7 Free Must Have Programs to Protect Your Laptop
This tip comes in from Eric Lo and and is a great list of free software for protecting your laptop or netbook. If you are getting a new laptop or netbook for Christmas, you definitely need to check out this list. If you are getting one for somebody, you should link them to this list as soon as they get it fired up! Eric's tip:
Traditional computer security measures are not enough to protect your laptop and netbook. You have to pay attention on various laptop related security risks such as insecure public wireless network, laptop theft, laptop search, about which you don't worry with your desktop computer. Whether your laptop is stolen or not, your privacy can still be at risk by simply traveling with your laptop. The Homeland Security Department and other authority can search your laptop to look for evidences on any illegal activity and illicit materials stored on your laptop such as unlicensed songs, movies, software or unlawful images of children. However, good laptop security does not necessarily cost you money. Here are 7 easy-to-use, useful and free software that can help you protect your laptop, your sensitive data and your privacy.
- Encryption. TrueCrypt is a trustworthy encryption program that can protect your data against unauthorized access. www.truecrypt.org
- Backup. Cobian Backup is a backup program that can protect your data against loss. www.cobiansoft.com. An alternative is Mozy free edition, which is an online backup software with 2 Gbytes space. www.mozy.com
- Antivirus. AVG free edition provides protection against viruses, spyware and other malware. free.avg.com/ww-en/download-free.
- Firewall. The built-in Windows firewall can protect your laptop against hackers while you're online. (but make sure it is configured properly)
- Alarm. LAlarm is like a car alarm for your laptop. The software can help prevent your laptop from theft, and can also recover and destroy your data in the laptop in case of theft. www.lalarm.com
- Tracking. Prey is laptop tracking software that can locate your laptop if it is stolen. www.preyproject.com
- File shredder. Eraser is a data sanitizing program that can permanently delete sensitive data such as passwords, Internet browse history, personal information from your laptop. www.forensicswiki.org/wiki/Eraser
I have never tried Cobian Backup, but if you are looking for more storage than you can get with Mozy but don't want to pay a monthly fee, I recommend using Amazon's S3 data storage. I find it is far more economical for myself because rather than a monthly fee, it is just $.15/GB transferred. Considering how much I back up a month, it tends to be the best deal for me. Also, when it comes to antivirus, I am an Avira AntiVir person but I have always heard great things about AVG. Anyway, make use of this tip!
Thanks Eric!
If you would like to send in your own tech tips, e-mail them to me at pcnerd37@globalgeeknews.com
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The PlayStation Network Terms of Service: Revisited!
Greetings Readers!
After the huge response I have received from my post yesterday about Sony's updated Terms of Service/User Agreement for the PlayStation Network, I have decided that I should write a follow-up post addressing some of the points that have been brought up. I was trying to get in contact with somebody at Sony who could respond, but like Gamespot, I have not had any luck. Before I get into this post, I would like to thank everybody that shared the link for yesterday's post as it is now the third most viewed post on the Global Geek News Blog behind the Twitter Etiquette and Twitter Etiquette 2 posts. OK, here we go.
Probably the biggest comment I have received so far is in regards to the protection of children from online predators. This is certainly a valid point, which lead to Sony adding the following statement to the new Terms of Service.
You may not provide anyone with your name or any other personally identifying information other than your own Online ID, or the name, password or personally identifying information of any other person or business through any means, including messaging, chat or any other form of PSN communication.
While I agree with the purpose behind this statement, I think it goes a bit too far. I think giving this information should be up to the users and their own personal judgment or that of their guardians. I have met countless people online, and if I was restricted by this rule, I would not have many of the great friends I have today. I also play online with friends, and I don't to risk banning because I refer to somebody by their actual name rather than their Online ID. Protecting the children is a honorable goal, but restricting everybody to protect a few is going too far.
