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https://killexams.com/exam_list/EXINKillexams : A Modern Approach to Data ProtectionNo result found, try new keyword!Ever-evolving cybersecurity threats and infrastructure complexity can make it difficult for small IT teams to keep up. Managed services providers can help. Do your due diligence and research ...Tue, 08 Feb 2022 18:47:00 -0600entext/htmlhttps://www.computerworld.com/Killexams : Social ProtectionNo result found, try new keyword!UNHCR is working with governments and international actors to implement an area-based approach promoting access to social protection programmes for displaced and host populations. UNHCR identifies ...Tue, 21 Dec 2021 13:10:00 -0600entext/htmlhttps://www.unhcr.org/social-protection.htmlKillexams : What Is Overdraft Protection? How It Works and Do You Need It
What Is Overdraft Protection?
Overdraft protection is an optional service that prevents the rejection of charges to a bank account (primarily checks, ATM transactions, debit-card charges) that are in excess of the available funds in the account. Overdraft protection, sometimes called cash-reserve checking, is used most frequently as a cushion for checking accounts, but it also can be applied to savings accounts.
With overdraft protection, even if the account has insufficient funds, the bank will cover the shortfall so that the transaction goes through. When a customer signs up for overdraft protection, they designate a backup account for the bank to use as the source to cover any overdrafts—usually a linked savings account, credit card, or line of credit. However, the bank charges the customer for this service in a few ways, e.g., overdraft fees to process any transactions that overdraw the account.
Key Takeaways
Overdraft protection is a ensure that a check, ATM, wire transfer, or debit card transaction will clear if the account balance falls below zero.
There may be heavy fees and interest associated with overdraft protection, depending on the kind of linked account used.
Overdraft protection lines of credit can range from $250 to $5,000 and above.
How Overdraft Protection Works
Without overdraft protection, transactions that have insufficient funds to cover them are returned unpaid—that is, checks bounce and debit transactions are refused, which can be expensive and disruptive for the customer. Most banks charge hefty overdraft and non-sufficient funds (NSF) fees (between $30 and $35, per transaction, on average) for accounts that do not have sufficient funds. What's more, not only can the bank refuse payment and charge the account holder, but a penalty or fee may also be charged by the merchant for the failed transaction.
To avoid overdraft and NSF fees, customers who choose overdraft protection link their checking accounts to credit cards, savings accounts, or other lines of credit that kick in whenever they withdraw more than the current balance. This amounts to an automatic, pre-approved loan or transfer every time the customer with insufficient funds writes a check, makes a wire transfer, swipes a debit card, or asks an ATM for a sum in excess of the balance.
As soon as the overdraft protection service is triggered, the linked account is charged a transfer fee to move funds to cover the shortfall. The account holder may also be charged either an additional fee every month that overdraft protection is used or a fixed monthly fee for continuous protection.
Bounced Check Penalties
If you bounce a check, you can incur a variety of charges or, in extreme cases, your bank can close your account, which also impacts your ability to open a new checking account.
Example of Overdraft Protection
If a renter with overdraft protection writes an $800 check on an account with a balance of $650, the overdraft protection from their linked account kicks in as soon as the check is cashed—and the check clears instead of bouncing due to insufficient funds.
The bank charges a transfer fee of $15 for approving a transaction that exceeds available funds. The renter will now have a balance of $635 ($650 - $15) in the account as well as a charge of $800 to pay off on the linked credit card, line of credit, or savings account.
Multiple Overdraft or NSF Fees
In the absence of overdraft protection, it is not uncommon for banks to charge multiple overdraft or NSF fees per day. For example, a consumer might make successive purchases without realizing that the amount in their account is insufficient to cover the charges. If a checking account goes negative for more than a few days, many banks also charge an extended overdraft fee. It’s important to note that—even if you have overdraft protection—banks can still charge this additional fee.
Special Considerations
Lines of credit for overdraft protection can range from $250 to $5,000 and above—and, of course, customers incur interest charges and transaction fees for using these lines.
If a credit card is used as the backup account, the amount is treated as a cash advance—which can be an expensive form of overdraft protection. Not only do cash advances have no grace period, but they also have high interest rates and high fees (usually $10 flat fees or 5% of the advance, whichever is greater).
A linked savings account is probably the least expensive backup account for overdraft protection, but the backup must hold enough money to cover the shortfall in the first account.
Trends in Overdraft Protection
Overdraft fees have always been among the most controversial bank fees. According to a BankRate.com survey of 245 banks and thrifts in 25 large U.S. markets, the average overdraft fee declined to a 13-year low of $29.80, which is down 11% over last year’s record high of $33.58.
In the wake of the 2020 pandemic, public debate accelerated a trend toward eliminating overdraft fees altogether. For example, the U.S. Senate held hearings on how and why banks charge fees for insufficient funds and criticized bank CEOs for refusing to halt overdraft fees during the pandemic.
More evidence of this trend includes a 2022 American Banker report that—as big banks made headlines for reducing or eliminating overdraft fees—even credit unions felt pressure from regulators and digital bank competitors to do the same.
Is There a Limit on Overdraft Fees?
Federal laws do not specify maximums that banks can charge for overdrafts, but banks are required to disclose any fees when the account is established—and they are required to supply customers advance notice of any fee increase.
Can Banks Refuse to Cover Overdrafts?
Banks are not required to offer overdraft protection, and—even when they do and a customer opts in—they retain the right to pay or not pay a particular overdraft transaction that might fall outside the rules of the agreement.
Is Overdraft Protection Mandatory?
Overdraft protection is optional; it is only the service that is automatic for bank customers who choose to opt in for overdraft protection on their checking or savings accounts.
