C C C C N E W S L E T T E R
CENTRAL COAST COMPUTER CLUB
Santa Maria, California
VOLUME XXII: NUMBER 3 MARCH, 2007
Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of every month at the Knollwood
Village Clubhouse 4012 S. Bradley Dr., Santa Maria.
General meeting at 7:00PM. System Special Interest Group session is at
5:45PM. Guests are welcome.
Check out our web site: http://member.apcug.org/fourseas for the latest
program schedule information.
Membership is $15 for twelve months for individuals, $20 for families.
For this you receive: Monthly newsletters, EXTRA4C E-mail Messages,
Help-line support, Monthly presentations, Valuable door prizes, Question
and answer sessions.
NEXT MEETING: MARCH 20, 2007 KNOLLWOOD VILLAGE 4012 S. BRADLEY
PRESENTATION: The March meeting will be: Spence Stimler on the Picassa II
graphics program.
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********** MARCH COOKIE PROVIDER IS GLORIA DAVIS **********
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| CONTENTS |
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(1) OFFICERS, HELPLINES, S.I.G.S
(2) PRESIDENT'S CORNER Ted Tucker
(3) EDITOR'S COMMENTS Dick Trissel
(4) WEB WANDERINGS
(5) SYSTEMS S.I.G. Dick Trissel
(6) MALWARE Dick Trissel
(7) DATA KIDNAPPER Dick Trissel
(8) WI-FI SECURITY Dick Trissel
(9) ADD HOUSEGUESTS TO YOUR NETWORK Kim Komando
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OFFICERS HELPLINES
President Juno
Ted Tucker 937-2374 Dick Trissel 937-7572
genmail@verizon.net rtrissel@juno.com
Vice President Windows 95/98/ME/XP & VoiceControl
Vic McLaughlin 937-8326 Amy Malicki 925-5780
vnmclaughlin2448@msn.com msamym5@verizon.net
Secretary Hardware and Windows XP
John McCurdy 925-1825 Ray Isenson 937-6938
jmmccurdy.1@verizon.net risenson@juno.com
Treasurer AOL
Gerry Miller 934-1396 Frank Maciel 922-2318
2741 Banyan Way frm8198@aol.com
Santa Maria CA 93455
gandamiller@verizon.net
Publicity Visual Basic and Genealogy
Bill Corning 934-0775 Gerald Miller 934-1396
foster95@impulse.net gandamiller@verizon.net
Newsletter Editor Help With Any Problem
Dick Trissel 937-7572 Ray Isenson 937-6938
rtrissel@juno.com risenson@juno.com
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (S.I.G.)
Systems (5:45pm)
Dick Trissel
rtrissel@juno.com
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CCCC Page 2 March 2007
PRESIDENT'S CORNER by Ted Tucker
Greetings to All: March and income tax time are turning my attention away
from other things. I do not do much to celebrate the arrival March, but I
am keenly interested in the ever-present tax situation. I use TAXACT or
TURBOTAX most years, and for many years have teamed one or the other of
these commercial tax software packages with my EXCEL version of all the
government tax forms I use.
Updating the spreadsheet is the most work, because I am very particular to
be very exact in reproducing great detail for all the forms. Even though
this happens only once in a year, I feel this exercise is the most valuable
to me over all the other uses of my PC.
I often wonder how many other members of the club have developed particular
uses of their PC's, and find a special satisfaction and reward in repeating
their application, as do I.I hope they are many.
At our next meeting, Spencer Stimler will present from his digital
photography knowledge of PICASSA II.
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CCCC Page 3 March 2007
EDITOR'S COMMENTS by Dick Trissel
As you can tell by the articles in this month's newsletter, there is an
emphasis on Wi-Fi (wireless Internet access) and the security thereof. If
time permits, and enough people are interested, there will be a discussion
of this topic at the Systems S.I.G.
I'm noticing a "backlash" on the acceptance of Microsoft's new operating
system, Vista. You don't have to get Vista for your existing computer.
You don't have to give up your current operating system, whether it be XP
or 98SE, or even 98. If what you have is working for you, just keep using
it. Just because Microsoft has terminated support for 98SE doesn't mean it
is going to stop working. And the same goes for the support for XP when it
is dropped. Of course, if your computer dies or just gets sick, and it is
going to cost nearly as much to fix it as a new computer costs, then you
may be forced to either have a newer better computer built with XP in it,
or buy one with Vista in it.
I strongly suggest going to a computer store (specifically BestBuy) and
play with a few Vista computers (one with Vista Home, and one with Vista
Premium). The biggest fault I find is the changes for change sake--it just
takes some getting use to. The other big problem is the hardware and
software compatibility issue. That's progress .
