techtrickz» Internet security

Avast 7 Beta Released With New Features, UI Changes and Windows 8 Support

Kannan — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:20:52 +0000

The popular free security software developer Avast has launched the first public beta of their new security solution Avast 7 with new features and several security improvements along with new user interface and Windows 8 support. FileRep service, Streaming updates, Remote assistance feature and Export/Import settings are notable features of this new Avast 7 (Beta).

New Features of Avast 7 Free Antivirus (Beta)

FileRep service (file reputation services) is one of the new features of Avast 7 beta. This cloud based file reputation system helps Avast to make intelligent decisions by querying the Avast’s file reputation database.

Streaming updates is another new feature. It keeps Avast to up-to-date against latest threats. This feature give users streaming updates on new malware threats in addition to regular virus database updates.

Sandbox and Autosandbox improvements. This feature provides an extra layer of security for you to run your PC and its applications in a virtual environment. Autosandbox feature prompts users to run suspicious applications in the virtual Sandbox environment.

Browser protection improvements: The improved website reliability and reputation ratings system (Avast WebRep and Fishing Filter) warns users about dangerous web pages before entering a web page.

Remote assistance is another new feature. It helps Avast users to connect and share their computer. This feature can help you to troubleshoot your computer with friends.

Win8 Developer Preview support. Avast 7 beta version will works well with Windows 8 (DP) and may also works well on Windows 8 Consumer Preview (Beta), which is scheduled to be released on Feb 29, 2012.

Other notable new features of Avast 7 beta are new easy to use installer, import/export support, UI facelift and Screensaver facelift.

Avast 7 (beta) can install over your current Avast6.x version on your Computer, however not recommend in a working environment. Avast 7 (Beta) Antivirus (free), Antivirus (pro) and Internet Security can be downloaded from the Avast beta release page.

Norton Identity Safe, Cloud Based Secure Password Manager

Kannan — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:54:22 +0000

You should have a different password for every online account you have. Because it’s so tough to remember all those passwords, you should use a reliable password management software. The security vendor Symantec has just released a cloud based password management software called Norton Identity Safe that lets you quickly and securely log in to your favorite sites from computers and mobile devices from anywhere you go.

Norton Identity Safe (currently beta) works on Windows, iOS, and Android devices and supports all the major browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, and Safari.

It can securely handle all your login name and passwords for multiple services, as well as your credit card details, and web form information. Each of your login information is protected using a single master password and listed along with a thumbnail, so can easily identify and access each of your account in one click. Moreover, you can also setup specific sites to login automatically.

Norton Identity Safe also has safe search protection. It lets you know if a site is safe or not before you visit it, which is quite useful if you browse through URLs find on email and social networks. In addition, it warns you of and blocks malicious sites.

Note: if you have Norton Internet Security or Norton 360, you already have Norton Identity Safe installed, no need to install it separately.

Norton Identity Safe can be downloaded (19MB) for free from here.

Toolwiz Time Freeze: Easily Create Virtual Environment to Protect Your PC

Kannan — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:58:19 +0000

There is no guarantee that a single security application can secure your computer from every threat. We need to build our own protection strategies for complete protection. Creating a virtual environment for your system is one among them, on which you run applications and surf the internet. It keeps your system safe and protects from unwanted changes.

Toolwiz Time Freeze is such an easy to use virtualization software for Windows. Just with a click you can creates a virtual environment as a copy of the real system, on which you can install software, visit any website, and watch movies with a peace of mind. Up on rebooting, everything will be erased and keep your system intact.

Toolwiz Time Freeze provides higher-level security to computer protection, and quite useful for those who do not want to mess up their system from frequent installation of new software and surf the internet with a peace of mind.

It offers two types of protection. One is by creating a virtual partition and other is by protecting file and folder from being accessed by malware.

Installation and usage of Toolwiz Time Freeze is quite simple. After installation run the tool and click ‘Start Time Freeze’ option to create a virtual environment for your PC. It prevent computer from unwanted changes, and prevent malicious threats being made and doing harm to your PC.

The File Protection option helps you prohibit changing or viewing files or accessing the protected folders by other. Just choose file or folder you want to protect by clicking ‘Add Folder’ or ‘Add File’ option, and click ‘Start File Protection’ option.

Verdict: Toolwiz Time Freeze is very simple to use and provides higher-level security to computer protection. However, it creates only 4GB of virtual space and disables the file and folder protection upon reboot.

It supports all Windows versions (both 32 and 64bit) and can be downloaded (1.2MB) from the developer’s website for free.

OpenDNS to Introduce DNSCrypt For Secure Web Surfing

Kannan — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:10:18 +0000

We have been using secure, public DNS services like OpenDNS for years now instead of our ISP’s DNS for secure and faster web browsing, but, unfortunately, the underlying DNS protocol has not been secure enough. There have been numerous examples of man-in-the-middle attacks, and snooping of DNS traffic. In order to tackle this issue OpenDNS has introduced a new solution called DNSCrypt.

DNSCrypt is a lightweight software and works by encrypting all DNS traffic between the user and OpenDNS, preventing any spying, spoofing or man-in-the-middle attacks.