Fri, 14 Aug 2020 13:11:00 -0500entext/htmlhttps://www.investopedia.com/terms/o/overdraft-protection.aspKillexams : Privacy and Protection: A children’s rights approach to encryption
A new report, co-published by CRIN and defenddigitalme, aims to capture the full complexity of how encryption affects children’s lives. It sets out principles for an approach to encryption that recognises and respects the full range of their rights.
This statement was originally published on home.crin.org on 19 January 2023.
A new report, co-published by CRIN anddefenddigitalmeaims to capture the full complexity of how encryption affects children’s lives. It sets out principles for an approach to encryption that recognises and respects the full range of their rights.
Encryption is everywhere, for children as for adults. It plays an essential role in securing communications throughout children’s lives, from everyday visits to websites to using health services.
A debate is currently underway regarding encryption and public safety, with a focus on the fight against online child sexual exploitation and abuse. This discussion is often experienced as a divide between a child protection approach and a civil liberties focus. This report, co-published by CRIN and defenddigitalme is a response to this divide, based on a recognition of the full complexity of how encryption affects children’s lives. Its aim is to set out principles for an approach to encryption that recognises and respects the full range of their rights.
How did we get here?
The development of encryption, and the debates that surround it, have a long history and are intertwined with the technological developments of the past 50 years. The report begins by placing this debate in its historical context, from the “crypto-wars” since the 1970s to the challenges of today, and explores the relevant technology, including tools used to identify online child sexual abuse material. We aim to be clear about the uses, functions, benefits, costs and compromises of this technology, so that its role and impact on children’s rights can be assessed.
Moving beyond polarisation
“Despite the common narrative of polarisation in discussions about encryption, we found there is much more that unites those involved than divides them. The most striking difference is the understanding of the limitations of what technology can deliver today on the part of technologists and digital rights advocates, compared with the high hopes of many child protection specialists.”
~ Jen Persson, Director of defenddigitalme
Current discussions on encryption involve a range of actors, from policy-makers and law enforcement, to civil society, academia, social media, and established industry bodies and businesses, as well as emerging companies in the child safety market. Many different perspectives are involved, from child protection, privacy and data protection, to technology, Internet regulation, and politics. Moving beyond the current divides requires an understanding of the various approaches and priorities of those working in this space.
Interviews, questionnaires, and conversations with these professionals were at the heart of our research. Building on these, the report represents and examines a variety of perspectives on Topics ranging from the pressing need to address online child sexual abuse and to include survivors’ voices, to the role, possibilities and limitations of technology and regulation, as well as the call to think beyond the dominant Anglo- and Euro-centric approaches. The report identifies frictions and faultlines but also where there is space for consensus, with the aim of improving the transparency of the discussion, agreeing on what is already settled, and moving the conversation forward.
Children’s rights are on all sides of the discourse
The polarisation of “privacy versus protection” masks a complex picture. Encryption engages nearly all of children’s rights from a wide variety of angles. Applications of encryption can protect or expose children to violence, promote or undermine their privacy, encourage or chill their expression.
The report explores how encryption affects the full spectrum of children’s rights, treating the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as an agreed international foundation. It examines how the Convention applies to children who are affected by or use technology that involves encryption by setting out both the benefits and the risks that encryption may pose to the realisation of children’s rights.
The report also argues that a children’s rights approach to the debate must recognise that children are a diverse group and the impact of encryption can vary significantly depending on their backgrounds, needs and identities. Children can be affected by encryption in both public and private settings and in a variety of contexts, including where they belong to disadvantaged or marginalised groups. The report therefore suggests scenarios to open up the discussion beyond the paradigm of privacy versus protection, giving examples of the breadth and complexity of ethical, legal and practical issues at stake.
“The debate about encryption cannot be a question of privacy versus protection – children have a right to both. The challenge lies in how to secure the full range of children’s rights in this space, both in terms of how the debate is held and the outcomes we want to achieve.”
~ Leo Ratledge, Co-Director of CRIN
What would a children’s rights approach to encryption look like?
Applying children’s rights to the terms of the current debate, Privacy and Protection sets out ten principles for a children’s rights approach to encryption.
The approach to the issue is important as well as the outcome, so the first five of these principles address how the issue should be framed and deal with questions of process. We argue that:
Actions affecting the digital environment must respect the full range of children’s rights, from protection from violence to privacy and freedom of expression.
No single law, policy or technology can protect children online or secure their human rights more broadly. Interventions engaging encryption must be seen within a wider ecosystem with many actors.
All those with relevant expertise must be involved in discussions and decision-making regarding children and the digital environment, including on encryption.
Children and other directly affected communities, for example survivors of child sexual abuse or those disproportionately affected by intrusive data practices, must be heard and their views given due weight.
The digital environment is interconnected and regulation in one jurisdiction is very likely to cause ripple effects in others, therefore policy-makers engaging with encryption must address the impact beyond their own jurisdiction.
The latter five principles deal with the substance of policy-making around encryption. We argue that:
There should be no generalised ban on encryption for children.
Interventions engaging encryption must consider and address specific political, economic, social and cultural contexts.
Restrictions on qualified children’s rights such as privacy must be necessary and proportionate. They should be sufficiently clear and precise, limited to achieving a legitimate goal and the least intrusive way of doing so.
Policy-making should address the role of business, including by requiring more transparency around how platforms prevent and remedy violations of children’s rights.
Children must have access to justice for all violations of their full range of rights in the digital environment, including where encryption is engaged.
Moving the debate forward
We are at a point where policy-making will shape how children engage with the digital environment for decades to come. It is essential that discussions and interventions related to encryption are grounded in the full range of expertise in technology and the law, and that they respect all children’s rights.
