IT'S A WAR ZONE OUT THERE!

Our guide to common threats facing today's computer user

If you own a PC, you're under attack. Familiarise yourself with the enemy and fight back in the computer war zone.

Enemy #1: Viruses, Worms and Trojans

Viruses, Worms and Trojans are malicious programs that can cause damage to information on your computer. Your files may be stolen or shared with other people without your knowledge.

Enemy #2: Adware, Spyware, Homepage Hijacking, Dialers and Popups

Adware and spyware are programs that display advertising banners while being run or reports user's habits to 3rd parties. Often they are downloaded inadvertently as part of "free" software. The legality of adware/spyware is often a fine line.
Homepage hijacking changes the default start page of your internet browser.
Dialers are programs that will use a modem to dial predetermined phone numbers, often without your knowledge and in many cases running up large phone bills.
Popups are new windows which open in your internet browser, generally containing advertising. They are annoying, time consuming to close and a waste of your computers resources.

Enemy #3: Spam and Phishing

Spam is unsolicited "junk" email sent to large numbers of people to promote products or services.
Phishing is any form of communication (usually an email) that seems to originate from a legitimate source in order to obtain personal information, such as banking or credit card details. Common forms of phishing may direct you to a bogus, yet convincing looking website.

Enemy #4: Keyloggers

Keyloggers are programs that record what you type. This information can then be scanned for credit card details, passwords and other valuable information.

Enemy #5: Hackers

Hackers are people who use viruses, worms, trojans, keyloggers or security vulnerabilities to take over your computer. A hacked computer might be sharing your personal information (such as bank and credit card details) or performing any number of duties without your knowledge.

Enemy #6: The Internet

The internet can be a valuable tool but it must be approached with caution. Just like in the real world, criminals and fraudsters can be found on the internet. The anonymous nature of the internet only compounds this problem. Most of the issues outlined in this article would not exist without the internet.

Enemy #7: Poorly written or misleading software

Poorly written software may cause errors or conflicts with other programs on your computer. Misleading software is often free and may report statistics back to 3rd parties or try to change settings on your computer.

Enemy #8: Poorly designed hardware

Poorly designed hardware does not perform its function to an acceptable standard. Software required to run this hardware may cause errors or conflicts with other programs.

What are the signs my computer might be under attack?

Your computer does not behave normally.
Your computer has excessive disk activity even after being fully booted to Windows.
The two little computers in the bottom right of your screen flash constantly even when you are not on the internet or sending & receiving emails.
Strange messages or graphics appear on your screen.
You are being bombarded by intrusive advertising popups.
Your operating system or programs take longer than normal to open up.
Your computer is continually crashing or freezing.
Files change size, become corrupted or wont open.
Files appear on your computer in strange places.
You continually run out of space on your computer.
During your computers start-up procedure there are error messages or warnings.
Unauthorised use of your credit cards, banking details, documents or passwords.

What can I do to fight back?

Run up to date antivirus software. Antivirus software that is not running current updates is a false sense of security, not protection.
Run a firewall.
Run Windows updates.
Run spam filtering software.
Run Spyware removal tools.
Don't open email attachments from untrusted or dubious sources.
Don't download or run software from untrusted or dubious sources. The more software you install, the more problems you are likely to encounter from badly written software. Take the time to access software before installing it. Use the internet to search for other users of a piece of software, to gauge their enthusiasm for the product.
Backup your data. Keep your backups in a safe, secure place away from your computer. A good question to ask yourself is if there was a fire in the computer room, would your backups survive?
Don't reply to spam email. A reply tells the source of the spam you have an active account and will only increase the junk email you receive.
Don't click banners or popup windows which offer to tune up your computer, suggest your computer may be insecure/virus affected, offer you free prizes/software or other promotions. There is always a catch and some of these operators can be highly unethical. Often you will be encouraged to install software that will cause more problems than it solves.
Be highly sceptical of any offers for free/cheap goods or services.
Don't give out personal details over the internet (including your email address). If you must give out personal details, make sure the recipient is a trusted source and be aware that those details may easily be shared/stolen.
Run the latest version of Windows (Currently XP). Older software versions of Windows are less reliable and less secure.
Read licensing agreements before installing new software and look out for any terms that might infringe your privacy.
Keep your passwords private, don't use obvious names (No pet names!) and change them frequently.
Use common sense and be aware it is a war zone out there.
Have your computer serviced by Jennings Computers regularly (We recommend at least once a year)

Why you need a defence budget

Keeping a computer running well costs money. You need to run up to date software, including antivirus, firewall and operating system. A computer needs to be serviced on a regular basis, just like a car, to run smoothly.

