Tips To Protect Your PC from USB Threats

From the past few years there is a tremendous increase in the usage of usb devices which in turn makes many users to be affected by usb threats like Mal-ware, Trojan, Virus etc.., So it is very important to protect your computer from usb threats. In this post we will know some of the easy ways to protect your computer from usb threats.
The steps given below are very easy and can be done by beginners too.


Disable “autorun” in Windows:
In windows there is good feature called Auto-run(for me its a very bad one) which automatically initiates inserted usb or cd/dvd. If the autorun feature is enabled the virus program uses it to infect you computer.
To disable autorun feature manually go to Run > type “gpedit.msc” and press enter.
> Under “User configuration” expand “Administrative templates” and select “system”.
> Now double click on “Turn off autoplay” in right pan > select the radio button “Enable” > Click “ok”

That’s it you have successfully disabled auto-run.


Scan Usb Devices With Antivirus:
It’s a good idea to scan usb devices with updated antivirus software's(I recommend Norton or Kasper-sky) before opening them. All most all antivirus software’s can clean usb threats. It is also recommended to use some usb firewall like auto-run eater etc.., which help you to clean some of the common autorun virus’s.
 
Update Device Drive:
Updating device drive can increase usb device’s performance and can warn you about some common threats. You can update your device drives from your windows control panel.


Safely Remove Your Usb Device:
In some times virus’s are created through damaged documents etc.., and the damaged documents can inturn damage other files in your usb device. So always remove your usb devices safely using the Safely Remove Hardware feature of Windows OS.
I hope this helps you and don’t forget to share your tips too.

Must Be follow online security tips

From this past few years their is a tremendous increase in computer and internet users so as the online fraud which in-turn makes a novice user a pray for online fraud. In recent, A study showed that 91% of internet/online users are unaware of these online scams/frauds and are worried about their online security. So in this post we are going to learn some basic and important tips which makes your online security more powerful.
> The first and most important step is to install a good Anti-virus, Anti-Spyware, Anti-Malware and firewall(generally most of the leading anti-virus companies give them as a bundle and mostly called as Internet Security Suites). Just installing a good Internet security suite will not do much for,  you should update it regularly.
> Check and Update your Operating system and other software’s which in-turn reduces your online security risk. It is recommended to use a updated or new version of browser while you surf internet.
> Never visit untrusted sites, if you wish to visit never click on suspicious link or banners.
> Never download untrusted and cracked software's. Usually these software’s are binded with Trojans and Viruses. If you wish to download scan them before use.
> Never download toolbar’s from untrusted site’s because they may steal your browsing data and your passwords. It is recommended to scan the file or folder or email attachments that you download from internet by an updated anti-virus or you can use online virus scanners like virustotal.com to ensure you safety.
> Mail accounts are one of the major way to loose your Privacy and Identity, So it is recommended to make your password more secure by using alpha-numeric + special characters “Ex: helloworld = H3Ll0M()rl9”.
> Never share your passwords with anyone and avoid using easy to guess password ”Ex: your girl/boy friend name or you pet name, your house and phone number, etc” .
> Change you passwords frequently so that your online accounts are more secure.
> Never respond to emails that ask to update your login details or other sensitive information by click on the link provided in that email, Generally these emails are called as phishing emails(Phishing – A fake/spoofed page that stales your login/sensitive details). I say this because, no companies/banks/email providers will ask for your login or other sensitive information.
> If you want to login to you email or bank account etc.., type the url in address bar of your browser. Generally email providers or banking site’s provide a SSL connection while you login, So that the login information is encrypted before sent. so make sure that they provide a SSL connection. Always hit logout button when you exit.
> Never use public places like internet cafes to access you confidential or sensitive data.
So that’s it folks, follow these basic steps to make your online life more secure and don’t forget to share your tips too.

Unlock Any Password Protected PDF

Nowadays PDF's(portable document format files) are most widely used format for Ebooks or related. This PDF's are some times password protected and gives access to user just to view or read, that means they will not give you the ability to copy the content like text or images. So if you want to copy the content you need password.


However there are several Portable Document files that needs password to read and get viewed. This time you will be in chain because you don’t have the password to open it.

So what to do now, don't worry guys their is an easy way to crack any password protected PDF.

There is an Online tool called unlock-pdf which unlocks any password protected PDF with in no time. This Utility is very user friendly and very straight forward.

Instructions
    ► 1. Click “Browse” and select the PDF file you would like to unlock.
    ► 2. Agree to the Terms of Service by checking the appropriate check box.
    ► 3. Click “Unlock File!” – and you’re done!