We hope that this report contributes to a better understanding of the terms of the debate and how the use of encryption engages children’s rights, and that the principles provide a useful framework for richer and more transparent discussions that value both privacy and protection.
Thu, 19 Jan 2023 10:00:00 -0600en-UStext/htmlhttps://ifex.org/privacy-and-protection-a-childrens-rights-approach-to-encryption/Killexams : The Best Antivirus Software for 2023
The idea of a computer virus—a self-replicating program—was once seen as a novelty. Individuals wrote viruses to show off their skillz, impress their significant others, or advertise their businesses. These days, though, writing viruses, Trojans, ransomware, and other types of malware is just another corporate job, albeit an illegal one. The point is to make money, whether by selling stolen personal information, stealing from financial accounts, or just demanding a ransom. Malware coders are even using AI to streamline their work. Don’t be a victim. Make sure all your devices have antivirus software installed, and check that they’re active and up to date.
But which antivirus should you choose? There are so many! We’ve reviewed more than 40 antivirus utilities so you can easily select one that fits your needs. We've gathered the top 10 tested products here, along with what to look for when selecting the right antivirus for you, which you can find after the listings below.
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Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus
Best Overall Antivirus
Why We Picked It
You can buy an antivirus utility that does everything an antivirus should, or you can buy one that does more—way more. That would be Bitdefender Antivirus Plus. The Plus in this case represents a multitude of features. Ransomware protection, a hardened browser for your financial transactions, VPN protection for your connections, a feature that smacks down ad trackers, automatic detection of missing security patches, a simple password manager…the list goes on. While its name says antivirus, this product's feature list beats many security suites.
Not only that, but it’s also a good antivirus. The independent testing labs routinely grant it perfect or near-perfect scores, and it aces many of our hands-on tests. Its ransomware-specific defense system proved itself in testing, too. And its Autopilot feature means that all this happens with minimum bother for you, the user.
Oh, there are a few minor nits. The password manager doesn’t have all the fanciest features, for example. And if you want unlimited use of the VPN, you must pay a bit extra. But, overall, this is a marvelous choice for antivirus protection.
Who It’s For
If you want maximal antivirus protection with minimal interaction, just fire up Bitdefender Antivirus Plus and turn on its Autopilot. Now you can sit back and do, well, anything you want!
PROS
Outstanding scores in independent lab tests and our phishing protection tests
Multi-layered ransomware protection
Isolated browser for banking safety
Active Do Not Track
Offers a VPN
Many security-centered bonus features
CONS
Unlimited VPN access requires separate subscription
Remarkably slow first full scan
McAfee AntiVirus Plus
Best for Multi-Device Households
Why We Picked It
Installing antivirus protection on your main production computer is a good thing. Extending that protection to all your other devices is even better. With McAfee AntiVirus Plus, one subscription lets you install security software on every Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS device in your household. When all your devices are armored against attack, the whole network benefits.
McAfee gets plenty of high scores from the independent labs, though there are occasional slips. Its scores in our own hands-on tests are simply dazzling. And it goes beyond basic antivirus protection, with Ransom Guard, a simple firewall, a system to foil cryptojacking, and more.
Who It’s For
How many computing devices are there in your household? If you lost count, if you couldn’t begin to say how many, McAfee AntiVirus Plus is just the antivirus you need. You can use any protected device to extend an installation invitation to any unprotected device, until your whole network is wrapped in protection.
PROS
Security for all your Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, Android, and iOS devices
Excellent scores in our hands-on tests
Virus protection pledge
Protection Center encourages improving security
CONS
Antivirus missed one modified ransomware sample
Several long-standing features slated for removal
Very slow full scan on Windows
Protection Center not fully functional without suite-level features
Mac edition lacks many features found under Windows
ESET NOD32 Antivirus
Best for Techies
Why We Picked It
When you see ESET’s blue-eyed cyborg mascot gazing serenely from the screen of ESET NOD32 Antivirus, you just know you’ve got some high-tech protection. It hits top scores in some independent lab tests and some of our own tests—we always like to see both. And ESET goes beyond many competitors with unusual high-tech features like its UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) scan, a cut above the more common boot sector scan. It even looks for intrusions in the WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) database.
Yes, you need some technical expertise to understand and make use of these high-tech features. The same is true of the Host Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS), which aims to detect and block attacks that try to leverage vulnerabilities in the operating system or in popular programs. As for the Device Control system, it’s a techie’s dream. You can exert total control on all types of external devices, or on individual devices. For example, you could ban the use of USB drives, so the kids don’t bring home malware with their homework, but specifically allow use of devices you’ve vetted yourself. At the device or type level, you can block all use, force read-only access, or just display a warning.
Who It’s For
Some antivirus tools do their best to work in the background with no technical involvement by the user. That’s not ESET NOD32 Antivirus. This product is great for those who want to get their hands dirty, taking an active role in security protection. If you have the knowledge and skills to use them, ESET has the features for you.
PROS
Some excellent scores from independent labs
Some good scores in our hands-on tests
HIPS component blocks exploits
Comprehensive device control
CONS
Poor score in our hands-on malware blocking test
Device control too complex for most users
Ransomware protection not effective in testing
G Data Antivirus
Best Breadth of Features
Why We Picked It
The G Data website states that G Data released the first antivirus program in 1985. Whether or not it was the very first, G Data Antivirus has a long and storied history. Two of the four independent labs we follow supply the nod to this venerable tool in their latest tests. AV-Test gives it the top possible rating, while its scores in tests by AV-Comparatives range from passing to perfect. In our hands-on malware protection and malicious get defense tests, G Data scored very near the maximum.
Over the course of its evolution, this antivirus tool has picked up quite a few bonus security tools. With the regular antivirus disabled, its behavior-based ransomware protection layers detected half the samples we threw at it. An exploit detection component scored better than most competitors in testing. Other bonus features include spam filtering, BankGuard protection for financial transaction, active defense against keyloggers, and fine-grained control over startup programs.
