Morin Moss Inc. -- Good Tools

Here are some tidbits about personal security and the Net.

First off, big brother is watching. The bill passed Oct, 2001 allows the US government to watch your internet actions, your charge card items and your library activity without warrants, or you even being informed that you are being watched. It's actually against the law for the library to inform you that the FBI has pulled your book checkout records. Do you feel safer now?

This page is concerned with the areas you still have some control over, protecting your net access without allowing people into your machine.

Cookies

These are small files placed on your computer by your internet browser.

The good part: Cookies allow you to revisit a site, such as Yahoo or Amazon, without having to sign in every time you visit them.
The bad part: Cookies planted by companies like Doubleclick, can be used to show other companies where you have visited. Perhaps Barnes&Nobel paid Doubleclick to report on your activity at Amazon. Who knows who is trying to spy on you! Not us.
What you shoud do: Allow cookies from the sites you visit and block the cookies from the other sites.
Why: Cookies can only be reported to the sites contained in the web page you are visiting. So, allow your 'primary' or 'first party' cookies, and block the rest. So now, when you access CompanyX.com you get their cookies. But ad-ware cookies from Doubleclick and the others are not 'first party' and are therefore blocked.
How: In MS's Internet Explorer 6 menu, select Tools, then Internet Options.

In the popup select tab: 'Privacy', then press the 'Advanced...' button. (see here)
In the 'Advanced Privacy' popup click 'Override automatic cookie', click Accept first-party amd click Block Third-party cookies.(see here)
I don't know about the 'Always allow session cookies' yet, so I keep mine off.
Netscape and the other browsers will have the same type of settings. In Mozilla 1.2 browser, it's Menu:Edit->Preferences. Then open Privacy, then Cookies. (see here)

AdWare / Spyware

Spyware is software that runs on your computer and records your actions. AdWare is software that pushes popup windows onto your screen.

The Good Part: AdWare is embedded in many free products you download. It's the advertisement that pays for the 'free' software.
The Bad Part: You will be interrupted by ad's from AdWare. Spyware could actually 'call home' and report your credit card information, phones numbers and people in your address file.
What's this about? You pay HBO for ad-free movies. Regular TV gives you advertisement every 10 minutes. The difference between this and your computer is that you can leave the room during an advertisement. Many software products are 'Free' but are supported by AdWare programs downloaded to your computer which monitor your activities and/or reports home with that information. The information is used to place Ads on your screen and to record statistics about your activities.
There are some pure SpyWare software out there with more devious intentions. They attempt to gather your personal information. While I can't prove this activity, I've read about it. I can't see any reason to allow any software on my machine which reports home with my personal information.
What you should do:
One simple control is to download Lavasoft's free AdAware program. This Swedish company produces this software for free, and an optional upgrade to more advanced functions. The freeware version works fine for many users.
Another protection mechanism is Microsoft's antispyware which monitors actions taken by spyware instead of searching for known spyware.

Browser Information

'Browser Information' is about the information your browser tells visited sites about your name and address.

The Good Part: There is none.
The Bad Part: Junk emailer get your address, web sites can record some of your personal information.
What's this about? The early browsers asked your name, and specs. Then a web site could get this information when you visited that site. Lately browser have quit this practice. But associated with this, is the 'Auto Complete' options of some browsers. If you've got it, turn it off.
What you should do: In MS's Internet Explorer's menu:
Pick 'Tools' and 'Internet Options' and select the 'Content' tab. (see here)
Click on the 'Auto Complete' button (see here)AutoCompleteSettings and turn off 'Forms' and 'Promp me to save passwords'. Press OK. (see here)
Then click on the 'My Profile' button.

If you get a choice, click the 'Create Profile' option.

When you press 'OK' you get a 'Properties' window for your profile. Enter as little information as possible. See here MeProperties. I've only entered my name as 'Me' and my Fax number. I did not even enter an email address. (see here)

Early Browsers If you are running MS's Internet Explorer Version 5, or Netscape's version 5 or lower then upgrade. There are many security fixes in the newer browsers that you need.
Check your results Go to Gemal's Browser Spy and see what information your browser is giving away. Make sure there is no personal information being handed out.

HOST file
this section is for advanced users.

If you are running Win2K or WinXP then here is an option to block access from Spyware sites.
What this is: When you seek out a web site, like www.google.com, something out there has to look up www.google.com, and find it's IP number, the real address. The IP number is something like a Zipcode, it identifies the real address of the Google.com computers.
There is a file on your computer called HOST which contains IP addresses of many site names. This is designed for high speed lookup to web sites. In this file, you can add web site names and their IP addresses for quick lookups.
Guess what? In this file, you can add bogus IP address of the Spam/Spyware sites and this will block their popup windows and spyware reporting programs, because their site name lookup get bogus information from your HOST file.
What to do:
Here is my current HOST file.
Download and unzip this file into a temporary folder on your machine.
Find your HOST file, on my machine its here: "c:\Windows\system32\drivers\etc\HOST"
Make a backup copy of the orignal file
Replace this file with the download file in your temporary directory
For a more recent site block list, install instructions, and detailed explanation, see Steve at Smartin Designs

IE based Ad blocking

If you don't use WinXP, another approach to blocking Adware/Spyware is to modify your Internet Explorer options to block sites. see EHowes information for details. I don't use this method, so let me now how it works out.

Hardware Firewalls ...Coming Soon

Software Firewalls ...Coming Soon

Microsoft Windows XP provides a free simple firewall. Just turn it on. Go to your "control panel" and click on "Windows Firewall". Click on the "General" tab and turn on your firewall. This provides basic incoming protection.
For more advanced firewall protection which interferes with both incoming and outgoing actions, check out Zone Alarm. While I find that their newer version have GDI resource leaks resulting in slower computers, the older Version 5.5 seems to be pretty good.

