Cyber security Tips

Spyware and computer viruses are one of the online threats that can be harmful to your system. Protection against these threats is essential and every computer should have at least a basic protection.

National Cyber Security Alliance in 2005 online safety study has reported that 81% of computer home users lack basic protection. This study shows that most people still don't know about PC protection and even though some of them know about it, they don't know where to find good software to protect their system.

In this article, I will tell you what are the anti-spyware and anti-viruses that you can use for free and will give you the protection that you need.

Avast! Anti-virus is created by ALWIL Software and one of the top anti-viruses. I like this the most because it has seven protections. Instant messaging, Internet mail, network shield, outlook/exchange, P2P shield, standard shield and web shield.

Another good software is AVG. AVG is created by Grisoft and you can get new virus definitions almost everyday. It also has a real-time protection against viruses. Install one of these software because you cannot have more than one anti-virus in a system.

Now let us go to the anti-spyware solution. The first one is Spybot Search and Destroy and it's also free software. This software is very good and it can remove almost all threats such as adware, spyware, and keyloggers from your computer. It also has some real-time protection.

Ad-Aware 2007 is also one of my favorite software. The free version of this software lacks Ad-Watch, which is the real-time protection against spyware. However, owning the free version of this software is enough because you can use other software to provide your system a real-time protection for free.

The software that can provide you real-time protection against spyware are Spyware Terminator and Windows Defender. Both are free and both are good enough to give real-time protection for your system.

Anti-spyware has a different rule than anti-viruses, not like anti-viruses, you can install more than one anti-spyware in your system.

It's up to you which software that you want to use because all the software that I recommend here are good and please remember that some of these free software can only be used for personal use only and not for commercial use.

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Overview As technology in the software field advances so does the maliciousness of unscrupulous individuals in the world. When things become easier with new developments there are also its unwanted disadvantages and this is nowhere but true in today's most talked about industry of software.

The world of internet is spreading at an unprecedented pace and thousands and millions of individuals are being connected together and so are their computers. If the internet has made things easier, it has also become an easy way for malicious people to spread their harmful development in software in the form of Adware and Spyware. For many the problem of Adware and Spyware might be a regular one but for those unsuspecting individuals who are not aware of such harmful things there is nothing but havoc on their computers. The more improvements in technology the more challenges one has to face. Most of the information exchange in the world today takes place through internet and it is very urgent to protect the system from viruses, hackers, Spyware, and other such cyber threats.

The internet is the best means for spreading the programmes of Spyware and Adware because through the internet these harmful software programmes can reach to millions of computers, hijack the useful and sensitive information about the users and use it for personal gains of the programme creator. A computer affected by Spyware and Adware is the most vulnerable and robs the user of personal information that is entered on the computer or any other internet activities like entering the credit card number, password and other such sensitive information. It thus always becomes important for the users to be as careful as possible before using the internet and take prevention with the different means of tackling the malice of Adware/Spyware.

What is Spyware?

In order to tackle the menace of Spyware one has to get familiar with the idea of what Spyware is. Spyware is nothing but a computer programme that sits on the user's computer without their knowledge. The name itself indicates the working of Spyware. Spyware is automatically installed on the user's computer and spies on the information the user types on their machines. These Spyware are programmed in such a way that once they detect the sensitive information they can send the sensitive and personal information of the user to its creator. In one way, Spyware can be very useful because it lets the user and software professionals know the flaws in the system and make improvements accordingly so that the flaws can be removed.

A study undertaken by the National Cyber-Security Alliance and AOL showed that as much as sixty-one percent systems are infected by the Spyware and ninety two percent of users were not even aware that their system was taken over by the Spyware. This statistics is the indication of the surreptious nature of Spyware. Although partial control of the system is generally found with, Spyware but its effects can be far more dangerous for the users. Passwords for the bank account of the users have been spied and used by others with the use of Spyware and have cost them losses ranging in thousands of dollars. Protection from Spyware The systems running on the Windows OS are particularly vulnerable to the attacks of Spyware because the Internet Explorer of Windows is closely integrated with the OS and the OS is the widely used platform for most of the computers in the world. Internet is the main place to infect systems with Spyware and hence one must use all the precautions ranging from firewall activation to anti-Spyware programmes so that the Spyware can be prevented from infecting the system.

When the user is surfing on the internet, they must take all the care before entering their sensitive information. One should never download freeware or shareware that is offered by many sites because it might contain a Spyware programme. One should always clean cookies and the history items from the system because the Spyware can intrude in the system through these means. Adware Adware like Spyware is the same kind of software that is installed on the user 's computer without their knowledge. Adware is also known as advertising supported software and its working is somewhat different from the Spyware. The Adware programme runs all on its own when the user uses their system, it can run, show and it even downloads advertising items without the users wanting it.

At times, an Adware can as well have a Spyware in it thus making the system of the user more vulnerable for data theft. Unscrupulous programmers integrate Adware in their software packages and keep on updating it, Adware is generally found in shareware. Adware mainly supports advertising needs and some of the notorious Adware programmes include, cursor mania, Top Moxie, clip genie, gator, crazy girls, Spyware doctor, hotbar, comet cursor, errorsafe, ICQ and many more. Though Adware combined with Spyware can be very ruinous Adware alone is not as harmful as Spyware and one can get enough protection from it. Adware Safety Tips Detecting Adware and Spyware manually is a great time consuming process but one can run the anti-Spyware and Adware programmes on their systems and get rid of the nuisance.

The first thing one can do to avoid these malicious programmes is to surf the internet in a secured way with the enabled firewall. The anti-Adware programmes can detect, keep in isolation, and remove the harmful programmes. Since, the Windows OS is the widely used OS in the world it is the most vulnerable platform for Adware and Spyware. In order to prevent Adware infiltration into the system one can use robust OS like Linux and Mac OS X. One should not as well have many toolbars installed in the browser because it can not only slow down the browser but also invite Adware. Regular security and OS updates are always recommended in the prevention tips for Adware. One can as well use alternative secure browsers like Mozilla Firefox, Opera, or Safari so that the Adware do not intrude in the system.

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Man has always strived to discover new things to make life better and more comfortable. He has been always motivated to find new vistas and try new methods and technological advancements using the intellect. One development leads to another and he never just stops and advancement and progress in never ending and is an on going project.

Nothing has changed the world more drastically as the internet. Since the wide world of web this world is no longer divided by invisible boundaries. It has become a global village and the advancement in the information technology has changed the lifestyle of the people radically. This change is obvious only since the last 15 years when the concept of personal computers came into existence. People are always connected to their electronic gadgets and almost all functions of our daily lives are dependent on the internet or the related technology.

Pros and cons of the cyber space:

As always the good and the evil are like two sides of a coin. Though the advantages outweigh the disadvantages it is high time we looked into them before they spread. Computer, internet or information technology related crimes are termed as cyber crimes. So what really is cyber crime? How seriously can these crimes affect common man or business establishments? What actions can be taken to curb such crimes and what legal action is needed to restrict the criminals who are into this? Cyber crime is growing to be a greatest threat to mankind and hence serious considerations and actions are definitely needed to check its spreading further.

We need to first understand what cyber crime is and what all activities are termed as cyber crimes. Cyber crime simply means criminal activities using the telecommunication and internet technology. Basically cyber crimes can be categorized into two types. They are,

Crimes which are directly targeted on vast computer networks or other related devices. For example, malware, computer viruses, attacks on denial of services etc
Crimes that are facilitated by the computer networks targeted not on any independent network or device. For example, identity theft, cyber stalking, phishing, email scams, hacking etc.

Cyber crimes are also considered or at least in lieu with white collar crimes, as the culprit cannot be conned very easily as the internet is open to the wide world. Although most cyber crimes are not related to any violence or serious crime still identity threat or government secrets can be virtually stolen in no time if the security measures fail. Terrorist, deviants and extremists stand higher chances of using this technology for their illegal and anti social activities.

Internet related frauds:

Almost 163 million users are estimated to use the internet this year as against just 16.1 million in 1995. thus the need for a more secured network becomes imperative keeping in mind the user's overall security.

The anonymous nature of the internet is the breeding ground for criminals who engage in activities which are termed as virtual crimes or cyber crimes. Governments have introduced cyber laws to curb such activities but then no serious punishment is awarded to the criminal or individuals who are involved in cyber crimes. Proper legal infrastructure is yet to be created and powerful regulatory mechanisms formed to protect netizens.

