Try Clipperz Password Manager

Clipperz is an online password manager where you have total control. You access it through a Master Password (Passphrase) that YOU create, should you forget it then you have a real problem as you are the only one who knows it, it isn’t stored which also means that it cannot be retrieved.

All the information that you enter into the browser window is fully encrypted and secure. Also, this is the first web-based application that has no knowledge of the users or their data.

Full details Click Here

Safer Surfing in 'Virtual' Environment

With normal surfing information is loaded from your hard drive and then through your browser where information is then written back to your computer, if it’s a malicious site then you will also have malware written to your drive.

What if you could use a ‘virtual area’ in which you can run your browser, email reader, instant messengers and programs in complete safety. The information is loaded from your hard drive into the 'virtual' environment, from there the read/write operations are carried out within the 'virtual' environment and never back to your computer.

Well..........you can........Full details Click Here

CoolWebSearch

This is a very nasty and insidious spyware/malware program. Spyware experts are now saying that the makers are borrowing code from other malicious programs to install rootkit like features on infected machines.

More recent versions of CWS spyware now have features similar to rootkits which allow the program writers to hide their files on Windows operating systems.

These new variants can hide their settings in the registry and also hide rootkit files in alternate data streams.

The software is usually installed on a machine by visits to malicious websites or emails using various ploys to get users to download and install the script.

Once installed, CoolWebSearch will hijack browsers and redirect users to some of the several bookmarks it imports. When you attempt to change your homepage back again it constantly overwrites it, it slows down general performance and causes Windows to freeze, crash or reboot, and can also make you victin to a Denial of Service (DOS) attack.

Getting rid of it is now much easier. TrendMicro have a free CoolWebSearch removal program

Use this utility to get rid of CoolWebSearch and it’s related programs.

Also download Spybot S&D and use its TeaTimer protection, which runs in the background and alerts you to any attempted registry changes.

If you are running Windows, also use Advanced Windows Care. Both of these programs will add a large number of changes to your Registry. This is nothing to be concerned about as the changes are necessary to stop any nasties from attching themselves to your pc and making changes you really don’t want.

Keep your anti-spyware up to date and if you click on any links that prompt you to download, read the EULA first.

Check for rootkits on your machine.

As with all programs, regular updates is essential to offer you greater protection.

Securing Firefox

How to avoid hacker attacks on Mozilla’s Firefox browser

Constant security problems with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser helped pave the way for Mozilla Firefox to emerge as an alternative browser for surfers.

However, Firefox users should be aware that hackers can exploit software flaws and design features to launch attacks.

The following configuration changes can disable various features and set up the browser to run in a secure state, limiting the damage from malware attacks.

To get started, select Tools, then Options.

In the General tab, you can manually set your home page and check to ensure Firefox is your default browser.

In the Privacy tab, select the Cookies sub-category. Here you can disable cookies or change your preferences for how the browser handles them. It is recommended that you enable cookies for the original site only. Also, by enabling the option ‘unless I have removed cookies set by the site’, a website can be “blacklisted” from setting cookies when its cookies are removed manually.
It is recommended that you do not use the Firefox feature to store passwords. If you decide to use the feature, be sure to use the measures available to protect the password data on your computer. Under Firefox’s Privacy category, the Passwords subcategory contains various options to manage stored passwords, and a Master Password feature to encrypt the data on your system. Use this option only if you decide to let Firefox manage your passwords.
Alternatively use Clipperz or RoboForm.

From the Content category, you can configure Firefox to block pop-ups and warn when websites try to install extensions or themes.

You should also Disable Java unless required by the site you wish to visit. You should determine if this site is trustworthy and whether you want to enable Java to view the site’s content.
Click on “Advanced” to disable specific JavaScript features.
It is recommended that you disable all of the options displayed in this dialog.

Firefox’s Downloads tab offers the option to change actions taken when files are downloading. Any time a file type is configured to open automatically with an associated application, this can make the browser more dangerous to use.

Vulnerabilities in these associated applications can be exploited more easily when they are configured to open automatically. Click the View & Edit Actions button to view the current download settings and modify them if necessary.

The Download Actions dialog shows the file types and the actions the browser will perform when it encounters a given file type. For any file type listed, click on either Remove Action or Change Action.

If you click on Change Action, select Save them on my computer to save files of that type to the computer. This helps prevent automated exploitation of vulnerabilities that may exist in these applications. Also scan them with an Anti-Virus program before executing them.

Firefox includes a feature to Clear Private Data to give users the option to remove potentially sensitive information from the web browser. Click on Tools, then Save Private data to find the settings (Ctrl+Shift+Del)

This is where you can configure Firefox to remove potentially sensitive data from the browser.
Place checkmark in the following boxes:
Browsing History
Saved Form Information
Cookies
Cache
Authenticated Sessions
Ask me before clearing private data.

SpywareGuard 2.2

A real-time protection solution against spyware!

SpywareGuard provides a real-time protection solution
against spyware that is a great addition to
SpywareBlaster’s protection method.

An anti-virus program scans files before you open them and
prevents execution if a virus is detected - SpywareGuard
does the same thing, but for spyware! And you can easily
have an anti-virus program running alongside SpywareGuard.

SpywareGuard now also features Download Protection and
Browser Hijacking Protection!

