By admin
One of the more infuriating modern-day scourges in society is computer-related theft and vandalism, especially when it comes in the form of a trojan horse virus. The criminal element which has always been present throughout all cultures in history has taken to the internet like a duck takes to water. The fact that people who have highly-marketable technical skills would choose to manifest them through senseless acts of petty theft reveals an ugly reality of human nature.
What is a Trojan Horse Virus?
No doubt by now you have some knowledge of computer viruses, and probably from first-hand experience. Sick, isn’t it? The computer virus that you have probably come to know is destructive in purpose. Once infected, you probably had to eventually reformat your PC or even buy a new computer. That type of computer virus has mass vandalism as its objective.
By contrast, a trojan horse virus usually has theft as its objective. It typically does not seek to destroy your computer; in fact it wants to live there. However very often the end result is that your PC becomes so bogged down from it that the same remedy is required (reinstalling windows or getting a new PC).
If you are familiar with Greek mythology, you can understand how this kind of virus gets its name. It is actually a type of spyware. It comes packaged as something else, and is often hidden within some other file that you download or access. Unfortunately trojan horses are so simple to create and deliver that they can be embedded in basic html pages. That means you can get one by simply visiting a web page or opening an email in unprotected html mode (people like to read emails this way so that they can see the images and text formatting).
Once it gets on your PC it will look to capture information that it can send back over the internet to the hacker. One of the more common methods is by logging your keystrokes to a file and then sending that file back to the perpetrator. However these days trojans can also get information from mouse clicks and even from spreadsheets that you open. Some can crawl files on your PC as well. The thief at the other end is usually seeking to get passwords to your financial accounts.
There is another popular purpose for trojan horse viruses, which is to enslave your computer. This is known as making it into a zombie. Once a hacker has a large network of zombie PC’s he will use them to attack websites that he is attempting to blackmail. The attack is done by having all the pc’s make multiple page requests over and over and over again quickly from hundreds of different locations at once. This is known as a denial of service attack, DOS for short, or a distributed denial of service attack, DDOS for short. It can cause the web server of the website being attacked to go down, and in the very least will make the pages load slowly. When your infected PC is being used in an attack it will respond slowly because it is busy trying to open lots of web pages quickly.
Trojan Horse Removal
As with all computer viruses, prevention is the best medicine. Be careful about what websites you visit, and do not read your emails in unprotected html mode. Obviously this safe-practices policy will fail at some point however, so having good security software on your PC is an absolute must. Fortunately good anti-virus software is free these days; I highly recommend the free version of Avast!
Unfortunately, no anti-virus software, no matter how good, is going to catch every trojan horse virus that is out there. As mentioned before they are such a simple script that creative ways of sneaking them past your security are constantly being invented. The security software is always one step behind. For that reason, having specialty software that targets spyware is also advisable.
One of the best that I have seen is called Spyware Cease. It does a good job of catching and removing trojans which regular anti-virus software misses. You can use it to run a free scan on your PC and if you decide to buy it, it has a 60-day unconditional refund policy if you decide you don’t need it (I can’t imagine that).
Battling trojan horse viruses is a reality of computer usage in the 21st century. It’s just something you need to do in order to protect your PC investment.
Papa Riah
Technorati Tags: anti-virus software, computer security, spyware, trojan horse, trojan horse virus, trojans
By admin
As clean water supplies dwindle many people may be wondering how to purify water. It seems that there are constantly more dangers; water treatment facilities’ inability to remove chemicals from flushed pharmaceuticals, fluoride being added to the water in some countries even as it is outlawed in other countries, heavy metals leaching into tap water from old plumbing, and a recent string of natural disasters displacing people from the ease of receiving clean water from their sink, just to name a few.
Many people have already adopted the use of filters attached to their tap, or pitchers that filter water for drinking, but are these methods sufficient for filtering out all of the contaminants that threaten health? Furthermore, if your home is destroyed and your community is desperately waiting for disaster relief, or if you end up lost or stranded in the wilderness, it is up to you to figure out how to purify your water in these critical situations.
Some common activated charcoal filters, sold to attach to taps and in pitchers or water bottles, claim to filter out most pharmaceutical chemicals, which are added to the water supply by people flushing their unused prescriptions into it. These filters also remove most of the heavy metals, like lead, that leach into the water supply through old plumbing systems.
However, there are limits to the effectiveness of activated charcoal filters. There is also bleach in tap water to kill bacteria and viruses. Bleach is not removed by these filters, so you may want to let the water you take from the filter sit out for a bit so that the bleach evaporates. Also, these filters need to be replaced regularly and many do not filter out fluoride; in fact, their websites boast that they leave fluoride in the water.
