WebBlog 2012

BE COURAGEOUS

2012-02-24T11:12:00.002-07:00

2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of Love, and of a soundmind.Fear is not of God. Have the courage to step out on faith and do the seemingly impossible. Start your own business; go into the ministry; apply for that promotion; anything that you've been afraid to do and you know that God has called you to do -JUST DO IT!

Calm Down

2012-02-18T19:23:00.003-07:00

Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God.“So many times we make situations more than they are, due to our anxiety,CALM DOWN ! God has your life under control; He knows how to handle even the seemingly complex situation with ease.SHUT UP ! Stop having pity parties and talking about your business all the time; don't you know thatthe power of death and life is in the tongue! Stop speaking negative things into existence in your life and in others.QUIT TRIPPIN' ! When you look at your situations through your eyes, you often read more into the situation than what is there. It's not as bad as you think particularly if God is in your life; Stop over analyzing your life.

Computer Internet Connection Tips: Part 4

2012-02-13T06:08:00.001-07:00

Many people after a day's work access Internet in the night and that is the peak time for the maximum Internet usage. Hardware Malfunction Apart from the software related concerns, your Internet speed can considerably slow down if your modem-router configuration is not correct. Updating hardware is as important as updating software. At times, the Internet connection might behave sluggish due to an older network interface card (NIC). Other reasons could possibly be due to outdated Domain Name System (DNS) tables (due to which the signals transmitted are directed into wrong addresses of the Internet Service Provider network) and interference of the wireless Internet signals with the signals emitted by your home appliances (like microwave). A solution for a better performance of the system when connected to Internet, is by increasing the RAM. Nowadays, free internet boosters are also available to enhance the downloading speed of bulky applications on Internet. So now I believe, you know the reason behind your annoying problem of "Why is my Internet so slow?". The best time to access Internet is in the wee hours of morning when the network traffic is minimum. Also keep your computer protected with updated anti viruses software and firewall applications to protect it against the invasion of malicious programs (like viruses). If you are planning to get an Internet connection, go for a DSL connection or a cable connection. And when you are accessing Internet, curb your desire to open some unknown applications, when the browser prompts you to permit the application to run on your machine. So, happy but safe surfing on Internet!!

Computer Internet Connection Tips: Part 3

2012-02-06T07:00:00.002-07:00

If there are risk factors like add-on programs and malware programs clouding your web browser, the network traffic is bound to clog and not only the internet speed will deteriorate, but also will your machine performance (which will be low due to the amount of disk space being consumed). Hence, it is advised to run the disk clean up utility program on a regular basis, which clears the browser history and other temporary files that are eating up your disk space in the machine. External Factors Besides the above stated factors responsible for your woe "Why is my Internet so slow, all of a sudden?", there are some other reasons over which one cannot have much control! Travel booking sites, job portals, e-shopping sites and banking applications are the most visited websites across the world. However well they are designed, they always encounter more network traffic than what has been anticipated. For instance, 1000 users all over the world might access a website simultaneously for various reasons. Such unavoidable factors too play a major role in slowing down your Internet connection. The network traffic also depends on the peak period of the day. For instance, many people try to connect to banking applications during the peak hours of daytime and this can slow down the Internet speed. Many a times, this becomes a palpable reason for corporate sector (specially IT industry) to block internet access during office hours to prevent the employees from downloading bulk files from Internet. Also many of you might be wondering as to "Why is my Internet so slow at night". Hope your question is answered now!

