Downloading Files and other ways to ruin your day!
Posted on May 17, 2010
I went to download a “Freeware” program from its web site today and was redirected to a “Downloads” site – a repository of programs that you can download (Many small companies do this as it saves web site traffic and hence lowers web site expenses). I was about to click the download button when I noticed it was for a “Registry Cleaner” – an Advert! There are a lot of web sites that use this trick and the user needs to be very careful – ALWAYS check the link before clicking! Many a time I have worked on client computers that have accidentally installed malicious/unwanted programs.
Pop Ups are another nasty way of getting into trouble – this big message jumps out at you demanding if you dont click the button the universe will end in 10 seconds! and SOMETIMES if you click cancel it will still install the malicious program! On the seldom occasion this happens – I open the task manager and end the program, that way I am sure the program wont run.
USE a reputable Anti Vrius!
I was searching Google on the weekend and clicked on a link only to have NOD32 scream at me saying I was infected and that the file was cleaned – Firefox- my browser! Upon some more cautious browsing I discovered that the website was a redirect to another malicious web site that instantaneously infects your computer with a virus. The link was close to number one on Google’s search result – I wonder how many computers have been infected. The surprising thing is that I have “WOT” or Web of Trust – a plug in for Firefox that rates all of the search results for safety in several categories – and wont let you access unsafe web pages. This was the very first false negative in the two years of using this plug in. Users of “WOT” constantly rate web pages that are found to be malicious – so I guess in a couple of days this web site will have a poor rating.
In summary – BE vigilant – ALWAYS look before you leap and DON”T PANIC! – the universe wont end any time soon.
Please don’t hesitate to contact WALDON – for any queries regarding safe internet usage or for an assessment of your internet security.
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