قد تم اختراق حاسوبك!

هل حاسوبك مخترق؟

            مع كل يوم تطور فيه التكنولوجيا وكذا اساليب وطرق الاختراق، ليكن في علمك انه هناك اناس يعملون ليل نهار للبحث عن الثغرات الامنية والاساليب الجديدة للاختراق وطبعا لكل منهم هدغه، فاحد يريد المال وذلك ببيعها بمبالغ خيالية على حد خطورتها والاخر يبحث عن الشهرة في العالم الرقمي ولكل هدف.

             هل أنت في امان من كل مخاطر الاختراق والتجسس ؟ لا يا صديقي لا حماية 100 بالئة في عالم 0 و1، للاسف حتى مضاد الفيروسات لن يكون كافيا، هل حاسوبك مخترق اذا ؟ هذا ما سنحاول الاجابة عنه اليوم وذلك باتباع بعض الخطوات.

01- مراجعة التطبيقات التي تشتغل مع اشعال الحاسوب وذلك اولا بالذهاب الى ايونقة ويندوز او démarre قديما وثم كتابة الامر msconfig كما هو موضح في الصورة 01 أسفله.

الان اضغط entree ومن النافذة المنبثقة اختر منها démarrage والتي ستظهر لنا قائمة البرامج او التطبيقات التي ستشتغل تلقائيا عند كل مرة نشغل فيها الحاسوب، كل مت عليك هنا هو التعرف على البرامج والتاكد من انك انت من قام بتثبيتها وكذا مكان حفظها

فمثلا التطبيقات المجهولة المصدر سيكون اسم محررها مجهول (inconnu) وهذا امر يدعو للشك والتأكد من التطبيق ومسار نزوله ايضا، فالفيروسات يكون مكان نزولها عادة في مسار AppData او Temps وهي ملفات مؤقتة ومحببة للفيروسات.

اذا راودك شك حول برنامج ما، فكل ما عليك فعله هو تتبع مساره من قائمة commande ثم حذفه، وطبعا ان كان نشط لن يحذف فكل ما عليك فعله هو ايقاف عمله من مسير قائمة المهام او Gestionnaire de tache  وللوصول اليه كل ما عليك هو النقر بالزر الايمن للفارة فوق شرط المهام ثم اختياره كما هو موضح في الصورة أسفله:

- حسنا الان لابد من التركيز قليلا من فضلكم، فعلى قائمة مدير المهام التي ستفتح امامك سنختار قائمة processus والتي ستظهر لك كل المهام النشطة حاليا على حاسوب كل ما عليك فعله عزيز القارىء هو البحث عن اسم التطبيق المشبوه ومعلوماته ثم ايقافه.

ملاحظة هامة: اذا لم تستطع فتح مسؤل المهام وظهرت لك رسالة خطا فعلم ان حاسوبك 90 بالمئة مخترق.

- وبالطبع مراجعة ملف الهوست ايضا وللوصول اليه بسهولة اكتب على قائمة البحث المسار التالي C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc واضغط entree سيفتح لك مباشرة مكان تواجده كل ما عليك فعله هو فتح اول ملف hosts وقرائته بمحرر النصوص bloc-note ومن ثم التاك من عدم وجود زيادات فيه وساضاع لكم الصيغة الرسمية له.

ملف الهوست:

الصيغة الرسمية والعادية له كالآتي:

الى هنا اكملنا الشرح المتواضعة لطريقة عملية نوعا ما لكشف البرامج الخبيثة.

والهدية في الموضوع هي الطريقة السهلة عن طريق برنامج سهل وصغير كل ما عليك هو تثبيته سوف يعطيك كل اتصالات خارجي او داخلي من والى حاسوبك وكذا الهوست والعنوان الذي تذهب اليه المعلومات.

التطبيق هو x-Netstat وبعد تحميله من غوغل ثم تثبيته، سيظهر لك بهذه الواجهة حيث يعطيك معلومات عن كل بيانات خارجة الى هوست مشبوه او اي شبء من هذا القبيل كما هو موضح في الصورة .

