Archive for May, 2010

Network Security Threats Come In Many Forms

Posted on May 31st, 2010 in Blogging | No Comments »

When you mention network security threats people will instantly think of some nasty virus or trojan that is downloaded to the network via a link in someones email or maybe when you click on a link in a webpage.

If you have been on the internet for any amount of time you will have heard about all sorts of nasty worms and hidden backdoors. These are very real and can do a lot of damage to your home pcs and especially to business networks. If you think it is annoying losing all the photos and emails from your family, just imagine how bad it is for a company that loses all its records.

There are all sorts of bits of software that you can install on your computers to protect you from malicious attacks from outsiders. Any network admin worth his salt will have at least one program installed to check all the emails that come into any company computer, it isn’t unusual to also have your web surfing controlled in some way.

What about security threats that are not sent through email or a website? If you are allowed to bring in your own cd’s,usb flash drives or anything else that allows you to put info onto the company computers you are bringing in a potential computer virus or trojan.

There was a case where someone who worked at a bank was allowed to bring in his video game so he could play it during his lunch and on breaks. In fact the video game had a mini computer inside it which was then connected to the company network and created all sorts of problems.

If you job involves assessing and protecting your network against security threats don’t just think about emails, websites and facebook links, make sure everyone is aware of the company policy with regards to bringing in their own computer related items.

The best policy is to just say no, no one should be allowed to bring in their own laptops, netbooks or any other item that can be connected to the company computers. You can even go so far as to put superglue into the USB ports so they can not be used.

This can of course create problems if you need to access the machine via USB or your company sells the machines later, but that will be a small issue in comparison to the possible loss of all your data.

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USB lash Drives or External Hard Drives: Which is better?

Posted on May 28th, 2010 in Blogging | No Comments »

Data storage has never been easier or cheaper than it is today. Compared with just a few years ago, the price of flash memory has fallen sharply. And small, portable hard drives are also really cheap and offer high capacity storage for relatively low prices.
Yet for some people, the quesion of whether to choose a flash drive or normal external hard drive can be a confusing one. This will help you decide which is best for your needs.

1)Do you just need to ferry a few small files or lots of data?
If you are just taking a few files to and from the office or campus then there really is no need to get anything more than a cheap USB flash drive. A low capacity one will set you back less than $10 for a small and reliable model. There are many to choose from in this range, though I think that some of the best USB drives are made by SanDisk. But other big-name manufacturers such as Kingston also make good ones.
If you need to ferry a lot of data then you should consider going up to a 16GB or 32GB drive. These are still reasonably priced and you can fit a lot of files or pirtures and music onto a 16GB drive. For much bigger drives you start having to pay a lot more money and that starts to change the equation.

2) If you need to store huge files on a budget an external drive is better.
All these choices are a mix of cost and convenience, but in my opinion once you go above 32GB of storage needs it starts to make more sense to look at an external hard drive. They are a bit bigger and less convenient but for the price you get huge amounts of storage capacity that just can’t be beat.

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What Is Free Desktop Security Software?

Posted on May 28th, 2010 in Blogging | No Comments »

Obviously anything free on the internet must have a catch, right? Not really, because believe it or not, there are still good-intentioned people alive on the internet. Also, it would not really be technically considered a catch when a free desktop security software offers a paid security software. This is because you still have a choice to keep the free software or buy the full version.

The advantage of getting free desktop security software is undeniable. You get to protect your computer from infectious viruses and spyware which could, at the very least, slow down your computer, or worse, cause it to be worthless, and needing repairs. In the process, you could lose files either because it gets corrupted (garbled) or just gets lost during reformat.

With a good desktop security software, free or otherwise, you can rely on the expertise of computer geeks and software developers who have come up with ingenious ways of tracking down these malware. Not only can you work confident that no one is going to steal information about you, you can surf the internet without having to worry about threats.

With free desktop security software, there has to be a certain amount of caution you must take in choosing which one to download. Unfortunately, there are people out there who take advantage of the need for security to try to foist dangerous so-called security software full of spyware, or even viruses. They do this so that they can sell a “better” security software, or because they get some kind of freaky thrill out of stealing and crashing computers.

If you are looking for the free software, don’t just go on gut instinct. Rather, surf the web for sites that review software, and read up on what these professionals and experts have to say about which free security software is safe and dependable. Usually, the same names will crop up, like AVG, Avast, Spy Sweeper, and Ad Aware.

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Choosing a Good Quality Laptop for Travel

Posted on May 25th, 2010 in Blogging | No Comments »

A lot of people today are looking for good computers they can use as mobile devices. These machines need to be capable of connecting to the Internet through a wireless card. The thinkpad r51 is capable of doing this. It is a lower priced model that can be found available online. The Lenovo ThinkPad R51 is just one of several machines created by the subdivision of IBM computers. It comes with a large display screen that measures a good 15 inches in size. This makes the unit a good choice for watching video displays such as DVDs.

It does come with a fully functioning DVD-RW drive so not only can you watch videos, you have the ability to record them as well. The machine comes with the Pentium M processor and a 40 GB hard drive. This makes the unit good for use in traveling, because you don’t need a lot of extra hard disk space for a travel computer. It also comes with USB connectors to make using your USB devices convenient. One of the best features of the R51 ThinkPad is the video graphics card. Most new models of laptops today do not include video cards in their design.

You will see a lot of computer manufacturers choosing to use the graphic chip-sets instead of the cards. While these chips can render 3D graphics, they pull a lot of RAM memory to do it with. The advantage to having a separate card for creating the graphics on your computer, is the efficient use of memory and the clarity and definition of the images. This model of thinkpad computer has the ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 as its graphic card. If you enjoy playing video games with 3D images, then this convenient machine will give you the performance you are looking for.

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Why A 32 Inch LCD TV Is A Good Option

Posted on May 24th, 2010 in Blogging | No Comments »

LCD (liquid crystal display) TVs have pretty much replaced old style CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) television sets.  A high definition (HD) LCD TV offers a better, clearer picture at high resolution with outstanding colour. These TVs also occupy hardly any space with an ultra slim body and sleek and stylish design. The flat screen design enables the TV to be mounted on any wall.

When purchasing a TV of this type, you need to consider factors such as resolution, contrast ratio and screen size. Bigger screen sizes offer a better viewing experience but it is pointless buying a 50 or 65 inch LCD TV when you don’t have a room large enough for you to sit and view from a comfortable distance. It is important to gauge the right distance that you should sit from the TV when watching it. Sitting too close will strain and stress your eyes and also makes the images look pixellated and not very pleasant to look at. As an example, for a 32 inch LCD TV you should sit a minimum distance of 6-8 feet from the screen, while for a 65 inch LCD TV you should have at least 16-18 feet of distance from the TV screen.

In most cases, a 32 inch TV is the best option for small to medium sized room. It isn’t too small that images lack in detail, nor is it too big to accommodate a comfortable viewing position. Obviously a bigger screen size would not only occupy larger space, but would  cost more as well. And bigger the screen, the more away you would have to sit from it, and that can prove to be cumbersome in limited spatial options.

When purchasing a 32 inch TV it is best to get a set that displays full high definition, which equates to a resolution of 1080 pixels. Samsung has a good reputation as an affordable LCD TV manufacturer, and a Samsung 32″ TV represents a good balance of features and price.

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