Website Trust Marks: What They Are and How They Work?

Trustmarks are the images or logos that retailers can place on their websites to show that they have passed various security and privacy tests, and reassure customers that it is safe to shop on the site.

Believe it or not, but in the U.S., two-thirds of consumers now shop online, according to Yankee Group Research, which recently released a report that discusses the importance of trust marks to web merchants and their customers.

Clearly, online commerce is big business and trust marks are very critical to consumers who need assurances that they are dealing with a reputable website. It’s important for sellers to promote security because we all know cybercriminals and online fraudsters find it relatively easy to steal personal and financial data from consumers and merchants.

Trust marks, often displayed on a home page or the checkout page, can indicate a range of things, including whether or not the website uses certain encryption technology; if the business is accredited; or how thoroughly, if at all, the website is scanned for vulnerabilities that could be exploited to steal data and identity information from customers.

There is also the risk that displaying too many security logos and reassurances can be counter-productive. Check out this basket page from a website - there are 11 mentions of security, including five logos.

The intention to offer lots of reassurance is a good one, but it may have customers wondering why the retailer is so keen to reassure them.

Some very well known retailers aren't bothering with these Trustmark, and it doesn't seem to be doing them any harm. I couldn't spot any Trustmarks on Amazon.co.uk, though the 'sign in using our secure server' wording on the Amazon call to action does offer reassurance:

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Looks Real but it's Not!

AntiSpywareGuard

AntiSpywareGuard is the latest fake security software with deceptive detection mechanism. AntiSpywareGuard that uses false spyware results to lure you to purchase its full version. Antivirus 2009 usually comes up after you installed a video codec that come with Trojan, malware and virus. Remember that AntiSpywareGuard may dramatically slow your PC and cause system errors.

Antispyware Guard

AntiSpywareGuard is the latest fake security software with deceptive detection mechanism. AntiSpywareGuard that uses false spyware results to lure you to purchase its full version. Antivirus 2009 usually comes up after you installed a video codec that come with Trojan, malware and virus. Remember that AntiSpywareGuard may dramatically slow your PC and cause system errors.

Antispyware XP 2009

XPAntivirus 2009, also known as XP Antivirus 2009, XPAntivirus2009 XP or XP Antivirus Protection, is a rogue anti-virus program that displays a fake icon on your system tray stating that your computer is infected with spyware.

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How do I know my antivirus software is working?

So you installed some antivirus software to keep your PC secure from viruses and other malicious software, but how do you know it’s really doing its job? Since antivirus software works "behind the scenes," there aren’t always obvious signs. Here’s how to see if it’s working.

Check your taskbar

The notification area of your Windows taskbar is located in the lower-right corner of your screen. In addition to displaying the time, it can show programs that are currently running, including your antivirus software. Exactly what this icon looks like depends on what antivirus software you’re running.

Use the Windows Security Center (Use Action Center in Windows 7)

The Windows Security Center will detect and list currently installed antivirus software, including third-party software. The Security Center runs in the background as you use your computer, constantly checking the state of three important security components: an Internet firewall, antivirus software, and Automatic Updates.

Note: The Windows Security Center may look and act differently if you have installed additional security software that changes its functionality. If so, contact the software vendor for assistance on managing your security settings.

Get to know your antivirus software

Antivirus software isn’t some deep, dark mystery, nor is it something to be intimidated about. When you install your antivirus software, a tutorial or wizard may appear, providing an overview of your antivirus software, detailing what it does, how to configure the settings, and other things. If something like this doesn’t automatically appear after the installation is finished, you can check the Help files for your antivirus software.

Keep default antivirus settings

In order for your antivirus software to do its job (and for you to be certain that it’s doing this job), there are certain settings that are enabled by default when you install the software and that shouldn’t be disabled for extended periods of time. If you have to disable these settings (for example, to install a new software program), be sure to re-enable them as soon as possible. These settings include:

"On-access" or "real-time" scanning: Disabling this option can leave you vulnerable to threats. An icon should appear in the notification area of the taskbar to indicate that this setting is enabled. If you click the icon, you may see details about your antivirus software settings. (Clicking the icon for your antivirus software in the Programs list on the Start menu should give you the same information.)

