Recent Comments
Comment by BaliRob on How Good is Your Cybersecurity? (March 23, 2023 01:07 PM)
@Bob K Malwarebytes used them on and off since their inception. Still have them in my Android where they failed abysmally to cure a virus intruder ...
Comment by RandiO on How Good is Your Cybersecurity? (March 22, 2023 06:21 PM)
This 'Oldster' has never used any other password manager than the ol' reliable (OpenSource) KeePass. My 560+ entry database stays local and hidden fro...
Comment by Oldster on How Good is Your Cybersecurity? (March 22, 2023 08:23 AM)
I believe that my cyber security efforts have paid off. I have never suffered a malware issue since the late 1990s when I got a virus from a program I...
Comment by Dave on How Good is Your Cybersecurity? (March 22, 2023 03:59 AM)
No problems at all since your first translation of PCMatic. Please continue with your awesome lessons Professor....
Comment by RandiO on How Good is Your Cybersecurity? (March 22, 2023 02:21 AM)
Thank you for your translations all these years (decade+?). Do my chances of getting hacked go up, longer I haven't been? Or does it mean that I am d...
Comment by Bob K on How Good is Your Cybersecurity? (March 22, 2023 01:49 AM)
One word: Malwarebytes. PS: No worries. -Bob K...
Comment by Steveg on How Good is Your Cybersecurity? (March 22, 2023 12:58 AM)
I haven't had a problem or given security a thought since I installed PCMatic. Good stuff....
Comment by Brian B on Should You X-Ray Your Computer? (March 18, 2023 12:37 AM)
Hi Bob, Can I just make one point to make it easier for dummies like me? You often give advice on software that allows users to check our machines an...
Comment by John Anderson on Should You X-Ray Your Computer? (March 17, 2023 04:28 PM)
I've been using Belarc to keep track of my computer for years. With the advent of a new desktop computer in 2021. Belarc currently shows two missing i...
Comment by lar p on Should You X-Ray Your Computer? (March 17, 2023 03:50 PM)
"When I saw the subject of your email, I thought you were going to talk about whether to put your PC through the airport x-ray machines. " same here ....
Viruses Articles
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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