Category: General

Total AV offers a wide variety of subscription plans. You can order licenses for one, three, or five computers. And it can even be done for one, two, or three years. The maximum cost (3-year license for 5 PCs) is $ 153.89. This is a very good deal, especially considering that 15 licenses for 1 PC for 1 year will cost just under $ 600. If you are interested, then keep reading our Total AV software review.

Mediocre Malicious Link Blocking

The best way to keep yourself safe from web threats is to make sure malware never gets into your computer. Some products block access to known malicious resources, others scan and detect malware at boot time, and others do both. Total AV does not have the function of blocking malicious sites.

British analytical lab MRG-Effitas has provided access to a list of the latest malicious links. When preparing the test, only links were selected that point directly to malicious executable files. When evaluating the antivirus, its reaction was recorded. It could weather block an address, delete a downloaded file, or ignore a threat.

Despite the fact that all links were new, many of them were already invalid, and some did not link to malicious files. Thus, the test continued until 100 test cases were recorded. Total AV removed only 27 percent of the downloaded malware, although the average score so far is 33 percent. Different antiviruses were tested with different sets of URLs, but they were all less than 4 hours old.

Malware Blocking is Average

Installing and updating the Total AV database went very quickly. In just a few minutes, the product was completely ready for testing. At the first stage of testing, a folder with the current collection of malicious samples was opened. Total AV immediately began to quarantine the detected threats. As a result, the product successfully cleared 61 percent of malware, which is a poor result. For example, Comodo Antivirus 7 removed 94 percent of the malicious samples, and VIPRE Antivirus 2014 completely coped with absolutely all threats.

At the second stage of the test, the blocking of modified malicious files was checked. All of them had different names, a different size due to the zeros added to the binary code and other service lines of code. Total AV failed to block 40 percent of the threats that were successfully neutralized in the first phase of the trial, which means that Total AV signatures have a low degree of flexibility.

Additional Functions

The Total AV additional functions cannot compensate for the product’s poor performance in basic antivirus tasks. The product contains a rootkit scanner (which was more logical to be built into an antivirus scanner), a vulnerability scanner, and a scanner for suspicious changes in important system zones. The user can call the virtual keyboard to prevent keylogging attempts. In addition, Total AV antivirus is able to delete browser files.

So, after successful registration, you can log in and take your first steps in Old School Runescape. Before you can play in the shared world, you will be given the opportunity to learn basic game skills on Tutorial Island, which is also called a Learning Island. And there will be given a giant key OSRS, which is needed for further game. In this guide, we will describe the whole process.

So Where Does Your Training Begin?

Everything starts with the appearance of your player. You will be offered a menu with which you can set the appearance of your player. Hair length and color, clothing style, skin color, desired gender, etc. It is important to know that you can only change your appearance in the paid version, under certain conditions. Therefore, be vigilant when choosing what suits you best.

Runescape’s guide is the first character you will have to talk to. Pay attention that a light arrow will flicker above his head. This is a pointer to your actions. He will greet you, and after talking with him, you can continue your tour of the learning island. Go through the door to the east and head down the path to the south.

Your First Skills

Now a flashing arrow will be above your next instructor’s head. At this stage, she will teach you how to chop wood and burn it. When you talk to her, you will receive a bronze ax and a matchbox.

You will see a menu with a picture of a backpack. This is your inventory. Go to the nearest tree and click on it. As soon as you cut down the tree, you will see a bundle of firewood in the inventory. Now select the wood (click on them with the mouse) and then use them on the matches (click on the matches). You will see how your character is trying to light the wood. Once that has worked out, talk to the instructor again.

Fishing and Cooking

The instructor will give your fishing net. Pay your attention to the lake. You will see flickering dots in some places where you can fish. Click there and your player will drop the net. As soon as raw fish appears in your inventory, talk to the instructor. She will offer you to fry your fish. Cut down another tree and light a fire. After this, click on the fish to select it and then click on the fire. The first attempts may be unsuccessful since the fish may burn. But do not despair, catch more fish, chop some more wood, light a fire, and fry the fish until your efforts are crowned with success. After this, you will get a Giant Key as a reward.

