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How to Prevent a Data Disaster

Rick Broida, PC World

A corrupted Outlook database trashes your e-mail archive and contact list. An accidentally deleted folder wipes out critical business documents. A sudden hard-drive failure destroys your MP3s and photo libraries. The list of potential catastrophes goes on and on, and few users are prepared to deal with them. That's because they lack a diversified backup plan.

From a certain point of view, data is a little like money. Financial advisors always recommend maintaining a diversified portfolio, the idea being that if one stock or mutual fund tanks, you won't go broke. The same concept applies to backups: By diversifying your approach--that is, archiving your data in multiple places using multiple methods--you're safe even if disaster strikes one location or collection of data.

Let's take a look at the ways you can expand your backup portfolio to protect against the inevitable data catastrophe. To ensure the safey of your important files, I recommend using at least a few of the following methods in unison.

Method 1: The Full-System Backup

With external 300GB hard drives readily available for as little as $100, there's no reason not to keep one plugged into your PC. Pair it with a drive-cloning utility like Casper 4.0, which can perform scheduled, incremental backups with or without compression. A full-system backup to an attached drive is your best line of defense against data loss: In the event of total failure, it's a simple matter to restore every bit and byte to a replacement drive.

Method 2: The Remote, Data-Only Backup

While it's great to archive your entire hard drive, don't overlook the benefits of backing up just your critical data: documents, bookmarks, financial records, e-mail, address books, and so on. Why bother? Simple: Sometimes you just want to restore a handful of files or a select chunk of data. Plus, data-only backups take a lot less time than full system backups.

For this step, look to an online backup service like iDrive or MozyHome. Both offer 2GB of free storage and the option to upgrade to unlimited storage for $5 a month. Mozy relies on client software to help you select both common file types to back up and important user data files for programs like Outlook and Quicken, while iDrive uses an Explorer-style interface for selecting specific files and folders to preserve. The real advantage to both services is that they work automatically and in the background, uploading new and changed files while you work (or at scheduled times). That kind of set-it-and-forget-it backup is well worth a few bucks every month.

If you'd rather save your pennies and don't mind taking a more hands-on approach, loads of services let you park files online free of charge. ADrive, for one, offers 50GB of absolutely free storage. However, no synchronization is involved: It's up to you to pick and choose which files to upload, and when. Thus, use these services for files that don't change all that often, like MP3 and photo libraries.

Method 3: The Spare-PC Backup

These days it's not uncommon to own two or more PCs, and if you have family members under the same roof, they probably have their own machines as well. Why not create a "backup network" that leverages everyone's hard drives? All you need is SyncToy 2.0, one of Microsoft's free PowerToy utilities. With it, you can create "folder pairs" between PCs, copying files between them with a single click. This is a great way to sync, say, disparate photo libraries between your PC and your spouse's, and to create a backup of both in the process.

If your PCs aren't on the same network--one is at home and another is at work, for instance--try Microsoft's Windows Live FolderShare, which syncs files across the Internet (and does so automatically; SyncToy requires you to manually resync whenever you change or add files). FolderShare's advantage is that you can expand your backup network to include friends, syncing critical files to their machines and vice-versa. Like SyncToy, FolderShare costs nothing to use.

Method 4: The Document Backup

If you're a Google Docs user, you know that this Web-based office suite can import documents from Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. But wouldn't it be great if you could actually synchronize those kinds of documents between your PC and the suite? You can with DocSyncer, a free tool that's currently in beta. Though intended to make your files accessible anywhere you go, it also creates a perfect backup of your Office documents within Google Docs (and, for that matter, a backup of your Google Docs documents on your PC). Currently the beta is limited to syncing files contained in your My Documents folder, so you may have to do a little shuffling if your files reside elsewhere.

Method 5: The Bookmark Backup

If you're like most users, you've accumulated years' worth of bookmarks in your browser--a collection you definitely don't want to lose. Fortunately, it's a snap to copy those bookmarks to the Web for easy retrieval if the need ever arises. Firefox users should install the free Foxmarks plug-in, while Internet Explorer users can accomplish the same thing with BookmarkSync. Incidentally, both tools can also keep your bookmarks in sync across multiple PCs, and both let you access them from any browser.