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CCCC Page 4 March 2007
WEB WANDERINGS
DSL SPEED TEST
Here is a site that checks DSL connection speeds that gives both up and
down speeds.
http://www.speedtest.net/
CREATE YOUR OWN MAP
In the past few years, online mapping sites have really taken off. And they
can do so much more than show us where something is located.
Many mapping sites help us find out more about a certain location. This is
great for people like me, who want to explore the world.
Wayfaring is one such site. It's based on Google's mapping service. Once
you sign up, you can create your own map. Mark your favorite spots or
places you want to visit. You can also upload pictures and notes on a
location.
Once you're done, save your map for future reference. You can also send it
to friends, link to it on your blog, or ask others to collaborate.
While you're there, browse through other members' maps. It's a great way to
learn more about unfamiliar places.
www.wayfaring.com
DO YOU KNOW THE TIME?
You probably don't think much about your computer clock. But you rely on it
more than you realize.
However, the Windows clock is a little ho-hum. Sure, it will show you a
calendar when you double-click it. That's about it, though.
If you want more power from your clock, download AlfaClock Classic. This
free program gives you a handy boost.
You can customize the display of the clock. You can also set reminders -
which is good for those who love to surf. It can even read you the time!
www.alfasoftweb.com
PICTURE THE BIBLE
In the past 100 years, many countries have formed, while others have fallen
apart. And the names of places have also changed.
So it is no surprise that the world has changed a lot in the past 2,000
years. It is vastly different from Biblical times.
This can make it difficult to visualize places and landmarks mentioned in
the Bible. If you need a little help placing them on the map, visit
BibleMap.
Select from the English Standard or King James versions of the Bible. Then
select a book. You'll see links to cities, regions, geographic features and
more. Click on the links to see them on the map.
The maps are from Google, so you can see satellite views. You can also zoom
in and out. And maybe you'll discover some of the pictures hidden
throughout the site!
www.biblemap.org
HELP IN AN EMERGENCY
It is important to know what to do in a medical emergency. This is
especially true if you have children.
But there are different types of medical emergencies. And some probably
don't come to mind immediately.
So visit the Mayo Clinic's site. It tells you what to do in a wide range of
emergencies. You're sure to find it useful.
Bookmark this site for quick reference. Just make sure you read it first.
You never know when an emergency will strike.
www.mayoclinic.com
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CCCC Page 5 March 2007
SYSTEMS S.I.G. by Dick Trissel
The first question of the meeting was why a member couldn't get a copy of
his addressbook from one computer to a flashdrive to a second computer. He
said he was using "Copy to". A look at his flashdrive showed he had a
shortcut to the addressbook instead of the addressbook file.
A subject that wasn't mentioned that should have been, was e-mail blocking
of the club's EXTRA4C e-mail. Some members are not receiving the club's
newsletter and bulletins because their e-mail service provider (or their e-
mail program) thinks it is spam. If you know of one of these members, tell
them to do whatever is necessary to unblock (accept) the EXTRA4C e-mail.
Depending on how they receive their e-mail, they may have to modify their
ISP's e-mail settings, or modify their local e-mail settings. There are
two types of blocking--an accept list (maybe based on their addressbook),
or a block list (don't accept these sender addresses). Their ISP also may
be spam blocking based an the e-mail subject or content.
I demonstrated how to make the "Lock" keys make a sound when pressed--
especially the Caps Lock key that gets hit accidentally as it is next the
"A" key. To do this, go to the Control Panel / Accessibility Options /
Toggle Keys / check "Use Toggle Keys". Then press Settings and check "Use
shortcuts". Then OK, Apply, OK your way out. Now when you press the Caps
Lock, Num Lock, or Scroll Lock you will hear a tone. The feature can be
toggled off and on by holding down the Num Lock key until you hear a tone
(the Num Lock key on laptops may be labeled Pad Lock.)
The daylight savings time change was discussed. There is a Microsoft
downloadable upgrade for XP SP2. Maybe someday someone will develop a
patch for 98 and XP without SP2. Until then, I am going to uncheck the
Automatic Daylight Saving option in the Date and Time window (right click
the clock in the Systray, click "Adjust...". On 98 the option is on that
window. In XP click on the Time Zone tab.
There is a nice feature in XP that displays your computer disks and
partitions. Go to the Control Panel / Administrative Tools / Computer
Management / Disk Management. Click on Help and Disk Management to learn
how to use this feature.
Last month I showed how to have thumbnail popups for taskbar items (just
like Vista) with the free program Visual Task Tips from
www.VisualTaskTips_21.com. A feature in the program that I didn't
demonstrate then was the ability to change the size of the popup by rolling
the mouse button.
