1. Dropbox

Dropbox is a great cloud service that automatically syncs a folder of files between multiple computers (Windows, Mac, or Linux). This app extends Dropbox to the Apple devices and includes a built-in reader for PDFs, image files, and Microsoft Office files.  A great way for those on the go to have immediate access to important files stored elsewhere, Dropbox has become the standard of mobile file syncing, and better yet, it's free!

2. RedLaser

3. Instagram

The camera and camera app on the iPhone are now good enough to replace a point-and-shoot. You can even take pictures that are worthy of saving in your family albums. For those, I upload them to Flickr using the iPhone app. For the everyday photos that I just want to quickly post on social media, I use Instagram. It is very quick, dead simple to use, and very social media friendly. But, do me a favor and go easy on the filters. They are badly overused by most Instagram users, while 90% of photos are better with no filter at all.

4. Evernote

 Once you get used to typing on a virtual keyboard (and it honestly took me over a year to do it), then these devices are great for note taking, and Evernote is a great note taking app. It is similar to Dropbox in that it saves data locally but syncs it across all your machines and devices.

5. LogMeIn Ignition

More useful for the iPad than the iPhone due to the ease of use with a larger display,  LMI Ignition is incredibly useful too for managing a computer from your mobile device.  The software must be installed PC side (which is free) and mobile side (which is not free), and has a username/password login design.  With an above average internet connection to your PC and good to great connectivity on your mobile device, you can control your PC using the touchscreen as if you were sitting in front of it, which again is great for those in the move who need to stay connected, like a contractor who needs access to server files at his office.  The drawback?  The price, which is now $99.  Ouch.

6. Skype

Another extremely useful app used for making voice or video calls with friends who also use the program, either on their mobile device, or on a computer.  The best part, is that Skype is a free service for both PC and mobile, and is a great alternative to FaceTime mobile, which only allows for video chat between iPhone/iPad users of the most recent generations of each product.  There are plenty of bugs, however, associated with the mobile app, most of which have been around for quite awhile with no forseeable fixes in the near future.  If you can live with a few glitches in exchange for a great, free method of keeping in touch with friends, Skype will definitely impress.  You can do conference calls, too!

I hope this gives you a good headstart on loading up that Apple device of yours with some of hottest, most useful apps on the market.  There are plenty more worth mentioning, but I don't want to take the all the fun out of exploring the App Store for yourself.  Now get to downloading!

-- credit to apple.com and zdnet.com

Soon to come we will be testing AppAssure's Replay 4 backup solution. Looking forward to sharing the results. Stay tuned.

However, with dozens of brands, hundreds of models, and thousands of customizations, how do I know what to look for?  What will be best for my needs?  How do I know I'm not getting ripped off?  Whether you desire to custom build your own, or purchase a pre-loaded computer, we have all the info you will need to make the right choice.  The following is a list of important components of a computer to consider when choosing, and we have listed our recommended brands and partners as well.

Processor (CPU)

The processor is most important component to any computer.  Think of it in comparison to the brain of the human body.  Without the "brain", none of the other parts are able to function at all.  The processor sends electrical signals down threads located on the motherboard that communcate to the different extended adapters, such as a video card.  AMD and Intel are the two primary manufactuers of processors, and you can't go wrong with either.  Ensure that you note the hertz rate (frequency) of your processor, as it denotes the speed at which your computer will think over a single thread.  Also be mindful of multithreaded processors, which do this at a much higher rate.  Core i3, core i5, and core i7 processors are examples of newer Intel processors which can even contain multiple 'cores' that maximize throughput of communciation.