Method 6: The E-Mail Backup

Are you an e-mail packrat? If so, you'd probably be loathe to lose your archives. Start with one of two free backup utilities designed expressly for e-mail: Amic Email Backup, which copies everything--including your address book, account settings, and message rules--to a single compressed file; or Mailstore Home, which duplicates all your mail into a searchable archive and optionally backs it up to CDs or DVDs.

Amic supports nine e-mail clients, including Outlook, Outlook Express, and Eudora. Mailstore Home works with Windows Mail, Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird, and Seamonkey.

Of course, unless you put those discs in a safe or upload the archive file to the Web, those kinds of backups are still vulnerable to fires and other local disasters. That's one reason to consider routing your e-mail through Gmail IMAP, which effectively creates a Web-based archive by syncing mail between Google's servers and your PC.

Start by signing up for a free Gmail account, then enabling IMAP and following the configuration instructions for your mail client. Then you can either configure your mail account to forward all messages to your Gmail account or set up Gmail's Mail Fetcher to retrieve messages from your ISP's POP3 server. From then on, all of your mail will go through Gmail, giving you more than 6GB of storage space for messages and attachments, and some excellent spam filtering in the bargain. Once you have everything set up, you'll forever have copies of your messages available in your Web-accessible Gmail account. That's not only an ideal e-mail backup, but just plain handy, too.

Method 7: The Already-In-Your-Pocket Backup

Finally, we come to the backups you already have--but don't know you do. For example, if you carry a smart phone or PDA that syncs with your PC, it's like having a mobile backup of your contacts, calendar, memos, and tasks. In the event of desktop data loss, just sync your device to restore everything to Outlook, Palm Desktop, or whatever contact manager you use. (Be sure to make a one-time adjustment to the sync settings so everything gets copied from the device to the PC, not the other way around.)

Likewise, if you own an iPod, a Zune, or other media player, you can use it to restore a lost or damaged music library. iPod users should check out iPod Folder, which copies music directly from the player to any folder on your Windows and Mac system. You can even store the program on your iPod so it's available on the spot. Zune owners need to tweak the Windows Registry to make the device appear as a removable hard drive, after which it's a simple matter to drag all your songs from device to desktop. You can do the same thing with any MP3 player that your PC recognizes as a hard drive.

உலகம் அழிந்து கொண்டு வருகிறது

உலகம் அழிந்து கொண்டு வருகிறது

நன்றி:- http://girirajnet.blogspot.com/2008/08/blog-post_08.html

ஒரு வாரமா எல்லோரும் குசேலன் படம் நல்லா இருக்கு குசேலன் குப்பை குசேலன் படம் நாசமாக போகனும்னு பேசிட்டு இருக்கோம் ..ஆனா அதை விட முக்கியமா நாம் செய்யும் சுற்று புற சீர்கேட்டால் நம் உலகமே அழிந்து கொண்டு வருகிறது, அதை பற்றி யாரும் கவலை பட்ட மாதிரி தெரியல.

உலகம் முழுவதும் சுற்றுப்புற சீர்கேட்டால் வெப்பத்தின் அளவு அதிகரித்து கொண்டு வருகிறது. இதனால் பருவ நிலை மாற்றங்கள் ஏற்பட்டு வெள்ளப்பெருக்கு பஞ்சம் பனி உருகுதல் கடல் நீரின் அளவு மிக வேகமாக அதிகரித்தல், பல புதிய நோய்கள், என்று அனைவரையும் பாதிப்புக்கு உள்ளாக்கி வருகிறது.

வெப்பமே பார்த்திராத நாடுகள் கூட தற்போது வெப்பத்தை பார்த்து பயந்து போய் உள்ளன. மின்சிறி என்ற ஒன்றை பயன்படுத்தி இருக்காத நாடுகள் எல்லாம் அதை பயன்படுத்த வேண்டிய நிலைமைக்கு தள்ளப்பட்டு விட்டன.

இந்நிலைக்கு காரணம் காடுகள் அழிப்பு, எந்த காலத்திலும் மக்காத பிளாஸ்டிக் பொருட்கள் பயன்பாடு, தொழிற்சாலைகள் வெளியிடும் சுத்திகரிக்காத கழிவுகள், குண்டு பல்புகள், இவை தவிர பல காரணங்கள், இவை நம் அன்றாட வாழ்க்கையோடு சம்பந்தப்பட்டவை.

