Secure Your Computer

Securing your Computer is always number one priority for everyone. But it was found out that most of the computer users fail to understand how to secure their computer. Attackers, sometimes called hackers, have different types of attacking a computer, using different computer programs, in the following I will gladly describe the difference between each type of malicious program, and what are their problems on our computers.

"Malware is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner's informed consent. It is a portmanteau of the words "malicious" and "software". The expression is a general term used by computer professionals to mean a variety of forms of hostile, intrusive, or annoying software or program code.

Many normal computer users are however still unfamiliar with the term, and most never use it. Instead, "computer virus" is used in common parlance and often in the general media to describe all kinds of malware, though not all malware is a virus.

Software is considered malware based on the perceived intent of the creator rather than any particular features. It includes computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, most rootkits, spyware, dishonest adware, and other malicious and unwanted software." - Wikipedia

"A computer Virus is a computer program that can copy itself and infect a computer without permission or knowledge of the user. However, the term "virus" is commonly used, albeit erroneously, to refer to many different types of malware programs. The original virus may modify the copies, or the copies may modify themselves, as occurs in a metamorphic virus. A virus can only spread from one computer to another when its host is taken to the uninfected computer, for instance by a user sending it over a network or the Internet, or by carrying it on a removable medium such as a floppy disk, CD, or USB drive. Additionally, viruses can spread to other computers by infecting files on a network file system or a file system that is accessed by another computer. Viruses are sometimes confused with computer worms and Trojan horses. A worm can spread itself to other computers without needing to be transferred as part of a host, and a Trojan horse is a file that appears harmless until executed." - Wikipedia

"A computer Worm is a self-replicating computer program. It uses a network to send copies of itself to other nodes (computer terminals on the network) and it may do so without any user intervention. Unlike a virus, it does not need to attach itself to an existing program. Worms almost always cause harm to the network, if only by consuming bandwidth, whereas viruses almost always corrupt or modify files on a targeted computer." - Wikipedia

"In the context of computing and software, a Trojan horse, or simply trojan, is a piece of software which appears to perform a certain action but in fact performs another such as a computer virus. Contrary to popular belief, this action, usually encoded in a hidden payload, may or may not be actually malicious, but Trojan horses are notorious today for their use in the installation of backdoor programs. Simply put, a Trojan horse is not a computer virus in most cases. Unlike such malware, it does not propagate by self-replication but relies heavily on the exploitation of an end-user." - Wikipedia

"A Rootkit is a program (or combination of several programs) designed to take fundamental control (in Unix terms "root" access, in Windows terms "Administrator" access) of a computer system, without authorization by the system's owners and legitimate managers. Access to the hardware (ie, the reset switch) is rarely required as a rootkit is intended to seize control of the operating system running on the hardware. Typically, rootkits act to obscure their presence on the system through subversion or evasion of standard operating system security mechanisms.

Rootkits may have originated as regular, though emergency, applications, intended to take control of an unresponsive system, but in recent years have been largely malware to help intruders gain access to systems while avoiding detection. Rootkits often modify parts of the operating system or install themselves as drivers or kernel modules, depending on the internal details of an operating system's mechanisms." - Wikipedia

"Spyware is computer software that is installed surreptitiously on a personal computer to intercept or take partial control over the user's interaction with the computer, without the user's informed consent.

While the term spyware suggests software that secretly monitors the user's behavior, the functions of spyware extend well beyond simple monitoring. Spyware programs can collect various types of personal information, but can also interfere with user control of the computer in other ways, such as installing additional software, redirecting Web browser activity, accessing websites blindly that will cause more harmful viruses, or diverting advertising revenue to a third party. Spyware can even change computer settings, resulting in slow connection speeds, different home pages, and loss of Internet or other programs." - Wikipedia

"Adware or advertising-supported software is any software package which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertising material to a computer after the software is installed on it or while the application is being used." - Wikipedia

How they Attack?
Threats today have become more complicated. They tend to use multiple vectors to spread, thus increasing their chances of infection. Once on the system, these threats tend to show little to no symptoms so they can survive undetected.