Let us now have a look of the different types of cyber law and the amount of damage they release to the society or individual. Generally the cyber threats sources are of three types. They are,

hacking related threats
traditional criminal threats
ideology Threats

Hacking:

This is one of the common forms of cyber crime found in the cyber space worldwide. It has been defined as "whoever with the intent to cause or knowing that he is likely to cause wrongful loss or damage to the public or any person destroys or deletes or alters any information residing in a computer resource or diminishes its value or utility or affects it injuriously by any means commits hacking". A hacker can crack into computer system thus gaining access to all internal information. Many hackers just do it for fun or pastime. Hacking is considered less harmful than other security related crimes.

Basically the hacker's main aim is to disrupt a system or network. Whether he is a white hat hacker or black hat hacker his level of destruction is to stop or get the access to the computer systems. Repeated hacking or tampering constantly might take a hacker behind bars but many times these crimes are taken lightly.

Traditional cyber crimes

Criminals whose focus is on monetary gains only are called traditional cyber criminals. Most of them are identified as some internal source. Recent study has confirmed that almost 80% criminals of such crimes belong to the related company or firm. Industrial espionage, intellectual property crime, trademark violation, illegal fund transfers, credit card scams, etc are some of the traditional cyber crimes. Such criminals who conduct these crimes are more likely to end up behind bars if the crime is proved.

Ideology cyber threats:

Stolen data are circulated as against the intellectual property laws according to such ideology threats. These criminals consider themselves as Robin Hood and spread the data which is preserved under intellectual property rights. Many terrorist activities are also termed as ideology threats in the cyber world. They spread their own ideology or oppose government's by using the internet technology. Cyberanarchistsis how they are called and their primary aim is to spread their ideology or principles and opposing what is against their activities. Many terrorists' plans and data's are also considered as cyber threats.

Thus whatever be the nature of cyber crime strict laws must be administered to enable a secured cyber space. As more and more of our daily activities becomes connected or interlinked in cyber space the need for a complete secure technology has become the need of the hour. Be is simple email hacking or phishing, the people involved in such activities are definitely invading the privacy of individuals and business organizations. Identity thefts, money swindling and credit card scams are grave issues which can cause irreparable damage to the person concerned.

Prevention is definitely better than cure:

How can we prevent our network or computer systems against the so the cyber criminals? How can the government aid in curbing such high risk threats to the society? As individuals it is important that we use the best internet security system to protect our systems from cyber attacks. It is important to use strong password to protect the emails or other important data or document stored online. Important details like bank account user names and passwords must not be stored online or in the computer. Remember that the cyber space is an open network and has no security or safety against such important data.

Never open unidentified emails and never reply or believe in email scams saying that you have won millions of dollars in an online lottery. Credit cards must be used sparingly or wisely online. Unsecured sites and restricted sites are always high on risk and thus using your credit cards on such sites is highly unadvisable. Always keep changing passwords and install a powerful anti virus software to protect against torzons, viruses and malware.

Companies and business establishment must ask the workers to sign powerful contracts to prevent internal identity thefts. The servers and domains must be well secured for continuous cyber security for their data. Government datas and highly secretive data must be under strict scrutiny. Hackers are also used by enemy nations to fid out the internal secrets of an opponent country. So, all forms of top secret is better not stored online. Too much information exposed is always a cyber threat. Vigilance, awareness and not sharing personal information while networking can prevent most of such cyber crimes.

The government must setup cyber wings to identify such criminals and put forth strong rules or punishment for cyber criminals. Cyber laws must be very strict and newer technology must be used to easily find these criminals to curb their illegal activity. Steps to block the erring person and information updated on such criminals can help the general public from identifying the different crimes in the cyber space. After all knowledge is what can make one powerful, isn't it?

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This article is primarily intended for travellers on their round the world trip, Gap Year or Sabbatical. Travellers are often the most vulnerable, being in a foreign land with limited funds with only the use of public internet facilities to contact family and friends. They are often advised by travel websites and fellow travellers to take copies of their itineraries, photo copy of passwords, emergency contact numbers, travellers cheques numbers, etc. in their email accounts so in the case of an emergency these details are available.

Internet Cafe's are often frequented by travellers and normal folk alike to update their blogs, pay bills and keep in touch with friends and family. Hopefully over the course of this article, it will educate the traveller and other users of public internet services about some of the possible risks associated with using these services.

so what are the potential risks?

Hackers can easily exploit public internet facilities where the desktop machines are not hardened (i.e. not fully patched with the latest security updates, anti-virus products, firewalls, unrestricted admin access etc).

In vulnerable environments hackers can install keylogging software / hardware keyloggers to capture keystrokes typed on a keyboard. If you enter credentials to log into email, the keystrokes entered into the keyboard whilst entering the credentials are logged. This allows the hackers to review the keylogger logs to extract your credentials. The hacker can then log into you email and peruse at their leisure sifting through your emails for sensitive data that can be used for criminal activity (identity theft etc). There is a suggestion that using a virtual keyboard can be used to defeat keyloggers. Whilst this may be true for hardware keyloggers, sophisticated software keyloggers can still capture the keyboard input of virtual keyboards.

Another tool hackers can install are Network Sniffers / Protocol analysers. This software will capture data packets to and from the workstation (data on the wire!). Therefore if you are using Instant Messaging / Email and are sending and receiving messages, the sent messages is converted to data packets if sent, and converted from data packets to messages if received (simplified view of what happens). This happens as the messages leave or enters the computer. Network sniffers capture the data while they are in the form of data packets. Anything not encrypted can be read by the hacker. Therefore a email / Instant messaging conversation that exchange sensitive information can be captured and sifted through by the hacker (to glean information to support criminal activities).

The non technical scam used by the the hacker is shoulder surfing, where your the hacker looks at your keyboard while you are entering your credentials when logging into a website or bank to uncover the password.

These are just some of the many techniques used by hackers to extract sensitive data. Some practical countermeasures are discussed in cyber cafe safety. Also accompany this with safe travel advice to ensure you are safe both online and offline whilst travelling.

One of the largest challenges we are faced with on the Internet is cyber attacks.

Threats to our economy, national security, online communities, and families depend on how effective we are at protecting ourselves from cyber attacks from Internet predators. Here are a few steps that will improve your online security.

First, make sure you have anti-virus software and firewalls configured properly. Make sure they are updated regularly, as well. Everyday new threats are discovered, so keeping you software up-to-date and current makes it easier to protect you and your family, or business from attacks. Most anti-virus and firewall programs have automatic updates available for you to configure.

Another safety precaution technique is to update your operating system and vital program software. These software updates provide the latest protection against malicious attacks. Again, most of these critical software programs have automatic updates available for you to turn on.

Remember to back up your important files. Copy them onto removable discs you can store in a safe place, preferable at another location other than where your computer is at.

Know Who You're Dealing With

In all endeavors, it's also important for you to know what you're getting into, and who you're dealing-especially on the Internet. You cannot judge someone's character or motives by simply looking at a profile picture, MLM blog, or website. Many scammers online impersonate legitimate MLM, affiliate, and home-based businesses when, in fact, they have ulterior motives. Make sure you do some research prior to making any purchases of products or services from individuals or businesses on the Internet.

Finally, protect your passwords-keep them in a secure place. Best practices suggest using longer passwords which include letters and symbols. Every ninety days change your password and avoid using common words. Use different passwords for each of your online accounts.

If you suspect someone is hacking your computer, contact your Internet Service Provider and contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at the following link: http://www.ic3.gov

When you're shopping, either online, or offline, if someone takes advantage of your through an Internet auction, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

On social networking sites, it's important to trust your instincts and advise your children to trust theirs, as well. If you or your children feel uncomfortable, or feel threatened by someone online, encourage your children to tell you. Pass the information onto the police and the social networking site.

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If you're looking for a business opportunity, it may be already right there in your home -- your computer and an Internet connection. Don't worry about raising capital; you actually only need very little (or even none at all) to get started on an online business. All you really need is a good Internet connection and a computer; you can be well on your way to making a nice side income or full income every month depending on how you decide to pursue your online business.

One thing you'll need to keep in mind, however, when you get started on your online business is your computer's security. The last thing you want is to have online thieves get access to your computer and steal important data.

Don't be lulled in to thinking that just because you're a small online venture, thieves and data hackers are not going to target you. Remember that cyber criminals don't care whether you're a big or small business owner. If they discover your computer system unprotected, you're fair game to them.

According to a research done by AMI-Partners, nearly 50% of small- and medium-sized online businesses neglect to have even the most basic of security protection. Based on the research, these small online businesses don't even bother to install anti-spyware and anti-virus software in their computers.

This would explain why the Mydoom worm was successful; the worm affected one out of three small- and medium-sized online businesses. On the other hand, the worm affected one out of six large online companies.

This was also the findings of the Internet Security Alliance, a non-profit organization whose primary function is to handle issues on information security.

