History of Antivirus Software & Its Origin

 History of

Antivirus Software & Its Origin

HISTORY

The antivirus born as a simple tool whose purpose was to detect and remove computer viruses, during the late 1980s. Over time, the emergence of   more advanced operating systems on the  internet , antivirus have evolved into   more advanced programs that not only seek to detect a  computer virus , but also block it to prevent an infection by them, as well as are currently capable of recognize other types of  malware , such as  spyware ,  rootkits , etc.

FUNCTIONING OF ANTIVIRUSES

The operation of an antivirus varies from one to another, although its normal behavior is based on having a list of known viruses and their ways of recognizing them (so-called signatures or vaccines), and analyzing against that list the files stored or transmitted from and towards a computer. Additionally, many of today's Antiviruses have incorporated proactive detection functions, which are not based on a list of known malware, but rather analyze the behavior of files or communications to detect which ones are potentially harmful to the computer, with techniques such as Heuristics, HIPS, etc.

Usually, an antivirus has one (or more) memory- resident component   that is responsible for analyzing and verifying all   open, created, modified, executed and transmitted files in  real time , that is, while the computer is in use. They also have a low-demand analysis component (the well-known scanners, explorers, etc.), and e-mail, Internet protection modules, etc. The primary objective of any current antivirus is to detect as many computer threats that can affect a computer and block them before it can infect a computer, or be able to eliminate it after infection.

EVOLUTION

Over time, the Internet has made Antivirus Software evolve into more advanced programs that not only seek to detect computer viruses, but also block them, disinfect them and prevent their infection, and now they are capable of recognizing other types of malware, such as spyware ,root kids, etc.

Each antivirus can plan the defence in one way, that is, an antivirus can do a complete, fast or vulnerability scan according to the user's choice.

It was in 2005 when, after 5 years of sustained trend in which viruses as we knew them were giving way to worms and Trojans in charge of forming botnets to obtain money, when they saw that the entertainment that could involve the creation of Malware could be turned into a very profitable business.

Perhaps the best proof of this are the so-called Banking Trojans of which there are thousands of variants since the creators, to make it difficult to detect, permanently modified their code. This type of malware is currently distributed through exploits, spam, or through other malware downloaded by the banking Trojan. This last type of Trojan is in charge of stealing information related to commercial transactions and / or bank details of the infected user.

Another latent threat related to profit from malware is spyware and adware, where some Antivirus Software companies allow users to use their applications in exchange for creators being able to monitor user activities without their consent.

As for mobile threats, there is no doubt that the arrival of mobile and wireless technologies and their constant evolution have revolutionized the way we communicate and work in recent years. However, the expansion of the use of this technology has also made it an important attack vector for the malware industry.

It was during 2004 that the existence of the first malicious code for mobile platforms was reported: Cabir. A being, together with ComWar.A, the best known, the latter not only for its ability to replicate via Bluetooth but also through text messages with images and sound (MMS), sending themselves to the addresses and phone numbers of their victims. Currently there is malware for the most common platforms, such as Symbian, Pocket PC, Palm, etc., the propagation method being as diverse as the possibilities offered by these technological advances: SMS, MMS, IrDA, Bluetooth, etc.

Today the most attacked platform is Windows on 32-bit processors. As we have mentioned previously, malware creators have seen in this activity an enrichment method and thinking in economic terms and establishing the widest possible target, Windows platform users represent 90% of the market. Perhaps another obstacle that the creators of malware for Linux and Macintosh run into has to do with the medium / high training of users of this type of platform, so that Social Engineering, the main method of propagation at present, is not successful.

 

Antivirus Software for School Computers

 Antivirus Software for School Computers

The recent cyber-attacks that have attacked various companies in recent days, along with the continuous threat of viruses, malware and, in general, any virtual 'entity' that can affect the privacy and security of our computers, have made the Those in charge of laboratories and computer rooms in schools are alert to improve the level of protection of all these devices while using antivirus and few other points that should be kept in mind.

Today we want to delve into this question and talk about how to shield school computers to make them more secure and protect them against all these external attacks. To do this, we propose some ideas and tips designed specifically to apply in the computer rooms of schools.

1. Computers, Always Up To Date

Precisely the ransomware attacks that occurred in mid-May 2017 affected several hundred computers that were out of date. Software developers, including those of operating systems, strive to provide regular updates that fix security holes found in their programs.

