Foil the Keyloggers

How comfortable would you be if you knew that someone out there could read every single word that you typed, up to and including email messages, passwords, and IM conversations? Probably not very, but it can and does happen via a bit of code known as a keylogger. Once these programs are installed on your PC the person who installed it literally has access to every keystroke you type - the good, the bad, and the ugly.

They've been around for a very long time, but keyloggers are only just starting to receive the attention they deserve. This is primarily because many spyware pests include keylogging elements, potentially enabling everything you type to be forwarded to some faceless entity on the Internet. However, keyloggers are sometimes installed quite purposefully and legitimately, with tracking the PC activities of employees and children in mind.

Love the idea or hate it (it really depends on whether you're the logger or the 'loggee'), keyloggers represent a serious threat to your computer's security and personal privacy. This month we explain what keyloggers are all about, and outline ways to keep your computer out of their grips.

What they are Keylogging programs are all about gathering information - specifically, anything you type on your keyboard. While usually packaged as software that silently records every key you depress, hardware versions also exist - typically in the form of a small add-on component that attaches between your keyboard's cord and its port on your PC. Regardless of their form, keyloggers are designed to track what you type on your computer for later viewing by another party.

While often associated with the powers of evil, keyloggers do have legitimate uses. Some organizations install them on computers belonging to employees suspected of theft or other unethical activities. Similarly, many parents use these programs to track their children's online activities with an eye towards ensuring that they're not visiting inappropriate Web sites or engaging in other dangerous dealings. Of course, the ethical line associated with this type of spying is blurry. In some jurisdictions, employers have the absolute right to track an employee's computer usage. The same goes for parents whose intentions may be admirable, like trying to keep their children safe online.

Where do keyloggers come from?

Today, commercial keylogging programs are flogged as tools for spying on others, ensuring one's partner is being faithful, and tracking how others use your PC. Keylogging software vendors taking the high road position their products as legitimate anti-theft and child safety tools. Examples of such programs include Blazing Tools Perfect Keylogger and eBlaster.

Legitimate keyloggers only make up a tiny percentage of the keyloggers floating around on people's computers. Hundreds of different spyware threats include keylogging elements. Designed to steal usernames, passwords, and even your identity, these programs are typically installed without your knowledge, often in conjunction with another legitimate program. Some particularly unscrupulous folks have even taken to packaging keyloggers with anti-spyware programs and then hawking them as spyware-removal solutions. Anything goes on the Internet, and sometimes you end up with more than you might expect from a free program. You should always check the source of programs you install to ensure that you're receiving a legitimate version.

For details on ways to detect keylogging programs and devices, see the step-by-step guide.

Why they're dangerous

Keyloggers are dangerous for a number of reasons. First and foremost, they enable another user to spy on your computer usage, which is highly unethical. Furthermore, outside of privacy issues, malicious keyloggers are almost always directly tied to stealing user account details such as usernames and passwords. With your details in hand, the person logging your keystrokes can potentially access your bank account, use your email, and ultimately steal your identity. If you find a keystroke logger installed on your PC and believe that you might be the victim of identity theft, you should see the Help box below.

While keyloggers certainly relate to only a very small portion of all identity theft crimes in the UK, fraud-related identity theft losses are estimated to be in the vicinity of £1.3 billion per year. One can only hope that the possibility of serious financial repercussions will help to bring the criminal potential of spyware into the consciousness of everyday users. Privacy is a serious issue, and yet thousands of computers continue to be monitored - unknown to users - as you read this.

Find, then destroy them

Finding and removing both commercial and spyware keyloggers is usually not terribly difficult, as most anti-spyware programs are up to the task. However, it's possible that you might discover a keylogger and not be able to remove it as a result of lacking appropriate administrative privileges.

Should this happen, sit down and have a conversation with the person who administers your PC. It's quite possible that the program was installed by spyware, but you may find that there's a genuine reason for its installation. If the keylogger was installed on purpose, ask why it's there. Nobody likes the idea of being spied on and if it's happening to you, it's not unreasonable to ask that the action be stopped.

