Securing your Computer for DXInOne

With being involved with DXInOne or any online business there is one crucial issue that must not be ignored.

That issue is SECURITY.

I just received an email from somebody who lost $100 from their e-gold account due to what is called a "key-logger" virus. Usually these viruses run in the background waiting for you to enter your username and password and then send the information to the author of the virus.

In the case of the person who sent me the email the virus actually ran a hidden window in the background and transferred the funds out of his account while he was still logged in.

I then received an email from Brian Fackrell informing me of a malicious trojan virus that has been spreading throughout the holiday. I will paste his exact email in this article in the next section.

I want to emphasize that when you work online security should be the first thing that you consider. If you are running your DXBusiness (or any online business) and you do not have an up to date virus scanner installed and running, you are at HIGH RISK.

It is very easy for these viruses to get installed on your computer either from emails or just from visiting a website (yes, they can now plant viruses on your computer just from visiting a website now).

Here are a few tips and tricks to lower your chances of security risks:

1. Make sure you are running an up to date virus scanner on a regular basis.

There are several good choices for this such as Norton Antivirus. If you don't have an anti-virus program because of cost reasons, then visit www.free-av.com for a free anti-virus program.

Make sure that you run regular system scans (at least once a week) and that you update your scanner as often as possible.

2. ALWAYS use the Virtual Keyboard.

I know it's tedious and a pain to use, but DXInOne did not put the Virtual Keyboard in place just to be different - it is there to protect your account.

You should always use the Virtual Keyboard EVERY time you log in to your account.

3. Use Firefox to browse the Internet.

If you are using Internet Explorer then you are more open to risk than those that use Firefox. This is mostly because Internet Explorer is a lot more popular which means that most virus writers will concentrate on it to get maximum exposure for their virus.

Click on the following image to go to Mozilla and download Firefox for free.

4. Make sure that your operating system (e.g. Windows XP) is kept up to date.

If you are running an older version of Windows (especially Windows 95 or Windows 98) then you are at high risk. You need to upgrade to Windows XP as soon as possible. While this might be an expensive upgrade, the money that it could potentially save you will make up for any cost.

Make sure that your operating system always has the latest service pack and security updates. If you are running Windows XP then turn on the "Check for automatic updates" - even if you are on dial-up. You need to know when the security updates are released so that you can get them installed as soon as possible.

5. NEVER open suspicious attachments in your emails.

No matter who the email is from, NEVER open an attachment unless you are expecting one to be there. Even if the email is from your friend it could be a virus. Some viruses will send themselves through the email accounts on the computer where they are infected, so it will look like your friend or family sent you the email.

My rule of thumb is to never open the attachment unless the person that sent me the email tells me exactly what the attachment is (or I am expecting it).

Also, turn off any "auto-views" for your email program (such as Outlook Express or Microsoft Outlook) as even the images in emails can place viruses on your computer. Only open emails from trusted sources.

6. If you use MSN or any other instant messaging service, be wary of files being sent!

With the popularity of MSN and other instant messaging services viruses are now being programmed that will send a "message" to an unsuspecting user. These messages could simply be "Check out this website - http://..." or they could be "Here is a file" and then a file is sent, waiting for you to accept it and download it.

If ever somebody just suddenly messages you anything suspicious reply to what they have said and ask "Hey, did you send me this?" If you don't get a response then DO NOT OPEN THE WEBSITE OR THE FILE as it is probably a virus.

7. And the list goes on...

Basically be aware of what is going on virus-wise. Know the latest email scams and security problems. If you keep relatively up to date with everything that I have stated then you will significantly reduce your risk online

by Matthew Glanfield