اعذروني على الشرح المستعجل ... حقيقة الموضوع يستحق مقطع فيديو.

How the car donation process works

How the car donation process works

You’ll find that there are is a waiting period in order for the deal to be done and over with. You’ll find that once you start the paper work, you’ll be able to get the donation process over within a few weeks. You’ll also find that it kind of depends on the organization on how quickly the matter is taken care of. You’ll want to keep in mind that once you have selected the charity of your choice, you’ll be able to do all the arrangements in person or over the phone. 

All you have to do is fill out a form that will ask you to provide proof of the title. This is just a precaution to protect both parties. You’ll find that they will then come and tow the car or they will call you with other arrangements. You’ll need to fill out the 4303 form for the tax deduction. You’ll also want to keep in mind that it may take several weeks in order for the car to find a permanent home. This will take some time, but it is quicker if the charity just keeps the car for a profit. 

Most of the time, your car’s value will truly determine rather or not this is going to be a quick process. You’ll find that a good and worthy car will be sold within a week or so. This will help your case greatly. You’ll want to keep in mind that the charity will help sell the car as quickly as possible. This is the goal of the organization. However, you’ll want to check in every now and then to keep an update on the progression of your donation. The condition of the car sometimes will affect the way that the donation is handled.

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Donating a car rather than selling it

A Quick Look On 2006 Hybrid Cars

Advantages Of Owning Hybrid Cars

Donating a car rather than selling it

Donating a car rather than selling it

When it comes to donating a car, you’ll find that you’ll be able to make more of a profit than if you sold it. You will want to keep in mind that it doesn’t matter if it is a car, a boat, or an RV. You will still be able to make plenty more on donating it rather than selling it. You will be able to see more money come in when it comes to tax return time. You’ll be able to see the benefits of donations right away. 

Keep in mind that there are hundreds of charities that allow you to donate such items. You will want to keep in mind that some of these charities will want to keep the items, but many will sell the items on your behalf. You’ll find that not only are you able to get rid of some of the stuff you no longer need, but you’ll also be able to see some gains in tax deductions. 

Something that a lot of people do not realize is that donating a car can be very easy. You’ll find that the charity should do everything for you. You’ll be able to get rid of cars that work or don’t work. You’ll find that if the car is broken, then the charity will have it arranged so that the car is towed and then it is sold for parts or scrap metal. You will need to fill out the appropriate tax forms in order to get the tax deduction. Make sure that you mention this when making all the arrangements with the charity

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Getting to Know the 2007 Hybrid Car Line Up

A Quick Look On 2006 Hybrid Cars

Advantages Of Owning Hybrid Cars

Advantages Of Owning Hybrid Cars

More and more people are turning to hybrid cars these days because of their promise of lesser fuel consumption and environmental friendliness. Hybrid cars, because they run on both fuel and battery-powered engines, eat up less fuel, thereby sparing the consumer the pain of falling prey to price pressures in the world oil market. In addition, it also emits significantly less smog pollutants in the air, compared to traditional fuel-operated cars. 

Indeed, there are a lot of advantages to owning hybrid cars. This is why even the US government is starting to show support by welcoming more models into the country and by encouraging American auto makers like General Motors and Ford to make more units. 

Here are some of the advantages of hybrid cars:

1) Efficiency

Hybrid cars are electrically operated and are thus able to function well and consistently at any motor speed. This is in contrast to conventional gas-powered engines, which tend to produce less power in low revolutions per minute episodes. Hybrid cars do not need to use transmissions to make their engines run at full capacity even at reduced speeds.

2) Economy

One of the advantages of hybrid cars is that the feature called "regenerative braking". Since a hybrid car works using both electric power and fuel power, each can function by itself or conjunction, depending on which is stronger at the time of use. This means that both engines complement each other and do not simply bog one when one of them becomes weaker.