How To Crack An Encrypted Winrar Archive Without Password?

WinRAR, much like WinZip, compresses files and supports a wide array of file extensions such as *.zip and *.rar etc. When you create a file archive with WinRAR, you can create a password for the archive so that no one else can access your files without permission. WinRAR appears to be the best choice for data compression protection as its security features give it a distinct edge. However, as long as you think your protected WinRAR archive can go publicly or you just forgot or lost its password somehow, you then need to crack WinRAR password in order to get access.

How to crack WinRAR password?
To crack or remove WinRAR password when it is not forgotten yet is quite easy. Simply by clicking “Extract To” from the list of options on the selected encrypted WinRAR archive. Next entering the current password of the archive, then you will have successfully cracked the WinRAR password. But for the WinRAR whose password has already been lost or forgotten, one needs to pick up a professional RAR password recovery to crack it.

Selecting a third party RAR Password Recovery application
While selecting an app to crack a forgotten WinRAR password, please use RAR Password Recovery. This program makes use of strategies like “brute force” and others to search and locate your forgotten password. It works offline and can instantly recover your password by displaying it in a box front of you. So do trust it and don’t hesitate to free download it from this site:
http://rar-password-recovery.net/

Running RAR Password Recovery
After you download this powerful WinRAR password cracker tool onto your computer, you then can quickly run it. Follow the below steps and you will get back your lost WinRAR password in a second!

1. Load the target RAR file.
2. Select one type of attacks you want to launch. i.e. choosing brute-force with mask attack.
3. Define the character sets and password length. (If possible)
4. Click on “Start” to initiate RAR password recovery.
5. You are done and your forgotten encrypted RAR password will be shown in a box.

Tips and Warnings

* If you still remember some information of your WinRAR password, say appropriate password length, letter and number or symbol combinations etc, you are highly advised to select Brute-force with Mask Attack while performing RAR password recovery process.
* The free download version of RAR Password Recovery can only display the RAR passwords which are no less than 3 characters. If the password you need to crack contains more than 3 characters, you will have to purchase the full version of RAR Password Recovery.

Laptop Safety Tips

Laptop Security Password tips

Do NOT leave your Laptop unattended. Laptops should not be stored in student lockers. Purchase a locking security cable to attach to your laptop around an immovable object. Set your BIOS password. The BIOS is required to boot the computers. If the BIOS is password protected, the computer will not boot (or you will not be able to enter or change the BIOS settings.) Check your laptop manual on how to set your BIOS password. (This is a separate password than a windows password)regularly change access passwords (both BIOS and e-mail passwords).
1. Never use any option that “remembers” your password so that you do not have to re-enter it the next time you connect
2.Back up key data onto floppy disks. Carry all disks separately from the laptop.
3. Make hard copies of important files and documents.
4. Keep the amount of data stored on your machine to a minimum.
Write down the laptop model type, model number, serial number and specs. Mark your laptop to make it unique and easy to identify (i.e. engraved).
Laptop Advanced Safe Tips:
1.Always back up your files.
Any file saved to your file server account (Explore, Learn, Reflect, or Discover) will be backed up daily by Computing Services. However, backing up files on your laptop is your responsibility. With a laptop, you are not only at risk for losing work due to a hard drive failure, but also at risk for losing all your files due to loss or theft.
1. We purchase insurance for all new laptops, but this will only help replace your laptop; your files will be gone permanently.
2. This can be devastating if your laptop is the only place you're storing your dissertation, a grant proposal, your tax records, or any other personal or confidential files. There are several ways to back up files from a laptop.
3.You can save a copy to a floppy or zip disk. If you have a modem, you can e-mail files to your office computer.
4.If you have a network card, you can plug your laptop into the LRDC network and save your files to your file server account.
2.Don't save your passwords on your laptop.
remember e-mail and dial-up software allow users to save their passwords. Although this makes using your laptop convenient and easy, if your laptop is lost or stolen, complete strangers will have total access to your e-mail messages and Internet access.
3.Be careful when placing your laptop on an airport .
1.The most common laptop theft scam involves two people working together to steal your laptop directly from the security convener belt. After spotting your laptop carrying case, they get in line for the metal detector directly in front of you.
2.The first thief walks through the security check with no problem.
The second thief has a great deal of trouble, emptying pockets and checking for jewelry several times, which distracts you and the security personnel. At this point, you may have already placed your luggage on the conveyor belt.
3.This allows the first thief to walk away with your laptop, while the second prevents you from walking through the metal detector. To prevent this from happening to you, wait until the last possible moment to put your laptop on the conveyor belt to assure you will be the only person able to pick it up at the other end.
4.Label your laptop and all accessories.
1.Many people at LRDC have identical laptops. Label or tape your business card to the top of your laptop and to all of your laptop accessories to help prevent someone from accidentally taking your equipment.
5.use a laptop carrying cases
2.In addition to being designed to carry all your laptop accessories, laptop carrying cases are designed to provide protection. Newer laptops are more robust, but it's still easy to crack the screen.
3.Replacement screens can cost almost as much as the laptop itself and are not covered by warranties or insurance. Also, repair time will typically be 1-2 weeks.
6.Be careful when plugging your laptop.
1.The modem and 10BaseT connections on your laptop look similar. A 10BaseT cable allows you to attach to a local area network. It is wider than a phone line and will not fit into your modem. However, a phone line will easily fit into a 10BaseT connection.
2.This of course will not work and if the phone rings while you have it plugged in, the voltage will be enough to potentially cause severe damage to your laptop. Also, when traveling to other sites, make sure you use an analog line.
3.Digital lines carry more electricity than analog lines and can also irreparably damage your modem.
7.Never allow other people to use your laptop.
1.When traveling to another site, it can be very tempting to allow someone to make changes to your network settings in order to allow you to connect to their local area network. This can result in them accidentally wiping out your current dial-up and LRDC network settings.
2.Allowing your children to use your laptop also puts you at risk.
3.If they install programs—especially games, shareware, and screen-savers—you are at risk for software incompatibilities, which can result in computer crashes.
4.This also puts you at an increased risk for computer viruses. Either situation can result in a full-days repair.
8.How to Maintain Laptop(In Weather)
It’s that time of year again in North America where temperatures climb and weather becomes erratic. Add to that the possibility of power outages and you have new challenges to face when using your laptop. Take care in warm and hot weather to follow these tips to ensure you use your laptop safely and don’t have any problems with it.

