Computer Security
Safeguards to Take
The first and most important step in ensuring computer security and privacy on your system is to take preventative measures. Use a file encryption/locking tool like Icon Lock-iT XP to lock down files and strongly encrypt sensitive documents using the industry standard of AES as the encryption algorithm. Using Lock-it, malicious users will not be able to delete, move, rename, modify, or read the documents you protect. Using this tool will be your first and last line of defense against computer hackers. Users across the Internet and unauthorized local users will not be able to access or modify your data. The trial version of Lock-it XP can be downloaded here.
Almost as important as encrypting your valuable data is the prevention of unauthorized access. The simplest way to do this is to implement a firewall for your network. If you have a broadband router or gateway, most of them automatically come with a built-in firewall that only needs to be activated and configured to begin filtering Internet traffic. Also, any version of Microsoft Windows that is XP or newer comes prepackaged with a firewall, and enabling the added security of the firewall is no more than a few steps. If you aren't running Windows XP and don't currently have a broadband router, your options are limited to either buying a hardware firewall (which can be quite expensive), or to download a software firewall (usually much cheaper). The only drawback to having a software firewall running on a computer is that only the computer running the firewall is protected, and there is the added overhead of having an application constantly running in the background tying up system resources.
The final step towards computer security is to make sure your computer is always up to date with the latest updates and patches available for your applications and operating system. Microsoft makes this easy by providing www.windowsupdate.com, and Norton Anti Virus goes even further, by automatically updating its software and virus definitions at preset time intervals. Most other software packages, however, require the process of manually going to the manufacturer's website and checking for updates. This is why Norton Anti Virus does so well. They take as much of the user involvement out of the traditional virus scan. If you do not have the luxury to be able to afford one these overpriced antivirus software, such as Norton Anti Virus, do not worry to much because there are some secondary alternatives. There are many online virus scan sites who will run a system check on your computer. Although these free online virus scans are very helpful in targeting a virus on your system, they do not help in the prevention process. However if diagnosis is your main priority then an online virus scan like Trend Micro's Housecall or Panda ActiveScan would work just fine
It is essential to focus virus scans on Internet-driven applications, such as your Internet browser and email clients. Email attachments are especially dangerous because they are very common and are usually fairly sophisticated. Since most viruses or worms embed themselves in exe files we will term a virus of this nature an "exe virus". An exe virus through email can run even just by viewing it, without download. To be able to identify an exe virus be sure to enable file extension viewing in order to see what kind of file is looming in your inbox.
With the following precautionary steps in place, you can finally rest assured that your computer system is likely more secure than 95% of all the other computers currently out there on the Internet highway.
Steps to take to create a secure computer:
- Lock and encrypt
your important documents
- Use a Password Generator
& Analyzer to make sure your passwords are easy to remember and
hard to break
- Run a Security Check
to see if your current computer security settings are working properly
- Use a firewall
and virus scanner
- Enable
file extension viewing on your Windows System to give yourself a
heads up on what type of file you are working with
- Schedule a Microsoft Windows Update to occur regularly
Following these guidelines, hopefully there won't be any unannounced "surprises" next time you boot up your computer!
Security Related Topics:
More Computer Security Information - Links and FAQs
Security Related Products:
The new Lock-it XP uses the strongest encryption available, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) approved. Enjoy faster, much more secure encryption, the strongest on the market. This level of encryption is what is now approved for governmental use to protect their sensitive (unclassified) information from prying eyes.
For those of you concerned your machine cannot support this level of encryption, rest easy. The new Lock-it XP is backwards compatible (will use the standard 40-bit encryption if that is how your computer is configured), but can also support up to a 256-bit key size! Help your computer help you by getting the most out of its encryption capabilities.