Features Listing:
Fast Real-Time Scanning engine - catch and block spyware
before it is executed (EXE and CAB files supported) with
signature-based scanning for known spyware and
heuristic/generic detection capabilities to catch
new/mutated spyware

Download Protection
Prevent spyware from being download in Internet Explorer

Browser Hijacking Protection
Stop browser hijacking activity in real-time

SG LiveUpdate
Provides an easy updating solution

Small size
With a small size and small definition sizes, download and
updates are quick

Report Capabilities
Keep a detailed log of all spyware detected

Spyware files are blocked before being opened or run -
they are not simply shut down after they are loaded in
memory (and after they have performed their tasks)

It’s a free download and is freeware

Get it here:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download3045.html

SpywareGuard is compatible with: Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP

What Is Clipperz

Clipperz can be used to store and freely organize any kind
of confidential textual information, such as passwords,
confidential notes, burglar alarm codes, credit and debit
card details, PINs, software keys, and so on.
Clipperz is free and completely anonymous.
Nothing to install. Nothing to backup.

Clipperz lets you submit confidential information into
your browser, but your data are locally encrypted by the
browser itself before being uploaded.

The key for the encryption process is a passphrase known
only to you. Clipperz simply hosts your sensitive data in
encrypted form and could never actually access the data in
its plain form.

To quickly grasp features and benefits of Clipperz, please
refer to these resources:

1. A video tutorial to learn how to access your web
services without typing username and password
http://www.clipperz.com/support/video

2. An introduction to “Clipperz Compact”, the edition for
the Firefox sidebar
http://www.clipperz.com/support/user_guide/clipperz_compact

3. Discover the “offline copy”, a read-only version to be
used without Internet connection (and maybe moved on USB drive)
http://www.clipperz.com/support/user_guide/offline_copy

For any further information about features and security
http://www.clipperz.com/

What are the system requirements?

To date, you only need any recent version of a Internet
Explorer, Opera or any Mozilla-based browser, such as
Firefox. Support for other browsers is coming soon as well.
It is recommended that you use a reasonably powerful
computer, and a fast Internet connection, because that will
make it more fun.

IE7 needs a custom procedure to install the bookmarklet
Instead of dragging it, you should right-click
on the link, and choose the “Add to favorites …” menu
item.
After selecting “Add to favorites …” (and having
dismissed a warning message), a dialog appears where you
have the option to choose where to add the bookmarklet:
Favorites, Links, etc…
Beware that IE7 comes with most panels hidden, so you may
need to make them visible using the contextual menu on the
browser toolbar, or clicking on the “star” button to make
the favorites panel visible.
Then when you open an account that you need to log into,
go to the account and enter your details then go to the
Favourites Menu and click on the Clipperz bookmarklet that
you have installed, then simple copy the code and enter it
into a new card in your Clipperz account.

There is an excellent Forum and Discussion group which
will assist with any problems that you may have.
I suggest that you go to http://www.clipperz.com/ and watch
the video. It is an amazing program where all of your
passwords are fully encrypted and saved, and you need never
remember another password.

This program is simplicity in itself, have a look and give
it a try.

As with all the safety and security items that I look
at it is free. So what have you got to lose?

How many spyware items are infecting your computer?

I just had, by mistake, a plug-in called Intelligent Explorer attach
to my browser. What a nightmare! I have another article on this
topic, but this brings home a point. Spyware or adware items are
continually infecting computers. Most computers have no protection
from them. Most frightening is the frequency of them. From the
InfosecWriters web site, "According to a 2004 survey by America
Online and the National Cyber Security Alliance, 91% of users
questioned were familiar with the term spyware. Only 53% believed
their computers were infected, but a scan found that 80% of their PCs
had some type of spyware installed on them." It goes on to say,
"...The average number of spyware components per computer was 93 with
one computer having well over a thousand."

What is Spyware?

Butte College (www.bctv.butte.edu/support/spyware.html) offers this
definition:

“The term ‘spyware’ is broadly defined as any program that gets into
your computer without permission and hides in the background while it
makes unwanted changes to your user experience.

Spyware is generally not designed to damage your computer. The
damage it does is more a by-product of its main mission, which is to
serve you targeted advertisements or make your browser display
certain sites or search results.

At present, most spyware targets only the Windows operating system
(Internet Explorer).”

To be fair, spyware can be harmless, for example tracking cookies
don’t do much. While such things infringe on your privacy, they don't
really harm anything. Others, however, are extremely dangerous.

So what do you do about it?

No spyware program seems to do everything, but there are a lot of
goods solutions out there that can help. Here is a list of some of
the top Spyware tools to look at:

1) Try Ad-Aware 6.0 Professional from LavaSoft (there is also a free
version with less functionality)

2) Spybot Search & Destroy from PepiMK Software

3) Xoftspy form Pareto Logic

4) Spyware Guard from Javacool Software is a free program

5) Pest Patrol (now part of Computer Associates by acquisition)

6) McAfee Anti-Spyware

One thing is for certain: you do need to take spyware seriously.
For some reason, too many people out there think anti-virus solutions
are the end-all solution. They are not.

And, when all else fails?

Finally, as drastic as it seems, if your computer has been infected
with a large number of spyware programs, the only solution you may
have is backing up your data, and performing a complete reinstall of
the operating system.