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IP Addresses and Security

February 26, 2009 By

A reader wrote me to ask about IP address security. I’m not really sure whether he meant keeping his IP address a secret, or whether he was asking if someone could break into his network and use his ISP connection with his IP address, so, let’s first look at the idea of keeping one’s IP address a secret…

Terry,I just recently came across your site and have joined your online email newletter. I have a question relating to I.P.addresses.I have a home network,router(encrypted /password required ),a firewall (not Win xp),several antispyware programs.The other day my ISP sent me an email,alleging I had violated copyright laws and had downloaded a movie from some place in [identifying information removed - Terry].I called my ISP and we discussed it,I did not download any movies and never heard of the film co.in question,my concern was how would they obtain my IP address,as it is like a fingerprint.I asked my ISP is there any way a 3rd.party could gain access to my wireless network and they could not provide an answer as to how this happened and advised me to disregard it.Is there a way for a 3rd.party to obtain my IP address ?? this is a security concern to myself and my wife. Thank you for your time

I wrote back to him to explain thatt the real question is not how they got his IP address, but how they tied that IP address to him. Only his ISP can do that, unless you logged in somewhere (or used an ID that linked to his name or email address) or in the program used to access it.

First, let’s go through how TCP/IP works – how the computers communicate like …

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Filed Under: Communications, Networking, Security, System, Terry's Computer Tips

Home Networking — Wired + Wireless Connections

February 17, 2009 By

The simplest way to set up a home network, including both computers with wired connections and computers with wireless connections, is to set up a wireless router immediately following your DSL modem or Cable modem. Sometimes, a DSL modem even has the router built into it.

In this setup, all the computers are assigned their IP addresses by the DHCP server that is built into the router. All are on the same logical network. However, their ability to share files, printers, and otherwise communicate between each other will depend on your settings in each computer.

In order to share files, you have to tell Windows (or Linux, etc.) to enable file and printer sharing, identify which directories should be shared, and have the computers on the same Windows Workgroup (or Windows domain, if you’re a very advanced user running a Windows domain controller). You’ll also have to tell the firewall programs on each computer to allow the sharing with the other computers — or the firewall will block the data.

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Filed Under: Networking, Performance Tweaks, Security, Security Issues, Terry's Computer Tips, Vista, Windows Vista, Windows XP

Switching to WPA2 Wireless Encryption

October 19, 2008 By

OK, after reading Improving Your Wireless Security about WPA2 wireless encryption, you’ve downloaded the WPA2 encryption patch for Windows XP — or you’ve installed XP Service Pack 3, which includes the patch.

How do you switch to it? It’s easy.

First, we need to get to the router to make the change there. The procedure will vary by brand, but should be fairly obvious. The steps are to:

1. Use your web browser to log into your router
2. Select the Wireless Security settings tab
On the Linksys WRT54G, that’s Wireless < Wireless Security
3. Now, change the Security mode to WPA2 Personal (the name varies by manufacturer —
...

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Filed Under: Communications, Networking, Security, Terry's Computer Tips, Wireless

Improving Your Wireless Security

October 16, 2008 By

If you’ve read some of my other articles about having an open, unsecured wireless network versus securing your wireless network so that others can not get into it, you know that I believe in security.

I recommend that everyone secure their wireless network to the extent possible. It’s impossible to completely secure a wireless system, but you can block out most users. You can make it difficult for others to use your network.

The point is to make the process hard enough that the visitor — the unauthorized person who is trying to use your network for normal Internet usage or illegal and/or immoral actions — decides to use someone else’s network.

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Filed Under: Communications, Networking, Security, Software, System, Terry's Computer Tips, Vista, Windows Updates, Windows XP

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Woes

October 5, 2008 By

So far, I’ve still avoided installing the new Windows XP Service Pack 3. I know that a lot of people have installed it without any problems.

However, when there is a problem, it is not trivial! Recently, two subscribers wrote to tell me of their horror stories and ask for suggestions on solving them.

Delmer Tergarden wrote to say that he had installed Windows Service Pack SP3 and the drivers for both the CD and DVD drives stopped working. Even though he restored the system to its state just before back up, his CD and DVD drives still were not recognized by Windows. He wanted to know how to get the drives working again.

I wrote back to say:

I haven’t installed XP SP3 yet, to avoid running into any of the early-adapter problems like you did. That’s why I think Microsoft made a blunder in its choice to push SP3 as a high-importance update as its initial release. It really abuses our trust of the update system.

Anyway, …

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Filed Under: Operating System, Security, Security Fixes, Software, System, Terry's Computer Tips, Windows Updates, Windows XP

Anti-Spam Program Choices

July 29, 2008 By

Subscriber and long-time reader Scott Adler wrote to me about his experiences with three of the various anti-spam programs. I’ve used Mailwasher Pro and PopFile and like both, but they are entirely different in their approach to spam. My current choice is PopFile.

