Virus Spreaders

Sometimes I wonder just what the world's coming to...

For some among y'all out there who read this column each week, you might've noticed a little while back that it didn't run for a week or so. As a result, I've had some people write and/or call and ask me just what was going on? Some thought I had decided to stop writing the column, some speculated that I had signed some kind of deal with "a big city newspaper" which meant that I couldn't write for my current ones anymore, and one person asked if I'd just "had enough?" For the record, the answer to each of those questions is a definitive "no."

I have a great time writing this column each week. It allows me to write about almost anything that pops into my mind, and I love having that kind of freedom. As a result, I seldom have a clue each week as to what I'm going to write about until I sit down in my chair and get to work. So, with that having been said, let me get right into the reason that "Free Wheelin'" went missing for a week or so. It vanished for a while due to the fact that some sweetheart out there in internet land sent me a virus.

That's right, a computer virus. One of those malicious little programs that's designed to wreak havoc on your computer. Viruses cost businesses and individuals tons of money each year, and for what? It makes no sense at all unless I give some thought as to just what type person sends out these viruses. It must be some super sloppy, maladjusted eighteen year old haint times three computer whiz whose closest contact with a woman comes through the serving line at his school's cafeteria, or some super-nerdy, pocket protector wearing geek who's mad at world because he doesn't yet possess a working personality. And, because these people would rather be anti-social than take a good, long look in the mirror we all have to pay for it. No one ever said that life would be fair, huh?

Fortunately, I'm pleased to report that I got out of my situation without too much damage. I did have to pay someone to reformat my hard drive, but I kept back-up copies of most of my stuff so I really didn't get hurt too badly. I also went out and bought some better anti-virus software, which hopefully will screen most of these cyber pests in the future. In the end, though, almost anyone can get nailed with a computer virus, and I've been far luckier than most - the people that fixed my computer told me that a lady brought in one a week earlier that had over two thousand viruses on it! It's a wonder that the "On" switch on her computer even worked with all that mischief lurking around on her hard drive.

In the end, I guess there are just some people out there who are sort of like walking cases of jock itch, they contribute nothing to the world and try and tear down those of us that do. People like the woman who walked up to my son recently at his job as a cashier at a well-known supermarket chain and presented him with over six hundred dollars worth of live lobsters and steaks. And what did she attempt to pay for all that food with? Food stamps. I kid you not, food stamps. Fortunately, the two food stamp cards she presented for payment had both expired, but, even with that happening, she proceeded to put down a dollar and some change in the hope that Will would be stupid enough to accept that for full payment. He politely told the lady that she was about six hundred some odd dollars short, to which she replied, "Well, I'll go someplace else and check my luck there."

So, for all you deadbeats, virus spreaders, bad check writers, child support non-payers, and the like, if I had my way I'd put you all in jail cells with Perry Como music playing in the background twenty four hours a day, serve you Spam sandwiches for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and then assign guards to sit outside your cells who've just eaten large Mexican dinners. And that's just for starters - don't even ask me what y'alls daily recreational program would consist of. The way I see it, every dog has his day, and it's more than time for some of you bottom feeders out there to stop having yours...

About The Author
Ed's latest book, "Rough As A Cob," can be ordered by calling River City Publishing toll-free at: 877-408-7078. He's also a popular after dinner speaker, and his column runs in a number of Southeastern publications. You can contact him via email at: , or through his web site address at: www.ed-williams.com.

[tags]each week, went out, column each[/tags]

Fighting Or Financing Malicious Software

Come on. Be realistic. How should I approach security for my computer in the same way as I would approach security for my car or home? The answer is simple, just apply the same principles, not the same mechanisms. Why do I want to protect my car and my home? It prevents people from invading my privacy. What else is it when someone breaks into your car? A thief has no respect for the private assets of someone else, he takes what he wants, and an arsonist has no respect for the private assets of someone, he burns what he wants. Squatters have no respect for any private property, they occupy whatever piece of land they want. That is why we have alarms, security systems and security guards to protect our assets and most important of all our privacy. We don't like strangers strolling round on our premises, we take the necessary precautions to keep them off our property by putting fences and walls around our houses.

Your computer is nothing other than your private electronic property. Why would you go to all the trouble to keep unwanted people away from your home if you don't mind it when unwanted software crawls through your PC? You make online purchases, do online banking transactions, log into your e-mail, enter several passwords to keep people from gaining unauthorised access your private and critical information. Sure, so why would you want a key-logger or password-grabber to infiltrate your computer and steal all your important and private information? You need an anti-virus program, a spyware and ad-ware scanner and some kind of resident shield to prevent all these malicious programs from accessing your PC. We are talking about millions of home users who don't have the kind of budget to afford all these programs. That is why so many people ignore the threats of malicious software because it is just too expensive and not that important, to them, to battle them. It helps nothing to educate users against these threats if you can't empower them.

Many of the big anti-virus companies refuse to distribute free-ware versions of their software to help home users battle these threats. After all, it is home users that are the easiest targets for infections and they are the pawns for Denial Of Service attacks. This is where smaller anti-virus and -spyware companies made the difference when they introduced free, fully functional programs for home users. They even maintain these versions by updating them as new threats make an appearance. It clearly indicates that their main goal is to fight malicious software and not only profit. Companies like these make a positive contribution to the online community by empowering home users to battle the villains of the online world.

Home users no longer have an excuse for not protecting their computers. Not only companies, but also individuals have developed some useful tools to help their fellow man. The biggest problem users may face now is to make the right choice between all the free security software available today. That is why informed members of the online community have to share their knowledge with the uninformed to help them make the right choices and stay clear of fraudulent and malicious software.

Coenraad de Beer was born on 27 February 1982 in small town called Lichtenburg in the North West (Formerly known as Transvaal) province of South Africa. He graduated High school in 2000 and started doing computer programming on his own for 2 years using the C++ programming language. In 2003 he started a career in Accounting and he is currently studying BCompt at the University of South Africa.

Coenraad is a very dedicated person in whatever he takes on in life and believes that success only comes from hard work and believing in your own abilities, the abilities God gave to you.

Coenraad is also the Webmaster of Cyber Top Cops - The Cyber Security Specialists

You can also visit his homepage at http://myweb.absamail.co.za/coendb/

[tags]Anti-virus,antivrus,ant-spyware,adware,spy-ware,malicious software[/tags]