These updates are offered free of charge and for long periods of time, so it is essential to keep our computers and devices always updated with the latest 'patches' available. There are several ways to do this, the easiest being to maintain automatic updates in the system that every little time install what is necessary at all times.

2. The Software Must Be Legal

Beyond the ethical and moral debate that involves using non-legal software in the classroom, one of the great problems of installing copies downloaded from the Internet in the educational environment is that they can open a multitude of security holes, and be a headache in the classrooms.

Legal software also allows us to install updates that, as with operating systems, solve problems that may be found in different programs. In addition to this, we must also avoid downloading from unsafe sources to avoid installing or using patches or cracks, which are usually used to incorporate malicious software on our computer.

Of any program there are always free alternatives that usually fulfill the function of the first. For example free programs to edit images, CAD design or platforms to create a free website.

3. Antivirus? Yes Thanks

Many years ago, antivirus software became absolutely essential, even more so in the school environment and with shared computers to which any student accesses and shares files and files through USB memory sticks. Having an antivirus installed is essential, as well as of course keeping it updated and with the latest available alerts.

Along these lines, a few years ago Microsoft incorporated its own antivirus into the Windows system, under the Windows Defender suite, and that may be an interesting 'native' option. However, there are dozens of free and paid antivirus that can help us avoid viruses and malware, both the most common and the most specific.

4. Reset after Every Restart

Mechanisms that reset the computer after each restart are also very common in the educational environment. Or in other words, any action taken by the user will be eliminated once the computer is shut down or restarted.

This initiative is very interesting since it prevents malicious software from remaining on computers, although it does not act until it is restarted. For this functionality it is possible to do it both through hardware (more secure, but also more expensive) or software.

5. Backups Always Up To Date

One of the worst things that can happen to your computer when faced with a malware attack, of whatever type, is that you lose the data, files and jobs that you have created with it. A quick solution is usually to format the computer and reinstall everything, losing the information stored on it.

For this reason, and given this possibility, it is very important to make backup copies every little time. In the case of computers that are shared in schools, it is essential that each student is in charge of managing their files and work, saving them on an external device (such as a USB memory stick) or uploading them to a cloud storage service.

For the laboratory administrator, it is interesting to have backup copies of the system and all the programs that have been installed, for example through images of the hard disk or specific software for backups.

 

6. Have Your Students Use Their Heads

No, if you click on that link you will not inherit a fortune from a Nigerian prince, and if you give your mobile phone to a website, it is most likely that you will have problems with your next bills. It is important to use your head, and many times we teachers have to educate our students in the world of the Internet.

Because beyond the four most common pages, on the Internet there is a lot of picaresque that we must know and know how to deal with. Do not install software that comes from unofficial sources, or never pay for anything before making sure; be careful what you install and always check that there is no problem. If in doubt, avoid it or, at least, find out well before proceeding.

A few basic tips can save you and your students a lot of trouble — and their families, of course. And always, always, keep in mind that we do not know who may be watching us or who may use the computer on which we are writing. Finally, we recommend that you follow these tips to use shared computers in schools to add an extra security to your day to day in the classrooms.

 

Why Automatic Antivirus Scans are Needed?

 Why Automatic Antivirus Scans are Needed?

 

Do you regularly open your Antivirus Software and run scans? Microsoft Security Essentials and other antivirus programs believe it is necessary, warning you that your computer may be at risk if you haven't done it in a while.

In reality, these manual scans are not all that they seem. You can usually ignore your antivirus and it will do its work in the background without your help, alerting you only when it encounters a problem.

Why manual virus scans are unnecessary

Your antivirus always runs in the background. It monitors the processes running on your system, ensuring that no malicious processes are running. Whenever you download a new file or open a program, your antivirus quickly intervenes, examines the file, and compares it to viruses before allowing it to run. If you download a virus, your antivirus will notice it without the need to scan anything. For example, try downloading the EICAR test file - your antivirus will spring into action and take care of the file without the need for manual scans.

This feature is generally known as background scanning, real-time protection, resident protection, on-demand scanning, or something like that.

In other words, you don't need to run manual scans because your antivirus has already checked all files for malware as it arrives. You are also aware of all the software that is running on your system. Your antivirus program doesn't need you to click a button; it's already doing the job.