It can be concluded that small online businesses are very vulnerable to data theft and electronic sabotage. This is the reason why as a business owner, you need to make sure you implement measures to protect your data and the computers you use for conducting your business online.

Data thieves are becoming more and more sophisticated as time goes by; they have advanced software programs and the hardware they need to break into any computer. You'll be wasting a great deal of time and money if you don't take the necessary steps to protect your computer against these cyber criminals. The consequences of having an unprotected computer that you use to conduct your business online are simply staggering.

You'll find literally hundreds of software companies offering computer Internet security programs to ensure the safety of your data. There are also companies offering Internet security services so you're guaranteed your online data are safe against hackers.

Make data security and encryption one of your top priorities even before you start doing business online. Don't believe that just because you're a start-up business, you're safe from online thieves. Big online businesses have the capacity and funds to recover quickly from cyber break-ins, you don't since you're simply starting out, so why put yourself and your online business at risk?

Erick Roslo is a computer security enthusiast whose hobby is reading computer security related articles. That is why he created internet security software site and exposed internet security suite reviews in the site.

You might have heard about Aladin's Magic Lamp. Internet could be termed as the magic lamp of 21st century. Whatever you want, be it air ticket booking or accessing your bank account, you can do it by sitting on your favorite couch with just a few click. But there are disadvantages too. Criminals are now exploiting the advantages of technology and they lurk on the Internet in search of easy victims. These cyber criminals are known as hackers, spammers, etc. To enjoy safe browsing, you need to stop them. And due to this reason internet safety is important.

Let's take a closer look at what these cyber criminals could do. First of all, they access your computer without your permission. Known as unauthorized access this is one of the major threats in terms of Internet safety. If the hacker could access to your computer then they may get complete control over all your transactions. Even they can also misuse your personal details for illegal or objectionable purposes.

How to ensure Internet safety? Firstly, there should be a strong firewall protection for your network. There are some important things like an anti-virus software, anti-spyware software installed on your PC. This is a must for the home computer users. You can consult an expert for PC security support.

If you are having a medium sized business, you would need a strong firewall. For large businesses, apart from a strong firewall, stronger Internet security software as well as security fencing is required. It is also recommended not to upload your pictures and videos on unreliable social networking sites.

Social networking is very popular these days. While exploring these sites, you should refrain from giving out your address, telephone number as well as credit card number, social security number, passwords or even your complete name. It is also recommended not to allow strangers to access to your web camera at the time of chatting with strangers via instant messenger, or such services.

Shopping on the Internet has now become widely popular. You should make sure that you select a reliable website. Refrain from shopping on websites that are not popular. These websites can have spyware and other malware which may result identity theft. You should avoid using the Internet cafe for performing important transactions over the Internet. Even if you are compelled to do that, you should check whether any spy software is installed on the computer or not.

Remember, to enjoy a safe Internet browsing experience, it is a must to be equipped with filtering software, anti-virus and anti-spyware software as well as firewall detector and a pop-up blocker. If all these are installed on your computer then only you can enjoy safe internet browsing.

Computer services companies offer round the clock tech support to the PC users to deal with all types of security related issues. Opt for any of their tech support plans and enjoy secure computing.

Now-a-days numerous unauthorized websites are available online that advertises varieties of fake antivirus and other programs. Antispytag.com is one such security website that seems to provide cyber safety informations but in reality it is part of malware. It is specially designed to promote rogue program. This website is great promoter and distributor of fake security program named Antivirus Action. This rogue antivirus doesn't possess any security features but only trick the user by its fake security alerts and messages. You should not trust this website and its product because it is a browser hijacker that will hijack your Internet explorer or Firefox when get installed in your system. So, immediately remove Antispytag.com browser hijacker to protect your PC.

Antivirus Action is completely fake program which enters your PC with the help of Trojans and other malware. It changes the Internet proxy settings and ultimately gain control over your networking. You can't access any authentic website as it display false virus alerts and redirect you to Antispytag.com. But don't believe such types of warnings as they are totally fake and only displayed to scare you to purchase the full version of program. So, if you have accidentally downloaded this bogus program doesn't get worried; remove Antivirus Action as soon as possible.

Harmful effects of Browser Hijacker

It changes default homepage, error and search page of web browser
Redirect the web browser to remote server or predefined website
Keep track of user's web history
Sets its own error page instead of default one
Creates shortcuts to marketing sites
Changes system settings
Add multiple bookmarks to web browser's Favorite list
Damages computer resources and installed application
Degrades the functionality of web browser and block some authentic sites

This program does not posses uninstall feature so it is quite difficult to get rid of Antispytag.com browser hijacker. You can manually remove this rogue Anti-spyware by following below mentioned steps:

Restart your computer and boot it in safe mode with networking
Reset Internet Explorer Proxy options
Delete its files and registry entries

After Antivirus Action removal sometimes you encounter system crash or you might lose some system files. So, to avoid such problems you should use authentic Anti-spyware software. This software follows advanced techniques to detect and remove the malware from your PC.

Generally this type of browser hijacker also affects your system performance and slower the PC speed and Internet connection. So, in order to enhance your system performance you can use PC Maintenance Software. It removes Antispytag.com browser hijacker and Speed up your PC.

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I asked this question because according to a NCSA Cyber Security Survey conducted by McAfee, we as consumers seem to have a knowledge gap between what we claim to know and our actual ability to prove we are Internet savvy. For example their telephone survey revealed that 98% of Americans do not know the risk level of a website before they visit it. Additionally, 64% do not know how to determine if a site is safe and another 78% admit when viewing search results, they have no idea how to tell if any of them might lead to a high-risk website.

To Know the Answer is to Know Your Objective

The answer basically depends upon what you are trying to do. Do you want to determine if your purchase transaction is being processed securely? Do you want to know if a site is safe for your child to be on? Or, do you wish to know if a site is simply guilty of uploading spyware, malware, adware or some other unwanted problem onto your PC's operating system. Lets review a couple of proactive measures that can point us in a more positive direction and enhance a safer Internet experience.

Basic Data Encryption Protects Purchase Transactions

When you make a purchase online you ultimately end up sending out confidential information such as a user name, password, credit card number or something you wouldn't normally publish in a newspaper for everyone's viewing and subsequent use. Well, the Internet (www) is a world wide web for the exchange of free information. This is nice but some things need to be private to avoid identity theft. So, when you get to a shopping cart to make your purchase of a product or service, you want to be sure the transaction data is encrypted. Two basic ways to tell this information is being sent securely is to verify that information by looking for a small padlock in the browser window (usually in the lower right hand window). You should also take note it should appear to be in the locked position. You might also see it next to the address bar if for example you are using Internet Explorer 7

A web address (URL) (Sample= [https://www]. somesite . com ) that begins with this https, is short for Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer. This https is a secure method of accessing information on a web page and/or sending information across the Internet and to a secure website. What this means is the confidential information (data) you type into this browser window, as plaintext will be encrypted before being sent which is designed specifically to safeguard the data and improve/protect your security. These two measures are designed to announce to you that an Internet web page is safe and secure.

What is a High-Risk Website?

A high-risk website is a web page considered dangerous because it introduces threats such as spyware, adware, malware, online scams, spam, intentional redirects to unfavorable sites and a slew of other threats designed for stealing, prying into or eradicating files on your computer.

How Do You Know High-Risk Websites Before You Go?

There are free Web safety tools (utilities) that help keep you safe from adware, spam and online scams as you search and browse the Web and these software enhancements are best known as site advisoriers. These programs review sites and assign safety ratings that display adjacent to or over a web address you are about to click on and subsequently access. They are in fact powerful tools that enforce Internet safety. These utilities assign a site rating of red, yellow or green pretty much like a traffic light. A color of grey is a basic advisory that a site has not yet been analized and rated.

Two of the more popular utilities programs are Site Advisor and WOT. For more information about these utilities and free downloads it is worth your time to visit both their sites at siteadvisor(dot) com and mywot (dot) com. Bear in mind that there are millions upon millions of websites under constant review and although these utilities do a great job enhancing security efforts, the task of evaluation is a daunting task to keep up with their efforts to provide risk-free surfing; they do not provide absolute protection. View these utilities as just one layer of protection. Every computer should also at a minimum employ an anti-virus software, an enabled firewall and have anti-spyware software installed.