Another popular opinion that I have seen is that this Terms of Service is no worse than most of them that are out there. When I am bored, I am known to read Terms of Service type documents, so I know this is not the case. While I will agree that many Terms of Service are overly restrictive and often rarely enforced, to say this is no worse than others is just plain wrong. When Google did something very similar when they launched Chrome, trying to say that everything created through their browser was essentially theirs, they were immediately called out on it and they backed off. That is what needs to happen here. It is time that Terms of Service are not so one sided, and many such documents are beginning to reflect that as technology becomes more open. I know that my legal section for this site is nowhere near as ugly as this terms of service. In the interest of fairness and to show that I am not out to destroy Sony, I will be reviewing the ToS of the other consoles and writing about them later this week.
Another hot button topic seems to be the giving of information to third parties. From what I have read, many people seem to be against it, especially when they realize that it is personal information that is being given. Personally, I generally don't much care if companies gather anonymous usage statistics on things I do. As long as no personally identifying information about me is not sent, especially in an insecure manner, I don't mind contributing to make a product better by allowing companies to see how I am using a product for future improvements or what bugs I am running into that need fixed. When my personal information is sent, especially to third parties who can also distribute it to whomever they choose, that is when I have a problem. It is even worse when there is no way to opt out of such a policy. With the way it stands now, if I don't agree, I don't get to use my PS3 or PSP, and that is that. Giving personal information out in such a manner is a huge security and privacy problem. The more people that have your information, the higher your chances of identity theft. Also, such information transfer is illegal in some places.
The last major point that has been made that I want to talk about is that these are just meant to cover Sony's butt if somebody decides they want to sue them. While I will agree with that, I believe they went much farther than that, especially when they refuse to do anything about lost data purchased from the PlayStation Store, even when they are the one to have caused the problem. As I stated before, protecting children and stupid people in general is certainly an admirable goal, but there are better ways to go about it than doing something like this. Courts have thrown out Terms of Service in the past because they are overly restrictive and just plain bad that no reasonable person would accept them, something that could very easily happen in this case. A balance must be struck between Sony protecting its hardware, network, and contracts and the consumer and allowing them to use their system in the way that they choose.
Don't forget to check back later this week as I will talk bout the Terms of Service that come with the other consoles and the possibility of comment from Sony on this issue! I am also likely to talk about this on the next Global Geek News Podcast, so keep an eye on that! Like always, follow me on Twitter or Friendfeed if you want to be notified of when new posts go up. Until next time, don't forget to comment (And be a constructive commenter)!
-Jeremy "pcnerd37" Bray
Sony Says All Your Actions Are Belong to Us!
Greetings Readers!
Being a member of the Playstation Network and various Playstation related programs (Gamers Advisory Panel), I recieved an email on Friday informing me of changes to the Terms of Service and User Agreement for the Playstation Network. Since it was a slow day at work, I decided to read the changes to the service, most of which are beyond disgusting.
While these agreements are made primarily for the company to cover its butt in the biggest way possible so that it can avoid dumb lawsuits from Jack Thompson impersonators, the new changes went much farther than that. There are a few new rules in there that are to be expected, basically trying to keep people from exchanging personal information and trying to protect children which is all well and good, but they did not stop there.
Lets get right into the bad stuff with the fact that basically you no longer have any privacy on the PlayStation Network.
However, SCEA reserves the right to monitor and record any online activity and communication throughout PSN and you give SCEA your express consent to monitor and record your activities. SCEA reserves the right to remove any content and communication from PSN at SCEA's sole discretion without further notice to you. Any data collected in this way, including the content of your communications, the time and location of your activities, your Online ID and IP address and other related information may be used by us to enforce this Agreement or protect the interests of SCEA, its users, or licensors.
Unless you want to risk termination of your service and have very little functionality out of your PS3, you will now have to be very careful about what you do as Sony is watching and listening for TOS violations so they can disable your account. But, if you thought that this is all they are using your information for, you would be wrong. It is being shared with third parties.
Third parties, including publishers may administer access to some content, including delivery, gameplay or customer service. To enable third parties to provide such access to you, we must provide them with your personal information. If you do not consent to allow us to share your personal information with third parties for the purpose of providing you with access to PSN content, you will not be able to participate in PSN.
So now, all of your private information is now at the hands of third parties and whatever they choose to do with it. You have no say in what personal information they get, and if you don't like it, you aren't allowed to use the PlayStation Network. I suspect this is the first step in finding ads on the PlayStation Network outside of promoting new items in the store.
