Most computer users have taken precautionary steps by setting up anti-viral software and only opening e-mail attachments after they have been correctly scanned for viruses. These trouble-free actions are adequate to protect your PC from the majority of potential threats that flood the Net every day, but with the escalating popularity of social networking sites like Twitter, new threats to your computer’s security have emerged.

Social networking sites like Twitter are typically built around networks of friends or business associates but as more and more people tweet and re-tweet your list of links increases exponentially in a tiny space of time. Many computer users have their guard down when it comes to re-tweeting and clicking on links in their wall, and this has been capitalised on by malicious hackers who abuse the trust and spread their viral attacks without warning.

So, what can you do about this? Here are a few tips.

1. Look upon all links as probably unsafe. Just since it looks as though your pal has posted something to your wall does not make it reputable. Make sure the context is appropriate and that it sounds like something a friend of yours would say. If you are in doubt contact them through another route to check it out.
2. Don’t rely on Twitter. Twitter states that it stands all content for malware; this does not mean that they can eliminate every suspicious event. The shortened or URLs used on twitter can be easily redirected to malicious sites and Twitter cannot protect you against this. 
3. Keep your browser up-to-date. By using an up-to-date browser you are assured that the necessary security patches have been installed. These patches give you added security on social bookmarking sites.
4. Install anti-spyware security. Using the best antispyware maximises your protection so you should make sure that updates are installed automatically. Also ensure that you run a thorough spyware scan. Most software producers recommend this course of action and updates will occur at least every day. 
5. Keep your software up-to-date. Reader software like Adobe and Adobe flash are commonly used to interpret data from various websites. Malware producers try to prompt users to download updates and in doing so unleash worms and Trojans that can potentially destroy your PC. Never download updates in this way. Always keep your product is up-to-date by downloading directly from the software producers sites. 
6. Keep Windows up-to-date. As you in all probability know, Windows produces updates on a regular basis and most of these are to update the security of the operating system. Make sure your Windows updates are automatically updated. 
7. Never be sure about the social network e-mails. In no way assume that an e-mail from Twitter or Facebook or any additional social network site are safe. Hackers use complicated spoofing techniques to mask their true intent and links enclosed in these e-mails are possibly lethal. Always go to the social network site itself to make sure whether the content of the e-mail is legitimate.

Although all this may seem to be a issue of common sense, if you have ever had to engage a data recovery service to bring your computer system back up to speed, you will appreciate that prevention is far better than cure.

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Computer Placement

If you are concerned about your child’s computer use, do not allow him or her to have a personal computer in his bedroom. Make sure the computer is place in your living room or dining room – high traffic areas where you can glance at the screen while the PC is in use. If your child does have his own computer, make sure it is located in a place where you can see the screen when walking past the open bedroom door – and make sure that door is open during use.

That brings us to the issue of teens and laptops. Many schools now issue laptops to students for use and they bring them home for homework and networking. You have just as much duty (and right) to track your child’s laptop use as you do his use on your regular desktop. Make a space for the laptop to be stored and make sure it is placed there whenever it is not in use – especially at night.

Computer Time Limits

Unless your child is doing legitimate research for homework or a project, the amount of time he is on the computer, for gaming or internet use, should be strictly limited. You limit television time, so hwy not internet time as well? Make sure your children have a fair balance of time on the computer, watching television, playing outdoors, and enjoying time with family. Place a timer next to the computer so that your child understands his limits.

Change Your Internet Homepage

You’ll need a separate list of rules for internet use vs. regular computer use. One great way of reminding your children about those rules is to put up a simple web page with a list. You can then make that page your “home page” so that it is the first thing everyone sees when they bring up the browser. List reminders about not talking to strangers, social networking stipulations, not giving out personal information, and anything else you deem relevant.

Speaking of Privacy

Make sure your children and teens are limited in what they are allowed to do on social networking sites. If you allow your child to participate on sites like these, demand passwords and do what you feel is necessary in terms of privacy settings. Tell your children that they can only have accounts on social networking sites if they follow your rules. You have the right to limit the sites they use, including free email sites, blogs, and web hosting sites.

As a parent, it is your right and your responsibility to set rules for your children. They may resist at first, but what you are doing is for their own safety. Be firm and fair and your children will ultimately respect your decisions. Whenever you are in need of repair, be sure to contact your local Delaware PC technician.

Entering the Safe Mode

Did your computer shut down suddenly due to an error, freezing that caused you to press the power button, or a blue screen of death? If so, when you power the computer on again you will likely receive a message telling you that the computer shut down unexpectedly. The message will give you the option of starting the computer normally or starting it in safe mode. If you know what is wrong, you may want to bypass safe mode and go about your business. If you have no idea how the problem started, you may want to go into Safe Mode and troubleshoot for more information.