நம்மால் முடிந்த அளவு இதற்க்கு துணை போகாமல் இருக்கலாம், முக்கியமாக பிளாஸ்டிக் பொருட்களின் பயன்பாட்டை குறைக்கலாம், குண்டு பல்பு அதிக வெப்பத்தை உண்டு பண்ணுகிறது அதை பயன்படுத்துவதை தவிர்க்கலாம், தங்களது வீடுகளில் முடிந்தவர்கள் மரம் வளர்க்கலாம், மின்சார பயன்பாடு இல்லாத போது அதை எரிய விட்டு கொண்டு இருப்பதை நிறுத்தலாம். இவை எல்லாம் நம்மால் முடிய கூடிய எளிதான உதவிகளே.

இன்று இரவு (8-8-08) 8 மணிக்கு இதை மக்களிடைய இதன் தாக்கத்தை உணர செய்ய ஒரு விழிப்புணர்வு ஏற்படுத்த எக்ஸ்னோரா அமைப்பு அனைவரையும் 8 நிமிடம் அனைத்து மின்சார விளக்குகளையும் அனைத்து இதற்க்கு உதவுமாறு கேட்டுக்கொண்டுள்ளது. (இதை பயன்படுத்தி எவனும் திருடிட்டு போகாம இருந்தா சரி)

நம் தமிழக அரசு பாதி நேரம் மின்சாரமே தருவதில்லை, இவர்கள் உலக மக்கள் மீது ரொம்ப அன்பு வைத்து ரொம்ப தீவிரமா கடை பிடிக்கறாங்க போல, சரி அதை விடுங்க. அது தான் அவர்களே பாதி நேரம் மின்சாரத்தை நிறுத்தி விடுகிறார்களே நாம் 8 நிமிடம் நிறுத்தி புதுசா என்ன செய்ய போகிறோம் என்று கேட்க வேண்டாம், இதனால் நாம் பெரிய உதவி செய்துவிட போவதில்லை, இது முக்கியமாக மக்களிடையே விழிப்புணர்வு ஏற்படுத்தவே இவ்வாறு செய்ய சொல்கிறார்கள், மற்றபடி வேறு எந்த விசயமும் இல்லை. எனென்றால் பாதி பேருக்கு வருஷா வருஷம் வெய்யில் அதிகமாகிட்டே வருகிறதே அப்படிங்கற அளவுல தான் தெரியும் ஆனால் அது எதனால் அதிகம் ஆகிறது என்று தெரியாது. அதனால் விதண்டா வாதம் பேசாமல் உலக சுற்றுப்புற சூழலில் பங்கெடுத்து கொள்ளுங்கள்.

நேற்று பல பதிவர்களின் பதிவுகளில் சென்று இது பற்றி பின்னூட்டம் போட்டு விழிப்புணர்வு ஏற்படுத்த முயற்சி செய்த கோவை விஜய்க்கு என் வாழ்த்துக்கள்.

How to Build a Blog With WordPress

Tired of toying with the puny tools that cookie-cutter blog services provide? Follow the steps in this easy guide to install a WordPress blog on your own domain and personalize your Web presence.

Zack Stern, PC World

If blogging is all about self-expression, why do so many blogs look so blah?

Most beginner "blahgs," it seems, are generated using free services whose customization options are meager at best. But you can break the monotony and supercharge your Weblog by installing your own blogging software and customizing it as you like. You'll control how your site looks and functions--and when you're finished, you'll have a distinctive-looking blog that you can easily update to keep it fresh and functional.

Dozens of great blogging tools are available, and PC World has rated several of them. Among the most popular and versatile of these is WordPress. You can easily scale it to your needs, so it can handle a basic family blog or a professional blog or news site with equal aplomb. The latest version, WordPress 2.5, offers photo gallery support, powerful media management options, multiple file uploading, a new look, and more. And because it supports a host of plug-ins and widgets, you can quickly introduce additional features as needed.

I'll explain how to get started with the installation, how to customize your blog, and how to create posts. If you just want to dabble with a free, hosted WordPress site, visit WordPress.com; But if you want to take full control of WordPress's powerful content management and site design features, including your own personal domain name, you'll need the WordPress software (note that the free software is available at WordPress.org, not at WordPress.com) and a Web hosting account to install it on. Using the WordPress software, you'll be able to adjust a multitude of settings to craft your own unique, easy-to-manage site.

What You'll Need

To get started with your WordPress blog, you'll need four or five basic things.

