Mozilla has recently released updates to its popular Firefox browser. The new Firefox updates is intended to deal with extremely serious security flaws that could disclose users’ sensitive information. If you have Firefox, update it to version 3.0.5. However, Microsoft just issued a critical security warning or a security patch through its automatic update system to patch users computers. Nowadays, visiting a malicious web site that already has the malware installed on the site and visiting a legitimate site, wherein the attacker has inserted the malicious script to run in the background can easily infect your computer. It leaves us unconscious that our computers have been infected. It is recommended to always get new updates for your browser and for your operating system.
how to tell if a site is secure
How to make sure if a site is safe to browse? Nowadays, spyware, malware, Trojan horse, virus, etc, are really rampant in the net. I’m always careful in browsing the net especially if I do important and confidential transactions like using my credit card, paypal and stuff like that. I was glad to have free McAfee security suite from my ISP. It works really great! Today, there are many applications of e-commerce such as home banking, buying stocks, online stores and services using internet. We should be careful sending your personal information like your bank account numbers, credit card numbers, and social security number and password using any unknown site. One time, I was going to send money through online remittance like Xoom and moneygram but I was really meticulous to sign up because I have to give my social security no. for anti-money laundering purposes. I was skeptical about it so I did not pursue. I feel at peace and ease for not signing up and not giving out my detailed info to the sites that I mentioned earlier. Although, those site are secured but I am always meticulous and careful in giving out my info.
However, always use secure websites for this purpose because secure websites safe your private information from others using encryption and some authentication standards. What is Encryption? Encryption is the process of transforming and making information unreadable to unauthorized people. Decryption is the process of converting encrypted data back into its original form and make it readable. Internet Explorer and Firefox always display a small yellow lock icon on the task bar when we open any secure site and start domain name with https:// and padlock icon.
Email Attachments
In Email attachments, we should always be careful. If we see the file extensions look like these below, take a extra precaution.
.scr – Windows Screen Saver – USE CAUTION if you receive a screen saver via email. They can contain worms or viruses
.pif – DO NOT OPEN! This is most likely a virus. Clicking it will run a program or code that can mess up your computer.
.exe – executable file – a program that contains a virus, Trojan horse, or worm
.pps – MS PowerPoint (can contain macro virus)
.zip – Zip (compressed) file
.vbs – Visual Basic script
.bat – Executable MS-DOS batch file
.com – DOS executable command
.asp – active server page – internet script
.doc – Word document (can contain macro virus)
.xls – Excel file (can contain macro virus)
File extensions tell what the program is and how to treat a particular piece of data. For example, most people are somewhat familiar with .doc or a .txt file extensions these are both text documents. Hackers use some emails and activate the virus, which is always an attachment. Most Anti-virus nowadays stops, or at least warns you of high risk attachments. But don’t just rely on that. Don’t open a file or any link from a sender that you don’t recognize to be doubly sure.
What are Internet cookies?
What are Internet cookies? Don’t think of food – you know cookies. These cookies are different. Internet cookies are bits of information stored in your browser, known as text strings. When you are browsing your internet the web server placed some text files on your computer as cookies. The main purpose of cookies to save your preferences that you specify for future reference. You can enable or disable your computer web browser cookies. But it is important for you if you disable your browser cookies, may be some website will not work properly.
If you are using Internet Explorer 6.x and later then follow the given steps to enable or disable cookies
Open Internet Explorer, click on the Tools then Internet Options
Click on Privacy tab from the left top of dialog box and click on Advanced button
To enable the cookies, select the Accept option and for disable check the option Override automatic cookies handling then click on block
Now restart the browser to execute changes