Computer Internet Connection Tips: Part 2

2012-02-02T16:11:00.003-07:00

Nowadays, Internet providers also provide Fiber Optic Service (FiOS) Fiber Optics Internet that connects the machine to Internet using optical network. Computer Woes (Malicious Softwares) A very common observation during Internet slow down is a lot of pop up windows clogging your screen, or a lot of add on programs getting installed on your web browser, without prompting the user. Many a time, your machine just hangs, throwing messages concerning the amount of memory the computer has in its hard disk. When there is a higher frequency of such cases, it is apparent that malicious softwares (like spyware and computer viruses) are attacking your system. The major performance bottlenecks affecting the speed of your Internet are caused by spyware, malaware and viruses. Spyware are software programs which precisely do what their name suggests! Spying! These programs monitor the system and collect information on users without the knowledge of the system or the user. A major issue with spyware programs is they are not detectable easily! Another pest that slows down your Internet is a computer virus. As the name suggests, it installs a computer code which creates multiple copies of itself. You must have definitely come across mails warning you, not to open certain emails with some "xyx" ppt files. The code replicates the infected message a hundred times and spams it in the network by eating up the bandwidth of the network and causing a severe network congestion. Besides these, the add-ons only further aggravate the poor performance of the system by self installing facilities for multimedia and document viewing on the search tool bar of your Internet Explorer (which may not be required). And the Internet explorer, like all the computer programs requires memory, computing power and the disk space to store the temp files and cookies for the site accessed. So every time you access a web page, it is downloaded to the disk and saved as a temporary file (Try accessing the Temp folder in your system for better understanding).

Computer Internet Connection Tips: Part 1

2012-01-28T21:01:00.001-07:00

Internet is a wide network of computers across the world. Be it accessing personal emails or information portals, be it information gathering for business ventures or be it academic learning, Internet gets you all the information you want in seconds. But each one of us, at some time or the other, has been troubled by the intermittent slow down of Internet, when we desperately need the connection for some important work. Isn't it? So you must be wondering: "Why is my Internet so slow all of a sudden?". There are many technical bottlenecks responsible for Internet connection problems Let's figure them out! Why is My Internet So Slow Sometimes? A slow Internet connection has many tangible reasons. Even if you own a high speed connection like DSL, you may still experience a slow down in Internet connection. Below listed are a few reasons that might be an answer to your question: "Why is my Internet so slow today". Type of Connection Whenever you set up an Internet connection, the type of connection plays an important role in determining the speed factor. There are basically three types of Internet connection: Cable, DSL and Dial up, amongst which cable is the fastest and dial up is the slowest. Now if you are using a dial up connection, the type of modem used for the connection to Internet matters the most. For instance, if the telephone wiring of your home is deteriorating, the telephonic system might pick up stray signals from other phone lines, causing a congestion in the network. The modem has to carry the same information until the signals have been transmitted to the destination without interruption. The first sign indicating a slow down in Internet connection can be detected by a crackling noise in your phone. In such cases, contact your telephone provider and ask him to check the telephone lines, inside out, to see if there is any damage to the wiring. In a dial up connection, you would have noticed that a persistent speed of 56 Kbps is not available most of the time, attributing to the reasons just stated. However, a good phone line with the latest modem can definitely speed up dial up connection, offering you a decent speed of 45-50 Kbps.

Is My Wi-fi Secure?

2012-01-28T12:09:00.001-07:00

Wi-fi is a wireless network set up so computers such as laptops can access the Internet anywhere within range of a wireless modem. If your internet service provider installed your modem and provided you with a password your wifi may already be secure.To find out if your wifi is secure:Go to Start > Control panel > Network connections > Wireless network connections (you will see if it is firewalled here)> View Wireless connections.Or: You can also look on the lower right side of your screen and right click on your wireless connection icon > view available wireless connections.Then under your network it will say “Security enabled” or “Unsecured”.If it is not secure, look up how to set up a secure network in the manual for your modem or call your Internet provider for help.You may be wondering why you need to secure your wireless connection. Well, if your wi-fi is not secure, it makes it easy for criminals to gain access to your computer and find information such as credit card info, social security numbers or tax info to steal your identity.If your security suite already has a firewall to block criminals from accessing your computer, you may wonder why you need both. To explain, I am using a story I came across a story in the newspaper. The article by Carolyn Thompson in USA Today tells the story about a man in Buffalo. Federal agents burst into his home with assault rifles trained on him calling him a pedophile. Thousands of child pornography images had been downloaded to his web address the day before – only it wasn’t this man who did it. He had set up his wi-fi and couldn’t figure out how to secure it.“Within three days, investigators determined the homeowner had been telling the truth: If someone was downloading child pornography through his wireless signal, it wasn’t him. About a week later, agents arrested a 25-year-old neighbor and charged him with distribution of child pornography. The case is pending in federal court” says Thompson.This may be extreme, but it is a perfect example of why everyone needs to take control of their digital life. If not for yourself, do it as your patriotic duty to protect our country from these creeps. Criminals are constantly on the lookout for those of us who skip a security step and open ourselves up to be a victim. So go secure that wifi and stay safe out there!

