| Jarrett Pavao
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| | cannot help, and you'll be forced to
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| Anyone in business today realizes both
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| | format your hard drive and reinstall your
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| the natural dependency on computers in
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| | operating system.
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| the workplace, and also the potential
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| | Hackers: The term hacker has many
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| dangers associated with storing important
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| | different meanings to many different
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| data on them. Today's business owners
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| | people. A dictionary might define the
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| are constantly being reminded that their
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| | word hacker as follows, "A person who
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| company's data is at risk by the daily
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| | breaks into, or attempts to break into,
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| reports on various news stations, or even
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| | or use, a computer network or system
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| their favorite business-related website.
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| | without authorization, often at random,
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| But what can a typical small business
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| | for personal amusement or gratification,
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| owner do to protect their network from
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| | and not necessarily with malicious
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| these threats that are broadcasted in so
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| | intent. 2. [An] unauthorized user who
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| many ways? Dangers lurk at every turn on
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| | attempts to or gains access to an
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| the Internet. There are thousands of
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| | information system 3. A technically
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| attacks or areas of security that could
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| | sophisticated computer expert who
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| be discussed, but I am going to try and
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| | intentionally gains unauthorized access
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| focus on three general nuisances
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| | to targeted protected resources, loosely,
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| associated with today's computers:
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| | a computer enthusiast. 4. A person who
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| viruses, spy-ware, and traditional
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| | uses a computer resource in a manner for
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| "hackers" that will intentionally try to
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| | which it is not intended or which is in
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| exploit your computer systems for various
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| | conflict with the terms of an
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| reasons. All of these attacks, although
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| | acceptable-use policy, but is not
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| different, serve a specific purpose for
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| | necessarily malicious in intent." As you
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| the attacker, yet basically translate
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| | can see, a hacker is someone with a very
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| into three things for a business: lost
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| | high aptitude in computing. By studying
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| productivity, lost data, and the end
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| | the inherent design of computer systems,
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| result... lost money. Here is brief
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| | a hacker will then attempt to compromise
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| descriptions of what the aforementioned
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| | those systems for a purpose. Typically,
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| attacks are, consist of, and what a
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| | they use a collection of tools easily
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| typical small business can do to protect
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| | downloadable on the Internet to exploit a
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| their technology investments.
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| | flaw in a program or hardware system.
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|
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| | Hackers do what they do for various
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| Protection from Viruses: If you are
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| | reasons. Some do it for simple prestige
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| reading this article, and you still do
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| | amongst their peers, others for financial
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| not have current (this is very important)
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| | gain, and others do it to make a
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| anti-virus software running on EVERY
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| | political statement. The impact of your
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| single computer you own, then shame on
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| | network's security being breached can
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| you. With all of the marketing commotion
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| | lead to very serious financial losses.
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| that surrounds viruses, you should
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| | Imagine your customer database being sold
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| already have antivirus software on all of
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| | to a competitor or even what public
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| your computers. If you don't, then hurry
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| | response would be if you had to tell your
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| to the store and purchase it. Popular
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| | customers that their personal information
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| software in the antivirus market is made
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| | was stolen?
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| by Symantec ( and McAfee ( Larger
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| | Protection from Hackers: I was once
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| companies may look into a system that
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| | told, that no matter how good a safe you
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| will scan emails prior to the email
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| | buy, there will still always be a
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| getting to a user's inbox for viruses.
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| | locksmith that can un-lock it. The same
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| Also, be wary of what you open in your
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| | goes for protection against hackers.
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| email. Do not open emails from people
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| | However the amount of people with the
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| you do not know, and even if you do know
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| | expertise to bypass most security
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| the sender, take extra caution, as most
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| | defenses, available to companies, are few
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| viruses today will trick you into
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| | and far in between. To keep your network
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| believing that the virus is sent from
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| | safe, the following three items are an
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| someone that you know.
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| | absolute must. A quality firewall at
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| Spyware: You may know spyware by one of
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| | your network's perimeter to filter what
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| its many names, adware, malware,
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| | goes in and out of your internet
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| trackware, scumware, thiefware,
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| | connection, desktop level firewalls to
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| snoopware, and sneakware. Because of its
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| | keep internal company computers safe, and
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| stealthy nature, most Internet users are
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| | the importance of performing updates to
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| more familiar with the symptoms of
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| | your computer's operating system and
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| spyware infection: sluggish PC
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| | applications. Firewalls simply stated,
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| performance, increased pop-up ads,
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| | filter data passing through them. They
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| unexplained homepage change, and
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| | are in essence, inspectors that allow and
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| mysterious search results. For virtually
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| | deny data to be passed through them based
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| everyone surfing the Internet, malware
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| | on certain rules. Most quality firewalls
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| and adware are a nuisance, but if you do
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| | will protect your network by letting the
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| not detect spyware on your PC, it can
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| | good data through and keeping the bad
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| lead to much more serious consequences
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| | out. Recommended firewalls for small
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| such as identity theft. Many people
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| | businesses can be purchased from
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| wonder how they get spyware installed
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| | companies such as Cisco ( Watchguard ( or
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| onto their computer in the first place.
