Protecting Your Computer System

Innovative Teaching Center

Objectives

After completing this workshop, you will be able to:

• Identify software utilities for protecting computer systems against computer viruses, adware, spyware, and pop-up windows. • Describe how viruses, adware and spyware can take over a computer and how to prevent these attacks.

• Identify firewall software and why a personal firewall is important.

• Describe the two different methods of preventing unwanted pop-up windows from appearing when browsing on the web.

• List different methods in which a computer user can prevent viruses, adware, spyware, and pop-up windows from infecting a computer.

• Identify common problems created by viruses, adware, and spyware.

Workshop Outline

Introduction

Spyware & Adware

Viruses

Firewalls

Pop-up Blockers

Top 10 Ways to Protect Your Computer

Introduction

Before you Connect

According to researchers, an unpatched Windows PC connected to the Internet will last only 20

minutes before it’s compromised by Spyware & Adware, Viruses, and worms

Adware

Source: PC Magazine, March 2, 2004

Adware is any software application in which advertising

banners are displayed while the program is running.

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1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Number of new Adware applications

Signs of Problems

Your browser always comes up to a search engine(IncrediFind)

A new item appears in your Favorites list

Your system runs noticeably slower

A search tool bar appears in your browser

Pop-ups…pop-ups…even when your not browsing

Homepage changed to a different page – hijacked (Casino Palazzo)

Windows Task Manager

• Used to quickly determine if you have a problem

• Bring up Windows Task Manager

(hit Ctrl-Shift-Esc)

• Check process and performance

IncrediFind Search Engine will be tipb.exe

The Five Critical Ingredients of PC Security

1. Operating System Updates

2. Adware & Spyware Removal Utilities

3. Antivirus Removal Utility

4. Personal Firewall

5. User Caution

Spyware & Adware

Adware

• Any software application in which advertising banners are displayed while the program is running.

• Collects information about the user in order to display advertisements based on user's browsing patterns.

Spyware

• Any software that covertly gathers user information through the user's Internet connection without his or her knowledge.

• Typically bundled as a hidden component of freeware or shareware programs.

• Monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else.

Spyware

– Can collect sensitive data like credit card or social security numbers

– Or capture all your keystrokes

– Scan your hard drive

– Review your Internet cookies

– Change your homepage for your browser

Differences from viruses/worms

• Spyware is not aimed at doing malicious things your computer

• Spyware can significantly reduce the performance of your computer--usually manifested by slowing it down

• Written by companies (often outside the U.S.), not individuals

What to do?

• Use reputable programs to protect your computer– Spybot or AdAware

• AdAware (www.lavasoftusa.com)• Spybot (www.spybot.info)

• These programs reviewed often at cnet.com and pcworld.com

• Use a software firewall like Zonealarmhttp://www.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,114738,00.asp

Spybot Download

• Search your hard disk for spyware or adware.

• Removes them

• Homepage:http://spybot.safer-networking.de/

Download, install, configure

Online-Check for updates

Check results

Immunize

Don’t underestimate…

…this growing threat

Take action to defend your

computer and yourself

Viruses

What is a Virus?

Social diseases of computers

Malicious code written by malicious people

Types of Malicious Code

Virus A computer virus attaches itself to a program or file so it can spread from one computer to another, leaving infections as it travels.

Can cause mildly annoying effects while others can damage your HW/SW, or files. Almost all viruses are attached to an executable file.

Trojan HorseAt first glance will appear to

be useful software but will do damage once installed.

Changing your desktop, adding silly active desktop

icons or deleting files.

Worm Spread from computer to computer, but unlike a virus, travels without any help from a person.

Consumes system memory causing Web servers, network servers, and individual computers to stop responding.

Viruses, worms, and Trojan Horses are all

malicious programs that can cause damage to your computer

How Does Your Computer Can Catch a Virus?

• Has to be introduced to your system

• Medium in which a virus can be introduced

– Floppy– Modem– Network– E-mail– File sharing programs

How Do You Avoid a Virus Problem?

• Backup important files

• Limit trading floppy disks

• File sharing programs

• Avoid .exe, .scr, .Ink, .bat, .abs, .dll, .bin, anmd .cmd.

• Install an Antivirus utility

• Online Scanners

Antivirus Utilities

See Handout

See Handout forMore Information

Words of Advice

• Don't run program files from unknown or unreliable sources

• Keep you operating system and antivirus software up-to-date

(use automatic updates)

AntiVirus detection should be handled both server side and client side. Even in WebCT, our server

should refuse to save that file or allow the next person to Access it if the file is "possessed." …And make lots of backups.

WebCT Users

Firewalls

What is a Firewall?

A firewall isolates your computer from the Internet using a wall to block out unwanted visitors.

A firewall will protect you against things that try to break into your computer, not the things you let in.

Two Types of Firewalls

• Hardware firewall (typically on Routers)

• Software firewall (sometimes referred to personal firewall)

How Do They Work?

• Castle gates

• Option to enable or disable

Where do I need a Firewall

• Do have a firewall on each machine at home to communicate with each other

• One on the router (WiFi)– Set to block all non-legitimate traffic

Don’t run multiple firewalls on one computer

Which One is the Best One to Buy?

See Handout

See Handout forMore Information

Pop-up Blockers

Those Annoying Ads

Beware, these programs often block useful javascripts, like in WebCT.

Idea: Make your WebCT server a “trusted" site to their popup-blockers, rather than telling users to turn off the popup-blockers.

WebCT Users

Websites use pop-up windows to make money, however these ads can be very annoying.

Three Methods to Stop Pop-ups

• Opt-out with advertiser

• Software solutions: Pop-up stopper utilities

See HandoutFor

List of Opt-outAdvertisers

AndSoftwareSolutions

Three Methods to Stop Pop-ups

Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) Internet Explorer allows you to prevent most pop-up windows

Top 10 Ways to Protect YourComputer

Top 10 Ways to Protect YourComputer

1. Get an antivirus tool

2. Get a personal firewall

3. Run antispyware applications

4. Update your operating systems and browser version (http://www.microsoft.com/security/bulletins/default.mspx)

5. Use a different browser program (Firefox www.mozilla.org)

6. Don’t install something unless you know what it is, and read the fine print before loading programs.

7. Update Antivirus applications every time you go online.

8. Beware of peer-to-peer file sharing (Kazaa and Grokster.)

9. Don’t open unsolicited e-mail

10 Talk to your family about file sharing

The End