1.Heat Range
1.Most laptop computers operate properly in the safe temperature range of 50 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 to 35 degrees Celsius.
2.Keep in mind that when bringing a laptop in from the warm hot air, the laptop must cool down to the interior temperature before you use it.
3.By the same token if you use your laptop outdoors, then let the laptop warm up to the outside temperature before starting it up.
2.In Cars
4.Just as you wouldn’t leave people or animals in a car in hot weather, you should not leave your laptop and other mobile gear either.
5.Leaving your laptop closed in a vehicle in hot temperatures will cause damage to your laptop.
6.The heat is not good for the internal components or the external casings.
3.sharp Sun
1.Never leave your laptop where it is exposed to direct sunlight, whether it is in use or shut down.
2.If you must use your laptop outside in bright conditions you can use either:
a laptop glare screen which cuts down on the glare caused by the sun
a laptop hood which cuts down on the amount of light directed at the laptop display.
4.Humidity
1.In warm weather people are fond of saying it’s not the heat itself that bothers them but the dreaded humidity.
2.Humidity is the amount of moisture in the air and the recommended safe range of relative humidity is 10-80%.
3.Moisture can cause damage to the internal components of a laptop and you may not even realize that the damage has occurred.
5.Take it Out
1.If you use your laptop in hot temperatures consider using a removable hard drive to store your data on. This way you can help protect your data and ensure that your removable hard drive stays protected from exposure to heat and the sun.
6.Weather Watching
1.In warm, hot weather there are more storms, often with little or no warning and more severe weather occurrences which mobile professionals must face when traveling.
2.Equipment to help protect your mobile gear includes having surge protectors, power investors and spare batteries.
3.External battery charges that don’t require an electrical connection are another wise investment.
7.t Cool
1.Use a laptop stand to disperse heat that your laptop generates.
2.Laptop stands are available in a variety of styles to suit your working needs.
3.There are laptop stands which include fans to help dissipate the heat and keep your laptop working at its best.
Note :Laptop Desks & Laptop Stands
8.Pack it Wisely
1.Using a properly fitted and well-padded laptop case for your mobile gear will help keep it insulated against heat, moisture and direct sunlight.
2.When buying your laptop case make sure all your mobile gear will fit securely and be protected from the effects of weather
9. on the road
3.The newest laptops are powerful, light, and thin enough to fit easily into the slenderest of carry-on baggage. *This makes them a great accessory for flying or any other mode of travel, but also easier to lose or have stolen.
4.It pays to be extra vigilant at airport security checkpoints where thieves know people can be flustered.
5.You should also store your laptop in the seat in front of you, instead of in the overhead compartment when you fly.
6.But even if you're extra careful, it's still possible to lose your laptop.
7.If you spend some time securing your laptop before you go on the road, you could help keep your personal or financial information from falling into the wrong hands.
8.Here are our top tips to help you secure the information on your laptop.
Protect your information If you keep a lot of personal or financial information on your computer, invest in an operating system that includes file protection.
9.Windows Vista and Windows XP Professional have the tools to protect your information through a process called encryption.
10.To learn more, see Encrypt Your Data to Keep It Safe .
11.Protect your laptop with a strong password If you travel with your laptop frequently, you should secure it with a strong password.
12.Check your computer's Help and Support service to learn how to add or change your system password.
13.To find out how to create passwords that are tough for hackers to crack, but easy for you to remember, see Strong passwords: How to create and use them.
14.Back up before you go Always back up your information before you take your laptop on a trip.
15.You can't always avoid the financial loss of your equipment, but you can avoid losing all your information in the process.
16.To learn how to make copies of all of your information using Windows XP, see How to back up manually or by using the Windows XP Backup utility.
For Windows Vista, see Windows Vista: Windows Backup.
If you use Windows Live one care, see Windows Live one care Backup and Restore.