Protecting Your Children from Crime

There are a lot of companies that offer free and low cost software designed and employed to protect children from sexual deviants, cyber crime, identity theft and the whole boatload of unfortunate criminal activities on the web. Some great examples are listed at registryfixing (dot) com under their Child Safe Surf, PC Tools, Privacy Controls, ZoneAlarm and other Navagation Buttons. Bear in mind as well there are parental control options available on your home computer as well. For guides on How to Set "Parental Controls" Using Windows , Comcast, Internet Explorer, Fire Fox, Linux and just about everything else do a web search for "setting parental controls"an you are sure to find a step-by-step guide for just about every situation.

I hope, this highly condensed guidance is noteworthy and a good proactive start in your ever-increasing need to be computer savvy and safe on our modern day Internet. Remember, it takes our combined effort to avoid crime and protect ourselves and loved ones in a world so much more condensed and accessible with our abilities to communicate freely. If you think this article is beneficial, do not by shy about sharing it with family and friends.

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With all the great information and tools that the Internet can offer, it is also important to realize that it can be a landmine of potential harm as well. Because some small percentage of destructive people have malicious intentions, they make the Internet relatively unsafe for your computer and your personal information. That is why it is vital to protect your computer from cyber threats such as "worms" that can damage your computer programs and those of people in your email address book, viruses that can wipe out your data in a matter of minutes, and spyware that does exactly as it states by spying on your computer activities and personal information on it.

One means of protecting yourself is through programs that protect your computer and its data. One in particular is making some noise as an excellent addition to Norton and some of the other well-known security software. It is called PC Security Test and offers a different method of protecting your computer. This software actually simulates an attack against your computer so it can verify the efficiency your current protection offers in warding off attacks. PC Security Test is a free program that helps you understand the degree of safety your computer actually has to guard itself against worms and viruses.

Check out the PC Security Test site (pc-st dot com) to learn more and download a copy for your computer. This program should be used with your normal security scanning software such as your firewall, anti-virus, and anti-spyware programs.

Most new computers are actually protected well against viruses and Trojans, but many are not protected against spyware. This is why you need an updated anti-spyware program so that when you have spyware on your computer it can be promptly removed. Along with the test that PC Security Test offers, you should find out how much more protection you may need to keep the threats on the Internet exactly where they are.

This is especially important if you use Microsoft Internet Explore (IE), which is an open target because it is the most commonly used browser. Programs that open in IE are the most vulnerable to spyware and viruses because some of these threats attach themselves to IE and create hassles that are difficult to eliminate. If any of this sounds like your sad experience, make sure you take the time to try PC Security Test to see how well it protects you.

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There are several benefits of a Free AVG Download. Most people understand the importance of downloading antivirus software to protect their computers from virus attacks. The AVG download virus protection is a popular choice by many of these consumers appreciating its cost free status and the highly dependable security it offers to consumers.

Many people however, do not gain maximum benefit from their download, perhaps due to inexperience in setting up the software initially, or maintaining up-to-date software to ensure the latest version of the software is installed on their computer. Knowing how to achieve the benefits of antivirus software is the best way of protecting your computer from serious damage caused by cyber criminals and hackers.

Setting up Anti Virus Software:

When you first start your free AVG download antivirus software you will need to spend time setting the protection functions and scheduling regular downloads of the latest versions of the software. Scheduling regular scans of your computer operating system and all hard drives, folders and files is also an essential step in ensuring your protection.

AVG offers a simple wizard to help aid consumers to perform this set up and this makes the process very easy. The wizard requires you to click boxes that set the various functions as well as the level of security you wish to set your protection. Full technical support is available to assist this process if you are unsure as to which protection suits your surfing requirements best.

Essential Updates of Protection:

It is most important you click on the "check updates" available icon, which enables regular background checks by the program for updates that protect against any newly identified viruses. These updates are downloaded regularly and you can trial test with a Free AVG Download.

It is advisable, in the current climate of cyber crime to ensure this update check happens several times a day. While this may seem excessive, it is important to remember that 20-30 new viruses are discovered every day. Although many of these are simply modifications of existing ones, they represent a new potential infection for your computer and the only way to protect it is to have up to date protection against those modified viruses, as well as existing ones at the time you first downloaded your software.

Free AVG Download provides an easy updating function as part of the installation wizard and the option settings in the program itself to ensure your computer is always protected from potential and new threats.

Upgrade Options:

The functions of the free AVG download provide all basic protection requirements that the average user of a personal computer should require. It provides protection when completing your online banking, shopping or surfing on the Internet, interacting on social network websites, and provides regular information on the latest virus and other malware threats to your safety and protection.

If you require a more specific and higher level of protection, you may consider upgrading from free AVG download to one of the paid options that provide extra functions for a once only charge for the life of the license.

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The number of Internet users has increased significantly in these days. More and more people are now getting the benefits of the internet. But for the kids or for those who have just started using the internet the World Wide Web could be a scary place. There are various malicious objects that could infect your computer and can offer you many sleepless night if proper precaution is not taken. Cyber criminals, known as hackers employ new techniques to break into the computer of the users and steal their personal and sensitive information. To block them, you can consult an online computer repair company for remote tech support. In this article we are going to talk about internet safety tips so that you can enjoy safe and secure computing.

Social networking is now widely popular. This has brought a revolution in the way people communicate with friends and family. While using these sites, the user should be extra cautious. It is recommended not to add strangers to your list without knowing. You should also not give any personal information to anyone you meet online. These include your first or last names, phone numbers, passwords, birth dates or years. In addition, it is strongly recommended not to reveal your credit card information online.

For all your accounts, you should use strong passwords. Don't know what exactly strong passwords are? Well, strong passwords mean it should be at least greater than 15 characters and it should be a combination of CAPITAL as well as small letters and also special symbols.

There are viruses, spyware and other malicious objects flying on the web. Developed by the cyber criminals these tools are intended to harm your computer. While your computer gets connected to the Internet these malicious objects keep on trying to invade your computer. To block them, you should install an antivirus on your computer. There are tons of antivirus software programs available on the internet. Many of these are free while for some you need pay. You can pick powerful antivirus software and install and update it regularly. Remember, if the software is not updated on a regular basis, it will not be much effective.

Spyware is another common malicious object that sneaks into your computer and steal your personal information including your internet surfing habits. Remember, Viruses and Spywares are not same. So, there should be Anti-Spyware software on your computer. There are some of the antivirus software programs available in the market that have anti spyware built-in.

For the best protection, you need to install a firewall. This is very essential for a net user. A firewall blocks malicious objects and protect the systems on the network. Some of the popular firewalls are ZoneAlarm, SonicWALL, etc.

Computer repair New Zealand is a renowned remote tech support provider. It offers round the clock tech support to the computer users for fixing any and all types of PC issues.

In 1818, British author Mary Shelley's tale of Dr. Frankenstein's infamous creation startled and captivated a receptive audience. Just as the macabre, but resourceful, doctor created life from non-life that terrorized the local countryside, we have created a "cyberspace monster" that "lives" and knows no boundaries. It may not actually terrorize us, but we are likewise captivated by it. It profoundly influences and impacts our everyday activities, but it is also out of control and has spawned many controversial issues involving free speech, censorship, intellectual property, and privacy. The free market and society norm may, in some measure, be capable of regulating these issues and eventually help allay many of our concerns. A major and controversial concern that requires additional discussion is safeguarding the confidentiality of private medical information.

Expectations of Privacy and Private Medical Information

According to attorney and privacy law specialist, Ronald B. Standler, "Privacy is the expectation that confidential personal information disclosed in a private place will not be disclosed to third parties, when that disclosure would cause either embarrassment or emotional distress to a person of reasonable sensitivities" (Standler, 1997). Another theorist, Ruth Gavison, defines privacy as "the limitation of others' access to an individual with three key elements: secrecy, anonymity, and solitude." Secrecy or confidentiality deals with the limits of sharing knowledge of oneself. Anonymity deals with unwanted attention solitude refers to being apart from others (Spinello, 2003). Basically, we want to protect the integrity of who we are, what we do, and where we do it. Regardless of our definition, the right of privacy usually concerns individuals who are in a place reasonably expected to be private. Information that is public record, or voluntarily disclosed in a public place, is not protected.

The open architecture of the modern phenomenon that we call the Internet raises very unique ethical concerns regarding privacy. Information is sent effortlessly over this vast global network without boundaries. Personal information may pass through many different servers on the way to a final destination. There are virtually no online activities or services that guarantee absolute privacy. It is quite easy to be lulled into thinking your activity is private when actually many of these computer systems can capture and store this personal information and actually monitor your online activity (Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, 2006). The Net's underlying architecture is designed to share information and not to conceal or protect it. Even though it is possible to develop an adequate level of security, with an acceptable risk level, it is at enormous cost and considerable time.

