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01-10-2005, 06:08 PM
I made the mistake of searching the net for a program crack yesterday. I haven't done it in a while, so I've forgotten how bad "the dark side" of the Internet can be. I really don't surf often, aside from a few select message boards. Seems I managed to open an activeX installer just by clicking on a google search result. No confirmation dialog or anything. Next thing you know I have 1 virus, 2 trojans, and 56 spyware programs on my computer. I didn't download anything, I just clicked on a google result.
Some of these programs don't even hide from us. The average Windows user has no idea that some of these programs are malicious. The talking gorilla on your desktop or the little icon in your taskbar that gives you weather updates are really there to report all kinds of statistics about your surfing habits to some kind of advertiser or agency.
So you say, "I've got Norton Antivirus protecting me."
Norton/Symantec/McAfee antivirus programs work... sometimes. But do I want to use up to 50% of my processing power and a huge chunk of my hard disk and pay subscription fees for a product that only works sometimes? Of course not!
Grisoft AVG virusscan is free and in my humble (but informed) opinion works better than any of the subscription services. Uses very little system resources. It even has a plug in for Outlook Express.
Get it FREE here (5 MB):
http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php
As for adware/spyware, Lavasoft AdAware is the #1 choice and I agree wholeheartedly. I have installed AdAware on a few (internet enabled) computers and have never, ever found one without some kind of malicious statistics reporting software installed. I'd say the average user who installs AdAware will find over 50 spyware objects on their computer.
Get it FREE here (1.7 MB):
http://lavasoft.element5.com/support/download/
Make sure you get the most recent definition files for both AdAware and AVG.
These downloads are relatively small even for 56K users.
Now lets talk about the information you type here and on other sites. How about those chat rooms like Yahoo Messenger. It’s all being saved for reasons I don’t know. Have you ever done a google search on your personal name? How about the name you use here and on other message boards? Try it. You may be surprised at the results.
Here’s the google link.
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en
Now the reason I posted this. Someone from this board I keep in contact with via e-mail thinks my investigative nature may have stalking intentions. I’m not a fricking stalker but if I were it would be very easy to get your address and telephone number with searching tools readily available on the Internet. The skip trace service I use is controlled. I can loose my license if I abuse it and if I chose to use it to stalk I get in big trouble. If I were a stalker why the hell would I be telling you what I do for a living. :rolleyes:
I like all of the members here and if I choose not to like what you post, there is an ignore feature. It’s my choice to use it so I don’t want to hear any crap about it. Please folks give me a break. There are plenty of pretty ladies right here in my area. I don’t need to stalk someone living many miles away. :rolleyes: I did do a google searcch on this member that e-mailed me but it was out of curiosity and they’re name sounded familiar. There was no harm intended and it is public information. They know I did it because I told them I did it. Simple as that and no harm intended. :p
I’ll end this by also making it known Marty and Lisas domain information is public too if you know where to search on the internet. I have they’re name address and telephone number and have never stalked them. Never called them or John Kinney with The NicksFix. If they want this information private they have the choice to do so through they’re domain service. Damnit people I’m not a fricking stalker but they are out there.
Try that google search and keep safe.
I need to get back to stalking so I’ll catch up to you beauties I’m stalking later. :lol:
Peace and wash your hands. :shocked:
Some of these programs don't even hide from us. The average Windows user has no idea that some of these programs are malicious. The talking gorilla on your desktop or the little icon in your taskbar that gives you weather updates are really there to report all kinds of statistics about your surfing habits to some kind of advertiser or agency.
So you say, "I've got Norton Antivirus protecting me."
Norton/Symantec/McAfee antivirus programs work... sometimes. But do I want to use up to 50% of my processing power and a huge chunk of my hard disk and pay subscription fees for a product that only works sometimes? Of course not!
Grisoft AVG virusscan is free and in my humble (but informed) opinion works better than any of the subscription services. Uses very little system resources. It even has a plug in for Outlook Express.
Get it FREE here (5 MB):
http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php
As for adware/spyware, Lavasoft AdAware is the #1 choice and I agree wholeheartedly. I have installed AdAware on a few (internet enabled) computers and have never, ever found one without some kind of malicious statistics reporting software installed. I'd say the average user who installs AdAware will find over 50 spyware objects on their computer.
Get it FREE here (1.7 MB):
http://lavasoft.element5.com/support/download/
Make sure you get the most recent definition files for both AdAware and AVG.
These downloads are relatively small even for 56K users.
Now lets talk about the information you type here and on other sites. How about those chat rooms like Yahoo Messenger. It’s all being saved for reasons I don’t know. Have you ever done a google search on your personal name? How about the name you use here and on other message boards? Try it. You may be surprised at the results.
Here’s the google link.
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en
Now the reason I posted this. Someone from this board I keep in contact with via e-mail thinks my investigative nature may have stalking intentions. I’m not a fricking stalker but if I were it would be very easy to get your address and telephone number with searching tools readily available on the Internet. The skip trace service I use is controlled. I can loose my license if I abuse it and if I chose to use it to stalk I get in big trouble. If I were a stalker why the hell would I be telling you what I do for a living. :rolleyes:
I like all of the members here and if I choose not to like what you post, there is an ignore feature. It’s my choice to use it so I don’t want to hear any crap about it. Please folks give me a break. There are plenty of pretty ladies right here in my area. I don’t need to stalk someone living many miles away. :rolleyes: I did do a google searcch on this member that e-mailed me but it was out of curiosity and they’re name sounded familiar. There was no harm intended and it is public information. They know I did it because I told them I did it. Simple as that and no harm intended. :p
I’ll end this by also making it known Marty and Lisas domain information is public too if you know where to search on the internet. I have they’re name address and telephone number and have never stalked them. Never called them or John Kinney with The NicksFix. If they want this information private they have the choice to do so through they’re domain service. Damnit people I’m not a fricking stalker but they are out there.
Try that google search and keep safe.
I need to get back to stalking so I’ll catch up to you beauties I’m stalking later. :lol:
Peace and wash your hands. :shocked: