Ok lets start with my standard disclaimer. I'm Not a professional writer. I'm terrible with grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation. If you see something that's wrong (and you will) please resist the temptation to tell me about it. It's not that I don't care...well actually, I dont. There I said it!
Back to the story...
Ring ring...well that's if we still do phones. More like tweet tweet, but in this case the tweeting died right along with my neighbors PC. I always wonder as I'm walking down to his house...what website could he possibly have visited that resulted in the fake spyware attack (that he clicked on) that now inhabits his computer like a nasty roach infestation. Of course I really don't want to know that much about him so I don't ask.
So instead, I ask if he's still doing security updates on his computer (assuming that others actually enjoy doing them as much as I do). I ask about his recent email activity, what he might have clicked on...did he give anyone his credit card, etc., etc., etc.... All the standard questions that result in the puzzled look and dismissive shoulder shrug.
Then it's time to remind in a stern yet neighborly way - DON'T CLICK ON THAT STUFF, DON'T OPEN EMAILS AND CLICK ON LINKS FROM PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW, AND STOP VISITING SITES THAT YOU DONT WANT ANYONE TO KNOW YOUR VISITING (because now I know).
Two hours later, as I return him to the safety of clean virus free computer, knowing he'll reward me with a case of my favorite beer, I head back home knowing its just a matter of time until we do this all over again.
Hey, I enjoy the beer and in a strange way even look forward to his demise. After this last call though, I felt compelled to leave him with 10 simple tips for the occasional internet user:
1. Don't use your neighboors unsecure wifi access point. If your going to use an unsecure access point, use your own.
2. Secure your wifi access point. If not, don't be suprised when the authorities raid your house and arrest you as a suspected child pornographer. Yes, other people can download things through your wifi connection and make you look like the guilty party.
3. Enable automatic security updates for your MS operating system (yes that thing I keep turning on that you keep turning off). Or, as I've suggested several times, get a MAC.
4. Renew the "legitimate" antivirus software I installed before it expires each year.
5. Let the antivirus software update itself automatically.
6. Let the automatic virus scans I setup run as scheduled.
7. Use a spam and antivirus filtering service for your email.
8. If by chance you see a pop-up window telling you your computer is infected and asking you to "click here" to fix the problem (DONT DO IT), in fact, it's best to simply right click on the item in your toolbar and select close window.
9. Be carefull clicking on search results. A website listed in a search result could be a scam in hiding. Pay attention to what you click on.
10. The personal firewall we installed keeps bad stuff out --don't turn it off.
More about the author...
Norm likes beer!