Keepin' it safe...

So now that I have told you a little about the potential hazards lurking in the dark corners of the Internet, it is time that I shed some light on what you can do to protect yourself.

So to revisit my last post, there are three basic threats that you should be concerned with...

1. Viruses (Self replicating malicious programs)
2. Spyware/Adware (Software that has been surrupticiously installed on your machine that will do a number of things including: moniter your surfing habits, record keystrokes, initate multiple pop-up ads, etc...)
3. Hackers (The folks that spend most of their waking hours trying to get into your machine.)

Remember the motivation for most of these threats has become financial gain. It used to be notoriety or even pranksters, but now it is a multi-billion dollar business. Spammers need machines to send out their garbage and are willing to pay .15-.18 cents a month per machine... This means YOU. Ever wonder why all of a sudden your machine is running like molasses? Well its probably because you are sending thousands of emails an hour unknowingly.

ANYWAY...

You need three essential things to protect yourself...

1. A good antivirus program. I recommend AVG, or Avast both are free and both are in my not-so-humble opinion signifagantly better then what is widely available... You can download a copy by clicking one of the following links: AVG or Avast
   
2. A good anti-spyware program. Microsoft Windows Defender is what I use. It is also free... Typically, I do not recommend beta versions to end users, BUT I have used this for quite some time and have found it to be both comprehensive and bugfree...
   
3. A Router. Erroneously called a hardware firewall, it uses a technology known as network address translation. I will spare you the techie details and tell you simply this, it makes your computer much harder to hack. Better still is an actual hardware firewall. I recommend the Zyxel P1

Well, that won't make you bulletproof, but it is a good start...

Keepin' it safe...

So now that I have told you a little about the potential hazards lurking in the dark corners of the Internet, it is time that I shed some light on what you can do to protect yourself.

So to revisit my last post, there are three basic threats that you should be concerned with...

1. Viruses (Self replicating malicious programs)
2. Spyware/Adware (Software that has been surrupticiously installed on your machine that will do a number of things including: moniter your surfing habits, record keystrokes, initate multiple pop-up ads, etc...)
3. Hackers (The folks that spend most of their waking hours trying to get into your machine.)

Remember the motivation for most of these threats has become financial gain. It used to be notoriety or even pranksters, but now it is a multi-billion dollar business. Spammers need machines to send out their garbage and are willing to pay .15-.18 cents a month per machine... This means YOU. Ever wonder why all of a sudden your machine is running like molasses? Well its probably because you are sending thousands of emails an hour unknowingly.

ANYWAY...

You need three essential things to protect yourself...

1. A good antivirus program. I recommend AVG, or Avast both are free and both are in my not-so-humble opinion signifagantly better then what is widely available... You can download a copy by clicking one of the following links: AVG or Avast
   
2. A good anti-spyware program. Microsoft Windows Defender is what I use. It is also free... Typically, I do not recommend beta versions to end users, BUT I have used this for quite some time and have found it to be both comprehensive and bugfree...
   
3. A Router. Erroneously called a hardware firewall, it uses a technology known as network address translation. I will spare you the techie details and tell you simply this, it makes your computer much harder to hack. Better still is an actual hardware firewall. I recommend the Zyxel P1

Well, that won't make you bulletproof, but it is a good start...

Regarding the Bad Guys...

With so many hostile factors facing your computer these days, it can be a monumental task to protect yourself. Let's start by defining the different types of threats.

• Viruses -is a self-replicating computer program written to alter the way a computer operates, without the permission or knowledge of the user (as defined by Wikipedia). Many people mistake other kinds of threats as viruses, however, spyware and other malware, may act very differently. Click this link for a complete definition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_virus
  
• SpyWare -Wikipedia states:" a broad category of malicious software designed to intercept or take partial control of a computer's operation without the informed consent of that machine's owner or legitimate user. While the term taken literally suggests software that surreptitiously monitors the user, it has come to refer more broadly to software that subverts the computer's operation for the benefit of a third party." Often spyware is installed via virus, but it is not limited to that mode of installation.
  
