The truth of malware today is that it is a cat-and-mouse game between the criminals/hackers and the security people. The hackers are ready to take advantage of every opportunity. Recently, former beauty contestant Carrie Prejean was in the news. It was just hours later that there were malware and spyware sites using the “Carrie Prejean” search to infect computers.

Firewalls and security products are absolutely necessary. This space makes it a regular habit of reminding our readers of the need to be active in protecting your computer and personal, confidential information. No antivirus or antimalware product can guarantee that they are a hundred per cent effective. It would be just an impossible guarantee because of the speed of the internet and the opportunities for crime.

For that reason, there is one product that we believe is necessary and that we recommend. That product is WinPatrol and there is really good reason for using this product.

Some malware can install without you having to do anything. These are the so called “drive-by” downloads. You probably would not know that a malware program has been installed. The hackers are that good at compromising your system. There is a way to protect your machine constantly. WinPatrol is like a watchdog for your computer. And like a great watchdog, it alerts you if there are any attempted changes on your machine. That means that you have a chance to stop a malware installation because WinPatrol has your machine under constant surveillance.

You decide whether to allow any changes on the machine. Even the changes that legitimate programs attempt to make will be noted. You have to allow permission. For example, some program you use now may ‘phone home’ and want to update. WinPatrol will alert you to see if you want this update. It is an extra layer of security – and it prevents a load of problems.

Bill Pytlovany is giving our readers a terrific discount on WinPatrol. Bill is a recognized security expert, with decades of experience. Bill is a recognized expert by Microsoft in their MVP program. Bill is reducing the cost of this program by ten dollars. Use the coupon code: Gnomes for the discount on WinPatrol. It supports “Supports Windows 98 – Windows 7 including x64 systems”.

The offer expires on November 25, 2009.

This is affordable protection. Malware still needs to install on your machine for it to work. WinPatrol gives you one last chance to stop an infection, even though you have a firewall and other security programs. There are many gnomies who would not be without WinPatrol on any of their computers. We recommend it without any hesitation – and it is a huge bargain at this price.

• Vipre Protects Your Computer From Malware
• Are Hackers Suffering in This Economy?
• Know When Something is Being Installed on Your Machine
• More Malware on its Way – Protect Yourself
• Geek Savings on WinPatrol
• A Few Moments with Bill Pytlovany
• Special WinPatrol Savings for our Community
• What is the Best Anti-Spyware Software?
• What AntiVirus Do You Use?
• Trojans vs. Viruses

There used to be the belief that if one stays away from “bad” Web sites, then malware is not a problem. That is not true, as a recent example with the New York Times illustrated. The popular news Web site was compromised, and the trusted site was serving up malicious ads:

The malicious ad took over the browsers of many people visiting the site, as their screens filled with an image that seemed to show a scan for computer viruses. The visitors were then told that they needed to buy antivirus software to fix a problem, but the software was more snake oil than a useful program.

Exploiting weaknesses in online ad systems is an increasingly common approach for computer criminals around the globe who hope to make a quick buck from the audiences of the sites they attack. Experts say the problem is likely to get worse as companies scramble to satiate a click-happy online culture.”

This is just one way in which criminals / hackers are becoming exceedingly creative in exploiting site visitors. No reputable software company would market products in this manner, but the criminals are relying on the trust that people have in the site.

There have been malware installations without the site visitors having to do anything. These are the so called ‘drive-by’ downloads, and just visiting the site puts one at risk. No click – or download – is necessary.

It is absolutely essential to be running an anti-virus and anti-spyware program. One of our recommendations is VIPRE from Sunbelt Software. It is effective without draining your computer of resources. VIPRE’s memory footprint is very small, and this has brought a lot of memory back to otherwise bogged-down machines.

Sunbelt Software is offering our readers a 20% saving on VIPRE. This offer is good until November 18, 2009.

VIPRE works with “Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista+ (All flavors) 32 and 64-bit, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP SP1, SP2, SP3 (Home, Pro, Media Center, Tablet) 32 and 64-bit and Windows 2000 SP4 RollUp 1.” And yes, it works with Windows 7, too.

The Sunbelt people are making a generous offer to protect all the computers in your home. It is a “home site license” which allows using the program on more than one computer. There is a discount for this “home site license,” and it’s just a huge saving for our readers.

