Jul - to return to the CUGR home page

Volume 2005, Number 07
http:
http://users.snowcrest.net/ibmpcugr
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Yum!
Compliments of
CUG of Redding
Annual Ice Cream Social
Bring your Family & Friends
No Meeting In August!
Check at the door for your name tag
and please leave it in the Tag Box when the meeting is over.
No Motherboard In August
Next Motherboard covering August and September will be in September
July 2005
Club Calendar
WINDOWS & MORE
NO MEETING IN JULY OR AUGUST
Class will resume on Sept. 7th.
DTP SIG
NO MEETING IN JULY OR AUGUST
Class will resume on Sept. 7th.
GENERAL MEETING
6:30 PM, TUESDAY, JULY 19
MULTI-MEDIA
NO MEETING IN JULY OR AUGUST
Class will resume on Sept. 24
th.
24th.
BOARD MEETING —
1 PM, MONDAY, JULY 25 & AUGUST 22
Jack-In-The-Box, Dana Dr.
SEE BACK PAGE FOR MORE SIG INFO
The IBM/PC USERS GROUP OF REDDING
meets at the Palo Cedro Church Of Christ,
21895 St. Francis Way.
For more information
phone 241-3902 and
leave a message.
In this issue of the Motherboard…
Happy
July 4th!
Have a great and
safe summer
SECRET
AR
Y’S MESSAGE
SECRETAR
ARY’S
Paul Colligan ............................. 2
BOARD MESSAGE
C U G .............................................. 2
CLUB PICS
June Mentors’ Meeting ............ 3
SEPTEMBER’S DOOR PRIZE
C U G .............................................. 4
TREASURER’S REPORT
Mario Quinn ................................ 4
BITS AND PIECES
Rush Blodget ............................. 5
EV
ALUA
TIONS/REVIEWS DUE
EVALUA
ALUATIONS/REVIEWS
Jane Quinn ................................. 5
FREE REVIEW PRODUCT LIST
Jane Quinn ............................. 5
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Jane Quinn ................................. 6
AKVIS COLORIAGE PLUG-IN
Anna Lee Horton ....................... 6
ANOTHER SILENT ATT
ACK
ATTACK
Iris Wilsker .................................. 7
PEOPLE PASSWORD PRACTICES
Gabe Goldberg .......................... 8
SSNP VOLUNTEERS
Dorothy Kirk ................................ 9
BABY BOOMERS & SENIORS SURVEY
Anna Coates ............................... 9
Club Information
Club Website: http://users.snowcrest.net/ibmpcugr
Club Mentors Members volunteering to help members!
Word Perfect
Charlotte Puck
347-3366, Days only
[email protected]
New Users
Dorothy Kirk
PaintShop Pro 246-9661, Anytime
[email protected]
New Users
Bob Rice
357-2143, Anytime
[email protected]
MS Windows Darold Wright
Photo Delux 222-1781
[email protected]
MS Word, MS Power Jane Quinn
Point, MS Movie
365-0825
Maker 2, DVD
[email protected]
Software & Digital Image Pro
MS Windows:
Bill Ball
98, ME, XP
[email protected]
Hardware, Software 275-4632
DTP;
Judi Ball
Graphic Prgs
275-4632
Photo Editing
[email protected]
Access
Sara Somers
Power Point
472-1392
Quicken
[email protected]
Board of Directors
Darold L. Wright
President
[email protected]
222-1781
Lyle V
anNorman
V
ice & Past
VanNorman
Vice
President
[email protected]
242-0925
Paul Colligan
Secretary
[email protected]
247-7044
Mario Quinn
Treasurer
[email protected]
365-0825
Jane Quinn
Dir
Dir,, Vendor Contact,
SIG Leader
[email protected]
365-0825
Eugenia Goodman
Dir
Dir, Membership
[email protected]
221-7723
Anna Lee Horton
Director
[email protected]
222-5521
Bruce Roth
Dir
Dir,, Sound Control
[email protected]
247-7306
Bob Rice
Dir
ebsite
Dir,, W
Website
[email protected]
357-2143
Bill Ball
Dir
Dir,, SIG Leader
[email protected]
275-4632
Belva Sullivent
Dir
Dir,, Greeter
Greeter,,
Name T
ag Manager
Tag
[email protected]
241-9926
Judi Ball
Dir
Dir,, SIG Leader
[email protected]
275-4632
Margar
e t Martinovich Dir
Margare
Dir,, Membership
[email protected]
241-6378
Motherboard Newsletter Staff
Judith E. Ball
[email protected]
Rush Blodget
[email protected]
Dorothy Kirk
[email protected]
Editor
275-4632
Writer
241-4754
Writer
246-9661
Mary Montague
Proofreader
[email protected]
365-6414
Anna Lee Horton
Proofreader
[email protected]
222-5521
Rosa Zupancic
Distributor
[email protected]
223-9609
Motherboard Newsletter Policies and Deadlines
The Motherboard newsletter is published
monthly by the Computer Users Group of
Redding, PO Box 494778, Redding, CA
96049-4778. The CUG is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Subscriptions are
included in the $25 annual membership fee.
