How much safer are you with your antivirus

Hello my dear readers, Hope you people are fine,

I am sharing my post after couple of days due to busy schedule. We all are well aware of anti-viruses and their effectiveness since 1980’s when the term anti-virus was first establishing its name in the field of digital world. since then this word is jostling in the mind of computer users. In early years users did’nt gave  much weightage but as time passed and uses of computers and its applications increased, security measures to avoid any damage to softwares becomes a concern and the hence the importance of the antivirus was felt first. But a debate continued as to whether AVs are necessary or not. Sceptics sometimes blame security providers of hyperbolizing the issue. Some even reached to the extent of blame that the security companies create their own malwares and then put its crack later in market to establish and carry on their business. 

Former Firefox developer Robert O’ Callahan in his blog (www.snipca.com/23283) urged window 10 users to uninstall their antivirus saying that antivirus sellers are terrible. He recommended Windows defender as capable of any of the antivirus available in the market. This is what the topic I want to share over here. Yes, if the user is upto genuine windows and is having regular updates from Microsoft he/she must not be afraid of attacks or safety to maximum extent. Microsoft company itself worked and is working a lot in view of safety issues of the windows and utilities of Microsoft itself is providing all the common measures to keep its user safe and secure.

Why a big company like Microsoft will ignore such a major aspect of its product. As per former mozilla developer Antivirus hurt security significantly and poison other softwares of the windows as well. He draws on his own experience blaming AVs for blocking security updates to the browser which consumed major time of developer in fixing this. Security blogger Graham Cluley acknowledged that AVs sometimes suffered from its own flaws and vulnerablities. But people are crazy enough to use web without using one. In security lab test Microsoft defender did’nt overcome all security issues and failed in 10% but still it is recommended a better option than other rivals of the market. 

In my own experience, I tried to install one new AV as my old one getting expire a day after installation of new one and my new antivirus shows other as presence of virus. To my shock I tried to remove the files (vault backup) from my computer as there are chances when AVs put your infected files into their vault but still my new AV kept on showing my old one as virus. As per my view since XP is not being updated now from Microsoft and most of latest AVs do not offer any installation to XP hence safety of windows XP is on the verge of infection. Similarly windows vista and windows 7 too are vulnerable to an extent as these windows possess some old files which continued even in its latest versions too. Hence updating windows till windows 7 do not offer as much safety as required.Hence good antivirus becomes a necessity in this case. But windows 8 and 10 do provide a tough security to the sneakers if are updated to latest versions. 

In all I must say if your are using genuine windows with later versions your worry chances are reduced to large extent but still you can use antivirus with customized using capabilities for hastlefree browsing but pirated windows do need antivirus softwares from security point of view. Windows updates and availability of antivirus both are the need of hour as one cannot stay safe since thousands of attacks are being faced by your PC within an hour of your browsing in open world.

Thanks for reading

Jagat

Data Security tips – Learn how to secure your data

Hello dear readers, Hope you all are fine

Day 28th of January, celebrated as “Data Privacy Day” recognized annually to be celebrated, by almost all the concerned developing as well as developed countries of the world and also those who are on brim to enter the digital world. It is an initiative to safeguard personal data, entrusting faith and respect of privacy and enabling binding effort in the field against digital furtiveness. A global effort has been made through this annual “data privacy day” to raise and promote awareness around for data safeguard and protection among the users.

Here are some safety tips, (basically promoted by antivirus company, but edited and added as per requirement by me) to safeguard and get the data protected:-

1. Strong and unique passwords : Couple of years ago, I read and article about a survey done by a private hackers group about common password used by the people and to their utter surprise most of the passwords used are : Iloveyou, Ihateyou, welcome, personal, 1234567890,personified,password,hacked or contact number or most common are the name of  girlfriend or boyfriend or self name with 123. But to safeguard change password of online accounts frequently. Use more than 10 character alphanumericals with both upper and lower case and symbol. the best way to type short form (abbriviation)  of your most favourite song (like There’s someone for me somewhere Tsofmsw and add your fav lucky number with it and symbol  or your   DOB   too Tsofmsw08#14feb86) it was found that hackers will take about 250 years to get it cracked through classical methods of hacking.
2. Data Back up : Take the backup of all of your mobile as well as computer data on cloud storage (read my topic what is cloud storage)  or External Hard disc drive.This will protect your data from virus attacks, aftermath of sudden crash of system and ransomeware shocks. (Ransomware is current scenario of malware attack which hijack the whole system data and demand money for release of the data.
3. Use genuine and trusted antivirus : Use trusted antivirus which use multilayered protection and block ransomware, fake, infected and phishing websites, emails designed for phishing attacks, malicious downloads, and unauthorized data storage devices and encrypt the data automatically for safety and future use.
4. Safe data disposal : Data privacy not only concerns with safety of data under use but also protecting your private data which according to your goodself has been deleted but it actually remained buried under files system of disc and can be recovered by advanced/sophosticated recovery tools . Emptying recycle bin or shift deleting files is not secure enough.The data which you delete can be retrieved back any time with the help of utility / recovery tools.Hence always use three level deleting process by using software provided by various antivirus companies one I know is Quickheal, Bitdefender etc.
5. Phishing (read my note “what is Phishing): This is a trick to scoop out your data through their script oriented page which is lookalike of famous account sites. An attempt to trick you into providing your personal or financial details so that the attacker can commit illegal acts using your name.Always ignore unepected communications from unknown sources asking for online help and report them to the right authority.
6. Avoid storing sensitive data like banking details, credit card codes, social security codes, IDs Passwords on mobiles and computers. If you like to do so try to get it in encrypted formats. There are may sites and softwares which encrypt and decrypt your data online whenever and whereever required.Encryption convert your data in coded forms unable to use by any other.
7. Avoid Sharing : Don’t share your personal details online with any one. Social engineering can peep into your personal entities through their skills. Avoid forwarding your codes,PINs through mobiles and mails. Dont fill informations in survey forms, Online social friends unsolicited mails etc
8. Unsecured open wifi networks are more dangerous and boon for hackers. Banking and online shopping through unsecured wifi helps attackers to steal your data. While operating through these mediums get assured that such things are secured through IDs and Passwords.
9. Reliable source’s App Installation: Install application through reliable sources only. Read reviews of the app many times before installing and giving permissions to access your data , pictures and documents. An app may asks for permissions that are not actually required for it to function on your device. e.g Torch light app. asks for permission to access devices location, pictures contact details etc. can arise suspicion  chances are it is a malicious or a potentially dangerous app. So, stay cautious against such threats.
10. Protection of Hardware : Protect your hardware from physical theft which ultimately leads to stealth of your personal data and passing of it from one hand to other. Mobile devices carry large amount of personal data in the form of photographs,videos and other sensitive contacts and information and if the mobile is stolen all data will passed to one unknown person and chances are there of misuse.

Hope this knowledge can add a bit to your awareness. 

Thanks for bearing

Jagat.