Plenty of (IN)Secure Broadband Routers

SShh.....The Problem of Default Passwords for the Wireless Routers still exists in most parts of the country. The Mumbai terror attacks did bring in a concern for people using Wireless Networks and not have secured them. However, time and again I have been still snooping into the so-called 'Secured' Wireless Networks because the routers admin password is still set to default. Crazy !!

BSNL, the most widespread broadband provider, supplies its own ADSL Router which is been configured by the BSNL line-man. Since most of the broadband customers are not so tech-savy, they understand very little about the technical configuration done in the Wireless Routers.

YOU and I know that default configuration of the broadband router is insecure. We may be good guys, may be the bad guys too. The default login to the router's admin console via username: admin and password admin is very silly to get into the broadband connection. The encryption security or the password key provided has not much of security to be provided now.

3 things that I see from this point:
a) Can the end-users be educated about the 'french-latin' of router security?
I assume Success Rate as very low
b) Can the Internet Service Provider person configure a 'lockdown' version of Secure Routers?
I assume Success Rate as low to moderate
c) Can the router device manufacturers start providing warning messages if their devices are running on default passwords?
I assume Success Rate as moderate

Any comments are welcome !!

How to Protect Your PC from Malware Infection

How to Protect Your PC from Malware Infection

Malware or malicious software is a program or a file which is harmful to your computer.

These programs have the capability to enter your computer system without your knowledge or consent and cause errors leading to system slow down, crashes and loss of data.

In the United States alone, there are over 60 million computer users who are affected by virus, spyware or some kind of malicious software. Almost everyday a new malware is being released into the cyber world making it easier for the online criminals to make attempts to steal financial information, important data or personal identities. Anti-malware tool manufacturers try to keep up with these new malware by constantly releasing updates and advanced antivirus and antispyware programs.

On the other hand, the response to this huge problem by computer owners is usually delayed. Most of the users wake up to the seriousness of the problem when their computer has already started to show signs of infection, like error messages, system slow downs, and frequent freezes and system crashes. Even then, user response is mostly to take care of the immediate problem, rather than to create a robust defense mechanism for their computer. Over 62% of computer owners surveyed have inadequate protection against malware. This essentially means that either they do not have anti-virus and anti-spyware tools or they do not use or update them regularly.

Protecting your System against Malware

It is essential for you to protect your system from all kinds of malicious software programs, such as the d.exe and aspimgr.exe files. When a system is infected, it is quite expensive and time consuming to restore it to its original condition. Furthermore, you stand the chance of losing a large amount of your data, and if your PC is on a network, other connected computers may become affected as well. At times, these programs come disguised as legitimate Windows files, such as iexplore.exe and alg.exe, and this makes it quite difficult to detect and remove these malicious files manually.

It is humanly impossible to make your computer 100% secure, but by taking simple precautions and continuously updating your computer you can reduce your risk considerably.

The first step in protecting your system is to install reliable and advanced Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware solutions. It is advisable to run anti-virus and anti-spyware scans on a regular basis. You must also update your tools on a regular basis because manufacturers release new definitions almost daily.

You can also make your system more secure by installing a Firewall. A firewall can be a hardware device or a software application that sits between your computer and the Internet. It filters out the information you send and receive on your computer. In other words, the firewall receives and inspects all incoming and outgoing data. The tool allows you to choose program access permissions on your computer, which to a large extent prevents malware infiltration and unauthorized access to your system.

It is also highly advisable to regularly update your Windows software on a regular basis by using the Windows Update feature, live update features of third-party software, and a reliable driver scanner tool. You must also scan your registry on a regular basis to ensure that no malware data stays within it. You can do this easily and efficiently by using a reliable registry cleaner tool.