Skills Menu

Now by clicking on the graph, you can see your menu of all skills available to you. It is highly recommended to seize the moment and level up your Woodcutting, Firemaking, Fishing, and Cooking skills to level 3. This is the maximum level available on the learning island.

Avast is a pretty powerful protection system for any device. The application will help to block all kinds of viruses that are constantly trying to penetrate your computer. The utility is distributed free of charge.

During operation, users can install updates. When a new version of Avast is released, a notification will immediately appear on the screen. So the user accepts it or ignores it. The virus databases are updated automatically. This is what makes it possible to constantly monitor the process of emerging new threats.

Key features of Avast are the following:

• Flexibility of settings.
• Convenient management.
• It is free.
• Intuitive interface.
• High performance.
• Guaranteed confidentiality and security.

The application works like a scanner. During the scan, there is a complete analysis of all systems, archives, registries and other places where viruses most often occur. The utility prompts users to choose one scan option out of three possible. So users can perform fast, in-depth, or selective analysis. Also, it has Avast Web Shield, which is a great feature.

What is Avast Web Shield?

At the present time, viruses have learned to open antivirus programs like a tin can, blocking their work. To avoid such situations, antiviruses provide special protection against third-party changes in the operation of the software. In Avast antivirus, this function is called “Avast Web Shield.” But sometimes, it can create some problems, so users often wonder how to disable it. For this, you just need to do a couple of steps.

The only reason most users deactivate the shield is if the antivirus is removed later. If you do not disable self-defense before uninstalling Avast, a lot of unnecessary garbage and junk will remain in Windows. As a result, it will be easier to reinstall the operating system than to manually clean the registry and local directories.

However, it is worth considering one point. To deactivate the shield, you will need to log in as an administrator. Otherwise, Avast will not allow you to confirm disconnection by requiring a password from the administrator account.

How to Disable the Shield

To deactivate the self-defense function, you need to perform the following set of actions:

• Open the main antivirus window from the desktop and press the “Menu” button at the top. If there is no Avast shortcut on the desktop, then right-click on the antivirus at the bottom right of the screen and select “Open Avast User Interface.”
• In the settings menu, in the “General” section, open the “Troubleshooting” item.
• Uncheck the box next to the “Enable self-defense” item.
• Confirm your actions within 60 seconds by pressing the “OK” button. If you do not do this, the anti-virus self-defense will not be deactivated.
• Close the program window and do everything for which self-defense was disabled.
• At the end of the process, a reminder about the deactivated function will appear in notifications.

Please note that if you plan to continue using Avast antivirus, do not forget to follow the reverse procedure.

VPN is a technology that redirects outbound and inbound traffic to external dedicated servers. As a rule, services that provide VPN connection additionally encrypt data and do not depend on underlying networks, so you can maintain your anonymity and data security.

In practice, everything is more complicated. Not all VPNs keep data safe. Often the government has access to places, where the service contains its servers. Some companies even sell user data to third parties. Therefore, it is essential to choose a good VPN provider. If you are looking for a Nord VPN compare, then you are in the right place. In this article, we will see if NordVPN and Private Internet Access are good providers, and which one we need to choose.

NordVPN Review

This is one of the two services that we have been using on a regular basis for half a year. It is not perfect and often breaks the connection when constantly connected to servers in the United States, and the speed of work strongly depends on the time of day. However, it is one of the most private VPNs out there with a lot of dedicated servers.

Safety

NordVPN is the only service we know, the country of registration of which is not a member of Panama. It does not store user data, connection session information, IP addresses, and so on. If you need a maximum data security and privacy, then this is your choice.

