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Although connection to
the Internet provides a multitude of information and functionality, it
also brings some risks. One of those risks is the possible infection of
a virus. A virus can cause your Internet connection to appear slow or
stop you from connecting to the Internet altogether. To protect your
computer we suggest you use one or a combination of the following:
» Anti-Virus
software
» Anti-Spyware
software
» Personal
Firewall
» Windows
updates
» Parental
Control
Anti-Virus
Software
Anti-virus software
is a program that runs on your computer in an attempt to identify,
quarantine and remove computer viruses considered to be malicious and
harmful to your computer. There are several reputable anti-virus
software programs available for purchase. Whatever anti-virus software
you decide to use make sure its fully updated with the latest virus
definition files and that you are only running ONE full-time resident
anti-virus application.
Xplornet will be
offering an anti-virus program in 2007 called “Xplornet Antivirus” that
provides protection, detection, and elimination of thousands of computer
viruses, worms, and Trojan horse programs.
Anti-Spyware
software
Over the past few
years a new class of software has emerged that can cause PC problems. It
goes by several names, including: spyware, adware or malware. For
simplicity, we will call it spyware. Spyware generally refers to
software that is secretly installed on a users computer that takes
partial control or monitors use of the computer in some way without the
users knowledge or consent.
The result of having
some form of spyware on your computer typically includes the following:
degradation of you high-speed Internet connection, interception and
theft of personal information (such as a credit card number), receiving
unsolicited pop-up advertisements or monitoring of web-browsing for
marketing purposes by a third party.
There are several
spyware scanning software packages available today. Xplornet will be
offering an anti-spyware program in 2007 called “Xplornet Anti-spyware”
that removes spyware that leads to identity theft and slow PC
performance.
Firewall
A personal firewall
is another piece of software that can be loaded on your computer which
helps prevent malicious attacks. Essentially a firewall is a piece of
software that allows ‘friendly’ communications to reach your computer
while blocking ‘unfriendly’ or unsolicited attempts from reaching your
computer.
Similar to
anti-virus and anti-spyware there are numerous personal firewall
programs available, including the one in Xplornet’s own “Xplornet
Internet Security Suite”, which will be available in 2007. Xplornet
Internet Security Suite will provide comprehensive protection against
viruses, identity thieves, spyware, spam, offensive web sites, and other
online threats that can jeopardize privacy, data and PC performance.
Windows Updates
If you use Windows
as your operating system it’s recommended that you regularly update your
software by downloading and installing the latest service packs,
critical updates, updates and patches. Keeping your Windows operating
system updated is very important in keeping your system secured from
exploitation.
You can access
Windows updates one of two ways.
Option 1: If you use
Internet Explorer as your web browser click on "Tools" in your Menu Bar,
then click Windows Update and follow the instructions.
Option 2: If you
don't use Internet Explorer as your web browser simply type the
following URL into your web browser’s address field:
www.windowsupdate.com. This will
take you to Microsoft’s Windows update page.
Parental Control
Using parental
control allows parents to protect children from content such as
information that is not age appropriate, explicit content, and any site
or topic that you wish your children and family members not to view. |
