Modern browsers are much better than their predecessors at keeping your Web activity private and your data safe. Still, you may not have your browser configured to provide optimum security. Take a few minutes to give Internet Explorer 7 and Firefox 2 a safety check.
Batten down IE7's hatches
The version of IE7 for Vista adds the Protected Mode, which allows Web sites to access only the Temporary Internet Files folder on your PC. According to Microsoft, this feature is on by default for the Internet, Intranet, and Restricted zones, but disabled for the Trusted Sites and Local Machine zones. On my machine it was enabled for all zones. You'll see "Protected Mode: On" in the status bar when it's active, or click Tools > Internet Options > Security, and make sure "Enable Protected Mode (requires restarting Internet Explorer)" is checked at the bottom of each zone.
Maximize security in IE7 for Vista by making sure Protected Mode is enabled.
(Credit: Microsoft)There have been some reports of Protected Mode causing problems, so if a particular page won't load or run correctly, disabling this feature may solve the glitch, though I don't recommend keeping Protected Mode off. The Web's not getting any safer, and you need all the protection you can get.
Another great new feature in IE7--for XP and Vista alike--is the Phishing Filter. Why the filter is off by default I'll never know. To activate it, click Tools > Phishing Filter > Turn On Automatic Website Checking > OK. Unfortunately, choosing Tools > Phishing Filter > Phishing Filter Settings merely opens the Advanced Internet Options dialog box, where you can scroll down to the Phishing Filter section under Security, only to find that your only two options are to disable the filter, and to "turn off automatic website checking." But while you're in the Advanced Options settings, make sure "Automatically check for Internet Explorer updates" is checked in the Browsing section. Click OK when you're done.
Get into the habit of covering your browsing tracks on a regular basis. In IE7 you can wipe out your browser history, Temporary Internet Files, cookies, saved form data, and saved passwords at one time by clicking Tools > Delete Browsing History > Delete All. Or erase each category separately by clicking the appropriate button in the Delete Browsing History dialog box.
Wipe your browser's history clean by clicking Delete All in IE7's Delete Browsing History dialog, or clear each category separately.
(Credit: Microsoft)
Stay safe while browsing with Firefox
Just because Mozilla's open-source browser has a reputation for security doesn't mean you can use it to visit any site on the Web without a care in the world. Last month I described NoScript, a free Firefox add-on (donationware, actually) that lets you decide which scripts can run on which Web pages on a case-by-case basis. If you use Firefox regularly and you haven't added NoScript, download and install it, and in no time you'll wonder how you ever browsed without it.
There's another simple step you can take to improve Firefox's security: Make sure you have the browser set to update automatically. The current version is 2.0.0.12; to check your copy's version, click Help > About Mozilla Firefox, and look for the version number under the product's name. To verify that the program updates automatically, click Tools > Options > Advanced > Updates, and make sure Firefox is checked under "Automatically check for updates to." You may also want to check "Automatically download and install the update" under "When updates to Firefox are found." I also check "Installed Add-ons" under the former, and "Warn me if this will disable any of my add-ons" under the latter.
Set Firefox to check for updates automatically via the Advanced Options dialog box.
(Credit: Mozilla Foundation)Not long ago an attempt was made to spoof Firefox's address bar to fool people into thinking they were on a site other than the one they were actually visiting when a link opened in a new window. The simplest way to avoid this is by setting Firefox to open links in a new tab rather than a new window: Click Tools > Options > Tabs, and make sure "A new tab" is selected under "New pages should be opened in." You can also disable this feature by typing about:config in the address bar, pressing Enter, navigating to dom.disable_window_open_feature.location, and double-clicking it to change it to "true".
Web sites often know the page you were on before you opened one of their pages. To block this referrer header, type about:config in the address bar, press Enter, navigate to network.http.sendRefererHeader, double-click it, and set the integer value to 0.
Tomorrow: Get your Office docs online with Office Live Workspace.
PCLive.com, a service offered by SecurityCoverage, is attempting to upstage security giants Symantec and McAfee by offering a complete suite of security tools for your desktop--for free. Included within the basic PCLive Security package is a firewall, the open-source ClamAV antivirus product, antispyware capabilities and a pop-up blocker. What's more, PCLive will take out the trash (clean out old temp files) and check for the latest Microsoft Windows updates that haven't yet been applied to your PC. PCLive will also e-mail you a monthly report of any changes it has made on your computer.