Memory (RAM)

Random Access Memory (RAM) is most definitely the second most important component of a computer.  Think of it as a computer's ability to multitask and to respond to massive amounts of input from the user.  Memory in this form is primary, meaning that it is not permanent storage space, but is a form of capacity that a computer can store temporarily and function.  You know how we tend to open 500 web browsers, Solitaire, Quickbooks, and whatever else all at the same time?  The amount of memory affects how well our computer functions in those environments.  Most slowness on computers that isn't software related is usually attributed to a lack of sufficient memory.  This is an area where one should seriously consider purchasing in quality, and also not be afraid to upgrade.  Memory comes in different measurements of DDR, or double data rate; most RAM these days is either DDR2 or DDR3.  Also, be mindful of the amount of gigs your RAM comes in.  Although we recommend having atleast 4gb (four gigabytes) of RAM, a 64 bit version of Windows is required to support anything over than 3gb of memory.  Some good companies to purchase from are Kingston and Corsair.

Video Card (GPU/Graphics Card)

You will find that some computer don't actually come with a dedicated video card; instead, they will have onboard graphics.  For users that don't plan on doing anything graphically intensive, this is not a problem.  However, if you are, you will be wise to invest in a good video card.  NVIDIA and ATI/AMD make the best video cards around, and any graphics card over 1gb of dedicated video memory will be sufficient.  If you want top of the line graphics for gaming, I'd consider buying NVIDIA or ATI/AMD's newest products, which will usually go for around $200-$300.

Hard Disk (Hard Drive)

Hard drives are where all the information of your computer is permanently stored.  Hard drives are measured in two ways: the amount of storage they hold in bytes, and the rotations per minute (RPM) speed that they read.  Typically, a 500gb standard hard drive (HDD) will be more than enough space for a casual user.  However, those looking to be involved in the use or production of any sort of media will want to consider getting atleast 1 terrabyte (1tb) of storage.  Also, the RPMs of a HDD are noteworthy, whereas 5600 RPM is a slower reading HDD than 7200 RPM.  Even still, for those that are looking to create a blazing fast computer, no matter what the cost, there are solid state drives (SSDs) that are incredibly expensive, but are several times faster than a standard HDD.

Popular Computer Companies

For most people a basic Dell, Toshiba, Lenovo, Sony, or HP will be fine. Be sure to look at the specs of the computer you are planning on purchasing before you actually do purchase it! If you are really into design and art, an Apple may be good for you.  ASUS and Alienware make great gaming computers if you are looking for that. Also, another option is to build a computer yourself. I would only recommend doing this if you know what you are doing and you need a higher end computer. It is not worth building a computer just to check email and browse the web.


We would also highly recommend NewEgg.com as well if you are looking for a new computer or computer parts.

1.  Always Know Your Computer

You should always be very aware of what software is actually installed on your computer.  This is definitely a big plus when it comes to recognizing legitimate updates.  For instance, if you are using ESET Anti-Virus, and a Vista Security 2011 warning comes up, you know something is not right.  Also, you should always keep your version of Adobe Flash/Reader and Java up to date.  These browser extensions are highly known for being vulnerabilities to attack if they are outdated.  Also, be aware of any other malware scanning programs that you might have, if any, and always choose to decline any pop up that comes up to present itself to scan your computer.  ALWAYS DO THIS MANUALLY INSTEAD.  The most basic rule of thumb comes into play here, use common sense.  If it looks suspicious, don't click it.  Or look it.  Or breathe.  Oh wait, you can do those last two, as long as you open up your Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and "end the task" from there.  Don't even try to click to close it, use Task Manager.  If you are unfamiliar with how to use the Task Manager, please contact us for support.

2.  Know the Tactics of the Enemy

Any time you are presented with the option to "For just $60, clean you computer of 454324863 viruses!", or an option similar to this in any form or fashion, stop what you are doing and click no further.  Malware's intent is to try to steal from you, and that includes your money.  Know that any legitimate virus protection is purchased in the form of a subscription over a time frame of a year or more, and will never ask you to make one time payments.  These problems can be complicated to solve, and can become more complicated if attempted to fix without the knowledge to do so.  Please contact us if you feel you have become suspect to an attack of this sort.

3.  Java Updates

These are most the time more of annoyance than anything.  Most people tell them to go away, or just simply ignore them, but these are actually updates that you shouldn't ignore.  Any time you see an update for Java appear on your taskbar, go to Java.com as mentioned earlier, and download the latest version.

