This Column is updated frequently. Q & A's not appearing
here will still receive email replies!
(Suggestion: If you find this column useful, print a copy!)
The probability is that when you did a previous FireFox
upgrade containing a security fix, it turned auto installs
off. To reverse this, type "about:config" (less quotes)
in the URL address box. This will give you access to
Firefox's configuration setup. Now scroll the listing
and look for the following entry: "xpinstall.enabled"
(less quotes). Double click that line and change the
setting from False to True. CAUTION: Be very careful
when modifying keys here.
Yes, but you are playing with fire. However, if you
insist, try
Kelly's Korner for various .REG file key examples.
Once you have a good "XYZ.REG" file, you only need
double click it for the operating system to install
or modify the keys involved. Once again, this is
VERY dangerous and only highly skilled users should
attempt it. Of course a skilled user will back up
the registry first, right? :-)
One of the more popular services today is Skype. They offer a free
client program that provided "peer to peer" voice
communications over the Internet as well as "peer to
Telephone" service for a modest monthly fee. For peer
to peer voice communications (no interconnects to real
telephones) I would suggest you try another free client
called CQPhone. This
one also has some nice additional features that
simultaneously allows text chat, photo exchange, video
conferencing and the sharing of web pages. Another
tiny but powerful VoIP Client is
PicoPhone. It offers IP 2 IP connectivity, full
duplex, text chat, busy messages, as well as
full voice and text conferencing between multiple users.
Finally, if you want something that comes closer to a
real telephone service over the Internet, and you have
a broadband connection, you can get a box that plugs
into your cable modem, and allows a conventional
telephone to connect to it, and pretty much operates
like an ordinary phone. You also pay a monthly fee to
the service provider and the fee's typically include
some long distance. Check out
Vonage and Lingo.
Note: There are many other companies now offering these
kinds of service. I suggest you do a Google search
on "telephone over the internet".
When you are about to do something you have never done
previously, read the HELP files or manual. If you are
still unsure, look up key phrases on Goggle's search engine;
otherwise you are a test pilot. The corollary rule is
never do something that you don't have a high level of
confidence that you can undo; otherwise you are a test
pilot. Always leave your desktop and application
windows clear of clutter after a session. Try to
locate someone who has successfully used a program or
gadget that you are interested in buying (before you
spend money); otherwise you are a test pilot. Finally,
avoid being a test pilot at all cost!
Three: Install a good firewall such as ZoneAlarm or
Sygate - both have free versions that are
excellent.
Four: Check your computer with anti spyware-adware-
highjack-parasite utilities such as NoAdWare and
CWShredder
Always pay close attention to your computer's behavior
and look for tell tail signs, such as your mouse
getting intermittently jerky, your Net connection
suddenly slowing to a crawl, your hard drive's free
space continually dropping. Never click on email
attachments until they have been checked for bugs and
be careful of offers of free programs and utilities
that are hawked on various web sites. Finally, here
are some similar questions and answers:
Q&A1 and Q&A2.
How could I tell if I
got infected with a Trojan, Virus or worm
and what is the best defense against
infection?
This is such a common question, affecting so many
people, its worth repeating the answers. Symptoms are
not all the same so there is no single clue that fits
all. It is even possible you will never know you are
infected. However, here are a few common symptoms: a)
sudden slow down in overall speed or performance b)
intermittent or constant jerky mouse cursor movement c)
a sudden increase in error messages d) your systems
crashes and will not reboot.
There are other more sophisticated ways to tell if
there is some unknown background process running on
your machine, but how to detect it depends on the exact
operating system version you are running. Example, if
you were running W2000, there is a utility that comes
with the OS called TASKMGR.EXE that will list every
process running on your CPU. By comparing the real
time list with the list when the OS was first
installed, and accounting for all applications you have
running, you can find the odd man out or suspicious
entity. This is by no means foolproof as some clever
trojans can replace a real component (file) that
belong. Even so, if you are competent to have 32 bit
crc signatures of all OS files, you can still determine
if they have been modified. Unfortunately, this is
typically beyond the scope of the average user.
In many cases the only out for the average user trying
to resurrect his PC is to do a complete disk format and
reinstall the OS. A good technician, who can accurately
determine the exact type or kind of infection, is also
usually competent enough to know how to remove and
replace any affected files as well as edit the registry
and system configurations to stop any reinfection.
Unfortunately you pay dearly for this level of service.
The best defense is to avoid becoming infected. The
secret here is to employ good operating techniques.
Have available a good virus/trojan/worm detector. If
connected to the Internet, run a versatile and high
quality Firewall; especially if you operate a small
network (LAN) with shared resources. Make sure your OS
has all the latest security fixes and updates;
especially your web Browser. If friends give you a CD
or floppy, scan it before installing anything from it.
I even scan commercial software disks. Finally, never
NEVER run or execute ANY attachments you receive vi
email until you scan them first. This even applies to
a file your mom sent you; as frequently computers can
be infected and become carriers without the owner
knowing. Finally, if all this is beyond your ability,
hire someone to do it or forget about using computers.
Can you explain in laymen
terms what the difference are between worms,
trojans and spyware?
In our opinion, all those terms are general and overlap
to some degree and are frequently used incorrectly by
the media. A Trojan is a program you think does only
one thing but contains hidden code, often malicious,
that is designed for other purposes. Spyware is
conventional software that "phones home" with info you
may or may not wish to leave your PC. A worm and a
virus are very similar, both try to infect other
systems, can be triggered by user events, dates or
times or any combinations thereof.