I’ve also mentioned iHateSpam, which is from the same company that offers my choice in anti-spyware and firewall programs; however, I don’t use iHateSpam because I don’t use Outlook Express or Outlook as my email program (I use Eudora).

The three anti-spam programs you speak about have quite different impact on ones PC.. I’ve been using I Hate Spam but it’s use brings a slowdown to the reaction of the computer. As the files of friends and enemies build up the computer runs slower and slower until it almost freezes up. That’s what happened to me and it took three days of agonizing trouble shooting before I recognized where the problem lay.

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Filed Under: Anti-spam, Communications, Outlook, Outlook Express, Security, Shopping Deals, Software, Terry's Computer Tips

Emails and Spam Filters

June 17, 2008 By

Several people recently have had the emails, that they sent, fall victim to spam filters somewhere before getting to their recipients.

In one case of which I know, the email was sent to a mailing list. Many mailing list programs have filtering routines that are designed to block unwanted messages — not just blocking unsolicited commercial emails, but also blocking emails that appear to be help requests to the mailing list administrators.

Mailman, one of the more popular mailing list programs, does this kind of filtering so that all the list members don’t get the messages that appear aimed at the list owner. In particular, the filter is usually triggered by one- or two-word Subject lines in the email, especially if they have words like Help, Information, Info, Lists, Options, Remove, Unsubscribe and such.

So, what’s the fix? Don’t use a one- or two-word Subject line. Take the time to write a meaningful Subject.

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Filed Under: Anti-spam, Communications, Email, Eudora, Opera, Outlook, Outlook Express, Security, Security Issues, Software, Terry's Computer Tips, Thunderbird

Passwords, Password Lists and Keeping Passwords Secure

May 30, 2008 By

I’m often asked about how I handle passwords for all the different sites that require passwords.

The questioner’s eyes get pretty big when I mention that I use random mixtures of letters and numbers for my passwords, and even bigger when I say that I use a different password on every site.

The immediate question is “How can you keep track of them all?”

The answer is one of the reasons that I use a PDA, a Personal Digital Assistant. In my case, it is the PalmOS v4 based Sony Clié SJ-33, which I’ve used for a couple years.

The program that lets me keep track of these is called Secret! (yes, there’s an exclamation mark as part of the name). Secret! has long been available for PalmOS. I didn’t realize it, but it is also available for Pocket PC handhelds, too. According to the publisher’s web site (http://linkesoft.com/secret/index.html), Secret! runs on all Pocket PC handhelds with Windows Mobile 2003, 2003 SE, and the current Windows Mobile 5.0.

Secret! uses the 128-bit International Data Encryption Algorithm (IDEA) encryption system to keep the data protected. Of course, it requires a password to get into Secret!

What happens if my PDA breaks?

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Filed Under: Security, Terry's Computer Tips

Adware Ties into Internet Explorer

March 28, 2008 By

This week, I received a query from a reader about a warning message he was receiving:

Hi Terry , I was wondering if perhaps you can help me , I have this very annoying adware that occurs EVERYTIME at startup …. not-a-virus:Adware.Win32.BHO.cr Now althugh this doesn’t appeato be causing any problem on my PC and I get delete it , it is still annoying to do this everytime . Is there anything you can suggest to REMOVE this adware from startup . Pls note : I am not computer savvy and my experience is limited , so I would need exact steps If you could help me , it would be greatly appreciated Regards

I’m not familiar with this particular message, but a little quick searching via Google showed that a number of people had posted similar questions on forums — and they all seemed to use

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Filed Under: Anti-adware, Anti-spyware, Anti-Trojan, Anti-virus, Security, Security Fixes, System, Terry's Computer Tips, Vista, Windows XP

Preparing An Old Computer to be Recycled

January 8, 2008 By

Recently, Agnes Brach wrote to me with a question that, eventually, applies to all of us:

Hello Terry,
I enjoy your newsletter very much. I have a question that has been on my mind for a while. I have an old computer which i would like to recycle, but have absolutely no idea how to wipe the machine clean. Could you please give me some ideas of what i can do. Have to tell you that I can work the computer pretty well, but do not have a deep knowledge of the inner workings of the machine.

If you’re going to donate or sell your old computer, or even throw it away, you have a basic decision to make — how bad do you want to wipe out your personal history and data on the drive?

None of the disk wiping systems are convenient, easy nor fast. In order to wipe the disk, they have to overwrite every spot on the disk multiple times with different characters.

Continue reading Preparing An Old Computer to be Recycled

Filed Under: Hard Drives, Security, Security Issues, System, Terry's Computer Tips
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