Medical records are among the most personal forms of information about an individual and may contain medical history, lifestyle details (such as smoking or participation in high-risk sports), test results, medications, allergies, operations and procedures, genetic testing, and participation in research projects.The protection of this private medical information falls under the area of medical ethics. The realm of medical ethics is to analyze and resolve ethical dilemmas that arise in medical practice and biomedical research. Medical ethics is guided by strict principles or standards that address: Autonomy, Beneficence, Nonmaleficence, Fidelity, and Justice (Spinello, 2003). The principle of Autonomy includes a person's right to be fully informed of all pertinent information related to his/her healthcare. A discussion of medical ethical principles and patient rights leads us to further discuss legislation designed to maintain and protect these cherished rights.

Access to Private Medical Information and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996

Since 400 B.C. and the creation of the Hippocratic Oath, protecting the privacy of patient medical information has been an important part of the physician' code of conduct. Unfortunately, many organizations and individuals not subject to this strict code of conduct are increasingly requesting this private information.Every time a patient sees a doctor, is admitted to a hospital, goes to a pharmacist, or sends a claim to a healthcare plan, a record is made of their confidential health information. In the past, all healthcare providers protected the confidentiality of medical records by locking them away in file cabinets and refusing to reveal them to anyone else. Today, we rely on "protected" electronic records and a complicated series of laws to maintain our confidential and private medical records.

Congress duly recognized the need for national patient record privacy standards in 1996 when they enacted the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act HIPAA). This act was effective April 14, 2003 (small health plans implementation date was April 14, 2004) and was meant to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the nation's healthcare system. For the first time, federal law established standards for patient medical record access and privacy in all 50 states. The act includes provisions designed to save money for health care businesses by encouraging electronic transactions, but it also required new safeguards to protect the security and confidentiality of that information (Diversified Radiology of Colorado, 2002).

There are three essential parts to HIPAA: Privacy, Code Sets, and Security. The Security section is further subdivided into four parts: Administrative Procedures, Physical Safeguards, Technical Security Services (covering "data at rest"), and Technical Security Mechanisms (covering "data in transmission").

PRIVACY:

The intent of the HIPAA regulations is to protect patients' privacy and allow patients greater access to their medical records. The Act specifically addresses patients' Protected Health Information (PHI) and provides patients with greater access to and modification of their medical records. Prior to providing patient services, the Covered Entity must first receive the patient's consent to share PHI with such organizations as the insurance billing company, the billing office, and physicians to which the patient may be referred. Individuals must be able to access their records, request correction of errors, and they must be informed of how their personal information will be used. Individuals are also entitled to file formal privacy-related complaints to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights.

CODE SETS:

Under HIPAA, codes are standardized to improve safety and security of health information. According to these new standards, a code set is any set of codes used for encoding data elements, such as tables of terms, medical diagnosis codes, procedure codes, etc.

SECURITY:

The security section is divided into four major parts:

1. Administrative, which requires documented formal practices, the execution of security measures to protect data, policies and procedures regulating conduct of personnel in protecting data, security training, incident procedures, and termination policies.

2. Physical Safeguards relate to the protection of physical computer systems, network safeguards, environmental hazards, and physical intrusion. One must consider computer screen placement, pass code protection, and computer locks to control access to medical information.

3. Technical Security Services refers to PHI stored on the computer network and how it is securely stored and accessed. Those using the PHI must be logged on and authenticated. An audit trail of authenticated access will be maintained for 6 years.

4. Technical Security Mechanisms refers to PHI transmitted over a communication network such as the Internet, frame relay, VPN, private line, or other network. PHI transmitted over a communication network must be encrypted.

There are also some noticeable shortcomings to HIPAA. The act did little to actually make health insurance more "portable" when an employee changes employers. Also, the Act did not significantly increase the health insurers' accountability for wrongdoing with provisions that are often difficult to monitor and enforce. There is also much confusion for patients, as well as healthcare providers, in regard to the interpretation of the act (Diversified Radiology of Colorado, 2002).

Other Laws, Regulations, and Decisions Regarding Private Medical Information

Besides HIPAA, there are important state regulations and laws, and federal laws and legal decisions, concerning the privacy and confidentiality of medical information (Clifford, 1999):

The Privacy Act of 1974 limits governmental agencies from sharing medical information from one agency to another. Congress declared hat "the privacy of an individual is directly affected by the collection, maintenance, use and dissemination of personal information ...," and that "the right to privacy is a personal and fundamental right protected by the Constitution of the United States ..." (Parmet, 2002).

The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Act, passed in 1988, establishes confidentiality for records of patients treated for alcohol or drug abuse (only if they are treated in institutions that receive federal funding).

The Americans with Disabilities Act, passed in 1990, prohibits employers from making employment-related decisions based on a real or perceived disability, including mental disabilities. Employers may still have access to identifiable health information about employees for reasonable business needs including determining reasonable accommodations for disabled workers and for addressing workers compensation claims.

Supreme Court decision in Jaffee v. Redmond: On June 13, 1996, the Court ruled that there is a broad federal privilege protecting the confidentiality of communication between psychotherapists and their clients. The ruling applies to psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers.

Freedom and Privacy Restoration Act of 1999: Designed to prohibit the creation of government unique medical ID numbers.

Managed Care and Cyber Threats to Private Medical Information

The introduction of the Internet and the advances in telecommunications technology over the last two decades allows us to access vast amounts of medical information, regardless of time, distance, or remoteness, with relative ease. This cyber access to medical information has profoundly changed how healthcare providers treat patients and offer advice. No longer are there barriers to the efficient exchange of health information and critical life-saving medical information. In addition to the many benefits of cyber access to medical information, there are also serious threats to our personal privacy and our medical information.

The intense interest for the protection and privacy of medical information is driven by two major developments. The first is the growth of electronic medical record keeping that has replaced paper records. A report from the National Academy of Sciences states that the healthcare industry spent between $10 and $15 billion on information technology in 1996 (Mehlman, 1999). This was the year that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was passed with most of the expenditure attributed to converting hard-copy information to electronic formats.Electronic medical records (EMRs) present a significant threat to maintaining the privacy of patient-identifiable medical information. This medical information can be retrieved instantaneously by anyone with access and passwords. Although hard-copy medical information can be easily copied, electronic records are much more easily copied and transmitted without boundaries.

The second major development that concerns the privacy of patient information is the overall growth of managed care organizations. There is a demand for an unprecedented depth and breath of personal medical information by an increasing number of players. In contrast to traditional fee-for-service healthcare, the provider of care and the insurer can be the same entity. In this situation, any medical information in the possession of the provider is also known to the insurer. This is common in all forms of managed care, but most evident in closed-panel HMOs. This sharing of information increases the fear that the insurer may use the data to limit benefits or terminate insurance coverage (Mehlman, 1999).

Some managed care companies are reporting private medical information to an extreme in requiring providers to report to case managers within twenty-four hours any case that is considered a high risk potential for the client, a second party, the employer, or the managed care company. Examples include such things as possible danger to self or others, suspected child abuse, potential threats to national security or the client organization, client's request for records, complaint about Employee Assistance Program services or threat of a lawsuit, and potential involvement in litigation including confession or knowledge of criminal activity. No mention is made concerning client privacy or rights regarding the release of this information. Nothing is also said about what will be done with the information that is shared (Clifford, 1999).

Another issue with managed care companies is the large volume of data processed and the carelessness in handling medical information. A salient example deals with lost records as noted in a 1993 survey sample of San Francisco Bay Area psychologists. In this survey, 59% of reports were mailed or faxed to wrong persons, charts accidentally switched, or proper authorization not obtained (Clifford, 1999).

Maintaining and Protecting Electronic Private Medical Information

In order to maintain and protect valued private medical information, we must always be vigilant and proactive. Basic steps can be taken prior to using electronic information sharing. For example, when signing a "Release of Information" form, read everything carefully. If not clearly understood, ask questions. Also, remember that HIPAA grants you the right to request that your healthcare provider restrict the use or disclosure of your medical information. Make sure those who ask for information are properly identified and authorized to collect this information. Finally, make sure that the person collecting information uses at least two "identifiers" to ensure proper identification of patient (e.g. name, last four of social security number, address, telephone, number, birth date etc.

When dealing with electronic and computerized medical information, the situation gets more tenuous and much more complex. Secure networks and websites, passwords, firewalls, and anti-virus software, are unquestionably the first steps in a plan of protection. Passwords must be complex, using numbers, letters, and cases, yet also easily remembered. To maintain security, experts suggest that passwords be changed every 90 days or if they are believed to be compromised. In addition, any private medical information sent on the NET or non-secure networks should be encrypted. Encryption (64 or 128 bit) is translating information into a secret code where a key or password is required to read the information.

