South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford wrote what he considered to be private email correspondences to a “dear friend”. Unfortunately, the recipient of his email communications had her email account hacked. This unauthorized access meant that Governor Sanford’s private, intimate email correspondences were media fodder for the national and international press. The breach of email security was one of the reasons that Governor Sanford has much unwanted attention and public embarrassment.

This example may be extreme. However, it illustrated a point. What you do on the computer and on the internet may not be private and secure. What you have on your hard drive, like this year’s tax information, can be accessed by hackers and by malware.

One of the basic ways to protect yourself is to encrypt your computer information.

Encrypt – encrypt – encrypt. Security people have been saying this for years. And we agree. Encryption is an extra layer of protection. Somehow, there is a common belief that encryption is difficult and totally geekish. It’s not that at all. SafeBit Disk Encryption makes it easy:

SafeBit features on-the-fly disk encryption, by creating encrypted virtual disk drives, where you can hide files and folders, keep them encrypted all the time, but still work with these files just like you work with normal files. Disk Encryption is transparent to the user…

This program is efficient – and easy to use. It effectively provides security, and stays out of your way. It really is non-intrusive. And, to encourage you to protect your sensitive data, the SafeBit people are being kind and offering our readers an unbelievable discount of forty per cent (40%) off the normal price:

This is an exclusive, time limited offer that is available to our readers. It expires on July 15, 2009. Safebit supports 32-bit versions of Windows Vista/XP/2000/NT.

There are two more things that needs to be said. The first is that you may have all the security software protection ever recommended on your machine. You may be protecting yourself from malware, spyware, trojans, rootkits and all that other garbage. An infection still can compromise your computer. No security software program dares to offer a hundred per cent protection. What happens if you lose or have your machine stolen? For example, missing/stolen laptops are reported every day. Then, all your confidential information is available to whoever is powering up your machine. And this security breach leads to identity theft. Yes, this type of encryption should be on every government and business laptop. [Give a shout if you want this program in high volume. We will see what we can do for you.]

The other thing is that there is no backdoor. The SafeBit people state this clearly.

The software does NOT include any backdoor. Neither the vendor nor any other entities are able to break the SafeBit Disk encryption.

You must remember your password. There is no two ways about it. The vendor is not going to be able to save you. Again, you must remember the password. The program really is that good. Losing your machine may be costly but losing the confidential personal information on that computer may mean possibly long term anguish. SafeBit is just an efficient, easy way to protect yourself.

The NeoByte people will give you a choice. They are offering our readers a forty per cent (40%) discount on their Invisible Secret product. That product was reviewed previously.

Both these programs will help to keep prying eyes away from your sensitive, confidential files. Protect your privacy.

• Huge Savings to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft!
• Safeguard Your Security and Privacy
• Are Hackers Suffering in This Economy?
• Huge Savings on Another Layer of Computer Protection
• Special Geek Savings on Sunbelt VIPRE AntiVirus and AntiSpyware
• Vipre Protects Your Computer From Malware
• Free Firewall (or a Bargain) from Sunbelt
• Identity Theft Protection
• Don’t Believe Everything You Read
• Windows Security Software

Did you do your taxes on your laptop or your desktop? Were you diligent enough to save a copy of all the work – just in case there were any problems? If you did, there is enough information on your computer to make you a victim of identity theft. There are essentially two things that a half-way efficient identity thief needs… your name and your social security number. Your date of birth would make it that much easier to turn you into an identity theft victim, but it isn’t really an essential. All that is needed is that social security number tied to your name.

One of the basic ways to protect yourself is to encrypt your computer information.

This is nothing new. The security people have been saying it for years and years. For some reason, encryption seems to be something people think is difficult and totally geekish. It’s not that at all. SafeBit Disk Encryption makes it easy:

SafeBit features on-the-fly disk encryption, by creating encrypted virtual disk drives, where you can hide files and folders, keep them encrypted all the time, but still work with these files just like you work with normal files. Disk Encryption is transparent to the user…

This program is easy to use. It’s efficient and stays out of your way. It really is non intrusive. And, to encourage you to protect your sensitive data, the SafeBit people are being kind and offering our readers an unbelievable discount of forty per cent (40%) off the normal price:

This is an exclusive time limited offer that is available to our readers. It expires on April 23, 2009.

