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P2P Dangers
File Sharing Can
Compromise Your Computer's Security
At first glance,
peer-to-peer file-sharing programs appear to be a benefit - they
allow you to swap digital files with others who have the same
file-sharing software. Thousands of people use peer-to-peer (often
called P2P) programs to exchange music, videos, movies, games, and
software. But P2P programs are seemingly synonymous with
trouble.
First, there are the well-publicized copyright
infringement issues that arose when Napster, the first widely used
P2P program for exchanging music files, became wildly popular in the
late 1990s. Other examples of P2P programs are Kazaa, Morpheus,
eDonkey, and Gnutella.
Less well-known, but perhaps more
significant, is how using P2P programs can expose your computer to
viruses, worms, Trojan horses, adware, and spyware, and even expose
you to identity theft and fraud. How can these things happen? A P2P
network allows users with the same file-sharing program to access
files stored on each other's computers without the typical network
interaction with file servers. This makes file sharing quick and
easy, but these are unsecured Internet connections unprotected by
firewalls, making them prime targets for hackers and virus
writers.
It's easy for virus writers to attach malicious code
to an innocently titled file that resides on a file-sharing network.
In fact, the infamous MyDoom virus that wreaked havoc on e-mail
systems worldwide in 2004 was initially spread in this way by
unknowing users of the Kazaa file-sharing program.
The same
goes for adware and spyware. These unwanted programs could be
attached to an otherwise useful file downloaded from a file-sharing
network, exposing you to a flood of unwanted spam, ad pop-up
windows, and web browser hijackings.
Even worse, a skilled
hacker can gain access to your entire hard drive through a
file-sharing network, exposing you to identity theft and fraud. A
hacker can do this by using access to the files you intend to share
on the file-sharing network to gain access to personal files not
intended for public use. If you have information such as Social
Security numbers and credit card information on your computer, the
potential for identity theft and fraud is very
real.
Here's how to protect yourself on P2P
networks:
- Be legal. The
easiest way to avoid being exploited is to avoid P2P networks
altogether. But if file sharing is important to you, make sure you
only use file-sharing networks and programs in which you have the
copyright owners' permission to buy and exchange the files. Not
only will you avoid violating copyright law, but legitimate
file-sharing networks should be more secure and far less likely to
attach adware or spyware to their files.
- The fine
print. When you install P2P software, read the software's End User
License Agreement (EULA) before you agree to install it. Don't
install software whose legalese contains questionable phrases such
as "from time to time," "we may make your information available to
third parties," and "you agree to allow third-party software to be
installed into your computer."
- Access
denied. If you legally buy digital files, reject any offers for
software that will enable others to access your files. This will
help block hackers who want to snoop on your hard drive.
- Software
protection. Regardless of whether you use a P2P network, you
should be running a firewall, up-to-date antivirus software, and
spyware and adware blockers and scanners.
Back to Top
Maximize Your Phone's
Potential
Wireless Phones Aren't Just For Calling Anymore
Receive the full benefits
of wireless technology with fun and functional features that let you
customize your phone for peak usefulness - and maximum
convenience.
- Text
Messaging: Send and receive e-mail and text messages. Schedule
sports, weather, jokes, horoscopes and more to be sent to your
phone.
- Fun &
Games: The games you want are here! Sports, driving,
adventure, action, arcade - a myriad to choose from. And
downloading is easy!
- RoadGard®
Roadside Assistance: Rest easy with coverage up to $50 per
incident toward battery service, towing, gas delivery, lock
service and tire changing.
- Voice
Dial: Speak a name or number and your phone will do the
dialing for you. It’s fast and easy - not to mention a safer way
to call from the road.
Plus, choose from a host
of other premium features to make your wireless experience perfect
for you. Call Cannon Communications today at 651-385-0877 or visit
our store in Red Wing at 1001
Main Street. For your convenience, we're open on Saturdays
too!
*Some features are available in the Midwest Wireless service
area only and/or require a compatible phone. Some restrictions may
apply; see store for details.
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Ask The Help Desk
Why Is My Computer
Screen Wallpaper Distorted?
Question:
Sometimes I save images off the Internet for wallpaper on my
computer screen. However, the images I save quite often look very
distorted when I stretch them to full screen. How can I avoid this?
Answer: You are probably running into
a couple of problems. The first is that of proportions. If the image
you are grabbing from the Web isn't proportional to your screen, it
will look distorted when it's stretched. Remember, your screen
format is rectangular having horizontal and vertical dimensions. So
if you save an image that is much more vertical than horizontal, the
image will look "fat" once it is fitted to your screen.
The
other problem is that most images found on the Web are not a high
enough resolution to be used for wallpaper. Many computers, for
example, are set to a resolution of either 800x600 pixels or
1024x768 pixels. When grabbing an image off the Web, the image needs
to be close to the same size as the resolution found on your screen
in order to appear undistorted. If the image is only 250x100 pixels,
for example, there just won't be enough pixels to fill your computer
screen in an undistorted manner, unless of course you are using a
very small screen.