Forcing a Safe Mode Start-up

If you did not experience a sudden shut-down, you may have to force your computer to start in the Safe Mode instead. To do this you will hold down the F8 key while your computer is attempting to boot up. You will then be presented with a menu that allows you to start in the Safe Mode.

Safe Mode is Not a Cure-All

Unfortunately, starting your computer in Safe Mode will not guarantee a solution to your computer problems. From the Safe Mode you should be able to run the computer correctly while you run your troubleshooting tests and repairs. If these things work, you’ll be able to start and run your computer in its normal mode again. If not, you may need to call your local Delaware PC technician for help with more advanced pc repairs.

BargainBuddy

BargainBuddy is an incredibly annoying piece of code. Products distributed by the BullzEye Network tend to have BargainBuddy included. It installs a piece of code that tracks the way you use your computer and then forces pop-up advertisements to appear on your screen.

HuntBar

Huntbar is very invasive and will make it difficult for you to use the internet the way you like. This program adds a toolbar to your Internet Explorer software. Your homepage will automatically redirect to HuntBar and anytime you attempt to use a different search browser you’ll end up directed back to HuntBar. It’s invasive, bold, and takes up a ton of your computer’s memory in the process.

ISTbar

ISTbar is especially scary for those with children in the house. This spyware program poses a major threat. The program will take over your internet browser, change your homepage, and cause pornographic pop-ups to cascade all over your screen – whether you have a browser open or not. It continuously downloads files (potentially with viruses), and causes your system to slow down considerably.

Adware comes in a wide variety of designs and can do a ton of potential damage to your computer. Your best bet is to constantly run your anti-virus program on a regular basis. Active spyware removal should be done at least weekly in order to decrease your odds of becoming infected not only with the spyware but with its associated viruses as well. Contact a Delaware PC technician for any assistance.

It doesn’t matter if you use the internet for a few minutes per day, or all day long. The chances of picking up a computer virus from an email or website are incredibly high. Virus removal programs are designed to help you block potential threats so that they never have a chance to cause damage to your PC, therefore avoiding future computer repair costs.  Here are a few benefits associated with virus protection software.

Protection from Spam

Protection from spam is important for two reasons. A good anti-virus pram will make sure that your personal information is not picked up by those who should not have access, reducing the amount of spam you see on your screen and in your inbox. The program will also ensure that hackers are unable to access your accounts, sending spam under your name. This ensures you aren’t blamed for problems you did not actually cause.

Protection from Malware and Spyware

Malware and spyware are scary words to those who have never heard them before. Malware is defined as a malicious software program designed with the intent to destroy files on your computer. Spyware is considered a type of malware, but is often used to gather data about your computer use – including passwords, the sites you visit, and other personal details. Your anti-virus program will quickly and easily pick up on these types of threats, removing them from your PC before they can cause any damage.

Protection from Viruses

There are, of course, other types of viruses – codes written to force your computer to stop working properly, to not shut down properly, and to do other strange things. Installing anti-virus software will ensure you are safe from all types of threats.

Most anti-virus programs update themselves regularly, ensuring you are protected from even the newest of threats. Install an anti-virus program the moment you take your PC out of the box. Doing so will ensure you don’t have to spend any money on PC repair in Newark – at least not for repairs caused by viruses!

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How Does it Work?

Imagine browsing the web. Suddenly, a pop-up box appears on your screen. The box looks like a virus checking program. It’s “counting files” and totaling up the number of problems you have on your PC. Once the check is finished, you are warned about the number of viruses on your PC and are encouraged to click on a button to purchase a  virus removal program.

The problem? Most of these programs aren’t virus removal programs. The problems are two-fold. First, you’re giving away your personal payment information to what is likely a scam organization. Second, you’re probably not getting a virus removal program (and if you do get a file, it’ll probably contain a real virus).

What Can I Do?

Fortunately, there are some things you can do if you suspect you’ve clicked on a fake virus removal link. If you realize there is a problem before installing the file, simply delete if from your system. If you’ve already opened and installed the file, boot your computer in safe-mode and run the trusted anti-virus program you already have on your PC.

The sooner you catch a virus, the less damage it can do to the files you have stored on your hard drive. Don’t panic if you aren’t sure what to do. Simply call your local computer repair specialist and he or she will be able to help you get legitimate virus removal software on your PC as soon as possible.