Scheduled scan of your hard disk and other drives: Your antivirus software should be set to perform a scan of your hard disk on a regular basis.

Scan all e-mail: Your antivirus software should be configured to scan all incoming e-mail messages for viruses.

Stay current

Outdated antivirus software becomes less effective because your virus definitions must be updated regularly to help protect you against the latest threats. Here are some tips to make sure your antivirus software stays current:

• Purchase an annual subscription from your antivirus software company.
• Open your antivirus program from the Start menu and look for a recent update status. If you still aren't sure if your antivirus software is up to date, contact your antivirus software provider for more information.

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How to Shop Safely Online?

For many of us, online shopping has become a regular part of our lives, mainly because it is so convenient.

Every day, millions of people go online to do research about products and make purchases from thousands of different online merchants. The web allows you to comparison shop for the best deals and locate products that might otherwise be difficult to find.

But while online shopping provides you with a high level of convenience, it also provides cybercriminals with opportunities to steal your money and information through various online scams.

That is why it is so important for you to know how to stay safe when you’re shopping online. A recent survey revealed that 87% of people had concerns when providing personal information online, which is not surprising given the growing problem of identity theft. Furthermore, over half of those surveyed do not know how to tell if an online shopping site is safe or not.

While there are legitimate concerns when it comes to shopping online, the good news is that there are steps you can take to protect yourself. With the help of this guide, and a little bit of awareness and education, you can easily enjoy the convenience of shopping online.

Benefits of Online Shopping

There’s no doubt about it- there are many benefits to shopping online.

Here are just a few advantages that keep consumers logging on:

24-hour-a-day shopping- On the Internet, stores never close so you can shop when it’s convenient for you and browse as long as you like.

Shop from the comfort of your home- You can shop while relaxing on your couch, even when the weather or traffic is bad. And you don’t have to worry about crowds of people at the mall.

Save time- You don’t have to waste time driving across town, searching for parking, or standing in line to pay for your purchases.

Comparison shop- It’s easy to do comparison shopping online and learn from product reviews written by other shoppers.

More variety- There seems to be an endless variety of products and services available online. The items you find on just a few websites can far outnumber what is available in local stores. You can even shop globally without leaving your home.

Drawbacks of Online Shopping

It’s hard to beat online shopping for convenience and variety of products; however, it does have its drawbacks.

Here are a few disadvantages reported by shoppers:

Must rely on website text and images- You cannot physically see or touch the merchandise, so it can be difficult to determine things like quality and fit.

Delivery time- You don’t have the immediate satisfaction of receiving the product when you buy it since you have to wait for it to be delivered.

Shipping charges- You usually have to pay shipping charges, which may increase the overall cost of what you are purchasing.

Shipped returns- Returns can be more of a hassle because you have to pack up the product, ship it back, and wait for the seller to receive and process the return before you can get your product exchanged or refunded.

Security concerns- It can be difficult to tell if the website is secure. If the site is not secure- or is fraudulent- you can potentially open yourself up to identity theft.

Privacy concerns- If a site doesn’t have a comprehensive privacy policy, it is impossible for you to know who has access to your information, and whether your information is protected or shared with third parties. Information sharing could lead to spam, or even identity theft.

Tips for Safe Online Shopping

Despite the drawbacks, online shopping can be a fun, convenient, and safe activity if you take a few precautions. Follow these tips to help you have the best online shopping experience possible.

Before You Buy

Comparison shop- Use a search engine to look for the best deals, but be wary of deals that sound too good to be true.

Do a background check on the online retailer- Make sure that the e-tailer lists a physical address and phone number. Call the company’s phone number to see if there is a representative you can speak to.

Read customer reviews- Another important step in investigating an online merchant is to do a search for customer reviews. If there are multiple complaints about the company, proceed with caution.

Know the shipping policies- Look into shipping and handling fees and make sure they seem reasonable to you. You want to make sure that you understand all your shipping options and how they will affect your total cost.

Know your options when it comes to returns and exchanges- Since it is difficult to determine things like quality and fit when shopping online, it is important to check out the merchant’s return and exchange policies.

