Computer Security Recommendations
- SPYaWAREness - Prevention, Detection, Removal
- Using Caution with USB Drives
- 12 Ways to Be A Security Idiot
- Before You Connect a New Computer to the Internet
- Six Rules For Safe Computing
- Protect yourself at wireless hot spots
- Safeguard Your Personal Data (Slide Show)
- What To Do If Your Computer Is Infected
- Recovering from a Trojan Horse or Virus
See our Main Page for the latest threats
Keeping your computer safe from intrusion has become increasingly important (and difficult) in the last few years. Tests have shown that an unprotected Windows computer is infected within minutes (or even seconds!) of going online. Unless you secure your computer against virus threats, worms, Trojan Horses, spyware and other assorted malware that is circulating today, you can never be sure that it is running at it's top efficiency and that you are safe, as one person found out too late. A recent article in the New York Times points out the situation: Thieves Winning Online War, Maybe in Your PC (may require registration).
These threats are real, dangerous and very prevalent. It seems like a day doesn't go by without an incident making the news. Whether this involves a virus infection at a major corporation, identity theft at a university or just the latest outbreak of a malicious Windows virus, the message is loud and clear - protect your computers!
But How? The home user and small business owner does not have the luxury of an Information Technology Department to look after them (not that this always helps!) So, what to do? First, there are generally agreed upon steps you can take to improve your security. Of course there is no such thing as perfect security online, anymore than there is in the real word. But you can make a major improvement in your computing experience by applying some procedures and guidelines to help even the odds with the bad guys - and save yourself allot of grief later.
Lets break them down into broad categories:
Users
The best hardware and software in the world won't protect you if you ignore basic safe computing rules. You've heard it before - don't open e-mail attachments from people you don't know (and even then, a virus can send you the mail from your friends computer without their knowledge - use an antivirus program that scans incoming messages). If you must open an attachment, save it to disk first and then scan it with your antivirus software (you do have one don't you?).
Don't click on just any link you find in an e-mail, blog or web page - it could take you to a malicious website that can exploit vulnerabilities in your web browser or operating system. Likewise, don't even preview, let alone open HTML email when the sender is unknown to you. Turn off the preview pane in your e-mail application. Stay away from suspicious web sites - there are bad neighborhoods on the Net, just as in big cities. Be aware of differnet kinds of threats, such as Drive-by Downloads.
Software
Good security software is an essential part of your strategy. See Best Practices for a quick overview of what is required. However, user behavior comes into play in this area as well. If you don't keep your security software updated and run it often, it's effectiveness is reduced. New malicious code is written every day, so update your antivirus and spyware programs at least weekly.
Also weekly, you should do a full virus scan. Don't just depend on the minimal real-time scanning that the program performs automatically. Perhaps every week or so, you should update and run your spyware detection programs. Since none are perfect, it is most often recommended to run two of them, so what one misses the other catches. Don't run more than one anti-virus or firewall program however, as they will conflict with each other. Your antivirus and firewall programs will probably alert you when updates are available, but the spyware programs may not. Keep them all updated.
Hardware
If you have a broadband connection via DSL, cable modem or otherwise, it is a good idea to have a router between the modem and your PC. This way, you get the protection of a hardware firewall and the ability to share your high-speed Net connection with other computers in the home or small office. You may want to keep your software firewall though as added protection against malware sending personal information OUT.
If you have, or plan to purchase a notebook computer, or have computers that are difficult to connect with a network cable from your modem or router, get a wireless router (and they are so cheap, get one just in case you DO need it). This will allow you to move freely around without a network cable attached to your notebook (but turn off the wireless signal if you are not using it). Wireless has security implications over and above normal Net access, but can be secured if configured properly.
Computer Security Resources
- Unpatched Microsoft Vulnerabilities
- eWeek Security Watch
- Secunia Security Advisories
- SANS Top-20 Internet Attack Targets (2006 Annual Update)
- PC Magazine Security Watch
- C-NET Security News
- US Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT)
- CERT - Vulnerabilities & Fixes
- F-Secure news from the lab
- FrSIRT French Security Incident Response Team
- Chronology of Data Breaches
- 10 Essential (and Free!) Security Downloads for Windows
If you have not already done so, please check our main page for the latest security alerts.
Note: Items marked with require Acrobat or another pdf reader.
