What level Service Pack is installed on my computer?

Many of you have asked the question above, so here is one of several ways to tell. Right-click on the "My Computer" icon on the desktop or in the Start Menu. Then select Properties from the menu that appears. You should get a dialog box similar to the one below. This computer has Service Pack 3.

Support for many Windows versions ends July 13, 2010

Support for Windows 95, 98, NT and ME ended a long time ago. It's a natural progression. Microsoft, or any software developer, cannot continue to support old technology indefinitely. If you have any computers with Windows 2000, support will end July 13, 2010. This means no more security updates or patches. Microsoft will also stop support for versions of XP before Service Pack 3. If you have an older version of XP you can update to SP3 using Windows Update (see my March 6 post).

What is a Key Logger

The link here shows a little device that fits between a computer and a keyboard. It can be used with a PC or a Mac. And it captures every keystroke. The concern? You are on a public computer somewhere and someone may be spying on everything you type, the websites you visit, your user names, and your passwords. The spy doesn't need to install any software, just unplug the keyboard and insert the device inline. My point is that you need to be careful! A key logger can also be software that is installed on any PC or Mac. You can check your computer with the software here (designed for Windows XP but may work with other Windows versions). If the program detects a key logger, you might try the program here to remove it.

Windows Updates

About once a month Microsoft pushes updates that help make your computer run better and improve security. It's important that you install these updates. There are actually two different products. Windows Update is the older of the products and just handles software updates for the Windows program. Microsoft Update is the newer, and includes all Microsoft products. It's good to update your MS Office programs as well. For a great explanation of the Microsoft Update process click here. In its entirety it's a long read, but very worthwhile.

You should make sure that your computer is configured to automatically download and install Windows updates. If you are using Windows XP, follow these steps:

• Click "Start"
• Right Click on "My Computer" and select "Properties"
• Select the Automatic Updates tab and configure appropriately for your situation.

Threats on the Internet

The stories at the links below are just two examples of the dozens of articles I get every month.

Trove of 68,000 stolen logons in hands of 'amateur' hackers

Chuck Norris botnet karate-chops routers hard

The second article is particularly troublesome for small business and home computer users. Few reset the DSL or cable modems default administrative password, something that everyone should check.

The Internet is a dangerous place. Be sure you and your company are protected. And if you are on a business computer, or access financial or business data from your home computer, then protection should be redundant and up-to-date. You can't be too cautious! If you don't know for sure, contact a computer professional and ask for help.

Correction - bad link re: Spam

Sorry for the confusion. The link on the previous post was wrong. Here is the corrected link:



Click here.

Do your part to prevent Spam

Do you receive emails with dozens of email addresses scattered throughout the message. You can do your part to help prevent spam by eliminating them before forwarding, and by using the Blind Carbon Copy option when you send a message. Click here for a great article with some instructions.