Find out when your purchase will be delivered-  Since you may need your purchase by a specific date, you should investigate the time it will take for delivery.

Review the company’s privacy policy- Look to see how the merchant uses your personal information and check to make sure that it will not be shared with third parties.

When Making a Purchase

Don’t shop at a site if you’re not comfortable- If you feel that the site may not be secure, you’re probably right.

Never click on links from spam emails to make purchases- Don’t click on a link in an email from someone you don’t know, or buy on a site advertised in a spam email.

Check the web address to make sure you are on the correct website- Once you arrive at a site, you need to make sure that it is legitimate and not a fake site.

Check that the site is secure- Look for a security seal, trustmark, indicating that the site has been scanned and verified as secure by a trusted third party. This security seal indicates that the site will help protect you from identity theft, credit card fraud, spam, and other malicious threats.

Use a credit card for payment- Credit cards on the whole offer better protection against fraud than debit cards.

Do not use a public computer to shop online- If you are using a public computer, strangers may be able to access your browsing history and even your login information. To protect yourself, do all of your online shopping from your secure home computer.

Only use a secure connection when you place your order- Never shop using an unsecured wireless network because hackers can access your payment information if the network is not protected. You also want to make sure that your computer is protected with comprehensive and up-to-date security software, which will safeguard you from viruses, spyware, and other unknown online threats.

Use strong passwords- Choose passwords that are difficult to guess and that are at least ten characters long consisting of a combination of numbers, letters, and symbols.

After Your Purchase

Keep a paper trail- Keep a copy of your order number and receipt, and note which credit card you used. When you receive your credit card statement, review it to make sure that the charge placed on your card is correct and that there are no extra fees or charges.

Inspect your purchase as soon as you receive it-  Make sure that the product you received is correct and is not damaged. If you have to return or exchange an item, do it quickly so you do not exceed any return restrictions.

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Why didn't my antivirus software work?

If you feel that you have a virus and your antivirus software  is not picking it up you may be asking yourself “Why Didn’t My Antivirus Software Work?”. The answer can sometimes be complicated but here are a few tips on fixing your antivirus software.

Why Didn’t My Antivirus Software Work?

Many times the problem is that your antivirus software needs to be updated. New viruses are hitting the internet everyday. Keeping your antivirus software up to date will insure that you are fighting each and every new virus out their. If you are not updating your antivirus software it will not know which codes and document types to search for to find viruses or how to get rid of them.

How Do I Update My Antivirus Software?

Many times your antivirus software will update itself. If it is not updating or you are not sure it is updating you should check the preference settings on your software. Often times you can also find out how to update the software by visiting a help or FAQ tab.

I Have Updated My Antivirus But I Still Think I Have A Virus. What Should I Do?

You may want to think about getting a new antivirus program. If you are using a free program it may not be being updated frequently enough to keep up with all the new viruses. This often happens with free programs. There are many subscription based antivirus programs out on the market that offer many updates to their systems. When it comes to antivirus software usually the more you pay the better service you will receive and service means updates which protect your computer from new viruses.

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Guide to Social Networking Sites

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National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM), conducted every October since 2004, is a public awareness campaign to encourage everyone to protect their computers and critical cyber infrastructure.

What are you doing for National Cyber Security Awareness Month?

The success of National Cyber Security Awareness Month rests on all of us doing what we can do to engage those around us to be safe and secure online. There are opportunities for everyone, from home users and small businesses to major corporations and government entities, to get involved.

Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard Schmidt answers your questions about National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the "Stop.Think.Connect" initiative to encourage safety online, and ways to protect yourself online. October 20, 2010.

Hear President Obama talk about Cyber Security Awareness Month (Oct, 2009)

President Obama explains how the growth of digital networks has increased the need to invest in online security, as well as steps individuals can take to protect themselves from online threats. October 14, 2009.