“In the same way the SSL turns HTTP web traffic into HTTPS encrypted Web traffic, DNSCrypt turns regular DNS traffic into encrypted DNS traffic that is secure from eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks”.

It is true that the internet poses some very real security threats to computer users, even if they have protected their computer with good security solution. That means we need to build a few defenses ourselves, rather than completely rely on a single security solution to do this. I am sure OpenDNS’s DNSCrypt can do something good on this issue.

DNSCrypt currently available for Mac users only. Interested users can get more details and download at source here.

How to Limit Internet Usage Time and Block Access Unnecessary Websites With Qustodio

Kannan — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:51:33 +0000

Is the content available on the internet suitable enough for your children? No, along with lot of good contents, there is lot of harmful ideas also. So, if you’re looking for an easy to use, free and tamper-proof solution to monitor and control how and where your children surf, or to limit their time online and block access to nasty and dangerous websites, or to find out who they interact with on social networks, the free parental control and Internet monitoring app Qustodio can help you.

Nowadays keeping your children safe on the Internet can be a difficult task. They are often more technically clever than their parents, but Qustodio has been designed to be tamper-proof, so once it is up and running, you can be assured your children won’t be able to simply disable the program.

“Qustodio helps you protect your kids online. See how they use the Internet, set healthy access limits, and protect against dangerous or inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and online predators”.

How to setup Qustodio?

1. Download and install the Qustodio app on your child’s PC or set up Windows account for each child using the computer. Installation is as usual (required internet access).

2. After completing the installation, follow the onscreen instruction to set up a free account and then activate your account.

3. Don’t forget to check the option ‘Hide Qustodio on this computer’ if you don’t want users on this computer to see that Qustodio is installed.

To view your children’s online activity and configure protection settings, visit your Family Protection Portal at https://family.qustodio.com or click on the ‘Configure’ option from app’s tray icon.

1. Now, choose ‘Rules & Settings’ option and under ‘Website categories’, you can restrict your child’s access to specific websites or get alert when your child accessing some website.

2. Under ‘Website exception’ option, you can add any web URL that you wish to block, allow or monitor.

3. Under ‘Time Usage Limits’ option, you can configure to limit or monitor the amount of time your child can access the internet.

4. Under ‘Computer Lock Type’ option, you can specify what happens when your child reaches his or her internet access limit. You can choose Lock Navigation, Lock Computer or Alert option.

Final thought: Blocking website and controlling internet usage at home is rather simple, but how does one prevent them from outside of your control? So, it is important to discuss what is and isn’t right with your kid.

Protect Children From Adult Content With MetaSurf Family Safety

Kannan — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:07:06 +0000

With the ever-increasing number of children logging on to the web, software like MetaSurf Family Safety comes in handy to keep them away from unwanted adult contents. It is not practical for parents to monitor their child’s every activity on the Internet, so to keep youngsters away from adult contents parents can try MetaSurf Family Safety browser extension, which is free and zero configurable.

MetaSurf Family Safety supports all major browsers such as Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera and Safari and operating systems. It enables parents to block hundreds of millions of adult webpages for their children.

Yes, it is true that, young children today are far more tech savvy than previous generations were at the same age, so they can easily override your settings. MetaSurf offers password protection and I think we need to install this tool on every browser we have.

How to use MetaSurf Family Safety

1. Install the extension and restart your browser. From the extension page, click on the ‘Option’ menu.

2. Click ‘Enable’ button.

3. Now, enter a password to prevent unauthorized users from accessing adult content.

3. In search result page, labeled websites will be highlighted.

Main benefits of using this tool:

Protects children from adult content
Enables adults to make more informed choices before visiting adult websites
It’s simple to use and completely Free

You can download and install MetaSurf Family Safety from here.

Avast Mobile Security: Full Featured Antivirus and Anti-Theft System For Android

Kannan — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 02:41:59 +0000

Though the smartphones are not as vulnerable to dive by downloads and other infection methods as PC are, the recent reports from the security experts reveals the importance of taking precautions. Mobile security apps are now offered by most of the big security vendors (I have mentioned some of them in the previous articles) and now Avast has released a free, full-featured Antivirus and Anti-Theft security for Android phone.

Avast Mobile Security for Android features an on-demand virus scanner, Anti-theft system, Web-shield and a Firewall protection. Following are short description of Avast Mobile Security features.

Antivirus: Scans installed apps and SD card content, as well as on-access scans of apps upon first execution. You can also schedule scans, uninstall apps, and delete files.

Privacy Report: Displays access rights and intents of installed apps. You can identify potential privacy risks – how much info you are really providing to each app.

Web Shield: The Avast Web Shield for Android scans each URL that loads and warns you if the browser loads a malware-infected URL.

Firewall: Disables an app’s internet access when on WiFi and 3G and roaming mobile networks. (Works only on rooted phones)

Anti-Theft: Offers history wipe, phone lock, siren activation, GPS tracking, audio monitoring, and many others via remote SMS commands. The ‘invisible’ app hides itself, making it extremely hard for thieves to find and disable it.

Get more details and download Avast! Mobile Security (beta) from Android Market