1. A Web hosting account with PHP version 4.3 and MySQL version 4.0 or later enabled.

2. A MySQL database to store your blog's data in. You'll create this during the WordPress installation process.

3. A text editor, such as Notepad (on Windows) or Text Edit (on the Mac). A simple text editor produces better results than a full-blown word processor such as Microsoft Word.

4. An FTP client, such as FileZilla for Windows or CyberDuck for Mac, to simplify and accelerate the process of uploading the WordPress installation files to your hosting service.

5. An image editor, though optional, can be very helpful if you want to create your own custom themes. One good, free option is The GIMP (that is, the GNU Image Manipulation Program), which includes many features that rival Adobe Photoshop provides, minus the price tag.

6. Install WordPress

   WordPress requires PHP version 4.3 or higher, and MySQL version 4.0 or higher. These tools allow WordPress to execute scripts and manage databases that instantly propagate your Web page. Check with your Web host to confirm that it supports these pieces and that they are installed successfully; the vast majority of hosting companies offer these features as part of their standard services.

   At the heart of every WordPress blog is a MySQL database that contains all of its posts and settings. It's a good idea to set up this database on your host server before you start working with individual WordPress files. That way you can customize your configuration file before uploading it, which is a significant time saver.

   To create the database, log into your hosting service's control panel--cPanel, phpMyAdmin, Plesk, or whatever the interface may be. Somewhere in the main control panel, you should see a listing for MySQL databases. My host uses cPanel, so I clicked the MySQL Databases icon, typed in a name for my new database--'wordpress'--and clicked Create Database. I also typed in a new user--'blog'--and password, and then clicked Create User. You can choose whatever names you like for your database and user, but your process should be similar to mine.

   If you haven't already, you should download the free WordPress software to your computer and extract the files onto your desktop. All of them should be contained in a folder labeled 'wordpress'. Within the wordpress folder, locate the file named 'wp-config-sample.php' and rename it wp-config.php. Then open this file in a plain-text editor (such as Notepad on Windows or TextEdit on a Mac), and replace 'putyourdbnamehere', 'usernamehere', and 'yourpasswordhere' in the file with your database name, your user name, and your password, respectively. Leave the other formatting--such as spaces and single quotes--intact.

   Now upload the WordPress files--excluding the outer wordpress folder itself--to the root directory of your host account. You'll probably want to use one of the FTP programs mentioned earlier under "What You'll Need" to move everything swiftly, instead of pursuing the click-heavy method of doing everything within a browser-based control panel.

   The folder that you place all of your content in will determine where visitors go to see your blog. If you want the root page to contain the blog, put everything into a directory on your host. If you want to store the page at another URL, such as 'http://mywwebsite.com/blog', create a folder named 'blog' at that level, and put the WordPress files inside. The root directory for your hosted Web site will usually have a name like 'public_html' or 'http_docs'.

   Finish the installation with your Web browser. Visit the directory where you made the installation, plus the extension 'wp-admin/install.php'. For example, if you put everything in a folder named 'blog', visit 'http://mywebsite.com/blog/wp-admin/install.php'. If the WordPress files are in your root Web directory, go to 'http://mywebsite.com/wp-admin/install.php'. Enter basic details such as the blog name and your e-mail address, and click Install WordPress.

   That should complete the initial installation. Visit your blog URL in another window to see how the site looks to the outside world. If you notice a problem, consult the troubleshooting tips related to your specific situation at the WordPress Codex.

7. Design Your Blog

   Your WordPress blog can be customized to an astonishing degree, giving your site unique functionality in addition to a distinctive look. I'll explain how to make simple design tweaks, how to import free themes that bring their own style, how to add plug-ins for custom functionality, and how to create your own custom theme.

   Log in to your dashboard by visiting 'http://your-domain-name.com/wp-admin'. (This location is the same as the directory where you uploaded the files.) Click the Settings tab in the top right to make a few initial alterations. Change the blog title, the tagline, and the time zone as needed. Click Save Changes.

   You can make simple adjustments to the blog header through the 'Design', 'Header Image', and 'Color' tabs. Click the buttons to adjust the font color, and change the background gradient by clicking Upper Color and Lower Color. (Use the same color if you want a solid layer.) Click Update Header to modify your blog immediately.

   For a larger-scale change, try replacing the default themes. New themes shuffle all of your post details into different layouts and looks, and many themes are free to download through WordPress and other sites. Visit the WordPress Theme Viewer to sample officially tested designs.

