McAfee Antivirus is one of the most well known brand names in the antivirus software market. The company was founded back in 1989 as McAfee Associates and is the world’s largest dedicated security company. McAfee AntiVirus Plus 2010 is their most recent antivirus software release and it offers full PC security to protect you while you browse the web giving you the confidence to download files as you please. 

With McAfee AntiVirus Plus 2010 you are always up to date as the software continuously updates with the latest virus definitions all without interrupting your computer use. McAfee provides the fastest protection against malicious threats. New and emerging threats are analysed and blocked in milliseconds.

McAfee AntiVirus Plus offers total pc protection to block as well as remove spyware, adware, malware and rootkits (dangerous programs designed to alter your PC). You are protected while you surf online as McAfee AntiVirus Plus warns you of suspicious websites before you even click.

McAfee AntiVirus Plus added features

With McAfee AntiVirus Plus you are not only getting an antivirus software which protects you against Trojans, spyware and all sort of threats but you get a range of added features including a firewall, disk cleaner, disk defragmenter and a network security manager.

The McAfee firewall is a neat added feature as it protects your computer from hackers whilst you are online. It does this by monitoring your activity and can protect you from identity thieves and malware that hijacks your system with the ultimate goal of stealing important personal information.

McAfee AntiVirus Plus can be purchased to cover multiple computers there are licences which cover 1, 2 or 3 PCs.

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Guest Article by Louise Goldstein

Many of us know the importance of protecting our home PCs and laptops with antivirus software to stop criminal elements from hacking personal information but what about mobile phone antivirus?

The emergence in the past few years of smart mobile phones has lead us to a place where we can do just about anything on them. Checking emails, updating social networking sites, making bookings for hotels or hire cars can all be done with mobile phones and you can also order products from retailers using your credit or debit card information. 

With this in mind we should already protect our mobile phones with something similar to computer protection software. GetSafeOnline.org is a new government website designed to highlight to smartphone users about the possibility of criminals using data retrieved from mobile phones. In a survey they found more than 67% of users accessing the Internet via their mobile had no kind of mobile phone antivirus. 

Phones are traded in everyday and fraudsters can access former shopping accounts with ease should they fall into their hands. Because at the time it’s your own phone; passwords are often saved which means anyone can then shop with your money online. 

You can find a host of antivirus reviews online to help advise you on the best software for protection from fraudsters. By searching online you can find genuine remarks about the software from customers who have already used the products.  

A simple way to start protecting you mobile is to use the PIN function so only you can access the Internet from your phone. This along with being more careful about storing passwords will help prevent you becoming a victim of fraud.

Guest Article by Louise Goldstein

Computer security company BitDefender says Barclays’ customers have been the target of a new phishing attack.

It reported the phishing attack involved a trick email which tried to lure the Barclays customers to a false Barclays website. The email stated Barclays had been acquired by another company as a result of the lending crisis.

To increase the sense of urgency and the need to take swift action, the email used the words, “We temporarily suspend access to your user…”, plus the old chestnut, “…in order to avoid further action…” hinting that failure to do as the email said, would mean a cessation of banking services.

And the message contained a link which directed the readers of the message to the false website. Once on the false website – made to look like an official Barclays web space – the banks’ customers were being asked not only for their very sensitive five digit passcode, but also details of their memorable word. This detail is useful as its used as a password recovery hint for online bank accounts.

Nick Billington, BitDefender UK managing director, warned people to be on the watch for such blatant attacks. He said:
“Banks do not send out this type of message, under any circumstances. Users should approach any unsolicited message seeking personal data with extreme scepticism. If in doubt simply delete the email.

“But the most important thing to remember is not to click links in emails which require logins. It is good practice to always type website addresses in manually.”

How to protect yourself from phising scams

To help people avoid being taken for a ride by such scams, BitDefender reminds everyone of some common sense rules.

