Recent Comments
Comment by David Adams on Does Your Inbox Need an Alias? (November 21, 2025 05:02 AM)
For Apple uses, there's Hide My Email. Those addresses are quite random and do not identify the originating address....
Comment by Joyce Baskind on Does Your Inbox Need an Alias? (November 21, 2025 03:29 AM)
Is there a solution for AOL Mail that doesn’t require a third party company?...
Comment by Jos on Does Your Inbox Need an Alias? (November 20, 2025 09:11 PM)
I created quite a number of gmail accounts, which I use as aliases. I have set up these accounts to forward all incoming mail to my primary e-mail acc...
Comment by Doug W. on Does Your Inbox Need an Alias? (November 20, 2025 06:49 PM)
My real primary email address is already being used for roughly 450 sites (I've had the same email address forever). I'm not sure it is worth my time ...
Comment by Dave McC on Does Your Inbox Need an Alias? (November 20, 2025 06:48 PM)
Bad Link - The "Firefox Relay" link goes to a "we couldn't find the file you asked for. . ."...
Comment by Greybeard on Does Your Inbox Need an Alias? (November 20, 2025 06:11 PM)
What Sam said. For 25+ years I've owned a domain and used a global forwarder to one of my mailboxes, and specific forwards to others. My domain provi...
Comment by Sam on Does Your Inbox Need an Alias? (November 20, 2025 06:00 PM)
I don't understand how the Gmail aliases are effective. Since the algorithm is known, anyone can simply delete the +keyword and know your address. I ...
Comment by michael on Does Your Inbox Need an Alias? (November 20, 2025 05:51 PM)
I use outlook, so if I use an alias, does that mean I have to go to all the sites and subscriptions and delete my real address and then change all my ...
Comment by Misterfish on Hit the Windows RESET Button? Read this first... (November 13, 2025 08:28 PM)
A few months ago a Windows 10 update royally screwed up my OS (thank you MS) so my options were reset or spend hours rebuilding the OS - or install a ...
Comment by Ernest N. Wilcox Jr. on Hit the Windows RESET Button? Read this first... (November 13, 2025 06:02 PM)
I like to experiment with my computers, so I've taken steps to protect myself from me. I use a cloud service to sync my files off-premise, and I have ...
Viruses Articles
QR Codes and Viruses - What You Need to Know
An AskBob reader wants to know if there is potential danger in scanning a QR code. Can a QR code hide dangerous content, trigger a virus, or other malicious action? Let's take a look and see if simply scanning a QR code can result in a virus or other type of malware infection. Read on...
...Cousin Vinny Strikes Again!
A curious AskBob reader wants to know... “Is it possible to get a computer virus just by opening an email?” It's true that email has been and remains one of the most popular attack vectors for hackers, spammers, scammers, phishers and other cyber-miscreants that are jiggling the latches on the door of your inbox. But is it really that easy to slip in, and wreak havoc on your computer? Cousin Vinny says YES, but is he right? Let's find out...
...Fileless Malware: Who You Gonna Call?
A clever but pernicious software technique that's been known for more than a decade is finding favor among today's malware authors, complicating the work of anti-virus developers and digital forensic analysts. Tracking down so-called “fileless malware” is to detection of regular malware what ghost-hunting is to catching a garden-variety burglar. Read on to learn about this resurgent threat and what you can do to stop it...
...Is This a Fake Virus Alert?
A concerned reader asks: “Bob, I'm worried that I might have a computer virus. My computer will sometimes stop and a warning says I have a virus, and I must call a number on the screen. Then supposedly they will walk me through the process to fix it. Is this true? I have antivirus installed but still, it pops up now and then.” Is this virus alert real or rogue? Here's my diagnosis...
...Can You Get a Virus By Opening an Email?
A concerned AskBob reader wants to know... “Is it possible to get a computer virus by simply opening an email?” It's true that email has been and remains one of the most popular attack vectors for hackers, spammers, scammers, phishers and other cyber-miscreants that are jiggling the latches on the door of your inbox. But is it really that easy to slip in, and wreak havoc on your computer? Let's find out...
...Malware and Spam: Why Do They Exist?
Philosophers have pondered the nature of evil for ages. Perhaps you also have wondered how a medium meant for information sharing has become a minefield of privacy and security risks. Spam, viruses, ransomware, identity theft, data breaches, phishing, malicious links and other cybercrimes have become commonplace. Who does this stuff, and what the heck is wrong with them? Let's take a look at what motivates the miscreants who menace millions on the Internet...
...Is Your Flash Drive Infected?
Security research firm Sophos found malware on two-thirds of fifty USB flash drives that had been lost aboard Australian trains. That might suggest that you should avoid computing on Australian trains, but the broader lesson is that USB flash drives are highly vulnerable to malware infections. Here's what you need to know, and how to protect your computer from viruses that may lurk on flash drives...
...Where Do Viruses And Spyware Come From?
Several thousand new viruses and spyware programs are detected every day by security analysts. Have you ever wondered who creates these plagues, and why?
...Virus Alert - XP Total Security 2011
Somehow I got a virus called XP Total Security, and I can't get rid of it. It blocks my security software, and it won't let me download any new anti-virus tools. It's even asking me for money... how do I get rid of this thing?
...Should You Call The Geek Squad?
My computer is running really slow, and I think it might have a virus. There's also a ticking sound inside the computer. I'm not very technical, so I'm thinking about calling the Geek Squad. Do you think that's a good idea?
...How Does a Virus Spread?
I love your site and your Tourbus Newsletter! I would like to know how a virus propagates over a network? If you get a virus on one computer - do other users on the network have to do anything to get infected? Is there a good way to protect against this?
...Free Virus Scan
My computer has been acting strangely... at times it's very slow and I'm getting lots of popups. I'm afraid I have a virus, and the anti-virus software that came with my computer has expired. Can you recommend a good (and preferably free) virus scanner?
...How can I avoid computer viruses?
When I wrote in a previous article that You CANNOT get a virus just by opening or reading your email I fully expected it would unleash a torrent of emails in response. I knew this would happen, because Ask Bob Rankin readers are generally smarter and better-looking than the rest of the online population. Read on for Virus Prevention 102 -- even more information on virus prevention and the merits of anti-virus software.
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