Internet Safety: How do I keep my computer safe on the internet?

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how do you change your msn messenger hotmail name with out having to make a new account?

This article: http://ask-leo.com/how_do_i_change_my_from_user_name_in_msn_hotmail.html

I would do what it takes to get Automatic Updates to work, or start visiting Windows Update on a very regular basis.

Hi leo, just recently gave someone my ip address..can they find out where i live..they said they could help me fix a problem i was having...i also have computer phone service..can they get my phone number..How do i block it? Hellppppppp.

Scared!!!

You can't block it, but it's not a problem. More here: http://ask-leo.com/what_can_people_tell_from_my_ip_address.html

I have stopped using Windows update since I learned that it's verification process is spyware and lets the mothership, Microsoft know what software I choose to use and if I have a registered copy. I have read about this on several sites with a good reputation and am looking for a way to get updates without using their verification program. Any help you can offer with this problem?

I recommend continuing to use Windows Update.

However I know that not everyone agrees. In the related links on this article: http://ask-leo.com/wga_is_it_spyware.html - check the alternate view link - it includes some alternatives.

There are "Trojan horse" type programs, such as Back Orifice and Netbus, that could cause the behavior you are describing. Both BO and Netbus are Windows 95/98 applications designed to allow other people to access your machine (generally for malicious purposes) over the Internet.

In order for anyone to use BO on your machine, you have to install the server side of the application. This is normally done by getting you to download an application or by sending the server EXE to you in an e-mail message and hoping you execute it. This is why it is called a Trojan horse -- you have to consciously or unconsciously run the EXE to install the server -- it does not propagate itself like a virus (see How Computer Viruses Work for a description of Trojans and viruses). Once you execute the server EXE, the server is installed and will start running automatically every time you turn on your computer.

With the server installed, an evil-doer can run the BO client program and control your computer remotely, running programs, erasing files... Obviously, this is not a good thing. It is easy to detect Back Orifice either manually or with software.

I have McAfee Internet Security Suite 2007 on my computer and results, cookies are spyware: clean, no viruses, spam (Outlook Express 6 has a feature from the program that I use to mark mail as spam and has its own SpamKiller under the Inbox when it starts up with a +/- button to show/hide SpamKiller (Ex: [SPAM]=AdventureQuest= New User Confirmation; normal e-mail ex: =AdventureQuest= New User Confirmation.)

it's very important to be educated to know where is the trusted sites to view and where is the suspecious sites is located, so my advice is to give a good education to internet users about the sites that they should trusted, and may be in the future to make an web site that recommend the good sites to the users. thank you

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