• Root Kits -This particularly nasty form of Malware actually alters the root of the operating system to render the unwanted user invisible. In laymans terms, it makes the hacker and his tools invisible to Windows. Therefore you (and your antivirus protection) can't see them at all. More on this later
  
• Hackers -These guys are the guys that "hack". There are good guys known as White Hat Hackers and Bad Guy Hackers, known as Black Hat Hackers. This bears some further explanation.White Hats also known as "Ethical Hackers" are generally the folks that secure networks. The will also attempt to break into networks to expose security flaws for the perpose of evaluation and remediation. Black Hats These are the guys that most people think of when they hear of "hackers". They spend their time trying to maliciously break into networks and computer systems.
  
• Adware -Adware allows the unwanted software to serve ads. Usually in the form of popup ads. In some cases you don't even need to be on the internet. Other types of Adware adds a tool bar, or a search bar to your browser. In some cases, these can be extremely maliciaious, they can add additional spyware/malware, redirect your searches to their pages...

So what do you do?? How can you keep your computer in working order? What about email? What happens if you have already been infected? What about online banking and ecommerce??? What's the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow???All that and more in upcoming installments!! So Stay Tuned.

Virtual Tours

As many of you know Virtual Tours are an outstanding way to show your property. I have been shooting Virtual Tours for quite awhile now and have a few pointers. If you are planning to shoot the tour yourself then you can purchase the equipment for around $1,000. You will need a 360 degree lens and a really good digital camera. You will need to be certain the camera that you select can accomodate the lens. Most professional quality cameras will do this. You will also need a good tripod. I recommend a tripod with a level on it so you cam be assured your pictures will not be off-center.

For more information regarding publishing your V-Tour Click Here

I suppose I should say...

You can run your own blog... It is super-easy to sign up and it is a good marketing tool if you use it properly...

Simply go to http://blogger.com and follow the directions. It will take you about ten minutes to get set up and going... Then it is simply up to you.

Good Luck!

In case you didn't know, "Phishing" is an e-mail scam aimed at getting your personal information by luring your into believing you are giving it to a legitimate company.

For example... You recieve an official looking email from "Wells Fargo" it has their logo, it says their name in the from line... The email informs you that they are attempting to update their records and they are missing some information. If you simply click on the link conveniently provided, you will be able to update said information and all will be peachy keen. If not, you will no longer be able to access your money and Santa Claus will leave a lump of coal in your stocking this year...

Once you click on the link, you will be transported to a website that is a replica (some are more convincing then others)of the actual Wells Fargo site (or Paypal, or whatever the case may be)that will have instructions on how to update your information.

Of course this is not really the Wells Fargo site (or whatever site the scam is proporting it to be) It is actually sending whatever information it can gather to the scam artists database. The scam artist can then use the infomation (credit card info, or God forbid your social security number) himself OR he can sell it to criminal organizations (including terrorists) that will use it for any number of evil purposes...

Pretty nasty huh...

BUT WAIT! It gets worse.

It is quite possible that the phoney web site you visited has infected your machine with viruses & spyware in the process. This makes it convenient for the cyber-crook to gather even more information about you and anyone that uses your computer for their nepharious uses...

It used to be easy to spot due to grammatical errors and poor graphics, however they are getting more sophisticated and the con is becoming tougher to spot... If you are not sure about an email, then call the institution and talk to somebody that actually works for the company...(get the number from 411 NOT from the email. It could be a bogus number that goes to the con man's phone...)

Keeping up with the times

The goal of this blog is simple: To assist REALTORS® cope with the ever-changing technological landscape.

Ok, so I realize that many of you are probably thinking "Who are you, and what do you know?" Well, I'll tell you. My name is Marc Everlove and I am the Director of Information Technologies at the South Bay Association of Realtors®. I am a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, and a Microsoft Certified Database Administrator. Until recently, I ran a local I.T. consultancy. We provided Web Development & Marketing, Network Installation & Maintennance, and general technical assistance and support where needed. etc... and blah blah blah... Let's just say that I have been a nerd for a very long time.

Enough about me, this blog is about you, the REALTOR®. I will be posting regularly to help you navigate the hazards and pitfalls of technology.

So STAY TUNED! There is a lot to know, and the potential issues are significant. Until next time... Keep Pumpin'