We have worked with the people at Sunbelt for years. They work diligently to keep up with what is happening with computer security. It is a ‘cat-and-mouse’ game where criminals are trying to exploit people in creative and innovative ways. The people at Sunbelt keep up with what is happening and this is reflected in their security product. Many Gnomies use this program… and we recommend it.

• Are Hackers Suffering in This Economy?
• Special Geek Savings on Sunbelt VIPRE AntiVirus and AntiSpyware
• Top-Rated Firewall Back by Request
• What is the Best Anti-Spyware Software?
• What AntiVirus Do You Use?
• Trojans vs. Viruses
• A Final Line on Malware Protection
• Know When Something is Being Installed on Your Machine
• Protect All of Your Computers at Once
• Malware – Hate to be Correct

One of the absurdities that is circulating the Internet is that even hackers are suffering in this economy. With the tough economic situation, supposedly hackers are having more competition. This is just one of the theories to explain why there is a steady increase in malware and criminal activity such as phishing and identity theft.

Whether it is a natural disaster or the death of a celebrity, hackers / criminals are almost always first responders, ready to exploit the situation at hand for personal gain. For example, you may find email that supposedly gives you the latest news about a tragic situation that just occurred. The news story itself may have happened but that email is dangerous. It could carry malware.

The email is just one venue. Are you on Facebook? Have you joined Twitter? These are just some of the examples of social media where people are sharing and clicking on links. If you are on Twitter and have a good number of followers, there are links posted every minute. It would be so easy for a hacker to play the social network and drop some malicious link there. And it will happen more and more often.

There’s even a spam campaign on YouTube. Reports say that this spam does not contain malware. However, it may be a matter of time before slick malware infections find its way onto this popular video site.

This should be frightening to you. These criminals want to exploit you and your computer. You may think you are careful enough. However, no one can be vigilant 100% of the time. There are drive-by downloads that can install things on your machine without your even having to click a link. This is the type of incidence that calls for an excellent security regime on your computer.

You should have an anti-virus, a firewall, and at least one anti-spyware program running at all times. It is foolish to be online without security protection. For an anti-spyware program, we are recommending SUPERAntiSpyware. We have an excellent deal for you that offers real time protection:

SUPERAntiSpyware has Real-Time Blocking of threats! Prevent potentially harmful software from installing or re-installing! First Chance Prevention examines over 50 critical points of your system each time your system starts up and shuts down to eliminate threats before they have a chance to infect and infiltrate your system.

The program offers much, much more and you can read about it at the links provided. It is being offered at a special rate for our readers. There is a ten dollar ($10.00) savings for our readers until October 15, 2009.

This is a program that is highly recommended within the security community. People who work on these pages use it and recommend it, too. We use it. We need it and so do you. SUPERAntiSpyware will detect and remove spyware, adware, malware, Trojans, dialers, worms, keyloggers, hijackers, rootkits, and many other types of threats. This program is easy to use and it is effective. If you have any problems with SUPERAntiSpyware , let us know. We will tell the founder / director of the company and have any problems addressed. Nick Skrepetos is well known in the security community and he stands behind his products. And if you need this program in large numbers, let us know. We will see if we can help with pricing for your company.

You may be wondering why we are recommending security programs when there are programs that are available for free. There is an old adage: ‘you get what you pay for.’ SUPERAntiSpyware has been doing Internet security for years. It is excellent. It works. It protects our machine and has for years. That’s why we recommend it.

• Vipre Protects Your Computer From Malware
• Know When Something is Being Installed on Your Machine
• Save Your Computer from Malware – and Naked Journalists!
• Protect All of Your Computers at Once
• Top-Rated Firewall Back by Request
• More Malware on its Way – Protect Yourself
• Special Geek Savings on Sunbelt VIPRE AntiVirus and AntiSpyware
• SUPERAntiSpyware – Special Savings for our Community
• What is the Best Anti-Spyware Software?
• What AntiVirus Do You Use?

Some days, it seems as though there is a never-ending barrage of new malware out there in the cyber-world. Hackers and criminals are increasingly creative in trying to get you to click the links, thus delivering you their malicious code. People using services like Twitter also have to be concerned about malware – just ask our friend Guy Kawasaki. The trend this week is to use Swine Flu updates, and the lure of a possibly exposed ESPN sports reporter to spread malware. There are just too many schemes to list. In short – they’ll try anything, and stop at nothing.

