Posts Tagged ‘spyware’
Different Ways to Work Faster when Your Internet Connection is Slow
When it comes to the “information superhighway”, we’ve been in the fast lane for years.
But while we take our fast Internet speed for granted, there are many situations in which a slow connection is a problem. You might be using a computer in another part of the world, or trying to connect wirelessly while travelling. Your computer’s health can contribute to a slow connection too: spyware and viruses, add-on programs, and the amount of memory and hard disk space the computer has can all affect your connection speed.
With all of these potential scenarios, it’s good to know a few tricks to keep you productive when your connection is slow:
1. Compress your e-mail
Reducing your e-mail file sizes can help you send them more quickly. When sending large or multiple files, use a compression tool like WinZip. And if you’re sending an e-mail to multiple people, try creating a distribution list instead of listing each recipient separately – this is faster and more efficient. Finally, you can reduce your e-mail file size by ensuring your e-mail signature doesn’t contain any graphics, videos, stylised fonts or other content.
2. Work offline if you can
Working offline can help spare you the pain and frustration of a slow connection. And there are lots of tasks you can do without being online; for example, you can use an RSS reader to download articles for offline reading. For offline webmail, install an e-mail client such as Mozilla Thunderbird to download your messages for offline reading and responding (it actually has a built-in RSS reader as well). Outlook users can work offline using Cached Exchange Mode, which stores a copy of your mailbox on your computer.
If there is a web page you frequently reference for information, you can save it to your computer rather than load it over and over again. Here’s how to save a web page in Internet Explorer:
- 1. Go to the Web page you want to save.
- 2. On the File menu, click Save As.
- 3. In the Save As type drop-down menu, select Web page, complete.
- 4. Click Save.
3. Block or disable unnecessary content
Web pages that contain heavy graphics or videos take longer to load, so turning them offcan speed your Internet browsing. Here’s how to disable these elements in Internet Explorer:
1. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
2. In the Internet Options dialogue box, click the Advanced tab.
3. In the Settings box, scroll down to the Multimedia section. Clear the following boxes:
- a. Play animations in Web pages
- b. Play sounds in Web pages
- c. Play videos in Web pages
You might also want to install an application that blocks annoying, bandwidth-consuming ads that make pages load more slowly.
4. Use tabbed browsing
Tabbed browsing doesn’t just reduce clutter on your desktop, it also helps you work more efficiently with a slow connection. When browsing through multiple pages, click your mouse scroll wheel or Control/Command click to open up each page in a new tab. This allows you to read one page while waiting for others to load, saving you time. You can also open a number of pages in multiple tabs, then disconnect and read offline.
While a slow connection can be annoying, you can help reduce frustration – and boost productivity – by knowing how to make your online activities more efficient. These tips should help you get more done, even when the Internet doesn’t move as fast as you do!
What is Spyware?
Spyware is a general term used to describe software that performs certain behaviors, generally without appropriately obtaining your consent first, such as:
•Advertising
•Collecting personal information
•Changing the configuration of your computer
Spyware is often associated with software that displays advertisements (called adware) or software that tracks personal or sensitive information.
Trading tracking for services
That does not mean all software that provides ads or tracks your online activities is bad. For example, you might sign up for a free music service, but you “pay” for the service by agreeing to receive targeted ads. If you understand the terms and agree to them, you may have decided that it is a fair tradeoff. You might also agree to let the company track your online activities to determine which ads to show you.
What spyware does
Other kinds of spyware make changes to your computer that can be annoying and can cause your computer slow down or crash.
These programs can change your Web browser’s home page or search page, or add additional components to your browser you don’t need or want. They also make it very difficult for you to change your settings back to the way you had them.
Know what you’re installing
The key in all cases is whether or not you (or someone who uses your computer) understand what the software will do and have agreed to install the software on your computer.
A common trick is to covertly install the software during the installation of other software you want such as a music or video file sharing program.
Whenever you install something on your computer, make sure you carefully read all disclosures, including the license agreement and privacy statement. Sometimes the inclusion of unwanted software in a given software installation is documented, but it might appear at the end of a license agreement or privacy statement.
Mobile Security Needs More than Just Software
PC users – victimized by malware, spyware and never-ending pop-up windows in the past – know better today than to click on links from strangers or download and install random programs on their computers. But smartphone users haven’t learned those tough lessons yet.
A company called Lookout Mobile Security, which is announcing its 1 millionth customer today, said that mobile security is entering a new phase, just as PC security did so many years ago. Old timers will recall that some hackers initially launched massive attacks for the fame or notoriety. But then came the opportunity to make money off of this hacking business – and so they did.
That’s where we are with mobile security today, according to Lookout’s CEO and founder, John Hering. The company has seen a rise in the number of apps that are loaded with malware. Six months ago, four pieces of malware would be found per 100 phones per year. Today, that’s jumped to 9 pieces of malware. And it’s not just on open source platforms like Google’s Android. There have been instances of problems with apps that get past the app judges on Apple’s iOS platform, as well.
Malware and spyware were always risks in the PC world, as well, but because third-party developers are the ones who are showcasing their mobile apps in mobile app stores, you never know if the developer is a tech genius at MIT or a bad person with bad intentions somewhere overseas. The latest attack: apps loaded with malware that sit dormant and then, days later, starts to auto dial overseas numbers to premium services.