There's a very handy new free program for both XP and 98 the is a very fast
and efficient catalog and search utility. It is small (59KB) and runs
"stand-alone"--no installation required. It is called CATHY (the CAT is
for CATalog). Just go to Google and type in "Cathy v2.24.2". It's
available from the PC WORLD magazine Web site and the LangaGnome Web site.
It's worth the effort.
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CCCC Page 6 March 2007
MALWARE
by Dick Trissel
Almost everyone gets on the Internet. Almost everyone is subject to being
victimized by Internet MALWARE (MAL meaning bad, and softWARE). So, what
is Internet malware? Malware can be anything that causes harm to your
computer or just annoys you. It has been said that if you connect to the
Internet, you will be hit within 15 seconds. I think that is a bit
paranoid. But, it is true that if you connect to a broadband service
without any protection (like a new computer or an old computer without
protection) you are very vulnerable. Many new popular brand computers come
with either Norton or McAfee antivirus software installed, which is
effective for a limited time until you pay for it. If you don't pay and
don't get the updates, you become more and more vulnerable as new malware
is developed.
There are at least six common forms of malware: viruses, Trojan horses,
worms, spyware, adware, and popups.
Virus--a program that alters the way your computer operates, without your
permission or knowledge.
Trojan horse--a computer file that pretends to do something you want, but
actually does something harmful.
Worm--software that uses computer networks and security breaches to make
copies of itself. Remember, when you are on the Internet, you are part of
a network.
Spyware--software that tracks personal information without your consent,
and reports back to a "mothership".
Adware--advertising -supported software that might play or display ads, or
download advertising material.
Popups--annoyances that can be harmful if you click on them and they put
malware on your computer.
So, what can you do to protect your computer? Most antivirus programs such
as free AVAST and free AVG7.5 protect against viruses, Trojan horses, worms
and spyware. However, you do have to get the periodic updates to detect
the new malware.
Firewalls such as free ZoneAlarm protect your computer from hackers and
unwanted traffic.
Installing Windows updates are recommended to patch security holes in the
operating system and some programs such as Internet Explorer and Office.
You can adjust Internet Explorer to monitor ActiveX routines in Web pages
that may carry malware. In IE 6, go to Tools / Internet Options / Security
/ Internet / Custom Level. Under ActiveX Controls, scroll to the option
Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins. Check either Disable or Prompt, but not
Enable. Then OK each window. Now when you encounter a possible bad guy,
it will be rejected (Disable) or prompt for you to accept or reject
(Prompt).
You should be careful about the e-mail that you accept and the attachments
that you open. If in doubt about their content, don't open them.
Also, there are free Internet Web sites you can use to scan your computer
such as Windows Live OneCare (safety.live.com); McAfee Freescan
(us.mcafee.com/root/mgs/default.asp); and Symantec Security Check
(security.symantec.com).
As always, to find the programs mentioned above, go to Google and search on
the program name.
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CCCC Page 7 March 2007
DATA KIDNAPPER
by Dick Trissel
That's right, your data could get kidnapped and ransomed back to you. This
is not a joke. It's a new form of malware (dubbed "ransomware") that is a
virus that archives some of your files and demands a ransom to get the key
to recover the files. The first of these viruses is named "Archiveus"
because of its technique of archiving files.
All versions of Windows are vulnerable. It targets all files in the My
Documents folder (in XP it is in C:\Documents and Settings\%UserProfile%\My
Documents, where %UserProfile% refers to the user name).
An obvious clue that Archiveous has struck your computer is that all of the
files in the My Documents folder have been replaced by these three files:
Demo.als, Encryptedfiles.als and "INSTRUCTIONS HOW TO GET YOUR FILES
BACK.txt". This last file is the instructions on how to get your files
back. It describes how yu must purchase goods from a series of Web sites
in order to receive the passwords to unlock the other two files that
contain your data. There is also an entry in the registry at
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ALS.
Like all ransoms, there is no guarantee that with some ransomware, after
you meet the requirements, you will get the files back or not have to keep
paying. With Archiveous, the developers left a hole in there virus--the
passwords are located in the code itself. The password for Demo.als is
kw9fjwfielaifuw1u3fw3brue2189w3hfse2. And for the encrypted file it is
mf2lro8sw03ufvnsq034jfowr18f3czc20vmw.
You get the feeling that Archiveous was mostly an experiment to test the
effectivness of a ransomware virus. But now someone may get more serious
with the idea. So, what can you do to protect your computer from
ransomware? The same as for any virus--with anti-malware programs. Also,
you should not use the My Documents for important files, or at least back
them up to another location outside of the My Documents folder.