3) Convenience

Because hybrid cars are part battery powered, they do not create huge holes on the pocket, compares to users of traditional cars who feel the pain of the continuing oil price increases. Most hybrid cars, particularly the ones that are made in Japan, are also more compact and lightweight, making them easier to maneuver on the road. Other models, particularly those by American and European car makers also do not deviate from the stylish designs their regular counterparts adopt, so users don't have to feel they are being left out in the style department.

4) Sustainability

Sure, hybrid cars are fairly new, so their immediate impact on the environment cannot be foreseen in the short term. However, over the course of time, the next generations will definitely be thankful for having a clean, pollution free world, thanks to hybrid vehicles.

Most critics say that it is not the time to buy hybrid vehicles because they are expensive. However, when you consider the advantages, you really shouldn't think twice. While you must be discerning in choosing the right model for your needs, this doesn't mean you start hesitating. After all, when more people patronize hybrid cars, manufacturers will see the need to produce more and eventually bring its price at very affordable levels.

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The Fantastic Use and Great Advantages of A Hybrid Car

The Fantastic Use and Great Advantages of A Hybrid Car

The cost of fuel and the damage it brings to our environment has become very rampant, and because of that, hybrid cars are presently considered as very beneficial to the preservation of the environment. The reason behind this is that hybrid cars do not depend mainly on fuel for it to have power, but it also makes use of electricity that results to a smaller amount of fuel consumption and less emitted air pollution.

A hybrid car combines an electric motor and gasoline engine  to provide sufficient power to the vehicle with least fuel usage and fewer emissions. They are also far more fuel-efficient than purely gas-powered cars, and far more practical for everyday use than purely electric-powered cars. Combining the two sources of power, a vehicle then is created that is relatively non-polluting and will lead to less fuel consumption which means it possesses enough power to have freeway speeds that does not need too much fuel, it is also great for the stop and go driving in traffic laden areas.

The hybrid car was created due to the result of the demand and clamor to clean the environment from pollutions and for the need to rely less on fuel. To be able to recharge, plugging the hybrid  into an electric outlet is not necessary.They charge themselves by means of power usually lost during coasting and braking and can also be charged by the car’s gasoline engine.

It can offer more benefits than the usual regular gasoline engine type cars. Here is a list of the many advantages hybrid cars offers.

1. Pollution is less promoted

It is a fact that the continuous damage to our ozone layer is due to the greenhouse effect, and one of the factor that contributes to its damage is pollution in the air, in which dangerous chemicals are transferred to the air, like carbon dioxide that are emitted by vehicles. The measure of carbon dioxide emitted by the hybrid vehicle is principally relative to the quantity of fuel it consumes; thus hybrid cars can absolutely be a contributing factor in lessening the advancement of global warming. 

With the use of hybrid cars, fewer fuel is consumed because hybrid car do not totally use gas in order to operate, it also makes use of electricity, a power source that doesn't bring any danger to the environment.

2. More mileage with less fuel consumption

The obvious advantage of hybrid car is that it saves on gas. With the use of hybrid cars, you are able to save gas money because you don’t need to buy gas after every long trip wherein you can go several miles consuming less fuel.

3. Hybrid cars can help lower your taxes 

Tax rebates are given to hybrid cars buyers, so if you buy a hybrid car your tax refunds can be withheld from your taxes and will provide you with additional savings.

4. Your money gains more value

A hybrid car can retain a higher resale value. If you ever want to trade or sell a previously owned hybrid car you can be sure that you will get more of what you paid for it.

5. Efficiency and performance are what defines Hybrid Cars

Hybrid cars have smaller engines than the regular gasoline cars since the power is obtained form two sources, so the smaller engines are closer to the normal power necessity of engines that will give an efficient performance.

6. “Hybrid car technology” is the greatest solution to today’s increasing problem in car air pollution

Hybrid cars uses lesser fuel and a groundbreaking technology that may avoid possible damages to the environment caused by the usual cars

Despite of many uses and advantages, there is one thing to be considered regarding the hybrid cars, its actual price in the market is not yet that affordable to a lot of people, but it is an investment that will pay a hundred fold.  