Firstly, use an anti-phishing filter, as well as tour other security applications provided by your security suite, before you browse onto your online bank account. Secondly, ensure that the site your bank’s site uses SSL encryption (Secure Socket Layer) and security authentication methods – look for the “https” prefix and the locked padlock.

Thirdly, avoid using a non-secured computer; don’t use any computer but your own and that should have good computer security applications running in the background. Fourthly, along the same lines as the previous point, do not ever use public computers to check your bank details.

And fifthly, if you are using your own laptop say on the road, do not use wireless connections unless they can be secured and encrypted. Wireless signals can be ‘captured’ and sensitive information hijacked; what’s known in the jargon as a drive by attack.

So, online banking is convenient and a useful tool, but always be aware that access to your account is what the cyber-criminals are after.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

From computers and laptops to a notebook or an iPhone; all of these and many more gadgets are around today to help us to access the internet wherever we may be. Antivirus protection is becoming a necessity.

We can be sitting at home, on the train to work or out on a Saturday night, but with the latest gizmos we can always access the net but this begs the important question: do you have the best antivirus to stop you from being phished?  

Antivirus PC software sometimes come installed on new computers and internet related equipment purchased but the phishers are changing their style everyday so you have to as well.

Phishing is the latest word for a type of computer hack where the hacker attempts to gain sensitive information like log-in details and passwords. It is totally illegal but finding the guys, girls or groups that carry out these types of scams is tricky so you need to make sure you are fully secure with up-to-date antivirus PC software.

How do I protect myself online?

If you are looking online for some of the top security PC software you will come across many companies that offer various protection packages.  

As well as using security PC software you may want to level some commonsense that will be invaluable when surfing the net. Many of us use social networking sites and phishers have been targeting the likes of Facebook and Twitter as a new way of gaining information.  

You can do a lot to protect yourself online and here a few ideas: 

• Limit your personal information you post on social networking sites.
• Do not accept friend requests from people you do not know.
• Never give personal information via these types of sites, even to friends.

 If you are concerned about internet security and are looking for antivirus PC software check out these special offers on antivirus software

Guest Article by Louise Goldstein

As people rely on ever more complicated smartphones, it’s clear the information on a lost, or stolen phone, could be used for nefarious means and to combat this, F-Secure has launched F-Secure Anti-Theft for Mobile. Now days it is not just your computer that needs the best pc protection software.

It’s a stand-alone smartphone solution which has at its core three security solutions: remote locking, remote wipe and theft control.

F-Secure Anti-Theft for Mobile serves both the Symbian and Windows phone platforms.

The remote lock function works by a single SMS message which quickly locks the smartphone once it’s loss is discovered. The remote wipe function works in the same way, via one quick SMS message, but it instantly erases all the data on the phone. The theft control function comes into play if someone tries to change the SIM card. It locks the device and informs the registered owner of the new number.

Arnoud de Vaal, Director at F-Secure’s Mobile Business Unit, said:
“You carry your smartphone with you where ever you go, which means it can be particularly prone to being lost or stolen. Nowadays our mobiles contain a great deal of personal and confidential data that need protection. F-Secure’s standalone anti-theft software provides an easy and affordable way to make sure this information is not misused by anyone.”

F-Secure Anti-Theft for Mobile is an upgrade to the existing F-Secure Mobile Security and can be activated using the inbuilt automatic upgrade system and purchased for a fee.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

BitDefender, the creator’s of one of the industry’s fastest and most effective lines of internationally certified security software, has released some top tips for festive shoppers to take whilst online shopping.

Says BitDefender’s senior Antispam researcher Catalin Cosoi
“Taking advantage of the many benefits of online shopping like competitive pricing, great selection, or even freebies like zero shipping fees and free gift wrapping, doesn’t have to cost consumers more than they’ve bargained for.

“By being aware of a few key issues, consumers can shop safely with the knowledge they need to protect their personal information and their PC.”

