Ask Me - THRComputer Solutions

You know the dangers of viruses and malware for your computer.  You take the precautions to protect yourself against harm and you may think that your computer is the only device you own that is susceptible to viruses and malware, but think again!  There are other routes hackers can use to infect you and that is through your cell phone, PDAs and other mobile devices.

Think about it – what is your PDA and phone other than just small computers?  And they are on one of the largest networks in the world, open to people all around the globe.  Just because it does not use Windows does not mean it does not have an operating system and applications just like your computer. Most cell phones and PDAs are traditional harder to break into because most have operating systems and applications burned into a chip.  However, there are many new services, such as downloading music and image files that are opening up your devices to potential hazards.

Viruses can live in any type of file.  Therefore, if you download an .jpg file to your cell phone, then later decide to upload that same .jpg file to your computer, you could be infecting your computer with that file you downloaded on your cell phone.  This is how PCs were originally infected with viruses – through users sharing files via a floppy disk.  If your phone is not secured, you could be putting yourself at risk. Read the rest of this entry »

If your computer becomes infected with spyware, you may have more to worry about other than just the fact that it is annoying to you.  Spyware can damage your system, causing it to become unstable.  It may interfere with you using other programs.  It can even cause hackers to be able to access private information on your computer including files and places you have visited on the Internet.

You do not normally know when you get spyware.  One day your computer can be fine then when the spyware is downloaded on your computer, you begin noticing problems.  It may even be difficult to remove once you realize you have it.

How can you protect yourself from spyware?  Use caution when downloading any new programs from the Internet, especially free and shareware programs.  While some are honorable, a large amount contains spyware.  Some programs even tell you in the fine print of the user agreement that they have spyware embedded in them, so always read that closely.  Even if a program says it is spyware free, be leery.  The music download program Kazaa has been saying it is spyware free for years, yet many people have downloaded it only to become infected with spyware.

What are some of the signs that you have spyware on your system?  You may notice a large number of pop-ups on your computer whether you are browsing the Internet or not.  Your browser homepage may be hijacked – that is changed from the original homepage you set.  Even when you reset it, it will return to the hijacked page.  You may notice new toolbars on your browser window. You may notice your computer performing sluggishly or rebooting automatically. Read the rest of this entry »

Web Browsers are your key to the Internet.  With a browser such as Internet Explorer, you can find almost anything you need by surfing the Internet.  However, there are dangerous locations online – those that are looking to hijack your computer and use it for their own good.  The problem is, you may not even know when you visit a website that it could be potentially dangerous to your computer.

Many users are not even aware how vulnerable their systems can be simply by viewing a web page.  Visiting a malicious web page with an insecure browser opens up your entire computer to potential problems and viruses.  Some sites only have harmless cookies, but other like to download executable programs that will allow the hacker complete control over your system.  Scary, isn’t it? Read the rest of this entry »

There are three types of malware – that is, malicious software designed to harm your computer:  viruses, Trojans and worms.  Of the three, worms are the most harmful because they can function without human intervention.  While viruses attach themselves to a program, worms do not need to do that to be harmful.  They can spread independently.

Worms can be designed to destroy computer programs and files, but they are often designed to attack networks.  Because networks are comprised of servers and routers, this can be most damaging.  The servers are used as resources by many individual computers and the router is a specialized server that is used to route network traffic.  If nothing else, a worm can cause damage by consuming precious network bandwidth. Read the rest of this entry »

I received an email from what I will call one of my junk email accounts that appeared to have come from Dell Customer Care.  The email contained what appeared to be an order confirmation for a Sony Vaio?? I Did not know I could even by a Sony from Dell, but that doesn’t matter.

The email contained a zip file attachment that was supposed to contain a PDF of my order.  Since my computer is heavily protected, my curiousity was peaked, so I decided to open up the zip file.  Guess what, my EZTrust Anti-Virus program alerted me than the email contained a virus named: Win32/Hasdoor.BQ.  Can’t really tell you that I was shocked.

This just enfources the need to be real careful with opening up email attachments especially if something doesn’t seem right.  Most Internet Service Providers allow you to create multiple email accounts and we highly recommend that you create an extra one just to use when needed on sites that are looking for an email address.  This helps to prevent your main one from getting a ton of crap email messages.

TMX Elmo is a must have for your child this year.  In typical Elmo fashion he will keep your children laughing for hours on end with his realistic movements never done before in a toy like this.

Elmo has three interactive spots to engage your child’s interest.  Those spots are Elmo’s Chin, Tummy and Toe.   All your child has to do it tickle elmo once and he will laugh and clap his leg.  Just tickle elmo again and he does it all again laughing harder at your child.  When you do it a third time, elmo laughes and rolls on his belly and giggles away.

You can find Elmo at some of these below online stores, or use this Elmo Finder tool:

• 
• Target
• KB Toys
• E Toys
• Save up to 80% at Overstock.com!

As everyone knows, this is a hot item to find for Christmas this year and any help you can get is worth it.  I came across this great Elmo finder that you can run from your home computer and be alerted when it comes in stock at one of the online stores.  This is a must have for those who want to increase their chances at finding the TMX Elmo this year.  You can even read more about TMX Elmo on Squidoo.

Have you ever wished you could set up a house light schedule on your personal computer? How about turn on your porch light from your car? Did you ever want to turn off all the lights in your house with one switch? Would you like to have an alarm sound if someone opens a door or window in your home? If so, all this is possible through the use of X10 home automation.

X10 is home automation technology that anyone can set up easily. X10 works by sending simple communication signals through the electrical lines of your home. You will need the receiver hardware attached to the device you want to control then you will need a transmitter control device. By assigning house (A-P) and unit (1-16) codes to the receiver devices, such as a light switch, you can control it. Because A is the default house code, it is a good idea to change it. You would not want you neighbor to be able to turn all your lights on and off because they are using the same X10 code.

Read the rest of this entry »

AceSpy is flagged by many of the spyware removal programs including Spyware Doctor as a keystroke logger.  AceSpy monitors the computer by recording screenshots and maintaining log files of keystroke activity including email program, instant messaging and chatroom conversations.  This application is sold commercially as “Spy Software” for the use of monitoring another person who could be your spouse or even a child.

Legally, it is a federal and state offense to install monitoring or surveillance software on a PC that you do not own.  The reason that many spyware removal programs monitor for this program is just because it is illegal to install it in certain cases, it doesn’t mean that someone won’t do it.  Personally I am in full agreeance of doing what it takes to make sure that my children are using the internet in a safe way so in this situation I would highly recommend this type of  program.  But on the other hand, you need to be careful that you don’t have these types of applications running on your computer without your consent so I am definately a fan of monitoring for this software.  Keep in mind that most spyware protection programs give you the ability to flag a program as being safe so you would just update your spyware program for this program.which means that a person would usually purchase the program to monitor the activity of another person using a computer. 

The bottom line is AceSpy is the type of application that can be both good or bad.  You need to be aware that their are many other types of logging programs that are not sold commercially that can be installed on your computer without you evening knowing it.  If you are looking for a safe way to monitor your children, then download a free trial version of AceSpy.  Also make sure your are properly protected against having one of these programs installed on your computer without your knowledge by installing Spyware Doctor.