Renew Your Anti-Virus

It seems silly, but running an old anti-virus program on your PC is worthless. Anti-virus programs update themselves regularly, ensuring you’re protected against new computer threats. Failure to update your anti-virus will leave you vulnerable, and you’re bound to pick up a virus or spyware program that the old version of your software can’t detect. Renew your software each year to ensure you are adequately protected.

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Turn Off System Restore

The system restore feature on your PC allows you to reformat the files on your PC, taking them back to a point in time before a problem took place. Your computer makes an image of itself and when you choose a system restore date, it will recreate a duplicate of that image. Some spyware files install themselves in your system restore files. This means that your spyware may reinstall itself if you have to run a system restore, simply because it’s been saved there. Turn off your system restore function before you work on spyware removal and turn it back on once you’ve finished.

Make Repairs in Safe Mode

Make sure you run your anti-virus or spyware removal program while your computer is in safe mode. Doing so will ensure your computer is only using the files necessary to operate on a limited basis, making it much easier for the software program to find the spyware files it needs to delete.

Take the steps to protect yourself, especially if your computer has been infected for an extended period of time. Monitor your internet accounts, change your passwords, and protect yourself in the future by running your spyware removal program on a regular basis. Your internet experiences will be worry-free.

Sometimes people think that if they are running an Anti Virus program they are protected.  Anti Virus programs are not a silver bullet.  If you voluntarily go to a peer to peer file sharing site and voluntarily download files it is likely you are clicking “OK”, “SAVE”, “INSTALL”, “FINISH”, and all that good stuff.  You better believe you are over-riding anything your Anti Virus program can do to protect you.

These peer to peer file sharing websites are extremely dangerous to your online safety and will corrupt your computer.  All sorts of Malware, Viruses, Trojans, and Spyware are given the opportunity to enter your computer system through these file sharing sites.  Once they get into your system they immediately go to work to disable your Anti Virus protection software.

Here are some very scary consequences of file sharing to consider:

1. When using a peer to peer file sharing network, you are at a major risk of downloading and installing Malware that gives another user somewhere in the world access to your computer files.  These people will look for things such as tax return documents, bank statements, and even student financial aid applications.  They will look for and steal any documents or files that contain critical information about you.  Now, what do you think will be done with that information?
   Do you want something creepier to think about?  This type of security problem may not be limited to one weirdo farming your computer files.  Because you have this Malware installed it’s as if you are holding a bright light out to cyber creeps to stop at your system and see what they can find.  You think you are sleeping all nice and safe in your warm bed but really, you are being digitally violated.
2. Something else to think about are the legal implications of downloading intellectual property.  It violates copyright laws.  Look, there are plenty of open source programs to use to get things done.  If someone put a lot of time and effort into creating something for entertainment value or productivity purposes and their business model was to be compensated for it then, yes they should be paid for their talent.
   When you download music and software through these file sharing applications you can be charged with committing a crime.  And, yes, it can be costly to fight it in court.  It can be costly if you are fined.  It can be costly to your desire for freedom and respect in your community.
3. The most common consequence to consider here is the fact that one day, your computer will become completely disabled due to these viruses that have been downloaded through peer to peer file sharing sites.  So, not only do you have to pay to have it restored but you have to pay for data recovery services.  Sure, if you come to me that whole package shouldn’t cost more than $150 but if you rely on a big box store, it could be 3 times as much.

So, is it really worth it to use file sharing applications such as LimeWire, BitTorrent, and FrostWire?  Personally, I think it is much too risky.  I have seen far too many machines corrupted by engaging in file sharing.  The vast majority of files downloaded through these sites contain malicious code design to exploit your computer system.

If you want to learn more about how to keep your computer running smooth then sign up for the PC Tune-Up Video Course.  The knowledge you gain will pay for itself time and time again.

I had the pleasure of running through the set-up process for several customers that were giving or receiving new laptops as Christmas gifts.  When I run through a PC set-up for someone I optimize the whole system as well as create the system recovery, repair, and back-up discs.  I get rid of “bloat-ware” or “crap-ware”, install desired programs, and make sure there is a good anti-virus program activated and ready to go.

Windows 7 comes packaged with some pretty cool themes but if you want more to choose from you can click on the link within your Control Panel that will take you to a page on the Microsoft website to browse and download additional Windows 7 themes.

That sounds like a safe and great option doesn’t it?  Well, things are not always what they seem.  We even need to be cautious with a Microsoft website that most people would believe to be “safe”.  I have downloaded additional themes and background pictures right from the Microsoft website only to have Trojans included with every download.

These did not seem to be isolated incidents.  I have been using Windows 7 since it came out.  I have run through many PC set-ups in the past few months.  I have downloaded extra themes for several customers and each time found Trojans after installing those themes right from the Microsoft website!

