12/03/04 |
Why MailFrontier is the antispam app for you
After looking at several top spam-crushing contenders, our reviewer has a declared a winner, and it's not from Norton or McAfee. This year, CNET's Editors' Choice comes from little-known MailFrontier. Read on to find out why we like MailFrontier Desktop overall.
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11/19/04 |
Why your ISP should provide free antivirus and firewall protection
The more people who practice safe computing while online, the better the Internet is for all of us. AOL just improved the odds dramatically by offering McAfee antivirus and firewall protection for free as part of its monthly service.
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11/12/04 |
Dear IE, I'm leaving you for good
We've tried breaking up before, but I've always come back. This time, I've found another browser, one that's strong and secure. Farewell for good.
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11/05/04 |
Why you should ditch Norton AntiVirus
There's a lot of choice when it comes to antivirus software, but why not get the most features for your buck? We looked at the latest from Norton, McAfee, and Trend Micro and picked our new favorite pretty decisively.
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10/29/04 |
New poll finds Internet security confusion
A new survey quantifies a disturbing gap: most computer users know what dangers lurk on the Internet but aren't sure how to protect themselves.
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10/22/04 |
How will you know if someone steals your data?
California law SB 1386 requires that companies and governments disclose when personal information on California residents is compromised via hacker attacks. Here's what you can do should you be notified.
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10/15/04 |
Secure your wireless networks, or else
In your own home, what's the worst that could happen if you don't turn on WEP or any other 802.11 security options? You could get a visit from the FBI.
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10/08/04 |
Is your computer safer than it was four years ago?
You'd think with the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, the United States would have cybersecurity covered. Unfortunately, no one wants the job of director, and the White House doesn't want cybersecurity to be very prominent. That suits criminal hackers and terrorists just fine.
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10/01/04 |
Turning IT security on its head
For years, corporations have been told to put all of their efforts into securing the perimeter. But now, along comes the idea of doing just the opposite. Given today's flexible corporate needs, maybe it's time to focus on the user and the data--and tear down the walls.
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09/24/04 |
Why you should switch to Firefox now
Recent flaws in the way Microsoft processes common Internet image files and a decision to offer IE updates only to Windows XP users lead to just one logical conclusion: bail on Microsoft Internet Explorer.
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09/17/04 |
Real-world wardriving arrests
What happens when someone crosses the wardriving line? Here's a look at three Michigan youths who accessed the Lowe's hardware store network from its parking lot.
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09/10/04 |
Wardriving: you can look, but don't touch
Is wardriving legal? Until a court rules otherwise, it is. But should you access an open wireless network you stumble upon? The answer is no.
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09/03/04 |
Know your enemy: insiders at work
A look inside the financial services sector gleans important lessons for other business about the threat of inside attacks.
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08/27/04 |
Know your enemy: the author of Netsky/Sasser speaks
Why do virus writers do the things they do? An exclusive interview in Germany's Stern magazine reveals the motives behind the recent Netsky and Sasser attacks--and while the author is not an antisocial misfit, he's not a brain surgeon, either.
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08/20/04 |
Do hackers have your hardware singing the blues?
Bluetooth, which is becoming common, is insecure. Attacks demonstrated at this year's Black Hat and Defcon conferences targeted mobile phones but also suggest that printers and other Bluetooth-enabled devices could be next.
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08/13/04 |
Windows XP SP2 more secure? Not so fast
While XP SP2 is a huge step forward for Microsoft, there are important caveats. For example, don't expect the new Windows Firewall to prevent keystroke-logging Trojans from stealing your credit card info.
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08/06/04 |
Why you should Google
yourself--and often
It isn't the search engine's fault, but Google has become a criminal hacker's best friend. Find out why in this week's column.
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07/30/04 |
MyDoom won't hurt you, but its descendants might
Criminal hackers are using thousands of computers compromised with backdoor Trojan horses to launch attacks on the Internet. And one of the computers being used could be yours.
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07/23/04 |
How to protect your laptop on the road
More than a quarter million laptops are stolen each year. Here's how to keep yours from going AWOL.
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07/16/04 |
Is another MSBlast attack in your future?
Once again, the clock is ticking toward another big virus attack within the next few weeks. Here's how to diffuse the threat and also surf the Internet safely.
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07/09/04 |
Wired hospitals? Are you crazy?
There's a proposal in Washington to have all hospital records online by 2015. This is a good idea--as long as it's done securely.
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07/02/04 |
How Internet Explorer could drain your bank account
Internet Explorer is broken, and the bad guys know it. As you type, criminal hackers could be recording your bank login and password information. Robert Vamosi offers some tips for staying safe online.
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06/25/04 |
Why AOL users might say, "I've got spam"
The once invincible America Online falls victim to a single employee who sold 92 million e-mail addresses to spammers. Unfortunately, AOL might not be alone. Robert Vamosi explains.
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06/21/04 |
How robust is the Internet?