After the logger

If your computer has been infected by a keylogger, removing it with a program such as Microsoft AntiSpyware is only the first step in the cleanup process. Assuming that it was present on your PC for some time, there's a good chance that one or more people now have access to some of your personal information, including sensitive usernames and passwords.

After removing the keylogger, reboot and then complete another scan to be sure it's gone for good. Once it is, start changing all of your passwords - those associated with email accounts, online banking, instant messaging programs, online auction Web sites, and so on. While the person(s) responsible for installing the keylogger may have only been interested in spying on your computer activities, there's an equal chance that user account details were what they were after. With access to enough information, stealing your identity (not to mention your money) is a relatively simple affair.

Now you should consider how the program made its way on to your system in the first place. Did another user of your PC install it? Was it downloaded from the Internet? Do you have updated firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware software protecting your computer at all times? If any good comes from a keylogger, it's the security awareness that it raises. Nobody likes to be spied on, so take the necessary steps to ensure that a keylogger doesn't end up on your system again.

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How to use the Power of the World's Easiest and Most Effective Headline Format to Torbo Charge Your Business

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by Yanik Silver
www.InstantSalesLetters.com

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Did you notice the title for this article?

Of course, it's a headline. That's right and it uses a
shop-worn classic format which still continues to amaze me
with its power. Just 2 simple words...

"How To..." Stick with me on this, I know it sounds too
easy.

The simple, lowly "How to" headline is still tops in my
book for simplicity and effectiveness. You really cannot go
wrong with it. The 'how to' headline is so versatile. You
can follow it with several benefits, a question, an offer,
almost anything - and it works great!

In fact, using the 'how to' formula is one of the best
places to start when writing headlines because it forces
you to think of what your product/service actually does for
the person.

Here are a couple of winning examples to get your juices
flowing:

How to Collect from Social Security at Any Age

How To Get FIVE Money-Making Web Sites In 29 Minutes Or
Less...Without Spending A Fortune!

How to avoid the biggest mistake you can make in building
or buying a home

How to cruise the world for $19 a day

How to get Enthusiastic Applause - Even a Standing Ovation
- Every Time You Speak (Ted Nicholas)

How To Win Friends And Influence People

How to make your car invisible to radar and laser!

How to make your computer as easy to use as your telephone

How to fix cars

Check out the last winning headline on our list - "how to
fix cars". I mean it really can't get any simpler than
that, but it works...and it works big time!

Now here are a few "How To.." headlines you can plug-in
and use right away when brainstorming:

=============== "How to" Formulas ===============

How to get ____________
How to have __________
How to keep__________
How to start __________
How to begin _________
How to become ___________
How to improve your _________
How to develop _____________
How to get the most out of_____________
How to avoid ________________
How to end________________
How to get rid of _____________
How to conquer _____________
How to enjoy _______________

Even just adding the word "how" in front of a headline
gives it an additional appeal. Compare these 2 examples:

A strange accident saved me from baldness

How a strange accident saved me from baldness

Which one is more compelling? I think you'll agree #2 does
the trick. And that one is a winning headline used over and
over.

Okay, but maybe the tried and true "how to" is too boring
for you. No problem! Spice it up by adding a little
something before the 'how to'

Here's HOW TO...

Discover HOW TO...

If you think a 12% annual return on your money is good,
here's HOW TO set your sights on 100% or more

All new course reveals HOW TO use Pop-Ups to double your
opt-in rate, explode your sales, and squeeze up to 300%
more revenue out of each visitor to your Web site!
(Jonathan Mizel)

I'll show you HOW TO hit golf shots as straight as you can
point, or this video golfing lesson is free...and I'll pay
you $25 for wasting your time! (Jeff Paul)

Ohio man discovers the secret of HOW TO escape the American
Rat Race

Or if you still want to change it up a little - just use
"How you..." or "How I..." like these winning examples:

HOW I earn my living in 4 hours a day

HOW YOU Can Make Well Over $300,000.00 Per Year As A Real
Estate Agent Working Less Than 40 Hours A Week.... Have A
Top Income AND A Life..... And NEVER Have To Make A Call
You Dread Or Waste Your Time With Unrealistic Sellers Or
Insincere Buyers, Ever Again (Craig Proctor)

I think you'll agree for getting the most bang for your
buck - "how to" headlines are the way to go.