Buddy Software

Don't download any buddy software. This is the helping hand, or monkey friends, or any programs that are supposed to help you browse the internet. This includes Gater, and that thing where you pick your favorite color. It's all just spyware.


Cookies

	These are small files placed on your computer by your internet browser. The good part: Cookies allow you to revisit a site, such as Yahoo or Amazon, without having to sign in every time you visit them. The bad part: Cookies planted by companies like Doubleclick, can be used to show other companies where you have visited. Perhaps Barnes&Nobel paid Doubleclick to report on your activity at Amazon. Who knows who is trying to spy on you! Not us. What you shoud do: Allow cookies from the sites you visit and block the cookies from the other sites. Why: Cookies can only be reported to the sites contained in the web page you are visiting. So, allow your 'primary' or 'first party' cookies, and block the rest. So now, when you access CompanyX.com you get their cookies. But ad-ware cookies from Doubleclick and the others are not 'first party' and are therefore blocked. How: In MS's Internet Explorer 6 menu, select Tools, then Internet Options. In the popup select tab: 'Privacy', then press the 'Advanced...' button. (see here) In the 'Advanced Privacy' popup click 'Override automatic cookie', click Accept first-party amd click Block Third-party cookies.(see here) I don't know about the 'Always allow session cookies' yet, so I keep mine off. Netscape and the other browsers will have the same type of settings. In Mozilla 1.2 browser, it's Menu:Edit->Preferences. Then open Privacy, then Cookies. (see here)

AdWare / Spyware

	Spyware is software that runs on your computer and records your actions. AdWare is software that pushes popup windows onto your screen. The Good Part: AdWare is embedded in many free products you download. It's the advertisement that pays for the 'free' software. The Bad Part: You will be interrupted by ad's from AdWare. Spyware could actually 'call home' and report your credit card information, phones numbers and people in your address file. What's this about? You pay HBO for ad-free movies. Regular TV gives you advertisement every 10 minutes. The difference between this and your computer is that you can leave the room during an advertisement. Many software products are 'Free' but are supported by AdWare programs downloaded to your computer which monitor your activities and/or reports home with that information. The information is used to place Ads on your screen and to record statistics about your activities. There are some pure SpyWare software out there with more devious intentions. They attempt to gather your personal information. While I can't prove this activity, I've read about it. I can't see any reason to allow any software on my machine which reports home with my personal information. What you should do: One simple control is to download Lavasoft's free AdAware program. This Swedish company produces this software for free, and an optional upgrade to more advanced functions. The freeware version works fine for many users. Another protection mechanism is Microsoft's antispyware which monitors actions taken by spyware instead of searching for known spyware.

Browser Information

	'Browser Information' is about the information your browser tells visited sites about your name and address. The Good Part: There is none. The Bad Part: Junk emailer get your address, web sites can record some of your personal information. What's this about? The early browsers asked your name, and specs. Then a web site could get this information when you visited that site. Lately browser have quit this practice. But associated with this, is the 'Auto Complete' options of some browsers. If you've got it, turn it off. What you should do: In MS's Internet Explorer's menu: Pick 'Tools' and 'Internet Options' and select the 'Content' tab. (see here) Click on the 'Auto Complete' button (see here)AutoCompleteSettings and turn off 'Forms' and 'Promp me to save passwords'. Press OK. (see here) Then click on the 'My Profile' button. If you get a choice, click the 'Create Profile' option. When you press 'OK' you get a 'Properties' window for your profile. Enter as little information as possible. See here MeProperties. I've only entered my name as 'Me' and my Fax number. I did not even enter an email address. (see here) Early Browsers If you are running MS's Internet Explorer Version 5, or Netscape's version 5 or lower then upgrade. There are many security fixes in the newer browsers that you need. Check your results Go to Gemal's Browser Spy and see what information your browser is giving away. Make sure there is no personal information being handed out.

HOST file this section is for advanced users.

	If you are running Win2K or WinXP then here is an option to block access from Spyware sites. What this is: When you seek out a web site, like www.google.com, something out there has to look up www.google.com, and find it's IP number, the real address. The IP number is something like a Zipcode, it identifies the real address of the Google.com computers. There is a file on your computer called HOST which contains IP addresses of many site names. This is designed for high speed lookup to web sites. In this file, you can add web site names and their IP addresses for quick lookups. Guess what? In this file, you can add bogus IP address of the Spam/Spyware sites and this will block their popup windows and spyware reporting programs, because their site name lookup get bogus information from your HOST file. What to do: Here is my current HOST file. Download and unzip this file into a temporary folder on your machine. Find your HOST file, on my machine its here: "c:\Windows\system32\drivers\etc\HOST" Make a backup copy of the orignal file Replace this file with the download file in your temporary directory For a more recent site block list, install instructions, and detailed explanation, see Steve at Smartin Designs

IE based Ad blocking

	If you don't use WinXP, another approach to blocking Adware/Spyware is to modify your Internet Explorer options to block sites. see EHowes information for details. I don't use this method, so let me now how it works out.

Hardware Firewalls ...Coming Soon

Software Firewalls ...Coming Soon
	Microsoft Windows XP provides a free simple firewall. Just turn it on. Go to your "control panel" and click on "Windows Firewall". Click on the "General" tab and turn on your firewall. This provides basic incoming protection. For more advanced firewall protection which interferes with both incoming and outgoing actions, check out Zone Alarm. While I find that their newer version have GDI resource leaks resulting in slower computers, the older Version 5.5 seems to be pretty good.

Buddy Software

	Don't download any buddy software. This is the helping hand, or monkey friends, or any programs that are supposed to help you browse the internet. This includes Gater, and that thing where you pick your favorite color. It's all just spyware.