Internet Security begins with Common Sense

Seems I've been spending a great deal of time dealing with virus protection, eliminating Spyware, and training others to increase their computer security. In this post I will pass on some web sites that I like to use to increase awareness of these issues. I hope you will find something eye-opening and useful amongst this short post.

Begin by taking the SonicWall Phishing and Spam IQ Test to gauge your ability to identify real versus fraudulent emails.

I recently found some great common sense articles on the WebTools&Tips site. By accident, I happened across the article Internet Security Tips: Look Hard at URL destination before you Click it. This is just one in the series of Simple Security Tips to fortify your Internet Security. And, a great compliment to this series, you shouldn't pass over the "Related Webtools and Tips..." found at the end of each article.


I'm discovering that the average computer user either doesn't see the importance of, or simply doesn't make the time to, look before clicking. A simple click on the wrong link, image, email, et cetera, can result in a variety of problems. These include viruses, spyware, and other evil little critters. The average user can save themselves some pain by learning to deal with these crises before they ruin your day, your files, and your mood.

For example, being aware of sites like Snopes can give you insight into Virus Hoaxes & Realities that are likely to threaten your system. Snopes recently posted a nice summary of the UPS/FedEx Delivery Failure virus that is certain to affect someone you know before this holiday season is over. Don't let it get you.

Become familiar with one or more Spyware removal Tools. I especially like the resources to be found at CERT. Another resource that I have used is WebToolsandTips.com

However, if you don't feel comfortable attempting to removing spyware from your computer, you can find a techie who feels comfortable assisting you in solving these type of problems. At least take the time to learn about what is infecting your system by simply doing Google searches that includes some variation of "remove, removal, removing" followed by the name of virus or spyware that has invaded the computer.

As I said at the beginning of this post, I hope you found something eye-opening and useful. Better security leads to better peace of mind. Enjoy that!