The purpose of the newsletter is to inform
members of upcoming events and provide
information about the use of IBM compatible computers.
Disclaimer: Neither the CUG, its
Officers, the Editor, nor the newsletter
contributors assume any liability for
damages occurred due to the use of
information provided in this publication.
Reprints: Articles from this newsletter
may be reprinted by other user groups if
credit is given to both the author, CUG
and the Motherboard. Mail a copy of the
newsletter where the article is reprinted
Page 2
to the Editor at the address in the first
paragraph of this text.
Personal Ads For Members:
Requirements are:
1. Advertiser must be a member.
2. The item must be computer-related.
3. The ad must be received by editor J.
Ball by the monthly date of the board
meeting. Sorry, no exceptions. Sorry, no
exceptions.
Other terms must be approved by the
club’s Board of Officers and Directors.
Article Submissions: All articles and reviews must be submitted to J. Ball by the
Monday of the monthly Board meeting (see
Page 1 for date.) Sorry, no exceptions.
Motherboard Editor reserves the right
to make corrections and deletions in all
articles in the interest of grammar, style,
and space.
THE MOTHERBOARD
Secretary’s
Message
It’s your club. Your input is of value to us…
MENTORS NIGHT A BIG SUCCESS
Our second “Mentors Night” will occur
at our meeting on October 18. Our May
meeting was such a success that the
Board decided to invite club members
again to select a program or topic that
they are comfortable with, bring their
computers to the meeting, and share
their ideas with other members.
We aren’t looking for professionals,
experts, or even people with the time and
public speaking skills needed to make a
formal presentation. Instead, we plan to
set up several stations around the room
and invite folks to visit whichever group
or topic that interests them.
W HICH T OPICS A RE BEST ?
Actually, that is completely up to you.
If you are interested in a computerrelated topic or a particular piece of software, or a handy peripheal for that
matter, there are always others who
would like to share your knowledge.
That’s what our October meeting is all
about. You’ll probably learn more from
the people in your group than they learn
from you. That’s the way it should be.
H OW D O I V OLUNTEER ?
Thanks for asking. Send me an e-mail
[email protected]. I’ll get back
to you after I return from vacation on
August 10. In the meantime, have a
great summer.
Paul Colligan
From The Board
Although there will not be a general
meeting in August, there will be a board
meeting on the 22nd of August in
preparation for September’s general
meeting. Remember, these board
meetings are open to all members.
T HE A NNUAL I CE C REAM S OCIAL
July’s Ice Cream Social is provided
by the CUG organization. So don’t forget to bring your family and friends and
enjoy a great social time.
Ice cream, all fixin’s, drinks, and
cookies will be available, however if
there is a particular dessert you want
to share, you are welcome to bring it
with you.
There is no drawing in July.
July 2005
First Time Successful “Mentor Workshop” Meeting
Congratulations To Our Winners
Jim Smith
won the
USB 256MB
Jump Drive
July 2005
Larry Owings
won the
Holiday
Clip Art
Explosion
Package
THE MOTHERBOARD
Fred Schmitz
won the
10-Pack
CD Jewel
Cases
Page 3
Welcome
Renewals
Watch For This Door Prize In September!
Epson Sylus Photo R200 Printer
This is the same model that Judi Ball
demonstrated during the June
Mentors meeting.
It prints beautiful photos, and prints
labels directly on affordable printable
CD-DVDs!
It is new and comes with the 6 fullsized individual Epson ink cartridges,
the CD-DVD print tray, and all needed
cables packed in the box.
Marie Church
Marlene Robinson
Ronald Chiodo
IBM/PCUG
MEMBER WEBSITES
DAVE & BECKY HEMP
Don’t miss your opportunity to win this terrific dual-job printer!
www.c-zone.net/dochemp/
Monthly Treasury Report
JACK M C AULIFFE
by Treasurer Mario Quinn
Real Estate Broker
www.realtyphoto.com
May & June 2005, Reported on June 27, 2005
KITTYSTONE PERSIANS
Lynn Johanson
kittystone.com
MEXICAN-TOURS
www.mexican-tours.com
Lyle VanNorman
[email protected]
EnvironmentalMold.com
[email protected]
Informational site for air Quality.