   I like to check a few of the design options in the left menu, such as '2 columns' and 'right sidebar' to narrow the results; then I browse through the choices. Another option is to type a word in the upper-right search box. Try searching for 'wind', 'rain', 'night', and other poetic descriptors to see the range of different designs. If you like one theme, be sure to check out others from the same designer; to do this, click the More themes by this author link.

   Once you find one or more themes that could work for your site, download them to your computer. Themes should come with installation instructions, but in general you just upload their folder into '/wp-content/themes'. Back in your 'Design, Themes' tab, click the new theme to apply it to your site instantly.

   Build Your Own Theme

   Building a theme from scratch can be daunting, so I recommend that you dive into the theme development page at the WordPress Codex before getting started. Or check out the 5-minute tutorial at BotHack for a brief introduction to how themes work.

   Before I learned how to build my own theme from scratch, I used the Wordpress Theme Generator to save time. Though it permitsa much smaller degree of customization, it easily manipulates many settings to produce a unique look quickly.

   To begin, visit the free site. The left column controls your settings, and the right side offers a live preview of how the page will look. Step through the options to make your own design. The 'Site name' section controls your masthead logo. Click the white box to change the font color, or enter the URL for your custom JPEG or GIF image. Any custom graphics will be referenced from their original location, not downloaded into a theme--so if you change or erase the original files, your blog will lose those graphics. I recommend that you upload them to your server and then enter that URL.

   I retained a two-column design but customized the background pattern and text colors. If appropriate, click the Preview button in the lower-left corner to refresh the right pane as you adjust settings. I ran into a few bugs--in particular, I had trouble changing an already-entered image URL--but with a little patience, I got everything set up. Click the Save button to generate the theme as a ZIP file. Then extract the ZIP file, and upload the full theme folder containing the PHP and other files to your server's '/wp-content/themes' directory. In the WordPress dashboard, select the Design, Themes tab, and click the new theme to make the change.

8. Log In and Create a Post

   Your blog is built and (mostly) configured. In just a few more steps you'll be able to begin posting. The initial user is named 'admin', and this is the name that will appear as the author signoff on posts. Click the Users tab to add your own identity. Fill in the details, and choose the role of Administrator to give your new account full powers. If other people will be contributing to your blog, give them limited powers. An Editor can create posts and publish content from other writers but can't access all of the admin settings; an Author can write and publish posts; a Contributor can write but not publish posts; and a Subscriber can write comments but not posts.

   When you're ready to post, log out and then log back in using the new account. Click the Write button in the upper-left part of the screen, and begin blogging. Create a title and some text. I like to write the body of my post offline in a plain-text editor and then paste it here. That way, if my Internet connection or browser breaks, I won't lose any work. Either way, click the Save button on the right frequently as you progress.

   Use the word processor-style toolbar to introduce boldface type, create lists, and otherwise format text. If you need to work directly with the HTML--for example, if you want to copy and paste an embeddable video--click the HTML tab. This view shows the underlying commands and allows direct editing. If you write HTML commands in the Visual tab, they'll appear as regular text in the body of your post.

   Add Media

   WordPress lets you create image galleries in posts. Put the cursor where you want a single image or gallery. Click the rectangle picture icon. (When you hover your pointer over it, it says 'Add an Image'.) Click Choose files to upload to transfer your own pictures to your server. Select one or more of them, and wait until the progress bars finish adding them. WordPress will read tags and other data embedded in the images, and then it will resize them and format them for your site.

   In the Gallery tab, click Show to adjust these details, change the title, and add a description. Save those changes, and then click Insert gallery into post. WordPress then adds the '[gallery]' tag to the plain-text view; this content will become your image gallery when published.

   To add video files, click the Add Video icon. Doing so will upload your finished video to your own server. That's fine if you know how to compress everything via your editing software, but it's not ideal if you haven't preprocessed the file for Web use. So instead I recommend uploading video to another site, such as Vimeo or YouTube, that will automatically format the clip for Web viewing. From there, click the option to embed the video into another page, and copy the embed code. Back in your post, click the HTML view, and paste the code.

9. Tag and Manage Content

   Your next task is to add tags. These simple words and phrases help readers find posts on the same topic, just as image tags do for photos. Use keywords that describe the post, specify what it's about, and even identify proper names of things inside. Separate the tags with commas, and click Add.