4.  Windows Updates

Depending on your Operating System, you might receive notifications to update Windows.  On Vista and 7, Windows has an updater utility installed on the computer, and can be easily found by going to Start > All Programs > Windows Update.  You should at all times have all of your important and critical updates installed, and even certain anti-virus softwares, such as ESET, will monitor your computer and inform you if you need to run Windows Update.  However, if you are still running XP, you will need to visit update.microsoft.com/ to update your Operating System.  It is a simple step-by-step process that should take no more than 15 minutes, but can take over an hour if you need to upgrade to the next Service Pack.  To sum it up, don't ignore Windows Updates, do them!

Essentially, most updaters can be sniffed out with a little sense.  Like we always mention, 50% of virus protection is provided by your anti-virus software, and the user him or herself provide the other 50% by how they use the computer.  Be smart, and keep your computer up to date the right way.

1.  Operating System:

An operating system (OS) is software, consisting of programs and data, that runs on computers, manages computer hardware resources, and provides common services for execution of various application software.

For hardware functions such as input and output and memory allocation, the operating system acts as an intermediary between application programs and the computer hardware, although the application code is usually executed directly by the hardware and will frequently call the OS or be interrupted by it. Operating systems are found on almost any device that contains a computer—from cellular phones and video game consoles to supercomputers and web servers.

Examples of popular modern operating systems for personal computers are: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, BSD, and Unix.

2.  Router

A router is a device that forwards data packets across computer networks. Routers perform the data "traffic directing" functions on the Internet. A router is a microprocessor-controlled device that is connected to two or more data lines from different networks. When a data packet comes in on one of the lines, the router reads the address information in the packet to determine its ultimate destination. Then, using information in its routing table, it directs the packet to the next network on its journey. A data packet is typically passed from router to router through the networks of the Internet until it gets to its destination computer. Routers also perform other tasks such as translating the data transmission protocol of the packet to the appropriate protocol of the next network, and preventing unauthorized access to a network by the use of a firewall.^[1]

The most familiar type of routers are home and small office routers that simply pass data, such as web pages and email, between the home computers and the owner's cable or DSL modem, which connects to the Internet (ISP). However more sophisticated routers range from enterprise routers, which connect large business or ISP networks up to the powerful core routers that forward data at high speed along the optical fiber lines of the Internet backbone.

3.  Peripheral Device

A peripheral is a device attached to a host computer, but not part of it, and is more or less dependent on the host. It expands the host's capabilities, but does not form part of the core computer architecture.

Examples are computer printers, image scanners, tape drives, microphones, loudspeakers, webcams, and digital cameras.

4.  Local Area Network (LAN)

A local area network (LAN) is a computer network that connects computers and devices in a limited geographical area such as home, school, computer laboratory or office building.^[1] The defining characteristics of LANs, in contrast to wide area networks (WANs), include their usually higher data-transfer rates, smaller geographic area, and lack of a need for leased telecommunication lines.

ARCNET, Token Ring and other technology standards have been used in the past, but Ethernet over twisted pair cabling, and Wi-Fi are the two most common technologies currently in use.

These are just a few of the many terms used in modern day computer conversation.  Within each term are links to many other terms that I would encourage anyone to be keen to, as the emergence of technology as a standard for all facilities of living is growing rapidly.  I hope these terms also help you familiarize yourself with your own computer setup as well, and serve as an educational piece for you, your home, or office.

You need to format a hard drive to use it Windows 7. To format a hard drive means to delete any information on the drive and to setup a file system so Windows 7 can read from it and write data to it.

As complicated as formatting might sound, it's not at all difficult to format a hard drive in Windows 7. The ability to format a hard drive is a very basic function that all operating systems have and Windows 7 makes it really easy.

Important: You must partition a hard drive before formatting it. If you've installed a new hard drive but have not yet partitioned it, please see How To Partition a Hard Drive in Windows 7 and then return here to format the drive.