Top 7 Ways to Avoid Cyber Attacks

Top 7 Ways to Avoid Cyber Attacks

Viruses and identity theft are not new issues, but recently, individuals and companies are at a much greater risk as a result of the unanticipated increase in internet and technology use. Follow these tips to protect yourself from such an attack so that you won’t be the next victim.

Foe example, you receive an email promising a great joke if you open the attachment. You're not sure who sent it but you feel like a laugh and open it anyway. Big mistake.
Attackers can break into your computer by sending you an email attachment with malware (malicious software) or downloading malware on to your computer when you open a link on a webpage.
They want to use personal and financial details on your computer to steal money, buy things on your credit card or open up bank accounts in your name.

Anyone who uses the internet needs to be aware of basic computer security:

1. Don't click the link

If you don't know who sent the email, or if it's not a trusted website, then don't click the link.

Beware: there is always an increase in email phishing scams around Christmas, whereby scammers have a fake retail store website and capture your credit card details when you buy online.

2. Install Antivirus software

Always have up-to-date antivirus protection and get regular updates, Don't press 'do it later' and update six weeks later.

3. Use strong passwords

Most of the population is still using '1234567' or their first name and last name,

The problem is that there are about 20 different things that require passwords. The strategy now is to write them down it is a complete U-turn and put them in your wallet [which is usually in a safe place]. If you lose your wallet, you stop your credit cards and can also reset all your online passwords.

* Never click 'remember my password'.

* Use capitals, lower case, numbers and symbols in passwords. Don't use words in the dictionary.

* Change passwords regularly.

* Password software is good at generating strong passwords but the human brain is the best tool of all.

4. Keep software up to date

This will ensure your software has the latest security upgrades. Attackers are always thinking up new ways to penetrate security. Don't ignore update notifications.

5. Reconfigure wireless routers

Buy a router with secure wireless encryption, otherwise your information is unprotected and can be stolen: for example, when banking or shopping online.

When you get a new modem from a network provider, it may not be secured to encrypt traffic. People should go to the administration panel and configure their wireless network to WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) or WPA2 encryption.

Reconfiguring routers is easy and something people don't do properly.

Change the name of the router to something obscure, otherwise it gives attackers information on how best to attack that router. Also, change the default login to a unique password.

6. Encrypt email

Learn to use email encryption for sensitive documents.

Don't send emails such as a child's health resume using Gmail or Hotmail. "There was [the recent case] where a Gmail employee started going through people's email accounts."

7. Use a secure web browser

Firefox or Opera are secure web browsers

"Internet Explorer is highly targeted by attackers because it is on so many machines. IE generally takes longer to patch or fix vulnerabilities."

Eliminating internet and computer use from your life is impossible, so be sure to practice safe computing habits to protect yourself from cyber attacks.

How to Set Multiple Home Pages In Firefox

How to Set Multiple Home Pages In Firefox

Did you people ever wish to set-up multiple home pages in Firefox?

If you said yes, then you are at the right place. Here’s the way to do this little but, useful little trick.

Suppose you would like to set Facebook, Google and YouTube as your homepages. Then try this tweak in Firefox to set multiple homepages. This is what you should do:

1. Go to Tools>Options>Main
2. In the When Firefox starts drop down menu choose Show my home page.
3. In Home page give your homepages separated by a | (pipe symbol).
4. Click OK

Example:

http://www.hackingmore.blogspot.com/|http://www.google.com|http://www.facebook.com/