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Protecting Yourself For FREE...

Started by shadragon , Sep 18 2007 10:48 AM

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3 replies to this topic

#1 shadragon

Tech Admin

Member
3,055 posts

Location:On De Island...
Gender:Male
Cert Level:MSD / DM / Solo
Logged Dives:534' ish

Posted 18 September 2007 - 10:48 AM

A computer is like your car. If you always leave it running, never do any maintenance and don't lock it when you leave it for the night then bad things will eventually happen.

I put together a PPT file on basic home computer security that I presented at an annual security conference I attend each year. At the end, I wanted to emphasize that there were good products available at no cost for you to use on your home PC. Something is better than nothing and not everyone can afford to pay for software at times. (Note: The PPT is too large to post here unfortunately.)

So I assembled a list of free software and where you can get it below. I use all of these products and they have saved me a lot of grief. If you have multiple users on a computer like kids or college students then you should run these tools regularly to head off issues.

Firewall - Comodo
http://www.personalf...all.comodo.com/

Antivirus - AVG Free
http://www.avgfree.com

Spyware Removal
http://www.spybot.info - SpyBot
http://www.ad-aware.com - AdAware

Online Scanners for Malicious Programs
(These do not install on your PC, but instead run via the web browser to check your hard drives for problem software. They are an excellent tool if you suspect something may have gotten on your PC and not been picked up by the AV program. They find all sorts of viruses, spyware and other malicious programs.)
http://www.bitdefender.com - Bitdefender
http://housecall.antivirus.com - HouseCall

Remember, email is an inefficient communications forum. You may not read things the way it was intended. Give people the benefit of the doubt before firing back... Especially if it is ME...!

Tech Support - The hard we do right away; the impossible takes us a little longer...

"I like ponies on no-stop diving. They convert "ARGH!! I'M GOING TO DIE" into a mere annoyance." ~Nigel Hewitt

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#2 drbill

I spend too much time on line

SD Partners
4,486 posts

Location:10-200 feet under, Santa Catalina Island
Gender:Male
Cert Level:Rescue
Logged Dives:who's counting, definitely four digits

Posted 18 September 2007 - 12:48 PM

Tell me about car maintenance. I just discovered yesterday that the reason my golf cart broke down was that brilliant "yours truly" forgot to put oil in it over the last six months and it froze up.

As for my computers, I haven't had anything malicious in a long time (since the early 1990's), but really appreciate your post with these free tools! Thanks.

Must have a sense of humor to view my web site!

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#3 Latitude Adjustment

I spend too much time on line

Member
2,658 posts

Location:Work in and live near Lakehurst, NJ
Gender:Male
Cert Level:EanX
Logged Dives:600+

Posted 18 September 2007 - 01:15 PM

Tell me about car maintenance. I just discovered yesterday that the reason my golf cart broke down was that brilliant "yours truly" forgot to put oil in it over the last six months and it froze up.

As for my computers, I haven't had anything malicious in a long time (since the early 1990's), but really appreciate your post with these free tools! Thanks.

Bill, I hope you aren't the guy maintaining the compressor :angel2:

I, Latitude Adjustment (insert log in name), do hereby swear, (politely), that I shall not hold SingleDivers, (SD), nor any SD poster, (real or imagined), liable, nor shall I seek legal restitution, (real or imagined), for any perceived, (real or imagined), offenses I may incur, (or Incurrrrrrrrrr on talk like a pirate day), that may or may not be posted on this or any SCUBA related board, (real or imagined), by anyone, (real or imagined), anywhere, (real or imagined). Further, I void any right to privacy, (real or imagined), as it may, or may not relate to any posting, (real or imagined), about me, to me, for me, because of me, all about me, my dog, my cat, my bird, my monkey, my family, (real or imagined), my friends, (real or imagined), or my world, (real or imagined).

By all that is wet, I do hereby swear, (politely), and attest, upon pain of never diving again, (real or imagined), that I understand and affirm, that I agree to the above.

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Signed and Dated