Follow these steps to format a hard drive in Windows 7:

Note: Not using Windows 7? See the tip at the bottom of the page for help.

1. Open Windows 7 Disk Management from the Computer Management utility.

   Note: You can also open Disk Management from the Command Prompt in Windows 7 but doing so from Computer Management is probably easier.

2. With Disk Management open, locate the drive you want to format from the list at the top.

   Important: Don't see the drive you want to format listed or does an Initialize Disk window appear?

   If either situation above happens, it most likely means that the hard drive has not yet been partitioned, something you must do before you format the hard drive.

   See How To Partition a Hard Drive in Windows 7 for instructions. Come back to Step 3 below when you're done.

   Note: Formatting the C drive, or whatever letter happens to identify the partition that Windows 7 is installed on, can not be done from Disk Management or from anywhere else in Windows 7. See How To Format C for instructions on formatting your primary drive.

3. Once located, right-click on the drive and choose Format.... A "Format [drive letter]:" window should appear.

   Warning: Obviously it's very, very important to choose the correct drive to format in Windows 7:

   • If you're formatting a drive that has data on it, double-check that it's the correct drive by looking at the drive letter and then checking in Windows Explorer that it is in fact the correct drive.
     
     
   • If you're formatting a new drive, the drive letter assigned should be unfamiliar to you and the File System will probably be listed as RAW.

4. In the Volume label: textbox, either give a name to the drive or leave the name as is. If this is a new drive, Windows 7 will assign the volume label New Volume.

   I recommend giving a name to the drive so it's easier to identify in the future. For example, if you're using this drive to store movies, name the volume Movies.

5. For File system: choose NTFS unless you have a specific need to choose another file system.

   NTFS is always the best file system option to use in Windows 7 unless you have a specific need to choose FAT32. Other FAT file systems are only available as options on drives 2GB and smaller.

6. Set the Allocation unit size: set to Default unless there's a specific reason to customize it. It's not common to set a custom allocation unit size when formatting a hard drive in Windows 7.

7. Windows 7 might suggest that you Perform a quick format by checking this option by default but I recommend unchecking the box so a standard format is done.

   In a standard format, each sector on the hard drive is checked for errors. A quick format skips the bad sector search. A quick format will format the hard drive considerably faster but the standard format proves that the hard drive is physically working as it should and is a safe place for your data.

8. The Enable file and folder compression option is probably unchecked by default and I recommend keeping it that way.

   File and folder compression isn't usually necessary in today's world of incredibly large hard drives but feel free to enable it if you think you might use the feature.

9. Click OK at the bottom of the window.

10. Click OK to the "Formatting this volume will erase all data on it. Back up any data you want to to keep before formatting. Do you want to continue?" message.

11. The hard drive format will begin. You can keep track of the drive format by watching the Formatting: xx% progress in the Status field.

    Note: Formatting a hard drive in Windows 7 could take a very long time if the drive is large and/or slow. A small 2GB hard drive might only take several seconds to format while a 2TB drive could take considerably longer depending on the speed of the hard drive and the computer as a whole.

12. The format is complete when the Status changes to Healthy, which will happen a few seconds after the format counter reaches 100%.

    Windows 7 does not otherwise notify you that the drive format is complete.

13. That's it! You've just formatted a hard drive in Windows 7 and you can now use the new drive to store files, install programs, backup data... whatever you want.
    
    Note: If you created multiple partitions on this physical hard drive, you can now return to Step 3 and repeat these steps, formatting the additional drive(s).
    
    -- credit to pcsupport.about.com

The most common term heard today to describe security threats is the word "malware".  This term is very broad, and vague, and is defined as such:

" Software is considered malware based on the perceived intent of the creator rather than any particular features. Malware includes computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, most rootkits, spyware, dishonest adware, and other malicious and unwanted software.[1] "

Malware then can be simply put as harmful software installed on the computer, with or without user consent, with the intent to steal, corrupt, destroy, and alter data on a computer.  However, it is important to note the succint differences between the different malwares.  So, time for a bit of e-education!

