The San Jose Mercury News recently had a nice collection of tips for safer Internet use. Most are common sense, but it never hurts to review the basics:
1. Make sure your operating system’s automatic updates and firewall are turned on.
2. Use security programs including anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and subscribe to security updates.
3. Run a full system scan at least once a month.
4. Don’t open attachments or click on links in e-mails from people you don’t know.
5. Use passwords with at least eight characters and numbers and symbols, and change them regularly.
6. Access the Internet through a router – it creates an implicit firewall for you, so bots can’t reach your machine directly.
7. Don’t use the same password for every account – and use more complex passwords for "important" transactions, such as with your bank.
8. Don’t connect to the Internet using a wireless connection without a password.
9. Don’t send sensitive information to a Web site that does not begin with "https," which means it’s secured.
10. When you receive an e-mail, think about whether it’s really from the purported sender, rather than an impostor, before taking action.
That is a very good list of the things to do to keep your computer and yourself secure online. Many people don’t realize just how easy it is for bad people to steal their information.
I would also like to add a great website in case someone does get a virus or spyware.
http://wiki.castlecops.com/Malware_Removal_and_Prevention:_Introduction
By doing all the things listed in this website you will keep your computer free of viruses and spy ware and more secure. Best of all everything they tell you to use is all free of charge.
Thanks for the tip. Here’s that link again, in case anyone has trouble with the longer version: http://tinyurl.com/9ezyj.
Bob Kraft