Further security is provided by using privacy enhancing P3P frameworks, filtering software (e.g. MIMESweeper), message authentication codes "(MACs), and "digital signatures." The Platform for Privacy Preferences Project (P3P) is a technological framework that uses a set of user-defined standards to negotiate with websites regarding how that user's information will be used and disseminated to third parties (Spinello, 2003). This P3P architecture helps define and improve cyberethics, improves accessibility, improves consistency, and increases the overall trust in using cyberspace. MACs utilize a common key that generates and verifies a message whereas digital signatures generally use two complementary algorithms - one for signing and the other for verification.

There has also some creative technology proposed for maintaining and protecting private medical information. In October 2004, the "VeriChip" was approved by the FDA for implantation into the triceps of patients. The chip is about the size of a grain of rice and is inserted under the skin during a 20-minute procedure. This invisible chip stores a code that can scanned to further release a patient's private medical information. This code is then used to download encrypted medical information. The procedure cost is about $150-200 (MSNBC, 2004).

Another more commonly used medical information tool is the "smart card," a credit card sized device with a small-embedded computer chip. This "computer in a card" can be programmed to perform tasks and store important information. During an emergency, paramedics and emergency rooms equipped with smart card readers can rapidly access potentially life-saving information about a patient, such as allergies to medication, and chronic medical conditions. There are different types of smart cards: memory cards, processor cards, electronic purse cards, security cards, and JavaCards. These cards are tamper-resistant, can be PIN protected or read-write protected, can be encrypted, and can be easily updated. These unique features make smart cards advantageous for storing personal medical information and are popular throughout the world. In Germany and Austria, 80 million people have the capability of using these smart cards when they visit their doctor (Cagliostro, 1999).

There is also a recent proposed government plan to create a national system of electronic health records (EHRs). Details include the building of a National Health Information Network that will electronically connect all patients' medical records to providers, insures, pharmacies, labs, and claim processors. The sharing of vital information could improve patient care, include more accurate and timely substantiation of claims, and be an asset to public health in emergencies. The goal is to have it operational by 2009. Even with laudatory goals of saving money, making medical care more efficient, and decreasing drug reactions and interactions, there are still inherent dangers to this national plan. There are valid concerns that pharmaceutical companies may attempt to market a new drug or device for your specific medical condition. There are also strong worries of exploitation and abuse of personal data. Who will monitor access to the information? There are also concerns that lenders or employers may rely on private medical information to make business decisions. Then there is always the ever present fear of hackers and pranksters retrieving your personal information. There are still so many questions unanswered (Consumer Reports.org, 2006).

In conclusion, we are now stuck with a "Cyberspace Monster" and all of its advantages and shortcomings. When we use cyberspace, we can have no expectations of privacy and we must accept a level of risk. Therefore, when transmitting and sharing private medical information, we must be always aware to take precautions in safeguarding our privacy as much as possible by using secure networks, P3P architecture, passwords, firewalls, encryption, message codes, digital signatures, and devices like smart cards and "VeriChips." Medical records are among the most personal forms of information about an individual, but we are challenged to find a balance between society's interest in protecting medical confidentiality and the legitimate need for timely access to critical medical information especially with fears of influenza pandemics and bioterrorism. When this information is transferred into electronic format, we have heightened concerns about maintaining and protecting this private data. With managed care, there is a demand for an unprecedented depth and breath of personal medical information by an increasing number of players. While the HIPAA provisions are a welcomed start in protecting our private medical information, we must remain vigilant of the ever increasing need to protect this special information.

References:

Cagliostro, C. (1999) Smart card primer.

Clifford, R. (1999) Confidentiality of records and managed care legal and ethical issues.

Consumer Reports.org (2006). The new threat to your medical privacy.

Diversified Radiology of Colorado (2002) History: HIPAA general information.

Mehlman, M. J. (1999) Emerging issues: the privacy of medical records.

MSNBC (2004) FDA approves computer chip for humans.

Parmet, W. E. (2002) Public health protection and privacy of medical records.

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (2006) Internet privacy resources.

Spinello, R. A. (2003) CyberEthics: Morality and law in cyberspace. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, MA

Standler, R. B. (1997) Privacy law in the USA.

Mr. Klemens is an accomplished author, writer, and practicing pharmacist. He has authored a book on integrative medicine (Mountains and Rivers: Complementing your Healthcare with Alternative Medicine, ISBN: 1-4033-8672-2) and numerous articles in local, national, and international magazines, and web sites. Topics include integrative medicine, Oriental medicine, herbs and supplements, health and fitness, Scottish culture, and leadership and ethics. He is also listed in the Marquis Who's Who in America, a member of Clan Gregor, and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.

http://www.writers.net/writers/22138

http://jksamurai.googlepages.com/home

Arguably one of the greatest inventions the world has ever known. The internet has opened up the business world; it allows people to communicate across vast distances, cheaper and easier than ever before. There is a world of information at your finger tips. More and more people are getting connected and taking advantage of the great wealth afforded by the net. There are however some fairly serious down sides, identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes. By taking advantage of unprotected surfers, stealing their personal details, hackers can run up huge bills in someone else's name and walk away undetected.

They say 90% of all PCs are infected with some form of spyware. Spyware is simply a little piece of software that installs itself onto your PC and literally spies on anything you do online. One way, the creators of such software nasties, are using to deliver their cargo is exploiting the popularity of Internet video clips, piggy backing on the latest funny videos. Spyware comes in many guises, Mal-ware, Ad ware, Key Loggers to name but a few. They all aim to do the same thing, that is rob you of your personal data and generate revenue for there creators.

Key loggers for example, simply record every keystroke you make whilst online; broadcasting this data to someone else's PC somewhere out there in cyber space. Not a good thing when you are buying your latest 'widget' from 'widgets R us' and are typing in your credit card details, or when you are moving money around through online banking. Unfortunately however secure the website at 'widgets r us' is, the problem lies on the PC in front of you now. The key logging software is sat on your PC recording all the details you type in and sending this data to some remote computer. It could be too the far side of the world, or it could be to a PC next door, who knows where it ends up.

There is little 'widgets R us' can do as the next time you appear to visit their website they see the same details typed in, the same passwords and they greet you back again. The difference is of course it's not you this time, it's some cyber thief, buying your favourite widgets and you're the one paying for it.

The good news is it's not that complicated or expensive to protect yourself in the cyber world.

The first step to online security is to get a personal firewall. This monitors the data coming and going over your internet connection, acting as a shield alerting you to anything suspicious trying to broadcast from your PC.

The next essential thing on the list is a good spyware removal software; this will clean up your computer. The good news is there are a few freebies that work really well. You'll be amazed after running a clean up tool at just how much faster your PC will run. There are also a couple of software packages that act as a firewall specifically for spyware and ad ware, these will alert you should you be straying into an area on the internet known for spyware.

The final piece of your security armoury is a good anti virus software; this will protect you against viruses, worms Trojan horses and other viral software. That attempt to spread your data around the globe.

By investing in these three software defences you can feel confident in being able to cruise the internet super highway in safety.

Find out more about detecting spyware and PC security, download free spyware removal tools.

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The evening news screams scary headlines ("Pedophilia!", "Cyber-bullying!") that make it seem as if mobile devices in the hands of children are more dangerous than handguns. As a parent myself, I obviously agree that every parent needs to safeguard their child's mobile computing experience. However, mobile devices can be the key to learning and dare I even say it...success.

The question is not IF your child should use a mobile device in school, but HOW to do it safely. As mobile devices like iOS devices (like the iPod, iPhone, iPad, etc); Android (the Barnes & Noble Nook, a variety of tablets and cell phones) or other platform (such as Windows Mobile, Palm, BlackBerry, Nokia, etc.) make their way into classrooms, students, parents, teachers and administrators need to implement best practices that increase learning without compromising safety.

In the United States, many schools are seeing six-year-olds with cell phones. The average UK kid gets their first cell phone at eight. Children's access to mobile devices is staggering, as you can see from the "Learning in the 21st Century: Taking it Mobile!" survey. For instance, among middle school (6th-8th grade) students:

• 59 percent have a cell phone

• 24 percent have an Internet-enabled Smartphone

• 53 percent have a personal laptop or tablet

A generation of students is growing up with a different level of access to information at their collective fingertips.

Mobile Education 101

Mobile learning, aka m-learning, is one of education's fastest growing trends (starting in kindergarten and going all the way through university, as well as professional learning environments). Properly used, these devices are effective educational tools.

