Setting up a Windows Firewall Exception

Setting up a Windows Firewall Exception

Setting up a Windows firewall exception is a fairly simple process. First, lets begin with a definition: A firewall is a program inside Windows that helps in protecting against hackers, viruses, worms and other malicious software that may harm your computer. Firewalls also aid in preventing the aforementioned pieces of malware from gaining access to your computer and allowing others to view sensitive information. Just as a firewall helps protect your computer, it also helps in stopping your computer from sending out anything that could potentially harm other computers as well. When you connect to the internet the signal goes from the internet through your firewall to your computer, and the opposite occurs when transmitting a signal from your computer to the internet.

Many programs will run more efficiently, or faster if they are not blocked by your windows firewall. You must be careful of which programs you allow access, however, as you could contract a virus. Make sure any program you decide to allow access through your firewall is a program you trust and does not have malicious content, like torrent programs.

By allowing programs to pass through your firewall they will no longer be scanned for known virus definitions or file extensions that could potentially pose a threat to your computer. An example of a commonly allowed low-risk program to set an exception for would be a game. Most games are safe to allow through and this will generally increase performance because the game will no longer be filtered by the windows firewall.

There are two different methods of allowing programs to bypass your windows firewall. The first, and most commonly used, is setting up an exception that will allow the program to bypass the firewall only when necessary. This is the more secure method of the two options available to you. The second method is to open a port directly to what you want to bypass the firewall. This is very risky, unlike an exception, which only bypasses the firewall when necessary. Leaving a port open will stay open until you close it manually.

The method used in set up of a windows firewall exception will be based on Windows Vista, however the process is similar in other Windows operating systems, too.

How To set up A Windows Firewall Exception:

A.

1.) Click the Start Menu

2.) Click the Control Panel

3.) Click on Windows Firewall

4.) Click on Allow A Program Through Windows Firewall in the upper left hand corner.

5.) You will get a prompt asking for administrator access. Click Continue. If you are not logged into an administrator profile, you will need to log out, and log back in under and administrator profile to continue.

6.) Check the boxes of any programs you would like to set up a windows firewall exception for, and click OK. If the program you want is not located in this list then continue to step 7.

7.) Click Add Program

8.) Scroll down, select the program and click OK. If it is not listed yet again then continue to Step 9.

9.) Click Browse

10.) File the executable (the file that allows you to open the program) on your computer. Select it, and Click OK. This adds the program to your list of programs.

11.) Click OK again, now your exception is set up. You can now close everything out as everything you need to set up your windows firewall exception is finished.

B.

If you wish to open a port, additional steps are required. This is more advanced, so if you are not totally sure of what you are doing it is not recommended to leave a port open.

1.) Follow steps one through five as listed above.

2.) Instead of clicking the check box of the program you want an exception to, or clicking Add Program to add manually a program you will need to click Add Port.

3.) Insert the name of the program.

4.) Insert the port number you wish to leave open.

5.) Select TCP or UDP

6.) Select OK

You may also select scope to change the access to either any computer on the network, or internet. You can select only those computers on your network (subnet), or select a customized list.

Remember, by allowing programs directly to bypass the windows firewall you are subject to harming your computer, so be very careful which programs you set up exceptions for. If an exception or open port is no longer needed ,you should close the port or delete the exception right away. This will then require that it communicates through the windows firewall just as it did before you set up the exception. With each additional exception made you leave your computer a little more unsecured, so it is important to know which programs have exceptions already set up. You can view this under the programs list as described in step 6 of part A listed above.

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Bad News for XP Lovers

Bad News for XP Lovers

Microsoft designed the Windows XP operating system to work in desktop and laptop computers, as well as in media centers. It first made an appearance to the computer world in August 2001 and became one of the most popular versions of the Windows operating system. Due to it's extended life, people often wonder when they are going to discontinue Windows XP. Ever since Windows 7 came into existence, more and more consumers have started to make the switch to this new system.

Computer operating systems are constantly being updated, which means there will always be something newer and better right around the corner. The most difficult part is getting used to the new system without dealing with a few frustrations now and then.

The ‘XP’ in Windows XP is short for ‘eXPerience’ and this type of system has multiple editions, two of which are the home and professional editions. The home version is, of course, for basic household use. The professional edition has extra features that may be too advanced to be considered necessary for use on a home computer. These additional features include; remote desktop server, an encrypting file system, 2 CPUs, and offline folders and files, just to name a few.