Note that most site owners have copyright
restrictions regarding their site's content (text and images) so you
must first get permission before grabbing an image to use as
computer screen wallpaper.
Back to Top
Great Sites To Check Out This
Month
Head To A Drive-In
Movie Theater This Summer
http://DriveInTheater.com - Do
you remember the fun times you had going to the drive-in movie
theater on weekends with your family or friends? There were over
5,000 drive-in movie theaters located across the U.S. and Canada
back in 1958. Today there are less than 600 left in North America
but they are still great fun. Check out the site's database listing
of drive-in theaters and then treat your family to a night of
old-fashioned fun while vacationing this summer. The kids will love
the experience and so will you.
Visit A Lawnmower
Museum
http://lawnmowerworld.co.uk/
- Those of you who are really into lawnmowers have probably already
got this site bookmarked. For everyone else, this is the link to the
British Lawnmower Museum. Yes, an actual museum dedicated to nothing
but lawnmowers. Check out the "Gallery" section for interesting
pictures of antique cutting contraptions. It'll make you appreciate
the improvements that have been made in lawn mowing technology since
the early twentieth century.
Calculating Your Social
Security Benefits
http://www.SocialSecurity.gov
- There's been much debate regarding the long-term solvency of our
Social Security System. Most agree that the funds will be depleted
at some point in the future because of the changing ratio in the
number of people working versus the number of people retiring. If
you have not yet retired, have you ever figured out what you can
expect in monthly social security income based on the current
system? SocialSecurity.gov can calculate this for you. Simply go to
the "Calculate your benefits" link and enter the requested
information.
Sign The Declaration of
Independence
http://archives.gov/national_archives_experience/charters/declaration.html
- The U.S. National Archives Records Administration restores and
archives important government documents from our nation's history.
Celebrating the anniversary of our declaration of independence
during the month of July provides a great opportunity to see and
learn more about our historical treasures. Go to the Declaration of
Independence area of this site and click on the "Join the Signers of
the Declaration" link. There you can add your name to the ranks of
the 56 original signers who stood for freedom and then print off
your copy to show friends and family.
The Cut - The Next
Hit Reality TV Show
http://cbs.com/primetime/the_cut/
- The new CBS TV show The Cut appears to be the next hit reality TV
series. During each weekly episode, clothing designer Tommy Hilfiger
pits fashion-savvy contestants against one another in real fashion
world challenges to find the next great trend setting designer. One
contestant is eliminated each week. For more information about the
contestants, each episode, and some behind-the-scenes drama, head to
this site.
Back to Top
Short Tutorial
Saving Images On Your
Computer Desktop As Repeated "Tiles"
As the FAQ in the "Ask
The Help Desk" section above explains, it can be difficult to grab
images off the Web to use as wallpaper without the images appearing
distorted on your computer screen. Rather than trying to stretch
pictures to fit your computer's screen, an alternative is to "tile"
your selected image. This process saves the picture repeatedly in
rows on your screen as a background. The result may be cluttered but
probably preferable to the distorted alternative.
To tile an
image as your screen's wallpaper when using a PC and Internet
Explorer as your browser, simply right-click on the chosen picture
and select "Set As Background."
If you are on a PC and using
the new Firefox browser, right-click on the image and choose "Set As
Wallpaper." When the "Set Wallpaper" dialog box appears, look for
the "Position" menu. It will list "Stretch," "Tile," or "Center" as
options. Choose "Tile" from the list. Click on the "Set Wallpaper"
button. The background of your computer screen will change to
multiple rows of the picture you selected.
If you get tired
of using this image, right-click on your PC's desktop and choose
"Properties." With the "Desktop" tab selected, choose the wallpaper
you want from the list that appears. Click "Apply" and then click
"OK." (This works whether using Internet Explorer or Firefox as your
browser.)
If you are using a Macintosh running OS X,
right-click your cursor arrow on the image (if you have a two button
mouse) or click on the image while holding down the "ctrl" key (if
you have a single button mouse) and select "Download Image To Disk."
Next, go to the Apple menu then drop down to and select "System
Preferences..." Click on the Desktop Screensaver icon and click on
"Choose Folder" in the left hand pane of the window. Click on
"Desktop." The picture you downloaded to disk should be there. Click
on it to select it and then click on "Choose." Next to the preview
picture you'll see a button that says "Fill Screen." Click on it and
four choices will appear: "Fill Screen," "Stretch to fill screen,"
"Center," and "Tile." Choose "Tile" and then close the window.
Back to Top
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We hope you
found this newsletter to be informative. It's our way of keeping you
up-to-date on what's happening in the fascinating world of the
Internet. However, if you'd prefer not to receive these journals on
a monthly basis, click
here to
be removed.
Thanks for your business and best
regards,
Cannon Communications -
Your Local Communications Provider
1001 Main St
Red
Wing, MN 55066
(We have used our best
efforts in collecting and preparing the information published
herein. However, we do not assume, and hereby disclaim, any and all
liability for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions,
whether such errors or omissions resulted from negligence, accident,
or other causes.)
©2005 Cornerstone Advertising Group Inc.
Trademarks:
All brand names and product names used in this e-Newsletter are
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