First top tip is know where you’re shopping from and read the small print. BitDefender are keen to remind people that not every website is legimate, with some cybercriminals either creating virtual copies of well known branded sites, or creating their own very convincing merchant sites. In short, only buy from those who are genuine high-street, or online retails.

Second top tip is beware of those online merchants who want more than your name and email address in order to cash in a coupon. Remember that a legitimate site will not ask for more than is necessary to redeem the coupon. But many illegal and bogus sites target online shoppers with online promotions and to entice a consumer to enter personal information in order to receive coupons or other merchandise. This is then used elsewhere, mainly to build clone identities.

Third, and anyone who ignores this point do so at their peril, never use a PC to shop unless it has an up-to-date and properly working security suite on board. Surf, or email, without such a security suite and it’s only a matter of time before you become infected.

Fourth, stick to the sites you know and trust, or have used successfully before. If unsure about a site, have a look in the chat rooms and forums, and see if there are any rumours, or gossip.

Fifth – remember the old adage that there is no such thing as a free lunch. You must be very wary of special offers, or unbelievable deals. They can often end with your computer being infected.

Sixth tip; use credit cards where possible, as they offer more protection than debit cards, and even better, see if you can pay cash on delivery.

Finally, look out for the https connection to a website. It’s not a guarantee of safety, but most of the sites thus connected are safe.

Guest Article by Neil Camp 

As the festive time approaches, McAfee is warning people to be on the look out for a whole host of scams and online attacks.

Ironically, the season of goodwill can be one of the most dangerous times to be online, as cybercriminals take advantage of the holiday season to steal consumers’ money, identities and personal and financial information.

Jeff Green, senior vice president of McAfee Labs, said:
“Cybercriminals’ use their best schemes during the holidays to steal people’s money, credit card information, social security number and identity. These thieves follow seasonal trends and create holiday-related websites, scams and other convincing e-mails that can trick even the most cautious users.”

So McAfee have listed the top 12 scams of Christmas.

• Number one is the invidious charity phishing scam. At Christmas, many people’s minds turn to giving to charity and this is also the time when the number of phishing emails that seem genuine – but are in reality bogus and designed to steal donations, credit card information and the identities of donors – jump dramatically.
• Number two concerns companies who are extremely busy during the festive season with orders and aren’t always as observant as they should be. Cybercriminals are adept at sending out fake invoices and delivery notifications appearing to be from the large courier companies, but which are designed to obtain credit card details to credit back the account (money for nothing in effect), or require users to open an online invoice or customs form to receive the package. And once that is completed, the person’s information is stolen or malware is automatically installed on their computer.
• Number three is when cybercriminals exploit people on social networking websites. Christmas is a time when people often communicate and catch up on things, and as such, they are open to attack. Hackers send out genuine looking “New Friend Request” e-mails from social networking sites, but many users fail to realise that there are often platforms for all types of viruses.
• Number four is the popularity of holiday e-cards at this time of year. McAfee discovered last Christmas a worm masked as Hallmark e-cards and McDonald’s and Coca-Cola holiday promotions.
• Number five is about offers that appear to be a really good deal. Recently McAfee uncovered a new holiday campaign that leads shoppers to malware-ridden sites offering luxury gifts from Cartier, Gucci, and Tag Heuer with apparent huge discounts. The products never existed of course, but the cybercriminals use such tactics to part people with their personal and financial details, and then their money.
• Number six – online shopping has exploded over the recent years, but those people who use hotspots (found in cafes, airports and hotels) should be careful if they make purchases then and there. Users on open hotspots can be spied by hackers who can then steal personal and financial information. McAfee reminds people that they should never shop online from a public computer or on an open Wi-Fi network.
• Number seven is another scam which dispassionately exploits people at Christmas. Those searching for a holiday ringtone or wallpaper, Christmas carol lyrics, or a festive screensaver, can be directed towards bogus websites which contain files, to be downloaded, that infect a user’s computer with spyware, adware or other malware.
• Number eight is another scam which targets people who are especially vulnerable. Out of work people can become especially desperate in the approach to a holiday season to try and obtain work, in order to afford Christmas. Cybercriminals are quick to promise of high-paid jobs and work-from-home moneymaking opportunities. But, of course, once interested persons submit their information and pay their “set-up” fee, hackers steal their money instead.
• Number nine is scams which involve cybercriminals preying on auction sites which become especially busy during the holiday periods. The solution here is for buyers to be very cautious about what goods they are buying and who from. Basically, if it looks a great deal, then be sceptical.
• Number ten is a perennial problem: the password stealers. To do most things on the internet requires a password; anyone who copies that password can then masquerade as a particular person, download their financial and personal details, and even order goods on their behalf. Passwords are stolen in a number of ways, not least pieces of code, malware, which record keystrokes and key logging activities. These can then be used to calculate a given password.
• Number eleven is another perennial: email banking scams which tend to increase during a holiday period, as the logic goes that people are more anxious to ensure they don’t get locked out of their account during busy purchasing times. It involves tricking customers in revealing their bank details by sending official-looking e-mails from financial institutions. The email, which is usually quite a good copy of the real thing, asks users to confirm their account information, including a user name and password, with a warning that their account will become invalid if they do not comply.
• Number twelve is the increasingly used ransom scam. Using several holiday scams, hackers gain control of people’s computers and then act as virtual kidnappers to hijack computer files and encrypt them, making them unreadable and inaccessible. The scammer’s pitch is then simple: pay me money and I will release your computer’s files. Straightforward and effective, but particularly nasty.

