What is a botnet?

According to Microsoft a bot is short for robot. Criminals distribute malicious software (also known as malware) that can turn your computer into a bot (also known as a zombie). When this occurs, your computer can perform automated tasks over the Internet, without you knowing it.

Criminals typically use bots to infect large numbers of computers. These computers form a network, or a botnet.

Criminals use botnets to send out spam e-mail messages, spread viruses, attack computers and servers. If your computer becomes a part of a botnet, your computer might slow down.

For ways to help protect your computer from becoming a zombie in a botnet, go to
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/viruses/zombies.mspx

Turning off AutoPlay can Prevent USB Drives from Spreading Viruses

When you stick a thumb drive into a system, the AutoPlay feature launches the files and if infected it can also launch a worm and it can then spread the infection into your system. Turn off AutoPlay and prevent unnecessary headaches . Here's how:
On versions of Windows such as Windows XP Professional, Vista Ultimate
1. Click Start, click Run, enter gpedit.msc (launch Group Policy Editor);
2. XP users:Open Computer Configuration | Administrative Templates | System,
Vista users: Open Computer Configuration | Windows Components | AutoPlay Policies;
3. Find Turn Off AutoPlay in the right-hand pane and double-click it;
4. Choose Enabled and set it for All drives.utilities.
In any Windows version Try:
1. Launch the Registry editor (Start | Run | regedit);
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer;
3. Double-click NoDriveTypeAutoRun in the right-hand pane and set its value to hexadecimal FF.
Now if you are too lazy to follow all this steps you can visit Panda Security at http://www.pandasecurity.com/usa/homeusers/downloads/usbvaccine/who offers a free "vaccine" program that will turn it off.

Sidejaking Prevention

Sidejacking is away of using public airways to create a kind of password into your computer. it literally becomes a way for hackers to monitor everything that you doing over these public airways. If you happen to go to a coffee shop and log in to your E-mail account hackers can catch all that information and then go off and start acting like they are you, and you have no idea that that happened at the coffee shop. The problem with this malicious activity is that you will have no idea that it is going on because when you connect to the wireless network that is open, it is on a public spectrum so the stuff is flying in the air. So how do we protect ourselves? Install hotspot shield if you use "hotspots". Free download at http://www.anchorfree.com/ This will create a VPN - virtual private network between you and wireless access point so that this sidejacking attempt will be useless on you.

Create rock-solid passwords

Passwords that are real words can be cracked by using a directory attack, where the hacker gets software to try every word in a database. Many sites advice users to use strong passwords comprised of a combination of letters and numbers at least eight characters, but creating such passwords can be challenging. Go to https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm This is password generator that produces new passwords whenever you refresh the page and offers random hexadecimal, ASCII or alphanumeric combinations.

What to do if your antivirus program won't update!

If your antivirus program fails to download the latest virus signatures, a virus might have stomped on your Internet connection. When this happens a virus has modified the windows HOSTS file. In Windows XP and Vista you can locate the HOSTS file by going into the C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc. This File can be opened with notepad or another text editor. It contains comments that begin with characters #-- these can be left along. the HOSTS file should contain only one other line:
127.0.0.1 localhost
In Vista, you will also see this line at the bottom:
::1 localhost
Any other lines of text can be removed.
After editing it, save the file and close it. Now try to update your antivirus program. It should work.

How to Retrieve a Lost Windows Password

It is very frustrating to loose or forget your windows log on password; however for security reasons we tend to make our password a little bit more complex than we want too. Thanks to PC World video on retrieving lost Windows password it is a lot easier to get back to your Windows screen. Watch and enjoy.

Microsoft User Account Recommendations

When you first install windows you'll be asked to enter a user name and choose a password. This will become the administrator account you'll use for all system-level changes, fixes, and updates. According to Microsoft it is better to create a standard user account for day to day use and reserve the administrator account for maintenance, backups, and system administration duties. it is good Idea because if you come into contact with a nasty piece of malware as a standard user in Vista or limited user in XP, it won't get very far in making too much damage to your system. Now go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5-zmbx0qqg and watch a tutorial on how to set up user accounts in Vista. For setting up a limited user account in XP go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw4ZG8TPHaU. I hope you like the tutorials and awfully start using a standard or limited user account for safer computer experience.