Who It’s For
Some folks lean toward the newest, shiniest antivirus protection, while others prefer a mature product that’s had plenty of time to shake out any weaknesses. G Data Antivirus is definitely full-grown, and includes quite a few security bonuses. It’s just thing for those seeking a well-aged antivirus tool.
PROS
Excellent score in our hands-on malware protection test
Protects against banking Trojans, keyloggers, ransomware, and exploits
Includes spam filter
CONS
Mixed scores in independent lab tests
Malwarebytes Premium
Best for Speedy Scans
Why We Picked It
For years, the cleanup-only Malwarebytes Free has been the go-to solution when your regular antivirus can’t do the job, but it was always a specialty tool, not for everyday use. Malwarebytes Premium, on the other hand, offers all the features you expect in a full-scale antivirus, starting with scanning on demand, on schedule, and on file access. Its full scan is speedy, and it uses a variety of techniques for real-time protection, including behavior-based detection, ransomware activity detection, and protection against exploit attacks.
It’s true that lab results for Malwarebytes are mixed, some great, some so-so. The company contends that its advanced detection techniques aren’t a perfect fit for standardized tests. In our own hands-on tests, it proved highly effective, earning a rare 10 of 10 points for malware protection and excellent scores for defending against malicious and fraudulent web pages.
Who It’s For
Anyone who’s used Malwarebytes Free to remedy another antivirus tool’s slip-up will appreciate the full-powered Malwarebytes Premium. Even if you never needed that kind of rescue, this product’s speedy scan and excellent hands-on test results are a big draw.
PROS
Maximum possible score in our hands-on malware protection test
Excellent scores in phishing and malicious URL blocking tests
Speedy full scan
Includes exploit protection, ransomware protection, behavior-based detection
More independent lab test results
Norton AntiVirus Plus
Best for Single-Desktop Protection
Why We Picked It
Quick, name three antivirus companies. Was one of them Norton? Probably. Norton’s antivirus prowess has developed over decades, and Norton AntiVirus Plus is the pinnacle of that evolution. All the testing labs we follow report on Norton’s capabilities, and it gets plenty of perfect scores. Norton also aces our hands-on tests, including a test using a dozen real-world ransomware samples.
There’s more to this product than just antivirus, too. Its firewall protects against both outside attacks and betrayal from within, without bombarding the unsuspecting user with confusing popup queries. A separate module enhances firewall protection by detecting and blocking exploit attacks. Other bonus features include a backup system that can archive your files locally or in the provided online storage, a spam filter for those who still need such a thing, a new software updater tool, and more.
The one thing you don’t get with Norton is multi-device protection. This antivirus is strictly for Windows, and it’s a single-license product, with no volume discounts. If you need more Norton, try the company’s suite products.
Who It’s For
Not everyone needs to protect a houseful of devices. Some of us are happy with a single, powerful computer, protected by a single, powerful antivirus. Is that you? If so, Norton AntiVirus Plus is just what you need.
PROS
Excellent scores in independent lab tests and our hands-on tests
Data Protector foils ransomware attacks
New Software Updater
Enhanced My Norton Dashboard
Online backup enabled out of the box
Includes many bonus security features
CONS
Expensive
No multi-license pricing
Rare poor score in phishing test
Sophos Home Premium
Best for Thrifty Users
Why We Picked It
Sophos is a big name in business-level antivirus, with remote management to keep the IT team in charge of security. Sophos Home Premium brings that same remote management to you, the consumer. You can install antivirus protection for your family and friends, whether they’re across town or across the country, and manage all the installations without leaving your lair. Best of all, it’s seriously inexpensive, with a 10-license price that matches what many competitors charge for just three licenses.
This antivirus only has one latest lab test score, but it’s a good one—AAA certification from SE Labs. In our hands-on malware protection test it managed 100% detection and scored 9.9 of 10 possible points. It also earned 100% for defending against malware-hosting web pages. But its protection doesn’t stop there. Packed in its tiny local agent program are effective ransomware protection, defense against exploit attacks, an admittedly less-effective parental control content filter, protection for your financial transactions, webcam hijack prevention, and more.
As noted, you can manage all your installations from a convenient online console. More recently, Sophos has extended that remote control ability to apps for Android and iOS, meaning you can exercise your remote control powers from anywhere.
Who It’s For
Are you the default security expert for your extended family or circle of friends? Are you tired of driving across town to rescue your beloved uncle after he clicked something he shouldn’t have? With Sophos Home Premium you can take good care of your peeps from wherever you happen to be.
PROS
Excellent scores in some hands-on tests
Convenient mobile management app
Protects against ransomware, keyloggers, exploits
Remotely manages up to 10 PCs or Macs
Inexpensive
CONS
Limited results from testing labs
Parental control and webcam protection limited
So-so phishing test score
Advanced features require uncommon tech expertise
F-Secure Anti-Virus
Best for No-Frills Protection
Why We Picked It
Sometimes you feel like a suite, sometimes you don’t. F-Secure Anti-Virus sticks to the essential tasks of an antivirus: scanning for malware on demand, on schedule, and on file access. An F-Secure full scan is speedy, a re-scan even speedier, and it has a new people-oriented user interface. As a bonus, the typical price for one antivirus license gets you an F-Secure threefer.
When we last reviewed it, F-Secure had test results from all four of the labs we follow, and an aggregate labs score of 9.1 points (with 10 points the maximum). Only two of the latest reports include F-Secure, but it got a perfect score from AV-Test and passed a grueling test by MRG-Effitas, for an aggregate score of 9.9. A network-level filter blocks access to dangerous malware-hosting websites, though it doesn’t attempt detection of phishing frauds. And the antivirus took a decent score in our hands-on malware protection test.
