Tag Archives: computer security

Avoiding computer nasties

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Over the last week or so I had been periodically receiving the following message while using my Windows 7 laptop “warning, potentially harmful software detected. Click here to review and take action”. I have the free versions of Avast anti-virus and Zone Alarm on my computer and as the message was not generated by either of these products I began to wonder whether my PC was infected with malware and/or a virus. A system scan with Avast detected and successfully removed a number of threats, however the above message continued to plague me. My next step was to download the free version of Spybot Search and Destroy. The scan took about 40 minutes and lead to the detection of several nasties lurking in the depths of my PC. I’ve now successfully deleted the offending malware and my computer is running much faster and just (if not more importantly) I’m no longer concerned about unauthorised persons poking about in my PC and stealing data!

I like the company who provide Spybot Search and Destroy. Unlike many companies who offer free anti-virus or malware deletion products, the manufacturer of the software provide a prominent link to the free version of Spybot Search and Destroy on their site so no digging around for the free version or accidentally downloading the paid for product. For Spybot Search and Destroy please visit http://www.safer-networking.org/.

 

(Kevin Morris is the author of The First Time. For his collection of short stories please visit the Amazon Kindle store).

The Joys of Technology

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As I sit at my desk, typing away on my laptop I give thanks to the great god of technology. I love the way in which one’s brain is stretched by the necessity of remembering countless passwords without which one can not access e-mails, bank accounts etc. Forgetting passwords is such fun and helps to enhance one’s physical atributes. For example the way in which I shake my fist menacingly at my poor defenseless laptop provides me with much needed exercise and has helped to strengthen my arm muscles no end!
This evening the joy of guessing passwords was brought home to me with a vengence. I have now received the proof of the manuscript for my collection of short stories, “The First Time” in epub format. In order to access the document I downloaded software from Adobe’s website which installed like a dream. Great I thought as I clicked on the epub file containing the proof of “The First Time”, soon I will be able to read over the proof of my manuscript. Alas woe is me, the great god of technology requested that I enter a password in order to open the file – oops my publisher has neglected to inform me of the password so no book have I read! Oh well tomorrow is, as they say another day and with a bit of luck I’ll be able to give the proof the once over then after I receive the elusive password!