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CCCC Page 8 March 2007
WI-FI SECURITY
by Dick Trissel
There seems to be an increase in interest in Wi-Fi security since the last
time we covered this at the CCCC September 2005 presentation. This is
because there are more users with broadband Internet access using a router
between their modem and their computer in order to have a hardware firewall
or local network broadband access. Some of these routers (or modems with
routers built-in) are wireless routers. This makes the system vulnerable
to unwanted access by other computers. There are things that you should be
aware of to protect your system. Here is an outline of the previous
presentation.
WI-FI PRESENTATION
I. WHY WI-FI SECURITY
A. Outsider's use of Internet access.
1. Stealing from provider.
2. Using your account for illegal purposes.
B. Access to your computer.
1. Damage files.
2. Insert malware.
II. WHO NEEDS WI-FI SECURITY
A. Home Wi-Fi network router.
B. Enable Wi-Fi Firewall router.
C. Future use of wireless computer connections.
III. GLOSSARY
IV. ACTIONS
A. Lower the antennas.
1. May not be practical for home networks.
2. At least decrease effective range.
3. Remove antennas.
B. Enable Firewall.
C. Enable encryption.
1. WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy).
2. WPA (Wireless protected Access).
a. PSK.
b. WPA-Radius Server.
D. Select SSID (Service Set Identifier).
V. PROCEDURES
A. Read router manual.
1. Note router address (192.168.x.y where x & y are 1 or 2)
2. Note router program sections, especially Security.
B. Open router from desktop.
1. Enter 192.168.x.y in IE browser address window.
C. Login with administrators ID and password.
1. The ID may default to a blank or the word ADMIN.
2. The password defaults to a blank.
D. Select the Security section.
1. Determine if you have WPA capability.
a. Select highest encryption option compatible with other computers.
b. Or, select WEP.
E. Select Firewall option.
1. Enable firewall if compatible with other computers.
F. Select SSID option.
1. Use an SSID that doesn't identify you directly.
WI-FI NETWORK GLOSSARY
DHCP: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. Automatically configures the
TCP/IP settings of every computer on your home network.
DSL Modem: DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line.
DYNAMIC IP: An IP address automatically obtained from a DHCP server.
ETHERNET: A standard for computer networks.
FIREWALL: An electronic boundary that prevents unauthorized users from
accessing certain files or computers on a network.
IP Address: IP stands for Internet Protocol. Example: 192.34.45.8.
ISP: Internet Service Provider.
LAN: Local Area Network.
MAC Address: MAC stands for Media Access Control.
NAT: Network Address Translation.
PORT: A logical channel that is identified by its unique port number.
PSK: Pre-Shared Key.
SSID: Service Set Identifier.
SUBNET MASK: Used to create IP address numbers
WAN: Wide Area Network. The Internet is a wide area network.
WAN IP Address: The IP address assigned to the router by the ISP.
WEP: Wired Equivalent Privacy (128 & 64 bit).
WLAN: Wireless Local Area Network. Connects computers close together.
WPA: Wireless protected Access (PSK--no server).
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CCCC Page 9 March 2007
ADD HOUSEGUESTS TO YOUR NETWORK
from Komando newsletter
Q. I have a son and two daughters in college. All have laptops. I need to
get them online when they come home. I figure wireless is best, since their
laptops have Wi-Fi. If I get a wireless router, can my children use it?
Security is a high priority.
A. Wireless routers are made to accommodate multiple computers. Also, the
setup of a wireless network is not a one-time shot. You can always add
computers to your network. Those include your children's laptops. So
wireless sounds like an excellent solution.
However, outsiders within signal range can join your network, too. That's
why security is so important.
Be sure your router offers the latest security standards. That means at
least WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access), and preferably WPA2. I have more
details in my wireless router buying guide. Most routers include Ethernet
ports to connect with your wired home PCs.
Follow the router's instructions to set up a network with your home
computers. If you need help setting up security, read through my tip on
network encryption.
After the initial setup, you will have the necessary experience to add your
children's laptops. On each of the laptops, click Start>>Control Panel.
Double-click Network Connections. Right-click the wireless icon and select
View Available Wireless Networks.
Windows will list any routers or access points within range. It's not
uncommon to see listings for your neighbors' networks. Double-click your
router in the list. The laptop will attempt to join your network.
The laptop will prompt for the network key or password. That's the key you
used to set up encryption on the router. Enter it. Check the option to
remember the key. That's all there is to it.
You can also share a printer over your network. The steps are a bit
different, but not difficult.
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