Trust Means Yielding

2012-01-22T01:40:00.001-07:00

Each person, whether a child of God or not, has thoughts and ideas about the various situations they face.

The saint who trusts has learned to yield to the direction of the Lord. Recognizing that God is better equipped to handle anything that we might face, relinquish all into his hands and be confident of a good result.

As you face the challenges of life, you must make a decision to follow either your thoughts or to yield all things unto the Lord.

Victory comes when one discovers through prayer, the will for every situation and then with the spirit of obedience follows God's directions. It provides both peace of mind as well as the assurance of victory.

Why go to Sunday School and Church?

2012-01-13T08:02:00.001-07:00

If you're spiritually alive, you're going to love this! If you're spiritually dead, you won't want to read it. If you're spiritually curious, there is still hope!

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons.

But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all...

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals.. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals But I do know this... They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work.

If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!" When you are DOWN to nothing... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!

All right, now that you're done reading, send it on! I think everyone should read this! "When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say, "Jesus, could you get that for me?

The Holy Spirt

2012-01-12T11:50:00.001-07:00

If and when you come to GOD the Holy The Holy Spirit

If and when you come to GOD the Holy Spirit will Guide You,

When the heart yields to the influence of the spirit of GOD, His conscience will be quickened, and the sinner will discern something of the depth and sacredness of GOD's Holy law, the foundation of his government in heaven and on earth.

The LIGHT which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, illumines the secret chambers of the soul, and the hidden things of darkness are made manifest.

Correction takes hold upon the mind and heart. The sinner has a sense of righteousness of GOD, and feels the terror of appearing, in his own guilt and uncleanliness, before the SEARCHER of hearts.

He sees the love of GOD, the beauty of His Holiness, the joy of purity, he longs to be cleansed, and to be restored to communication to heaven.

Today my beloved, if you will hear his voice, harden not your hear
will Guide You,

When the heart yields to the influence of the spirit of GOD, His conscience will be quickened, and the sinner will discern something of the depth and sacredness of GOD's Holy law, the foundation of his government in heaven and on earth.

The LIGHT which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, illumines the secret chambers of the soul, and the hidden things of darkness are made manifest.

Correction takes hold upon the mind and heart. The sinner has a sense of righteousness of GOD, and feels the terror of appearing, in his own guilt and uncleanliness, before the SEARCHER of hearts.

He sees the love of GOD, the beauty of His Holiness, the joy of purity, he longs to be cleansed, and to be restored to communication to heaven.

Today my beloved, if you will hear his voice, harden not your hear

With Joy And Gladness Praise Your Lord

2012-01-08T12:14:00.001-07:00

Psalms 9:1. I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. 2. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

God is both caring and mighty. He continuously performs marvelous works bringing continuous blessings into the lives of his people.

Our response must be an appropriate one, acknowledging how mighty he is. The psalmist declares that he will praise the Lord with his whole heart. With joy that he will sing his praise unto the most High. He will hold nothing back.

God has been good to you. Even in your most challenging days his grace has provided strength to enable you to go forward.

He deserves a praise that has no limits. With joy and gladness boldly praise the one that has provided salvation and is committed to your continued blessings. As you do praise him you will feel the strength of his anointing. Remember, nothing should be held back.

Learning to Walk-Every Day

2012-01-07T19:33:00.001-07:00

Promotions come from ME and not man. I have chosen to put you in this place of position to mature you.

No man can come against My will for your life. Remain in My will, child.

You are beginning to learn to walk in my light. Knowledge, in all capacities, will lead to responsibility and some form of discipline on the part of the one who learns.

You must walk in that knowledge of truth, which has set you free.

Being a vessel of MY glory means knowing who is in control. I would not give you anything that I thought you were nor able to withstand.

Occasionally, you will get knocked down, and that is all right. However, I have given you the power, through My Spirit, to get up and fight the good fight.

I will never leave your side. Seek My face, child, and wait on Me. Learn to hear My voice, for My words will point you to a broad spectrum of strategies that are not subject to failure.

P.S. No weapon formed against you will prosper. You have My Word, and I am not man that should have any reason to lie to you.