Guest Article by Neil Camp 

Growth in UK cybercrime increased throughout 2008 at levels not seen since 2006.

And the reason is the credit crunch, says Garlik’s third annual UK Cybercrime report, which fuelled a massive growth in cybercrime. Another contributing factor has been consumer complacency.

The researchers behind the report analyse public data to build a comprehensive view of cybercrime. It was clear that during 2008 cybercriminals adapted to the social and economic changes in the UK to exploit victims in new ways and commit over 3.6 million criminal acts online (that’s over one every 10 seconds).

Furthermore, a growing complacency was noted amongst consumers which demonstrated poor understanding of their responsibility to protect their personal information against fraud.

This was reinforced by findings which showed a 20% increase in account takeover, indicating that criminals have now shifted their efforts from opening new accounts with stolen identities to accessing existing accounts.

The report also discovered that online banking fraud increased by a staggering 132%, with losses totalling £52.5 million, compared to £22.6 million in the previous year. And responsible for most of this were 44,000 phishing websites which specifically targeted UK banks and building societies.

Tom Ilube, CEO, Garlik, said:
“We fear that account takeover fraud will continue to increase in 2009 due to the decline of available credit and tighter credit checking by the banks. Consumers must be extra vigilant of all their online and financial accounts as well as avoiding increasingly convincing phishing scams.

“As threats shift and change, it is essential for consumers to take steps for their own safety: even if they think that it is ‘someone else’s problem’. It is not. Consumers need to be smart online and stay one step ahead of the cybercriminals.”

Dr Stefan Fafinski, of Invenio Research which owns Garlik, said:
“One possible explanation for the sharp rise in cybercrime lies in the consumer reaction to it. Identity theft in particular received a great deal of media and public attention in 2006. As a result, many consumers took the first steps to protect themselves, buying shredders and anti-malware software to feel secure but have since become too complacent and as a result have been hit by the next wave of cybercrime”.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

A new virus is in town and this time it’s got a specific target: online banking customers. Known as the Clampi virus, it represents a major threat to those that bank via the internet.

The Clampi virus is whats known as a Trojan, mainly because of its ability to secretly penetrate a computer, wait patiently until needed, then report bank to its creator, or indeed, take instructions from its creator.