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A Peek Into 2007 Hybrid Vehicles

A Quick Look On 2006 Hybrid Cars

Getting to Know the 2007 Hybrid Car Line Up

A Peek Into 2007 Hybrid Vehicles

A Peek Into 2007 Hybrid Vehicles

Hybrid vehicles have become more popular in the past few years, as drivers are constantly trying to find ways to save on gas costs. Pump prices have rocketed especially after the Iraq war in 2003, as the flow of oil supplies was disrupted. Ever since that year, gas remains expensive and continues to rise due to market turbulence, high demand and conflicts in the Middle East.

Is 2007 the year to jump on the bandwagon for hybrid vehicles? Consider that using hybrid technology will be more expensive compared to purchasing a standard vehicle. Some of the top vehicle makers have already released an impressive line of hybrid vehicles for 2007 that will likely make car buyers scamper to showrooms similar to bored wives going to a mall sale.

The 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid

Updated for 2007, the Toyota Camry Hybrid is a 4-door sedan that can carry 5 passengers. This hybrid vehicle is powered by a standard I4, 2.4-liter hybrid engine boasting of 192-horspeower. This hybrid vehicle achieves 43-mpg in city driving and 37-mpg on highway drives. The Camry has automatic transmission and overdrive is standard.

Initial Impressions

The 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid has been lauded for its impressive interior and consumption. However, many users have complained that consumption struggles to achieve as what is advertised by the company. Some even say that this vehicle only achieves 34mpg maximum.

Toyota has pulled out all the stops for this hybrid vehicle but it comes with a price, and expensive at that. Sold at an average of $29,000 in showrooms across the US. This vehicle is a nice option for those that do not want to scrimp on luxury but save on gas.

2007 Ford Escape Hybrid

A hit vehicle in 2006 that just got better for 2007. The 2007 Ford Escape is a 4-door sport-utility vehicle that can carry a maximum of five passengers. This hybrid vehicle comes in two trims, the 4WD and FWD.

This SUV hybrid is powered by a I4, 2.3-liter, 155-horsepower engine. Can achieve 36-mpg in city driving and 31-mpg in highway driving. Both trims come with transmission is variable speed automatic.

Initial impressions

A favorite among vehicle critics, the 2007 Ford Escape Hybrid for its Interior Space, Fuel Economy, GPS, and Comfort. Fuel Economy is outstanding and most consumers supposedly achieve 35 mpg, which is just below the advertised 36 mpg. However, attaining this type of performance will rely on the skills and behavior of the driver. 2007 might be the year Ford reclaims its dominance in the SUV market with the new Ford Escape.

2007 Mercury Mariner Hybrid

Looking to extend its great run in 2006, Mercury has updated the Mariner Hybrid for 2007. This vehicle only comes in one trim, the 4WD. This hybrid vehicle is powered by an I4, 2.3-liter, 133-horsepower hybrid engine. This vehicle can achieve 33-mpg in city driving and 29-mpg if cruising on the highway.

2007 Lexus GS 450h

All-new for 2007, the Lexus GS 450h is the hybrid that will propel the company in the new year. This hybrid vehicle is a 4-door luxury sedan and comes only in one trim, the Sedan.

The 450h is powered by a standard V6, 3.5-liter, V6, 339-horsepower hybrid engine. This hybrid vehicle can achieve 28-mpg in city driving and 28-mpg when cruising on the highway.

Initial impressions

The 2007 Lexus GS 450h has been lauded for having the best interiors around. Gas mileage is supposedly revolutionary and performance is comparable to the BMW M3.

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Getting to Know the 2007 Hybrid Car Line Up

A Quick Look On 2006 Hybrid Cars

Getting to Know the 2007 Hybrid Car Line Up

Getting to Know the 2007 Hybrid Car Line Up

More and more car manufacturers are developing "greener" versions of their well-known brands. The infusion of Hybrid technology has made a big splash in the motoring world and its popularity as well as the growing concern for the environment has added to the demand for this type of vehicles, urging more vehicle manufacturers to add more of their vehicles in the hybrid bandwagon to capture more potential consumers in the market.