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Safe Computing

Introduction to Safe Computing

Home computers are a popular target for intruders. This is due to the fact that home computers usually use less complex protection and take less work and risk to penetrate than the systems within a secure enterprise network. This is not to say that in the past, hackers haven’t also provided equal headaches for the security administrators in big enterprises, exploiting every possible opportunity to sneak in. The attackers look for credit card numbers, bank account information, and anything else they can find from your home computer. But it’s not just the money-related information they’re after. Intruders also want the compromised computer’s resources, to attack other computers on the Internet. In fact, the more computers an intruder uses, the harder it is for law enforcement to figure out where the attack is really coming from.

Not many of the home computer users are aware of the security issues that can arise out of unsafe computing practices, unless they experience an attack on their computers. When combined with high-speed Internet connections that are always turned on, intruders can quickly find and then attack home computers. While intruders also attack home computers connected to the Internet through dial-up connections, high-speed connections modems and DSL modems) becomes a favored target. As we have discussed earlier, attackers use various methods such as attaching a virus in an email, to enter or access the home computers. They also take advantage of vulnerabilities in the computer’s programs code to gain access.

What follows are some tips to help provide a more secure computing experience.

• Install and Use an Anti-Virus Program
• Update Operating System and Install patches
• Handle Emails with Care
• Install a Firewall
• Beware of Social Engineering Attacks
• Use (strong) Passwords

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How to choose secure passwords??

Passwords are your protection against fraud and loss of confidential information, but few people choose passwords that are truly secure.

Make your password as long as possible

The longer a password is, the harder it is to guess or to find by trying all possible combinations (i.e., a brute force attack). Passwords of 14 characters or more are vastly more difficult to crack.

Use different types of characters

Include numbers, punctuation marks, symbols, and uppercase and lowercase letters.

Don’t use words that are in dictionaries

Don’t use words, names or place names that are usually found in dictionaries. Hackers

can use a dictionary attack (i.e., trying all the words in the dictionary automatically) to

crack these passwords.

Don’t use personal information

Others are likely to know information such as your birthday, the name of your partner or child, or your phone number, and they might guess that you have used them as a password.

Don’t use your username

Don’t use a password that is the same as your username or account number.

Use passwords that are difficult to identify as you type them in

Make sure that you don’t use repeated characters or keys close together on the keyboard.

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What is a Potentially Unwanted Program/Application (PUP)?

Potentially unwanted applications are programs that are not malicious but may be unsuitable for use in a business environment.

Some applications are non-malicious and possibly useful in the right context, but are not suitable for company networks. Examples are adware, dialers, non-malicious spyware, tools for administering PCs remotely and hacking tools. Certain anti-virus and endpoint security programs can detect such applications on users’ computers and report them. The administrator can then either authorize the applications for use or remove them from the computers.

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myLot Account

myLot User Profile

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Identity Theft

When you think of theft, you usually think of someone stealing your possessions. Modern thieves have gone high-tech-they can take your money, use your credit, and ruin your reputation by stealing your identity. Identity theft can happen to anyone because all of our personal information is scattered in so many places-from online shopping websites and corporate databases to wallets and scraps of paper. Identity theft, or identity fraud, occurs when someone steals information that defines your personal identity-such as your name, Social Security number, bank account numbers, and credit card numbers-to reap the benefits of posing as you. These benefits can be financial, such as access to your accounts and credit cards, or they can be reputational in that thieves can use your identity to get a job or commit a crime.

Using your personal details, a thief can open a credit card account and run up charges, create counterfeit checks using your account number, or even obtain an official government document, such as a driver’s license, in your name. When this happens, you not only lose money, you also face losing the ability to take out a loan, receive medical benefits, or get a job due to bad credit and a damaged reputation. In severe cases, you could even get thrown in jail for mistaken identity. Most often, it takes a long time for victims to realize that their identities have been stolen, and by the time they become aware of the fraud the thief is long gone. This explains why it’s so easy for thieves to commit identity theft and why it’s so hard for law enforcement to catch them.

Important Identity Theft Facts

• Javelin’s Identity Fraud Report for 2010 found that 11.1 million adults in the U.S. were victims of identity fraud
• Americans incurred $54 billion in loss from identity theft in 2008
• The average fraud amount per victim was close to $5,000
• Victims who found out about their identity theft more than six months after it happened incurred costs 4x higher than the average
• From 2005 to 2009, there have been more than 500 million consumers whose personal and financial data had been exposed.
• Victims spend an average of 58 hours repairing the damage done to existing accounts and an average of 165 hours repairing damage done by the creation of new, fraudulent accounts.

