Seven steps to protect your computer
Below are the top seven steps to keep your computer safe. 7) Back up your data. Only you know how important your data is. Back up your data to CDs, DVDs, or an external drive. Make sure to store your backups in a secure location. 6) Use spyware detection software. According to the National Cyber Security Alliance, it is estimated that 80 percent of all computers are infested with spyware. There are several free spyware detection programs available: SpyCop, SpyBot, Adaware, Pest Patrol, Spy Sweeper, and Windows Anti-Spyware. Use more than one program to track spyware. What one program may miss, another program may pick up. And keep the spyware applications up-to-date. Run a scan at least once a week. 5) Use firewalls. It does not matter if it is a commercial-grade firewall or a free one, hardware, or software. Windows XP SP1 will be compromised and turned into a zombie machine in under four minutes without a firewall. The average time between attacks on the Internet changes daily, but some statistics estimate that an attack occurs every 14 minutes. Remember to keep the firewall up-to-date: Kerio (free), Zone Alarm (free and for personal use), Windows SP 2 firewall (free with SP2), Symantec, McAfee, or Panda provide protection. 4) Keep your operating system up-to-date. It does not matter if you are using Linux, Mac, or Windows—keep your operating system up-to-date. Set the computer to update automatically. Check at least weekly for updates, just to make sure. Last year, Apple had 88 known exploits and Microsoft had 61. 3) Antivirus software is a must. There are over 150,000 known viruses and malware, and that number continues to grow. With antivirus software, stick with well-known name brands such as: Symantec, McAfee, Panda, and Sophos. These are just a few of the commercial grade antivirus software packages available. Buy a good antivirus software package that has automatic updates, and make sure to run scheduled and active scanning. Most of the major antivirus companies offer free removal tools if you do get infected. Again, keep it up-to-date and scan at least weekly. 2) Passwords are the cheapest form of protection. A password is the key to your identity on a computer, and with a correct username and password, a hacker can get access to information. Password security is the most readily available affordable protection for a user. Use uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters in your password, and make sure it is at least eight characters long. Your password should not be a name or common word in any language, and the password should use a pattern that you can remember without writing it down. Change your password at least every three months and do not use your password in multiple locations, such as work and your Amazon account. Do not let anyone else know your password for any reason, ever. 1) Be aware. There are 5.7 billion phishing emails—emails from false companies that want you to put in personal information so that hackers can exploit it—sent each month. Be able to recognize these emails. Do not open emails from someone that you do not know or are suspicious of. Be aware of your surroundings; know where your laptop, PDA, and other mobile devices are; and do not let them out of sight, even for an instant. If you make a purchase on the Internet, use your credit card and not your ATM card. For additional tips check out the following websites: www.sans.org/newsletters/ouch/ Other News Stories: Fall Convocation | Week of Welcome | A Day | New Faculty | JSAC | Customer Service Initiative | Vanover Retirement | Art Exhibition | Hacking Seminar | ITS | Calendar | Faculty Profile | Staff Profile | Campus Notables | Photo 1 | Photo 2 | Photo 3 | Photo 4 | Birthdays
August 2006 |
The month of August means many different things to many different people. For some, it means extremely hot weather. For others, it means the fall season is quickly approaching. For many, it means the start of a new school year and with that come tests, numerous campus events, books, and new computer security threats. So what can be done to help protect your home computer?