Benefits of mobile learning include:

Individualized Instructions and Learning: With automatic personalization, all learning styles are engaged so there is no "one size fits all" program. Most programs adapt to the individual learner's strengths, allowing the learner to work through their weak spots in the privacy of their handheld. If a student has problems grasping a concept, they can do additional work on their device whenever they choose.

Learning is seen as fun: Subjects like algebra are more palatable when placed in a game format and students can relate the relevancy of real world experiences.

Collaborative and Interactive: Mobile learning tends to increase communication between peers and instructors. Young people communicate differently based on today's technology. Teaching on their terms helps this information sink in faster.

Discipline issues nearly vanish: Discipline issues went down by 90% after the Rowan-Salisbury School Systems implemented a mobile learning project according to Phil Hardin, Executive Director of Technology. This is because students were more engaged on learning activities on the school bus and had less time to play pranks or bother other students.

Class attendance and participation: There is no need to cancel class due to bad weather, or fall behind as a result of extended absences if mobile devices are set up with online content filtering technology to protect the content they view when they are not in the classroom. Students can attend class and submit homework from any location with devices that have a two-camera system that allows collaboration and participation. This has particular relevance for disadvantaged and special needs students.

Saves schools money: Cash strapped school districts are also attracted to mobile learning technology as a way to save money over the long term. The iSchool Initiative estimates each $150 iPod touch would save at least $600 per student per year.

Inexpensive lessons and materials: E-books for e-readers and other online educational tools like mobile apps are less expensive to produce than traditional textbooks and will save money. Some online materials such as Open Text book are free. Amazon recently introduced a new ad-supported e-ink Kindle at a reduced rate (less than half of a comparable tablet). Whether schools will allow ad-supported technology in the classroom remains to be seen. E-books shouldn't be seen as a separate device like an e-reader, but as a free application that exists on almost every platform. The e-book learning experience can be enjoyed anywhere for free. Today a student can read a free textbook on her school PC, continue reading on her BlackBerry smartphone during the bus ride home and then open the reading app on her iPad to the exact point where she stopped reading on her phone. Any notes she made on any platform would be saved automatically. This content and extra portability costs the student and the school nothing.

Given these pluses, instead of confiscating handhelds, today's teachers want more of them in the classroom. According to a great report The New 3 Es of Education: Enabled, Engaged, Empowered How Today's Educators are Advancing a New Vision for Teaching and Learning, "Teachers highly value the ability of the devices to increase student engagement in learning (77 percent), to facilitate improved communications between teachers, parents and students (64 percent) and to access online textbooks anytime, anywhere (64 percent). Administrators note the same benefits but with stronger validation of the student engagement component (84 percent) and adding in the idea that the devices can extend learning beyond the school day (66 percent) or create opportunities for more personalized learning experiences (64 percent)."

When mobile devices are introduced, studies show that students become more excited about learning and teachers become more enthusiastic about teaching. The benefits are showing in higher test scores, decreases in disciplinary actions and increases in attendance. Some school programs are beginning to require an iPod touch. (A few schools will even standardize over to the iPod touch's big brother, the larger and more expensive iPad.)

But don't think m-learning is an expensive way of throwing new money at an old problem. In the developing world, m-learning is seen as the best and cheapest approach to leapfrogging into the 21st century. M-learning has the benefit of a cheap display technology that the student probably already has. (The majority of the world accesses the Internet through a mobile device instead of a desktop PC.) Most of the infrastructure isn't in the school but in the cloud, which means that an m-learning program's back office hardware costs are negligible.

What Parents and Educators Can do to Support Mobile Learning

Mobile learning must enjoy the same investment in time from parents and teachers that other classroom activities do. Technology does not run itself, it needs management. Collaboration is key for all aspects of mobile learning, including child safety, content filtering and safeguarding against the Internet's unsavory elements. Adults need continuing education. Events like the Global Education Conference help support mobile learning from a place of knowledge and understanding.

Last November, the first Global Education Conference was held entirely online (which seems appropriate!). It operated as a platform for discussion on mobile learning practices and showed how technology can enable learning anywhere and everywhere. Engaging presenters ranged from seasoned educators to technology experts. "Mobile Learning Using the iPod touch - In Hindsight was a unique discussion that I moderated. As a mobile Internet safety expert, parent and CEO and co-founder of a leading online child safety service for the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, PCs, laptops and netbooks, I love being part of the mobile education conversation. This informative discussion joined educators with educational technology experts to discuss ways in which learning can be encouraged in the mobile age. Also covered were acceptable use policies, security and deployment management, as well as anecdotal student benefits. Panelists discussed how these programs evolved from concept to reality and how a leading online content filtering service helped reach and exceed goals.

The Future

The future of "mobile" learning means moving into a more virtual educational environment.

More government dollars will be granted for pilot projects such as Learning On-The-Go 2011 Wireless Pilot Projects (partially funded by the FCC). Corporate and business expenditures for mobile learning products and services in the US alone are expected to reach over $246.9 million in 2011. As mobile learning continues to grow, school districts will see more regulation, oversight and safety mandates that, if not met, could result in restricted funding. Clear Child Internet Safety Guidelines will need to be established and safe browser technology implemented to make sure investments in education continue to flow.

Clearly, more money needs to be spent on research and development of mobile technology as statistics report glowing successes in current school programs. An ongoing open dialogue with all parties including educators, technology experts, parents, business leaders and politicians must recognize the importance of mobile learning and support it.

Whatever modality is used for teaching, whether a book or a touch screen, the principles and discipline of learning remain the same - parents and teachers stand at the podium of a child's education. Mobile learning blends traditional pedagogy with technology to reach every child. Implementing proper web filtering tools will put them on the fast track to success.

If you want to start your own M-learning program, check out these resources:

To get the latest examples of mobile learning best practices, visit UW-Stout Mobile Learning website.

Tony Vincent's fantastic web site Learning in Hand is an educator's resources for mobile learning. It was started in 2002 as part of Tony Vincent's classroom website. At first focusing on Palm handhelds, Learning in Hand now covers podcasting, iPods, iPod touch, iPhone, iPad, and netbooks. He takes his 15 years of teaching experience and shows educators (and parents) how to use handhelds to educate with easy to follow examples.

Learning in the 21st Century: Taking it Mobile! by Blackboard and Project Tomorrow.

The Consortium for School Networking has a very well thought out m-learning guidelines in their Acceptable Use Policies in Web 2.0 & Mobile Era

Mobile Learning Experience 2011

Learning2Go: Great approach for teachers on how to finance and implement an m-learning program.

Upside Learning website has produced a great slide show on mobile learning.

To see how such a program would work, check out ProjectKnect which helped North Carolina's at risk students learn math and more via their mobile phones. You should also check out their instructive blog.

About the Author

Suren Ramasubbu is a mobile Internet safety expert and CEO of Mobicip.com, the leading Internet safety and parental control service for mobile devices like the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Mobicip has won Parent Choice awards and is used by schools all over the country to filter out dangerous and inappropriate content. Besides Mobicip, there are a number of child-safe iPod browsers on the market.

Suren Ramasubbu is a co-founder of Mobicip.com, a leading online child safety service for the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, PCs, laptops and netbooks. Mobicip's mission is to provide a safe, secure and educational Internet experience for school-age children. Mobicip's dynamic content filtering technology helps parents protect their children in the new era of Internet hazards stemming from anytime anywhere access on personal devices. Suren is a passionate advocate of mobile learning and Internet safety, and speaks or hosts panels at conferences and seminars on these topics for parents and educators. He has also served as a consultant for educational technology projects in K-12 schools and school districts. As an active member of the community, Suren has led successful United Way volunteering and fundraising campaigns. He holds a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech and an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

According to the Federal trade Commission (FTC), there are around 10 million reported cases of identity theft each year in the United States. A recent report by Eugene Kaspersky, founder and head analyst of Kaspersky Labs (a leading internet security company), indicates that the level of criminal activity on the internet has doubled in the past year, and there is reason to believe this trend will continue to grow exponentially in the future.

Cyber crime has become a serious problem for everyone who uses the internet. The biggest threats to all internet users are malicious software programs known as crimeware and social engineering schemes, often referred to as phishing and pharming scams.

Although computer viruses have always presented a big problem regarding potential loss of data or damage to our computers, spyware and phishing scams are where the real danger is. These forms of internet crime don't hurt our computers - they cause personal damage.

Spyware

The most common form of crime-ware comes in the form of spyware, which is a small program or piece of code that is designed to "spy" on your online activity and/or personal information. There are many types and forms of spyware and new versions are introduced into the internet every day.

Although not all spyware is used for illegal purposes, much of it can be very dangerous due of its ability to record keystrokes, take snapshots of our PC screen, and monitor everything we do online. Spyware usually installs without anyone's knowledge and runs silently in the background.

