foreverserenity

Join Date 06/2004

+76

Stopping Internet Threats

As you’re all aware, there are so many things or dangers that we have to protect ourselves and our families from. Almost every home has a computer as well as access to the Internet and with the great world of online activities the danger is ever present.

An article written by Scott Spanbauer of PC World, on msn.com’s Tech & Gadgets section, said that the three ‘biggest’ threats via the Internet today are IE (yes, Internet Explorer itself!), Phishing and Malware.

We all know that having the Internet is a wonderful thing. Yet with that wonderful thing comes the danger that enters your home unseen. We store a lot of personal information on our personal computers at home and even at work. Our work computers will have information that pertains to both work and home. There is always the threat of hackers and viruses to break your system down and wipe out your life as you know it.

In the article Mr. Spanbauer said that for Internet Explorer, MicroSoft’s ActiveX technology is what creates the danger to IE. As the most widely used browser IE is open to ‘malicious hackers’ who enjoy showing the flaws in its system!

To stop the Websites that harbors Phishing and Malware you have to keep your computer updated on regular basis to minimise the risks.

Mr. Spanbauer gave instructions in the article on how to disable ActiveX for sites that we don’t know or trust and how to enable it for those we do.

It’s something I’m definitely going to start doing! I’m posting a link to the article below. There are some great suggestions on what you can do to thwart the different types of threat on page three of the article!

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Phoon

Join Date 10/2001

+382

More typical drivel of someone trying to bash IE and promote alternatives (not you, the article mentioned in the link).
The BIGGEST threat are users which open any link that pops up. Active X provides some nice tools, it's too bad ignorance makes it bad for the rest of us.

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Become a haXor-tYpe yourself, FS, and you can bring tears to these scriptkiddies eyes. And an expensive computer repair for their mommies. Not that I would ever do such a thing. It's illegal, yanno

I'll say!

More typical drivel of someone trying to bash IE and promote alternatives

not you, the article mentioned in the link

LOL! For a moment there.....

I guess it's another's pov. Getting the details out there to those who don't know.

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The default with IE in XP Pro SP2 (and I assume Vista) is to disable ActiveX except in trusted (read same network) sites (you can add to the trusted, or disable ActiveX on select sites).

But if you are not a geeky type, use Firefox or Mozilla. Just be forewarned that the INternet is no longer standards compliant. It is an IE world. So some sites will not work properly.

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I'm always prompted for the the ActiveX stuff with that little yellow bar thingy up near the address bar....

~Zoo

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Because you've mentioned phishing and its like fishing I'm posting a comment. Fact is lots of stuff isn't as it seems to be. Many so called 'friendly' services carry secret malware. many people are naive to it.

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Fire Fox doesn't always work and new browsers can have their own problems too. 'PC Plus' also mentioned the problems with this.

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Fire Fox doesn't always work

I keep reading this from people but have been using FF for a long time without problems. For those rare sites that actually require IE, FF has an add-on to allow you to view those sites as well.

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It is an IE world. So some sites will not work properly.

I know! I usually leave it on for those I trust anyway.

I'm always prompted for the the ActiveX stuff with that little yellow bar thingy up near the address bar....

Me too Zoo. I get it all the time and ignore it!

Fact is lots of stuff isn't as it seems to be. Many so called 'friendly' services carry secret malware. many people are naive to it.

Actually I agree with you on that point! I didn't find the link to post for this article but I have read that many sites do it!

Because you've mentioned phishing and its like fishing I'm posting a comment

Thx for your comment!

Fire Fox doesn't always work

I keep reading this from people but have been using FF for a long time without problems. For those rare sites that actually require IE, FF has an add-on to allow you to view those sites as well.

Thx antistalk and Thx M! I know you always comment that it works for you. It's good to know these things!

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I agree, Phoon. I often tell my girlfriend I'm going to have to suspend her computer license. It's a joke, of course, but I really wish there were such a thing (license).

It doesn't matter if it's IE, Firefox, Opera, etc., caution and common sense are the best tools.

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It doesn't matter if it's IE, Firefox, Opera, etc., caution and common sense are the best tools.

I agree wholeheartedly navigatiso, I do not get adaware, Trojans, viruses etc even after spending 8 to 12 hrs a day surfing all over the web, simply because I use common sense.
But as in the *real world it *common sense* is often hard to come by. Also a sense of umm being removed...from the net. ie..I can't see it or feel it & or do not understand it, allows access to those computers. And in most cases, even after being infected these people have no concept of how it happened. These people are lawyers, Doctors or the average Joe or the uninformed & unsupervised child.

It doesn't make them wrong or stupid or * being sarcastic here

senseless

Many simply do not know or understand. And just because I know how to drive it doesn't mean I need to know anything about how it works, the same is true about computers.

So my thought is that, those in the *Know should

whenever possible gently & kindly inform others.

So Thank You foreverserenity for starting this thread.

And I will work on remembering my own words when dealing with yet another call from a frustrated friend

desperate to get back online. Be gentle & kind

& not pull out anymore of my own hair

It's My Secret

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You have a very valid point, my friend. I suppose sometimes I don't understand how friends, family and co-workers (medical professionals, some renowned in their particular specialty) can get themselves in so much trouble sometimes literally within minutes after I've shown them things not to do, things not to install, places not to visit, etc. I usually try to be kind and gentle myself, Secret, but I'll admit it does tend to try my patience from time to time.

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I often tell my girlfriend I'm going to have to suspend her computer license

LOL! Does she get mad? That's funny but such a male response!LOL! My hubby would come up with something similar!

These people are lawyers, Doctors or the average Joe or the uninformed & unsupervised child.

That's true!

And I will work on remembering my own words when dealing with yet another call from a frustrated friend desperate to get back online. Be gentle & kind & not pull out anymore of my own hair

LOL! Now write that 50 times so that you remember it!LOL!

So Thank You foreverserenity for starting this thread.

You're welcome!

but I'll admit it does tend to try my patience from time to time

It's because you guys find technology so simple and you have a knack for it! It makes you wonder why others find it so difficult!

I'm not too savvy on some aspects of computers myself, but I'm learning how to maneuvre myself around!

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