Computer Safety Links

RELATED LINKS - COMPUTER SAFETY:

• Computer Safety - Browsing

  • Firefox - Award-winning free web browser. Especially safe when used with the NoScript add-on
  • NoScript - Excellent security add-on for Firefox browser. This free, open source add-on allows JavaScript and Java execution only for trusted domains of your choice. Once installed, you can control the running of scripts in your browser by left-clicking on the NoScript icon in the status bar or by right-clicking on the browser page, then choosing "NoScript" from the menu.
  • Web Developer - Excellent add-on for Firefox. Not just for developers! Gives you handy information and control over many browsing features
  • BetterPrivacy - Excellent add-on for Firefox that helps protect you from Flash super cookies on Google, YouTube, Ebay, more. Free
  • Ghostery - Excellent add-on for Firefox that helps protect you from web bugs and trackers. Free
  • TrackMeNot - Excellent add-on for Firefox that helps protect web searchers from surveillance and data-profiling by search engines through noise and obfuscation. Free
  • Conspiracy - SSL Certificate Authenticity Checker - Excellent add-on for Firefox that will show you flag symbols, for each country (up to 7) involved in issuing the X.509 certificate. Free. Why should you use this? See: Certified Lies: Detecting and Defeating Government Interception Attacks Against SSL (631kb PDF)
  • SonicWALL Phishing and Spam IQ Quiz - Check your phishing savvy. Just for fun
  • Is Every Browser Unique? - Report by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) Internet privacy and security group on the Panopticlick experiment in browser fingerprinting plus tips on how to make your browser less identifiable

• Computer Safety - Browsing History

  • What the Internet Knows about You - What a web site can see about your browsing history--and what to do about it

• Computer Safety - Browsing - Virtual Private Network (VPN)

  • HotSpot Shield - Free (ad-supported) OpenVPN-based privacy and security tool, used to encrypt your web browsing when at public hotspots and to circumvent web filters. For Mac and PC

• Computer Safety

  • Shields Up! - To test your computer's defenses, scroll down and click on ShieldsUp! Free
  • MS-ISAC Cyber Security Tips Newsletter - Archive of tips from the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center
  • List of Free Security Checkups - From the National Cyber Security Alliance at StaySafeOnline.org
  • Install Hall of Shame: Software That Secretly Installs Other Software - Before you install a piece of software, check this list so you know what to watch for.
  • Watch a Live Video, Share Your PC with CNN - Clicking yes to a CNN.com dialog box installs a peer-to-peer (P2P) application that uses your Internet bandwidth rather than CNN's to send live video to other viewers. Here's how to avoid it or remove it
  • Browsing Frugally - How to not waste bandwidth while browsing: discussion on Slashdot.org
  • Best computer configuration for senior citizens - Safe, low-maintenance Windows setup, Ubuntu, Mac: discussion on Slashdot.org
  • OpenDNS.com - Free DNS service. No software to install. Content filtering, spell check, domain name service, more. Make your computer or network safer, even faster. Does not work for Hughesnet satellite users
  • Surveillance Self-Defense - Provides the information and tools necessary to evaluate the threat of surveillance and take appropriate steps to defend against it. From the Electronic Frontier foundation

• Computer Safety - Adobe Flash

  • Adobe Flash Settings Manager - Official explanation of Flash security, privacy, and cookies issues. Has links to the various panels in the actual Settings Manager.
  • Abobe Flash Website Storage Settings panel - Actual tool to use to remove and restrict Flash cookies. Not a download. Note that your brownser does not remove Flash cookies when it removes other cookies. You need to visit this official tool website to do that.
  • Seven steps to update the Adobe Flash Player on Windows> - Updating your Flash player and plugins is a good idea for security reasons. However, it is not automatic. Here's how to do it. Make sure you opt out of installing the Google Toolbar during the download.
  • Adobe Flash Version Information - Find out what version of Flash each of your browsers is running. Knowing the version number helps you know whether or not you need to install a security update.