They could attack by:

• Vulnerabilities
• Spyware
• Spam
• Malware
• Phishing

Vulnerabilities
Vulnerabilities are flaws in computer software that create weaknesses in the overall security of the computer or network. Vulnerabilities can also be created by improper computer or security configurations. Threats exploit the weaknesses of vulnerabilities resulting in potential damage to the computer or personal data.

How Do You Know

* Companies announce vulnerabilities as they are discovered and quickly work to fix the vulnerabilities with software and security "patches"

What To Do

* Keep software and security patches up to date
* Configure security settings for operating system, internet browser and security software
* Develop personal security policies for online behavior
* Install a proactive security solution to block threats targeting vulnerabilities

Spyware
Spyware can be downloaded from Web sites, email messages, instant messages, and from direct file-sharing connections. Additionally, a user may unknowingly receive spyware by accepting an End User License Agreement from a software program.

How Do You Know

* Spyware frequently attempts to remain unnoticed, either by actively hiding or by simply not making its presence on a system known to the user

What To Do

* Use a Security Suite to provide spyware protection and proactively protect from other security risks
* Configure the firewall in your Security Suite to block unsolicited requests for outbound communication
* Do not accept or open suspicious error dialogs from within the browser
* Spyware may come as part of a "free deal" offer - do not accept free deals
* Always read carefully the End User License agreement at Install time and cancel if other “programs” are being installed as part of the desired program
* Keep software and security patches up to date

Spam
Email Spam is the electronic version of junk mail. It involves sending unwanted messages, often unsolicited advertising, to a large number of recipients. Spam is a serious security concern as it can be used to deliver Trojan horses, viruses, worms, spyware, and targeted phishing attacks.

How Do You Know

* Messages that do not include your email address in the TO: or CC: fields are common forms of Spam
* Some Spam can contain offensive language or links to Web sites with inappropriate content

What To Do

* Install Spam filtering/blocking software
* If you suspect an email is Spam, do not respond, just delete it
* Consider disabling the email’s preview pane and reading emails in plain text
* Reject all Instant Messages from persons who are not on your Buddy list
* Do not click on URL links within IM unless from a known source and expected
* Keep software and security patches up to date

Malware
Malware is a category of malicious code that includes viruses, worms, and Trojan horses. Destructive malware will utilize popular communication tools to spread, including worms sent through email and instant messages, Trojan horses dropped from web sites, and virus-infected files downloaded from peer-to-peer connections. Malware will also seek to exploit existing vulnerabilities on systems making their entry quiet and easy.

How Do You Know

* Malware works to remain unnoticed, either by actively hiding or by simply not making its presence on a system known to the user

What To Do

* Only open email or IM attachments that come from a trusted source and that are expected
* Have email attachments scanned by a Security Suite prior to opening
* Delete all unwanted messages without opening
* Do not click on Web links sent by someone you do not know
* If a person on your Buddy list is sending strange messages, files, or web site links, terminate your IM session
* Scan all files with an Internet Security solution before transferring them to your system
* Only transfer files from a well known source
* Use a Firewall Security Suite to block all unsolicited outbound communication
* Keep security patches up to date

Phishing
Phishing is essentially an online con game and phishers are nothing more than tech-savvy con artists and identify thieves. They use SPAM, malicious Web sites, email messages and instant messages to trick people into divulging sensitive information, such as bank and credit card accounts.

How Do You Know

* Phishers, pretending to be legitimate companies, may use email to request personal information and direct recipients to respond through malicious web sites
* Phishers tend to use emotional language using scare tactics or urgent requests to entice recipients to respond
* The phish sites can look remarkably like legitimate sites because they tend to use the copyrighted images from legitimate sites
* Requests for confidential information via email or Instant Message tend to not be legitimate
* Fraudulent messages are often not personalized and may share similar properties like details in the header and footer

How Can You Help

If a legitimate Web page has been misidentified as a known or suspicious phish site, please report this misidentified page to the Symantec Security Response team at Submit false positive phish Web page, or McAfee Site Adviser, or similar phishing programs

A Norton Authenticated Web page has been verified by Symantec as belonging to the company represented. Please use the Norton Authenticated Request Form for legitimate Web sites you want to be evaluated as Norton Authenticated.