One of the newest in the batch 2007 hybrid car lineup is the 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid, the third in Toyota's Hybrid vehicles. The Camry hybrid boasts of a performance of a topnotch six-cylinder engine with the fuel economy of a four-cylinder engine. Although it is not as fuel efficient as the first Toyota hybrid, the Prius, the Camry hybrid is a whole lot better than the regular Camry.

Never to be left behind, giant Japanese car manufacture Honda, has also the Hybrid Accord and the Hybrid Civic. These two sedans offer what Hybrids are known for, less emission and less fuel consumption. 

The 2007 Honda Accord Hybrid alone combines luxury and fuel efficiency that is truly environment friendly. Even with a V6 engine that generates 253 horsepower, you can be sure that you will get more miles to the gallon. It is a nice change knowing that you get the luxury and power that you want and still get the fuel economy that we all deserve.

Then there is the 2007 Civic Hybrid which continuously provides the true essence of hybrid technology. Its ingenious engineering has rightly earned it its Advanced Technology Partial Zero-Emission Vehicle (AT-PZEV) rating. What this means is that you don’t only get from point A to point B in less gas usage, but also save the environment by not adding to the air pollutants already swarming over it. 

Joining the Hybrid car race in 2007 is General Motors second Hybrid vehicle, the 2007 Aura Hybrid sedan. This will be competing with other high-end hybrid cars such as the Toyota Camry Hybrid and the Honda Accord Hybrid. Sporting a V6 engine as well, the Aura Green Line is dedicated to providing utmost engine power with minimal gas consumption. Its engineers claim that it will be able to generate 20 percent savings in fuel economy over its conventional model.

Nissan has also announced that a 2007 Altima Hybrid will be offered and has offered test drives and a glimpse of its development vehicle. In a deal inked with Toyota, Nissan will be dedicating five years into the project with the Hybrid Technology developed by Toyota.

Rumored to be unveiling its first hybrid model, Volkswagen is said to be preparing a full-hybrid car for 2007 but it hasn’t disclosed yet which car model they will be infusing the technology. Latest rumors said that it would be on the Jetta for the upscale engine level or in the Passat for the four-cylinder class. 

 With more and more vehicle manufacturers realizing the potential of Hybrid vehicles, it wont be long before every car produced will be infused with the Hybrid technology. And as oil prices continue to soar and concerns for the environment are ever growing, we can all be sure that these vehicles will be welcomed with open arms. 

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A Quick Look On 2006 Hybrid Cars

A Quick Look On 2006 Hybrid Cars

A Quick Look On 2006 Hybrid Cars

Demand for hybrid cars has sharply grown over the past three years, as pump prices continue to surge and eating a considerable part of the household budget.

Hybrid cars may not be the complete solution to rising oil prices but they are very economical, as they rely more on electricity instead of gas for power. For 2006, business conditions have remained turbulent. The current crisis in Israel and Lebanon will likely have an adverse effect on oil markets given that they are very near the world’s top oil producers.

Other issues that will keep gas prices high include China’s demand, terrorist attacks on refineries and volatility in stock markets. Is 2006 finally the right time to jump on the bandwagon for hybrid cars? For 2006, the top Japanese car makers Honda and Toyota have released an impressive line of hybrid cars that have been updated to conform with the demands of the daily driver.

The hybrid cars for 2006 promises more power behind the steering wheel but gas consumption will be comparable to a child guzzling a bad-tasting cough syrup.

Honda 2006 Accord Hybrid

The new Accord Hybrid from Honda is 4-door sedan ideal for families with 2-3 kids. This car comes in two trims and 5-speed automatic transmission. Overdrive option is standard equipment. For those that enjoy long and leisurely rides, Honda is offering a Accord Hybrid equipped with a Navigation system.