It Is Better To Be Alone, Than In The Wrong Company

2012-01-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

Tell me who your best friends are, and I will tell you who you are. If you run withwolves, you will learn how to howl. But, If you associate with eagles, you will learnhow to soar to great heights.A mirror reflects a mans face, but what he is really likeIs shown by the kind of friends he chooses. The simple but true fact of life is that youbecome like those with whom you closely associate for the good and the bad.The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. Any time youtolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity. An Important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people.As you grow, your associates will change. Some of your friends will not want you to goon. They will want you to stay where they are. Friends that don’t help you climb willwant you to crawl. Your friends will stretch your vision or choke your dream. ThoseThat don't increase you will eventually decrease you. Consider this:Never receive counsel from unproductive people. Never discuss your problems with someone incapable of contributing to thesolution, because those who never succeed themselves are always first to tell youhow.Not everyone has a right to speak into your life. You are certain to get the worst of the bargain when you exchange ideas with the wrong person.Don’t follow anyone who’s not going anywhere. With some people you spendan evening: with others you invest it.Be careful where you stop to inquire for directions along the road of life. Wise is the person who forties his life with the right friendships.

3 Facebook "Friends" to Avoid & how to do it

2012-01-07T10:23:00.001-07:00

We know improper Facebook-ing can cost you a job (either your current one, or one you're interviewing for), but who else could be looking at your page and costing you big time?

Social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are great for keeping tabs on your friends and letting them know what's going on in your life. But (not to sound too paranoid) you have to remember who might be watching you (ahem, Big Brother).

Here's a list of the unwelcome voyeurs to be aware of:
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1. Debt collectors
If you've been dodging a creditor's calls, snail mail, e-mail and home visits, you might want to stop posting your location on Twitter or Facebook. We're not suggesting that you skip out on paying your bills, but you might not want a debt collector coming to your Aunt Sandy's birthday party because you posted the time, date and exact location on your wall. It's not only private debt collectors who use Facebook to locate you, Uncle Sam is getting in on the act. According to The Wall Street Journal, state revenue agents have begun using social networking sites to track down tax evaders.

2. Thieves
The Federal Trade Commission estimates that identity theft affects about 9 million Americans each year. Even though you're not posting your Social Security number on your profile, you're giving identity thieves an incredible amount of info that could be used to destroy your credit history and your credibility.

It's not only identity thieves you need to look out for: A recent study by Legal & General found that 38% of social network users post their vacation plans on their profile. Considering that many users have pages that are completely open to public viewing, thieves are making appointments with empty houses via Facebook.

3. Hackers
The Better Business Bureau identified several schemes and scams that have made their way onto Facebook and MySpace such as the good old viral wall post. This hack targets those of us who are especially careful about who can see or access our information, making it even more malicious than other hacks. It works like this: a "friend" posts on your wall to let you know that some of your pictures are up on a random Web site. You, wanting your info on lockdown, click the link to the site and, in effect, give the hacker access to your account and allow them to post the same message on the walls of all of your friends. Not only does this cost you, but it could cost others as well.

How to Protect Yourself
There are three very simple steps to keep your profile safer.

Revisit your privacy settings. For many social networking sites, the default setting is public. If you're profile is entirely public, and you fill it with information like your address, phone number, alma mater, e-mail and relationship status, you're putting a lot of yourself out there. Does the benefit of possibly finding an old classmate from high school really outweigh your risk of identity theft? Try making your profile visible only to your friends, and go from there.
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Make your status updates and wall posts obscure. Don't tweet about your vacation spot, or at least don't say you're out of town. A simple "Out of the office for a week, woohoo!" will do. This way, your friends know you're gone for the week, but a burglar won't know your house is empty.

Don't friend just anyone! This is by far the simplest rule to follow. The Legal & General study also conducted a survey of Twitter and Facebook users' willingness to allow a stranger access to their profile. Their findings? Thirteen Facebook users out of 100 accepted the friendship of a stranger without checking their background and 92 Twitter users out of 100 allowed strangers to follow them. If you only friend your actual friends, or at least ask someone why they're friending you, then you'll have some security in place to ensure you don't get hacked, scammed or targeted by the authorities.

