The following are support sheets in PDF format, or links for many of the issues that are frequently a concern with Clients. I have compiled them here for use and printing. Please do not distribute or copy without explicit permission from me. Click on any header section on the left or below to view additional topics.

Maintenance & Protection | Microsoft | The Web | Tid-bits | Mac

Maintenance

Protection

Security

Vocabulary

Vocabulary Lesson

A little Geek-Speak... what it all means Spyware- any software that monitors and transmits information to third parties about our surfing and computing habits. Often times these software bits are installed and information sent without our explicit authorization. Trojan- Remember in the History books, TROY was tricked into opening its gates for the enemy by a Trojan Horse presented as a gift? Trojans appear to have a useful function - like a game or tool- but contain potentially malicious features that can invade the security of your system by tricking you into authorizing access. Worm - a self propagating program that looks for security vulnerabilities in common parts of your system (like a shared folder, or folders created by file-sharing sites like Kazaa and Morpheus). Once a computer is infected, the worm plants itself, replicates, and spreads, looking for other vulnerablities or slowing the internet witDecember 7, 2005 0:02 AM Adware- software that promotes advertising (Got Pop-Ups?) and often includes spyware so that ads can be targeted to a users interests and surfing habits. Key Logger - another form of spyware that logs your keystrokes, potentially disclosing sensitive information, like passwords and web interactions, to a third party. Cookie - YUM...yet potentially yucky. Cookies are morsels of information that websites use to recognize your interactions and personalize your web content. Most are harmless, and ad flavor to your surfing experience, but others data-mine for information that allows them to target you with ads or share information with other parties. Back Door - Yup, there are plenty of back doors into your system, and keeping them protected is important. Back door viruses or trojans exploit security vulnerabilities in your operating system that give hackers a back way into your world. This is one reason why I often ask clients if they have kept up to date with their Microsoft Updates! Phishing - (fishing for information) this term is used to describe SPAM emails that fish for your financial and sensitive information by suggesting it comes to you from your credit card company or Internet Service Provider. Often times they threaten to cancel your account if you don't "update" your account information- then quickly send you to a foreign site (made to look legitimate) and ask for information that could potentially allow them to steal your identity and run you dry.