Both trims are powered by a standard V6, 3.0-liter, 253-horsepower engine. The Accord Hybrid is capable of 25-mpg in city driving and 34-mpg in highway driving.

The Honda Accord Hybrid is well suited for the highways and boasts of excellent responsiveness and outstanding acceleration.

Initial impressions

The 2006 Honda Accord Hybrid has been criticized for its disappointing fuel economy but lauded for its outstanding performance especially in fast-driving. The car battery used in the car is relatively low in power and supposed does not effectively maximize the hybrid technology unlike rival models.

Some users have also been critical over the “rough” automatic transmission shifting between gears and poor flawed synchronization between engine and battery.

Honda 2006 Civic Hybrid

The new Honda Civic Hybrid is a 4-door sedan ideal for small families. The vehicle comes in two trims namely the the CVT AT-PZEV w/ Navigation System and the CVT AT-PZEV

A standard I4 1.3-liter 110-horsepower hybrid engine powers the 2006 Civic Hybrid car. This model has the capability to run 49-mpg in city driving and 51-mpg in highway drives.

Initial impressions

The 2006 Civic Hybrid car is a top-notch performer especially for who are looking for the perfect driving experience. The interior has been lauded for its attractive lay-out and design.  Gas consumption is exceptional, as delivers near or slightly above its specifications.

However, the 2006 Civic Hybrid has been criticized more on its ambitious despite. The digital speedometer is a nice new touch but can be distracting especially during night drives. The Civic Hybrid only comes with rear drum brakes, which is disappointing considering that the Civic has been named car of the year.

The hand brake is also placed on odd location and will be discomforting for those with large thighs. The 2006 Civic Hybrid is a “driver’s car” and will perform best when used in the highways.

2006 Toyota Prius

Updated for 2006, the new Toyota Prius is a 4-door sedan, ideal for small families. This hybrid car only comes in one trim has a 4-Door Liftback.

The 2006 Toyota Prius is powered with by a standard I4, 1.5-liter, hybrid engine running 110-horsepower. In city driving, the Prius can achieve 60-mpg and 51-mpg in highway driving.

Initial impressions

The Prius features a spacious interior that can easily fit small families. Ideal for pedestrian drivers but those conscious with performance should stay away, as acceleration is slow. In addition, consumers have also been disappointed over the inability of the car to reach its advertised consumption and high price. For those tht want to save the world the Prius is great but look the other way if you want to save money.

Caught in the Middle: How the Internet Can Improve and Destroy Lives

Caught in the Middle: How the Internet Can Improve and Destroy Lives

Our access to information has never been as convenient. In ancient times, only young men were allowed to go to school and learn about philosophers and literature. When the ultra-conservative Middle Ages came along, knowledge was left in the hands of the religious, and wouldn't see a renewal until the Renaissance. As the centuries passed, people were granted greater access to information, until our modern day scholars decided to make things easier for everyone.

From libraries stocking books in order, we moved to databases that stored information in a way that it could be stored, searched through, and retrieved. These databases and the way they were managed were brought online, where they came to the Information Superhighway. The Internet has since revolutionized the way that knowledge is accessed, and has given people from all over the world a chance to learn more and do more.

People are also now, more than ever, eager to share their expertise on specialized subjects, and help out those in need through the ease of online communication. What are some of the advantages offered by the Internet?

• Some sites offer knowledge and information for free or a minimal fee. The online free encyclopedia Wikipedia, for instance, has allowed users to post their knowledge on certain topics, and has given users the chance to access this knowledge as they would a real encyclopedia. There are also many other sites that offer information for free, such as science sites offering modules that science teachers can use when performing experiments, or clothing sites offering online courses in fashion design.

• Not all libraries carry the books that we need, so online merchants such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble sell books, allowing more people all over the world to buy them. With the advent of the electronic book, or e-book, people can now read books on their computers without having to pick a real heavy book up.

