like mail.com. I open it in Mozilla.
Has your online behavior changed in the past two years because of increased security concerns?
Yes, drastically (in what way?)
Yes, slightly (in what way?)
Not at all (really? tell us more)
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Has your online behavior changed in the past two years because of increased security concerns?
Yes, drastically (in what way?)
Yes, slightly (in what way?)
Not at all (really? tell us more)
Discussion is locked
I would take it that you already know Incredimail is,by definition,spyware?.They'll say no but indeed they have keyloggers and trackers on their email client.Every email you send/recieve is noted,addresses kept,put on a list and are apparently sold to marketers.Had Incredimail myself in earlier years until I figured out the extent of spyware they use.
All versions,free and paid,of Netscape is the same.It took some real rooting around but eventually,I found the hidden screen Netscape hides within the program.Lists all emails in/out,how many of their ads you view etc etc.I began to go to that screen every day and delete everything.Very soon I recieved a most angry email from Netscape letting me know they weren't at all happy with me,even tried to say I was somehow covering up the ads so I wouldn't see them.
It takes a while but sooner or later one finds out things about the various freeware email clients.Most are good,above board but a few are real carpetbaggers.
Over time,one lives,learns,moves on.
Places like Incredimail,Smiley Central or Hotbar,boy,I run like crazy,as bad as Gater was/is who has changed their name to Clarica I believe---and Microsoft has bought it now,phew!!.SS
Actually is DOES NOT tell the jerks they have a VALID address, it tells them they have an INVALID address and the mail is being returned to sender. Using this feature I have cleaned up my spam almost entirely...never competely of course, there is always a new batch not far away, but I always deal with that the same way and I never get the same message twice.
I've been running thru 2 hardwall firewalls and a software firewall for a long time. I don't open emails that are forwarded like from my mother in law or others that I know. I started with Norton and McAfee which I despise. I then tried Trend Micro but their support is abysmal(3-4 day response time if at all). Now I'm using ZoneLabs for my computer and Computer Associates on my wifes.
I was paranoid already more than two years ago. So nothing has changed for me. I don't open E-mails I don't recognise. Besides that, I have a Mac and not too many bugs bother my machine. Apple Rules; Micro-trash drools!!!!!!!!!!
As a Blind Computer user using a screenreader see www.aisquared.com ) I have always been aware of viruses that slither through our systems but in the past 2/3 years I have been more suspicious of email "letter bombs" but I must say AOL has managed to get rid of these internet terrorist. I use a self devised system in that the first address in my address book is 111111111@111111111.com so that when these creeps try to attack my address book it "hits" the first address (the one above) and being unable to send it's poison on it stops trying also the mail it sends to 111111111@111111111.com is returned to itself so reflecting the virus back on them. Anymore cool ideas on how to get revenge on these poison peddlars would be appreciated
Essentially in the past two years I've gone from being a hare to being a tortoise. Slow and steady may win the race, but it's not nearly as productive or as much fun.
In addition to assuming that any unknown mailer is a source of malice and hence not opening any of their communications, I've loaded up my Start Up with Spyware and Adware programs which have noticeably degraded performance on my mobile Pentium 4 1.9 GHz Thinkpad.
The little incompatibility breeches among all the security programs, with each other and all with XP, has produced some extensive maddening trouble-shooting exercises.
I've had to change my basic email address twice in this period as each successive base became saturated with spammers. The masquerade of spyware hackers as anti-spyware software purveyors has eroded what little remained of my naivete and trust. We'll never be young again.
A few years back I got hooked by a phisher. It was in the early days before word was put out--specifically targeting ebay and paypal. I narrowly escaped losing $4,000 in one dismal morning. After that I considered myself forewarned. Of course I keep my virus protection software up to date (mine is Norton); I trash each and every spam email immediately, being careful to "block sender" before deleting it. I don't even open attachments from friends, because hackers can capture address books, so an offending email appears to come from a trusted source. Whoopee. But what has dramatically changed for me is my surfing habits. Cookies are one thing--just delete all cookies after each web session. But adware/spyware is another matter. Norton identifies them via system scans but can't delete them unless you go into safe mode. Even then Norton kept quitting on me, so I had to do a search, then hand-pick the offending files in order to get them the bleep off my system. I don't like people telling my computer what to do. If it means I have less fun on the web, so be it. Too bad though. Surfing used to be hang-ten fun. Now I liken my behavior on the web to a scuba diver with a squeaky clean mask. Too bad the bleepheads had to steal my good wave. jb
We have continued to update everything and stay away from any unknown E-Mails and selling sights that don't look good.
I have not changed my habits a great deal, of course I do very little online banking or buying. If I do I ensure that the site is secure and that I am the initiator of all transactions. I also ensure that my firewall is active, antivirus is up to date and I do the normal spyware sweeps to prevent my information from going where I don't want it.
