The Spyware Who Loved MeWritten by Jared Prescott
Don’t ever let anybody tell you otherwise, Internet is not a safe place to take your computer systems without adequate protection. It wasn’t too long ago that anti-virus and firewall software could provide your systems with more than enough security to safely cruise Internet. Unfortunately, Internet has become a haven for far too many unscrupulous companies and individuals who actively engage in developing and then enticing you to place software on your computers purposefully designed to invade your privacy in ways that cannot be described as anything but sinister. Those waters are shark infested… There is no better way to state this; to venture onto Internet without adequate spyware and adware protection these days effectively signs away your privacy to snoops you wouldn’t invite into your homes. But, these software eavesdroppers are able to harvest frightening amounts of personal data from your computers. People must be vigilant, now more than ever before, to protect their systems from spyware/adware that effectively monitors their online activities and dutifully reports desired information back to its developers. Information that can be and frequently is broadcast back to a spyware/adware developer’s site can include but is not necessarily limited to: - Your computer’s address (IP – Internet Protocol)
- Your operating system (Windows XP, 2000, ME, Mac OS, Linux, etc.)
- Other information specific to your system (processor, memory, etc.)
- Type of Internet browser you utilize (Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, Firefox, etc.)
- Site addresses (URL’s) for web pages you visit
Assume any intrusion to be a major security breach The information above is used to develop an advertising profile and then serve annoying pop-ups on “infected” systems. There is no better terminology to describe a system that has spyware lurking and operating within it. These intruders watch your buying habits, and if packed with a keystroke logger, a seemingly innocuous spyware/adware bundle can stealthily acquire:- User names and passwords
- Instant message and chat logs
- Emails you’ve written
- Credit card information
- Numbers
- Expiration dates
- Billing address
- Shipping address
Some packages include ability to take random screen shots as well and either beam images back to spyware’s architect periodically or patiently wait until you are connected to Internet to do so. No matter when or how information is transmitted from your system, these security breaches should not be taken lightly.Obvious clues that your system is infected Fortunately adware packages are not subtle once they have infected a system. If you install software that includes force-fed adware baggage, it won’t take long for you to notice you are being inundated with new pop-ups. Spyware can be a little more subtle and harder to detect. One of most obvious signs that your system has been recently infected with spyware is a sudden drop in Internet performance. Browser pages will take longer to load, or they may not load at all. Some spyware can cause entire system to bog down or stop working entirely. Like viruses, some spyware can also disable your printer or cause your CD players to respond erratically.
| | The Truth About Free Inkjet Cartridge RecyclingWritten by Niall Roche
In a recent stand-up routine, comedian George Carlin suggests that maybe man’s reason for existence is because Earth wants plastic. The comedy team, Penn & Teller, assert in their cable show “Bulls**t” (bullpucky?) that recycling isn’t really all that useful and maybe not necessary. Whether Earth wants plastic or not, recycling of inkjet cartridges is useful in many different ways. However, before you choose where to recycle your inkjet cartridge, do a little research to make your recycling efforts effective. Recycling won’t work if we don’t close loop. Many charitable institutions around world have initiated ink cartridge recycling programs, which fund hospitals, school activities and other social concerns. This type of funding cuts costs in many ways from tax breaks for charitable donations to lowering price that we have to pay for services funded organizations provide. In addition, remanufactured compatible inkjet cartridges are usually a fraction of cost of brand name inkjet refills. Several inkjet printer manufacturers also maintain recycling programs. However, your recycled ink cartridge doesn’t always make it around loop. Epson, in cooperation with Funding Factory, recently launched a free recycling program for its customers. Schools and businesses can get points for collecting and remitting empty cartridges to Epson. However, cartridges are not remanufactured or refilled. They are incinerated. To be fair, mention must be made that incineration is at an environmentally friendly waste-to-energy plant; however, it’s easy to see that Epson is big winner in this recycling effort. Their recycling plan takes cartridges out of hands of remanufacturing plants that can offer less expensive remanufactured compatible cartridges to consumer.
|