Sorry for this post as it was done in error. I actually picked up this info from the list and was forwarding it to a blind friend.
Shannon ----- Original Message ----- From: "Shannon Burke" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Undisclosed Recipients" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2008 8:34 AM Subject: Fw: [Blind-Computing] Article on Hackers and what they can do Hi Everyone, I ran across this article that is basically a "primer" from spyware to firewalls. It gives pratical explanations of these terms and in some cases links to free software. Personally, I've saved it as a reference tool. Hope you find it useful. Shannon "What the heck, my computer is on the fritz again." Does that sound familiar? I have heard it oh I want to say over 1000 times. Let's just keep it at 100 for the purpose of this article. Did you know that out of those 1000 people 2 - 5 people are actually being hacked by some sort of mal-intent piece of software or even a hacker? There are three categories of software that can hack your Windows, and yes your Mac as well. Even though Mac boasts a virus free world, it is a lie. There are a few hundred viruses for Mac software, yes that is small in comparison to the 100,000+ viruses written for Windows, but that is only because Microsoft is so widely used, if the roles were reversed, Mac would be the one with the 100,000+ viruses. I am going to try to help you understand an overall perspective with out to much complex details on how hacking is done. The categories of software that is used are Ad-ware, Spy-ware, Mal-ware; Viruses; and hacker software tools such as Brutus. First off everyone has experienced the first set, Ad-ware, Spy-ware, and Mal-ware. These are pieces of software as simple as a cookie, and as complex as a program that gets installed and intertwined in the Windows software. These little annoyances can wreak very little trouble to very serious threats to the security of your identity and finances. The most common purpose is advertisements, and surfing habits for statistical purposes, so "they" say. The worst of them can record every key stroke and take snap shots of your screen and what is displayed there, and then send this information to where ever the maker of the ad-ware, spy-ware, and mal-ware has specified. From there the sky is the limit. Cookies are not all bad; they are files that are meant to store information and settings of a particular website, so when you return at a later date, the preferences are as you left them. But now allot of them have become the spy-ware, collecting surfing habits and other info like passwords and personal data, then sending them off to their makers. Some cookies also have joined forces with software that can be easily and quietly installed on your computer unbeknownst to you, only to become the ad-ware and mal-ware. These little pains in the bottoms have been known to record the types of sites you frequent and then resort to pop up ads. They can even cause damage to your computer files and settings. They are also known to have virus like intent and mischievous qualities. Having some protection can seriously decrease your chances of having your identity cloned. There are lots of ad-ware, spy-ware, and mal-ware detecting software, but beware some are actually spy-ware themselves, so make sure you do your research before you commit to one or two. I do really recommend having at least two. The most popular ones being used are Spybot Search and Destroy version 1.5.1 http://www.safer-networking.org/index2.html, and Lavasoft Ad-Aware 2007. http://www.lavasoft.com/. They are the most widely known and used, not just because they are good but mostly because they are free. They both scan your computer and detect most of the ad-ware, spy-ware, and mal-ware and remove them. You are probably asking why two? I would prefer at least four. The reason being is; let's use an analogy. Consider your computer to be a city, and divide them into 4 quadrants, each detection software has there own quadrant, or division like the police departments. The police go out and scan not just their division, but all divisions. Each police department has their own mug shots of the criminals, being the ad-ware, spy-ware, and mal-ware. Neither of the police wants to share their mug shots with each other, in fear that they will loose their division. That is why I recommend at least two detection software; preferably a minimum of four is ideal. This brings us to the next one, "viruses" ooooh aaahh, scary. All kidding aside, viruses can be the most dangerous. I have seen viruses go from playing little trick in Windows to completely wiping your drives and information away. They can also open up ports, which in comparison are doors to allow more viruses to come in, (usually known as Trojan Horses) to giving complete control of your computer over to a hacker. Hackers can use your computers surfing illegal websites to hacking either other computers or attacking website servers. It is rumoured that big corporations hired hackers to either test their security software, or create a program that can go and fish out financial and confidential information from their competitors, now known as viruses. The way they would spread is through the address books or contacts of the competitor's employees. It only takes one person in that company to have a personal email in the contacts to release it to the general public, and thus viruses are born. If another hacker finds or gets that virus, they would manipulate the coding to suite