How to craft a well protected browser:

Practically  speaking, anonymity is very difficult to achieve on the web, but with some small effort, you can increase your privacy significantly.

Here is the recipe:

• the latest version of the Firefox browser (if you can keep up with their fast-track version cycle!)
• Always make sure that Adobe Flash is updated to the latest version.
• Firefox plugins

1. Better Privacy
2. Ghostery
3. NoScript
4. Https-Everywhere
5. Adblock Plus

Then set the browser options to:

1. Set the cashe to a relative small size, say 10 MB.
2. Delete cashe on exit (temporary files)
3. Delete history on exit.
4. Delete cookies on exit. Note: also set Better Privacy to delete ‘super cookies’ (flash cookies) on exit.
5. Select the “do not track” option (under the privacy tab)
6. Use a password manager such as RoboForm

Don’t forget!  You are still not private or anonymous. So be nice.

Remember “Practice Safe Computing”

Got it

We have been checking out online backup solutions, also known as cloud backup.  We all know we should backup regularly, but do we do it?  The advantage of most of the online backup solutions it that once set up they automatically backup the files and folders that you have included.  No need for conscious thought. (?)

We have recently tested two providers. SugarSync and CrashPlan

Both have their advantages.

SugarSync seems better for collaboration; sharing files with others.  Similar to Dropbox.

CrashPlan is one of the more economical for large files and large backup sets.  One relatively unique feature is that it offers free backup to other computers or drives that you own, or to a friends computer.  Otherwise, it and Carbonite seem very similar.

Links:

SugarSync

CrashPlan

One of the most common, and most difficult treats to eradicate, are the various fake antivirus “programs”.

If you get one of these and it is not stopped immedialtely by you or your real antivirus program, it may be necessary to consult a professional because this treat can deeply infect your computer in a short amount of time.

A good article about this threat can be found at the following link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44523031/ns/business-consumer_news/t/how-avoid-nasty-fake-antivirus-scam

Opera?  No

Chrome? No

Firefox? No

Safari?  No

Internet Explorer 9?  Yes

As per the following source article, Internet Explorer is by far the best browser at keeping Malware off our computer. (But you do need to listen to it)

In this competition, IE9 was effective at preventing 92% of malware infections.  IE8 blocked 90%.

The nearest competitor only blocked 13%.

Note: SmartScreen Filter must be ON.

(this is about stock, off-the-shelf browsers, not security enhanced browsers such as Dragon, or add-ons and security and privacy plugins, etc.)

Source

Smarphones are great devices, but their convenience brings significant privacy concerns.

Check out this Computerworld article for more information and some ways to help increase your privacy.

Startpage.com in now providing google search results without sending identifying information to google. And that is a good thing. For even more privacy, startpage.com is available using SSL encryption, by using HTTPS:

https://startpage.com

Startpage is one of the few search engines that does not record your every move; your every search and what you click on.

“Practice safe surfing”

Yes, we have proof that HAL is alive and well and living in your Camry.

Source: http://smew.com   Sarcastic Voice Navigation System At Fault For Multi-Car Pile-Up

Long live HAL !!!

I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.

A couple of the most notorious SVO’s  [Security Vulnerability Offenders] are back again with ‘critical’ updates.

If you have Java or Flash on your computer [Who doesn't?], please make sure you update to the latest versions.

At this writing, for Java, that would be version 6 update 24.

http://java.com/en/download/index.jsp

Flash is more complicated as there are multiple versions depending on your browser.  As of this writing, Flash for 32 bit Internet Explorer would be version 10.2.152.26.  For 64 bit IE, it would be version 10.2.161.23.

(by the way, these new versions also provide enhanced performance.)

http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/

Generally speaking, if you visit the above addresses with the browser of your choice, you will be offered the correct version.

[After all, what could possibly go wrong?]