Even though this system has been the most popular version for nearly a decade now, Microsoft has decided to do away with it. The homepage for Windows XP even has a link that connects consumers to a page listing the top ten reasons to switch over their computers to Windows 7 including:

1.Quicker Access to Content

2.Easier to Manage

3.Faster to Locate Files, Emails, or Other Programs

4.Can Share Information Among Other Computers

5.Effortless Entertainment

6.Create Movies that Can Be Shared

7.Connects Quickly to Wireless

8.Faster Response Time

9.Runs Most XP Programs

10.Offers Better Protection for PCs

This does happen to be a fairly impressive list of reasons to make the switch. The chart that allows consumers to compare the XP, Vista, and 7 versions of Windows is actually a better view of why there’s no reason to continue selling and servicing Windows XP. The latest Microsoft operating system for PCs that is offered does everything that the previous editions are capable of, but includes nearly twice as much capability.

Windows XP users don’t have access to Windows Search, which enables programs and files to be located instantly and it takes more than a couple of clicks to open these features once they are found. Navigation through open windows is much slower and sharing music, photos, and other files with additional household PCs isn’t possible. It’s also difficult to manage external devices and organize easily with the XP edition. In addition, connecting to wireless networks takes some work, and the XP edition doesn’t have parental controls - which most parents find necessary today with the plethora of information available on the Internet.

Movies and games are a big part of many people’s lives. Windows XP doesn’t have the capability to provide game graphics that are as vivid and realistic as the newest version is able to offer. Creating and sharing movies within minutes after they are made is also impossible with Windows XP. Music collectors aren’t able to stream their music around the house with the XP operating system and, since traveling is also becoming more integrated with most jobs, portability is the new priority. Since many computer users store most of their data on their home desktop, taking this on trips is near to impossible. Being able to remotely tap into this information source from locations away from home is possible with the newest operating system, but not with Windows XP.

Microsoft has ended support for Windows XP with SP2 (Service Pack 2) taken place on July 13, 2010. Once support is discontinued for this edition, there won’t be any additional security updates coming through making your system more vulnerable to malicious viruses that can easily destroy a PC unless you have a free combination of Avira, Malwarebytes, and SUPERAntiSpyware.

There is a service pack for Windows XP that will buy users a bit more time with this operating system. Service Pack 3 is available for consumers who just aren’t ready to make the switch over to Windows 7, but support for that will end April 8th, 2014

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Get Acquainted With the Creatures of the Internet Jungle

Get Acquainted With the Creatures of the Internet Jungle

 

There are so many nasty “bugs” running around the internet that keeping track of them is almost a full time job.

Below is a list of basic terms that I have compiled that will hopefully help ease your confusion a bit. 

ADWARE: This is a software program that is installed without a users’ knowledge that the program is being installed on the computer. Adware is typically used to track the computer user’s browsing habits so that ads can be specifically geared towards them. A great example of adware is gator.com. Gator.com fills in web forms, but it is one of the most aggressive adware programs out there. Not only does it bog you down with advertisements, it also bogs down your computer by stealing disk space, memory, CPU time, etc.

Adware also includes tracking cookies (see cookies below).

BACKDOOR SANTA: Okay, so you download something off of the internet that you can really use. The problem with this particular program, however, is that while you may able to use it, the program is busy collecting statistics of your computer use, the sites you visit, what you purchase, etc. When it installs this programs (without your knowledge), it also opens a door for other threats to get in. You will have no idea this is going on; no pop-ups, no extra advertising. A couple of examples of Backdoor Santa programs include Alexa and Hotbar. If you see one of these toolbars unexpectedly show up in your browser, go into Add/Remove Programs and remove it immediately; you have been hit by a Backdoor Santa.

BHO: A Browser Helper Object is a program that runs automatically when you open your browser. While some BHO’s are useful (Adobe Acrobat is one; it has a plugin enabling you to read PDF files), there are many BHO’s that take over your home page and then direct you to adult sites, or sites that are loaded with spyware. 

There are trojans that use BHO’s to change, add or delete registry settings and download executable files, all unbeknownst to you. The result is a very slow computer, and it’s slow because it has been hijacked through a Browser Help Object.