There are two more things that needs to be said. The first is that you may have all the security software protection ever recommended on your machine. You may be protecting yourself from malware, spyware, trojans, rootkits and all that other garbage. An infection still can compromise your computer. No security software program dares to offer a hundred per cent protection. (The person at the keyboard makes errors.) And what happens if you lose or have your machine stolen? For example, missing/stolen laptops are reported every day. Then, all your confidential information is available to whoever is powering up your machine. Yes, this type of encryption should be on every government and business laptop. [Give a shout if you want this program in high volume. We will see what we can do for you.]

The other thing is that there is no backdoor. The SafeBit people state this clearly. – “The software does NOT include any backdoor. Neither the vendor nor any other entities are able to break the SafeBit Disk encryption.” – You must remember your password. There is no two ways about it. The vendor is not going to be able to save you. Again, you must remember the password. The program really is that good. Losing your machine may be costly but losing the confidential personal information on that computer may mean possibly long term anguish. SafeBit is just an efficient, easy way to protect yourself.

• One Step for Privacy and Security
• Windows Security Software
• Safeguard Your Security and Privacy
• Are Hackers Suffering in This Economy?
• Huge Savings on Another Layer of Computer Protection
• Special Geek Savings on Sunbelt VIPRE AntiVirus and AntiSpyware
• Vipre Protects Your Computer From Malware
• Identity Theft Protection
• Protect Your Data From Prying Eyes
• Know When Something is Being Installed on Your Machine

You already have zero privacy – get over it. That was the famous quote from Scott McNealy, then the CEO of Sun Microsystems, ten years ago. It may be one of the most misinterpreted quotes with regard to privacy. Although there are various intrusions on our privacy, it remains our responsibility to protect our sensitive, confidential data. One program that offers an additional layer of computer protection is Invisible Secrets.

Invisible Secrets 4 not only encrypts your data and files for safe keeping or for secure transfer across the net, it also hides them in places that on the surface appear totally innocent, such as picture or sound files, or web pages. These types of files are a perfect disguise for sensitive information. Using our file encryption software nobody, not even your wife, boss, or a hacker would realize that your important papers or letters are stored in your last holiday pictures, or that you use your personal web page to exchange messages or secret documents.

For our readers, we have negotiated 40% off – yes! forty percent!

Invisible Secrets works on Windows NT / 2000 / XP and Vista. This offer ends April 14th, so hurry to take advantage of the amazing savings!

There are many features of this program but let’s focus on just one. There is encryption for hidden files. Why is this not on every laptop? Can you imagine the money that this would save just in terms of preventing identity theft?

There is personal, private sensitive information that you would like to control. Invisible Secrets affords that protection. It allows you the security of protecting information from your family members, co-workers, hackers, identity thieves… If you are needing large multiples of this program, please let us know. We will try to negotiate a good price for those companies that might need many copies for laptops holding those confidential files. For the individual user, think of the files, emails, pictures, passwords and other bits of information that you don’t want people to access. That is exactly why we went after this privacy/security program for our readers… and our thanks to the Invisible Secrets people for this generous offer.

• Protect Your Data From Prying Eyes
• Identity Theft Protection
• One Step for Privacy and Security
• Protecting Your Privacy and Security
• Huge Savings to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft!
• Is Your Password Strong Enough?
• Windows Security Software
• Safeguard Your Security and Privacy
• Are Hackers Suffering in This Economy?
• Password and Phishing Protection

Sunbelt’s VIPRE program has been receiving excellent press coverage. PC Magazine says that “VIPRE PC Rescue can indeed clean up in a situation where full-scale security software may not be able to install. Keep it in mind if you run into a system so gummed-up with Malware that ordinary solutions won’t work.”