Without a doubt, there will be new and creative means to spread malware coming tomorrow and the next week.

Along with every major news story, the hackers / criminals will be first responders. They will use these news events as opportunities to infect more computers. If you are using services like Facebook and Twitter, you have to be careful about the links that you click. And even the most careful of computer users slip up once in a while. If you are on Twitter and engaged in reading the posts, the last thing you may be thinking about is protecting yourself from malware. Hackers are counting on that.

That’s why we urge our readers to protect themselves. You may think you are careful enough, however, no one can be vigilant 100% of the time. There are drive-by downloads that can install malware on your machine without your even having to click a link. This is the type of incidence that calls for an excellent security regime on your computer. You should have an anti-virus, a firewall, and at least one anti-spyware program running at all times.

We are very lucky to have Nick Skreptos, founder of the SUPERAntiSpyware program as a friend of our community, and even luckier that he has offered his program to all of you at an excellent discount. We well know how important it is to protect yourself and your data, and we’re happy to be able to help by passing this savings along to you!

SUPERAntiSpyware has Real-Time Blocking of threats! Prevent potentially harmful software from installing or re-installing! First Chance Prevention examines over 50 critical points of your system each time your system starts up and shuts down to eliminate threats before they have a chance to infect and infiltrate your system.

Nick and the SUPERAntiSpyware team have graciously extended to you a ten dollar discount from now until July 28th, 2009.

This is a program that is highly recommended within the security community. People who work on these pages use it and recommend it, too. We use it. We need it – and so do you. We are trying to make it as easy and as economical as possible for you to protect yourself and your computer. This program is easy to use and it is effective.

• More Malware on its Way – Protect Yourself
• Are Hackers Suffering in This Economy?
• Malware – Hate to be Correct
• SUPERAntiSpyware – Special Savings for our Community
• Windows Security Software
• Top-Rated Firewall Back by Request
• Geek Savings on WinPatrol
• Special Geek Savings on Sunbelt VIPRE AntiVirus and AntiSpyware
• Free Firewall (or a Bargain) from Sunbelt
• Know When Something is Being Installed on Your Machine

Most people now have more than one computer. Some may have a main desktop machine and a laptop for out-of-the-house work. It is baffling why each and every computer that a person owns does not have the same level of protection against malware and spyware. The analogy that comes to mind is that the front door of the house has the best dead-bolt lock on the market while the back door is secured by a hook and eye mechanism.

Protect all your computers! That cannot be stressed enough. In an office setup, all that is needed to compromise security is for one machine to be infected. The details of how that is done is not relevant here but it is not difficult.

Spyware Doctor is a highly rated and award winning program. The offer that is available is that one purchase allows the person to protect three (3) machines. That is more than sufficient for most people. Spyware Doctor has a long track record over many years:

“Spyware Doctor is a top-rated malware & spyware removal utility that detects, removes and protects your PC from thousands of potential spyware, adware, trojans, keyloggers, spybots and tracking threats.”

The awards and recognition goes back for many years. Privacy Guardian is available to clean and prevent tracking of computer activities. This is an excellent program, at an excellent price. However, your first concern should be security.

Malware attacks are not going away. Just today there were reports of web sites being infected with JSRedir-R. That is just one example. Tomorrow, it might be other junk. Unfortunately, this is just the reality of the Internet. Protect yourself.

• Are Hackers Suffering in This Economy?
• What is the Best Anti-Spyware Software?
• Know When Something is Being Installed on Your Machine
• Top-Rated Firewall Back by Request
• More Malware on its Way – Protect Yourself
• Geek Savings on WinPatrol
• Special Geek Savings on Sunbelt VIPRE AntiVirus and AntiSpyware
• SUPERAntiSpyware – Special Savings for our Community
• How to Protect Yourself from Mac OS X Trojans
• Is Your Network Secure?

There are times when internet predictions are simply too easy. Last Monday, on these pages, there was an indication that there would be an increase in malware because of the news of the swine flu problem. Regrettably, this has come true. There has been an increase in spam, phishing, malware and other nefarious online activity.

For this reason, the suppliers of SUPERAntiSpyware were asked if they would extend their promotion with us. They have extended the generous offer to our readers until May 8, 2009 to save ten dollars off the normal purchase price.