SecurityCoverage offers users of their free PCLive service instant 24-7 technical support for a flat fee of $49.95 per session. That's less than what Symantec and McAfee charge. Short of that, there is a built-in forum link that allows users to surface questions and answers about the product. There's also a limited FAQ available online as well.
For a mere $4.95 a month, PCLive Premium Security includes all the basic PCLive Security along with Web content filtering, parental controls, disk maintenance and 24-7 live technical support.
How does it work? See our hands-on review on Webware.com
McAfee on Monday released its 2008 line of security products, including McAfee VirusScan Plus 2008, McAfee Internet Security 2008, and McAfee Total Protection 2008.
In a move that McAfee hopes will distinguish it from the competition, the company is now offering three user licenses for all its desktop products, and is including its SiteAdvisor site-rating software in each product to protect against online fraud. Finally, McAfee is also including VirusScan mobile protection with its desktop Internet Security and Total Protection products.
This "triple play" perhaps makes McAfee's products more economical, but it remains to be seen if the programs themselves have improved over those of last year. CNET Reviews will have a full review of McAfee VirusScan Plus within the week.
McAfee says its mobile software will be available at the end of October and will work only with Windows Mobile devices. Additional compatibility requirements will be posted on the McAfee Web site at that time.
Symantec has added Norton Antivirus 2008 and Norton Internet Security 2008 to it's Beta Center. Enhancements to Norton Antivirus 2008 include better performance and updated Symantec Online Network for Advanced Response (SONAR) heuristics. Enhancements to Norton Internet Security 2008 include those in Norton Antivirus 2008 plus Norton Identity Safe (from Norton Confidential), and enhanced network monitoring. Both pieces of software are expected to include new browser vulnerability protection, codenamed "Canary", in their final release.
The Symantec beta program includes no technical support, although customer feedback is welcome. Symantec reminds participants in the beta program not to install these apps on production machines. Beta software is intended for testing only.
Trend Micro today released Trend Micro OS Protection beta for its Trend Micro Internet Security 2007 customers. OS protection includes Trend Micro Firewall Booster and Trend Micro Pre-Startup Scan. Rather than rail against various kernel changes within Windows Vista as Symantec and other did last fall, Trend Micro says it wanted to work in cooperation with Microsoft. Trend Micro OS Protection works on both the 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows Vista.
The chief benefit from Trend Micro Firewall Booster is Windows Vista users won't have dual firewall technologies running. Firewall Booster leverages existing Windows Vista Firewall capabilities, adding protection provided by Trend Micro. Trend Micro Pre-Startup Scan runs before Windows Vista boots, ferreting out sleeping malware such as rootkits before engaging the operating system. Pre-Startup includes a system restore checkpoint, so that a user can always roll back any changes made. The process is not automatic, allowing the user to decide when and how the scans will be done. Quick Scan takes only a few minutes and identifies rootkits and any browser-related malware. Full Scan performs a thorough scan all of the files on the system. While Full Scan can take up to a half hour to complete (all the while Windows Vista is not running), there is an option to shut down the system afterward so Full Scans can be run late at night.
Trend Micro OS Protection beta is available in addition to the existing certified by Microsoft as Windows Vista compatible firewall protection within Trend Micro Internet Security 2007. OS Protection is designed for more advanced Trend Micro users who want a more powerful firewall and is not necessary for average Internet users. Available for download from the TrendSecure site, OS Protection is free of charge to existing Trend Micro Internet Security 2007 customers.
Yoggie, an Israeli security vendor, has released USB device called Pico, a Linux-based computer on a stick that provides enterprise-level security on a home laptop or desktop PC. Corporate desktops and laptops reside behind an IT department with dedicated servers blocking inbound malicious content. As home software-based security suites attempt to match these blocking features, they sometimes tax the computer's CPUs--and the end-user's patience. Instead, the Yoggie device handles all the heavy lifting of Internet blocking and security within the USB device itself, liberating desktop or laptop resources ordinarily dedicated for antivirus and antispyware software for other use.
Pico redirects all inbound Internet traffic (LAN, Bluetooth, and wireless) through the USB device before handing it over to the Windows-based laptop or desktop. The Pico is literally a tiny computer with a 520Mhz Pentium processor and it runs up to thirteen Linux-based security appications (depending upon which plan you subscribe). The Yoggie device checks for updates via an encrypted connection every five minutes.
The Pico starts shipping June 10, 2007. The Personal service starts at $179 and includes the USB device plus a one-year subscription. Annual renewals are $40 per year. The Pico Pro version includes a secure VPN client along with central management tools. It starts at $199, with renewals at $40 per year.
- prev
- 1
- next