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Watch out for fake virus alerts (Rogue software)

Rogue security software, also known as "scareware," is software that appears to be beneficial from a security perspective but provides limited or no security, generates erroneous or misleading alerts, or attempts to lure users into participating in fraudulent transactions.

What is rogue software?

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GMER

GMER is an application that detects and removes rootkits.

It scans for:

• hidden processes
• hidden threads
• hidden modules
• hidden services
• hidden files
• hidden Alternate Data Streams
• hidden registry keys
• drivers hooking SSDT
• drivers hooking IDT
• drivers hooking IRP calls
• inline hooks

Download GMER

Note: You should use this tool very carefully, and only after you have exhausted other options.

 

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What are the symptoms of an infected computer?

It’s not always easy to tell if your computer has been compromised. More than ever before, the authors of viruses, worms, Trojans and spyware are going to great lengths to hide their code and conceal what their programs are doing on an infected computer.

 It’s very difficult to provide a list of characteristic symptoms of a compromised computer because the same symptoms can also be caused by hardware and/or software problems. Here are just a few examples:

• Your computer behaves strangely, i.e. in a way that you haven’t seen before.
• You see unexpected messages or images.
• You hear unexpected sounds, played at random.
• Programs start unexpectedly.
• Your personal firewall tells you that an application has tried to connect to the Internet (and it’s not a program that you ran).

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Threat Types

Threats to your computer system, data, and identity come in many different forms, a few of the most common are listed as follows:

Viruses:

A virus is a self-replicating program that is designed to damage or degrade the performance of a computer. A virus is replicated by being copied or by initiating its copying to another program, computer boot sector or document. Viruses can be classified into four different categories as follows:

File Infector

A File infector virus when executed on a system will seek out other files and insert its code into them. The programs with .EXE and .COM extensions are the most commonly targeted, but a file infector virus can target any executable file.

This infection is most commonly distributed via compromised networks, over the web via drive-by, or from a corrupted media (CDRW, flash media).

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Process Explorer

Process Explorer shows you information about which handles and DLLs processes have opened or loaded. The Process Explorer display consists of two sub-windows.
The top window always shows a list of the currently active processes, including the names of their owning accounts, whereas the information displayed in the bottom window depends on the mode that Process Explorer is in: if it is in handle mode you'll see the handles that the process selected in the top window has opened; if Process Explorer is in DLL mode you'll see the DLLs and memory-mapped files that the process has loaded. Process Explorer also has a powerful search capability that will quickly show you which processes have particular handles opened or DLLs loaded.

The unique capabilities of Process Explorer make it useful for tracking down DLL-version problems or handle leaks, and provide insight into the way Windows and applications work.


 

Download Process Explorer (1.64 MB)

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Virus Removal and Computer Repairs!

This site helps you learn more about viruses and spyware and how to remove the threats you may have. Just post a comment about the threat, I shall get back to you very soon.

I am always looking for comments and feedback as well as other experts in the field.

If you would like to contribute then e-mail me at TechnicalSupp.008@gmail.com

Currently there are thousands of new computer viruses or other types of malware discovered each month. Many of these threats are designed to resist detection, and removal, and may disable the execution of your antivirus software, and your computer’s ability to connect to online scanning that can provide remediation. Still other threats reinstall themselves almost as quickly as they are removed.


As threats to our personal information and computer systems grow, so do our tools to attempt to fight them. Unfortunately it is not always possible to be prepared for every threat. In those cases where infection occurs due to out-of-date virus definitions or not yet patched system code, and the threat has latched onto a system and current antimalware solutions are not yet able to remediate the situation, a manual For those interested in pursuing the removal yourself, we offer a Do-It-Yourself guide for manual virus and malware removal.virus removal solution is called for.

For those interested in pursuing the removal yourself, we offer a Do-It-Yourself guide for manual virus and malware removal.

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