The other reason for extending this offer for our readers is that it gives an opportunity to address an issue that one of the commenters raised. There was a question about who in the security community recommended this product. Well, names can be listed and we will do so briefly:

• Our very own Kat is a four-year Microsoft MVP in the area of Windows Security. Kat has been working on malware-removal forums for nearly seven years now, and is an Administrator at GeeksToGo. She highly recommends this program on a regular basis.
• Catherine Forsythe and her software assessment group recommends this program. Catherine has been assessing security programs for over a decade now.
• Mike Healan from the original SpywareInfo site and newsletter began recommending this product when it was first introduced.
• Sean Roe, another Microsoft MVP and owner of 247Fixes calls SAS an excellent program.
• All of the malware-removal websites that are “heavy hitters” in this field recommend this program to their users. The list of sites includes (but is far from limited to): GeeksToGo, BleepingComputer, SypwareInfoForum, and What the Tech.

We could go on and on, but there should be a point made here. No security program is absolutely faultless. Given the nature of the internet and the pace of infections, absolute guarantees just do not happen. However, that being said, pains are taken to recommend the very best available. There may be disputes about which program is the most effective and that is bound to happen. What is recommended has been vetted thoroughly by literally hundreds of Experts in this field on a regular basis. Each and every one of them still recommends this program to literally thousands of people every single day.

IF there was a dubious program recommended, the inbox would feel it within hours of the program being featured. This does not happen. One person raised an issue. Nevertheless, let there be no doubt whatsoever that computer security and keeping your data safe are taken seriously here. It would be wonderful if no security products were needed. That is not going to happen any time soon. Therefore, we present serious security software to our readers and do hope that, with the good prices, some time and focus will be paid to keeping the computer safe. It matters because it can impact upon you and then others online.

• Save Your Computer from Malware – and Naked Journalists!
• More Malware on its Way – Protect Yourself
• Are Hackers Suffering in This Economy?
• Geek Savings on WinPatrol
• SUPERAntiSpyware – Special Savings for our Community
• Is Your Network Secure?
• SuperAntiSpyware Deal for the Lockergnome Family
• Vipre Protects Your Computer From Malware
• Protect All of Your Computers at Once
• Special Geek Savings on Sunbelt VIPRE AntiVirus and AntiSpyware

Every major news service on the planet is carrying stories about the tragedies and possible escalation of problems concerning the swine flu outbreak. It is a serious problem with the possibility of becoming significantly worse. One of the first responders to this global concern is the hacking / malware community. Hackers and criminals are viewing this swine flu problem as an opportunity. Slick malware may be on its way, if it is not propagating at this very moment. It is only a matter of time. These hackers may be seen as first responders of the very worse kind.

The news is just one venue. Are you on Facebook? Have you joined Twitter? These are just some of the example of social media where people are sharing and clicking on links. If you are on Twitter and have a good number of followers, there are links posted every minute. It would be so easy for a hacker to play the social network and drop some malicious link there. And it will happen more and more often.

You may think you are careful enough. However, no one can be vigilant 100% of the time. There are drive-by downloads that can install things on your machine without your even having to click a link. This is the type of incidence that calls for an excellent security regime on your computer. You should have an Anti-Virus, a Firewall and at least one Anti-Spyware program running at all times. For an Anti-Spyware program, we are recommending SUPERAntiSpyware. We have an excellent deal for you that offers real time protection:

SUPERAntiSpyware has “Real-Time Blocking of threats! Prevent potentially harmful software from installing or re-installing! First Chance Prevention examines over 50 critical points of your system each time your system starts up and shuts down to eliminate threats before they have a chance to infect and infiltrate your system.”

The program offers much, much more and you can read about it at the links provided. This program is being offered at a special rate for our readers. There is a ten dollar ($10.00) savings until May 3, 2009.

Use this link for the discount when buying/.

This is a program that is highly recommended within the security community. People who work on these pages use it and recommend it, too. We use it. We need it and so do you. SUPERAntiSpyware will detect and remove Spyware, Adware, Malware, Trojans, Dialers, Worms, KeyLoggers, Hijackers, Rootkits and many other types of threats. This program is easy to use and it is effective. If you have any problems with SUPERAntiSpyware, let us know. We will tell the founder / director of the company and have any problems addressed. Nick Skrepetos is well known in the security community and he stands behind his products. And if you need this program in large numbers, let us know. We will see if we can help with pricing for your company.