And the cyber criminals behind the Clampi virus have on objective in mind: to steal personal details from a computer.

It is spreading rapidly through the US and UK, infecting computers and then waiting until the time is right to strike. When the user of the computer logs into their bank account for example, the Clampi virus makes a note of the username, password and other pertinent details, which are then sent back to the hackers.

These details are then used by the hackers to enter financial sites and either transfer money, change account details, or set-up frauds.

It is believed that people behind the Clampi virus monitor in the region of 5,000 financial websites and amongst these are most of the UK high street banks. But it’s not just banks; sites run by mortgage lenders, online casinos, shopping operations and email providers are also targeted.

In the US the Clampi virus has already been responsible for thefts of thousands of dollars and its been reported that many schools and businesses have been affected.

The Clampi virus is not new, having been around since 2005, but computer security experts think that this is a new, more virulent strain and poses a major threat to online banking. And they believe it attacks in waves, the UK banks being a major target.

They are unsure as to the true extent of the damage caused in the UK, especially given the covert nature of Clampi’s operation, but think that over 1,000 computers have already been affected. And those running Microsoft Windows operating systems seem to be more vulnerable than most.

And the computer security experts are warning again that people should remain vigilant at all times, reiterating the fact the such viruses are usually distributed embedded in emails, website downloads and instant messages, as attachments and links. They urge anyone not to open links, or attachments, from sources they cannot trust.

What’s more, they remind computer users that they should never send emails, or surf the web, without an up-to-date anti-virus software application on their machines.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

One of the biggest computer security companies has published a list of the most dubious websites for 2009.

Symantec, the company behind the Norton range of anti-virus products has identified the ‘Dirtiest Web Sites of Summer 2009.’ These are 100 sites with the most threats detected by the site ratings service Norton Safe Web as of August 2009. They represent the ‘worst-of-the-worst’ say Symantec, based on the number of threats detected by Norton Safe Web.

Symantec say that it’s no surprise that some 50% of the worst websites are those that feature pornographic content. But what did surprise them was that many of those in the top 100 did feature innocent subject matter, including deer hunting, catering, figure skating, legal services and buying electronics.

And the most common threat found on the top 100 dirtiest sites was malware, followed by security risks and browser exploits. What’s worse, is that simply visiting one of the worst sites could risk exposing a computer to infection and identity theft, even without clicking on an item, or downloading a file.

“This list underscores what our research shows – there has been exponential growth in the number of online threats that are constantly evolving as cybercriminals look for new ways to target your money, identity or assets. In 2008, most new infections occurred while people were surfing the Web1,” said Rowan Trollope, senior vice president, Consumer Business Unit, Symantec. “Norton Safe Web provides visual ratings that let consumers know about potential risks before visiting a site. Armed with this information, consumers are empowered to make informed decisions about which sites to visit.”

Symantec calculated that the average number of threats on the Dirtiest Web Sites list is an incredible 18,000 per site. Indeed, 40 of the 100 Dirtiest Web Sites have more than 20,000 threats per site.

And below is a sample of the Dirtiest Web Sites:

• 17ebook.com
• aladel.net
• bpwhamburgorchardpark.org
• clicnews.com
• dfwdiesel.net
• divineenterprises.net
• fantasticfilms.ru
• gardensrestaurantandcatering.com)
• ginedis.com
• gncr.org
• hdvideoforums.org
• hihanin.com
• kingfamilyphotoalbum.com)
• likaraoke.com
• mactep.org
• magic4you.nu
• marbling.pe.kr
• nacjalneg.info
• pronline.ru
• purplehoodie.com
• qsng.cn
• seksburada.net
• sportsmansclub.net
• stock888.cn
• tathli.com
• teamclouds.com
• texaswhitetailfever.com
• wadefamilytree.org
• xnescat.info
• yt118.com

Avoid the above like the plague.

Guest Article by Neil Camp