winspark.net » Security

Google providing a secure search through Secure Socket Layer (SSL)

Mr. Spark (admin) — Tue, 25 May 2010 15:32:31 +0000

Are you scared of being caught by your ISP or any other third party user while having a personal search about your required private data . Google has made a good incremented by providing Secure Socket Layer over their search engine’s protocol.

Now search your required information by just changing the protocol from http:// to https://. Now you have to type https://google.com on your addressbar rather then the traditional http://google.com, and your required query and your search data will by encrypted through Secure Socket Layer (SSL).

Whats SSL ?

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a protocol that helps provide secure Internet communications for services like web browsing, e-mail, instant messaging, and other data transfers. When you search over SSL, your search queries and search traffic are encrypted so they can’t be read by any intermediary party such as employers and internet service providers (ISPs).

Why SSL ?

SSL encrypts the communication channel between Google and a searcher’s computer. When search traffic is encrypted, it can’t be read by third parties trying to access the connection between a searcher’s computer and Google’s servers.

Caution :
Your Google experience using SSL search might be slighly slower than you’re used to because your computer needs to first establish a secure connection with Google. – From Google explanation of SSL Search

Change your IP address and surf anonymously {Astrill Giveaway}

Mr. Spark (admin) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:37:41 +0000

Microsoft, Google and Firefox has made an effort to hide your internet job stuff being cached on history page or in any physical memory by integrating Private browsing mode in their Browsers. But whatever web pages or sites you open can be viewed by your network server or remote PC. But Astrill has the solution for it. Why not you change your IP address dynamically and surf anonymously without being cached even by your ISP.

Astrill is a new virtual private network provider. Servers provided by Astrill are located in the United States and the United Kingdom. It changes your default IP address to UK or US based IP address.

While surfing with Astrill, your connection is encrypted thus protected from eavesdropping (even from your ISP). You can feel safe to use Wi-Fi on public places, because with Astrill all your information is protected. And it bypasses any kind of firewall or filtering.

: Default IP address when Astrill is made Off

Astrill is still in Private Beta and its trial version of 3 days is available for download. You may get a fully functional Private beta Invitation. We are able to get the 100 Invites exclusive for the readers of WinSpark.net. All you have to do is simply subscribe to us and write down the comment for the Beta request.

Offer Closed

Password checker from Microsoft Online Safety

Mr. Spark (admin) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:46:10 +0000

R u safe !!!! , Is your password secure or not, want to get new secure password??? Don’t worry here is the Password checker initiated by Microsoft Online Safety. Here you can check your password strength whether your password is able to protect your account or not. Or you can create your own secure password. Microsoft has provided the detailed 6 steps to build a strong password.

If someone steals your passwords, they can use your name to open new credit card accounts, apply for a mortgage, or pose as you in online transactions. To prevent this, you can do the following

Follow 6 steps to build a strong password
Learn what makes strong passwords
Avoid common password strategies that fail.

Microsoft Releases Security Advisory 972890

Mr. Spark (admin) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:21:40 +0000

Microsoft has released Security Advisory 972890 to alert users about a vulnerability in Microsoft Video ActiveX Control. Exploitation of this vulnerability may allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code. The advisory also indicates that Microsoft is aware of attacks attempting to exploit the vulnerability.

US-CERT encourages users and administrators to review Microsoft Security Advisory 972890 and implement the workaround listed in the advisory. This workaround will help mitigate the risks until a patch or update is released by the vendor.

Automatically scan your received file in Windows Live Messenger

Mr. Spark (admin) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 20:03:05 +0000

Windows Live messenger has inbuilt facility to set your virus scanner as a default file sharing virus scanner. Now receive files through live messenger safely.

To set Microsoft Security Essential as your default virus scanner follow the simple steps described below. First of all you need to Install Microsoft Security Essential or any other virus scanner.

Go to Tools > Option as described in image below

Select File Transfer from left sidemenu.
Check “Scan files for virus using :“
Click on browse and navigate “msseces.exe” (If you are going to use MSE as a default scanner) from “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Essentials” directory. (If you are using any other virus scanner than locate another scanner application.)

Apply it and click on OK.

Note :

Scanned files that are infected should be deleted
Infected and potentially infected files that are found by the safety scanner can be accessed in a Hidden folder.
If you’re using Windows XP, the hidden folder can be found at the following location: “C:\Documents and Settings\your username\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\QuarantinedFiles”.
If you’re using Windows Vista, the hidden folder can be found at the following location: “C:\users\your username\AppData\local\Microsoft\QuarantinedFiles”

Be safe from Internet World Happy Computing

Microsoft Security Essentials is making its way

Mr. Spark (admin) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:03:14 +0000

Microsoft has offered limited downloads (75,000) of Microsoft Security Essentials beta – free antivirus/antispyware replacment for Windows Live OneCare.

Microsoft has pitched the software as a basic antivirus, antispyware product that consumes less memory and disk space than commercial security suites like those from vendors such as Symantec and McAfee, and so is suitable for even low-powered PCs such as netbooks.

“Netbooks are one focus of Windows Security Essentials,” said Alan Packer, the general manager of Microsoft’s anti-malware team, in an interview last week. “We have tested it on netbooks, and a gigabyte [of memory] is actually plenty“.

He conceded that on systems with slower processors and limited RAM, however, the software will hit performance, especially when users run multiple applications at the same time. “I don’t want to oversell here,” Packer said. “There’s definitely an impact on netbooks, and although we’re trying to minimize that, you’re going to notice it’s there.“

Microsoft Security Essentials has passed its first anitvirus exam with “flying colurs“. Below is an excert from a ComputerWorld arcticle.

Microsoft’s free security software passed a preliminary antivirus exam with flying colors, an independent testing company said today.

AV-Test GmbH tested Microsoft Security Essentials, the free software Microsoft launched yesterday in beta, on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7, putting it up against nearly 3,200 common viruses, bot Trojans and worms, said Andreas Marx, one of the firm’s two managers. The malware was culled from the most recent WildList, a list of threats actually actively attacking computers.

“All files were properly detected and treated by the product,” said Marx in an e-mail. “That’s good, as several other scanners are still not able to detect and kill all of these critters yet.”

AV-Test also measured Security Essentials against a set of in-house false positives to see whether the software mistakenly fingers legitimate files, a nightmare for users, who can be left with a crippled computer, and a disaster to the reputation of a security company.

“None of the clean files were flagged as being malicious,” noted Marx. “Very good.”

AV-Test also examined the program’s anti-rootkit skills and its ability to scrub a system of malware it finds with a limited number of samples and “found no reasons to complain,” Marx said. “It is able to remove found malware very well, but further tests against larger sets of samples are required before we can come to a final conclusion.”

Marx put to rest the once-rampant rumor that Security Essentials would operate “in-the-cloud” by scanning PCs from Microsoft’s servers. “The scanner works with the locally-installed anti-virus and anti-spyware databases — it doesn’t appear to use ‘in-the-cloud scanning’ methods,” he said.

AV-Test’s results will disappoint some rivals in the security market, who yesterday knocked Microsoft’s effort. “It just doesn’t give you the protection that you need,” argued J.R. Smith, the CEO of AVG Technologies, a company best-known for its free antivirus software.