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P2P Dangers |
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Hi Evertek Internet Subscribers!
We think you'll find the information contained in this
newsletter to be a valuable tool for enhancing your Internet experience. If,
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P2P
Dangers - File Sharing Can Compromise Your Computer's Security
Peer-to-peer
file-sharing programs appear to be a godsend: they allow you to swap digital
files with others who have the same file-sharing software. Thousands of people
use peer-to-peer (often called P2P) programs to exchange music, videos, movies,
games, and software. But P2P programs are seemingly synonymous with trouble.
First, there are the well-publicized copyright infringement issues that arose
when Napster, the first widely used P2P program for exchanging music files,
became wildly popular in the late 1990s. Other examples of P2P programs are
Kazaa, Morpheus, eDonkey, and Gnutella.
Less well-known, but perhaps more significant, is how using P2P programs can
expose your computer to viruses, worms, Trojan horses, adware, and spyware, and
even expose you to identity theft and fraud. How can these things happen? A P2P
network allows users with the same file-sharing program to access files stored
on each other's computers without the typical network interaction with file
servers. This makes file sharing quick and easy, but these are unsecured
Internet connections unprotected by firewalls, making them prime targets for
hackers and virus writers.
It's easy for virus writers to attach malicious code to an innocently titled
file that resides on a file-sharing network. In fact, the infamous MyDoom virus
that wreaked havoc on e-mail systems worldwide in 2004 was initially spread in
this way by unknowing users of the Kazaa file-sharing program.
The same goes for adware and spyware. These unwanted programs could be attached
to an otherwise useful file downloaded from a file-sharing network, exposing
you to a flood of unwanted spam, ad pop-up windows, and web browser hijackings.
Even worse, a skilled hacker can gain access to your entire hard drive through
a file-sharing network, exposing you to identity theft and fraud. A hacker can
do this by using access to the files you intend to share on the file-sharing
network to gain access to personal files not intended for public use. If you
have information such as Social Security numbers and credit card information on
your computer, the potential for identity theft and fraud is very real.
Here's how to protect yourself on P2P
networks:
- Be legal. The
easiest way to avoid being exploited is to avoid P2P networks altogether.
But if file sharing is important to you, make sure you only use
file-sharing networks and programs in which you have the copyright owners'
permission to buy and exchange the files. Not only will you avoid
violating copyright law, but legitimate file-sharing networks should be
more secure and far less likely to attach adware or spyware to their
files.
- The fine
print. When you install P2P software, read the
software's End User License Agreement (EULA) before you agree to install
it. Don't install software whose legalese contains questionable phrases
such as "from time to time," "we may make your information
available to third parties," and "you agree to allow third-party
software to be installed into your computer."
- Access denied. If you
legally buy digital files, reject any offers for software that will enable
others to access your files. This will help block hackers who want to
snoop on your hard drive.
- Software
protection. Regardless of whether you use
a P2P network, you should be running a firewall, up-to-date antivirus
software, and spyware and adware blockers and scanners.
Wireless Routers for Sale - Evertek is now selling Linksys Wireless Routers.
Do you have more than 1 computer in your home? Want them both on the Internet at the same time? Not sure how that works? Let Evertek take care of your system. Introducing Evertek Home Networking Solutions.
How it works: In order to connect more than 1 computer to the same Internet connection a piece of hardware called a Router is needed. The Evertek modem is plugged into the router. Then the router sends out the Internet signal to each computer. Evertek has chosen to use is a Linksys Wireless 4 Port router including a firewall. The firewall protects your PC against hackers and different Internet attacks. There are 2 ways in which the router can send the signal. The first way is by Ethernet cable. On the back of the router there are 4 plugs that can have 4 Ethernet cables running to 4 different computers. This Ethernet cable carries the Internet signal to each computer. The second way a router can send a signal is wirelessly. The router sends out signals through the airwaves over a small distance. Each computer would need a Wireless card inside of them to pick up this signal.
What we do: Evertek will bring out all the hardware necessary to set up your home network. The router will already be set up to work on Evertek's Internet service. One computer will be hooked up to the router via Ethernet cable while the others will be connected using wireless cards. You will be responsible for sending in the manufacturers warranty cards.
Service after the fact: Should you ever have questions or problems with your home network you will be able to call Evertek Tech Support. We will now troubleshoot your home network, as we were the one to install the hardware. Tech Support will already have your router & card numbers logged in their system. Evertek will pass along the hardware manufacturers warranty to the customer. The customer will be responsible for sending in the warranty cards. Should your hardware malfunction within the warranty time frame feel free to send the hardware back to the manufacturer for a replacement.
New Evertek Service Offered - Does Your Computer Need A Tune-up?
Much like an automobile, your computer will become slower and start to have problems if it is not "tuned" regularly. Evertek will now offer an option to provide this service.
If your computer is slowing down or takes forever to start up, then it might be time for a tune-up. Protect your investment by having Evertek enhance your system. In May started to offer a means of protecting you from invasions of viruses, spyware and other forms of Internet related activities by providing a tune-up service on your personal computer. You may bring your computer in or arrange for us to pick it up, and after a day or two you will be back in business.
Evertek will re-format your system for as low as $75.00. If you choose, Evertek will install Anti-Virus and Spyware at an additional cost. For peak performance and security call Evertek today.