God is your protector

2012-01-06T13:33:00.001-07:00

Proverb 21:31. The horse is prepared against the battle: but safety is of the Lord.

As one prepares for the challenges of life they must decide in whom they will put their trust. They can choose to call upon horses and chariots or to depend upon the Lord. In some cases horses may be sufficient but with God one will always be safe.

Knowing that you are in good hands is a good thing. It allows you to remain focused on the task at hand. Others may believe their safety is secure with the horse but you know that God is your source of safety. He is prepared to bless at all times.

Reflection for the Day: With God You Are Safe

Nothing is hidden from God

2012-01-06T09:49:00.001-07:00

Daniel 2: 20-22. Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: 21. And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: 22. He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

Daniel knew that nothing is hid from the God. He understood that God controls all things and that he reveals the secret things to those that position themselves to hear. When the King became full of anger and fury when none of his wise men could reveal the meaning of his dream, Daniel spoke up and declared that nothing is hid from God. He sought the Lord and what was hid from others was revealed to Daniel.

There is no need to live life always confused about God's will for your life. Though it appears that all is a mystery, God not only knows all, but he reveals his will to those that commit themselves to prayer and service. Position yourself to hear from God. He has the answer to every question you might have, for nothing is hid from God.

Reflection for the Day: Through Prayer, God Will Speak To You

In GOD we trust

2012-01-06T02:39:00.001-07:00

What is a computer virus?

2011-01-26T19:42:00.000-07:00

Computer viruses are small software programs that are designed to spread from one computer to another and to interfere with computer operation.

A virus might corrupt or delete data on your computer, use your e-mail program to spread itself to other computers, or even erase everything on your hard disk.

Computer viruses are often spread by attachments in e-mail messages or instant messaging messages. That is why it is essential that you never open e-mail attachments unless you know who it's from and you are expecting it.

Viruses can be disguised as attachments of funny images, greeting cards, or audio and video files.

Windows XP in quickly nearing its end of life -

2011-01-26T19:30:00.000-07:00

Windows XP in quickly nearing its end of life as support from Microsoft is now slated to expire in April of 2011.

With the release of Windows 7, users can now upgrade to the latest version of Windows that adds great functionality and also requires less computer power than the fledging Windows Vista.

It is important to note that users of Windows Vista can upgrade to Windows 7 but users of Windows XP must backup files or use a migration tool such as Windows 7 Easy Transfer. Note that all applications must be reinstalled for XP users making the upgrade!

We'll have your computer running again in no time and at prices worth smiling at. Our goal is to provide the most professional full service computer support to home users and small businesses. All of our services are offered for a guaranteed low fixed price.

Staying Safe Online

2011-01-26T15:07:00.000-07:00

Given the recent rash of hacks, let’s talk a little about staying safe this holiday. You probably don’t need this guide, so pass it on to someone who does, like your brother-in-law, dad, or parole officer.

Online safety and security is no laughing matter and this holiday thousands of us will wake up to empty bank accounts and zeroed PayPal balances if we’re not careful. What’s worse, your family will probably turn to you as the de facto Christmas Dinner IT guy so you’ll have to spent most of the 24th killing malware and spyware. To that end, here are a few tips and tricks to help you and yours through the season.

Give the Gift of Linux – The best thing you can do for your non-computer-savvy relative or friend is install Linux. Before you laugh, hear me out. Linux is great if all you’re doing is surfing the Internet and maybe writing some documents. Everything else, including photo sharing, is all cloud-based now anyway. Best of all, you won’t have to spend hours deleting junk out of the browser cache and you can do it all remotely via a VNC or an SSH connection. What more could you ask for?

Ubuntu is probably your best bet for a Linux install and it’s virtually indistinguishable from any other windowed environment. Barring that, get them an OSX machine like a Mac Mini and call it a day. Either way you’re avoiding the heartache that is Windows maintenance.

Strong Passwords All The Time – Use a formula for making and remembering passwords. For example, use the first two or three letters of any particular website, then tack on the same static suffix. Your password for Amazon might be “AM4binky” or “AMAunderwear”, while your password for CrunchGear would be “CR4binky” or “CRUunderwear”. In this way, you can easily remember what your unique password is to each website.

Ideally you should use a punctuation mark in the password somewhere, but many sites still have stupid limitations restricting you to numerals, and upper- and lowercase letters.