• Knowledge is offered in different media, depending on the learning abilities of those who need information. If a person is more visual, he or she can choose to watch a video or read an online book or pamphlet on the information he or she needs. If a person learns better through listening, however, he or she can choose to listen to audio files. This flexibility and versatility of the Internet has allowed more people to learn in the format that they want and are most comfortable with.

The beneficiaries of this technology are undoubtedly our children. They will have an easier time doing their research for school, since information is easy to retrieve online. They can buy the books they need if their local libraries don't have them. They can learn through all means possible.

These benefits, however, come with their own risks, and we as parents are caught in the middle of a war between free speech and censorship. While there are thousands of students who benefit from the knowledge offered by the Internet, there are also thousands more who become victims of predators, such as credit card thieves or worse, pedophiles. While there are thousands of students in developing countries who find their minds opened constantly by their exposure to new mindsets and cultures, there are thousands more who find themselves duped by once trustworthy people online.

If you have a child who uses the Internet constantly, then you may want to take note of these disadvantages to better monitor your child’s Internet use.

• While information is easier to retrieve online, it can also encourage your child to simply cut and paste information, with little or no effort devoted to analysis. This can make your child lazy, and may even lead to your child being accused of plagiarism by perceptive teachers. 

• Not all information online is true, and not all information online is edited. This has led to many schools banning the use of online sources and Wikipedia as references in important reports and assignments.

• Many online help forums are actually a venue for child predators to stalk new victims. Because children and teenagers often seek affirmation and help from people outside their family circle, they are more susceptible to such attacks. 

• Pornography is rife online, and some multimedia sites may actually contain pornographic or disturbing images or footage. While your child learns from useful multimedia files, he or she may also be traumatized or wrongly indoctrinated if he or she accesses the wrong ones.

The Internet has its advantages and disadvantages, and we as parents have the right to be alarmed and vigilant. The wealth of information online has also allowed wrongdoing to proliferate, and we can often find ourselves caught in the middle. All that we can do is protect our children, and make sure that they have access to real books and research materials, so that they don't have to rely completely on online sources for their work.

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Actual Case Studies of Kids on the Internet

Actual Case Studies of Kids on the Internet

As people are quickly becoming more and more dependent on technology for their everyday needs and desires, particularly the use of computers, business developers in the software industry have constantly tried to look for ways to take advantage of the trend, for their own profits and for the growth of the information technology industry as a whole. Some of these include sites and software that are geared towards the younger generations, like public chat rooms and social networking sites. With the number of hits these receive daily, it is no question that these are things that children and adolescents of the present look for.

While social networking sites and chat rooms promote socializing with one another (even if it is mostly text), there are dangers that are associated with such. Some of these include exploitation, extortion, pornography, sexual advances, etc., just to name a few. Perpetrators are aware most of the time that they are dealing with children and young adults, which is why they have more confidence to do the things they do – children are far easier to trick than adults.

Actual cases of these have happened, many of them in the United States. Just recently, a female teenager in Texas sued the site MySpace, a social networking site wherein a person can meet anyone from anywhere in the world. A MySpace page can be filled with pictures, videos, and other multimedia. A fake profile of a person can be made up easily, thanks to the power of computers and technology.

The lawsuit stemmed from the fact that this female teenager was sexually assaulted by an older teenager whom she met on MySpace. This man apparently put up a fake profile in MySpace, complete with fake pictures and fake data. Through this MySpace profile, they met through the Internet; he got a hold of her phone number, met each other personally and from there, the assault took place.

Incidentally, the girl’s lawsuit didn't win. In order to prevent such incidents from occurring, one should exercise extreme caution, especially in chat rooms and social networking sites such as MySpace. The case study proves that the danger on the Internet is ever present. However, that shouldn't deter children and adults from using the Internet freely – it is just important to exercise caution when doing so, something that this young girl apparently failed to do.

In addition, the girl herself lied about her age as well, claiming that she was an 18 year old when at that time, she was actually just 13. MySpace provides the privilege of using their site only for those 14 and above. Clearly, these actions show that the young girl didn't exercise caution and was exposing herself to danger by lying about her age and flirting with other male members older than her.

