Tuesday, 13 March 2012

Matching A Security Suite To Your Needs

By Ian Tate


You should be aware that a fully secure web browser and or operating system is not realistically possible to achieve. A security suite and complementary products can help increase security, but they cannot, by any mean, eliminate all threats. Any product that claims this is possible should be viewed with skepticism.

The security of your computer can be compromised in a number of ways. Your computer security can be compromised by malware, spyware, unfamiliar e-mail attachments, and pot scanning. All the above-listed activities can make your computer vulnerable to viruses, worms, Trojan Horses, phishing and hacking.

Before you wave off the potential risk with a 'it won't happen to me', lets present you with some facts. Some non-profit organizations such as Dshield, work with people to track port scanning violations. Port scanning allows hackers to plant malware and access valuable information through a system's open ports. Dshield.org logs over 1.1 billion reported attempts of port scanning each month - and that is only based on their program participants.

another tool they offer is the report of survival time, which is the estimated amount of time it takes a PC to break down after being infected. Survival time varies on different operating systems, but is between 128 minutes (that's only 2hours!) and 5432 minutes (90 hours, or just under 4 days).

Protect your computer with these easy steps:

Don't run unfamiliar programs on your computer, especially if they were sent as email attachments from an unknown sender.

Keep your computer physically restricted even to family members who might, unknowingly, open programs that are viruses.

Use strong passwords. Avoid using the same password for everything, or using children or pet names, birth dates and anniversaries. Once a hacker has cracked one password, you don't want them to have access to everything on your computer. Keep your passwords in a safe place - not on a post-it on the side of your screen!

By updating your operating system regularly, you can ensure your computer is adequately protected. Every day new viruses and worms are created and distributed. Attacks are more likely when software is not updated.

Important data should be stored away from the computer.

Install antivirus software to provide extra protection for your computer, and remember to update it regularly.

It may sound a little paranoid, but with new ways to attack your computer being devised every day, it would seem clear that you cannot be too careful. For a moment, wrap your mind around the thought of losing all information from your computer. Anything you have stored in your computer - e-mail contacts, banking information, and other personal information. Why not take a few simple steps to ensure your information, and your computer can have the best possible protection?




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