Distributed denial-of-service attacks are on the rise this year, resulting in the loss of access to some popular Web destinations. Last week, the problem got worse. Robert Vamosi explains.
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06/14/04 |
Is your antivirus app still working? Are you sure?
Recent viruses have seized upon an old idea: disable the antivirus app. Often, users don't even realize they're vulnerable to the next big outbreak. Robert Vamosi explains.
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06/07/04 |
Beware of keystroke-logging RATs
New keystroke-logging remote-access Trojans are outpacing viruses. Why? Because that's where the money is. Robert Vamosi explains.
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05/24/04 |
Is your PC a spam factory?
A new worm streamlines the process by which spam operators use virus-infected computers to relay their direct marketing messages. Robert Vamosi thinks this could be a trend.
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05/17/04 |
Have we seen the end of Sasser?
Despite the arrest of one individual in Germany, Robert Vamosi thinks the hunt for the true authors of the Netsky and Sasser viruses should go further.
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05/10/04 |
Does a virus gang own the Internet?
Who knows what the authors of Netsky and Sasser are thinking. Robert Vamosi offers some speculation based on messages left inside recent viruses by the authors themselves.
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05/03/04 |
You've been warned
Research shows that major computer worms strike roughly 30 days after software patches are released. The clock is ticking on four new patches from Microsoft, but this time, Robert Vamosi says, the worms might not be as successful.
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04/26/04 |
Make your Internet phone safe
Businesses are rushing to adopt VoIP technology, but as with most new technologies, there are several security-related gotchas. Here are some practical solutions you can employ to enjoy your Internet phone service without compromising your security.
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04/19/04 |
Why you should patch Windows today
Usually Robert Vamosi is grousing about Microsoft's bungled attempts to patch its own software, but this time it appears the software giant is actually interested in fixing underlying flaws, not just patching them.
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04/12/04 |
Don't be a Typhoid Mary
Good networks are built on trust, but no matter how many firewalls and antivirus scanners you have, it takes only one Typhoid Mary computer to infect a whole network.
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04/05/04 |
Why I'm not sending you viruses
E-mail spoofing is common these days, so much so that innocent people are getting blamed for spreading the latest wave of Bagle and Netsky viruses. Here's what you need to know about spoofing and why solutions are still years away.
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03/29/04 |
How we could have benefited from Richard Clarke's passion
The former cybersecurity advisor to president Bush contributed many good ideas to the National Strategy for Securing Cyberspace proposal. Unfortunately, no one in Washington or within the security industry wanted to listen.
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03/22/04 |
How you can foil virus writers
Virus writers seem to be trying every trick they can these days to infect our computers, but we can fight back. Find out how.
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03/15/04 |
Don't be duped by hackers without computers
Your company has a firewall, but criminal hackers often access internal networks without a computer. Learn the subtleties of social engineering attacks and how to protect yourself.
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03/10/04 |
Could you get caught in a virus gang war?
More than two-dozen viruses have circulated the Net in recent weeks. What gives? Gangs of virus writers are trying to outdo one another and protect their turf. Robert has the story.
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03/03/04 |
Antivirus software must be free
One big reason viruses are still rampant on the Net: too many people don't use antivirus software. The only way to get them to change their ways is to make that software free.
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02/25/04 |
Why the Microsoft code leak is so dangerous
Is it really such a big deal that Windows source code is circulating on the Net? Yes, because it gives criminal hackers the opportunity to cause unprecedented levels of damage.
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02/18/04 |
Beware: Spam-sending, spying pest on the loose
The latest online menace combines the capabilities of computer viruses, Trojan horses, and pesky spyware--all in one deceptive package. Here's how to protect yourself from it.
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02/11/04 |
How Microsoft botched another security patch
Will Microsoft ever learn? Just last week, it quietly released another
Internet Explorer fix--and caused headaches for both developers and end
users. Here's how this could have been avoided.
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02/04/04 |
MyDoom: how it became the fastest worm ever
MyDoom spread across the Web more quickly than any virus or worm in
history. But it did so by employing years-old techniques--which means we
have only each other to blame for the outbreak.
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01/28/04 |
Why hacking the U.S. Senate is apparently A-OK
The latest hacking incident has a political twist: Republicans
monitoring communications on Democrats' computers. But should the guilty be
punished like common criminals?
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01/21/04 |
How to protect yourself from e-mail scams
Don't become the next victim of an identity thief operating on the
Web. Here's how the most common e-mail cons work--and how to report them to
the proper authorities.
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01/14/04 |
When a security feature is no longer secure
One of Microsoft Word's document-protection features has been cracked.
But Microsoft hasn't spread the word about it. Here's how to know when your
files are vulnerable--and how to protect them for real.
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01/08/04 |
Welcome to yet another year of viruses
It's sad, but true: We'll see plenty of e-mail viruses in 2004 despite
expectations that these pests would disappear in 2003. Here's why viruses won't go away--and how to protect yourself.
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