Beginning Balance, May 2005
Income:
Membership Dues (5/23)
Membership Dues (5/03)
Door Prize Ticket Donations (5/03)
Door Prize Ticket Donations (5/23)
Total May Income
New May Income Balance
Outlay:
Church Rent (5/25)
Membership Outlay (5/23)
Newsletter Postage (5/23)
Newsletter Printing (5/17)
Office Depot Printing (5/17)
Total May Outlay
Bank statement agreement (5/31):
$3,315.01
$ 75.00
150.00
37.00
38.00
$300.00
$ 60.00
25.00
50.73
48.26
81.30
$ 265.29
QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
Mary Ann Czermak
www.documents-examiner.com
RIVERCITY JAZZ SOCIETY
Joyce Covey
[email protected]
REDDING REAL ESTATE
Rick Goates
www.reddingrealestate.net
RON COLE JR.
www.houseofspecialtygifts.com
Publicize Your WebSite
Here for FREE!
(Members Only Please)
Page 4
Income Deposits Not Shown:
Membership Dues
Door Prize Ticket Donations
Total June Income
New Income Balance
Outlay, Checks Not Yet Cleared:
Church Rent
Newsletter Printing
Total June Outlay
Ending Balance (6/27):
CD at North Valley Bank
Total Liquid Assets
$ 75.00
60.00
$135.00
$ 60.00
$ 56.31
$ 116.31
+300.00
$3,615.01
-265.29
$3,349.72
$3,349.72
+135.00
$3,484.72
-116.31
$3,368.41
3,000.00
$6,368.41
The membership dues for springtime (in general) are the highest as most dues are
paid during this time of year. This income drastically falls off in the summer as our
monthly expenses will be more than we take in.
Also, the total assets, including the CD, are to be understood as the club’s backup
for all equipment used at the general meetings and for the use of the SIGs, such as the
screen, laptop, projector ($2-3000), projector lamps, etc. This backup is necessary, as
property insurance is too expensive and these items need replacing periodically to
keep up with the ever-changing technology.
THE MOTHERBOARD
July 2005
Bits And Pieces
Free Review Products
by Rush Blodget; IMB/PCUG of Redding, [email protected]
For All CUG Members
Flash Decompiler 2.1 by Eltima SoftTHE “PHISHERS” ARE AT IT AGAIN unsuccessful in
ware for editing movies.
Last week when I clicked on the Norton
accomplishing this
This is a SWF to FLA conversion within
icon to update my Antivirus 2005 program
— partially because
a convenient interface, but fully decomI got a “pop-up” presumably from Norton
I do not have a
piles SWF movies and enables editing of
Symantec that looked quite authentic
physical disk (I
SWF files. The built-in explorer feature navi(they have learned how to hijack genuine
bought 2005 on-line
gates SWF files with ease and maintains a
Websites of well known vendors and
as a download).
comprehensive favorites list for fast
navigation. The complete details on Flash
T HE “P HARMERS ”
insert their own links). The message was
Decompiler’s functionality can be found
that my Norton Antivirus 2005 was about
An article in the Inat http://www.eltima.com/products/flash
to expire and I would need to enter my
vestors Business
decompiler/.
Product Key to re-verify the expiration
Daily for June 21, 2005 states that the
They also offer 30 days to evaluate the
date. I “bit” on that because I knew that I
hackers latest strategy is called
demo version of this software.
had a previous version over which I had
“pharming.” This technique is stated to
Disk Password Protection 4 by EXLADE
downloaded the 2005 upgrade and hence
combine phishing, viruses, spyware,
Disk Password Protection, formerly
known as HDD Password Protection 4.0
I presumed that their computer had picked
and Web address redirection all into one
has received numerous refinements,
up the older program when I logged on to
package. The goal in this case is
including increased protection with
get the latest changes.
identity theft and can fool sophisticated
cryptographic data encryption algoThis caused the Norton System
computer users.
rithms, new support for removable media
Status screen screen to turn red and
The article states that the typical
including Flash drives and USB external
show that Internet Worm detection had
scenario is for the hacker to insert a worm
drives, and a redesigned interface.
been turned OFF and that Virus
into someone’s computer via a peer-toDisk Password Protection offers password-protected startup of boot funcDefinition updates were no longer
peer application. The inserted program
tions, read/write operations for partitions
available. All other functions of the
will locate the Web address file and insert
and the hard drive.
computer were for the time being still
a bogus address for a site representing
These and other features of Disk
intact. I was able to log onto the
a bank or credit card company. When
Password Protection 4.0 are described
Symantec/Norton Help website where
the computer user types in the URL of
at http://www.exlade.com/products/
Symantec candidly admitted that the
the bank or credit card company it pulls
diskpassword protection/.
cause could be “a virus infection that
out the fraudulent Website. The article
EXLADE offers 30 days to evaluate the
demo version of this software or request
has disabled necessary Norton Antialso cites instances where the pharmers
for a Review version.
