| CityLinkPCs » Computers » Keep Your Computer System Secure |
Keep Your Computer System Secure
|
View PDF | Print View |
Today, more and more people are using their computers for everything from communication to online banking, and investing to shopping. As we do these things on a more regular basis, we open ourselves up to potential hackers, attackers and crackers.
While some may be looking to phish your personal information and identity for resale, others just want to use your computer as a platform from which to attack other unknowing targets.
Below are 12 easy, cost-effective steps you can take to make your computer more secure.
1. Important information should always be backed up and kept in a secure location away from the computer.
2. Update and patch your operating system, web browser and software frequently.
3. Get a good firewall. Without a good firewall your computer is vulnerable to viruses, worms, and Trojans, malware and adware from the Internet. Both the benefits and differences of hardware and software based firewall programs should be taken into consideration.
4. Review your browser and email settings for optimum security. Why should you do this? Active-X and JavaScript are often used by hackers to plant malicious programs into your computers. While cookies are relatively harmless in terms of security concerns, they do still track your movements on the Internet to build a profile of you. At a minimum set your security setting for the "internet zone" to High, and your "trusted sites zone" to Medium Low.
5. Make sure that you receive the most current versions of antivirus software by setting up your computer for automatic updates.
6. Don't open email attachments from unknown sources. Knowing the person who sent you the message is not sufficient, as even the account of someone you know may inadvertently pass on a computer virus to you. So be cautious of ANYTHING that you open!
7. Do not run programs from unknown origins. Also, do not send these types of programs to friends and coworkers because they contain funny or amusing stories or jokes. They may contain a Trojan horse waiting to infect a computer.
8. Disable hidden filename extensions. By default, the Windows operating system is set to "hide file extensions for known file types". Disable this option so that file extensions display in Windows. Some file extensions will, by default, continue to remain hidden, but you are more likely to see any unusual file extensions that do not belong.
9. Turn off your computer and disconnect from the network when not using the computer. A hacker cannot attack your computer when you are disconnected from the network or the computer is off.
10. You should be prepared in case a malicious program causes damage to your computer by making a boot disk for your computer on a floppy disk or CD. This should obviously be done before your system is breached.
11. Unrestricted physical access to you computer should be prohibited. Allowing others to use your computer can put the security of your computer at risk if there is sensitive or proprietary information on it.
12. Use strong passwords. Passwords should be hard for others to figure out. Using the names of children and pets or dates that are important to you should not be done. Do not use the same password for everything that you need a password for. While some people do this, it is dangerous as it makes the hacker's job easier and gives them access to all kinds of personal information about you. When you write down a password, never leave it in the open. Instead, put it somewhere that only you can find it. You may be laughing but you would be surprised at how may people leave their passwords out in plain sight.
About the Author
Jason Mann is editor of the Technology Basics Section at i-KnowHow | Information for Life, where you'll also find ideas and tips for hobbies, home and garden, personal finance, family and much more.
Rating: Pending (26)