Anyway, your antivirus probably already runs its own manual scans. Antiviruses generally run background system scans once a week without interrupting you.

The Microsoft Security Essentials message is particularly silly. If MSE really believes that a manual scan is necessary, MSE has the ability to perform the scan in the background rather than scaring its users into clicking a button.

When to run manual scans

Manual scans are still useful in some cases, but you don't need to regularly open your antivirus program and start them:

·                When you install an antivirus: When you install an antivirus for the first time, it will perform a full system scan right away. This allows antivirus to make sure that your computer is in a clean state and that there are no viruses lurking in unopened files on your hard drive. After performing this scan, your antivirus can trust that your system is safe. However, it will continue to scan files for malware when you open them.

·                Check for inactive malware that was previously lost: Antiviruses use "definition files", which are updated periodically. These files basically contain a catalog of identified malware, and your antivirus compares the programs it runs against the catalog to see if they match. There may be an inactive virus lurking in an executable file deep within your hard drive that your antivirus missed during your first manual scan. If a virus definition has been added for that type, a malware, or antivirus " heuristic have been improved: it will only detect the inactive virus when you perform a manual scan. However, the virus will be detected if you try to run the file containing the virus or during a regularly scheduled full system scan.

·                Get a second opinion: You should only have one Antivirus Software running at a time, as multiple background scanning antivirus programs can interfere with each other and cause problems on your computer. If you want to scan your computer with multiple antivirus programs, you will need to perform a manual scan with the second Antivirus Software instead of using its background scanning feature.

Why Background Protection Is Better Than Manual Scans

Optionally, you can disable background scanning in some antivirus programs and just run manual scans, but you shouldn't.

Think of your computer as your home and your anti-virus background scan protection like a security guard standing at your front door and searching everyone who tries to enter your home. A manual scan is the equivalent of a security guard looking for intruders in every inch of your home.

If you've already checked everyone who enters your home, you don't need to search every corner of your home for malicious people. In fact, it is much better to keep an eye on your door because in order to detect threats before they are allowed in, if you discover someone lurking in a dark corner of your home or PC, who knows what they have been doing in the time between when they were allowed in and when did you catch them. Once the software is running on your computer, it also has the potential to hide itself and prevent the Antivirus Software, and even the Windows Task Manager, from seeing that it is running. The software that does this is generally known as a root kit.

You want to catch the malware before the virus starts running (and infects) your computer, so stick with automatic background scanning instead of manual scans. Even if you scan every program you download manually before running it, you should use automatic scans for maximum protection against zero-day attacks. And other security threats.

Some security suites may delete cookies when you perform a manual scan, referring to them as "threats". This is a great way for the security suite to pretend that it is doing something valuable and justify its price. But you don't need a full security package, anyway, and you can always have your browser automatically clear cookies if you want to get rid of them.

 

Minors On Internet & Importance Of Parental Control

 Minors On Internet & Importance Of Parental Control

How many times have you seen a child using a smartphone or tablet and have you thought: “you have to see, if he knows how it works better than me”? We even find it funny that our young children know how to play a mobile application or open YouTube and find a video of their favourite drawings.

These situations are increasingly common in our society and it is not surprising considering the technological revolution that we are experiencing today. The proliferation and progressive simplicity of all these devices and the almost unlimited accessibility to the Internet is allowing children to have more and more contact with a multitude of electronic devices and, in many cases, they are the ones in charge of teaching their parents how they must use them .

But we must not forget that, although a priori this whole world can provide them  with very useful tools when studying or training, for example, it can also entail dangers . And the thing is that the Internet is a space where content of all kinds fits , many of them inappropriate for minors: violence, pornography, radicalism ... Not to mention problems such as cyberbullying or sexting , growing concerns given the possibility of contacting all kinds of people in the network.

Therefore, it is convenient for parents to become aware of the importance of supervising and directing their children's use of new technologies and helping them, especially at an early age, to discern between what they should or should not do on the Internet.

Fortunately, the same network offers parents a multitude of platforms and tools for parental control that can be of use in these situations.

What functionalities do parental control systems incorporate?