Virus services or deleted LiveUpdate
have temporarily taken over Google and
XP Web Buttons by XP Web ButtonsXP
files.” The suggested remedy involved
Amazon.com and redirected users to
The latest release of XP Web Buttons
many steps in addition to uninstalling
their own site instead.
sports a new interface, support for .ico files
the Norton program. I am so far
Among possible remedies the article
and clear-type fonts, revised help and
lists a browser plug-in by Netcraft that
tutorial functions and more icon selections
displays geographic information about
in .gif and .ico formats. A host of sample
projects for inspiration has been included.
the site being displayed. If the server’s
XP Web Buttons is distributed elecsite is located in Eastern Europe it is
tronically
over the Internet; free demo
probably a bogus site run by a “pharmer.”
version is available at http://xp-webContact: Jane Quinn at:
buttons.com/ for review/evaluation.
[email protected]
As a member of this club you are
eligible to request Review Software
The Anderson Senior Center is looking for individuals who would like to
from vendors who support User
teach
a computer class. If you’re interested in offering your computer
Groups. See the club’s Website on
skills
to
train older citizens in the community this center has great facilities.
the Evaluation Program for details of
The
topic
and the time frame would be of your choosing. For example,
this great resource!
you
could
offer 4 classes on the basics of E-mail and the Internet. It
Below is the current list of reviews
could
be
an
hour class or a two hour class that would meet four times.
scheduled to appear in the MotherWhatever
you
find comfortable to offer would be welcome.
board.
Our
computer
room is fully equipped with XP and great software
Product: Digital Image Pro 10
packages.
Plus
with
our High Speed internet connection and Projector,
Reviewer: Margot Letendre
Evaluation
Program
Interested In Community Service?
Due
7/05
Product: Photoshop cs2
Reviewer: Mary Ann Czermak
Due
8/05
July 2005
our classroom resembles a college classroom setting. We have several
Photo programs, and training tools.
If you’re at all interested in sharing your knowledge with others, Please
contact Jane Quinn 365 0825 e-mail [email protected]
THE MOTHERBOARD
Page 5
AKVIS Coloriage Plug-in
by Anna Lee Horton
Coloriage by Akvis is a
plug-in for photo-editing
programs, such as Adobe
Photoshop or Elements,
Corel Photo-Paint, and Jasc Paint Shop
Pro. A plug-in is a program in its own right,
but only works in conjuction with a “mother”
program as listed above. This plug-in
allows you to color a black and white photo
or change colors in a colored picture. It’s
a great tool to experiment with in designing
and decorating. You can see how a room
or house would look in different colors to
compare. It’s nice to be able to take those
old family pictures and color them. I used
the Coloriage plug-in with Microsoft’s Digital
Image 9 Suite and in Adobe Elements.
Akvis has an excellent help section on
the Web. If you click the question mark
on the right side of the tool bar, it will take
you to their website. Under About Programs, select Working Area and the tools
will be explained. Then select How It
Works to get a step-by-step instruction
on how the plug-in works. The instructions
are very easy to follow.
What is nice is that the shading,
brightness and tonal quality of the original
picture are retained when you choose a
color for an object in the picture.This
makes the picture look natural. So it is
important to correct flaws in old pictures
of “Aunt Hattie” or great grandma and take
out scratches, fold marks, or other such
general “repair” before you color the
picture. Select your color selections with
the original shades and brightness in
mind, since you cannot change a dark
color to a lighter color and visa-versa from
the original picture.
Once I had the Coloriage file in one
program’s plug-in folder, I copied it and
put it into my other photo-editing software’s plug-in folder. When a picture is
opened in Adobe Elements, go to the Filter
menu and select Akvis and click on
Coloriage. It will launch the plug-in. In
Microsoft Digital Image 9 to go the Effects
menu, select Plug-in Filters and then click
on Launch Plug-in Filter. So easy in any
of these programs.