   Categories offer an organizational structure similar to tags, except that--depending on your layout--WordPress can instantly create navigational tabs for each category. This arrangement works great if your blog has a few repeating themes, such as "work," "soccer," "cooking," and "family." I recommend that you make as many tags as you can think of--even five or so for a single post--but try to limit your categories to a few main topics. Type a name, and click Add, or use the checkboxes below to designate the category.

   Click Save on the right, and click Preview this Post. If it looks good, click Publish. If you prefer to schedule the post to go live at a certain time, click Edit, and enter the future date and time when you want this to happen.

   Post Via E-Mail

   WordPress 2.5 can publish posts that you or others e-mail to a specific address; this ability is ideal for occasions when you want to send content from a phone away from a computer. But the default process has drawbacks: It doesn't work with SSL accounts, it requires POP3, and currently it doesn't work with photos. For these reasons I prefer the free plug-in, Postie. Besides overcoming the preceding limitations of WordPress 2.5's e-mail process, Postie can be instructed to publish only e-mail sent from a specific address, which enhances your security.

   Create a new, secret mail account exclusively to use with WordPress content, and upload the 'postie' folder to /wp-content/plugins. Create new folders in your main directory called wp-photos and wp-files where Postie can save its data. (Make sure that they're write-accessible on your server.)

   In WordPress, click Plugins near the upper-right. Activate Postie. Log out and then log back in as an administrator. Click Settings, Configure Postie. Enter any e-mail addresses that you want to permit to post entries to the blog. Leave the other settings at their default values, scroll down to the end, and enter your e-mail account settings. Click Update Options, and click Test Config. If you run into any problems, check to confirm that the e-mail account details are correct.

   Postie should be ready to go, but you'll need to create a scheduled Unix command that regularly checks the e-mail account for new messages. In your server configuration tool, open the Cron Jobs tool and create a new job. In it, paste the text */5 * * * * /usr/bin/lynx --source http://www.mywebsite.com/wp-content/plugins/postie/get_mail.php >/dev/null 2>&1 to cause WordPress to check for new mail every 5 minutes. Now you're ready to mail in your posts. Postie will use your e-mail subject line as the title of the post, and the body of your message will become the body of the post.

10 Quick Fixes for the Worst Security Nightmares

Most security attacks are targeted at a few weak points on your PC that aren't that hard to protect. Follow these simple tips, and you'll suddenly be a whole lot safer.

Erik Larkin, PC World

In the world of comic books, every bad guy is an evil genius. On the Web, hackers, spammers, and phishers may be evil, but they're not required to be geniuses. They can make a healthy living just by exploiting known security holes that many users haven't bothered to patch. Or by relying on the propensity of millions of people to do things they've been told over and over not to do.

The silver lining is that you don't have to be a genius to avoid these common attacks either. Implement a few simple fixes, and you'll avoid most of the bad stuff out there.

Fix 1: Patch Over the Software Bull's-Eye

Have you turned off automatic updates for Windows and other programs on the rationale that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it?" Then consider this: Your programs may be very, very broken, and you don't know it. The days of big splashy viruses that announce themselves to PC users are over. The modern cybercriminal prefers to invisibly take control of your PC, and unpatched software gives them the perfect opportunity to do so.

Today, a hijacked Web page--modern digital crooks' attack of choice--will launch a bevy of probes against your PC in search of just one unpatched vulnerability that a probe can exploit. If it finds one, better hope your antivirus program catches the ensuing attack. Otherwise you likely won't even notice anything amiss as it infects your system.

Luckily, you can completely block the majority of Web-based exploits by keeping all your programs--not just the operating system or your browsers--up-to-date. Attack sites ferret out holes in seemingly innocuous applications such as QuickTime and WinZip as well as in Windows and Internet Explorer. So turn on automatic update features for any software that offers the service--it's your quickest and easiest option for getting patches.

Fix 2: Find the Other Holes

If every program used easy automatic updates--and we were all smart enough to use them--the thriving malware business would take a serious hit. Until then, a free and easy security app from Secunia can help save the day.

The Secunia Personal Software Inspector, available as a free download, scans your installed software to let you know which out-of-date programs might be making your PC unsafe. But it doesn't stop there--for each old program it finds, it offers quick and easy action buttons such as one labeled Download Solution, which retrieves the latest software patch without you even having to open a browser.