Ask
The Help Desk - Why Is My Computer Screen Wallpaper
Distorted?
Question: Sometimes I save images off
the Internet for wallpaper on my computer screen. However, the images I save
quite often look very distorted when I stretch them to full screen. How can I
avoid this?
Answer: You are probably
running into a couple of problems. The first is that of proportions. If the
image you are grabbing from the Web isn't proportional to your screen, it will
look distorted when it's stretched. Remember, your screen format is rectangular
having horizontal and vertical dimensions. So if you save an image that is much
more vertical than horizontal, the image will look "fat" once it is
fitted to your screen.
The other problem is that most images found on the Web are not a high enough
resolution to be used for wallpaper. Many computers, for example, are set to a
resolution of either 800x600 pixels or 1024x768 pixels. When grabbing an image
off the Web, the image needs to be close to the same size as the resolution
found on your screen in order to appear undistorted. If the image is only
250x100 pixels, for example, there just won't be enough pixels to fill your
computer screen in an undistorted manner, unless of course you are using a very
small screen.
Note that most site owners have copyright restrictions regarding their site's
content (text and images) so you must first get permission before grabbing an
image to use as computer screen wallpaper.
Great
Sites To Check Out This Month
Head To A Drive-In Movie Theater This Summer
http://DriveInTheater.com -
Do you remember the fun times you had going to the drive-in movie theater on
weekends with your family or friends? There were over 5,000 drive-in movie
theaters located across the
Visit A Lawnmower Museum
http://lawnmowerworld.co.uk/ -
Those of you who are really into lawnmowers have probably already got this site
bookmarked. For everyone else, this is the link to the
Calculating Your Social Security Benefits
http://www.SocialSecurity.gov -
There's been much debate regarding the long-term solvency of our Social
Security System. Most agree that the funds will be depleted at some point in
the future because of the changing ratio in the number of people working versus
the number of people retiring. If you have not yet retired, have you ever
figured out what you can expect in monthly social security income based on the
current system? SocialSecurity.gov can calculate this for you. Simply go to the
"Calculate your benefits" link and enter the requested information.
Sign The Declaration of
http://archives.gov/national_archives_experience/charters/declaration.html -
The U.S. National Archives & Records Administration restores and archives
important government documents from our nation's history. Celebrating the
anniversary of our declaration of independence during the month of July
provides a great opportunity to see and learn more about our historical
treasures. Go to the Declaration of Independence area of this site and click on
the "Join the Signers of the Declaration" link. There you can add
your name to the ranks of the 56 original signers who stood for freedom and
then print off your copy to show friends and family.
The Cut - The
Next Hit Reality TV Show
http://cbs.com/primetime/the_cut/ -
The new CBS TV show The Cut
appears to be the next hit reality TV series. During each weekly episode, clothing
designer Tommy Hilfiger pits fashion-savvy contestants against one another in
real fashion world challenges to find the next great trend setting designer.
One contestant is eliminated each week. For more information about the
contestants, each episode, and some behind-the-scenes drama, head to this site.
Short
Tutorial - Images Saved On Your Computer Screen As Repeated
"Tiles"
As
the FAQ in the "Ask The Help Desk" section above explains, it can be
difficult to grab images off the Web to use as wallpaper without the images
appearing distorted on your computer screen. Rather than trying to stretch
pictures to fit your computer's screen, an alternative is to "tile"
your selected image. This process saves the picture repeatedly in rows on your
screen as a background. The result may be cluttered but probably preferable to
the distorted alternative.
To tile an image as your screen's wallpaper when
using a PC and Internet Explorer as your browser, simply right-click
on the chosen picture and select "Set As Background."
If you are on a PC and using the new Firefox
browser, right-click on the image and choose "Set As Wallpaper."
When the "Set Wallpaper" dialog box appears, look for the
"Position" menu. It will list "Stretch," "Tile,"
or "Center" as options. Choose "Tile" from the list. Click
on the "Set Wallpaper" button. The background of your computer screen
will change to multiple rows of the picture you selected.
If you get tired of using this image,
right-click on your PC's desktop and choose "Properties." With the
"Desktop" tab selected, choose the wallpaper you want from the list
that appears. Click "Apply" and then click "OK." (This
works whether using Internet Explorer or Firefox as your browser.)
If you are using a Macintosh running OS X,
right-click your cursor arrow on the image (if you have a two button mouse) or
click on the image while holding down the "ctrl" key (if you have a
single button mouse) and select "Download Image To Disk." Next, go to
the Apple menu then drop down to and select "System Preferences..."
Click on the Desktop & Screensaver icon and click on "Choose
Folder" in the left hand pane of the window. Click on "Desktop."
The picture you downloaded to disk should be there. Click on it to select it
and then click on "Choose." Next to the preview picture you'll see a
button that says "Fill Screen." Click on it and four choices will
appear: "Fill Screen," "Stretch to fill screen," "Center,"
and "Tile." Choose "Tile" and then close the window.
We hope
you found this newsletter to be informative. It's our way of keeping you posted
on the happenings at our shop. If, however, you'd prefer not to receive these
bulletins on a monthly basis, click HERE.
Thanks for your business!
Best regards,
Chris Dodd
Marketing & Sales Manager
Evertek.net
Evertek Inc
216 N
712-834-2255