Sunbelt Software has agreed to give our community of Geeks ten dollars off on its AntiVirus and AntiSpyware program called VIPRE. VIPRE combines both AV and AS, along with AntiRootkit, AntiMalware and many other security technologies into one seamless solution. VIPRE delivers comprehensive protection against today’s complex Malware threats.

Sunbelt takes your security seriously. They do extensive testing, using a team of people who have years of experience in Malware research. VIPRE has been tested for many months prior to release, and Sunbelt is confident that they are offering the best protection that you can buy.

To take advantage of the ten dollar savings, please use coupon code SPYINFO during the ordering process. This coupon is good for both VIPRE and VIPRE UHSL (Unlimited Home Site License).

This offer begins today, March 17, 2009 and ends on March 22, 2009.

Thanks to Sunbelt for making this discount available to our readers!

• Vipre Protects Your Computer From Malware
• Are Hackers Suffering in This Economy?
• Top-Rated Firewall Back by Request
• Know When Something is Being Installed on Your Machine
• Save Your Computer from Malware – and Naked Journalists!
• Protect All of Your Computers at Once
• Geek Savings on WinPatrol
• SUPERAntiSpyware – Special Savings for our Community
• What is the Best Anti-Spyware Software?
• What AntiVirus Do You Use?

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

Michael Downing emailed me to say that a friend of his had gotten a virus through Windows Live Messenger. He is wondering if Windows Defender can remove it, and is it for stopping viruses… or just spyware?

Windows Defender is just for certain types of Spyware, and it should be your last line of defense, not the first. A bit better bet is Windows Live One Care. Within a few days of this recording, the newest version of this is due out. It starts around $50.00 a year, and is a bit more comprehensive than this last version. Let’s hope it works much better, as well. However, I’m not going to get into the whole “what protection programs should you use?” debate. I’ll turn that over to all of you in just a moment.

Let’s look at a couple of ways you can keep yourself safe from viruses sent through Instant Messenging programs:

• Don’t set your messenging program to automatically accept file transfers. If your friend’s machine is infected (and thus the file they send), you will end up infected by auto-accepting the file.
• Don’t open files without first checking with your friend to make sure they really DID send it. Some types of Malware will cause your messenging program to send out fake links and files without you doing anything.
• Likewise, don’t open a file without first scanning it with your computer protection program.
• You can be infected just as easily by clicking a link… so beware what you click! Most of the MSN virus variants out there will make it seem as though your friend sent you a message. Most of these are along the lines of “Check out my newest pictures!” with a link. Clicking on that link will get your machine infected faster than you can sneeze. So again… check with your friend first to make sure it’s really a link to their pictures.

If you suspect (or know) your computer has malware that you cannot get rid of, why not try registering at one of the free malware help forums out there? There are plenty of reputable ones to choose from, such as GeeksToGo.com, WhatTheTech.com, and of course Lockergnome.com.

So now… it’s your turn. What protection programs do you recommend? We need your best shots for Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, Anti-Trojan, and even Anti-Rootkit. What firewall do you use? You can leave me a comment, or even send me an email to chris@pirillo.com

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BroHwlXnQaU"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BroHwlXnQaU" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://chris.pirillo.com/">Chris</a> | <a href="http://live.pirillo.com/">Live Tech Support</a> | <a href="http://media.pirillo.com/">Video Help</a> | <a href="http://feeds.pirillo.com/ChrisPirilloShow">Add to iTunes</a>

• Special Geek Savings on Sunbelt VIPRE AntiVirus and AntiSpyware
• Vipre Protects Your Computer From Malware
• Are Hackers Suffering in This Economy?
• Save Your Computer from Malware – and Naked Journalists!
• Protect All of Your Computers at Once
• Top-Rated Firewall Back by Request
• Malware – Hate to be Correct
• More Malware on its Way – Protect Yourself
• Geek Savings on WinPatrol
• How to Protect Yourself from Mac OS X Trojans