BLENDED THREAT: A blended threat is an attack that seeks to make the most damage and highest speed of toxicity by mixing up different threats. A blended threat will use the characteristics of both a virus and a worm, for example, and takes advantage of a computer’s vulnerability. A blended threat might send a virus via an e-mail attachment, coupled with a Trojan Horse that will cause serious harm to a user’s computer. Nimda (admin spelled backwards) was a huge blended threat (virus/worm) and spread itself through e-mail, jeopardized websites, among other things. It became the internet’s most widespread blended threat.

BOTNETS: Botnets are a group of computers that are connected to the internet and have been taken over by hackers. The hacker is in charge of all of the computers and they behave like a “robot network” (hence the term “botnet”). The hacker who has taken over a network (small or large) can then use all of these computers to infect other computers with viruses, distribute any kind of malware, or use it to inflict any number of malicious activities.

BROWSER HIJACKER: A couple of months ago my daughter was doing some research for one of her classes and went to Google to type a search term in. She was automatically redirected to another site. And another. She couldn’t even get back to Google; she had to close out her browser. 

Her computer had been hijacked. A browser hijacker redirects a computer’s usual browser settings to those of their customers’ websites and can also add their favorites to your own. The hijacker writes external code that will change your home page to one of their choosing, in addition to changing registry settings so that even if you manually change your home page back, it will automatically revert itself to the hijacker’s hope page choice.

The hijacker sometimes plants a special file that redirects your computer to one of their choosing, such as an adult site or a sponsored search. 

When I went to get rid of this thing that my daughter had contacted, I found that the hijacker would not let me open any of her anti-spyware programs, and would not let me access any page to download anything to get rid of it. I ended up doing quite a few things to get rid of it; it had compromised her system pretty badly.

COMPUTER VIRUS: Computer viruses are programs that are written to intentionally infect and destroy your computer. Executable files are the easiest way for a virus to get into your system. A virus is inactive until it is activated, i.e. running an infected file or starting a computer with a disk that is already infected. A virus runs the gamut of making your computer behave oddly all the way to erasing your hard drive. Viruses do not infect zip files, unless the zipped file was infected before it was zipped (compressed). Viruses sometimes copy themselves to infect other computers, thus the virus grows. Every program that is infected is in effect acting as its own virus, causing the virus to spread.

COOKIES: No, don’t think chocolate chip. Cookies (on computers) are small files that are downloaded to your computer to send information back to its website. They are normally a good thing. Let’s say you are an eBay user. You would normally have to log in every time you go to your account if it weren’t for the small cookie that has been placed on your system. By having that cookie, your computer is saying,”Okay, we’ve been here before, it’s safe to go here again, we don’t have to provide ID”, thereby eliminating the annoying always-have-to-log-in situation.

Here’s the however.

However, certain websites place their cookies (called Adware tracking cookies) on your system that send information to them regarding your online activities and then send that information over to their parent company, all without your knowledge. The information on the websites you visit allows them to display advertisements that attract your interest.

Tracking cookies are not necessarily dangerous, they just slow down your system a lot; you could even find yourself receiving pop-up ads even when you aren’t on the internet.

DIALERS: Dialers are pieces of software that get installed on your computer and have the ability to make phone calls from your modem without the user’s knowledge or consent. They connect your computer to other computers (usually pornographic) through your telephone line and are usually pay-per-call, so you are charged the whole time you are connected.

GRAYWARE: I hadn’t even heard of this one. If an application is classified as annoying or objectionable, yet it isn’t considered to be dangerous or as serious as malware, it is called Grayware. Grayware can encompass Adware or dialers; they are pretty much programs that have been written solely to harm someone’s computer. (What possible enjoyment do these people get from hurting my computer? Do they sit around and laugh about “all of these people who are probably not using their computer right now because of us”? Seriously, don’t these virus/malware program writers have anything else to do? I digress.)

KEYLOGGERS: “The World’s Best Keylogger! Capture every keystroke guaranteed! Secretly record everything on your computer!” Yeah, that’s all fine and good if you think your kid is logging in hours in the internet on some sites he’s not supposed to; some companies use them to monitor their employees’ activities. Unfortunately that isn’t the only thing keylogging is about.

A keylogger is software designed to record everything typed into a computer – passwords, user id’s, e-mail addresses, credit card numbers, etc. It can be installed the same way any piece of spyware or malware can be done. You can get it by going to certain websites, or you may download a file that has a keylogger attached and you probably won’t even notice it. Without your knowledge someone is watching every keystroke you make.

