There are various scenarios in which a password needs to be used. A feature that goes hand-in-hand with password use is the ability to change or reset it. The need to change a password arises predominantly for two reasons: 1) as a means of maintaining high security by regularly changing the password so that unauthorized persons do not gain access to the password protected service or product in question and 2) as a means for the authorized user to regain access to it when the password is either forgotten or Read More

A wordlist is a text file containing a collection of words for use in a dictionary attack. Wordlist Usage A dictionary attack using a wordlist relies on the fact that most users choose weak passwords. Very common passwords include password, computer, work, and most of the popular female names. Common Dictionary Attacks Using A Wordlist The most common uses for wordlists are auditing windows passwords and Unix passwords. It is also possible to use a wordlist to recover passwords on documents and files, such as Zip passwords. In fact, a Read More

In addition to its services as a cellular telephone carrier, Verizon produces a wide variety of products, such as wireless routers. Verizon routers can be used to wirelessly connect to the Internet via home broadband Internet access, Verizon broadcast towers, or through a Verizon USB based modem card. Verizon routers provide the same support as other types of routers and may be available in both cable and DSL versions. Verizon Router Default Passwords Like other types of routers, all Verizon routers include a control panel that allows the user to Read More

TEMPEST stands for Transient Electromagnetic Pulse Surveillance Technology. Computers and other electronic equipment release interference to their surrounding environment. You may observe this by placing two video monitors close together. The pictures will behave erratically until you space them apart. What is important for an observer is the emission of digital pulses (zeroes and ones) as these are used in computers and data communications. The channel for this radiation is in two arrangements, radiated emissions and conducted emissions. Radiated emissions are assembled when components in electrical devices form to act Read More

In the last few decades, computer science has changed the world. People now use computers to pay their bills, talk to their friends, and virtually everything else. Because of this dependence on computers, the vast majority of computer users have opened a portal into their homes that hackers and cyber thieves can use to steal confidential information. For example, a cyber thief could easily use a keylogger, a software that tracks the user’s keyboard and/or mouse inputs, to steal the user’s bank account number and PIN, social security number, or Read More

A botnet or robot network is a group of computers running a computer application that only the owner or software source controls and manipulates. The botnet may refer to a legitimate network of several computers that share program processing amongst them. Usually though, when people talk about botnets, they are talking about a group of computers infected with a malicious kind of robot software, the bots, which present a security threat to the computer owner. Once the robot software (also known as malicious software or malware) has been successfully installed Read More

Passwords today are becoming increasingly important. They may open something as trivial as a special file to something as important as an online back account. Therefore, it is imperative that you have strong passwords to ensure security. Strong passwords are always lengthy. Usually a length of 14-16 characters is ideal and hard to guess. Strong passwords also combine letters, numbers and symbols. Using the entire keyboard is best. Don’t stick to just the regular 26 letters of the alphabet. Feel free to add numbers as well as symbols such as Read More

The AVG Antivirus program is a popular free and commercial computer security application used on the Windows Operating System (OS). AVG is one of the most downloaded computer security software programs on CNET and is compatible with the Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7 OSs. Despite the fast, effective computer security that AVG provides computer users, they often have the need to disable AVG while downloading new programs or using Peer-To-Peer websites or applications. The Resident Shield module is the primary component that needs to be turned off in order Read More

Trend Micro Anti-Spyware for the Web Trend Micro Anti-Spyware for the Web is a free online tool that checks computers for spyware, and helps remove any infections discovered. When the detection process is complete, the tool will display a report describing the results including which if any, spyware was detected, and prompt you before beginning the removal process. Symptoms of spyware infections: Slow computer performance when opening programs or saving files Unwanted pop-ups Browser homepage hijacking Repeated change in your web browser’s home page Random error messages New and unexplained Read More

An anonymous proxy is a piece of software that protects web browsers’ privacy and anonymity from web site operators, Internet snoops, and even unfriendly governments. The anonymous proxy software resides on a proxy server. The web browser connects to the proxy server and the proxy server connects to the web server. The web server does not know who the user is, it only knows who the proxy server is. The proxy server does know who the user is,  so he/she had better choose a trustworthy proxy server. Features to Look Read More