Are you worried about your computer’s security when using the internet?
If so, here are 10 simple tips for keeping your computer secure -
1. Always install a good anti-virus program in addition to anti-spyware. Never run free online scans or download free security software unless you are sure of it’s origins – some will install spyware or malware and some anti-virus programs available on the net are fake.
2. Ensure that your security programs offer real time protection as some only check for viruses already present on your PC. Should you later become infected, a virus may then block you from updating your anti-virus program.
3. Following on from the above point, always keep your anti-virus program up-to-date and download new virus definitions on a regular basis.
4. Ensure that you have a firewall installed and properly configured in order to block any unwanted inbound or outbound connections. This can reduce the risk of hackers entering your system.
5. Ensure that your browser has the latest security patches installed as the developers are constantly releasing new updates in order to provide additional protection against security vulnerabilities.
6. Think twice before downloading anything from the internet. Sometimes, free games and applications come bundled with spyware and malware.
7. Be wary of emails that come with attachments. Even if the sender is known to you, scan the email before taking any chances with regard to what files may be attached to it.
8. Install a spam filter or delete spam email as soon as it arrives in your inbox. Do not be tempted to open spam as such messages can often contain links that lead to phishing sites or viruses.
9. Beware of virus hoaxes. If you receive an email that says certain files on your computer need to be deleted because they have been infected with a virus then search the web for sites that write about hoaxes to see if the message is genuine or not.
10. Choose secure passwords. Do not use names of relatives, birth dates or anything else that can be easily guessed. Pick an effective password and use different ones for each website or service you sign up to.
Can you think of anything I may have missed out from the list above?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Lee, what do you recommend as a tool to clean your PC. I want to start cleaning my work PC nightly so if I ever get canned, it’s already free of me, my documents and my online activity.
Hey Lee, I have a question for you which you may have already addressed elsewhere. If that’s the case, my bad.
My question: What products do you recommend as a way to clean your pc rid of all evidence you were ever there. It’s more for my work PC. I want to start cleaning it nightly so if I ever get canned, everything is already gone.
Thanks
A truly excellent list. Well done Scam!
Awwww, thanks Pete
Hi Alison
Do you mean browsing history and/or something else?
I personally use a variety of techniques.
For sensitive data I use external backups – a hard drive, flash drive and DVDs – before deleting off of my main system.
For browsing history I set my internet options up so that I do not keep any history (I know the URLs for all the sites I frequent off the top of my head and those I network through this site I can find their URLs via their comments).
As I use Firefox I also clear my private data and cookines every 24 hours too.
The latter forces me to remember passwords, rather than having them saved, but that’s no bad thing (as long as you don’t write them down anywhere).
Does that answer your question Alison?