Software and Servers

NordVPN offers access to dedicated IP servers and dedicated addresses to prevent DDoS attacks. Alas, the interface of the mobile application does not allow you to determine the server closest to you. For example, in the United States, the service has dozens of servers that do not visually different from each other. It’s almost impossible to choose the best one (except for methodical search and testing).

Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access is one of the world leaders in the VPN services market. Low prices, round-the-clock support, a huge knowledge base, a comfortable website, unlimited traffic, and 3250 servers in 25 countries make this service unique.

One of the main features of Private Internet Access is the proprietary PIA MACE option, which blocks ads, bugs, and malware on websites. According to the developers, it requires less RAM than regular ad blockers, as the device does not match every link against rule lists. However, the company updates its advertising source database once a month. And specialized software does it more often. We compared the performance of PIA MACE with 1Blocker ad blocker and did not feel any difference in the quality or speed of content blocking.

Safety

Private Internet Access is registered in the United States, which, like Canada, has signed an agreement on radio-technical intelligence activities between the United Kingdom and the United States. The service does not store the history of visits or personal information of users. And in all cases when there were data requests from the government, it did not provide anything.

Some people only prefer to play online games, while others like the process of organizing such games. In the end, this is a certain status, because all players will think about who created the game server and allowed to play on it. But in order to create a game server, there is a need to choose a reliable hosting. In this Zap Hosting review, we will check how reliable this hosting is.

What Is Game Hosting?

First of all, you need to figure out what game hosting is. After this, you can choose the best hosting product among all the variety on the market. Game hosting is a server that you rent for your games. Since it is rented for a specific task, it must meet certain requirements. Otherwise, the game on your server will be slow.

Criteria of Choice

Consider the main selection criteria, which are the following:

• Low ping. Ping is the time of connection to the server and the time of its response to the client. The lower the ping, the better it will be and the game won’t slow down. Ping depends on the proximity of the server to the client. Therefore, the closer the target audience is to the data center, the better it is.
• Powerful hardware. Games place a high load on the server’s CPU / RAM. Find out what equipment is required to provide the game for a certain number of gamers. The specific requirements depend on the chosen game. Hosting should meet these requirements with a small margin so that immediately after opening the server, you do not have to change the tariff. When choosing a drive, choose an SSD. This can reduce latency from the file system.
• Convenient admin panel. The control panel should be simple and preferably free. When renting a VDS, the administrator is free to independently install any control panel.
• Reliability. The server must be located in a TIER-III data center. Make sure that the DC is certified and not just claims to be TIER-III.
• Test period. It’s good if you can test the product before buying it. When testing, check the speed of the network connection, and the performance of the disk subsystem. And, if possible, check whether the server can handle the required load.
• 24/7 technical support. Considering the specifics of the server, technical support is more likely to be needed in the evening. It’s bad if the support doesn’t work at the most crucial moment. During the trial period, be sure to check how the support works. Write a request at night and see how quickly they respond. The answer is not yet a solution to the problem, but if they answer quickly, it gives hope.

Why People Choose Zap Hosting

Now we can start a Zap Hosting review. Everything discussed id true about this hosting. The company offers a server for games with a convenient control panel. Specialists have thoroughly worked on all nuances of the servers for games. Thanks to this, their clients will be able to manage them without any problems and use additional plugins.

Traveling with data can be quite risky nowadays. There are lots of hackers who can steal your information while you are using the public network or charging your smartphone/laptop, etc. Even border agents, who just do their job, might accidentally invade your privacy. Let’s get to know how you can secure your data when traveling.

Five tips to help you secure your data when traveling

• Use a reliable VPN provider.

Connecting to public Wi-Fi is almost inevitable when traveling. They are everywhere: hotels, shops, cafes, etc. That’s why you should be proactive and buy services from a trustworthy VPN provider. Using its app, you’ll be able to have an encrypted connection, complete anonymity, and an extra layer of protection from hackers.

• Don’t use public USB charging stations.