Who It’s For
If you want an inexpensive, speedy antivirus tool that does its job without a lot of fuss, F-Secure Anti-Virus is for you.
PROS
Excellent lab test scores
Good scores in our hands-on tests
Detects brand-new malware, including ransomware
New, cheerful interface
Inexpensive
CONS
Behavioral detection missed some ransomware samples
No phishing protection
Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security
Best for Single-PC Protection
Why We Picked It
Though it originated in Los Angeles, Trend Micro is now a global security corporation based in Japan, one that’s acquired many other security businesses over the years. Its collective technology makes Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security more than just an antivirus. Among other components, Trend Micro features: Pay Guard to protect your financial transactions; a Firewall Booster; spam filtering with a separate Fraud Buster component; multi-layered ransomware protection; a detector for unauthorized cryptocurrency mining; and markup of dangerous links in search results and social media.
But does it work? AV-Test’s latest report gives Trend Micro a perfect score, and past evaluations by SE Labs certified it at the top AAA level. It failed one of three tests from AV-Comparatives, though. And it also failed two admittedly difficult tests by MRG-Effitas. On the plus side, it earned perfect scores in our tests of defense against malicious and fraudulent websites.
Like Norton, this is a single-device product, with no volume discounts. If you want a multi-device license from Trend Micro you’ll have to opt for one of its suite products.
Who It’s For
Don’t turn to Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security to protect a house full of computing devices. That’s not what it’s for. Rather, install it on that one essential computer where you spend your work and play time.
PROS
Perfect score in our antiphishing test
Perfect score against malware-hosting pages
Layered ransomware protection
Multifaceted browser extension
Many bonus features
CONS
Tanked our hands-on malware protection test
Some failures in independent lab tests
Social network protection choices dated
No multi-device volume licensing
Compare SpecsThe Best Antivirus Software for 2023
Buying Guide: The Best Antivirus Software for 2023
Where Did Kaspersky Go?
Kaspersky Anti-Virus has topped the antivirus lab testing charts for many years, garnering perfect scores, or at least near-perfect. It has also held PCMag's Editors' Choice honor for countless years. It's both attractive and effective. And it no longer appears in our list of best antivirus products. Here's why.
For years, Kaspersky has faced accusations and censure based on its Russian origins, though none of the accusations have come backed by hard evidence of malicious behavior. We at PCMag focused on the capabilities of the products, not on the brouhaha around the company. However, the current war in Ukraine has raised the stakes. Governments and third parties are cutting ties with Kaspersky. The FCC labeled Kaspersky a national security risk.
After consideration, we can no longer recommend you purchase Kaspersky security products. We've left the reviews in place, with a warning, since they provide useful information. But at least for now, we're removing Kaspersky products from our "Best of" lists.
What Are Viruses, Malware, and Ransomware?
We call it antivirus, but in truth it's unlikely you'll get hit with an actual computer virus. Malware these days is about making money, and there's no easy way to cash in on spreading a virus. Ransomware and data-stealing Trojans are much more common, as are bots that let the bot-herder rent out your computer for nefarious purposes. Modern antivirus utilities handle Trojans, rootkits, spyware, adware, ransomware, and more. As noted, PCMag has reviewed more than 40 different commercial antivirus utilities, and that's not even counting the many free antivirus tools. Out of that extensive field we've named several Editors' Choice products and honored others with a four-star rating. If you have malware, one of the products listed in this article should take care of the problem.
These commercial products offer protection beyond the antivirus built into Windows; the best free antivirus utilities also offer more than Windows does. However, Microsoft Windows Defender Security Center is looking better and better lately, with some good scores from independent testing labs. The combination of good lab scores and a great score in our hands-on malware protection test was enough to bring it up to 3.5 stars. It doesn't appear in this roundup of commercial antivirus products, naturally.
We Listen to the Antivirus Testing Labs
We take the results reported by independent antivirus testing labs seriously. The simple fact that a company's product shows up in the results is a vote of confidence, of sorts. It means the lab considered the product significant, and the company felt the cost of testing was worthwhile. Of course, high scores in the tests are also important.
We follow four labs that regularly release detailed reports: SE Labs, AV-Test Institute(Opens in a new window), MRG-Effitas, and AV-Comparatives. We've devised a system for aggregating their results to yield a rating from 0 to 10.
How We Test Malware, Spyware, and Adware Defenses
We also subject every product to our own hands-on test of malware protection, in part to get a feeling for how the product works. Depending on how thoroughly the product prevents malware installation, it can earn up to 10 points for malware protection.
Our malware protection test necessarily uses the same set of samples for months. To check a product's handling of brand-new malware, we test each product using a large collection of extremely new malware-hosting URLs supplied by MRG-Effitas(Opens in a new window), noting what percentage of them it blocked. Products get equal credit for preventing all access to the malicious URL and for wiping out the malware during download.
Some products earn stellar ratings from the independent labs, yet don't fare as well in our hands-on tests. In such cases, we defer to the labs, as they bring significantly greater resources to their testing. Want to know more? You can dig in for a detailed description of how we test security software.
What's the Best Antivirus for Malware Protection?
Antivirus products distinguish themselves by going beyond the basics of on-demand scanning and real-time malware protection. Some rate URLs that you visit or that show up in search results, using a red-yellow-green color-coding system. Some actively block processes on your system from connecting with known malware-hosting URLs or with fraudulent (phishing) pages.
Software has flaws, and sometimes those flaws affect your security. Prudent users keep Windows and all programs patched, fixing those flaws as soon as possible. The vulnerability scan offered by some antivirus products can verify all necessary patches are present, and even apply any that are missing.