1.  Trojan horses (backdoors)

Trojan horses are applications that appear innocent, but secretly have malicious code that is set to trigger. Trojans will create backdoors that allow your PC to be remotely controlled, either directly or as part of a botnet—a network of computers also infected with a trojan or other malicious software. The major difference between a virus and a trojan is that trojans don't replicate themselves—they must be installed by an unwitting user.

Once your PC has been infected with the trojan, it can be used for any number of nefarious purposes, like a denial of service (DoS) attack against a web site, a proxy server for concealing attacks, or even worse—for sending out buckets of spam. Protection against trojans works the same way as against any other form of malware, keep your anti-virus up to date, and don't download or click suspicious links.  See our articles on PC Security Tips and Anti-Virus Software for more info on how to stay secure.

2.  Worms

Computer worms use the network to send copies of themselves to other PCs, usually utilizing a security hole to travel from one host to the next, often automatically without user intervention. Because they can spread so rapidly across a network, infecting every PC in their path, they tend to be the most well-known type of malware, although many users still mistakenly refer to them as viruses.

Some of the most famous worms include the ILOVEYOU worm, transmitted as an email attachment, which cost businesses upwards of 5.5 billion dollars in damage. The Code Red worm defaced 359,000 web sites, SQL Slammer slowed down the entire internet for a brief period of time, and the Blaster worm would force your PC to reboot repeatedly.

Because worms often exploit a network vulnerability, they are the one type of malware that can be partially prevented by making sure your firewall is enabled and locked down—you'll still need an updated antivirus software, of course.

3.  Ransomware

Ransomware is a relatively new type of attack, where a user is tricked into downloading what appears to be an antivirus application, which then proceeds to tell you that your PC is infected with hundreds of viruses, and can only be cleaned if you pay for a full license. Of course, these ransomware applications are nothing more than malware that hold your PC hostage until you pay the ransom—in most cases, you can't uninstall them or even use the PC. If you manage to come across a PC infected with one of these, give us a call, as they can be very difficult to remove once they take hold of a computer.

4.  Spyware

Spyware is any software installed on your PC that collects your information without your knowledge, and sends that information back to the creator so they can use your personal information in some nefarious way. This could include keylogging to learn your passwords, watching your searching habits, changing out your browser home and search pages, adding obnoxious browser toolbars, or just stealing your passwords and credit card numbers.

Since spyware is primarily meant to make money at your expense, it doesn't usually kill your PC—in fact, many people have spyware running without even realizing it, but generally those that have one spyware application installed also have a dozen more. Once you've got that many pieces of software spying on you, your PC is going to become slow.

5.  Viruses

The term computer virus is often used interchangeably with malware, though the two don't actually have the same meaning. In the strictest sense, a virus is a program that copies itself and infects a PC, spreading from one file to another, and then from one PC to another when the files are copied or shared.

Most viruses attach themselves to executable files, but some can target a master boot record, autorun scripts, MS Office macros, or even in some cases, arbitrary files. Many of these viruses, like CIH, are designed to render your PC completely inoperable, while others simply delete or corrupt your files—the general point is that a virus is designed to cause havoc and break stuff.

You can protect yourself from viruses by making certain your antivirus application is always updated with the latest definitions and avoiding suspicious looking files coming through email or otherwise. Pay special attention to the filename—if the file is supposed to be an mp3, and the name ends in .mp3.exe, you're dealing with a virus.

Hopefully that helps clarify and bring some understanding of the diverse types of malware out there.  Remember, if your computer is showing any symptoms of these malwares, please contact us.  We at Vital Computer Services not only want to help rid you of PC infections, we want to help prevent them in the future.  So, if you are in the Kennesaw, Acworth, Marietta, or Metro-Atlanta areas, contact us today for an evaluation to determine if you and your business is secure and protected against these threats!

