How safe is your computer from intrusion by unwanted "guests"?

What is spyware?

Where can you go to check-up on your own PC Computer to see if it is secure?

Test Your Computer Security on the Internet

Check for Your Connectable Listening Internet Ports

Here, you will find the answers to these and other questions about computer security.

PROTECT YOURSELF FROM VIRUSES IF YOU USE THE INTERNET, FTP, TELNET, "THE WEB".

Two popular antivirus software programs are and you can locate other antivirus programs by using a search engines like www.google.com, www.hotbot.com, www.download.com, etc. to search for "antivirus program".

Email Concern

How to prevent Outlook Express from passing viruses to others? Good question. The software has been easily used by hackers for spreading viruses on the Internet. Be responsible by not keeping an address book inside Outlook Express. If you keep a list of personal email addresses in a private file elsewhere, perhaps an address file made with Excel or Word, then it would be easy to alphabetize, and easy to cut and paste email addresses as you needed them and since Outlook Express was no longer handling addresses, no viruses would get passed forward by that software program. You can also look for patches which for "fix" the problem and such "patches" are available for download from the Microsoft.com web site. Use their search facily to search for "Outlook *" or "Outlook Express patch".

Do you frequently receive email attachments that you are not expecting, that might apprear as a joke, porno picture, movie picture, attached file from a stranger... right-click to read the e-mail without opening it and do NOT ever open an attachment that you are not expecting, even if it is from someone you know, or a family member, and that is the hard part. Remember how the "LoveBug" virus spread?? I was guilty. I got an email from a younger cousin and it said "I love you".. I opened that email (which had an attachment) and the process of opening the message or attachment gave me the virus. Never open an attachment, even if it is from someone you know!! She did not know she was giving me a virus but she had me in her Outlook Express address list... so the virus was sent to everyone on her list and the only people whose computers were NOT infected, were the onces smart enough not to open an attachment or the message with an attachment from a family member or acquaintance -- because they were NOT EXPECTING the attachment. You can always phone or send them email and ask about it, (after it was deleted). That way, if in the rare event it was legitimate and not a virus, it can be "re-sent" when you are expecting to receive it.

Update your antivirus files each week to 2 weeks online at the antivirus Web sites. Look for something called DAT updates or antivirus updates.

So you have been careful, but you think you have a virus on your computer? Go to McAfee Antivirus http://www.mcafee.com/ or to Norton Antivirus http://www.symantec.com/ and look for antivirus links, new virus descriptions and the new virus descriptions will have links with information about how to get rid of your virus if your antivirus software has not detecting it, or is unable to "isolate " it. If you need assistance, phone a local computer repair service immediately, before you are unable to boot your computer at all. The longer you wait, the more expensive it will be to "restore" your system.

Something New

What is Spyware?

Spyware is ANY SOFTWARE which employs a user's Internet connection in the background (the so-called "backchannel") without their knowledge or explicit permission.

Silent background use of an Internet "backchannel" connection MUST BE PRECEDED by a complete and truthful disclosure of proposed backchannel usage, followed by the receipt of explicit, informed, consent for such use.

ANY SOFTWARE communicating across the Internet absent these elements is guilty of information theft and is properly and rightfully termed: Spyware.