Much has been made of computer security and how to best go about it. Somewhere between the aggressive promotion of expensive or free security software lies a sensible path. This is a basic guide on how you can protect your computer.
Windows
As Windows is the most popular operating systems it is also the operating systems most likely to be attacked. Windows also has many different types of vulnerabilities. To fix these problems Microsoft releases Security Packs every month. It also has a number of Service Packs for each system. A service Packs combines all of the the fixes or patches up to a certain point. Windows XP is now on Service Pack 3 its final release. Windows Vista is at Services Pack 1 although there are currently mixed reports about its stability . If you have any earlier systems on your PC or laptop then it might be better to replace them as they will probably be close to 10 years old.
Protecting Windows
Make sure that you have Service Pack 3 for XP. Download it from the Microsoft site.
Ensure that Automatic updates is set to automatic. There is really nothing to be gained from switching it off as forgetting about updates can leave you open to attack. You can set the time you want updates so that it happens when you are not using it.Use Start ->Control Panel ->Automatic Updates
Go to the Microsoft website to check for new updates.
Protection Software
There are three types of software that we will look at here and you should consider using all three. I will point out that this guide is just that and in no way an advertisement for any company. Most of the major companies have their supporters and defenders but all of them are secondary to the final section of third guide user activity.
- Firewall
- Anti-Virus
- Anti-Spyware/Malware
Firewall
A firewall is a piece of software usually that stops people trying to get onto a computer without permission. Windows has its own firewall and many organisation will also have a firewall. For smaller organisations and indeed home users they need to consider a firewall. Many of the best known computer security companies have firewalls included.
Please note: You should only have one firewall operating on a computer as having more can lead them to confusion and problems in getting them to work properly.
Anti-virus(AV) Software
This protects your system from attacks by viruses. Viruses can come from webpages, attachments or simply because the sytems is exposed. By this I mean that either the computer is not up to date or it has an inadequate or missing firewall. The best types of AV have real-time protection , so they can identify a virus that tries to attack your computer and they update very regularly. What is also essential is that you run a compueyr scan on a regular basis. I tend to do a daily scan but anything up a weekly scan is usually OK. Most AV software will allow you to set this up.
Please note: You should only have one AV product on a computer as having more can lead them to see each other as viruses.
Anti-spyware
Malware or Spyware as I posted , is the bane of our lives. Much of it is designed to either annoy or get people to buy products they don’t want. Most of the main companies offer this as part of their security software and in most cases this can be adequate. As always the user must be careful.
User Policy
In a lot of ways the user is the weakest link. Good software will do the same thing every time. Users on the other hand are much more unpredictable.
Even if it is just a single user the following dos and donts may be useful.
Do install and keep all security software up to date
Do keep Windows up to date
Do not download anything you are uncertain of. Ask someone or search online for information about it.
Do not click on any link in emails that seem suspicious
Do not enter any financial details based on a link in an email
Do not click on any “Unsubscribe” links in emails you think are suspicious
Make a list of acceptable usage policies for any other users on a network
Be safe