-- credit also to lifehacker.com

1. The Social Media Worm, aka Koobface
   
   This infection has grown rapidly within the past few years, and is a play off the popular social media site, Facebook (see the similarity in name?).  The intention of this little bugger is to present to the user a phony representation of a site or blog, that when clicked, will redirect the user to a web server where their personal information could be logged and stolen.  How exactly does this happen?
   
   Well, firstly, most people love to share links on their social media pages.  Links about current events, sports, local businesses, and many others are posted on walls and news feeds alike.  What causes you to trust the links that are posted?  Even if they are friends that you know personally, there is a chance that their Facebook account has been hacked and is now being used to post infectious links to a web server containing the Koobface worm.  Twitter links are no different; in many cases, Twitter demands much less of a real relationship with the people you "follow", and therefore many people can be taken unawares when clicking a link that has a visage of innocence.
   
   
   That is not all, unfortunately.  Koobface has even infiltrated into SEO (known as search engine optimization), and phony sites are now being shown on search engines very closely to their authentic match.  Koobface uses meta tags and other tricks to SEO to lure its' victims to the phony site on the search, and it often times uses highly sought after pages or products, such as current events or shopping sites.  Solution?  Verify every site that you intend to browse to as being legit and safe.  If there is any doubt in your mind, DON'T CLICK IT.  If a popup comes up claiming that your computer is infected, this is also a Koobface tactic.  Do not go to any sites that the domain name appears to be weirdly worded, or if the lettering is sometimes doubled.  Example:
   
   
   
2. Phony Facebook Accounts
   
   A very interesting tactic indeed, phony social media accounts have emerged within the past couple of years, and even more interesting, they are more annoying than they are harmful.  They find their niche by creating an alias, usually of an attractive young women, in order to entice users to "friend" them.  Once they have befriended said user, they will post continual advertisements about a certain product.  To answer your question, yes, this is a tactic used by many marketing agencies to promote their product.  Although it clearly violates Facebook's code of conduct policy, other than that, and perhaps the potentially harmful links they may post, these phony accounts are harmless.
   
   Many people who use Facebook will often receive friend requests from people they do not know.  Sometimes, however, they will add the person with the thought that they might know the person from a certain place of commonality, but they just can't remember precisely where that was, and who this alias is.  Easy cure for the problem is this:  DON'T ADD ANYONE YOU DON'T KNOW PERSONALLY!
   
   It is also noteworthy to mention that many social media stalkers get their entrance by this manner.  These stalkers might share a friend or two in common, but don't be deceived, they might have befriended them in the same manner they intend to friend you.  There is an informative article listed here on how to avoid social media creepers.  Just keep in mind that you are able to change the privacy settings on your social media accounts to limit the amount of information outsiders to your page are able to view.

Simply put, social media can be a great platform for communicating with friends, keeping in touch with long distance relatives, or even promoting a business.  However, using it too loosely can cause great misfortune to you, your computer, and even people around you.  As always, common sense in the purest form eliminates nearly all potential risks you could face while using social media.  If you don't know what it is or who it is from, don't use it.

1.  Use a firewall

(f+r´wâl) (n.) A system designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a private network. Firewalls can be implemented in both hardware and software, or a combination of both. Firewalls are frequently used to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing private networks connected to the Internet, especially intranets. All messages entering or leaving the intranet pass through the firewall, which examines each message and blocks those that do not meet the specified security criteria.

Your first line of defense after anti-virus protection is your firewall.  Some anti-virus programs actually have them built in, like ESET Smart Security 4, so that is a bonus.  However, you must be very careful and knowledgeable about what your product offers, because many anti-virus protections DO NOT offer firewalls.  Think of a firewall as a sort of content filtering and censorship for your computer.  Even though there are relatively good third party firewall softwares, often using a third party program can complicate software compatibility on a computer.  Windows firewall, although it has apparent flaws, more times than not proves to be sufficient in what it does.  Also, remember that network equipment in the form of routers and switches offer hardware firewalls, which are crucial to any network setup.  Make sure to configure these properly, and if you do not know how, we @ Vital-CS will be more than happy to assist you.