After downloading and installing anything it is good practice to scan your computer with Anti-virus software.  I am a little paranoid and will often use 3 different virus scanners to make sure everything is safe. It is important to understand that a Windows based PC should only run one active Anti-virus engine.  It is possible to run other virus scanners though.  It’s the active Anti-virus protection engines that will conflict with each other if installed on the same machine.  Active AV programs aim to prevent viruses from entering your computer in the first place.  They will also provide alerts if they detect threats already on your machine.  They will run scans at scheduled times and automatically update it’s virus definitions.  A regular scanner does nothing until you interact with it to tell it to scan or update.

A good free Trojan remover to use is Malwarebytes.  You can download it for here.  The free version will scan for and even allow you to remove threats found.

Another free virus scanner is the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool.  It is not something I solely rely on but in combination with other tools and Trojan, or virus removal skills, you can be pretty certain that your system is squeaky clean.

The premium Anti-virus program that I prefer to use is Bit Defender.  I often will keep several pieces of BitDefender and Malwarebytes stocked in my online store.

The most important thing to know is that you must use caution even when using a trusted website!  Whenever downloading files, your computer is immediately vulnerable to malware.  This is another example of how important it is to become an intelligent PC user and practice safe computing.

I fix computers.  My customers are the end users of Windows based PC’s.  From home computer repair to educating people on computer use, those are the things I love to do.  Now more than ever seems to be a growing need for safe computing education.  There are constant threats online and bad things can happen instantaneously even to good people.  A little paranoia will go a far but the proper education will take you even further.

Computers have become more of a necessity rather than a luxury.  Children seem to come out of the womb with some sort of digital device and master using laptops as quickly as they can completely cripple them with viruses.

I have worked with many parents and the laptops or desktop computers that they have given their children to use. Some parents are lucky and able to teach their young child or teenager the best and safest way to use the Internet and preserve their windows based PC.  Some parents come to me asking how they can keep their kid off of really popular sites like Facebook.  Ummmm…. that’s probably next to impossible!  Still other parents are at their wits end because their teenager has completely ruined the best laptop in the house for the 3rd time straight due to visiting questionable websites that just download Trojans and other malware as a welcoming gift.

There are times when computer privileges must be revoked all together.  But in today’s digital age, we all know that is just a bandaid on a gushing wound.  There are great software programs out there that can implement Parental Controls to aid with monitoring your child’s online activity.  But really, the absolute best way to keep your children, yourself, and your computer systems safe from online threats is EDUCATION.

Look, this stuff isn’t going anywhere.  It is advancing at warp speed.  A simple click of a mouse can do amazing things these days.  But, if we teach our kids safe computing than we have a fighting chance.

Some things that can keep you and your children safe online are:

• When using social networking sites such as Facebook, check your privacy settings to make sure everything about you is not disclosed to every random searcher online.
• Create limited user accounts for your children and password-protect your administrator account on the computer.
• Don’t install every toolbar for your browser that you encounter.  Some toolbars are really just spyware or adware.  They can slow down your internet surfing speed and collect information on your browsing behavior.
• Maintain a good Antivirus program.  One with Parental Controls will help. I recommend Bit Defender.
• Keep your Antivirus program active, updated, and run system scans daily.
• Read every pop-up message you get from your Antivirus program and click the appropriate action buttons when necessary.
• Keep your operating system updated with critical security patches.  Windows XP is up to SP3 and Vista is up to SP2.
• If you are using Windows 2000 consider an upgrade since Microsoft is not even supporting it anymore.
• Use browsers other than Internet Explorer.  Try Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome, or Opera.
• Practice clicking the red “X” in the upper right corner of dialog boxes when unsure about a pop-up box.
• Avoid Limewire.com and BitTorrent.com.  Those sites are at the root of every crippled computer or laptop that a teenager once used.  They are file sharing sites that just download viruses to your system.
• The most important updates for your computer will come from Microsoft and your chosen Antivirus program.  Beware of imposters.  There is a fake internet protection program that will look completely legitimate as if it is coming from Microsoft or another valid Antivirus program.  There are more than a dozen different names for this thing and most of them start with the letter “A”.  If it pops up on your computer do not interact with it.
• Read every pop up message carefully.  Don’t become complacent and blindly click OK with anything.
• When installing a new software program always read through the setup screens.  Programs will often bundle other unwanted software and install it by default.  Reading through setup screens will help keep those unwanted programs out of your system.

When all else fails, consult a qualified computer repair technician sooner rather than later.  One that will take the time to help you avoid future problems is ideal.