Of course the fun doesn't stop there. Stories have been floating around for some time about the horrible DRM and stuff related to downloading store content and that you basically get one shot with content and thats it, but now, if something happens, even if its Sony's fault, you are out of luck.
You bear all risk of loss for completing the download of any content and for any loss of content you have downloaded, including any loss due to a file corruption or hard drive crash.You are solely responsible for the storage and safekeeping of your content. SCEA is not responsible for providing you with replacement copies for any reason.
If that doesn't sound bad enough, they state earlier in the terms that they can update your system at any time and can remove functionality or cause data loss, leaving you with nothing to do but twittle your thumbs.
Some content may be provided automatically without notice when you sign into PSN. Such content may include automatic updates or upgrades which may change your current operating system, cause a loss of data or content or cause a loss of functionalities or utilities.
So if Sony fails to properly test an update and it hoses your console, you can kiss all your downloaded content goodbye. If you want it back, you will have to buy it all over again.
Speaking of DRM, hacking your PS3 or PSP to give yourself more control over your content is no longer allowed.
You may not bypass, disable, or circumvent any encryption, security, digital rights management or authentication mechanism in connection with PSN or any of the content offered through PSN.
Nope, we still aren't done yet, there is even more bad news. Sony has also decided to pull what Google did with Chrome and own everything you create.
To the extent permitted by law, You authorize and license SCEA a royalty free and perpetual right to use, distribute, copy, modify, display, and publish your User Material for any reason without any restrictions or payments to you or any third parties. You further agree that SCEA may sublicense its rights to any third party, including its affiliates and subsidiaries.
These are the biggest problems with the updated Terms of Service for the PlayStation Network, but certainly not all of them. If you are a PSP or PS3 owner, or just really care about privacy and consumer rights, I highly recommend reading the rest of the Terms of Serivce here. The updates are all in red.
The changes are disgusting on many levels and should be fought. The more attention this issue gets, the better the chance we have of changing it, so make sure to forward this to everybody you know! Until then, all your actions are belong to Sony! Don't forget to post your thought in the comments as well.
-Jeremy "pcnerd37" Bray
Computers in use pass 1 billion mark
Greetings Readers!
For those that haven't heard, the number of computers in use around the world has hit 1 Billion! Im not sure if I am more suprised that we have hit this mark or that we haven't hit this mark until now.
According to this story, the primary reason for hitting this number now and the projected doubling of the number by early 2014 is about broadband and wireless internet as well as low cost computers.
While I think that point is valid, I think its more about computers being necessary for life in a first wold country. With everything moving online from government information to television shows, in the time of high gas prices we are in, it is cheaper and more convienent to do things online than it is to do them in person. With news netorks pointing to their websites for more information on stories, it is clear the value of computers and the internet and to have them is crucial for almost anybody.
While I know there are some people that don't have computers, especailly older people, that is slowly changing as people see how their life can improve by having a computer with an internet connection. Computers and the internet aren't going away so if you know somebody who doesn't have a computer, tell them to get with the 21st century!
That is only a part of this story. The other part here is what happens to computers when people get rid of them. It is epected that 180 million computers will be replaced this year alone. There are many ways that people can get rid of their computer. Many are sold or donated to those without computers while others are broken down and recycled. What is really shocking is that approximately 35 million of those will be taking up space in landfills. That is a lot of computers! If computers can't be saved and donated to local schools or charities, they should be recycled rather than thrown away. The real problem is there is not a major effort to inform people about the harm that is caused by throwing computers away and the benefits of recycling them. There needs to be an organized effort to get this information out to the world and let people know where they can take their dead computers.
People also need to be aware of the security issues involved in getting rid of a computer. Unless you take measures to erase the data on your computer, your personal information is still on the hard drive, often including passwords, credit card numbers, social security numbers and all kinds of other personal information. If you dont want to risk your information falling into the wrong hands, replace the hard drive in the computer before you give it away or use some software that will overwrite the data on the hard drive multiple times so that it is extremely difficult to recover. With a billion computers floating around, that is alot of personal data that can be lost if you don't take proper measures to prevent the stealing of your information.
-Jeremy "pcnerd37" Bray
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