The program also gives you links to the software vendor's site as well as Secunia's full report about the vulnerability on your system. You can choose to block future warnings about a particular program (but you should, of course, be careful before doing so).

Secunia PSI isn't perfect, and doesn't always make it easy to update unsafe program components. But for most apps it provides a quick--and very important--fix.

Fix 3: Let the Latest Browsers Fight for You

The most insidious hijacked Web pages are nearly impossible to spot. Tiny snippets of inserted code that don't display on the page can nevertheless launch devastating behind-the-scenes attacks.

Trying to avoid such pages on your own is asking for trouble, especially since crooks like to hack popular sites--attacks against sites for Sony games and the Miami Dolphins are just two well-known examples. But new site-blocking features in the just-released Firefox 3 and Opera 9.5 browsers provide some shielding.

Both browsers expand on the previous version's antiphishing features to block known malware sites as well, whether they're hijacked pages on legitimate sites or sites that were specifically created by bad guys. Neither browser completely eliminates the risk of landing on such pages, but every additional layer of protection helps.

Microsoft plans to add a similar feature to Internet Explorer 8, but this version won't be ready for prime time for a good while. For more on the browsers' improved security, see "New Browsers Fight the Malware Scourge."

Fix 4: Sidestep Social Engineering

The most dangerous crooks use clever marketing to get you to do their dirty work for them and infect your own PC. Lots of social engineering attacks are laughably crude, with misspelled words and clumsy grammar, but that doesn't mean you should dismiss the danger. Every now and then, a well-crafted attack can slip past your defenses and lure you into opening a poisonous e-mail attachment or downloaded file. A targeted attack might even use your correct name and business title.

To fight back, turn to a simple but powerful tool: VirusTotal.com. You can easily upload any file (up to 10MB) to the site and have it scanned by a whopping 35 different antivirus engines, including ones from Kaspersky, McAfee, and Symantec. A report tells you what each engine thought about your file. While some (such as Prevx) are prone to false alerts, if you get multiple specific warnings that include the name of the particular threat, then you almost certainly want to delete the file.

A lack of warnings doesn't guarantee a file is safe, but it does give you pretty good odds. Use VirusTotal to check every e-mail attachment and download you're not 100 percent sure about, and you'll avoid insidious social engineering.

If using VirusTotal starts to become a habit (not a bad idea) and you want to make sending files for scanning to VirusTotal really easy, download the free VirusTotal Uploader. Once you've installed the utility, just right-click a file, and you'll see an option (under Send To) to upload it to the VirusTotal site.

Fix 5: Get the Jump on Fast-Moving Malware

Traditional, signature-based antivirus software is getting snowed under by a blizzard of malware. Attackers try to evade detection by churning out more variants than security labs can analyze. So besides signatures, any antivirus program worth its salt today uses proactive detection that doesn't require a full signature to spot sneaky malware.

One promising approach uses behavioral analysis to identify malicious software based solely on how it acts on your PC. But your antivirus software by itself may not be enough. ThreatFire, a popular free download from PC Tools, adds such a layer of behavior-based protection. In recent tests, it correctly identified 90 percent of malware based on its behavior alone.

PC World's ThreatFire review provides a thorough analysis of the program and a quick download link (as well as a warning about installing too many security programs on one PC). And for more on behavioral analysis and proactive virus detection, see "When a Signature Isn't Enough."

Note: If you use the AVG Free antivirus program, hold off on trying ThreatFire until PC Tools releases a new version. The current 3.5 version conflicts with AVG, but PC Tools says it's working on a fix.

Fix 6: Rescue Your Inbox From Spam

Spam filters are getting better, but some junk still makes it through even the best of them. Instead of resigning yourself to hitting delete for all those hot-stock and Viagra come-ons, try disposable e-mail addresses.

Such an address is something you create every time you encounter an online shopping site, forum, or other service that requires you to enter an e-mail address. If that address gets flooded with spam, you can terminate it. That's a better system than the alternative, creating a free Web mail account that you use only for purchases and Web signups. With a single separate account, you have to throw the baby out with the bathwater and cancel the whole account if it gets too much spam.

Yahoo Web mail users can opt for the $20-a-year Plus service, which includes the AddressGuard disposable e-mail service (among other benefits). With it, you can click a bookmark to create a new, disposable address for any given site in about 10 seconds.

Gmail users can simply append "+ whatever" to their regular e-mail address before handing it out, but if that address starts to receive spam you can't simply turn it off. You'll have to create a filter in Gmail to block all mail to that address.