2.  Use strong passwords, and change them often!

A great website to test the strength of any password is www.passwordmeter.com.  You might be surprised to find that your password you have used for years is a rather weak password, offering very minimal protection.  As you see in the algorithm on password meter, aim to use a combination of lower and upper case characters, numbers, and symbols in a pattern that is hard to decipher, and that only you would know and remember.  Names of people, places, and objects are easy password cracks, so avoid using those as well.

Here's a great example of to turn a simple password into a powerfully protected string of characters:

Let's start with a simple word:  the word checkers for instance.

1. First thing to do here, let's change some lowercase characters to uppercase
             Result: ChecKeRs
2. Follow closely here, because we'll add a couple of characters around our word.
             Result: $ChecKeRs&
3. Next, we will replace some of our vowels with numbers.
             Result: $Ch3cK3r5&

Wow, and there you have it; using a very common and simple word, we have made a high security checkpoint for any type of intrusion!

Another great tip, is to use different passwords for different accounts.  For example, a bank account would be one of the highest priorities, therefore using a "high priority" password would be necessary.  However, an account with ESPN.com might be more of a low priority, so a different password is associated with this account and others like it.  This will provide even greater security for all your accounts, because even if someone was able to decipher a password of yours, they would only have partial access to your personal information.

Last but not least, change your passwords!  It might be easier to remember the same old password for years upon years, but this increases the chances of them being discovered as well.  I recommend changing passwords on a quarterly basis, but semi-annually works okay as well.

3.  Encrypt your E-mails

Ever wondered why your browser sometimes uses https instead of http?  The S on the end of hyper-text transfer protocol stands for secure, and this is a web based method to encrypt communications that are sent so that they cannot be hijacked or intercepted.  Most mail clients will offer a selection of whether to use standard or secure http, and it might look something like this: 

This is an example from the Gmail web-based client, and many other clients have a similar type menu.  Keep in mind the mail encryption can be a complex matter, where you and your recipient have to deal with digital certificates, public and private keys, and any number of other time-consuming preparations and precautions.  However, there is also an easy solution for this, and it is found in Mozilla Thunderbird's Enigmail extension.  Check it out when you get the chance, because no one likes unknown characters snooping through their personal emails.  Oh, and don't forget to exclude any personal information in your emails!  No account info, social security numbers, addresses, etc.

4.  Keep web browsers up to date, and browse safely.

We have mentioned in a previous post the strengths and weaknesses of the four main web browsers used today.  Most who have aimed for security have chosen Mozilla's Firefox as their primary browser, because of it's inherent security features.  However, this alone is not sufficient.  Web browsers consistently receive updates, and these updates fix leaks in the security of browsing the web.  You might already see that this would be a prime point of entry for a malicious attack, and that it is.  All web based attacks are going to target the web browser first, and an out of date browser is very vulnerable to being exploited.

Therefore, many people have switched to Google's Chrome browser, as it has a "silent update" feature.  This feature automatically updates the browser, and does it completely clandestine to the user.  All other browsers ask the user to install the updates by prompting, which can be a nuisance if in the middle of a task, and can also be procrastinated.  Although many people are disturbed by the idea of software being installed to their computer without their knowledge, it is reliable, and infact the best way to keep a web browser secure.

There has emerged an extremely potent type of malware in recent years known as hijackware.  The purpose of hijackware is to take control of a user's web browser to capture keyboard input, install trojan viruses, and to redirect web traffic to a duplicitous web domain in order to expedite personal information, specifically banking info.  Therefore, when doing online banking, DO NOT have any other open web browsers or programs, do banking and only banking at that time.  Some people even suggest that all personal account business done over the web should be done on a computer that is dedicated to that very purpose alone.  This is a good precaution, although it is not necessary if wisdom and common sense is used in this matter.

