Recycle Bin. Everything should be all clean
and secure right? Think again! If you haven't run Scandisk and
Defrag, check out what a program named File Revival can see on your
computer. Clicking Image will show you a Windows view and a File
Revival view of an "empty" Recycle bin.
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Visit
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Gibson Research
A great site dealing with security and Privacy & Security issues.
Stop on by and read the articles about Steve Gibson and his warnings
to a major software company about the security issues that he found
in their latest version, before it went on sale to the public.
They also have a service named "Shields Up" that will scan your computer
and warn you of any vulnerabilities.
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Go get it
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DSL and Cable
Modem Security
Some DSL and cable modem programs enable DHCP ( Dynamic Host Configuration
Protocol ) when they are installed, which from a few articles I've read
can pose a security problem for Windows 95/98 machines. I stumbled
upon this while visiting AnalogX and immediately downloaded and ran
their fix, and sure enough my machine was not "secure."
This free fix only needs to be run one time.
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Instant Messaging
Security
A popular ( and my favorite ) IM program has a nice file sharing utility.
However if you designate the wrong directory or your hard drive as the
"sharing folder," a malicious user can read every file on your computer.
I would also recommend that you make sure it is set to "Ask Permission"
before sending and receiving files.
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Display your
modem status
Set your computer so that it displays the modem status indicator in
the system tray. This is an easy way to monitor when your computer is
communicating with the "Net." If the indicator is blinking
away when you think your computer is "idle," it is an indication of
Spyware or another "background" program transferring data between your
computer and some remote server. It is set either in device manager
by clicking on the modem entry and then properties, or right clicking
on the modem in Dial Up Networking and then click properties.. ( For
AOL users this can't be done as the feature has been intentionally
disabled via your install disk. )
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Go get it
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Monitor your Internet activity
with Netstat Live.
Not even AOL can stop you from using this one. Another free goodie
from AnalogX, this utility monitors your computers' Internet activity
with an enhanced version of the DOS level netstat command I mentioned
in the connections section. It will run in the background with
the icon you see on the left placed in the System Tray next to the clock,
with colors changing depending upon network activity. I consider
it an extremely useful little tool.
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