Every time you connect to the Internet, your private information and security are at risk of being compromised. Do you fully understand the ramifications of your private information being stolen and how disruptive it could be to your life? More importantly, do you understand how to avoid the common traps that are laid-out by malicious hackers?
Anonymizer is determined to help educate you on how online predators use the Internet to steal your private information in order to victimize you. We have also outlined some solutions that will protect you online (i.e. Hiding IP addresses and using easily accessible, alias emails when registering on Web sites.)
First, we'll show you how easy it is to retrieve your basic information, such as where you live and which browser and operating system is running on your computer.
This is Your Information
Your IP Address
38.103.63.18
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Hackers find a computer by connecting to its IP address.
Every computer that connects to the Internet is assigned an IP (Internet Protocol) address. This is very similar to a telephone number in many ways. If you have a DSL connection or cable modem connection your IP address stays the same and is "always on". If you have a "dial-up" account, then your IP address is dynamic (it changes each time you connect), and your ISP (Internet Service Provider) cuts you off after a certain amount of time of inactivity.
Recommended Action: Both Anonymous Surfing or Anonymizer Total Net Shield will hide your IP address so online snoops are unable to track the sites you visit and build profiles on your Internet activities.
Your Location
UNITED STATES
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Geographical Location:
Depending on your ISP, this information can be close to home such as specific city or even your neighborhood. It can be used to pin point your exact location for more accurate data to steal your Identity.
Recommended Action: In addition to hiding your IP, both Anonymous Surfing or Total Net Shield will change your Geographical Location to make your anonymity more secure.
Your Operating System
Unix
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Operating System:
A hacker wants to know your IP address as well as what operating system you are running. Most home PCs run Windows, so home PC hacking is easy because there are many known Window "bugs" that can be taken advantage of. Most home users have never worried about computer security.
Recommended Action: While using an Anti Virus and Firewall, make sure to keep the security updates current to help protect against these threats.
Your Web Browser
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Browser:
Certain browsers can have a lot of security holes, allowing hackers to identify the vulnerabilities of your Internet Access. Armed with this information hackers can send you spyware, malware, and even track your online activities.
Recommended Action: Always use the most current version of your browser. Check for the "lock" icon on the status bar that shows that you are on a secured web site. Also check that the URL begins with "https" in the location bar when making transactions online.
For extra protection and encryption, Safe
Surfing Suite or Safe
Surfing Professional secures your web surfing with SSL and SSH. Additionally,
both programs also remove spyware and malicious cookies.
Cookies
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Cookies:
Cookies are small files that store information such as IP addresses, username and password, web site preferences, etc. They can also be used for marketing purposes and to track your web traffic. They are not necessarily harmful, but can be annoying.
Recommended Action: Keep your browser/computer clean of tracking cookies and information stored on the websites you recently visited. Digital Shredder will clean your computer of harmful cookies and lets you retain your trusted ones. Digital Shredder is also included in Safe Surfing Suite and Safe Surfing Professional.
This information can help a predator to locate you and track you down if they want to find you. Or, if they just want to hack into your computer, they can gain the needed information to narrow down the types of attacks that will work best on your system based on the typical security risks for the software you're using.
Don't be alarmed; there are easy to use tools and simple steps to take that will protect your information from these online predators.
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