We share your pain

Do you get frustrated by spam, virus concerns, crashes and glitches? We share your pain. The computer should be just like any other appliance, you plug it in and it works. Flawlessly.

However, we are not at that stage yet. It will happen, it might be another five, ten or twenty years but the day will come when computers work seamlessly. Until then, be vigilant in keeping your computer protected, get regular checkups and be aware of the enemies that are out there.

Consultation, Service and Support

Since our inception in 1986, Jennings Computers has been committed to quality support for our clients, ensuring satisfaction and a mutually rewarding relationship. Our unwavering goal is for you to prosper through the technical solutions and support we provide. We specialise in networks consisting of 5 to 150 computers, although we can cater for smaller networks, right down to a single computer.

Our support options are:
Casual inhouse workshop support $72 per hour (3 to 4 days turnaround, often less, for standard IT solutions)
Inhouse/onsite/remote/helpdesk support $108 per hour (Priority, generally same day service, for standard IT solutions)
Network engineering inhouse/onsite/remote/helpdesk support $150 per hour (Priority, generally same day service, for advanced IT solutions)
PC Tune Up $198 (An exhaustive overhaul of your computer, tackling all the major issues such as viruses, spyware and updates)

All support options are billed in 6 minute blocks.

Support packs are an excellent way to save money, reduce paperwork and manage IT support. Support packs are purchased in advance and offer up to 20% off our regular prices. They can be used for any combination of the above support options.

Small support pack $374 (Save 15% off our regular price, get $440 worth of support at the prices above for only $374. This reduces the above support options to $61.20, $91.80, $127.50 and $168.30 respectively.)
Large support pack $680 (Save 20% off our regular price, get $850 worth of support at the prices above for only $680. This reduces the above support options to $57.60, $86.40, $120 and $158.40 respectively.)

Special offer: If you have 5 or more computers, we offer a free site evaluation to discuss how we can make technology work for you. There's no obligation and no risk, so contact us today.

Jennings Computers Recommends

Recommendation 1: Jennings Computers PC Tune Up $198

Owning a PC is a lot like owning a car, they require regular maintenance to keep them performing well. We thoroughly recommend a PC Tune Up at least once a year to prevent your PC from becoming "unroadworthy". The Jennings Computers PC Tune Up will increase computer stability, minimise security attacks, make your PC run faster and reduce the possibility of hardware failure.

The PC Tune Up consists of the following

Full virus scanning and removal including full signature updates of any existing antivirus and security software.
Removal of spyware and trojan advertising programs. Installation of software to allow you to perform these checks yourself in the future.
Removal of browser hijackers.
Low level hard drive integrity check using certified manufacturers testing utilities.
Hard drive data error checking.
Checking to see if Windows has enough free space on the hard drive.
Air compression clean removing dust from fans, components and vents. Optical drive cleaning. Insuring all internal cards and cables are properly seated. General outside clean of the case.
Power supply, video card and CPU fan check.
Hardware/software diagnosis looking for possible bottlenecks that could be solved with a simple upgrade.
Checking that your machine has a working firewall.
Loading of all relevant Windows service packs and hot fixes.
Removal of any error messages on startup and shutdown.
General check over the machine to get an overall before and after comparison looking for major net improvements in speed and stability. Internet browsing and email testing if applicable.
Contacting the client to discuss the results of PC Tune Up and discuss relevant upgrade options that would aid the machines performance.
Removal of temporary installation and unneeded files.
Hard drive defragmentation.
A full written report and advice on following key areas to keep you free of problems: Windows updates, antivirus, firewall, antispam, anti spyware and browser hijackers.

Recommendation 2: Up to date operating system

If you're not running Windows XP you're not getting the best out of your computer.

Windows XP Home service $147
or
Windows XP Professional $237

Installation options

Install it yourself
or
We'll install it for $132

Recommendation 3: Power Protection

Belkin 6 outlet surge protector with phone line protection and $150,000 connected equipment warranty $69
Belkin 5 outlet surge protector with phone line and RJ45 network protection and $100,000 connected equipment warranty $119
Belkin 6 outlet surge protector with phone line protection, battery backup and $100,000 connected equipment warranty $239

Recommendation 4: Ask your ISP about security solutions

Many ISPs offer virus and antispam protection. This is recommended even if you are running antivirus software on your computer, as it creates a secondary form of defence. Other benefits are that ISP security solutions can quarantine viruses and spam before you download them, require no resources to run and are generally more frequently updated.

If you would like more information about computer security solutions, please enter your contact details and we will be in touch promptly. Please note, the only required details are your name and an email address or phone number.