I suppress popups
I open only mail where I recognize the sender AND topic
I use a firewall (software)
I use virus protection and update regularly
I update my Windows XP regularly
While my company is relatively small, (93 employees) we have removed our local network from the internet. Three computers in the IT office do have internet access and IT will notify employees that mail exists for them. The cost of anti spyware, anti virus, etc and manpower costs for updating plus data recovery for additional IT labor cost to reformat infected machines exceeds by nearly an order of magnitude labor time lost to go to IT for internet access. Cost for multiple accounts has also been reduced as has company insurance costs to protect the company against legal liability if an identity theft etc occurs via our computers.
IT uses hard drive drawers for the machines with internet access, and when there is a problem, a replacement drawer is used and the problem drawer hard drive is reformated. There is no effort to recover information on the problem machine.
Most transfer of mail, etc is via FAX. Drawings, digital information, data, etc go via UPS Next Day or FEDEX. Bottom line, we are saving 36% to 44% by this approach.
Because of differing depictions of what constitutes a Virus, spyware, and worms, I now find it necessary to have more than one AV, AntiSpyware, and worm finder program in order to get most (and hopefully all) virulent programs from attacking my machine.
Even so, I sometimes have "mystery" results on my PC that cause me to worry that all such programs have not been screened out. The fact that none of us can 100% trust Microsoft to have done a "perfect job" in writing the software we depend on, has a great deal to do with my insecurities.
Bill Gates and company pretty much own the operating system software but do not have a lock on it because of the current state of reliability to fend off attacks by the idiots that cannot write constructive software. They are pretty much the "Vandals" of the modern age.
Meantime, the proliferation of antivirus, AntiSpyware, and worm-locks has become a costly and only partial solution. What do you guys and gals think?
I think it's right out of MAD Magazine and Bill Gates is really Alfred E. Neuman in disguise. "What, Me Worry?" seems to be their answer to the swiss cheese-like operating systems they ARE STILL producing.
Now, the spyware industry. Has anybody noticed that not too many years ago, we didn't have ANY need for anti-everything_you_can_think_of programs. Sorta makes me believe it is a self-induced industry, like what better way to sell a product than to create a serious enough problem to warrant the need for the cure for it.The industry has been giving us clues, or hasn't anyone noticed? When a new virus hits the streets and only one anti virus company is protected from the very start, guess who I believe created the virus. Case in fact: remember when Norton was selling their antivirus for only about 2 bucks, cuz that was all it was worth? Then, that virus got loose and Norton was the only antivirus that knew what to do with it. A two dollar antivirus program was the only cure? Now, it's back to not much under $100. With that kind of marketing, they would have been smart to pay someone to write that virus. You don't think they would have thought of that, do you?
Think where the computer technology revolution would be today if everyone pulled together for a change instead of back-biting each other and retarding our childrens future. Isn't the human race EVER going to mature? BUT, SPY VS SPY was a pretty funny comic strip. Hey, maybe thats where they came up with the "white hat-black hat" idea for hacking
Oh yeah, while I'm on my soap box.......Microsoft is the leader in huge profit corporations whining about piracy, yet they force-feed our computers with updates every week(my day is Tuesday, what is yours?) I've found the files that control the date and time of the feeds, and yes, they have the right (ref.EULA) to update their software, which isn't really ours cuz we just payed for it, we didn't develop it. But, they don't own the hardware from the modem inward to the network that is my home network system, I own that, and I NEVER gave them permission to illegally force their way into my computer to change their OS. The EULA that they like to throw around like the WWF heavyweight title belt doesn't say I have to give up rights to who accesses their operating system via my hardware. That means, once a week, Microsoft commits how many million acts of breaking and entering, and then they whine about Joe Blow over there that is using their software illegally. WHOOPS, sorry my speech lasted so long, I'll pass to you, Bill Gates........
Used to rely on auto updates, but now check at least three times a week. This means spending an inordinate amount of time just doing house cleaning, updating, and running checks. Almost becoming so timely that there is little pleasure in computing. Run/manage four web sites and have worldwide friends, still the fun is going out of even turning it on with expectation of some great potential. Very discouraging. Even the MAC community is beginning to be not so safe.
Hackers, viruses and spammers are all form of Terrorist actions online. As they have increased so has my aresenal of programs to keep them at bay. Obviously there are precautions to take such as not storing critical information on my hard drive but, I regularly run registry sweeps, virus protection/scans and Spyware. I stay up to date with all the updates from each program and create backups to external hard drives and disks.
I will not curb my right to surf the world wide web.
I will take every precaution to protect myself. Yes it does costt money but, Hey...nothing is free.
bEcKs
I have not changed by being all safe and stuff, actually i didnt even care becasue i thought i was safe enough, so i actaally used the internet more, actaally ALOT MORE!!!