Spyware comes in many forms, from hidden programs that log your every keystroke to Trojans masquerading as valid programs while mining your personal data. Any antivirus should handle spyware, along with all other types of malware, but some include specialized components devoted to spyware protection.
You expect an antivirus to identify and eliminate bad programs, and to leave good programs alone. What about unknowns, programs it can't identify as good or bad? Behavior-based detection can, in theory, protect you against malware so new researchers have never encountered it. However, this isn't always an unmixed blessing. It's not uncommon for behavioral detection systems to flag many innocuous behaviors performed by legitimate programs.
Allow-listing is another approach to the problem of unknown programs. This type of security system only allows known good programs to run. Unknowns are banned. This mode doesn't suit all situations, but it can be useful. Sandboxing lets unknown programs run, but it isolates them from full access to your system, so they can't do permanent harm. These various added layers serve to enhance your protection against malware.
What's the Best Antivirus for Ransomware Protection and Firewalls?
Firewalls and spam filtering aren't common antivirus features, but some of our top products include them as bonuses. In fact, some of these antivirus products are more feature-packed than certain products sold as security suites.
Among the other bonus features you'll find are secure browsers for financial transactions, secure deletion of sensitive files, wiping traces of computer and browsing history, credit monitoring, virtual keyboard to foil keyloggers, cross-platform protection, and more. And of course, we've already mentioned sandboxing, vulnerability scanning, and application whitelisting.
We're seeing more and more antivirus products adding modules specifically designed for ransomware protection. Some work by preventing unauthorized changes to protected files. Others keep watch for suspicious behaviors that suggest malware. Some even aim to reverse the damage. Given the growth of this scourge, any added protection is beneficial.
Beyond Antivirus: Install a VPN
Your antivirus utility works in the background to keep out any faint possibility of infestation by malware, but its abilities don't extend beyond the bounds of your computer. When you connect to the wild and wooly internet, you risk the possibility your data could be compromised in transit. Sticking to HTTPS websites when possible can help, but for full protection of your data in transit you should install a Virtual Private Network, or VPN. This component is important enough that we're starting to see it as a bonus feature in some antivirus tools.
What Is the Best Antivirus?
Which antivirus should you choose? You have a wealth of options. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus routinely takes perfect or near-perfect scores from the independent antivirus testing labs, and it has more features than some security suites. A single subscription for McAfee AntiVirus Plus lets you install protection on all your Windows, Android, Mac OS, and iOS devices. Its unusual behavior-based detection technology means Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus is the tiniest antivirus around. We've named these three Editors' Choice for commercial antivirus, but they're not the only products worth consideration. Read the reviews of our top-rated products, and then make your own decision.
Tue, 18 Oct 2022 19:12:00 -0500entext/htmlhttps://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-antivirus-protection?test_uuid=05n7gTzbSo0Sh5pVEDljnCi&test_variant=bKillexams : Online training in radiation protection
This course available in English, Russian and Spanish provides continuing safety and quality education to radiotherapy professionals. Participants Excellerate their understanding of safety in radiotherapy, learn techniques to reduce and avoid radiotherapy incidents and understand the value and use of incident learning systems.
The course aims to help participants:
Improve their understanding of safety in radiotherapy;
Learn techniques to reduce and avoid radiotherapy incidents;
Understand the value and use of incident learning systems;
Learn about useful sources of information to enhance safety in radiotherapy;
Gain insight into improving safety culture in medical clinics/facilities;
The course is organized into twelve modules, each with a short quiz at the end. These quizzes serve as a self-check for participants to review their own understanding of the material.
The course covers major incidents in radiotherapy, learning and reporting incidents, process maps, severity metrics, basic causes and safety barriers, failure modes and effects analysis, fault tree analysis, and safety culture.
Each of the course’s 12 modules includes a short quiz to help participants review their understanding of the material.
The course is estimated to take five hours to complete. Participants who wish to do so can receive a certificate of completion.
Mon, 09 Jan 2023 18:47:00 -0600entext/htmlhttps://www.iaea.org/resources/rpop/resources/online-training-in-radiation-protectionKillexams : A New Approach to Branding BlockchainsNo result found, try new keyword!However, there is an emerging category of blockchain-native projects that takes a different approach from previous decentralized finance (DeFi) companies. These projects are defined by their ...Thu, 19 Jan 2023 20:08:00 -0600text/htmlhttps://www.nasdaq.com/articles/a-new-approach-to-branding-blockchainsKillexams : Long-Term Investments Require a New Approach
Ongoing market volatility has left many investors grasping for an investment lifeline to help them stay afloat amidst stormy economic conditions. Conventional approaches to long-term investments follow the 60/40 model(opens in new tab), which allocates 60% of your portfolio to stocks and 40% to bonds. But that strategy may no longer produce your desired results, as both asset classes have performed under their historical averages during the last two decades.
Bond yields historically had an inverse relationship with the stock market to help offset loss. But in 2022, inflation and other global economic factors caused both bonds and stocks to fall. Anyone relying on the 60/40 model is likely finding themselves in deep water. Modern market conditions require a fresh approach to long-term investing in order to properly protect your retirement savings.
Catch Up With the Times
When the 60/40 model was originally developed, the S&P 500 historically averaged a 12.1%(opens in new tab) return (from 1957-1999). Since 2000, the S&P 500 has averaged a 6.3%(opens in new tab) return. For anyone using the 60/40 model, 60% of their portfolio is now yielding half of its historical average.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Current investors are faced with slower worldwide economic growth, high inflation and rising interest rates, which demands an updated investment approach.