Other cases also involved instant messaging chat rooms and social networking sites, such as those when perpetrators tried to steal passwords and other valuable account information from MySpace users by sending them a fake HTML code (MySpace users can insert their own HTML code into their own profiles, for the matter of customization). However, since some users are children, they are unknowingly exposing their accounts which could possibly expose their location, phone numbers, and other valuable information that should be kept private. Most of the children don’t understand HTML code and they don’t know if the effect can be positive or negative.

There are many more cases in wherein children are taken advantage of through the Internet via chat rooms or social sites. As parents, it is your duty to protect and preserve your privacy from strangers, who could use your children to get what they want. Protecting them can sometimes mean restricting their Internet time, no matter how unpopular or how unconventional that seems nowadays.

With the case of the young girl, it can be seen that parents didn't exercise much caution as well because of the fact that she was able to get by pretending to be someone she was not. The chances of the act happening the way it did could have been lessened had the parents been more careful, as well as the girl herself.

Free Firewalls and Children Protection Programs

Free Firewalls and Children Protection Programs

The internet is an established part of our world, and modern education has included it in the education of our children. Unlike past generations, where the internet was as much a source of games and amusement as a tool for adults, these days our children are immersed in it. Given that it is a part of their daily lives at school, it naturally follows that we can't keep them from their computers at home so they can do research and homework on it. With that in mind, we have to keep a close watch on the things our kids do online so that they don't unwittingly become security risks in this day and age of computer-related crimes.

There are two types of programs that will help our home security over the internet immensely; the first is firewalls, which keep out viruses and spyware that our kids may accidentally touch on in the course of conducting their research. The second is child safety software, which are programs especially geared towards helping parents monitor and control their children's online time. Here are the top three free picks for firewalls and child safety programs you can download.

Firewalls

1) Comodo Firewall - one of the top picks among both free and purchaseable firewalls, comodo scans all incoming internet traffic before actually allowing it to touch any other part of your PC. It's main feature is a program behavior analyzer that detects if programs have any unusual activity that may signal a virus or worm in the program. For inert viruses it also has a trojan protocol detector that is constantly updated online.

2) Kiero Personal Firewall - this is a software that has been reported by users to offer them minimal headache in operation and use. While it's protections aren't as sturdy as some other firewall programs, it offers reasonable defense nontheless. It's main strength is it's ease of use, so that you can teach your children to operate it, giving them the benefits of learning internet security early in life.

3) Zone Alarm - this is rated as a cross between comodo and kiero. It offers more security options than Kiero and is easier to use than comodo. The most balanced choice between ease of use and security. Depending on your preferences, it can also be taught to your children, but it's advanced settings may actually cause them to mess up your firewall, so it might be a good idea to keep the operation of this software to yourself.

Child Security

1) EZ off - this program is essentially a time management software for your computer. It will automatically turn the PC on and off at scheduled intervals, allowing you to control how much time your children spend on the net. This is best used to keep your kids from playing video games past their bedtime. The timer also features a calendar and scheduler, so that you can even keep the PC running for set intervals when you're not at home.

2) Windows Supervisor - this is an office program that can also be used at home. It's main purpose is to monitor all logs made on the computer, so that you will be able to tell not only WHEN your children access the internet, you'll be able to tell what activity was running when they were there, including what sites they visited, files they up or downloaded, programs executed, and even keyboard typing done.

3) StopGame - for those who want to let their children enjoy the internet from time to time, a less-strict version of EZ off is similar to a firewall in that it lets certain, specified programs and web sites be accessed at certain times of day by the computer. If your kids are, for example, doing homework from 6pm to 8pm and you let them have game time from 8pm to 10pm, you can set this program to allow them access to certain games (that you specify) from the 8 to 10 slot. Also, taking a cue from Windows Supervisor, it will be able to monitor past activity as far as the allowed game programs listed are concerned, as well as attempts made by your kids to access other sites.

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