there needs, and resend it out, thus variants are born. To have protection against a virus is hard to choose. Unlike the spy-ware, ad-ware and mal-ware detection software, you can safely install and run only one, mainly because most of the times they will not play nice, think cat and mouse, or dog and cat, or better yet lion and zebra. They will constantly fight with each other to the point that Windows would become the collateral damage. The most popular is Symantec's Norton Antivirus, http://www.symantec.com/norton/products/overview.jsp?pcid=is <http://www.symantec.com/norton/products/overview.jsp?pcid=is&pvid=nav2008> &pvid=nav2008 which can cost $40 USD per year. But there are others such as McAfee Virus Scan http://ca.mcafee.com/root/package.asp?pkgid=276 which I believe costs $50 USD either per computer and/or per year, and also AVG http://free.grisoft.com/doc/downloads-products/us/frt/0?prd=aff. This product can cost from free, up to $38.95 per two years for professional edition. But like everything else, research the best one. And last but most definitely not least hacker software tools. If you were born in the early seventies you should remember a movie called War Games http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAcEzhQ7oqA. Yep, I am feeling very nostalgic right about now. If not and you were born in the early 80's you will probably remember the movie Hackers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql1uLyuWra8. These two movies are pretty close to what hackers do and use to hack in to basically anything now a day. Usually coupled with viruses, they use programs such as IP sniffers and attacker like Brutus. They would start by pinging and ISP, (Internet Service Provider) similar to what the submarines do with their sonar. They do this to obtain a list of IP address ranges that the ISP uses. IP address are internet protocol addresses, these are the numbered address that your ISP gives your computer, kind of like going to a party and getting a name tag with something that identifies you. Usually Rogers starts there IP with 99.xxx.xxx.xxx, (X=1 - 999) and simpatico are now using 74.xxx.xxx.xxx, and Look Communication uses I think it still 207.xxx.xxx.xxx. They then use an IP sniffer to find out if there are computers attached to those IP's. If and when they find some they attempt to use the security vulnerabilities in the operating system to hack in and drop either a Worm or a Trojan to open your system, and/or allow them to connect to your computer easier on a latter date and time. Some of you may remember the MS blaster worm and he Welchia virus in 2004. There are other methods hackers use to hack in, this is just one of the many ways. Once the hackers are in, they have free reign of your computer and personal data, such as pictures, banking info, confidential letters, and more. They use your computer for illegal activity, such as that time when they knocked Microsoft's server out as well as Google's, by sending billions of request at one time and the servers became overloaded and crashed. Some people almost got in trouble because their computers were involved in the attacks. You can never prevent a hacker from hacking into a computer system 100% of the time. But you could stop the; if not extremely slow them down by using what is known as a firewall. A firewall is a combination of software and hardware to limit or prevent the entry into a computer system or network through open ports or doors. Firewalls can prevent or filter certain requests through a port, and even hide your computer on the internet or internal network, (LAN). Windows XP and Service pack 2 come embedded with firewall, Symantec, McAfee, and AVG also have firewall programs, you can get them as a bundled deal with the Anti virus software. But I find one of the best types of firewall is the firewall of a router. D-Link http://www.dlink.ca/products/category.asp?cid=2 <http://www.dlink.ca/products/category.asp?cid=2&sec=1> &sec=1, and Linksys http://www.linksys.com <http://www.linksys.com/> are the most popular and both are good quality. They provide the hardware firewall and allow you to open and modify the ports yourself. With a wireless router, you can connect to the internet completely wirelessly using high frequency radio signals of up to a few hundred feet. But there is only one issue with them, and most people either do not know or do not realize the importance of it. Encryption. you see because it is wireless that does not mean it is just as secure as a wired router. Allot of people do not set an encryption on there wireless radio signals, that gives other people the ability to piggy back on your connection. It also allows people to access your files on your computer, because the router assumes that anyone connecting to it is part of your local network, and gives the access to your entire network. You should always set an encryption on the signal. Visit the JAWS Users List home page at: http://www.jaws-users.com Address for the list archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help from Mailman with your account Put the word help in the subject or body of a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Use the following form in order to contact the management team http://www.jaws-users.com/BlindComputing.php If you wish to join the JAWS Users List send a blank email to the following address: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Blind-Computing mailing list [email protected] http://mail.jaws-users.com/mailman/listinfo/blind-computing_jaws-users.com