How to Protect Your Computer

• Email
• Web Activities
• Instant Messaging
• File Sharing

Secure Your Email

How They Attack

1. Malware
   • May appear to come from someone you know or trick you into opening
   • May not have symptoms of infection but may be silently gathering information
   • Some may reduce performance or cause strange behaviors like a spontaneous reboot
   What To Do
   • Only open email attachments that come from a trusted source and that are expected
   • Scan email attachments with an AntiVirus prior to opening
   • Delete all unwanted messages without opening
   • Keep security patches up to date
2. SPAM
   • Spam is a serious security concern as it can be used to deliver Malware
   • Messages that do not include your email address in the TO: or CC: fields are common forms of Spam
   • Some Spam can contain offensive language or links to Web sites with inappropriate content
   What To Do
   • If you suspect an email is spam, do not respond, just delete it
   • Consider disabling the email’s preview pane and reading emails in plain text
3. Phishing
   • Requests for confidential information via email are not legitimate
   • Phishing attacks may use scare tactics to entice a response
   • Fraudulent emails are often not personalized
   • Phishing attacks may consist of a group of emails that share similar properties like details in the header and footer
   What To Do
   • Be extremely wary of emails asking for confidential information
   • Confirm the authenticity of a suspicious request before responding in email

Browse the Web Safely

How They Attack

1. Phishing
   • Fraudulent websites are used to steal personal information
   • Phishing attacks re-direct victims to a bogus Web site where malicious code is downloaded and used to collect sensitive information
   What To Do
   • When visiting a website, type the address directly into the browser rather than following a link
   • Only provide personal information on sites that have "https" in the web address or have a lock icon at bottom of the browser
   • Do not provide personal information to any unsolicited requests for information
   • Confirm authenticity of a Web site with the special programs for it
2. Spyware
   • Many "free" programs downloaded from the web install software that tracks your behavior and displays unwanted advertisements
   • Some web pages will attempt to install spyware when you visit their page
   What To Do
   • Allow only authorized programs to connect to the Web with your Firewall program
   • Do not accept or open suspicious error dialogs from within the browser
   • Spyware may come as part of a "free deal" offer - Do not accept free deals
3. Vulnerabilities
   • A vulnerability in the web browser may create a weakness in the computer security providing an opportunity for some websites to download malicious code
   What To Do
   • Install product updates and security patches before using the internet
   • Keep web browser up to date with latest patches
   • Make sure your computer is configured securely
   • Automatically shield newly discovered security holes with a Security Suite

Safeguard Your Instant Messenger

How They Attack

1. Malware
   • IM attachments, just like email attachments, can carry destructive viruses, Trojan horses, and worms
   • Some new worms use IM software to send themselves to every member of your buddy list
   What To Do
   • Don't open attachments or click on Web links sent by someone you don't know
   • Don't send files over IM
   • If a person on your Buddy list is sending strange messages, files, or web site links, terminate your IM session
   • Remove viruses from IM with an AntiVirus
2. SPAM
   • Some Spam can contain offensive language or links to Web sites with inappropriate content
   What To Do
   • Reject all Instant Messages from persons who are not on your Buddy list
   • Do not click on URL links within IM unless from a known source and expected
3. Vulnerabilities
   • Most instant messages still travel unencrypted across the Internet, exposing private conversations to anyone who can find a way to listen in
   What To Do
   • Never send personal information through an IM
   • Keep your IM software up to date
   • Keep your operating system and security software up to date

File Sharing Protection

How They Attack

1. Malware
   • Malware may spread through common peer-to-peer file sharing applications by placing themselves in shared directories with enticing filenames
   • Some Malware threats use peer-to-peer networks to communicate out from an infected system
   What To Do
   • Scan all files with an Internet Security solution before transferring them to your system
   • Only transfer files from a well known source
   • Use your Firewall Security software to block all unsolicited outbound communication
2. Spyware
   • Some adware may be bundled with some "free" versions of popular file-sharing programs
   What To Do
   • Always read carefully the End User License agreement at Install time and cancel if other "programs" are being installed as part of the desired program
3. Vulnerabilities
   • Personal information can be extracted from open connections during peer-to-peer connections
   What To Do
   • Make sure your computer is configured securely
   • Use your Firewall Security software to block all unsolicited outbound communication
   • Protect personal data by limiting the folders and files that can be shared on the peer-to-peer network
     
     
     Thanks For ReWeSh