Have you recently installed Microsoft Security Essentials? Earlier this month, the development tools and data services company, OPSWAT, announced that Microsoft’s free antivirus software was the most popular antivirus program in North America during the last 12 months.
Microsoft Security Essentials is free to download and helps protect personal and small business computers from viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.
If you’re the type that likes to look under the hood of your web browser, you can download the consumer preview for Windows 8, which includes the preview version of Internet Explorer 10.
Internet Explorer 10 includes an enhanced version of Protected Mode. Protected Mode is a feature of Internet Explorer that essentially blocks off parts of your computer to limit access in case you’re attacked by a virus or cybercriminal. Protected Mode has been around since 2006, but we’re always improving it.
Read about Enhanced Protected Mode in Internet Explorer 10.
Be warned that the preview version of Internet Explorer 10 is not for average computer users. If you think you might not be ready to test drive Internet Explorer 10, download Internet Explorer 9.
Review the security features in Internet Explorer 9.
Think your computer might have a virus? The Microsoft Security scanner is a free download that will scan your computer and help you remove viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.
Download Microsoft Safety Scanner
The scanner is not a replacement for antivirus software. It contains the latest anti-malware definitions, but it works with your antivirus software. The Microsoft Security scanner expires after 10 days, but you can download the newest version again for free. Antivirus software like Microsoft Security Essentials is also free, but provides real-time scanning and does not expire after 10 days.
Get more information about the Microsoft Security Scanner.
Cybercriminals use email fraud (sometimes called “phishing”) to steal your personal data or information such as credit card numbers, passwords, account data, or other information.
Cybercriminals might send millions of fraudulent email messages with links to fraudulent websites that appear to come from websites you trust, like your bank or credit card company, and request that you provide personal information. Criminals can use this information for many different types of fraud, such as to steal money from your account, to open new accounts in your name, or to obtain official documents using your identity.
Here are 5 ways to help avoid email fraud:
For more information, see Phishing: frequently asked questions.
Your online image is made up of more than what’s on the front page of your social networking site. When current or potential employers, colleges you’ve applied to, or health insurance and mortgage brokers search for you online, they might see everything that’s ever been posted about you, whether you posted it or somebody else did. This might be information that you don’t even know is there.
Watch a video about how to protect and control your online image.
More information about how to take steps to manage your online profile
Microsoft releases security updates on the second Tuesday of every month.
The bulletin announces the release of 6 security updates:
Get the updates.
Watch a video about the updates.
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Today the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) posted details about the March security updates. On Tuesday, March 13 at approximately 10 AM Pacific Time Microsoft will release 6 bulletins.
The easiest way to get the updates when they're available is to turn on Windows automatic updating. For more information about how this works, see Understanding Windows automatic updating.
The Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification Service offers details about security updates approximately three business days before they are released. We do this to allow customers (especially IT professionals) to plan for effective deployment of security updates.
Advanced Notification includes information about:
For more information about the security updates that will be released on March 13, see Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification for March 2012.
For official risk and impact analysis, as well as deployment guidance, visit the MSRC blog. If you are on Twitter, you might want also want to follow @MSFTSecResponse.
It’s officially tax time in the United States again. We’ve reported here that tax scams arrived early this year. Tax scams come in many different forms. Some scams are attempts to spoof the IRS to convince you to click malicious links or attachments. Other scams offer tax preparation help in order to trick you into turning over your personal information. Some scams even try to convince you that you don’t have to pay taxes.
If you receive an email or a message on your social networking site that appears to be from the IRS, it is probably a phishing scam. Read more about how the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email or any social media tools to request personal or financial information.
If you get an offer from someone that sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. For more information, see the IRS article, Tax Scams – How to Recognize and Avoid Them.
Get help with phishing scams, lottery fraud, and other types of scams
Your computer is up to date when you've installed the latest updates for Windows and for your computer programs. To get updates for Windows and other Microsoft programs at the same time, including updates for Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and more), go to the Microsoft Update website.
If you're already using Microsoft Update, which works with Windows automatic updating, Windows Update in the Control Panel will automatically open and display your update status.
Turn on automatic updating
To help ensure that you get your updates automatically, click Change settings. Under Important updates choose Install updates automatically (recommended).
If you don’t want to use Microsoft Update, you can follow these steps to get updates just for Windows:
To check for updates for other software programs and devices, go to the publisher's or manufacturer's website.