Web Browser Security

Web Security

BADLY OUT OF DATE: 6/2009 Web browsing is becoming a preferred path used by hackers to take over Windows computers.  There are five things that can help protect your computer from mal-ware coming in thru web browsers.

• Windows updates:  Microsoft issues updates for Internet Explorer (IE) all he time.  Make sure you have the most current updates for you computer from http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com.  The cycle time from  posting an update on “windowsupdate” to hackers using the bug on upatched computers is less that a month these days.  Update every week. If you use some browser other than IE, do updates for the browser you use, usually by downloading a new version from the browser's web site.
• Avoid popups: The “popup” windows that many commercial websites use to annoy you can also be a source of mal-ware. You can avoid popups by using a web browser that does not allow popups. I use browsers from http://www.mozilla.org.  They have a full-featured browser named Mozilla and a small, fast, browser-only application named FireFox that can be configured to block popups. IE allows popups.
• Use common sense: Don't download “free” stuff touted on the web. You can easily pick up programs and widgets that are mal-ware. Don't browse indescriminantly — just visiting some rogue sites can compromise your computer if it is badly configured.<>
• Scan for AdWare. AdWare is a programt that resides on your computer and monitors your web-browsing activity, sending reports back to a central data-gathering computer. The programs usually originate as a program that you downloaded from the web- maybe it is an icon that tells you the temperature in your town or some other similar widget you picked up from a commercial site. You can get a program called Ad-aware. You can download it from LavasoftUSA. Go to the "mirror sites" area to download a free-for-home-use copy.
• Scan for Hijackers. Hijackers try to take over your browser and pop up web pages even when you aren't browsing. They often take over your “home page” as well. Use a program called SpyBot for a good job of cleaning up hijackers.

Spybot and Ad-aware are both similar to AntiVirus software. The utilities scan files on your computer for matches with mal-ware signatures stored in a database of such signatures. Files that match are offered for deletion. Here are sketchy directions to help you figure out how to use them:

• Download and install the programs on your computer.
• Run the programs and use the “check/search for updates” function to get the current database of “signatures” off the web. The signatures allow the programs to recognize programs that are mal-ware. The databases are updated frequently to recognize new bad-guys. Update each time you use the programs.
• Boot your computer into “safe mode”. To access safe mode, type <F8> repeatedly during the early “black-screen” part of the bootup. You will get a startup menu from which you can select safe mode.
• In XP/2000, sign on in safe mode with an account with administrative privledges other than your own account. You can create such an account in Control Panel->Users if you don't have one.
• Do a scan of your entire computer. Programs that cause a problem will be listed.
• Select all the programs in the list of bad programs and mark them to be deleted or quarantined.
• Delete the programs (by selecting the [Next>] button).
• If the program tells you that it needs a reboot to finish up, tell the program it is ok to run again after reboot.
• Reboot your computer. It will start in regular mode, not safe mode.

After you do an initial cleanup, you can do regular scans every week or month without going in to safe mode. Do a safe-mode scan any time a regular scan seems to be ineffective.