Windows 7 World - Defence against viruses

Active protection against malwares:

So how do you protect yourself?
There are many ways to protect yourself; one of the many ways is to educate yourself very well about these malwares because it would be inappropriate to be applying security software against a virus when you have a Trojan horse on your system. So, a very good user education is vital in fighting against malwares.
Operating system security fixes and program patches are very important as well, so make sure you keep your operating system up to date. Whenever a software vendor releases a new fix or patch it could mean they have found a new flaw in their software, installing these patches will make your computer to be less vulnerable to malware attack.
If you run a Windows Operating system, your are more likely to be attacked than if you run any other operating system, so make sure you install spyware removal tool and antivirus software that updates its database very often so it can defend you against new virus attack, and without a doubt all Windows Operating System security fixes should be applied.
Be proactive, create a backup on your machine and create restore point often so that you can easily restore or roll back to a previous state when your machine was at its optimum performance.

Antivirus Suits/ Security Suits (Why you need it):

Security suits or packages are actually collection of security softwares bundled in a single program. These suits contain a single software which provides you security from almost all types of threat. For example: a proper security-suit provides you with a proper antivirus, antispyware, Trojan remover, adware or popup blockers and firewall. You can also download these softwares separately.

Features your security suit should have:

Anti virus - anti virus software ideally should not only be able to detect and block incoming viruses, but should be able to detect viruses that are already in your system and clean them out. Since there are new viruses constantly being made, as well as thousands of existing known viruses, the best thing to look for in a virus software is an extensive database of viruses it can deal with, as well as constant updates on the latest viruses.

Anti Spyware - spyware is a form of virus that you should definitely consider protecting yourself against. It is not a self-replicating and destructive virus, spyware actually inserts itself into your system and allows a hacker on a remote terminal to access your personal information this can range from simply monitoring and viewing your information and activities, to actually controlling your computer's functions. Spyware protection programs ideally should be able to not only block intrusion attempts, but to detect active spyware that manages to sneak in your system, and cut off its access.

Anti Trojan Programs - Trojan viruses are special viruses that are usually disguised as a different program. For example, a trojan virus may appear to be a harmless game or a music file that you can download. Anti Trojan Programs scan all files that you attempt to download off the internet and existent on your computer to make sure they are secure. Like regular anti virus programs, make sure the anti trojan program you select has a good coverage of known trojans.

Adware and Pop-Up Blockers - these are specialized programs similar to firewalls whose primary purpose is to keep ads, spam, and annoying pop ups from flooding your screen when you're accessing the internet. While not necessarily harmful, the sheer volume of these can, if unrestricted by a blocker, bring your computer speed down drastically.

Firewalls - these are geared towards blocking active attempts by other terminals to access your computer over the internet. When looking for a free firewall, find one that has an easy user interface. This is because firewall settings are a major determinant in the extent of security they provide, so the interface should allow you to easily adjust these settings to suit your needs.

The security suit you intend to buy or download for free must contain most of these features. You can also buy or download these programs separately. Make sure you update them regularly for they also need to know about the latest threats that can affect your computer.

Bluetooth Security:

These days, all communication technology faces the issue of privacy and identity theft, with Bluetooth being no exception. Almost everyone knows that email services and networks require security. What users of Bluetooth need to realize is that Bluetooth also requires security measures as well.The good news for Bluetooth users is that the security scares, like most scares, are normally over dramatized and blown entirely out of proportion. The truth being told, these issues are easy to manage, with various measures already in place to provide security for Bluetooth technology.It's true that there has been some Bluetooth phones that have been hacked into. Most devices that are hacked into are normally those that don't have any type of security at all.According to Bluetooth specialists, in order to hack into a Bluetooth device, the hacker must:1.Force two paired devices to break their connection.2.Steal the packets that are used to resend the pin.3.Decode the pin.Of course, the hacker must also be within range of the device, and using very expensive developer type equipment. Most specialists recommend that you have a longer pin, with 8 digits being recommended.Fundamentals of securityThe "pairing process" is one of the most basic levels of security for Bluetooth devices. Pairing, is two or more Bluetooth devices that recognize each other by the profiles they share - in most cases they both must enter the same pin.The core specifications for Bluetooth use an encryption algorithm, which is completely and entirely secure. Once the devices pair with each other, they too become entirely secure.Until they have successfully paired, the Bluetooth devices won't communicate with each other. Due to this pairing process and the fact that it is short range - Bluetooth technology is considered to be secure.As the news has indicated, experienced hackers have developed ways to get around this level of basic security. There are ways to get around this threat, as you can install software to prevent hackers from getting in.With Bluetooth becoming more and more popular, it's really no wonder that security is always in question. As Bluetooth gets bigger and better, security will always be something that no one really takes lightly.If you've been concerned about Bluetooth security in the past, rest assured that newer devices will offer bigger and better security. Preventing hackers from getting in is something every owner is concerned about - and the manufacturer's are very aware.