Charging station in the train stations and airports have probably been tempered with. Consequently, you might lose your data without even noticing it. It’s much better to use electrical outlets if you need to charge your device. Another solution is to pick a USB cable that doesn’t transmit data and take it with you on a trip. You are sure to prevent hacking via this method.

• Transfer sensitive data to the cloud.

There is no need to carry all the data with you. In case you have something confidential, you don’t want the border agents to see (or you worry about thieves), you can simply move the files to the cloud and remove from your device.

• Delete password managers.

This tip will only work for those whose devices can be examined by border guards. They can use your password manager to access all the data. Without it, they’ve got no authority to make you unlock the files. If needed, you can reinstall the manager.

• Don’t be uncooperative.

It also concerns border agents. Since they have a wide latitude of things they might request, you should be cooperative lest you want to be detained. Think about it beforehand and remove everything you don’t want others to see.

Using these tips, you are sure to secure your data from falling into anyone’s hands. However, there is much more you can do. For example, create backup files and store them safely in a convenient place. This might be a backup device or a cloud.

It’s also better not to leave your devices anywhere unattended. For example, don’t leave your phone in the bar or on a restaurant table, etc.

Finally, there are tips about keeping your data safe that doesn’t concern fraud. For instance, you must keep your devices away from liquids. While it sounds silly, you might lose the data unless you have a waterproof device. It won’t be anyone’s fault but there will be nothing you could do to restore the information.

Conclusion

Keeping your files safe during traveling includes protecting them from hackers, people like border guards, and even accidents. Use the tips you’ve learned from here and have no more worries when traveling.

When people get ready to travel somewhere, they often check out the weather forecast, currency rates, major landmarks beforehand. However, they fail to educate themselves on how to avoid various scams when traveling. Let’s fix this and discuss the top five ways you can secure yourself during your trip.

What is a traveler advantage scam?

There is no precise definition of a traveler advantage scam since it happens in different forms. It can happen anytime during your trip from buying online tickets and booking rooms, to having your smartphone hacked while you use an unsecured Wi-Fi spot on the other side of the world. The scams’ rates are growing annually and more scams appear.

The main travelers’ advantage scams you must avoid

• Third-party discount travel scams.

When choosing a holiday destination, many travelers are tempted by discounts. Some firms lure their clients offering instant discounts for hotels, flights, cruises, etc. The only thing you need is to pay a small sum with your credit or debit card. All the clients get a promise that after the payment, they’ll get unbelievably low prices.

• Free vacation.

Some travelers often come across free vacation offers. They often come from companies you’ve never heard of. However, there is always a catch. You must know and detect the major signs of a scam. One of them is a beautiful picture & description without specifics (dates, the name of the hotel, resort, airline, etc.)

• Rental fraud.

It’s booming now as travelers tend to pick Airbnb and private residential home rentals. Such fraud often involves huge discounts on travel rentals. The owner convinces you to pay immediately and offers an almost luxurious apartment. However, when the customer shows up, he sees deteriorated rooms. And this is the best-case scenario. It might turn out that the owner is another person who never offered the accommodation for rent at all.

The good news is that some sites now offer protection against such situations. Yet, it can be rather difficult to get in touch with customer support and get the money back.

• Bait-and-switch scams.

This is a very widespread rental fraud. It basically offers highly desirable accommodation. After a person books it and arrives, the property manager says it’s currently unavailable and gives you a less desirable option.

• Currency exchange scams.

Traveling overseas, it’s important to take caution when exchanging the currency. The street-based exchanges might seem user-friendly but charge high fees or give you the wrong sum of money. They count on you not knowing the exchange rates. Anyway, it’s better and safer to change money in banks. Moreover, you should find out about the exchange rate beforehand.

Conclusion

Traveling experience can only be great if you take precautions and secure yourself from scams. Using the knowledge about these widespread fraud schemes, you are sure to be more attentive now. However, you can come across other issues. For example, you should be very careful using free Wi-Fi spots. To prevent identity theft or hacker attacks, it’s better to use a reliable VPN.