How To Make Your PC{Personal Computer} Secure? #Whitehat #Infosec #Security

Nowadays a lot of people try to access your computer. There are many worms, Trojans, spywares which allow remote users to get access to your computer. There are

some methods which you can implement to make your PC secure.

I. Update your OS.

Update your operating system regularly, automatic update is recommended. This helps to remove bugs and prevents viruses and bad guys from exploiting them. Every user must install updates, especially security updates.

If you don’t install latest updates then you are leaving your computer at risk.

II. Always use genuine software.

Not only using pirated software is illegal but all websites which provide these pirated software downloads are full of malwares and viruses.

More than 90 percent of pirated software’s contain worms in their crack file.

If you are really serious about security of your accounts and information then genuine software’s are recommended.

III. Update your software’s.

Similar to OS updates you must update your browsers, any any other software which connects to internet for whatever reason it may be.

Update other software’s like Microsoft Office, Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash, Adobe Shockwave, and Oracle Java. Adobe Flash player and java are the main target of the bad

guys.

Cracked or pirated software’s contains viruses and worms, better use genuine.

IV. NO trial Antivirus.

Antivirus helps protect from viruses, worms, Trojans etc. But you should

update it regularly to be safe from latest threats. Never use trial, free or pirated antivirus programs, most of them are gateway for viruses and worms.

Haven’t you noticed your system hangs or reboots whenever you antivirus is about to expire.

Don’t buy security software in response to unexpected pop-up messages or emails, especially messages that claim to have scanned your computer and found malware.

Scammers send messages like these to try to get you to buy worthless software, or worse, to “break and enter” your computer.

V. Install a Firewall.

Firewall blocks the security holes in your OS or any other software. Some antivirus programs provide firewall with them. Better use total protection antivirus.

VI. Enable file extensions.

Sometimes viruses are hidden in images or document file.

File name displayed will be “abc.doc”, but the actual name of the file may be “abc.doc.exe”. However, this is not a problem for win7 or win8 users.

VII. Be careful while using P2P software.

P2P software’s like torrent, bit torrent, etc. Files downloaded through this type of software’s may contain worms, Trojans and viruses.

VIII. Use secure passwords.

Secure password helps unauthorized access.

Avoid common words like names, birthdays, etc Use different passwords for all your accounts and connections, if you can’t remember all of them then use a password manager.

A secure password consists of at least eight characters and contains a number, an uppercase letter and a special character. Read more about secure password here.

IX. Use a Router when you are online.

It prevents direct attack on your system. Nowadays ISP provides modem cum router.

Change router password from default to any other password, because everyone knows default password is "admin" for most routers.

Update firmware of router, this helps in closing security holes in the router.

X. Keep Administrator account different.

If you use an administrator account on your PC, malware may also execute as admin. Vista, win7 and win8 provide User Account Control (UAC), still better is not to use an admin account.

Create a new user with required permission and then use it.

Computer Malware: Definition,Generic Malware Terms #Malware #Infosec

If you use a computer, read articles from blogs, you will know about computer viruses or other malware. These are those malicious programs that once they infect your machine will start causing havoc on your computer. What many people do not know is that there are many different types of infections that are categorized in the general category of Malware.
Malware - Malware is programming or files that are developed for the purpose of doing harm. Thus, malware includes computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware, hijackers, and certain type of adware.
This article will focus on those malware that are considered viruses, trojans, worms, and viruses, though this information can be used to remove the other types of malware as well. We will not go into specific details about any one particular infection, but rather provide a
broad overview.

It is important to understand the generic malware terms that may assist you identify the kind of malware you're dealing with/infected with

Backdoor- A program that allows a remote user to execute commands and tasks on your computer without your permission. These types of programs are typically used to launch attacks on other computers, distribute copyrighted software or media, or hack other computers.

Hijackers- A program that attempts to hijack certain Internet functions like redirecting your start page to the hijacker's own start page, redirecting search queries to a undesired search engine, or replace search results from popular search engines with their own information.

Spyware- A program that monitors your activity or information on your computer and sends that information to a remote computer without your Knowledge.

