Protecting Your Computer System Innovative Teaching Center
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Transcript of Protecting Your Computer System Innovative Teaching Center
Protecting Your Computer System
Innovative Teaching Center
Objectives
After completing this workshop, you will be able to:
• Identify software utilities for protecting computer systems against computer viruses, adware, spyware, and pop-up windows. • Describe how viruses, adware and spyware can take over a computer and how to prevent these attacks.
• Identify firewall software and why a personal firewall is important.
• Describe the two different methods of preventing unwanted pop-up windows from appearing when browsing on the web.
• List different methods in which a computer user can prevent viruses, adware, spyware, and pop-up windows from infecting a computer.
• Identify common problems created by viruses, adware, and spyware.
Workshop Outline
Introduction
Spyware & Adware
Viruses
Firewalls
Pop-up Blockers
Top 10 Ways to Protect Your Computer
Introduction
Before you Connect
According to researchers, an unpatched Windows PC connected to the Internet will last only 20
minutes before it’s compromised by Spyware & Adware, Viruses, and worms
Adware
Source: PC Magazine, March 2, 2004
Adware is any software application in which advertising
banners are displayed while the program is running.
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Number of new Adware applications
Signs of Problems
Your browser always comes up to a search engine(IncrediFind)
A new item appears in your Favorites list
Your system runs noticeably slower
A search tool bar appears in your browser
Pop-ups…pop-ups…even when your not browsing
Homepage changed to a different page – hijacked (Casino Palazzo)
Windows Task Manager
• Used to quickly determine if you have a problem
• Bring up Windows Task Manager
(hit Ctrl-Shift-Esc)
• Check process and performance
IncrediFind Search Engine will be tipb.exe
The Five Critical Ingredients of PC Security
1. Operating System Updates
2. Adware & Spyware Removal Utilities
3. Antivirus Removal Utility
4. Personal Firewall
5. User Caution
Spyware & Adware
Adware
• Any software application in which advertising banners are displayed while the program is running.
• Collects information about the user in order to display advertisements based on user's browsing patterns.
Spyware
• Any software that covertly gathers user information through the user's Internet connection without his or her knowledge.
• Typically bundled as a hidden component of freeware or shareware programs.
• Monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else.
Spyware
– Can collect sensitive data like credit card or social security numbers
– Or capture all your keystrokes
– Scan your hard drive
– Review your Internet cookies
– Change your homepage for your browser
Differences from viruses/worms
• Spyware is not aimed at doing malicious things your computer
• Spyware can significantly reduce the performance of your computer--usually manifested by slowing it down
• Written by companies (often outside the U.S.), not individuals
What to do?
• Use reputable programs to protect your computer– Spybot or AdAware
• AdAware (www.lavasoftusa.com)• Spybot (www.spybot.info)
• These programs reviewed often at cnet.com and pcworld.com
• Use a software firewall like Zonealarmhttp://www.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,114738,00.asp
Spybot Download
• Search your hard disk for spyware or adware.
• Removes them
• Homepage:http://spybot.safer-networking.de/
Download, install, configure
Online-Check for updates
Check results
Immunize
Don’t underestimate…
…this growing threat
Take action to defend your
computer and yourself
Viruses
What is a Virus?
Social diseases of computers
Malicious code written by malicious people
Types of Malicious Code
Virus A computer virus attaches itself to a program or file so it can spread from one computer to another, leaving infections as it travels.
Can cause mildly annoying effects while others can damage your HW/SW, or files. Almost all viruses are attached to an executable file.
Trojan HorseAt first glance will appear to
be useful software but will do damage once installed.
Changing your desktop, adding silly active desktop
icons or deleting files.
Worm Spread from computer to computer, but unlike a virus, travels without any help from a person.
Consumes system memory causing Web servers, network servers, and individual computers to stop responding.
Viruses, worms, and Trojan Horses are all
malicious programs that can cause damage to your computer
How Does Your Computer Can Catch a Virus?
• Has to be introduced to your system
• Medium in which a virus can be introduced
– Floppy– Modem– Network– E-mail– File sharing programs
How Do You Avoid a Virus Problem?
• Backup important files
• Limit trading floppy disks
• File sharing programs
• Avoid .exe, .scr, .Ink, .bat, .abs, .dll, .bin, anmd .cmd.
• Install an Antivirus utility
• Online Scanners
Antivirus Utilities
See Handout
See Handout forMore Information
Words of Advice
• Don't run program files from unknown or unreliable sources
• Keep you operating system and antivirus software up-to-date
(use automatic updates)
AntiVirus detection should be handled both server side and client side. Even in WebCT, our server
should refuse to save that file or allow the next person to Access it if the file is "possessed." …And make lots of backups.
WebCT Users
Firewalls
What is a Firewall?
A firewall isolates your computer from the Internet using a wall to block out unwanted visitors.
A firewall will protect you against things that try to break into your computer, not the things you let in.
Two Types of Firewalls
• Hardware firewall (typically on Routers)
• Software firewall (sometimes referred to personal firewall)
How Do They Work?
• Castle gates
• Option to enable or disable
Where do I need a Firewall
• Do have a firewall on each machine at home to communicate with each other
• One on the router (WiFi)– Set to block all non-legitimate traffic
Don’t run multiple firewalls on one computer
Which One is the Best One to Buy?
See Handout
See Handout forMore Information
Pop-up Blockers
Those Annoying Ads
Beware, these programs often block useful javascripts, like in WebCT.
Idea: Make your WebCT server a “trusted" site to their popup-blockers, rather than telling users to turn off the popup-blockers.
WebCT Users
Websites use pop-up windows to make money, however these ads can be very annoying.
Three Methods to Stop Pop-ups
• Opt-out with advertiser
• Software solutions: Pop-up stopper utilities
See HandoutFor
List of Opt-outAdvertisers
AndSoftwareSolutions
Three Methods to Stop Pop-ups
Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) Internet Explorer allows you to prevent most pop-up windows
Top 10 Ways to Protect YourComputer
Top 10 Ways to Protect YourComputer
1. Get an antivirus tool
2. Get a personal firewall
3. Run antispyware applications
4. Update your operating systems and browser version (http://www.microsoft.com/security/bulletins/default.mspx)
5. Use a different browser program (Firefox www.mozilla.org)
6. Don’t install something unless you know what it is, and read the fine print before loading programs.
7. Update Antivirus applications every time you go online.
8. Beware of peer-to-peer file sharing (Kazaa and Grokster.)
9. Don’t open unsolicited e-mail
10 Talk to your family about file sharing
The End