For everyone else, we suggest a good, free service from Spamgourmet.com that's quick and easy to set up and use; it allows you to create disposable addresses on-the-fly that will forward e-mail messages to your regular address.

Fix 7: Develop an Antiphishing Habit

The dastardly practice of phishing for personal information is still alive and well, and many fake sites can be hard to distinguish from the real ones. But a few simple practices can ensure you'll never be snagged by a phishing hook.

The best approach, and the most straightforward, is never to click a link in any e-mail message to access your financial accounts. Instead, always type the URL or use a bookmark. That one habit will protect you from almost every phishing attack.

If you can't make that change, then at least use the latest version of Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Opera to browse the Web. All have built-in features to block known phishing sites (and, as described in Fix 3, Opera and Firefox now also block known malware sites). Avoid Safari, which lacks any built-in antiphishing protection.

Finally, keep an eye out for the common phishing tactic of using URLs like "http://adwords.google.com.d0l9i.cn/select/Login." If you glance at the URL (an actual recent example listed by Phishtank.com), you might think the site's domain was google.com. In fact, it's heading to d0l9i.cn, a site in China where operators are standing by to swipe your personal details.

Internet Explorer 8 will use an innovative feature called Domain Highlighting that will make spotting such trickery easy. But until it becomes available, watch URLs carefully.

Fix 8: Keep Your Own Site Safe

It's not a good time to run a Web site. The Web may look like a digital wonderland, but behind the scenes it's a war zone. And the guns are trained on your site.

Crooks use automated tools to search sites for the most common vulnerabilities. If they find one, they blow the hole wide open to plant harmful code that will attack your loyal visitors.

To help keep your site safe, start with some quick, free scans that ferret out the most obvious problems. First, fill out a form at Qualys.com to request a free scan of one IP address.

Next, download the also-free Scrawlr tool from HP. After a quick install, use Scrawlr to scan your site for SQL injection vulnerabilities (a type of hole targeted in a recent Sony site hack).

A clean bill of health from both scans won't guarantee that your site is safe. For instance, neither will find problems with custom JavaScript code, another common type of attack. And while requesting or running either scan is easy, fixing a reported hole might involve a fair bit of work. But that job will still take far less work than repairing your site and your reputation after your site has been hijacked.

Fix 9: Make Your Passwords Secure--And Easy to Remember

Online passwords are starting to seem about as safe as tissue paper protecting a bank vault. The supply of stolen logins is now so huge that crooks can hardly make any money selling them unless they add other ripped-off data, like addresses or Social Security numbers, according to security researchers. And thieves don't stop with stealing logins to financial accounts--the bad guys regularly pilfer access information for Web mail accounts as well. In one recent case, a scammer broke into Web mail accounts and sent messages to the victim's friends asking for money.

Experts say we should use strong, unique passwords for all our accounts. But they don't tell us how we're supposed to remember them, so most of us end up using the same, not-so-safe password at all our accounts.

Here's an easy fix that allows you to remember just one password, yet still have a strong, unique password for each site you use. The Password Hash (or PwdHash) add-on for Firefox and IE takes that simple password you type and runs it through an algorithm that uses the site's domain name as part of the calculation. The utility subs in the resulting strong password before you send it to the site. All you have to do (after installing Password Hash) is hit the F2 key in a password box before you type.

For a download link and more info on this useful tool, head to the PC World Downloads page.

Fix 10: Get Extra Cleaning Help for Stubborn Infections

Sometimes even the best antivirus program misses an infection. And once a virus or Trojan horse gets in, removing it can be incredibly tough. If you suspect some nasty got past your defenses, then it's time to bring in extra help.

Many antivirus makers offer free and easy online scans through your Web browser. The scan will take time, as the scanning service will need to download large Java or ActiveX components before it can get started, but they're easy to kick off. You can run them in addition to your already-installed antivirus application for a second (or third, or fourth) opinion. Here's the lowdown on your options.

Trend Micro HouseCall: Will detect and remove malware; works with both IE and Firefox.

BitDefender Online Scanner: Detects and removes malware; requires IE.

Kaspersky Online Scanner: Detects malware, but doesn't remove it; works with IE and Firefox.

F-Secure Online Virus Scanner: Detects and removes malware; requires IE.

ESET Online Scanner: Detects and removes malware; requires IE.