Adware- A program that generates popups on your computer or displays advertisements. It is important to note that not all adware programs are necessarily considered malware.
There are many legitimate programs that are given for free that display ads in their programs in order to generate revenue. As long as this information is provided up front then they are generally not considered malware.

Dialler - A program that typically dials a premium rate number that has per minute charges over and above the typical call charge. These calls are with the intent of gaining access to pornographic material.

Trojan- A program that has been designed to appear innocent but has been intentionally designed to cause some malicious activity or to provide a backdoor to your system.

Worm- A program that when run, has the ability to spread to other computers on its own using either massmailing techniques to email addresses found on your computer or by using the Internet to infect a remote computer using known security holes.



---------------------Click Here to Read About Computer Viruses-------------------

How Trojans Works #Trojan #TrojanHorse #Infosec #Malware #Hacker #Exploits

# RATs (Remote Access Trojans) are malicious destructive programs that run invisibly on victim PCs and permit an intruder control remotely. Intruders usually bind Trojan horses in games and other small programs that unsuspecting users then execute on their PCs.

Exploited users either download or then execute these upon tricked.

RATs come in # client and # server components. Hackers launch the server program on a victim's machine by binding the installing component to some other legitimate program. After defining the server executable's behavior, the intruder generates the program, tricking the host machine's owner into running it, where the hacker makes his own computer the client side.

Side effects of Trojan

RATs can delete and modify files, format hard disks, upload and download files and do a host of other activities.

First, the ability to capture every screen and keystroke means that intruders can gather users' passwords, directory paths, drive mappings, medical records, bank- account and credit card information, and personal communications. If we have a WebCam, many RATs can turn it on and capture videos! Popularly known as web-cam hacking.

Detecting and Removing RATs

A major challenge is detection and removal of RATs. Typical antivirus scanners are less likely to detect

RATs than worms or viruses because of binders and intruder encryption routines. Also, RATs have the potential to cause significantly more\ damage than a worm or virus can cause.

Apart from the fact that an antivirus scanner can detect and delete these Trojans, its not fully guaranteed.

Some of the popular softwares to combat Trojans are –

#Malwarebytes Anti- malware , #SpyHunter and  #Trojan Killer.

Also the most effective tip is the fact that users should never click on suspicious documents from unknown senders or download and extract any kind of email attachments without properly judging the type of content it may have, as it is said Prevention is better than cure..

How to Protect Your PC From #Malware #Infosec

1. Don’t use file sharing software like Kazaa, Bear Share, or any other peer to peer sharing software. These are RIDDLED with junk, and will kill your PC.

2. Don’t use an Administrative account for everyday use. Malware and Spyware depend on you having Administrative rights on the PC. Go to the Control Panel, Users, and create a new Administrative Account. Make sure you give this user a password. Next, log out of your normal account, and log in as the new Administrator. Again, open the Control Panel, Users, and modify your user account. Change it from a Computer Administrator to a Limited Account. Now you can log back in as your normal account.

The new administrative account will be used for all software install/uninstall, and any major configuration changes. If you are using Vista, or Windows 7, you will be prompted for the administrative password in the UAC prompt.

3. Don’t disable UAC (User Access Control) in Windows Vista / Windows 7. This is annoying at times, but it is there to protect your computer. There are ways to make it less annoying

4. Make sure you are running an Anti-Virus program, and that it updates on a daily basis. So many people let their trial subscription run out, and end up getting virus’ and malware. Please don’t do this. Microsoft has a great AntiVirus/AntiMalware program called Microsoft Security Essentials. If not this, there are many free antivirus programs out there, or pay for McAfee or Symantec.

5. Be careful when you install software. Many software installers try to sneak a toolbar install in with whatever you are installing. Software companies do this to make money. So, if you are installing “free” software, beware – don’t just click “next, next, next, next, finish” – check each page, choose “Custom” install, and make sure you don’t install anything except the program you wish. Even big companies like Google, Adobe, Java, and Microsoft try to throw toolbars into your browsers, although not malware, it’s still annoying.

6. I know I’ll probably get flamed for this, *Giggling* but I'm going to say it anyway. If you don’t want to get malware, don’t use Windows. Linux is a fantastic alternative to Windows, and is 100% malware free. Ubuntu Linux is a great place to start, if you have never used Linux before