Most parental control tools or applications work in a similar way and may include features such as the following:

• Supervision and web control: this is, surely, the most important functionality of parental control systems and allows parents both to consult the most visited websites by their children and to configure the so-called “black list”, a list of websites to which you want to limit access.

 

• Activity reports: consists of the possibility of establishing periodic reports on the activity and behavior of minors while using the device.

 

• Blocking applications or programs: with this option parents can determine that minors do not have access to certain programs or applications (social networks, messaging applications ...). To do this, they can establish that it is necessary to enter a password to execute it.

 

• Establishment of a “safe zone”: this functionality allows to establish a security zone that the minor can access, while protecting other parts of the device that may contain, for example, information that the child should not have access to.
• Call blocking: most tools allow that during the use that the minor makes of the device, the possibility of sending or receiving calls from certain phone numbers is blocked. This feature is very useful if you want, for example, to restrict international calls or calls from unknown numbers.

 

• Denial of activities that involve an economic outlay: allows to establish the prohibition of downloading paid applications or making any type of purchase online. In addition, with this option you can also limit children from sending messages or making phone calls.

 

• Time of use: this functionality allows you to control and limit the hours during which the minor uses the device. Many tools allow you to program the schedules for each day of the week and set, for example, that if the device is turned on when the time limit is reached, the session ends automatically.

 

• Geolocation: this feature allows you to know the location of the child if he leaves home with the device.

 

• Remote control from the mobile phone or computer: finally, most parental control tools include this functionality, through which we can control all the variables that we have been commenting on from our mobile phone or computer.

There are many parental control tools compatible with both Windows and Android, some of the best known are: Windows Family Safety , Qustodio , Norton Family , Kid Logger or K9 Web Protection .

If you are interested in becoming familiar with any of them, you can consult the list made by the Internet User Safety Office (OSI), a space dependent on the Ministry of Energy, Tourism and Digital Agenda that provides information and support to prevent and resolve possible security problems that may exist when browsing the Internet.

In addition, we must not forget that there are professionals who can advise us on the use of this type of platform. This is the case of the MGS Seguro Home insurance , which includes remote home computer assistance coverage . If you have contracted this coverage you will be able to have a group of professionals who will guide you in the prevention of minors on the Internet: they will inform you of the existing risks, together with recommended guidelines for action; They will assist you in the selection, installation and use of the computer support tools for parental control available on the market and they will be able to inform you about the existing aid organizations and associations in the event of a minor incident on the Internet.

 

Children’s Privacy On Internet & Their Myths

 Children’s Privacy On Internet & Their Myths

Reasons Why You Should Concerned About Children's Privacy on Internet

The privacy online is a bit like the weird uncle of the family: it is difficult to understand and strange only when it is no longer. Like him, privacy on the internet can sound a bit paranoid. Predators on the internet. Online security. Theft of data. These issues involve many topics and can be confusing, so they are easy to overlook. However, the strange uncle may not be completely insane. What your child posts online can end up in the wrong hands and affect their future, safety, and reputation. It can be difficult to deal with the weird guy, so here are six reasons why you should be concerned about online safety.

They can steal your child's identity. Toys and gadgets that connect to the internet store information about your child in 'the cloud' (which is another way of saying a server, or a very large computer that is in a shed somewhere in the world). As revealed by the cyber attack on Vtech's children's tablets, some hackers attack children's profiles because they offer clean credit histories and social security numbers that have not been used. Parental controls

They can hurt you. Social networks that have access to the physical location of their users such as Twitter , Kik , Facebook, Find my Friends, and Gone Out - Later Folks can show your child's location to all their contacts, many of whom they don't know personally. Imagine he posts a 'selfie' where he labels where he is, where he says 'here alone, looking for something fun to do'. 

Your child could miss out on opportunities. Posting crazy and extreme party photos paint a negative story for potential employers, college admissions officers, and others your teen would like to impress. They may not care that your child is partying, but they did have the lack of judgment to post compromising images. 

They can scam you. More and more schools are using digital tools to teach, diagnose learning problems, and interact with their students. This means that they are saving personal information, progress reports and other reports that some sellers would like to get their hands on. Let's say your child has a specific problem that is being monitored by software their school uses. The software company may sell this specific information to a third party who can take advantage of your vulnerabilities as a parent. 

