Yahoo messenger has been one of the most popular and feature-ful
online
chat clients the world has seen. With plenty of options and buddies
around, you can not just leave Yahoo Messenger once you have grown
used to it. But where there is crowd, there are risk factors too.
Alarmingly people have lost their accounts to hackers and have
got millions of spyware and junk mails thanks to Yahoo messenger
and its spam friendly technology. How do you get the best out of
your chat buddy without risking your account?
Well, here is a complete guide that will help.
1. Avoid P2P file Sharing Through Yahoo Messenger
Be it known or unknown, prefer not to receive any file from
your friend unless you know what he is sharing and why.
Avoid downloading .exe or .zip files from them as they are
more likely to attack your computer or install trozans without
you being aware of it. Never trust a stranger when he asks you to
click on any site you haven't heard of.
2. Avoid Clicking on Spammy Links
If you were chatting with someone else and suddenly a
PM box flashes on the screen with a lucrative offer/interesting
site which has a spammy look, don't click on it. These websites
have a lot of spyware who get silently installed if you go and surf them.
Never download a toolbar unless its as authenticated as Yahoo's or
Google's.
3. Use Ignore Option Effectively
Yahoo has an ignore option that lets you ban a person or mark as
spam so that he can't disturb you once again. Use that option effective.
Go to Yahoo Messenger main box -> Preferences -> Ignore List. If you
want to avoid talking to strangers (which I always recommend)i.e.
wanna talk to your buddies only, Check Ignore anyone.. option.
That helps you be safe and block on the unwanted and potential
hackers from reaching you. See the screen-shot below.
4. Use other yahoo 3rd party Chat Clients
Yahoo Messenger has too many loopholes. It doesn't have a
strong security to block contents either. So, if you want to get rid
of spams and porn contents all under one go, then you should
go for some popular and secure yahoo chat clients like Yazak,
y!supra. You can also go for Yah-Elite and Yam They may not have
the same sophisticated GUI or entertainment features but they will
increase the security of the chat sessions by many folds.
5. Always Use Newer Versions of Yahoo Messenger
Remember, the more you stay with the older versions
and feel lazy to get upgraded, the more you are helping the hackers.
Yahoo or any software, brings out these updates not only to extend
features but also due to security reasons. A newer version of yahoo
messenger 9 is hardly bootable by DoS attack whereas Yahoo
Messenger 7 can be booted out or hacked by a script kiddie.
6. Don't download Yahoo Plug-ins from Unauthorized source
Do not ever download a plug-in of Yahoo messenger from any
other site however lucrative it be. Plug-ins like these exploit the
vulnerability once installed and send your account details to a
third party revealing and cracking down your id. So, better be
safe than sorry. No?
7. Use Proxy if you have a Better Firewall
Yahoo also gives you option to change your proxy. Go to
Preferences and hunt down Proxy servers. You will see that
you can set your own proxy server so that Yahoo gets
redirected through yours giving you a better chance to
protect yourself and secure by your network. But if only
you have that faith on your network security.
You can change it by going to Yahoo Messenger
main box -> Preferences -> Connection
8. Use Word Filter
You can also use your word Filter in Yahoo messenger.
It just discards all the obscene or threatening words by
intelligent filtering system if you choose Strong option.
But be aware, there may be some times when your own
friend can get banned while cursing your jokingly.
Word filter is another good option to be within your
network and not let some specifically targeted
spammers to arrive. It increases security too.
You can change it by going to Yahoo Messenger
main box -> Preferences -> Chat.
9. Be sure to Delete Your Profile after Chatting from a
Public computer
Most of the users don't know about it. Whenever you sign in to
yahoo messenger, yahoo makes a profile of yours in the directory
Yahoo -> Messenger -> Profiles by the name of your yahoo id.
There is an option by default at Yahoo messenger that messages
will be saved as long as you are signed in to your account for that
session. A good hacker can have access to that file and decrypt
it to learn your private conversations.
What you must do if you are sharing a public computer to chat from,
s, you can change it by going to Yahoo Messenger main box ->
Preferences -> Archive. Change it to No, do not save any of my
messages and you are done. Oh don't forget to delete your profile
from Profiles inside Yahoo folder after you sign out.
10. Apply Your Common sense and Use a good Antivirus and anti
spyware software
Applying your common sense is the least you can do to prevent
your account from being hacked. A good anti-virus and anti-spyware
always warns you about dangers that you may have overlooked.
So its better to have them as well. If you implement the above 9 tips,
you won't need to worry much I gues until you personally hand over
your information to the person willing to crack your computer down.
Yahoo messenger is a very nice and useful place to meet new
buddies and get connected with the old ones. Just be safe and
secure and follow the above steps. You will be fine. Do you have
something to tip all of us? Why don't you share. We are waiting.
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