Goodbye, Internet Explorer

Well, the jury is in — everybody from security firms to Microsoft’s own online publications say that you’re probably better off leaving Internet Explorer behind, and using Firefox as your browser.

If you’re ready to give it a try, here’s a Step-by-step guide to installing Firefox, and securing your system from Internet Explorer’s security problems.

Learning About Spyware

How safe are you really from Spyware? Do you know what really is really lurking in your machines, reporting on where you go and what you do?

Does your machine seem slower than it used to be? Is it doing odd, inexplicable things?

Before you call the Ghostbusters, maybe it’s time to learn about Spyware and You — what it is, how to get rid of it, and how to avoid it it in the future.

All you zombies

Lastest reports suggest that most of the spam and viruses out there come from “Zombie” machines — machines that have been infected with viruses, spyware and other malware — often unknown to the owner — that sit and pump out their nasty effluent for the highest bidder.

Is your machine among the infected? Or likely to become so? Who among your acquaintences badly needs some clues and advice?

Here’s a simple guide to how to protect yourself, your computer, and your data.

Find out for sure if you’re part of the problem — or how to insure you don’t become a part of it.

When the worst happens

It’s finally started happening — attacks on Internet users are appearing before there are patches to stop them — the so-called “Day Zero Exploits”.

Even if you’re careful and doing everything right, you might still be hit

What does this mean to you, and how can you protect yourself from this new escalation of attacks?

Find out here.

An Actual SOLUTION to Spam?

Spam. No matter what you do, it just keeps coming. The more you filter, the more aggressive it gets, until some days you start to feel like you’re going to drown in the deluge.

Microsoft and Yahoo, among others, have been promoting fixes to basic mail handling protocols to (theoretically) solve the problem, but it will be 2005 at the earliest before we see how they work.

Is there anything you can do today?

Possibly — a Challenge/Response system might be just the thing to turn the tide.

It’s a drastic solution, but could it be right for you? This review of MailBlocks Challenge/Response system may just have the answer.