Your child can be tagged. When schools automate their procedures, they create reports with sensitive and potentially negative information. Information that falls into the wrong hands, such as an individual education plan (IEP), behavior report, or even their body mass index can unfairly disqualify your child from new opportunities.

Your child can be humiliated. Sharing fun things about your life with friends is fine, but sharing too much is never a good idea. When children share inappropriate content, whether it's a sexy selfie, an explicit session with a friend, a complaint in which they share more than they should, or cruel comments about others, the results can be humiliating if these posts are made public or they share with many people. Talk to your children about the importance of keeping private matters private and considering how far and for how long information can travel. It is also important to explain to them how to talk to their friends about respecting each other's online privacy. Parental controls

5 Myths & Truths about Child Safety on the Internet using Parental controls:

If you believe everything you hear about child safety on the Internet, you might think that pedophiles and cyber bullies are just around the corner. The truth is that there are bad things, but there are also many good things on the Internet. Some experts are even trying to combat a "tech panic state of mind" that worries parents unnecessarily. The starting point is that we cannot keep our children safe without knowing the facts. These are the five most popular myths about child safety on the Internet and the truths that can alleviate and even eliminate your worries.

Myth: Social media turns kids into cyber bullies.

Reality: There are several reasons why a child or youth can be a cyber bully. Social media is a convenient way to do your dirty work.

The truth is that children who engage in this type of behavior typically have other reasons for the behavior. They could be in a crisis at home, school, or socially. They could also be bullies in person, or they may not have developed levels of empathy. Being aware of the circumstances of Cyberbullying - although we do not justify this behavior in any way - can help parents and educators to recognize the red flags so that they can intervene before the situation becomes too complicated.

Myth: Teaching children that only avoiding communication with strangers is the best way to stay safe online.

Reality: Teaching children to recognize predator behavior will help them avoid malicious questions and requests.

In today's world, when children as young as 8 years old are interacting with strangers online, they need to know what the boundaries are between an appropriate conversation and one that is not. We suggest that you go beyond the danger of strangers and teach them what kinds of questions are appropriate. For example, the following are inappropriate questions and should arouse suspicion: Are you a boy or a girl? Would you like to have a private conversation? What clothes are you wearing today? Where do you live? Also teach your children not to search the Internet for dangerous situations. Keep in mind that risky relationships online most often develop in chat rooms where teens are of their own free will seeking or having sexual conversations.

Myth: Boys act worse when they are on the Internet.

Reality: Most minors say that their friends or colleagues are nice to each other when they are online.

We know that most kids want to have fun, hang out and socialize normally when online, and in fact, according to the Pew Research Internet project, that is what most are doing. Check out these stats:

·          65% of teens using social media say they have had a feel-good online experience.

·          58% say they feel closer to a person after an experience on a social network.

·    80% of adolescents who have witnessed aggressive and cruel behavior on a social   network have come to the defense of the friend who is being attacked.

There are also many young people who have fought Cyberbullying and used the Internet to support a social cause. More and more often, kids are discovering and profiting from the Internet-connected world, busting a few myths along the way.

Myth: It is dangerous to post photos of your children on the Internet.

Reality: If you use the privacy options, limit your audience and don't identify your children, it is quite safe.

There are two types of parents: those who love to post photos of their children and those who think that doing so is getting into trouble. Although we know that when posting something on the Internet there are always some risks, there are ways to prevent risks if you act smart and know how to do it.

·        Use the privacy settings: Make sure the privacy settings are filtering what you post so that only the closest people in your group of contacts can see it.

·     Limit your audience: only share photos with close friends and family. You can also use photo sharing sites like Picasa or Flickr where a password is required and be part of the site in order to view the photos.

·     Do not rush to get your children to enter social networks. Respect the rule that children under 13 should not be on social media. Once your children have a profile on a social network, they can be tagged, which magnifies their presence on the Internet. If you are going to upload photos of them, do not identify them and do not tag them, that way the photos cannot be tracked and connected to them.

Myth: Parental controls are the best way to monitor my children's activities online.

Reality: Focusing on just one way to provide Internet security will make you feel confident and give you a false sense of security.

To keep your kids safe online and to raise them to be responsible and respectful digital citizens, you need a lot more than just using PARENTAL CONTROLS.

These controls can be easily circumvented by determined children. In addition, these child safety controls on the Internet stop a lot on their filters so that any search on the Internet can be almost useless. Also, it can create a "parent versus child" dynamic that can backfire.

