Showing posts with label safety. Show all posts
Showing posts with label safety. Show all posts

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Safety and Security Tips on using Your Pocket PC!

Pocket PCs are small devices but is very powerful that it holds almost all of your activities, personal information, and business matters inside its bin. For executives and aficionados, Pocket PCs are already part of their lives. They can’t leave the house without their most priced Pocket PCs. Connecting to the web or checking an email are just one of the many wonders of Pocket PCs. With all these, have you ever considered the security of your Pocket PC?

Convenience equates to risk. Admit it. A Pocket PC is one very convenient way of connecting to the world without just a click of a button. It offers more possibilities attached with convenience. Although, these added conveniences puts an owner at risk. In addition to security problems and threats that you have to face regarding your desktop computer, you can have the same problem with your wireless device through networking.

The smaller the size of your device, the easier it is for your Pocket PC to become more vulnerable to the naked eye – stealing it or file corruption. You have to protect your device in three security levels namely: network, data and physical.

Network security refers to the assurance that the device will not fall into the wrong hands and other people won’t be able to use it to tap into your network. To avoid such internal problems, you have to take some steps in protecting your entire network by considering some of the factors below.

• Disabling WiFi and Bluetooth connection when not in use. This is helpful in saving your device from unwanted outside connections, increasing the life of the battery and stabilizes further security.

• Use notification and monitoring programs to track and detect hidden activities done in your Pocket PC.

• Administrators must establish a governed policy for the handheld device that will connect to the network.

• Always update your LAN driver in order to use the WPA or WiFi Protected Access instead of using WEP.

• Use private networking virtually to be able to connect to your company network.

Data security refers to the assurance of the device to be safe in case it falls to the wrong, prying hands. Even if the OS is accessed, you’ll have the feeling that your business and personal data will not be accessed. Managing this can be easy by doing the following:

• Store your sensitive data on your memory card then remove it when not in use. Make sure that the memory card itself doesn’t get lost.

• Don’t allow any access to applications that might be used to read important data. Use a software like PDA Defense.

• Always see to it that sensitive data are encrypted wherever it is stored.

Physical security refers to the protection of the device from theft or loss and prevents OS accessibility in cases of the device falling into other people’s hands. This is also considered as your first line of defense.

• Store and carry the device securely. Never let your handheld device just hang around your pocket or kept inside a shoulder bag. It’s better to keep it very close to the body as possible or if not, put it in a briefcase that’s also secured with a pin number or attach a PDA case to your belt.

• Prevent OS accessibility. You can at least put on a password or security pin code before opening the device. Use a very strong supported password.

Visit: http://imtiaztipsfreeware.blogspot.com/

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Just what is Intelligent Explorer? For your safety, you really need to know

I recently hit, by mistake, what I thought was an Explorer upgrade option.  It turned out to be a pop-up appearing legitimate but really was not. It uploaded a product called Intelligent Explorer on my machine.  What a nightmare.

I did some research on the web and found messages like this one from a BullGuard Antivirus Forum.

Another message from spywareinfo Forum goes something like this:

"Hey I'm having issues with something called Internet explorer toolbar - Intelligent explorer. I can’t find a way to remove it from my comp and I really don’t want to reinstall windows. I've used spybot, ad-ware, and cw shredder but nothing seems to work."

It appears that Intelligent Explorer allows other software to be downloaded to your machine and this is where the problem occurs. What is even more remarkable is that by downloading Intelligent Explorer, their license grants them the right to install software add-ins on your computer at their will.  Take a look at what the software license for Intelligent Explore says (go to http://www.ieplugin.com/terms.html to read it all):

"You grant to us the right, exercisable by us until you uninstall the Software or this agreement is otherwise terminated, to provide to you the Service of downloading and causing to be displayed advertising material on your computer, through ‘pop-up’ or other display while you use your browser.  You acknowledge and agree that installation of the Software may automatically modify toolbars and other settings of your browser.  By installing the Software you agree to such modifications."

The company, IBC incorporated, is incorporated in Belize.  I really can't believe this license!


One end user found highly objectionable pop-up advertisements generated by this software bundled with Intelligent Explorer in the form of extreme pornography.

I have yet to break this.

Intelligent Explorer is a plug-in, which can create a new home page, as well as start up and endless loop of pop-ups. You can remove the view bar, but then starting up Internet Explorer will cause it to reappear.  I asked some friends to help, and no one could tell me what to do.

This is what I did:

    I bought a copy of a program called XoftSpy and it removed the software. It took two scans and a reboot to do it. This is not an advertisement for this product.  They advertised it was free, which it was to run, but then I had to buy it to actually fix anything. It cost me $40 and I am sure that there are freeware products out there as well, but that is what ended the nightmare for me. Other spyware products I have seen out there include spybot, NoAdware, Spyware Eliminator, Pal Spyware Remover, and Spyware C.O.P.

Let the buyer beware!