In addition, computer technology has allowed the stock market to move at lightning speed as billions of dollars are traded in nanoseconds, leading to more volatility. When the market crashed in 2020, stocks lost a third of their value in just 33 days(opens in new tab). During the Great Depression, it took four years to see that same level of loss. Wall Street is a whole new ball game, and if you don’t adjust your investment tactics accordingly, you may find yourself trying to recover from unnecessary market losses.
Leverage Consistent Strategies to Offset Volatility
To make headway in a volatile market environment, investors need to create consistency in their investment approach to prevent emotions from getting in the way of decision-making. Buying low and selling high is counterintuitive to most people. To make it effortless, look to utilize dollar-cost averaging (DCA), which has you invest equal payments monthly. This allows you to buy into the market at different levels and smooths out the risk of buying “all-in” right before a big market drop or from missing out on an eventual upswing.
Seek out low-cost investments that will prevent “fee drag” from decreasing your long-term gains. Fees from brokers, advisers and fund companies can significantly reduce the value of your retirement account. ETFs and index funds are low-cost investment options that can lower your fee drag while still providing broad exposure to the market.
If you are within 10 years of retirement, consider “sweeping the gains” from your portfolio after significant profits in the market. Put those gains into a protected investment vehicle, like an annuity, to ensure you won’t lose all of your profit if the market drops when you want to retire. It takes only one bad market year like 2008 or 2022 to delay your retirement plans, but thinking proactively can provide significant protection and allow you to keep a portion of your gains.
Hedge Your Portfolio (Risk Management)
Portfolio hedging is a strategy to reduce investment risk and protect your portfolio against volatility and capital loss. A hedge is an investment intended to move in the opposite direction of a risky asset in your portfolio, providing inverse exposure.
Rather than being highly concentrated, you can hedge your portfolio by investing in at least a dozen different asset classes. This will prevent correlation between your assets, reducing the risk of all your investments dropping in tandem during volatile times. A broadly diversified portfolio consists of not only traditional equities, fixed-income and cash assets, but also real estate, precious metals, commodities and emerging markets.
One strategy you may want to consider is the use of options to mitigate risk in your portfolio. Options can provide protection from losing significant capital if structured properly. Of course, options are complicated and should be used only by a highly experienced investment professional, as they are leveraged instruments that can be used to increase or decrease risk in a portfolio. Everyone’s circumstances are different, and seeking a financial professional is highly advised.
Consider a Deferred Index Annuity
The stock market is a key component of your investment strategy, but it is a volatile one, so make sure to balance it out with safer options. Deferred index annuities(opens in new tab) supply you equity exposure through the performance of index funds, like the S&P 500, while still protecting your principal and removing any downside risk.
A deferred index annuity can be customized with riders to fit your needs. For those who hope to retire within the next 10 years, consider adding a living benefit rider to provide guaranteed growth and guaranteed income for life. The protected account will grow by a guaranteed minimum rate, called the roll-up rate. Most current carriers typically offer a roll-up rate well above other fixed-income opportunities. At worst, your investment will earn this higher-than-average rate of return, but if the index fund yields greater gains than the roll-up rate, the protected account value will “lock in” the higher rate.
By providing a guaranteed income with opportunity for further growth, a deferred index annuity can bring peace of mind and certainty to your retirement income plan.
Deferred index annuities are almost like a “personal pension” that work alongside other fixed-income sources like Social Security. Choosing the right annuity for you can be complicated, so consult a financial professional to make sure your annuity plan aligns with your personal goals and values.
The only thing certain about the future is uncertainty: Market downturns are inevitable. But if you adjust your long-term investment strategy by investing consistently, hedging your portfolio and leveraging safer tools like deferred index annuities, you will be better equipped to weather the storms ahead.
This article was written by and presents the views of our contributing adviser, not the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC(opens in new tab) or with FINRA(opens in new tab).
Fri, 20 Jan 2023 05:32:00 -0600entext/htmlhttps://www.kiplinger.com/investing/long-term-investments-require-new-approachKillexams : Back sensible approach to Norwich fire protection
If Norwich voters want to back the best and most sensible fire protection for their homes and businesses, they will vote “yes” in Wednesday’s single-question special election.
Stemming from a bygone time, the city is protected by a mix of paid and volunteer fire departments. The downtown and the densely developed, older neighborhoods that surround it are serviced by the full-time staffed Norwich Fire Department. The revenue to cover the pay and benefits for NFD firefighters comes from a special tax assessed to property owners in this City Consolidated District.
Norwich’s suburbs and villages are protected by five volunteer companies, Taftville, Yantic, East Great Plain, Laurel Hill and Occum. These volunteer companies are proud of their heritage of service and the benefits it provides their communities.
City residents owe a debt to all these first responders.
Unfortunately, relationships between the paid and volunteer departments have long been strained.
Those in the paid department point to their ability, with stations always staffed, to respond quickly to emergencies. They see as nonsensical the times they are left on the sidelines, while the volunteer departments turn instead for assistance to other volunteer companies in neighboring towns.
The volunteer companies fear increased dependence on the paid force could undermine the long tradition, and very existence, of their departments — and the savings they provide taxpayers — by leading to a paid fire service for the entire city.
When the city hired an outside consultant to review fire service, it reached the obvious conclusion that interdepartmental rivalries were taking precedent over fire protection. Among its major recommendations was implementing so-called “auto-aid,” meaning the city’s paid department would automatically respond to structure fires and other major emergencies anywhere in Norwich, assisting the volunteer companies. In turn, nearby volunteer departments would respond to assist the paid department.
Working with City Manager John Salomone, the five volunteer chiefs and the paid department chief had reached an agreement to do just that on a trial basis. But Democratic City Council President Pro Tempore Joseph DeLucia wanted the arrangement codified in law and jammed an ordinance through the council Dec. 5 on a party-line vote, 4-3, Democrats in favor and Republicans against.