• Computer Safety - Adobe PDF

  • PDF Files Can Be Dangerous Even with JavaScript Turned Off - Many files on this website are in PDF format, which can be safe when run on Adobe Reader with JavaScript turned off and if you say "No" to any any question about running a program on launch of the PDF.
  • PCWorld: Poisoned PDFs? Here's Your Antidote - Advice on keeping safe from malware-ridden PDF files

• Computer Safety - Antivirus and Malware

  • VirusTotal - Free service that analyzes suspicious files and facilitates the quick detection of viruses, worms, trojans, and all kinds of malware detected by antivirus engines. Upload or email a file and have it checked by multiple antivirus engines
  • Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware - Anti-malware software, a surprisingly effective freeware antimalware tool and a relatively speedy malware remover…. The freeware version has no realtime scanning. Recommended
  • SpywareBlaster - Prevent the installation of spyware and other potentially unwanted software. Free
  • AVG Free - Free antivirus software
  • Avast Home Edition - Free antivirus software
  • Microsoft Security Essentials - Free antivirus software
  • Conficker Eye Chart - Quick and easy way to tell whether your computer is infected with Conficker
  • Rid your computer of the Conficker virus - Learn how to detect whether or not your computer is infected and how to remove Conficker. Includes links to free scan and removal tools. Note: The Conficker Eye Chart is a faster way to diagnose infection.
  • Reliable Free AntiVirus Recommendations - Discussion about best free antivirus software on Slashdot.org

• Computer Safety - Google

  • Scroogle.org - Search Google by proxy for greater privacy:
    Scroogle:
  • Google Dashboard - View and control or delete information stored about you by Google
  • Article about Opting out of Google's tracking: Advertising Cookie Opt-Out Plug-in - Article on Google privacy issues with links to opt out of Google's tracking and a plug-in to keep it permanent. From the Electronic Frontier Foundation
  • Opting Out of Google's Tracking - Direct link. Opting out sets a cookie on your machine that prevents tracking--until you delete your cookies.
  • Advertising Cookie Opt-Out Plug-in - Direct link. Lets you keep your opt-out status even after you delete your cookies

• Computer Safety - HTTP(S) Monitoring

  • Fiddler - Fiddler is a Web Debugging Proxy which logs all HTTP(S) traffic between your computer and the Internet. Fiddler allows you to inspect all HTTP(S) traffic, set breakpoints, and fiddle with incoming or outgoing data. Free. Works with Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, and more. Windows only

• Computer Safety - PDF Files

  • PDF Files Can Be Dangerous Even with JavaScript Turned Off - Many files on this website are in PDF format, which can be safe when run on Adobe Reader with JavaScript turned off and if you say "No" to any any question about running a program on launch of the PDF.
  • Free PDF Readers - Security experts recommend these free PDF readers instead of the often-attacked Adobe Reader; as of May 2010, one of them, FoxIt, is said to be more secure than Adobe Reader.

• Computer Safety - Shopping

  • Negative Cashback from Bing Cashback - As of November 2009: The Bing search engine allegedly leaves 3-month cookies on your computer that cause prices to be raised for you, even markedly raised, when you visit many other online stores. Before shopping online, make sure you close all browser windows showing Bing.com, then clear your cookies.

• Computer Safety - Webmasters

  • Best Practices for Online Service Providers - Tips for webmasters and others from the Electronic Frontier Foundation

• Computer Safety - Windows-specific

  • How to manually remove the .NET Framework Assistant for Firefox - Some Microsoft Windows updates also install a Firefox add-on. Here is how to remove it. Read more about Microsoft's silent installation
  • Blocking Unwanted Parasites - How to block unwanted parasites using a Hosts file on Windows; from mvps.org
  • MD5Summer.org - Windows MD5 sum generator. Many files online are provided with their MD5 sum for safety. Before running a file you download, make sure its MD5 sum is correct.
  • Microsoft Windows Does Not Disable AutoRun Properly - How to disable autorun in Microsoft Windows to protect against malware including the Downadup or Conficker worm that spreads through USB keys; download and run this autorun.reg file to turn off autorun.
  • Gpg4win - Windows version of GnuPG. Complete and free implementation of the OpenPGP standard as defined by RFC4880. GnuPG allows to encrypt and sign your data and communication, features a versatile key managment system as well as access modules for all kind of public key directories. GnuPG, also known as GPG, is a command line tool with features for easy integration with other applications. A wealth of frontend applications and libraries are available
  • CCleaner - CCleaner is a freeware system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner. But the best part is that it's fast. Free

Disclaimer: Note that we do not operate the sites listed and can take no responsibility for their content. We will remove any link found to be unacceptable.

WRCVFD receives no remuneration or consideration from the above-listed websites.