==========================================================
Yanik Silver is recognized as the leading expert on
creating automatic, moneymaking websites...and he still
doesn't know how to put up a website.

He is the author, co-author or creator of several best-
selling online marketing books and tools,
http://33days.check-free.info/
==========================================================

Navigational Options for Your Website : Choose Wisely

By Merle MCPromotionsPress.com

So you've decided to it's time to revamp your website's navigation, or maybe you're putting together a new site and are trying to decide the best navigational menu to use. Before you choose one type over the other, you'll want to consider the size of your site and your anticipated growth, as the menu structure you select may have to expand.

There are many types of navigation methods to choose from. You must carefully consider the layout of your site so you can choose the system that will work best. You want to make it easy for your visitors to find their way around and not frustrate them in the process. You need to keep it consistent across all pages of your site, with some standards like the placement of your logo (which is generally in the upper left hand corner of your website) linking back to your home page.

1) Left Side Menu: Probably the most common menus you'll find, with text or button links running vertically down the left hand side of the page. This generally works best for small websites with a limited number of pages.

2) Text Links at Bottom of Pages: Not a complete navigation system on its own, but always a good idea to complement your main navigation. If you use Flash, it's always a good idea to give the search engines an easy way to spider your site -- and text menus do just that. Your visitors will also appreciate not having to scroll back up to the top of the pages to make another selection. Keep it small.

3) DHTML or Java-Script Menu: My favorite and the most expandable of menu types. Generally you'll have your main page topics running horizontally across the top of the page. When a user hovers over one of the main topics a drop down will appear with more menu options. The advantage to this type of menu is that it's easy to add new pages. You'll only need to create the page then add the text links to the scrïpt.

Here are some software solutions:

DHTML Menu
Deluxe Menu
Java DropDown Menu

4) Java-Script Pull Down Menu: If you're cramped for space, then drop down menus are sweet as they are so compact and hardly take up any room. You can display a lot of links in a small area. They look like small förm boxes that display a main option, but when you clïck on them a drop down menu appears with all of the various pages of your website.
Create your own, then copy and paste the code:

Pull Down Menu
Drop Down Generator
Javascrïpt Menu Master

5) Tabs Menu: Looks like file folder tabs running across the top of your pages horizontally. A good example of this is at Amazon.com. You'll find an easy way to create them at:

Dynamic Drive

The look of tabs can also be done using Cascading Style Sheets. Chëck out:

WebCredible
GRSites Menu Maker
Apycom Software

6) Search Function: Many people overlook the advantages of adding a simple search box to their sites. Hurried visitors can simply type in what they're looking for and find it quickly without frustration. If your website is rather large you might want to consider adding this option, even if you have a great navigation system.
You can download scripts and install them on your server or use a third party service.

Google Search
FreeFind
PicoSearch

Site Search

Matt's Scrïpt Archive

7) Site Map: If your site is rather large you also may want to include a "site map." Basically, it's a page on your website that lists all of the pages on your site, complete with text links. It gives users an overview of your website's contents.
Make sure you include a link to your site map from your main navigation. Search engines love site maps as they make for excellent "spider food" helping your site to be indexed.

Site Map Creator Service

Likno

SiteMap Pro

eXact Mapper Lite

8) CSS Menus: Cascading Style Sheets have made it possible to add an endless array of navigational options to your website. There's no bloat or lag in downtime, either. They allow you to control the appearance and format of your website separately from the webpage coding itself, which makes them easy to update and alter the look of your site whenever you like.

Vertical Navigation
Cool Rollover Menu
Stylish Menus
CSS Vault

Do yourself a favor and take a long hard look at your website's navigation. Does it need an update? Now that you know all of your options there's no reason you can't create an exciting navigational system that users will just love. Don't underestimate the power of good navigation; if not done correctly visitors will be reaching for the exit button sooner than you think.

About The Author"Must Have Marketing Resources" by Merle is loaded with Valuable online resources you need to know about, when it comes to running your web business. Get your copy now at ... http://mcebook.mcpromotions.com/.