Protect yourself. There are more malware programs coming and these malicious programs are becoming better and better. Let SUPERAntiSpyware give you and your data first class protection.

• Save Your Computer from Malware – and Naked Journalists!
• Are Hackers Suffering in This Economy?
• Malware – Hate to be Correct
• SUPERAntiSpyware – Special Savings for our Community
• What is the Best Anti-Spyware Software?
• Know When Something is Being Installed on Your Machine
• Protect All of Your Computers at Once
• Top-Rated Firewall Back by Request
• Geek Savings on WinPatrol
• Is Your Network Secure?

USA Today has called WinPatrol “very powerful protection”. Yesterday, the founder of WinPatrol, Bill Pytlovany, was gracious and answered a few questions for us.

WinPatrol protects your computer by keeping it under constant surveillance. There are stealth methods whereby malware and spyware can infect your computer, without you knowing. Even when you are super cautious, it may be a hurried click or an errant keystroke of the “Enter” key to cause a whole load of problems. Worse yet, the changes may happen without you having to doing anything.

This is where WinPatrol become critical to having a secure computer. Like a trusty watchdog, WinPatrol gives out a warning when there are any changes attempted on your machine. Then you decide whether to allow the change. The icon for WinPatrol is appropriately a little “scotty” dog. This program runs in the background and takes up little of your computer resources. You will notice WinPatrol when it spots a potential problem. You will be warned.

WinPatrol is on many “must have” lists. This is a program that has an excellent history – and countless recommendations over the years. WinPatrol has been available for over ten years, thanks to the work of Bill Pytlovany. The improvement functions packed into this program will surprise you. Here is a list from Bill: included functions of WinPatrol.

Briefly, here is what WinPatrol will not do:

• it won’t drain your system resources.
• it won’t interfere with other security programs.
• it won’t ask you for an annual payment. That just won’t happen.
• it won’t ‘phone home’ and collect information from the computer user.

For the Lockergnome / Chris Pirillo readers, we have an exceptional offer. Until March 30, 2009, we have a ten-dollars-off ($10.00) feature from WinPatrol. Use coupon code: gnome2009.

We recommend WinPatrol. At this special price, it is more than affordable security software that will keep your computer settings under constant surveillance. Remember, this offer does end on March 30, 2009. And we thank Bill for this very nice discount for our online community.

• Are Hackers Suffering in This Economy?
• Know When Something is Being Installed on Your Machine
• Save Your Computer from Malware – and Naked Journalists!
• Protect All of Your Computers at Once
• Malware – Hate to be Correct
• More Malware on its Way – Protect Yourself
• Special Geek Savings on Sunbelt VIPRE AntiVirus and AntiSpyware
• Is Your Network Secure?
• What is the Best Anti-Spyware Software?
• What AntiVirus Do You Use?

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?

If you use LOCKERGNOME30 in conjunction with the following links, you can save 30% on any one of the titles:

• Spyware Doctor
• Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus
• Registry Mechanic
• PC Tools Internet Security
• Desktop Maestro
• File Recover
• Privacy Guardian
• Spam Monitor

Then again, if you use that coupon on any other link – it won’t work. If you’re looking for another coupon, let me know – and I should be able to negotiate something else on your behalf. Never buy software full price (at least, not before asking me if I can save you money with a coupon first).

• A Final Line on Malware Protection
• Vipre Protects Your Computer From Malware
• Are Hackers Suffering in This Economy?
• Save Your Computer from Malware – and Naked Journalists!
• Are Registry Cleaners Safe to Use?
• Protect All of Your Computers at Once
• Malware – Hate to be Correct
• More Malware on its Way – Protect Yourself
• Geek Savings on WinPatrol
• Special Geek Savings on Sunbelt VIPRE AntiVirus and AntiSpyware

Security threats seem to be in the news constantly. Just yesterday, it was reported that a phony Facebook application was putting some people in danger of being Identity Theft victims. There are daily examples of security exploits online. I’m not trying to scare you into considering protection software. This is a reminder that there are very real dangers online.

You may think you are careful enough. However, no one can be vigilant 100% of the time. There are drive-by downloads that can install things on your machine without your even having to click a link. This is the type of incidence that calls for an excellent security regime on your computer. Kat recommends using layers of protection. You should have an Anti-Virus, a Firewall, and at least one Anti-Spyware program running at all times. If you’re not sure what Anti-Spyware you should be using, we have an excellent deal for you.