The Akvis Coloriage window has an
image window with two tabs above it—a
Before and After. In the Before tab, you
see the original photo where you put the
Page 6
colors within objects in the picture using
the Pencil tool. The tools for coloring are in
the toolbar above the Coloriage window. The
After tab shows the results. On the far right
side of the window are the Navigator, Color
Library and the Colors Palette. When you
left click a color, the selected color will show
in the square on the right in the Colors
Palette. The gradient line above the Colors
Palette shows the gradients for that color.
Select what gradient you want (the eye
dropper will show) and use the pencil tool
to outline within the boundary of the object
you wish to color. If you are inside an object
where there are details that will be painted
in other colors, outline them with the main
color of the object. For example, outline a
face with the color of the skin and then draw
a closed line around the eyes and mouth in
the same color so the color of the eyes
and lips won’t bleed into the main area.
After you finish defining your color
outlines, click on the button that looks
like a greater than (>) symbol (next to
the eyedropper) to start the colorizaton
process. This may take a few minutes.
The result is shown in the After tab. If
you are satisfied with the colored image,
click the button with the check mark to
the right of the tool bar and the changes
are applied to the original picture and
the window closes.
The colorized ending result. See the
Motherboard on-line at http://users.
snowcrest.net/ibmpcugr to see the full
effect of these pictures in color.
An on-line tutorial by Akvis showing the
work window and features and how to color
the areas to change.
The Color Library is a neat feature. It has
under the heading, Peoples, color selections
for different skins with gradients in each
subset of colors — the same for hair and lip
colors. The Color Library is divided into
groups and contains colors that are hard to
pick, such as grass, trees, stone, bricks,
water and leaves. Each group has color
selections with gradients within that color. It
is a very versatile and useful feature.
In the tool bar you have various tools to
use like an Eraser tool, a Keep-Color Pencil,
an Eyedropper which lets you select a color
already painted or select another color from
the color palette, a Tube tool to change color
of drawn strokes and a Magic Tube tool
that lets you change the color of all strokes
having the same color. There are SaveStroke and Load-Stroke buttons on the tool
bar. These tools are real time savers when
you want to work on the image another day.
THE MOTHERBOARD
I experimented with a sepia colored
portrait of my mother’s high school
graduation. I changed the background and
the color of her dress several times. She
wore a string of pearls and when I changed
the color of her dress, the pearls picked
up the same color. This is where the KeepColor Pencil was useful. For coloring the
pearls a smaller Pencil “brush” size was
required and this was done by using the
slider in the Navigator. When the scale of
the image is magnified, the smaller the
“brush” size, the easier it is to define
smaller color strokes. When the image is
made smaller, the Pencil “brush” becomes
larger and makes larger color strokes.
I also colored a group picture with
trees, lawn, fences and a building. Many
objects had to be outlined and many
colors were required. The Color Library
with its many sub-choices of tree, leaves
and grass colors was just the ticket. I
took a picture of my house and changed
the roof and wall colors and experimented
with different combinations of color. A
great thing should I decide to paint my
house. I had fun with a picture of a friend
and gave her a different colored lipstick,
Continued on Page 7, bottom Column 3
July 2005
Another Silent Attack on Our Computers
by Ira Wilsker, APCUG Director; Columnist, The Examiner, Beaumont, Texas’ Radio Show Host; Police Officer
W EBSITES :
http://research.microsoft.com/rootkit
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/
freeware/rootkitreveal.shtml
http://www.f-secure.com/blacklight
http://www.f-secure.com/blacklight/
rootkit.shtml
At the recent computer security symposium in Corpus Christi, one of the
speakers mentioned something that I was
vaguely aware of as a threat. The threat
is considered as a silent attempt to invade
our computers for the purposes of installing viruses, Trojans, worms, or other malware devices. This silent threat may be
used by terrorists to launch a coordinated
attack on our infrastructure, steal our personal information, or otherwise wreak
havoc. So insidious is this threat that it
would sound like the content of an urban
legend, yet it is documented as real.
Imagine a threat that would be undetected
by the current antivirus, firewall, and antispyware software, yet be so powerful as to
effectively take over our computers, without our knowledge. This threat, formerly
considered solely as an unproven concept,
is now known to be real. This threat is also
now implicated in taking over countless
computers. This contemporary threat is
known by the innocuous term “Rootkit.”
A rootkit is defined on the Sysinternals
website as, “ … the mechanisms and
techniques whereby malware, including
viruses, spyware, and Trojans, attempt
to hide their presence from spyware
blockers, antivirus, and system management utilities. There are several rootkit
classifications depending on whether the
malware survives reboot and whether it
executes in user mode or kernel mode.”
