How to Do Everything to Fight Spam, Viruses, Pop-Ups, and Spyware [Paperback]

Ken Feinstein (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0072256559 | ISBN-13: 978-0072256550 | Publication Date: July 27, 2004 | Edition: 1

Swat spam, vanquish viruses, knock down pop-ups, and expose spyware with help from this one-of-a-kind resource. Loaded with insightful advice, practical tips, and trial software, this book-and-CD defense will help you rid your computer of the perils and nuisances of Web surfing once and for all. Author and tech expert Ken Feinstein gives easy-to-understand explanations of the technologies at work, and just exactly what steps you can take to take back your e-mail, your surfing enjoyment, your privacy, and your computer.

Editorial Reviews

Review

It’s comprehensive, it’s clearly written and illustrated, and, most of all, the advice is right on the money. -- Chicago Tribune, Tech.Buzz, October 16, 2004

From the Back Cover

Get expert advice on finally ridding your computer of annoying spam and pop-up ads and invasive viruses, spyware, and adware. You’ll discover where these electronic nuisances originate, how they work, and how to prevent them. Learn to choose spam-resistant e-mail addresses and get the most from your spam filter. Protect your computer from virus attacks with antivirus software and preventive measures. Also, find out how to avoid unknowingly installing spyware and adware, and block those pesky pop-up ads. The bonus CD-ROM features trial versions of the prevention tools covered in the book.

• Understand how spammers operate and how to safeguard your e-mail addresses
• Use spam-filtering software and challenge-response mail systems
• Configure your PC to resist virus attacks
• Recognize virus-laden emails and avoid virus infection when downloading files
• Install, configure, and update antivirus software
• Diagnose and remove viruses from your system
• Avoid inadvertently installing adware and spyware
• Learn about dialers and manage Internet cookies
• Use spyware utilities and firewalls to protect your system
• Block pop-ups and other annoying advertisements
• Get details on the virus- and spyware-fighting features of Windows XP Service Pack 2

About the author: Ken Feinstein has been writing about computers and gadgets for more than five years. His work has appeared in Computer Shopper, CNET, ZDNet, Computer Gaming World, and Future Networks’ EZ Tech Guides.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media; 1 edition (July 27, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0072256559
• ISBN-13: 978-0072256550
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,812,073 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Remove the trash and keep what you need., September 21, 2004

By 

Michael J Woznicki "Michael J Woznicki" (Holland, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Do Everything to Fight Spam, Viruses, Pop-Ups, and Spyware (Paperback)

Anyone who has been around computers lately can tell you that spyware, pop-up, adware and other assorted infections is enough to drive you right up the wall. Trying to remove all the problems could become a full time occupation. How does one combat all these nasty problems and still have the computer up and running?

Having spent that last several months working on a spyware lockdown, this book has provided some very important information for me to the project. The book does give you a great deal of interesting reading that is written for just about all levels of comprehension.

The author has given you a number of ways to configure, install, setup and troubleshoot the various ways to block spyware, spam, the ever annoying pop-ups and even viruses. What this book does is lay out a way for the reader to first take in the concepts and then try it out. As always you need to make sure you have a backup of the system you will be working.

The book does come with a cd that has several demos and even a couple of freeware utilities, although the Spybot and Ad-Aware are out of date since the printing, they are still useful and best of all free. Overall the book does a good job of informing the user without being over technical and if you are new to computers this might be a good pickup to see what you are in for.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stay a step ahead of spammers and hackers, August 15, 2004

By 

Ben Haller "Stick Software" (Foster City, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Do Everything to Fight Spam, Viruses, Pop-Ups, and Spyware (Paperback)

If you want to fight back against spammers, first you need to know how they operate. This book explains in detail the techniques spammers use to create their mailing lists. That's essential to understand if you want to avoid spam in the first place. The book also offers tips and techniques for coping with an inbox already overrun with spam.

The same is true with viruses and spyware. You first need to learn how these nasty things spread so you can avoid getting infected. The book goes into great detail on this issue with clear explanations and very helpful advice. For those already afflicted, it explains how to remove a virus or spyware infection. The software on the included CD helps with that as well.

The section on pop-ups explains what pop-ups are and where they come from. It then teaches you how to effectively use pop-up blocking software.

Make no mistake, this book is written for the general user; it's no reference text for IT professionals. But even experienced users will find a lot of worthwhile material.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes it safe to turn on your PC again, August 4, 2004

By 

L. Galen (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Do Everything to Fight Spam, Viruses, Pop-Ups, and Spyware (Paperback)

Getting sick of the neverending battle against spam, pop-ups, spyware, and viruses on your PC? Don't throw up your hands. This book tells the home PC user how to do everything possible - and I mean everything - to go on the offensive against online threats and take control of your computer again.

For a computer-user guide, this book is refreshingly direct and easy to read and use. It's humorously written and is plain-spoken without talking down to you. There's technical information about topics like browser security and where viruses come from, but it doesn't barrage the reader with jargon or unnecessary details.

The directions on using utilities and configuring settings have plenty of screenshots and are easy to follow. The author talks you through diagnosing and fixing ad-ware and virus infections, so you don't have to worry that you'll accidentally delete something crucial. A CD containing essential anti-virus software and anti-spyware programs, like Ad-Aware and Spybot, rounds out the package.

Even if you feel like you already know how to keep your own computer safe, this book makes a great gift for family or friends who are overwhelmed by spyware or keep unwittingly sending you virus-laden emails. It's a computer book that even your parents can understand and use, and it's one they really need. Too bad it wasn't available when I bought my mother a new PC earlier this year; I'm sending her a copy right now.