Ten Ways To Keep Your Computer Safe
It surprises me how many users don't take computer security seriously.With hackers, spammers, and
viruses
lurking
around
every corner, you can't afford not to follow some basic steps in protecting your PC and your
personal
information.
1. Update Your Operating System (Windows Update)
The first thing you should do, after getting a new PC or reformatting, is to run Windows
Update.Whichever
operating
system you are using, make sure to update them frequently. Especially if you're running Windows, I
recommend
that
you
turn on the auto-update in 'Windows Update' if not already done so. Microsoft releases frequent
vulnerability
and
security fixes.
Keeping your operating system up to date is the first step in keeping your computer safe. To check if
you're
covered
(in
Windows), open up your control panel and select Windows Update. If you see the automatic update
option
selected,
you're
all set. If not, either choose the full auto update or the option that gives you the chance to
choose
which
updates
to
install yourself. Just don't turn it off. If you must turn it off for whatever reason, manually
check
the
Windows
Update
website at least once a week.
2. Install Anti-Virus and Keep the Virus Definitions Up-to-Date
An anti-virus software is a MUST. If you don't have one, you are almost guaranteed to get infected;
it's
only a
matter
of time.It is amazing how many people don't have an updated anti-virus running on their computers.
Especially if
you
bought a pre-assembled PC from Dell or HP or Acer etc., your computer may come with a free trial
period
of 30
days
to 1
year.
Be mindful of this when you purchase a new PC.
When your subscription period runs out, you will need to either pay to continue using the anti-virus
you
currently
have
or get a different anti-virus software. Shop around.
Recommended: There are tons of options out there. But Avast and AVG are two of the
best.
Why?
Because
they're free and very effective. Now, if you want more features and protection, you can move up to a
paid
anti-virus
software such as Norton, kaspersky, Esset, Bulldog, etc.
3. Anti-Spyware / Adware
Many times when a PC user complains about a sluggish computer or a slow startup, it is due to a presence
of
ad/spyware.
Most common ones are mostly cookies from your browser as you surf the web and are not very dangerous,
while
some
spywares are very malicious in nature. One example is a key-logger that can log your key strokes to
steal
your
credit
card numbers and passwords.
There are also adwares that hijack your browser's homepage to display their content every time you load
up
your
browser
and toolbars that won't go away.
These days, a lot of anti-virus softwares are able to protect your PC from spy/ad-wares, too. But if you
want to be
extra safe, install a couple of anti-spyware programs that will more aggressively block various
malwares.
You can get started with just a couple of those. If you have Windows Vista . Windows 7, Window8 ,
Windows
10, you
will
have Windows Defender by default. So, you might as well use it. I recommend Spyware Blaster in all
cases.
You simply
run
it, update, and protect. It doesn't need to run in the background. It adds black lists to your browsers,
and
provides an
effective prevention. SuperAntiSpyware is a complete suite with real-time protection.
4. Secure Your Home Network
In today's typical household, multiple computers share a single internet connection. Usually, a router
is
used to
share
that connection.What many people forget is that router is not only an internet sharing device, but a
firewall to
protect
your whole network as well.
Setting up your router's firewall is the first thing you need to do when setting up a network. Make sure
that the
firewall feature is turned on in the router settings.
What's more concerning is that, with the gaining popularity of wireless (WiFi) networks, people are
leaving
the door
wide open to potential hackers and your neighbors (who's accessing your wireless network right now). You
need to
protect
your computers not just from threats on the internet but also from threats close to your house.
If you have a wireless network enabled in your router, please look at your security settings. If you've
never
touched
it, it is very likely that your neighbors had a peek inside your network a few times.
Set it up so that you are using WPA or (preferably WPA2 if supported) with AES encryption (or TKIP if
your
device
doesn't support AES). WEP is no good. It can be cracked within a couple of minutes. Even WPA is not all
that
safe
these
days, but you might not have the option to use WPA2.Create a shared key (password) that's impossible to
guess.
5. Use a Firewall
A firewall prevents intruders from getting in. If you have a router, you already have a firewall. Just
confirm that
it
is up and running. A software firewall can increase the level of security, and especially if you don't
have
a
router,
you need a software firewall. Windows has a built-in firewall, and should be enabled by default. There
are
other
popular
firewalls like Zone Alarm.
What I'd recommend, if you want to keep things simple, is to use a security suite that has both
anti-virus
and
firewall
included.
6. Try Something Other than Internet Explorer
If you are still using Internet Explorer as your main browser, you really need to switch. IE is the most
vulnerable
and
is also the least efficient browser on the market.
Browsers such as Firefox, Opera, and Chrome are much faster and safer. At the moment, Firefox is the
most
popular
alternative. But I encourage you to try out all the browsers and see which one you like the best.
7. Careful Opening Email Attachments
Even if you receive an email from one of your friends, don't assume it's safe to open file attachments.
Some
viruses
take control of a person's email account and sends viruses to all his contacts.
If an email is from a stranger, most likely the attachment is a virus. Having an anti-virus should
protect
you from
email threats, but still be careful.
Now, if you experience harm because you had replied to an email saying you won a $10 million lottery,
there's
nothing
that can help you other than your common sense.
8. Try OpenDNS
OpenDNS is a free DNS service that can help your browsing experience to be faster and safer. DNS (Domain
Name
System)
"translates domain names meaningful to humans into the numerical (binary) identifiers associated with
networking
equipment for the purpose of locating and addressing these devices worldwide.
An often used analogy to explain the Domain Name System is that it serves as the "phone book" for the
Internet by
translating human-friendly computer hostnames into IP addresses.
For
example,
www.example.com translates to 208.77.188.166." - Wikipedia
OpenDNS keeps track of and blocks harmful websites and also has a parental control feature and more.
All you have to do is put these two numbers "208.67.222.222", "208.67.220.220" into
your
router
settings or your computer's network settings.
Instructions for various routers and computers are available on the website.
9. Be Careful about Which Sites You Visit
If you got OpenDNS all set up, you can worry about this a little less. But OpenDNS cannot protect you
100%
as news
malicious sites keep on popping up.
Warez, crack, and adult sites are the most dangerous categories of websites. Don't visit them unless you
know it's
safe.
Again, an anti-virus will protect you from this kind of threats as well. See how important an anti-virus
is?
10. Keep Your Personal Information Safe
Many of these threats are aimed at getting your personal information. So, keep them safe!
Don't easily give away your name, email, phone, and address to any website.
Don't store credit card and other sensitive information on your computer. Sometimes, you have to store
them
on your
computer. If so, don't save an Excel file with your credit card numbers as "credit card numbers.xls" and
put
it in a
shared folder.
Your neighbor who was sharing your internet connection might be tempted. Playing with files will be of
little help.
You
should encrypt your files with a password, too, if it stores sensitive information.
Overall, be mindful of protecting your personal data.
