TFC (Temp File Cleaner) will clear out all temp folders for all user accounts (temp, IE temp, java, FF, Opera, Chrome, Safari), including Administrator, All Users, LocalService, NetworkService, and any other accounts in the user folder. It also cleans out the %systemroot%\temp folder and checks for .tmp files in the %systemdrive% root folder, %systemroot%, and…
Social networking Web sites like MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and Windows Live Spaces are services people can use to connect with others to share information like photos, videos, and personal messages. As the popularity of these social sites grows, so do the risks of using them. Hackers, spammers, virus writers, identity thieves, and other criminals follow…
Strong passwords are important protections to help you have safer online transactions. Keys to password strength: length and complexity An ideal password is long and has letters, punctuation, symbols, and numbers. Whenever possible, use at least 14 characters or more. The greater the variety of characters in your password, the better. Use the entire keyboard,…
Three basic types of firewalls are available for you to choose from: Software firewalls Hardware routers Wireless routers To determine which type of firewall is best for you, answer these questions and record your answers: How many computers will use the firewall? What operating system do you use? (This might be a version of Microsoft…
If you suspect that you’ve responded to a phishing scam with personal or financial information, take these steps to minimize any damage. Step 1: Report the incident Contact the following authorities: Your credit card company, if you have given your credit card information. The sooner an organization knows your account may have been compromised, the…
What is phishing? Phishing (pronounced “fishing”) is a type of online identity theft. It uses e-mail and fraudulent Web sites that are designed to steal your personal data or information such as credit card numbers, passwords, account data, or other information. Con artists might send millions of fraudulent e-mail messages with links to fraudulent Web…
There are good reasons to be suspicious of e-mail. Some e-mail messages might be phishing scams, some might carry viruses. Images in spam e-mail might turn out to be pornographic, or to include Web beacons, which can be adapted to secretly send a message back to the sender. Follow these guidelines to help protect yourself…
In computer security, a sandbox is a security mechanism for separating running programs. It is often used to execute untested code, or untrusted programs from unverified third-parties, suppliers and untrusted users. I Recommend Sandboxie for Daily use. The sandbox typically provides a tightly-controlled set of resources for guest programs to run in, such as scratch…
A few clues can help you spot fraudulent e-mail messages or links within them. What does a phishing e-mail look like? Phishing e-mail messages are designed to steal your identity. They ask for personal data, or direct you to Web sites or phone numbers to call where they ask you to provide personal data. Phishing…
Spam is any kind of unwanted online communication. The most common form of spam is unwanted e-mail. You can also get text message spam, instant message spam (sometimes known as spim), and social networking spam. Some spam is annoying but harmless. However, some spam is part of an identity theft scam or another kind of…