The security software company F-Secure expands the definition with, “Rootkits for Windows works in a different way
and is typically used to hide malicious
software from for example an antivirus
scanner. Rootkits are typically not
malicious by themselves but are used
for malicious purposes by viruses,
worms, backdoors and spyware. A virus
combined with a rootkit produces what
was known as full stealth viruses in the
MS-DOS environment.”
Because rootkits are currently very
effective at hiding malware from our
July 2005
antivirus and anti-spyware scanners, it is
quite possible or even probable that our
computers are infected, despite repeated
scans with properly updated software.
Microsoft, and other vendors, have
acknowledged the threat and are now
beginning to produce software that can
detect and destroy the rootkits on our computers. The software is still in its infancy,
and lacks the ease of use, automation,
and attractive graphical interfaces that we
are used to with our antivirus software. It
is inevitable that as word of the rootkit
threat spreads, and more computers are
identified as having stealthy rootkits hiding
viruses and other threats, that the small
current crop of rootkit detecting software
will improve, and other competitors,
probably the major antivirus vendors, will
join the fight. If rootkit technology continues
to spread, the current crop of generally
excellent computer security suites from
the likes of Symantec (Norton), McAfee,
Panda, TrendMicro, and others will be
forced to add rootkit protection to their
respective suites, or face competitive
obsolescence.
Fortunately for us, there are a few
rootkit detectors already available, mostly
for free! This first generation of products
still needs much refining to enable the
average person to scan for rootkits with
ease, but they are still a very good first
step. There are a few rootkit detectors
available which are currently free. One
“RootkitRevealer” is from a company
known for its excellent and often free
software, Sysinternals. This software
uses a patent-pending technology to
detect rootkits, and is currently available
for download at www.sysinternals. com/
ntw2k/freeware/rootkitreveal .shtml.
Rootkit-Revealer will run on almost any
Microsoft operating system, NT4 and later,
which includes Windows 2000, and XP.
Another rootkit detector is from FSecure, a well-known computer security
company headquartered in Finland, with
offices in the US and elsewhere. FSecure’s product is “Blacklight,” available
as a free beta (pre-release) version until
July 1. Blacklight can be downloaded at
www.f-secure.com/blacklight.
I have recently tried both products, and
I personally found Blacklight the easier
THE MOTHERBOARD
to use. It seemed effective at detecting
and eliminating rootkits.
Microsoft will shortly be making
available its rootkit detector, the “Strider
GhostBuster,” details at research.
microsoft.com/rootkit.
Persons unknown who wish to do us
harm, either at a personal level such as
stealing our account information and
committing the crime of identity theft, or
the impersonal level, such as cyber
terrorists intent on shutting down our
critical infrastructure, may use the rootkit
technology to bypass our otherwise
necessary defenses.
Until such time as the integrated
computer security suites catch up with this
threat, I will now have to add a rootkit
detector to my recommended list of
essential computer security utilities,
alongside antivirus software, a good
firewall, and a spyware detector. It is also
imperative that all four of these utilities be
frequently updated to ensure a reasonable
degree of personal security. We will also
have to add rootkits to our vernacular of
cyber threats, along with the now ubiquitous terms “virus,” “spyware,” and “hacker.”
I shudder to wonder what may be
coming down the pike next.
The Editorial Committee of the
Association of Personal Computer User
Groups (APCUG), an international
organization of which this group is a
member, brings this article to you.
AKVIS COLORIAGE
Continued from Page 6
eye color and hair color. Purple and green
hair and blue lipstick is good for a laugh.
Download the Akvis Coloriage plugin for a 10-day free trial at http://akvis.com
/en/coloriage/index.php
Tutorials can be found on http://akvis.
com/en/coloriage-tutorial/index.php
After the 10 days a registration key is
required. The price of Coloriage is $97.
System requirements are:
Pentium III minimum
256 Ram minimum
15 MB free space on hard drive
Installed photo editor programs that
support plug-ins as listed in the beginning paragraph.
Page 7
Simple Password Practices Keep PC and Online Data Secure
by Gabe Goldberg, APCUG Advisor and Columnist, AARP Computers and Technology Website
P ASSWORD
DILEMMA
We can’t live an online life without
them, but if they’re too numerous to
remember, they encourage unsafe
practices. What to do?
First, basics. A password is just the
key that opens a computer lock. It may
gain access to a newspaper’s online edition, protect banking records, let you bid
on auctions, open a frequent-flyer account,
or do anything requiring verified identity.
Some Web sites assign passwords;
most allow choosing them. Rules for
selecting passwords are easy to find but
are often impractical. Don’t use easily
guessed familiar names or words; use
letters and numbers and special characters? OK. Avoid anything related to facts
about yourself? Makes sense. Don’t share
passwords with anyone? Good advice.