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| | Sonic Wall ( Firewall vendors typically
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| Typically, spyware is installed onto your
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| | have many different models available, so
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| PC without your knowledge because the
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| | consult with your network security
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| programs are usually hidden within other
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| | professional on what to buy. The
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| software. For example, when you are
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| | important thing is that you have one in
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| browsing a website, and a pop-up appears
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| | place. Desktop level firewalls provide a
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| to install the latest online Casino game,
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| | true multi-layered approach to security.
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| it probably will give you that game, but
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| | This added level of protection
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| you've also just installed spyware along
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| | strengthens your computer systems
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| with that. Another avenue for Spyware to
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| | defense, and is especially helpful to
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| infect your machine is through popular
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| | companies that have remote workers. Most
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| Peer-to-Peer File Sharing software such
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| | companies today do have firewalls on
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| as Kazaa. The financial impact on a
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| | their corporate network; however no one
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| business that is plagued by spyware can
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| | ever thinks about the company president's
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| toll very high. Costs paid to computer
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| | laptop that gets brought home everyday.
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| consultants to remove spyware, and a
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| | The president brings his laptop home and
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| user's overall lost of productivity from
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| | sets up his trusty remote connection back
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| a slow-performing computer can add up
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| | into his office over his broadband home
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| very quickly.
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| | Internet connection. The once protected
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| Protection from Spyware: Spyware is a
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| | laptop is now completely unprotected and
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| huge problem in today's computing
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| | connected directly to the corporate
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| environment. Fighting Spyware starts
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| | office, which gives a direct avenue for
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| with smarter use of your computer. The
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| | virus and hackers onto your corporate
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| best defense against spyware and other
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| | network. The great thing about desktop
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| unwanted software is not to download it
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| | firewalls is that you can get some great
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| in the first place. Here are a few
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| | ones for free! If you use the Microsoft
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| helpful tips that can protect you from
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| | Windows XP operating system, simply
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| downloading software you don't want.
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| | upgrade to service pack 2 and it includes
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| Only download programs from web sites you
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| | a free and easy to use desktop level
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| trust, read all security warnings,
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| | firewall. If you do not have Windows XP
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| license agreements, and privacy
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| | or just do not want to use their
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| statements associated with any software
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| | firewall, Zone Alarm ( offers a great
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| you download, and never click "agree" or
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| | desktop level firewall. The last level
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| "OK" to close a window. Instead, click
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| | of defense is to keep your networked
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| the red "x" in the corner of the window
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| | systems up to date with the latest
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| or press the Alt + F4 buttons on your
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| | patches and fixes from their respective
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| keyboard to close a window, and be wary
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| | manufacturers. I will assume that most
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| of popular "free" music and movie
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| | companies use Microsoft Windows products
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| file-sharing programs, and be sure you
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| | for most of their computing needs, so to
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| clearly understand all of the software
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| | keep your system updated simply go to
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| packaged with those programs. If you do
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| | You should check for updates twice a
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| happen to install Spyware on your
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| | month.
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| computer, there are some tools available
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| | Even though this article simply brushes
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| to assist in the removal of spyware. Be
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| | the surface of network security, I hope
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| careful however when downloading these
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| | it gives you insight as to some potential
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| "free" spyware removal softwares, as even
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| | dangers out there and real incentive to
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| some of the removal tools incorporate
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| | implement better security for your
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| spyware into their software. A popular
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| | company. Just as you have an alarm
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| product that does a good job of removing
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| | system at your office, please take the
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| spyware is Lavasoft's Adaware ( Larger
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| | necessary steps to protect your company's
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| organizations can look to companies such
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| | computer network and data. If not, the
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| as Computer Associates ( for enterprise
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| | costs of recovery I guarantee you will
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| protection. There are instances when
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| | far exceed the costs to implement a
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| there is simply just too much spyware
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| | secure network.
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| installed on a machine where these tools
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