Downloading Safely Part I - Only Download from the Official Site
 Did you ever try to download a legitimate program only to have it thoroughly mess up your computer? I've had clients tell me all their problems started when they set out to install Firefox, or Adobe Reader, or some other program that everybody else seems to be able to download and use with no issues.
The reason that seemingly ordinary downloads can mess your system up is usually because you are downloading from somewhere other than the official source.
Search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing generate revenue through advertising, and sponsors can pay to come up first in any search. That Firefox download might not have come from Mozilla at all, but from a shady company that paid to be at the top of a Firefox search in order to push a bunch of garbage programs at you along with the Firefox download.
If you look at the picture in this article you will see a Google search I did for Firefox where the first three results are from "fake" Firefox download sites. In this case you can tell they are advertisers as they are marked with a yellow "ad" tag. Different search engines mark the advertisers in different ways, and the changes can be very subtle, so look for the slight differentiation. I can guarantee you that downloading from any of these sites will fill your computer with adware, and they even warn you - I clicked on one link and read this fine print:
In addition to managing your download and installation, our proprietary download manager will offer free popular software during the installation. A list of bundled software types is available here. Needless to say, you don't want any of their "free popular software". Be extremely careful when you are downloading software you DO want and make sure you are at the official site. If you have any concerns don't hesitate to call me and ask my opinion! |
Downloading Safely Part II - Read, Uncheck, Cancel!!
Every month I clean spyware and adware off of many computers that have so much junk on them they are practically unusable. I am often asked where did the junk  come from, and the answer is, almost always, that the computer user blindly agreed to its installation. The moral of this story is - when downloading anything from anywhere - READ every screen and UNCHECK anything that you weren't expecting, didn't ask for, or don't want. And if the software somehow starts to install something you are unsure of, CANCEL!
If something gets past you and you find yourself installing some junky software you don't want, don't panic. The first thing to do is to navigate to "Uninstall a Program" and check to see if the software is listed there. Most adware can be easily removed that way, as long as it hasn't been on your system long enough to become fully entrenched. Remember, you can control what gets installed onto your computer by reading every screen and turning down anything you don't want - be alert and cautious and you should stay out of trouble! |
Disconnect your Windows XP systems on April 8th!
I've been warning you and writing about it for months now, but April 8th is upon us and it's time to shut down your old Windows XP systems for good. Microsoft isn't kidding, they are done supporting XP and it's just not safe to keep any personal information on a Windows XP machine that connects to the internet.
I've been heartened by how many of you have contacted me for help with your migration. If you or anybody you know is still using Windows XP and needs some assistance deciding how to proceed, please give me a call! |