MALWARE: Malware (short for malicious software) is software designed to invade a computer without the owner’s consent. Malware encompasses viruses, worms, trojan horses, and spyware. In short, it is the general term for all malicious software.

PHISHING: Phishing is email fraud, plain and simple. I don’t know if you ever get that occasional e-mail from a poor misguided underprivileged soul needing “only $10,000”; that’s Phishing. Most Phishing e-mails look pretty legitimate. “Banks” will send e-mails reporting of fraudulent schemes and ask for private banking information that “will help them determine if you have been a victim” and redirect you to a fraudulent site where any information that is given to that site is sent to the attacker. I once got an eBay e-mail informing me that “suspicious account activity” and that I needed to log in and check my account. I am usually on top of things and knew this was bogus and reported the e-mail to eBay. Had I clicked on the link provided, I would have been redirected to the attacker’s site of choice, not eBay. The lists of Phishing scams are endless.

SPYWARE: Spyware is tracking software that hides itself and gathers information without the computer user's knowledge or permission. Spyware collects personal information, redirects a user to websties that have viruses or forward browsing preferences on to a thrid party. Spyware is just what it says: It “spies”.

STALKING HORSE: Stalking Horses are bundled into many popular programs and are often presented as additional software that you need. The Stalking Horse then sends ad networks send ads to your computer.

TROJAN HORSE: A trojan horse is a highly damaging program that can wreak havoc on your computer. The difference between trojan horses and viruses is that a trojan horse, unlike a virus, does not copy itself; rather, it disguises itself as a legitimate program and has destructive code built in so as to destroy a computer system without the user’s knowledge.

WORM: A program that makes copies of itself over a network, using a computer’s resources, shutting down systems, as well as damaging and compromising the computer’s security.

I hope this guide gave you a better understanding of all of the lovely computer hazards we all face. It is quite daunting out there! In Part 2 of this series I will give you ways to protect yourself, as well as non-failing programs that will rid you of most of this garbage.

So be safe – it’s a jungle out there!

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Import mail and contacts to Gmail

Import mail and contacts to Gmail

If you use Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL or any other free email provider, you’ve probably considered switching to Gmail for its superior spam filter or its integration with other Google services, like Google Docs.

Even if you have your own domain or company email address, you should consider using an extra Gmail account. Free email providers, like Gmail, are indispensable when you sign up on different sites and make your email address public. They protect your private email address from needless spam.

Furthermore, if one account were to succumb to the endless onslaught of spam, you can always create a new email account or switch to another email provider.

To help you make the transition as smooth as possible, Gmail offers a quick and easy way to import all previous mail and contacts from any email provider. Of course, you can also transfer and redirect emails from other Gmail accounts.

Gmail’s import option is compatible with any email provider using POP3. This means that any emails and contacts from Yahoo, Hotmail or AOL can be safely transferred to your new Gmail account.

Here’s how to import emails and contacts from any email provider to Gmail. 

First, login to your Gmail account.

Then, click on the Settings button located on the top right corner of the window, next to the Sign outbutton.

In the Settings window, click on the Accounts and Import tab.

Under the Import mail and contacts section, click on the Import mail and contacts button.

Type in your old email address (ex: name@yahoo.com) and click the Continue button.

Now, input the password you chose for your old email address and click on Continue.

In the next step, Gmail allows you to choose what to import to your new email address.

All the option boxes are checked by default. However, if you only want to import your contacts, uncheck the Import mail box.

If you don’t want to redirect new emails from your old address to Gmail, uncheck the Import new mail for next 30 days box. Moreover, if you’re switching to Gmail because your email address is blocked with spam, it might be a good idea not to redirect any new emails since you’ll also redirect the spam.

In addition, you may want to label redirected emails with your old email address or give them a more suggestive name.

After configuring your import options, click on Start import.

Finally, click the OK button to finish the import process.

The import process will take place in the background, so you can use your Gmail account normally, and it will continue, even if you log out of Gmail and close your browser.

If you don’t see any imported email or contacts right away, be patient, as the process may take up to 2 days to complete. 

You can always check the status of your import by clicking on Settings and then on the Accounts andImport tab.

If, for some reason, you want to stop the import process, follow the above instructions to reach Import mail and contacts, click the stop button on the right and confirm by clicking OK.

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