Change passwords periodically? Oops,
it’s a memory test [http://www.eval u8.org/
staticpage?page=review&siteid=8906].
Use unique passwords everywhere? Hm,
that takes a lot of passwords. Don’t write
them down or store them in a computer
file? Tilt!
Maintaining passwords is a nuisance.
So some people use one password for
everything — a bad idea, since sharing
or compromising one access opens
them all. Password hierarchies are common: use one password for financial
matters, another for commerce, and one
for trivials such as newspaper sites. That
avoids revealing your sensitive e-mail/
password combination to junk Web sites.
But don’t use a common password
for all e-commerce sites (amazon.com,
buy.com, etc.) since they’re occasionally hacked. And treat sites like
PayPal as financial rather than ecommerce. And don’t just guess which
password you used on a site; some
sites lock accounts after just a few
failed logins.
As passwords proliferate, it’s common
to store them in a computer file. And
having too many site-assigned passwords
guarantees the need to record them. But
please, don’t call the file “passwords.txt”
and don’t use the word “password” in it.
The paranoid and geeky encrypt such
files, but that risks losing the file by
forgetting the encryption key.
Page 8
You can print and save registration
pages, but that leads to bulky files,
cumbersome to search and requiring
updating. Some people use an address
book or print lists of sites and accounts,
then handwrite passwords. But that still
needs updating, and can be lost, destroyed, or found by someone untrustworthy.
If you have multiple email addresses,
note which you use on a given site,
since that’s often the key for logging in
or receiving password reminders.
Hackers use special software to
attack logins, applying dictionary word
lists and other guessing techniques.
Passwords are described as “strong”
(hard to crack) if they have at least eight
characters, include upper/lower case
and punctuation characters and at least
one digit. So even if you use a memory
aid for remembering passwords — such
as words from a poem — convert them
to strong passwords in a way that only
you will know.
High-tech devices can add security,
but they’re usually used only in
business settings; they include biometric devices which check fingerprints or
eye structure and random logon-key
generators.
Software password managers are
more practical. These record and secure
passwords and then auto-fill online
logins. Good ones offer a “don’t
remember/don’t ask” option to avoid
recording info about sensitive sites.
Encryption is desirable but not mandatory; it should be possible to secure the
password manager itself with a master
password.
Many managers are free, some are
bought, and common software such as
Web browsers and e-mail clients often
includes it. Google returns many hits
related to “password manager” and
classy software site Tucows [www.
tucows.com] numbers 300 such tools.
Before installing one, make sure it
supports your software applications,
especially if they’re non-Microsoft.
Many people don’t secure home
computers — but consider cleaners,
workers, friends wandering through,
perhaps even having permission to use
the computer. Suddenly security
THE MOTHERBOARD
becomes more appealing. If you handle
money online, check banking/financial
sites occasionally for unauthorized
transactions.
Remember that you may occasionally
need access to secure sites while away
from your computer. You can copy
passwords to a thumbdrive or PDA or
simply print them, but remember that
they’re powerful keys and must be
protected. Before traveling, check your
passwords so you’re not surprised on
the road. If you leave your computer
running, you can access it remotely via
tools such as GoToMyPC.
On business-owned PCs, separate
personal from work-related material.
Determine whether your office has
policies for personal computer use and
monitoring of computer activity. Some
businesses install keystroke loggers
which can capture passwords before
they’re encrypted. And remember that
system administrators can often defeat
security measures as part of their job,
so you may not want to store sensitive
personal material at work.
Work and home PCs both need
disaster preparation, so family members
or colleagues can access what’s needed in an emergency. Work-related passwords and instructions can be stored
securely so they’re available but can’t
be secretly used.
For home computers and facilities
such as e-mail and finance, remember
that many ISPs and companies have
privacy policies prohibiting revealing
information to family members, even in
cases of illness or death. Instructions
and important passwords should be
stored with essential family records.
Note that changing situations may
require special care — for example, a
divorce might motivate tight security.
This article appeared originally on
AARP’s Computers and Technology
Web site, [www.aarp.org/computers]. (c)
AARP 2004/2005.
The Editorial Committee of the
Association of Personal Computer User
Groups (APCUG), an international
organization of which this group is a
member, brings this article to you.
July 2005
Motherboard Newsletter
Contributors…
Our local contributors help tremendously to pay for the functioning
of our club. As club members please
do what you can to support their businesses.
Visit or call their businesses, be a patron if possible,
and tell them you saw their business card in the club’s newsletter.