However well intentioned, it was a ham-fisted move politically. The leaders of the volunteer companies felt their willingness to compromise had been rewarded with a powerplay by the Democratic majority. Giving the arrangement time to work, and building consensus in support of it, eventually leading to it becoming official policy, would have been the more sensible approach.
Members of the volunteer companies petitioned to force Wednesday’s special election in an attempt to reverse the ordinance. A “yes” vote backs the ordinance, a “no” vote repeals it.
While it was a political mistake by DeLucia to strong arm this ordinance into place, it would be a bigger mistake for Norwich voters to essentially reject this sensible policy. Technically, killing the ordinance would revert matters back to the trial-period approach, but with great uncertainty about its prospects of
long-term success given the acrimony that this situation has created. The matter needs to come to a head eventually and the vote provides that opportunity. Voters should respond “yes,” they want their fire departments working together.
But the momentum is behind the effort to reverse the ordinance. The volunteer firefighters and their families are a formidable voting block in the city, and they are engaged. It will prove difficult to overcome that voting block in what is likely to be an extremely low-turnout special election. If residents want to support the most sensible approach to fire protection, they must pay attention and vote.
Ultimately, paying for fire service in the city should be the obligation of all property owners with the needed revenue produced through general taxation, eliminating the City Consolidated District tax and providing necessary financial aid to all the departments. But that debate is for another day. On Wednesday Norwich residents, with a “yes” vote, can at least say, “Let’s all work together.”
The Day editorial board meets regularly with political, business and community leaders and convenes weekly to formulate editorial viewpoints. It is composed of President and Publisher Tim Dwyer, Managing Editor Izaskun E. Larrañeta, staff writer Erica Moser and retired deputy managing editor Lisa McGinley. However, only the publisher and editorial page editor are responsible for developing the editorial opinions. The board operates independently from the Day newsroom.
Fri, 27 Jan 2023 05:03:00 -0600en-UStext/htmlhttps://www.theday.com/editorials/20230127/back-sensible-approach-to-norwich-fire-protection/Killexams : Needed, a new approach to data protection for minors
‘We should not put the onus of keeping our young safe only on parents, but instead it should make it a society-wide obligation’ | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
How freely should Indian teenagers access the Internet? And what responsibilities do platforms have towards their minor users? These are important questions to answer correctly to achieve India’s digital ambitions. The draft Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill, 2022 currently provides for mandatory parental consent for all data processing activities by children, defined as any person aged under 18 years. This approach however misses the mark on two fronts.
The gaps in the Bill
First, instead of incentivising online platforms to proactively build safer and better services for minors, the Bill relies on parents to grant consent on behalf of the child in all cases. In a country with low digital literacy, where parents in fact often rely on their children (who are digital natives) to help them navigate the Internet, this is an ineffective approach to keep children safe online.
Second, it does not take into account the “best interests of the child”, a standard originating in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989, to which India is a signatory. India has upheld this standard in laws such as the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. However, it has not been applied to the issue of data protection. The Bill does not factor in how teenagers use various Internet platforms for self-expression and personal development and how central it is to the experience of adolescents these days. From taking music lessons to preparing for examinations to forming communities with people of similar worldviews, the Internet is a window to the world. While the Bill does allow the government to provide exemptions in the future from strict parental consent requirements, profiling, tracking prohibitions, etc., this whitelisting process does not acknowledge the blurring lines between what a platform can be used for. For example, Instagram is, strictly speaking, a social media platform, but is regularly used as an educational and professional development tool by millions of artists around the world.
Use of personal data
Another issue in the current draft of the DPDP Bill is that each platform will have to obtain ‘verifiable parental consent’ in the case of minors. This provision, if enforced strictly, can change the nature of the Internet as we know it. Since it is not possible to tell if the user is a minor without confirming their age, platforms will have to verify the age of every user. The government will prescribe later whether verifiability will be based on ID-proof, or facial recognition, or reference-based verification, or some other means.
Whatever form verifiability takes, all platforms will have to now manage significantly more personal data than before, and citizens will be at greater risk of harms such as data breaches, identity thefts, etc.
Thus we need to shift our approach with respect to children’s data before this Bill is brought to Parliament. To avoid the folly of treating unequals equally and blocking off access to the Internet for teenagers these steps are needed.
First, we should move from a blanket ban on tracking, monitoring, etc. and adopt a risk-based approach to platform obligations. Platforms should be mandated to undertake a risk assessment for minors and not only perform age-verification-related corresponding obligations but also design services with default settings and features that protect children from harm. This approach will bring in an element of co-regulation, by creating incentives for platforms to design better products for children.
Second, we need to relax the age of mandatory parental consent for all services to 13 years in line with many other jurisdictions around the world. By relaxing consent requirements, we will minimise data collection, which is one of the principles that the Bill is built on. This relaxation in age of consent in tandem with the risk mitigation approach elucidated above will achieve protection for children online while allowing them access.
Surveys needed
This solution draws on the experience and deliberations in the United Kingdom, and in the United States (California, New York, etc.) where age appropriate design codes have been introduced. To tailor this solution to the Indian context, the government should also conduct large-scale surveys of both children and parents to find out more about their online habits, digital literacy, preferences and attitudes.
We must design a policy in India that balances the safety and the agency of children online. We should not put the onus of keeping our young safe only on parents, but instead it should make it a society-wide obligation. We have to get this part of the data protection framework right as India’s ‘techade’ cannot be realised without its young.
Aparajita Bharti is a Founding Partner at TQH, a public policy consulting firm in Delhi. Nikhil Iyer is a Senior Analyst at TQH, a public policy consulting firm in Delhi