How to Deal With False Virus Notifications and Real Virus Incursions

Lately, spurious viral notifications and troublesome security program alerts have affected many computer and Internet users. These fake software applications issue authentic-looking browser windows that declare your PC or laptop to be infected with some kind of virus and prompt you to initiate immediate action, much in the same way that real programs that are included in antivirus software reviews do. This may be in the form of a link that will enable you to download software, a prompt that will let you allow the application to do an update, or having the application check for imaginary viral or spyware. However, when you go ahead with any of these actions, you will only allow the bogus antivirus software to set itself up in your PC or laptop system where it can go ahead and execute its devious actions. Once it is installed, it will persuade you to download or buy even more bogus programs or applications that will purportedly help eliminate the viral presence in your computer. Unfortunately, this will only worsen the situation by having the fake program cripple your real antivirus application, make off with your sensitive data such as your credit card account numbers, take down your computer's ability to update itself, or, worse of all, render your PC or laptop inoperable. Here are some tips that can help you deal with rogue or bogus antivirus software.

If you believe that your PC or laptop has been compromised, you can try any of the free anti-malware applications that are available in the Internet either in their own websites or listed in the best free antivirus software reviews. One of these is the Malware Bytes antivirus application. It may not check and remove every virus known to exist today, but it does pay to have it installed in your PC or laptop and then have it do a scan of the bogus antiviral program. Before you use this application, you must put your computer into safe mode configuration. This is because some spurious antiviral applications would not permit you to procure legitimate anti-malware from the Internet to check on your PC or laptop system, so you will have to restart your PC or laptop and then put it in safe mode or shut it down and then power it back up in the same manner. Depress the F8 button several times as your computer is powering back on to make sure that it has gone into safe mode. After doing this, you will see a window screen that gives you numerous choices such as "safe mode with networking." Pick this option to have your computer enter into this configuration. You can then open your web browser to Google the search term "MalwareBytes" or enter the line "malwarebytes.org" in the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) search bar that you can find at the upper portion of your browser window. You would be shown a link that you can use to download the free antivirus software on your desktop; once it finishes downloading have it you can install it right away. The installation procedure basically follows that of any free or paid antivirus solution that you can find in antivirus software reviews. Turn down all open web browser windows and then click twice on the MalwareBytes icon on the desktop. Take heed of the installation prompts that will come up and then select the default configuration. Do a system check for all malicious software; by doing this you can take out the target fake antivirus software. If by any reason you are unable to take out the bogus program, you can ask the services of a PC or laptop repair expert to deal with the issue.

So the next time you see a window pop up on your Internet browser screen that notifies you of a suspected virus "infection" in your computer, don't believe it right away. It may only be another one of those false antivirus applications that masquerade as the real thing. If it did somehow manage to get into your computer system, you can simply take it out by using one of the many leading antimalware programs listed in the top antivirus software reviews or you can use a free program like MalwareBytes to deal with the problem.

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Domestic Communication Surveillance and False Positive Problems

Many folks are challenged by the mental concept of domestic surveillance. They know they've done nothing wrong, and probably never will, however they don't like the idea of it one bit, and they don't want to accidentally be falsely accused, mistaken for someone else, or be put on the proverbial "watch list" and yes, who can blame them. Proponents say, if you are doing nothing wrong, don't worry about it. Well, that sure smacks in the face of the social "trust" contract between citizens and their governments. Okay so let's talk.

Not long ago, someone asked me if I seen the piece in Wired Magazine about domestic surveillance. Well, it turns out I had, you see I did read that particular articles amongst many others, this one the "Danger Zone" section of Wired Magazine. The article explained how pairs of words, groups of words, and other strategies were used to judge it there was actually a threat or not to our national security. And realize this is a computer doing it all, deciding if you are good or bad, something that last time I checked Santa Clause sucked at - after all we have an awful lot of bad kids getting some great toys each year.

Still, understand how and why all this works, you see, it's all about context. In fact, way back when at our think tank I'd come up with a concept to judge voice communication with subscripts and post scripts after every word for intensity, vibrational reverberations, elevated volume, emphasis, accent. Each one with piece with a number, so the word "bomb" might have been bomb "23643" as a subscript, thus lower intensity for each, thus, typical conversation, not passionate, not used as action word, but with emphasis, so it might be someone talking to a friend about a news event, not someone planning something.

Post scripts could be used for combinations of words, all based on a gazillion phone calls, from various regions of the world, with various actors, players, or just plain citizens talking. Thus, the computer system reads all the information and categorizes it, those with high numbers are red-flagged nothing else, or that type of talk with someone on a "watch list" a real one, not some BS computerized generated list, or crony capitalism list where competitors are placed or political challengers are put for fear.

This is perhaps a good way to eliminate as many false positives as possible, along with using other strategies to double check without any human getting involved and listening in which has all sorts of other implications as well. Perhaps, I could write a book about this too, but I don't want to scare anyone, even though I realize its value to protecting the American People, the citizens fear the "Minority Report" syndrome, as well they should and like the movie;

Enemy of the State
Eagle Eye
The Net
1984

Or even Terminator's Skynet, so what I'm saying is we shouldn't give blind trust to any government, "trust no one" in that regard, and our government should fear us lest we shut it down, not the other way around. Still, we must also realize that there are checks and balances in place to keep the NSA on the straight and narrow, so let's just make sure we have proper oversight, and demand that someone is watching the watchers at all times. Even employees and executives of the NSA agree with that, they are Americans too. Indeed, I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Privacy Internet Issues. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/

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