SUPERAntiSpyware is a comprehensive, highly-recommended program. People all over the Security community – Kat included – regularly tout SAS as one of the best pieces of security software you can have in your arsenal.

SUPERAntiSpyware will detect and remove Spyware, Adware, Malware, Trojans, Dialers, Worms, KeyLoggers, Hijackers, Rootkits and many other types of threats. It even has built-in real time protection, to alert you to things attempting to install themselves or make changes on your system.

As a special consideration for our community, you can save $10.00 off the normal price of SUPERAntiSpyware between now and March 3rd, 2009.

You might be interested in the background behind this product. The founder of this product is Nick Skrepetos. Nick is well known for products like Pop-Up Stopper and SuperAdBlocker. These are well known and ’super’ products. He brings decades of experience to the Spyware wars. Nick and his team are in Anti-Spyware forums, and keep tabs on current issues. That is important because dangers may appear daily and protection/security programs must be nimble enough to respond quickly. Nick stands behind this product – and emails/questions are answered.

I know how important it is to you to have a trouble free computer. This program will help… and at this price, it is an excellent value. I have no reservations when I suggest that you have SUPERAntiSpyware on your machine.

• Are Hackers Suffering in This Economy?
• Save Your Computer from Malware – and Naked Journalists!
• More Malware on its Way – Protect Yourself
• What is the Best Anti-Spyware Software?
• Know When Something is Being Installed on Your Machine
• Protect All of Your Computers at Once
• Top-Rated Firewall Back by Request
• Malware – Hate to be Correct
• Special Geek Savings on Sunbelt VIPRE AntiVirus and AntiSpyware
• How to Protect Yourself from Mac OS X Trojans

Malware and spyware can infect your computer without your knowledge. Even if you are very cautious, a whole load of problems can happen with a simple mis-click or the wrong push of a button. Heck, your system can even become infected without your having to actually do anything. Some malicious sites have what are called “drive-by” malware installers. Their junk will install on your system without you having to do anything at all. Don’t worry, if you surf safe and stay away from unsavory sites, you shouldn’t have to worry about those. How do you surf safe? It’s simple, really:

This is where WinPatrol becomes critical to having a secure computer. Like a trusty watchdog, WinPatrol gives out a warning when there are any changes attempted on your machine. The icon for WinPatrol is (appropriately enough) a little “scotty” dog. This program runs in the background, and takes up little of your computer resources. You will notice WinPatrol when it spots a potential problem. You will be warned.

WinPatrol is on many “must have” lists. A recent example is Steve Erbach. This is a program that has an excellent history – and countless recommendations over the years. WinPatrol has been available for over ten years, thanks to the work of Bill Pytlovany. The improvement functions packed into this program will surprise you. Here is a list from Bill, with the included functions of WinPatrol.

For the Lockergnome / Chris Pirillo readers, we have an exceptional offer. Until February 17, 2009, we have a ten-dollars-off ($10.00) feature from WinPatrol. Use this link with coupon code Gnomes.

Consider this our Valentine’s gift to you (indeed, it would be a great ‘geek’ gift). This is a program that many trusted security people recommend. At this special price, it is more than affordable security software that will keep your computer settings under constant surveillance. Remember, this offer does end on February 17, 2009.

• Are Hackers Suffering in This Economy?
• A Few Moments with Bill Pytlovany
• A Final Line on Malware Protection
• Free Firewall (or a Bargain) from Sunbelt
• Know When Something is Being Installed on Your Machine
• Save Your Computer from Malware – and Naked Journalists!
• Geek Savings on WinPatrol
• Special Geek Savings on Sunbelt VIPRE AntiVirus and AntiSpyware
• SUPERAntiSpyware – Special Savings for our Community
• Vipre Protects Your Computer From Malware

There’s all sorts of news about trojans being unleashed on Mac OS X. However, there’s only one fool-proof way of protecting yourself from trojans on Mac OS X:

STOP PIRATING SOFTWARE, YOU MORON.

This way, there’s little chance of you installing trojans in the first place. If you were stupid enough to pirate software, you deserve everything that happens to you and your system. Yeah, that goes for Windows users, too – if you pirate content and your system gets hosed, you have nobody but YOURSELF to blame. Stop blaming Microsoft for YOUR problems.