Not everyone has an issue with having fluoride in their drinking water; in fact some people like having it. If so, then an activated charcoal filter can work for you under normal circumstances, but if you are alienated from your tap by a disaster or an adventure gone wrong, they might not do you much good.
In that kind of situation, knowing how to purify water could save your life and the lives of those that you care most about. If you find yourself in this kind of situation in an area with snow on the ground or with frequent rain fall, it may be easier for you. You will need containers to collect fresh fallen rain or snow. Do not drink outright, because water from snow or rain fall can easily become contaminated, even if just from a collection container that is not sterile. If you cannot wait for the next rain or snow fall, you can collect snow already fallen or water from a natural source, preferably a moving river or stream rather than a stagnant lake or pond.
The next step will be to boil the fresh fallen water or snow for at least one minute to kill all bacteria and viruses. If it is not fresh fallen, or if you want to take it one step further, distill the water by allowing it to continue boiling and condensing the steam on a large clean plastic sheet. Drape the plastic so that the condensed water drips into a sterile container. If you do not have a container or a way to boil the water, clean plastic sheets can be used over water sources or vegetation heated by sunlight to condense evaporating water in the same way, and then another clean plastic sheet spread over a hole dug in the ground can be used to collect the water. This process will take longer, but can be sped up by using a black plastic sheet under the water source to attract sunlight. All of these distillation processes can be used with salt water as well.
If you are worried about the fluoride added to your drinking water, you are not alone. There are limits to the amount of fluoride that is supposed to be present in drinking water, as fluoride is toxic when ingested in large amounts. It is added to water supplies in order to improve the dental health of citizens, but it can be, and is, argued that the helpfulness of fluoride in any amount is negligible. To eliminate fluoride from your drinking water, use a reverse osmosis or activated alumina filter.
There are many reasons and ways to purify water. If you are desperate and alone high in the mountains without any tools available and find a pure spring bubbling from the ground, this is the only scenario that might allow for skipping the purification process. In that case, it is either sure imminent death from dehydration or a possible risk for poisoning. However, even pure mountain springs can become contaminated by animals defecating or dying nearby, so if you have the tools, it’s best not to take the chance. There is just no scenario that can deny the importance of knowing how to purify water.
Technorati Tags: drinking water, health, purify water
By admin
Razor burn is an affliction that affects men and women although in different areas of the body. Hair removal has become an even more integrated part of life today so this condition is more prevalent. You can get razor burn on the legs, face, underarms, arms, or even in the bikini areas. The small red bumps are only a part of the problem it can cause itching, burning, and other painful skin irritations that can keep you more than uncomfortable during your day. Here are some of the preventatives ways that you can reduce the change of razor burn:
Stay moisturized. A moisturizing shave gel will help prevent any skin irritations that could be caused by shaving. Keeping a layer of moisture between the razor blades and your layers of skin will help prevent any issues. Don’t shave with soap and water unless you are ready to face the consequences through a few days of painful irritation.
Avoid smelly aftershave products. Perfumes can contain alcohol-based ingredients that will not only dry out skin but it will also increase the chances of razor burn. Everyone likes to smell nice but unless you want to break out try finding a nice moisturizing lotion, especially ones that contain soothing qualities such as aloe-vera extracts.
Clean your razors. Razors can contain thousands if not more bacteria’s that could cause all kinds of problems especially razor burn. Before using and after use clean your razor by dipping it in some 100 proof rubbing alcohols. This will keep the bacteria at bay and allow you to get the best shave possible.
Ease up on the pressure when shaving: When applying too much pressure during shaving you damage more layers of skin and cause more problems for yourself. Take it easy on your skin and it will repay you.
Now that we have talked bout how to prevent razor burn lets discuss how you can make it better in case you found this article a few days too late. Some of the best cures and relievers for razor burn are:
• Aloe Vera – Aloe vera is one of the best cures for razor burn. It’s soothing qualities will ease even the toughest of skin irritations. Aloe is included in a lot of moisturizing products because of how effective it is. Fresh aloe is the best but any will help your razor burn.
• Tea tree oil – Mixing tea tree oil with aloe vera extract is a perfect combination for reliving skin irritations but it also works alone. Tea tree oil is nature’s antiseptic so it will help remove irritation-causing bacteria that causes problems.
• Witch Hazel – Another great natural astringent that will help with skin problems is witch hazel. Adding witch haze with tea tree oil and aloe is the perfect combination for your aching skin.
Following these tips will help you get rid of your razor burn and avoid getting it in the future. Your skin will thank you for it and you will love not having to worry about the discomfort that it can bring.
Technorati Tags: health, personal hygene, razor burn, shaving
