• Firewalls
• Anti-Virus
• Spyware
• Passwords
• Personal Info

• Email-Spam
• Safe Browsing
• Encryption
• A Clean Computer

Firewalls

Software firewalls limit the type of internet traffic that is permitted to enter in or go out of your computer. There are several to choose from. Some, of which Comodo Personal Firewall Pro is one, are free. If you have a broadband internet connection at your home, you should also get a router which has a firmware-type firewall that should be set up to allow only the desired type of internet traffic in and out of any computer connected to it.

See the Quick Links section for a FREE suggested application.

Anti-Virus

All computers need to have an anti-virus program installed, running, and up to date. An ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure in this case. See the topic A Clean Computer for steps you can take if your hard drive is infected with a virus.

See the Quick Links section for a FREE suggested application.

Spyware

Spyware is malware that the user may not be aware of and may be used to track a person's Internet browsing habits for marketing purposes, or may even record the user's keystrokes (keylogger) for the purpose of finding passwords and other personal information for identity theft or subsequent hacker attacks. It is recommended that all computers have some form of spyware detection system installed and running at all times.

See the Quick Links section for some suggested applications.

Passwords

Generally, you should change all of your passwords every sixty days. Have a different password for every site and make sure they are 'strong' passwords.

See the Definition List for what is considered a strong password, and the Quick Links section for links to test the strength of passwords and to generate strong passwords for you.

Personal Info

Do not give out too much information about yourself. Opt for the minimum required to get the task done. Don't give in to 'social engineering' scams that try to talk your passwords or credit card numbers out of you. If you fall prey to one of these schemes, change your password or card number immediately.

Remember: Not everyone is nice, honest, and on the level. Ask yourself, "Why do they need to have this information?" Ask them as well. Change the subject if you can.

Email-Spam

Do not open email from an untrusted source; especially if it contains an attached file. Do not have your email program set to auto-preview. Malware can be embedded within the HTML of an email message. Once the code is read by your machine, the trouble begins.

The reason everyone gets so much spam is that a small percentage of people actually respond to this junk and buy what they're selling; so, from a marketing standpoint, it is lucrative. Do your part and not be among this group of people.

Remember: Email is plaintext and is not secure unless it is encrypted. Do not send any email that you wouldn't want your mother to read.

Safe Browsing

Because Microsoft Internet Explorer is the most widely-used browser, it is the most hacked into. Some safer browsers to use might be Firefox, Safari, or Opera. Some browser settings come preset to a higher security level than may be needed. Others may be left wide open. Both scenarios require the user to make adjustments. On Windows computers, the Internet Options control panel is used to set security levels and preferences for Internet Explorer. Firefox has its own Options dialog box with similar features.

Safe surfing also means searching the web intelligently and not going to sites which may be considered unsafe. Clearing your browsing history and logging off from all sites before leaving a public computer is always a smart thing to do.

Remember: If you blog or post something on a chat site or forum, you can't take it back. This includes photos or other personal information. It is published - like a newspaper.

See the Quick Links section for some Suggested Browser Settings.

Encryption

Encryption is a way to turn a message into something unreadable while it is being transported. An encrypted message must be decrypted by the intended receiver to be read. This is the basis for the protection of personal information and secure transactions. An unencrypted message is called 'plaintext' which can be easily read by someone tapping into the message stream.

When buying something online with a credit card or entering your SSN for the IRS or other government agency, the form MUST be on a secure page using SSL encryption. Browsers will usually indicate this by an icon on the status bar. Checking the web address for 'https' is another indication. A better way to make sure a page is securely encrypted is to right-click on the page and choose Properties or Page Info.

A Clean Computer

If a hard disk becomes infected with a virus, it may be best to take the drive out and install a brand new one. Use your recovery disks to format your new drive and re-create the computer as it was when you bought it. If you wish to keep the drive that was infected, you must fully erase the drive by writing over every sector at least seven times. To dispose of a disk drive that has a virus or just one that you won't be using anymore, follow these steps:

1. Take the drive out of the computer and bash it to pieces with a hammer (wear safety goggles and protective gloves)
2. * Set it on fire (in a safe manner with adult supervision)
3. * Bag up the remains and drop it into the ocean (several miles offshore so that you don't impact our beautiful coastline)

Remember: Do not give away, sell, or donate an old computer without replacing the disk drive or fully overwriting it seven times.

* These steps are optional and only permissible if approved by the Coast Guard, the EPA, and the NOAA. You're safe just to toss the broken pieces into the trash.