I actually received an email the other day from someone claiming that LimeWire installed viruses on his system. Well, he was right – and yet completely wrong. This recent outbreak of Mac OS X trojans doesn’t illustrate how vulnerable Mac OS X is so much as it shows that users, no matter the platform, can be unethical and stupid.

If you pirated iWork, you got a trojan. If you pirated Adobe CS4, you got a trojan. Either way, you do NOT have my sympathies.

• What is the Best Anti-Spyware Software?
• Protect All of Your Computers at Once
• SUPERAntiSpyware – Special Savings for our Community
• Is Your Network Secure?
• Anti-Spyware
• Top 5 Tips to Avoid Viruses and Spyware
• Trojans vs. Viruses
• Vipre Protects Your Computer From Malware
• Are Hackers Suffering in This Economy?
• Know When Something is Being Installed on Your Machine

This is Rodrigo Anonimo’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

When you think about security, you probably think of your own physical security. There are other kinds of security that you should be concerned about. When you are working on the computer, your personal information can be at risk. You should be concerned about network security, and what can you do to protect yourself. In fact, your credit/debit card is part of some kind of Network. This article explains threats and solutions for a computer network.

Viruses are the first threat to be concerned with when using the Internet. A computer virus is a small application which is downloaded while you visit a web site, or can be embedded in something you download. There are different kinds of viruses, but the most common are Trojan horses and Worms. If you know about the Trojan horse back in history, you should know that it was a threat pretending to be a gift, and that’s what Trojan viruses are. The program claims to do one thing (it may claim to be a game) but instead does damage when you run it, such as corrupting your hard drive. Worms are like bacteria in the human body, and they can reproduce and pass themselves on to other people. The worms have the ability to copy and paste and pass themselves to other computers. A worm is the most risky virus in a network because it can spread to other computers, and make the network crash.

You may be asking yourself, who makes all of these things? People who make the viruses and other security threats call themselves hackers. There are two types of hackers, White Hat hackers and Black Hat hackers. A hacker is someone who modifies something that already exists, and makes changes to it. For example, they can do reverse engineering which allows them to modify an existent computer program to make it work better… or to completely trash it. When one is using the hacked program, their computer can completely crash or the program can spy on the infected computer. The same thing applies to computer hardware.

There are tons of securities tools, but none of them are one hundred percent secure. The best bet is to enable firewalls on your computer to protect yourself from hackers. You must also get an AntiVirus software, to protect yourself from the different types of Viruses. Be careful when you buy your AV software. Make sure you buy from a well-known brand of AV. Also – make sure you have a WPA password for your wireless network. This type of key is harder to crack/hack. The last thing to do is to make sure the operating system is up to date with all security patches and fixes.

You will never know if you are hundred percent secure, and any kind of security is not one hundred percent safe. Having a little knowledge of what dangerous threats can do for a computer can be very helpful.

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This product has had terrific reviews by purchasers when we have managed to have a promotion of this security application. Further, it continues to have wide support in the security community.

Protecting your computer and your personal data is serious business. We do not take the problem lightly and we have vetted this software program thoroughly with people who fight spyware and malware on a daily basis. This review was done over weeks by an assessment team. SUPERAntiSpyware comes highly recommended.

The details are provided on the promotion page where Lockergnome readers receive a healthy 33% discount. The latest version of SUPERAntiSpyware is available for $19.95 and this offer is good until December 9th, 2008.

System Requirements: Windows 98, 98SE, ME, 2000, XP, Vista or Windows 2003

Link for Lockergnome people: (the discount is available through this link)

You can read about the program on the link to the product page. You might be interested in the background behind this product. The founder of this product is Nick Skrepetos. Nick is well known for products like Pop-Up Stopper and SuperAdBlocker. These are well known and ’super’ products. He brings decades of experience to the spyware wars. Nick and his team are in anti-spyware forums and keep tabs on current issues. That is important because dangers may appear daily and protection/security programs must be nimble enough to respond quickly. Nick stands behind this product; and emails/questions are answered.

SUPERAntiSpyware has an active user support system. If there are questions about the program, there is a means to receiving assistance. The product also has its own forum.

This is a recommended product, at an excellent value for Lockergnome people. Buy it. Install it. Use it and protect your computer. This is a great gift that keeps on giving throughout the year. Shopping problem solved!

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