No changes for me. I've known all my life that THEY are out to get US. While I'm here let me just say Hi! to everyone over at Ft. Meade and Langley as well as in the Hoover building. I know you're all listening. Keep up the good work. You have nearly destroyed America, just a few more freedoms to squash. Well, I've got to go reinforce the aluminum foil shielding in my house. Bye now.
I have become more careful about opening unsolicited offers and unknown senders. I may have missed something genuine sometime but that can`t be helped. I also make sure that my protection is up to date.
I don't think virus threats or adware has materially worsened in the past two years. Yeah, there are rootkit viruses, but what the heck, this machine's not for business, there's no life-threat involved. I use P-cillin and some other stuff, backup/image the drive from time to time. But, hey, worse comes to worse I wipe and reinstall, I learn a little more and the machine runs lots faster.
RTT
I purchased a new HPMedia Center PC m7277c from COSTCO in Nov. it came with Norton's Internet Security Suite on it. Right out of the box I started getting error messages, program crashes and system hang ups. I returned one system to COSTCO. Since I really like this system I just traded it straight across. After spending 2.5 months of calling HP tech support and getting the same answers from their techs. I took the cpu to Best Buy to get the Norton taken off and PCCilling put on. This took it from slower than an old 33.6 phone line modem ( I have a cox cable internet connection) to where it should be. And I haven't had a program crash or syste hangup since making the change. And being on a cable conn. I now use a hardware firewall.
yes it has. I've added additional help including a firewall, anti-spyware, anti-adware and more frequent updating on anti-virus program.
capjr
have stopped suffering from Symantec NIS and AV. My (fast, expensive, up-to-date) computer had just about ground to a halt under the weight of the NIS. And unstalling them was made nearly impossible bby Symantec (thanks, I'll remember that.)
Lots of phishing schemes out there, but is any one dumb enough to get taken??
I have had Zone Alarm Pro , three anti-virus progarms , and two spyware programs for well over two years.
I am very paranoid about the Internet.
Bruce Sinton
Firewall: Zone Alarm (free version)
A-V: avast! (free version--and it checks itself every time I connect to the internet, checks all incoming email, checks all sites I go to before it allows them to load, and losts of other things.)
Ad-Aware (for spyware, free, run it once a week.)
Spy-Bot (Also for spyware, using Tea Timer to watch my registry--free.)
Backups with Acronis (A commercial package, but I received a legitimate--not pirated--copy free.)
I started this stuff a couple of years ago. New to the net, and I was hit with viruses a couple of times, one of which shut down the system. Since I have started all this, no problems.
I NEVER put personal financial information on the net. My phone number? Sure! There are no phones on the line. Only two computers. My SSN? You gotta be kiddin me!
No credit cards, so that can't be stolen. No checks. I have a savings account, and I pay cash. If I have to pay something by mail, a money order is only a quarter.
I see a program I like and it's only on the net I see it? Then they'd better give me a mailing address, or I'll just do without it.
Paranoid? You got it!
I like your style,good for you.Just one important item you left out(but can't possibly include everything in small space),until a bona fide expert can prove/show me wrong,Avast is also the only program out there that also protects you from any attacks via any version of Instant Messenger your using.Those using just the XP firewall have to allow exceptions in the security or IM's won't work.You protect yours as I do mine,thus no worries.SS
I am more careful about running McAfee anti-virus regularly. And I try to contain my curiosity about opening attachments. That ain't easy for a female!
I have a background in computer security and was also one of the first to be involved in the e-commerce industry. I have always been careful when I'm online (I've also been shredding my personal data for over 10 years including my address printed on junk mails). I keep my anti-virus and spyware up to date. I never go on chat room nor click on links that seem questionable. I have a spam blocker that lets me preview the email in raw form which allow me to examine both displayed link and actual link (e.g. you see a valid eBay address on the mail, but the link actually points to a different address). Even on a valid link, I never use that link on the email. Say you get a promotional offer email from your credit card, I open up a browser and go to the site myself and look for it. If it's not there, the chances are the offer is a bogus. This ensures that you're at where you want to be.
Yes, I would consider my changes to my security needs to be slight. I was using only the free programs recommended by PC World until a year ago.
I now use a free program, AdAware, and two ''paid for'' programs. PC-cillin suite and GhostSurf 2006. Both are so outstanding at what their main purpose is that I will continue to update them. Besides, their customer service is a definite 10.
I resent feeling so threatened that I need to pay for protection. These computer "users" have invaded my personal well-being as surely as the criminal who stole my purse a few months ago and the villian who stole my identity two months ago.
I'm surrounded by evil doers! And I'm the one who pays for their behavior.