Computing

You are connected to the Internet. You need a fire-wall and virus protection now!

GRC

Safer Site

The most important thing to do to keep your computer safe from hijacking is to tighten up your browser's security settings. Most people use Internet Explorer, which is the most prone to these sorts of exploits due to its insecure nature. Open your control panel and open Internet Options to the Security tab. In the activex area, disable activex that is not marked as safe and not signed. If they can't sign their own code, you certainly shouldn't run it on your system. For activex marked as safe and signed, set to prompt. Why is activex so dangerous that you have to increase the security for it? When your browser runs an activex control, it is running an executable program. It's no different from doubleclicking an exe file on your hard drive. Would you run just any random file downloaded off a web site without knowing what it is and what it does? Always keep current with the latest security fixes from Microsoft. In particular, make sure your installation of Java VM is up-to-date. There are some well known security bugs with Microsoft Java VM which are exploited regularly by browser hijackers. The following software will also greatly decrease your odds of getting hijacked in the first place. http://www.pcflank.com/