Corollary: Do not let your browser save your passwords. Using a simple formula like this removes the need for your browser to remember your passwords for you. If your computer is stolen (or even just used by someone else), someone could easily log into websites as you if yourbrowser is saving your passwords.

Use “Icognito” or “Private Browsing” Mode Surfing porn? Please use your browser’s private browsing mode. (Or use a separate browser.) This prevents those porn sites from accessing your browser history.

Use Different Browsers – For day-to-day browsing, use something comfortable and easy to use. I use Chrome, but maybe you’d prefer Firefox. Whatever. For banking, or other sensitive operations, launch a different browser. Use that other browser *only* for doing those sensitive tasks. This might be a bit overkill, but with the recent spate of attacks on browsers’ histories, it might be prudent to take an extra step to stay safe.

Make One Password For Junk Accounts Feel free to use a weak password for sites you’re trying and will never visit again. Flarpr.com, Publ.com, and Gignong.org asking you to register? Your password can be “cowhorse” for all of them. Live a little. It’s Christmas! Just change your password if you plan on going back.

Use Two Email Addresses Create a Gmail account that you use for registering for junk and use your real, personal email account for real, personal email. Barring that you can add a “+” sign and a word to your current email address on your own domain to create a sort of “one off” email for each site. For example, you can set “john+amazon@porkloinlovers.net” as the email for your Amazon account and “john+folkdancing@porkloinlovers.com” for your private passion. This allows you to filter emails into buckets in your email program.

Pay With a Credit Card When you pay with a debit card, you’re putting up your own cash. When you pay with a credit card, you’re technically putting up the bank’s cash. If someone steals your credit card number during a transaction, you’re not out the cash once your credit card company sends the fraud prevention folks after the perpetrator.

What is a computer worm?

2011-01-26T08:23:00.000-07:00

A computer worm is a software program that is designed to copy itself from one computer to another, without human interaction. Unlike a computer virus, a worm can copy itself automatically.

Worms can replicate in great volume. For example, a worm can send out copies of itself to every contact in your e-mail address book, and then it can send itself to all of the contacts your contact's e-mail address books.

Some worms spread very quickly. They clog networks and can cause long waits for you (and everyone else) to view Web pages on the Internet.

You might have heard of specific computer worms, including the Sasser worm, the Blaster worm, and the Conficker worm.

Item of the Month: Today's Internet: Proceed With Caution

2011-01-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

Hackers are attacking PC's with Internet access every39 seconds.

Without security, an unprotected PC can become infected within 4 minutes of connecting to the Internet! Nearly 10,512,000 identities are stolen online each year.

The bad guys are out there. They're organized, sophisticated, and the impact of their actions is broad and devastating.

In fact, cybercrime is so pervasive, it's estimated to exceed the revenues of international drug trafficking.

The explosive growth of online fraud has created a heighten state of awareness for Internet users.

What is spyware?

2011-01-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

Spyware is a general term used to describe software that performs certain behaviors, generally without appropriately obtaining your consent first, such as:

* Advertising
* Collecting personal information
* Changing the configuration of your computer

Spyware is often associated with software that displays advertisements (called adware) or software that tracks personal or sensitive information, trading tracking for services.

That does not mean all software that provides ads or tracks your online activities is bad. For example, you might sign up for a free music service, but you "pay" for the service by agreeing to receive targeted ads. If you understand the terms and agree to them, you may have decided that it is a fair tradeoff. You might also agree to let the company track your online activities to determine which ads to show you. What spyware does.

Other kinds of spyware make changes to your computer that can be annoying and can cause your computer slow down or crash.

These programs can change your Web browser's home page or search page, or add additional components to your browser you don't need or want. They also make it very difficult for you to change your settings back to the way you had them. Know what you're installing

The key in all cases is whether or not you (or someone who uses your computer) understand what the software will do and have agreed to install the software on your computer.

A common trick is to covertly install the software during the installation of other software you want such as a music or video file sharing program.

Whenever you install something on your computer, make sure you carefully read all disclosures, including the license agreement and privacy statement. Sometimes the inclusion of unwanted software in a given software installation is documented, but it might appear at the end of a license agreement or privacy statement.