 

Best Browsers For 2021

 Best Browsers For 2021

We've composed broadly on the different assaults that your computer can encounter essentially by perusing the web. On the off chance that you type in an inappropriate location on your browser, you can get hit by a man-in-the-centre assault. Download an inappropriate record, and abruptly your browser, homepage, and promotions all appear to be unique.

With regards to keeping your computer secure, your browser is a reasonable frail point – it's likewise an important feeble point (except if you're a forced client who appreciates seeing order line interfaces). Being progressively specific about the browser you pick is one approach to upgrade your online security. The other way is to install a top antivirus, for example, Norton, TotalAV, Protegent360, Malwarebytes and Bitdefender.

Firefox: The Best Internet Browser for Most Users 

Firefox has as of late refreshed itself to be quicker and simpler to utilize – however, is it increasingly secure? The response to that question is a resonating "yes."

As a matter of first importance, Firefox is created by the philanthropic Mozilla Establishment. As a philanthropic, Mozilla couldn't care less about creation billions of dollars by selling your perusing propensities to publicists – it's simply not excessively sort of organization. What's more, Firefox is open-source. Anybody can analyze the source code of the Firefox browser and demonstrate that there are no tricky features that bargain your security.

The browser additionally had a few worked in privacy features, most quite a substance blocker that permits users to hinder all following treats that it recognizes. You can likewise ensure that your perusing history and passwords are deleted from your computer's memory, implying that an aggressor can't break into your web-based social networking and monetary records in the event that they bargain your browser.

In conclusion, Firefox offers a huge menu of augmentations that further upgrade your browser's usefulness. Simply explore to the authority Firefox add-nearby and begin introducing helpful modules with a solitary snap. We particularly suggest an uBlock Starting point, HTTPS All over the place, Privacy Badger, and No Content. These expansions will assist you in making your web correspondences encoded, un-identifiable, and advertisement free.

Second place: Chromium 

Everybody thinks about Google Chrome, yet have you known about Chromium? Chromium is another open-source browser venture – it's what Google Chrome depends on. It will likewise frame the core of the following browser for Microsoft Windows. It's conceivable to utilize Chromium as an independent browser, be that as it may.

The upside of Chromium is that – indeed – it's open source. Specialists have freely checked that Chromium is secure, in light of the fact that it's workable for them to take a gander at the whole of the browser's source code. What's more, Chromium, in contrast to Chrome, doesn't send the entirety of your perusing information to Google for investigation.

The drawback of Chromium is that it isn't as cleaned as Chrome or Firefox. There are bugs and inconsistencies that make utilizing Chromium a bumpier ride than another significant browser. At long last, Chromium doesn't refresh naturally, which implies that except if you focus, you could wind up utilizing an unreliable adaptation of the product that is half a month outdated.

Best for Force Users: the Top Browser 

In case you're searching for a definitive in privacy, the Tor Browser is the thing that you need. This browser was intended for individuals to utilize when they presume that they're being focused by antagonistic outside governments – so it's presumably secure enough for you to do your web-based shopping.

Tor works so well since it shunts your web traffic through a few anonymizing bounces before at last conveying it to your computer. In case you're in New York and attempting to get to a server in London, the Tor browser will initially send your solicitation to exceptional hubs all around the globe – Boston, Maine, Uzbekistan, and so on – in an arbitrary request that makes your traffic difficult to follow. These and other safety efforts make Tor one of the most secure browsers around.

All things considered, there are a couple of disadvantages to remember also. To start with, Tor is a long way from a standard browser and will do not have a few comforts you underestimate in different browsers. The majority of its updates have to do with privacy or security, not client experience. At long last, in spite of the fact that the browser is extremely secure, it's not thoroughly secure. Individuals have attempted to utilize the Tor browser as a subordinate to perpetrate genuine violations (something we could never underwrite) and have commonly wound up in jail. Try not to utilize Tor for violations.

Expand Your Security with Best Antivirus 

A protected browser is extraordinary to have, however it won't stop all web dangers all alone. You need a safe antivirus stage to back you up, square hurtful locales, and forestall malware from contaminating your PC from different vectors, for example, your email. Ensure your PC is protected by the best antivirus software.