The information gathered by spyware is secretly transmitted to the person who planted it. It is sometimes sent out via email without our knowledge, but more often it is relayed to a hijacked "slave" computer, where it is picked up by the criminal who installed it. He/she will either use it to access bank accounts or credit cards, sell it to another thief, or perhaps steal our identity altogether.

Some spyware is used to "hijack" computers, turning them into "slaves" that are used to collect and store data that was obtained illegally. The computer's owner rarely knows that his PC is being used to house illegal information. Many "slave" computers are also used to help social engineers collect data via Pharming scams.

Phishing Scams

One of the most popular criminal activities on the internet is Phishing. In fact, this type of scam is so prevalent that an estimated 99% of email users have seen at least one phishing scam in their inbox. Phishing is mostly done via email, and is usually performed in conjunction with Pharming. Social engineers often send email letters that appear to come from your bank or other financial institution. The message urges you to click the link, log in, and verify your credentials. These emails sound and look very legitimate, and this is why so many people follow through by clicking the link.

Pharming

Once a person has clicked a link in a fraudulent Phishing email, they are taken to a website that appears to be legitimate. This is because the social engineer has copied the home page of the financial institution. What most victims don't realize is that the website they are on is really in some third world country, or on a "slave" computer that has been hijacked by spyware. The Pharming occurs when the person enters his/her credentials to "log on" to their account. This provides the Pharmer with all the information he needs to quickly wipe out the account or charge up a fortune on the associated credit card.

How to Protect Yourself Online

There are several things you can do to protect yourself from cyber-crime. The most obvious is to use good internet security products. At minimum, everyone who uses the internet should be using a good personal firewall, anti-spyware software, and anti-virus software.

The easiest, most effective way for most home computer users to stay protected is to purchase an internet security suite. A suite will include antivirus, anti-spyware/anti-adware, software firewall, and possibly some extras like a spam filter and password protection software. Suites are easy to use because everything is controlled via one interface.

There are many "free" things you can and should do to protect yourself from cyber-crime, such as keeping your computer's operating system and all applications up-to-date. This combined with the implementation of cautious browsing and email habits will have a big impact on your safety.

Internet Security Suites [http://www.antivirus-firewall-spyware.com/computer-security-suites.html]

How to Protect Yourself Online [http://www.antivirus-firewall-spyware.com/Free-Report.html]

Computer Security for Everyone

There are plenty of threats to secure personal computing. Just using the Internet at all exposes you to identity theft, spyware, viruses and more. The question of the day is this: in your opinion, what is the biggest concern or most insidious threat to your safe and secure use of your computer? Vote below and check out the poll results to find out what others think. Poll:What Do You Think Is The Biggest Threat To Computer Security?Viruses or WormsSpamPhishing AttacksSpyware and AdwareRootkitsInsecure Wireless NetworksInstant Messaging and P2P ApplicationsLack of User AwarenessView Results

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In 2003 the Consortium of Anti-Spyware Technology vendors (COAST) was formed to "collaborate on projects to increase awareness of issues involving spyware." Their goals included helping consumers understand what had been installed on their systems, enabling them to remove what they didn't want and pressuring the advertising software industry to change their business practices.

However, things began to unravel when several founding members (Lavasoft, Computer Associates, Webroot and Aluria) pulled out of the consortium, reportedly because of the group's inability to create a set of standards and code of ethics. Some of those departing members also indicated that COAST had begun to certify -- for a fee -- certain publishers that were known by many anti-spyware firms as purveyors of spyware. Yes, my friends, allegedly the fox was watching the henhouse!

So COAST basically disintegrated and many say that was a good thing! The good news is this: in early 2005 the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) convened a meeting with industry anti-spyware leaders to discuss issues facing the anti-spyware industry, and the Anti-Spyware Coalition (ASC) was then formed. The new group includes the original COAST founders as well as consumer groups, academia and just about every big name in computing, including all the top anti-virus players.

Spyware has previously been defined as a computer program that, surreptitiously, gathers information without the knowledge of the user and may port that data back to another entity or as software that asserts control over a computer without the user's knowledge.

One of the first tasks that ASC did was to create a formal definition of spyware and other potentially unwanted technologies. Their description is this: Technologies deployed without appropriate user consent and/or implemented in ways that impair user control over the following: (1) material changes that affect their user experience, privacy or system security; (2) use of their system resources, including the programs that are installed on their computers; and/or (3) collection, use and distribution of their personal or other sensitive information.

Another task of ASC was to create a set of common industry guidelines for publishers who allege that their software has been improperly flagged as spyware. This is an important step because, well frankly, sometimes anti-spyware vendors make mistakes and it can be quite costly for a publisher to be flagged as a bad guy! The guidelines are just that -- guidelines -- ASC does not independently resolve the disputes but has framed recommended best practices for anti-spyware software publishers. Bravo!

ASC also has published a glossary of terms commonly used in discussions about spyware and a list of anti-spyware Safety Tips to provide basic guidelines for consumers to protect themselves and their computers. They recommend that users keep their security patches up to date, download programs only from websites they trust, read the fine print in license agreements, not be tricked into clicking anything on a popup window, beware of free software and use tools to detect and delete spyware.

In an effort to fight spyware, three U.S. Senators have introduced a bill that would attempt to combat this plague by making it a crime to offer this type of spying computer program. The bill (S.2145) is entitled "Software Principles Yielding Better Levels of Consumer Knowledge Act," or the "SPY BLOCK Act." Cute name!

If passed it will outlaw software that, without explicit user permission, installs itself or other programs, reconfigures settings (or redirects the user), captures personal information or keeps track of visited websites. And, this is the best part: the software must disclose in clear language each aspect of what the program will do to your computer and with your information and must obtain your consent to do so.

In addition, the software must be easily uninstallable through the "add and remove programs" feature (in Windows OS) or other standard methods. Spyware programs are so notoriously difficult to remove from infected systems they are often referred to as parasitic. It appears the proposed legislation is lingering in committee. So, we'll have to wait to see what happens to publishers of "unwanted technology" if SPY BLOCK ever becomes law.

According to a recent study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, nine out of ten Internet users say they have adjusted their online behavior out of fear of falling victim to software intrusions and about 59 million American adults, say they have had spyware or adware on their home computer. Additionally the project reports that 68% of home Internet users or about 93 million American adults have experienced at least one computer problem in the past year that was consistent with problems caused by spyware or viruses.

While those stats are discouraging, the report also indicated that 25% of Internet users say they have stopped downloading music or video files from peer-to-peer networks to avoid getting unwanted software programs on their computers. Perhaps there is some silver lining to the epidemic!

The report also indicated that there is a significant gap between people's perceptions and the reality of what is on their computers. An October 2004 study by AOL and the National Cyber Security Alliance reported that 53% of respondents said they had spyware or adware on their computers, but a scan revealed that 80% of them actually had such programs installed. Yikes!

That same study found an average of 93 spyware applications on users' computers. The thought of nearly a hundred spyware applications per computer just blows my mind. Experts conservatively estimate that for every 1,000 users in an organization, the costs of fixing spyware-related problems are $83,000 per year. Forrester Research released "AntiSpyware Adoption In 2005," which indicated that 39% of respondents, dubbed "technology decision makers," did not know the percentage of desktops infected with spyware in their organizations and 56% were unsure of what percentage of help desk calls were related to spyware issues. However, the Forrester report indicates that, on average, 7% of all help desk calls are made in response to spyware infections. Considering how much time it usually takes to resolve a serious spyware infection, that number is huge.

I have been infected a couple of times on my home computer -- ahem -- when someone other than me was using it. It takes days to "fix" the problem. In fact, I now just re-image my PC because it is easier than trying to find the culprit(s) and eliminate them. I simply keep a backup of my data on an ongoing basis so that I don't have to deal with the potential loss of it.

Meanwhile, the need to fight spyware will push anti-spyware revenues from $12 million in 2003 to an estimated $305 million in 2005. Hum ... with all that revenue to be had, how motivated could anti-spyware publishers be to find a cure?

Folks, this insidious problem is not going away any time soon. The best we can do is to alter our cyber-behavior and keep our anti-spyware and anti-virus software up to date. Remember, my little chickens, it may not be Big Brother watching you, but somebody probably is -- let's hope it isn't a fox! Safe surfing.

Donna Johnson Edwards is the Director of Consulting for Tenax, Inc. Established in the U.S. in 2002, Tenax provides IT compliance certifications, training and targeted consulting services. For further information on IT Compliance [http://www.tenaxcorporation.com] and Software Asset Management [http://www.tenaxcorporation.com] please visit the Tenax Corporation website.