Ink Jet Specialties
Suppliers of
Inkjet and Laser Cartridges, Refill Kits
Ribbons, bulk Ink & Accessories
Inkjet Refilling Service
Ed LeBouef
2610 Bechelli Ln.
Redding, CA 96002
(530) 243-4INK
Fax (419) 735-9063
Order Line 1-866-243-4INK
(530) 243-4465
www.inkjetspecialties.com [email protected]
Andy Main
Crown Camera
Imaging Experts
“Northern California’s Finest and First Internet Provider”
UNLIMITED INTERNET ACCESS
Starting at $15/month!
DSL & Wireless Access, Web Design
& Hosting Services
www.snowcrest.net
(530) 245-4698 / (530) 926-6888
Digital Cameras
Photo & Printer Supplies
1365 Market Street
M-F 8:30 - 5:30
Sat. 9 - 5
Redding, CA 96001
Phone: 530-243-8333 or 800-655-4256
FAX: 530-243-4978
Repair all makes & models
of personal computers.
! Repair monitors & printers
! Repair all types of computer
related equipment
! Sell IBM compatible
computer systems.
WE… !
Curtis Ricketts
(530) 357-3200
5309 Chestnut St.
Anderson, CA 96007
www.com-pair-svcs.com Fax: (530) 357-3803
The New Membership Application Below
Is Not A Renewal Reminder
Reminder..
Membership renewal dates are on the address label,
just above the member’s name.
IBMPC Users Group Of Redding
Membership Application
Name(s): _____________________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________
City:________________________________ State: _________ Zip: _______
Home Phone: __________________ Business Phone: ______________ ___
E-mail Address: ________________________________________ _____ __
Date: _______________
$25.00
DUES PER
YEAR
New
Renewal
Cash
Check
MAIL TO: IBM/PC Users Group of Redding,
P.O. Box 494778, Redding, CA 96049
(For general information call any Officer or Director listed on Page 2)
by Dorothy Kirk
Baby Boomers and Seniors
Internet Usage
The Shasta Senior Nutrition Program (SSNP) is looking
for someone to instruct classes in Beginning Windows,
More Advanced Windows, Windows XP, Word processing
(Word), and The Internet. You do not need to be an expert,
just know the basics. Lesson plans and plenty of help are
available. The computers are in a private room and use
either Windows 2000 or Windows XP. Give it a try, it’s
rewarding, as well as fun!
Call 226-3060 or visit the main office at 2225 College
View Drive. Ask for Tammy or Debbie.
Hi, I am a Masters Student at Swinburne University in Australia,
and I’m currently doing my thesis on Baby Boomer and Seniors
Internet Usage. It’s one of a few similar academic research
papers on this topic.
The survey is totally anonymous and can be viewed at
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=399441062138
It takes around 7-10 minutes to complete.
Thanks and Kind Regards
Anna Coates, [email protected]
Posted with the APCUG Organization, June 2005
SSNP Volunteer Wanted
July 2005
THE MOTHERBOARD
Page 9
Why Join A
Computer Club?
1 . Benefit from a common interest in a
personal (and costly) investment: Your
business or personal computer.
2 . Enjoy more of that investment by learning
more about it.
3 . Share ti ps an
cks, as well as new
andd tri
tricks,
and old ideas.
4 . Become exposed to a variety of new
hardware and software without sales
pressure.
5 . Receive an informative monthly newsletter.
6 . Have access to various club func-tions
and all Special Interest Groups (SIGs).
7 . Find out that no one needs to be
alone and helpless with todays computer
technology.
Multi-Media
SIG
IBM/PC Users Group of Redding
P.O. Box 494778
Redding, CA 96049-4778
CUG’S MEETING PLACE
Palo Cedro Church Of Christ
21895 St. Francis Way.
Includes Digital Cameras, Burning Music
CDs, and Creating
QuickT
ime Movies.
QuickTime
Saturday — 10 AM
Class will resume on Sept. 24th.
Churn Creek Golf Course
Meeting Room;
7335 Churn Creek Rd.
Jane Quinn 365-0825
qjquinn@charter
.net
[email protected]
Windows
&
More
SIG
DTP &
Graphics
Art SIG
Wednesday — 11:30 AM
Class will resume on Sept. 7th.
Wednesday — 2 PM
Class will resume on Sept. 7th.
Please see map to left
for meeting place.
Judi Ball 275-4632
jebed@charter
.net
[email protected]
Bill Ball 275-4632
bcard9@charter
.net
[email protected]
Page 10
THE MOTHERBOARD
July 2005