Keeping your computer safe online

Batten down the hatches

If you read about computers in mainstream media these days you could be forgiven for thinking that your computer (and your entire digital life) is constantly under attack from every direction. Hackers, war-drivers, botnets, zombie computers, hardware failure, malware and phishing (just to name a few!) all supposedly trying to break down your door (which some of us will know of first hand) and, for most,  can all get a bit overwhelming and is hardly constructive. This article aims to put your mind at rest by giving you four things you can do to keep your computer safe from most of the threats out there. While you can never protect against everything, ensuring you have these four things puts you ahead of the pack and in a position of relative safety.

Safe and secure internet security software

If you have a computer running without a good Internet security package you’re inviting disaster. Malware (viruses, spyware etc) is often designed to be malicious which unfortunately means that even the most paranoid and careful computer user (we’ve all met someone who unplugs the network cord when they’re not at the computer) will at some point fall under the knife. Did you know that over 40,000 Malware samples are created everyday? (Source: ABC 4 Corners Program “Fear in the Fast Lane” Aired 17th Aug’09). 

Having an up-to-date Internet security package guards against this. An Internet security package is definitely better than a stand-alone anti-virus or anti-spyware package as most come with comprehensive firewall software as well. This is important as firewalls protect you against hackers and other networked based attacks.

If you’d like a hand selecting and installing an Internet security package, a gizmo Cure Me service is a good place to start. Our gizmotechs give your computer a good clean out, install your antivirus software and show you how to use it.  We can also help you with an Internet security package that is right for you. This last step is important, as Internet security software is notorious for being difficult to use and without proper training on its use it can be more of a hindrance than help.

An Encrypted wireless network

Wireless technology is cheaper and more attractive than ever before but it’s also a much larger target than it ever has been. Being able to wirelessly get online in any room of your house is a fantastic convenience, but it’s simultaneously a massive threat to your online security if it’s not set up properly.

In a recent ABC Four corners report “Fear in the Fast Lane” it was found that in a 20 minute drive through the Sydney suburb of Balmain, over 100 unencrypted wireless networks were discovered. What this means is that as well as you being able to get onto the Internet in any room of your house, criminals can make use of this handy feature to get onto your computers sitting outside in a car on the street. Think about what’s on your computer – tax records, banking details – would you want a criminal having access to this information?

To protect against this threat it is essential your network and the computers that connect to it are properly encrypted. What this means is that although a criminal may be able to see that your network exists form the street, they will not be able to connect to it as doing so requires a password which only you know. There are various types and strengths of wireless encryption available. Not all encryption types provide adequate protection against sophisticated hackers (and can be broken in a matter of minutes), so make sure you use at least WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) encryption. If you already have a wireless network - ensure your computer is as secure as it should be, with gizmo’s Secure Me service.  Or, if you need a hand setting up a secure wireless network from scratch, gizmo’s Network Me service is designed to do just that.

Update your operating system and browser.

This is just common sense and second nature to most computer users nowadays but we’ve included it for completeness. As part of using a computer, you must make sure you regularly update your operating system and browser either manually or using auto-updates.

If you’re still running a computer using Internet Explorer 6.0 you need to upgrade it NOW. To check which version of Internet Explorer (IE) you’re currently running, open your browser, click Help and then click on About Internet Explorer. If you find you are indeed running IE  6, it’s definitely time to upgrade. Visit the Microsoft Website to download a later version of IE or the Firefox website to download Firefox (an alternative to IE).  If you’d like someone to give your computer a once over and make sure it’s all up-to-date, consider a gizmo Upgrade Me service.

Backup

We keep talking about this, but it really is simple and a no-brainer. Make sure you have a robust backup solution in place before you do anything else. Invest in both an online backup solution (like gizmo online backup) and get yourself an external hard drive. This puts you in reach of both an easily accessible onsite backup (via external hard drive) in case your computer’s hard drive fails, and secures your most important files against theft and fire (via online offsite backup). Having a backup also protects you in the event that something happens to your data as a result of something malicious – you always have somewhere to retrieve any accidentally deleted files.