We hope that these four tips will help improve your PC security.  There are many other practices to be mentioned, but most can be summarized in this single phrase: USE COMMON SENSE!  Don't do anything over the web that brings any sort of air of supsicion, as it more times than not will be harmful to your computer.  With the right anti-virus, firewall, passwords, and web practices in place, you will find yourself above the influence of infection, allowing for smooth and safe use of the internet.

Common Shortcuts

Introducing the more commonly known and used shortcuts first:

• CTRL+C (Copy)
• CTRL+X (Cut)
• CTRL+V (Paste)
• CTRL+Z (Undo)
• Delete (Delete)
• Shift+Delete (Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin)
• CTRL while dragging an item (Copy the selected item)
• CTRL+Shift while dragging an item (Create a shortcut to the selected item)
• F2 key (Rename the selected item)
• CTRL+RIGHT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word)
• CTRL+LEFT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word)
• CTRL+DOWN ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph)
• CTRL+UP ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph)
• CTRL+Shift with any of the arrow keys (Highlight a block of text)
• Shift with any of the arrow keys (Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document)
• CTRL+A (Select all)
• F3 key (Search for a file or a folder)
• Alt+Enter (View the properties for the selected item)
• Alt+F4 (Close the active item, or quit the active program)
• Alt+Enter (Display the properties of the selected object)
• Alt+Spacebar (Open the shortcut menu for the active window)
• CTRL+F4 (Close the active document in programs that enable you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)
• Alt+Tab (Switch between the open items)
• Alt+ESC (Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened)
• F6 key (Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop)
• F4 key (Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
• Shift+F10 (Display the shortcut menu for the selected item)
• Alt+Spacebar (Display the System menu for the active window)
• CTRL+ESC (Display the Start menu)
• Alt+Underlined letter in a menu name (Display the corresponding menu)
• Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu (Perform the corresponding command)
• F10 key (Activate the menu bar in the active program)
• RIGHT ARROW (Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu)
• LEFT ARROW (Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu)
• F5 key (Update the active window)
• Backspace (View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
• ESC (Cancel the current task)
• Shift when you insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive (Prevent the CD-ROM from automatically playing)

Dialog Shortcuts

• CTRL+Tab (Move forward through the tabs)
• CTRL+Shift+Tab (Move backward through the tabs)
• Tab (Move forward through the options)
• Shift+Tab (Move backward through the options)
• Alt+Underlined letter (Perform the corresponding command or select the corresponding option)
• Enter (Perform the command for the active option or button)
• Spacebar (Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box)
• Arrow keys (Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons)
• F1 key (Display Help)
• F4 key (Display the items in the active list)
• Backspace (Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box)

Microsoft "Windows Key" Shortcuts

• Win (Display or hide the Start menu)
• Win+BREAK (Display the System Properties dialog box)
• Win+D (Display the desktop)
• Win+M (Minimize all of the windows)
• Win+Shift+M (Restore the minimized windows)
• Win+E (Open My Computer)
• Win+F (Search for a file or a folder)
• CTRL+Win+F (Search for computers)
• Win+F1 (Display Windows Help)
• Win+ L (Lock the keyboard)
• Win+R (Open the Run dialog box)
• Win+U (Open Utility Manager)

Windows Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts

• END (Display the bottom of the active window)
• HOME (Display the top of the active window)
• NUM LOCK+* (Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder)
• NUM LOCK++ (Display the contents of the selected folder)
• NUM LOCK+- (Collapse the selected folder)
• LEFT ARROW (Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder)
• RIGHT ARROW (Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder)

Internet Explorer navigation

• CTRL+B (Open the Organize Favorites dialog box)
• CTRL+E (Open the Search bar)
• CTRL+F (Start the Find utility)
• CTRL+H (Open the History bar)
• CTRL+I (Open the Favorites bar)
• CTRL+L (Open the Open dialog box)
• CTRL+N (Start another instance of the browser with the same Web address)
• CTRL+O (Open the Open dialog box, the same as CTRL+L)
• CTRL+P (Open the Print dialog box)
• CTRL+R (Update the current Web page)
• CTRL+W (Close the current window)