Everyone should be concerned about computer security. It determines whether your confidential information is safe from cyber thieves. Computers with weak defenses can endanger your financial health and your family's personal safety.
The number of computer criminals and attacks continues to grow and so does the sophistication. Cyberspace is becoming increasingly dangerous. You must take steps to protect yourself. You can do so by implementing what is known as "security best practices".
What are security best practices? The phrase refers to procedures; awareness of processes and habits that you routinely perform to "harden" your computer. Let's examine a few. 1. Use robust passwords - Your password should consist of at least 11 characters and include one uppercase letter and one special character. Avoid using common, pop culture words, birthdays of families and friends, the name of your pet, or other easy terms that could be easily discovered.
2. Always lock you machine - When you leave your computer unattended lock the workstation. Otherwise your machine would be accessible to anyone who is nearby.
3. Avoid downloading apps, screen savers and software from unknown sources. Malicious hackers frequently use malware embedded inside desirable products and offer them free. Once you have downloaded the software it can borough into your computer system and wreak havoc. Your computer may even become a "bot" and attack others.
4. Avoid opening email attachments from unknown senders - Malicious software could be installed on your system.
5. Double-check requests for information that you receive from a company with whom you do business. It could be a "phishing attack". Cyber criminals are skilled and can present to you a screen that appears to be from a trusted source. Crackers have duplicated a fake request for information from PayPal, for example, to gain personal information under false pretenses.
6. Avoid questionable websites that focus on gambling, porn or get rich quick schemes. Many of these sites will automatically scan your computer for known vulnerabilities and, once found, exploit them. Your system will be compromised.
7. Install an antivirus software package and use it. There are a number of excellent products on the market. Antivirus software looks for virus signatures and blocks them.
8. Change your wireless router's password from the factory setting. Certain routers ship with a default password that may be known to hackers. Anyone who is within range trying of your signal can intercept it and access your network.
9. Avoid sharing media with your computer. Malicious software could be downloaded onto your machine from a friend or associate's USB drive, for example, without your knowledge.
10. Perform a "white hat hack" on your system. Such a procedure can identify any vulnerabilities that exist. Gibson Research has an excellent and free program.
11. Keep your software updated. Install recommended patches from the publisher. Consider automating the process. Malicious computer users are up-to-date on vulnerabilities and know what to attack.
12. Install and use a firewall. There are both hardware and software firewalls. You can block specific senders when using a firewall.
13. Terminate your Internet connection when you finish your work. The Internet is one of the biggest attack venues. Disable your connection to the Internet and reduce the attack surface that nefarious hackers can use.
14. Encrypt your critical information. A number of free or inexpensive encryption programs are published, such as PGP (Pretty Good Privacy).
15. Consider using more than one way method to access your computing resources. A password is one level of authentication (something you know). Consider using a token (which you possess). Use a fingerprint reader (something you are).
16. Be discrete when using social media. Cyber criminals prowl sites of this type for scraps of information that can be used in exploits against you.
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