How to secure your computer
Nowadays we are using the computers for online banking, shopping and investing. For accomplishing
these tasks we have to connect to the public network such as the internet. But, this exposes our
computer to several security risks. We are open to hackers, attackers and crackers. These
people try to steel your identity, such as credit card numbers, email ids, passwords etc. There
are also many phishing sites on the network which cause havoc by hacking vital and valuable
information. It is, therefore, essential to protect your pc against such attackers. Here are
a few methods which can make your computer safe and secure.
1. Always make backups of important information and store in a safe place separate from your
computer.
2. It is important that you keep your computer Updated. Patch your operating system, web browser
and softwares frequently. If you have a Windows operating system, start by going to
www.windowsupdate.microsoft.com and running the update wizard. This program helps you find
the latest patches for your Windows computer. Also go to www.officeupdate.microsoft.com to
locate possible patches for your Office programs.Installing patches helps to seal the security
holes in the operating systems,browsers and the softwares.
3. Install a firewall. Without a good firewall, viruses, worms, Trojans, malware and adware
can all easily access your computer from the Internet. Consideration should be given to the
benefits and differences between hardware and software based firewall programs.
4. Set your browser and email settings for optimum security. Active-X and JavaScript are often
used by hackers to plant malicious programs into your computers. At a minimum set your security
setting for the “internet zone” to High, and your “trusted sites zone” to Medium Low.
5. Install antivirus software and set for automatic updates so that you receive the most current
versions.
6. Do not open unknown email attachments. It is simply not enough that you may recognize the address
from which it originates because many viruses can spread from a familiar address.
7. Do not run programs from unknown origins. Also, do not send these types of programs to friends
and coworkers just because they contain funny or amusing stories or jokes, without further
confirmation. They may contain a malicious software waiting to infect a computer.
8. By default, the Windows operating system is set to “hide file extensions for known file types”.
Disable this option so that file extensions display in Windows. This will enable you to find
out quickly if there are any unsual files that have invaded your computer.
9. Turn off your computer and disconnect from the network when not using the computer.A hacker can not
attack your computer when you are disconnected from the network or the computer is off.
10. MAke a backup of your system by storing all your important files to another hard disk. In case your data is damaged or compromised by a malicious program you can take steps to format and restore your data files to the previous position. Obviously, you need to take this step before you experience a hostile breach of your system.
these tasks we have to connect to the public network such as the internet. But, this exposes our
computer to several security risks. We are open to hackers, attackers and crackers. These
people try to steel your identity, such as credit card numbers, email ids, passwords etc. There
are also many phishing sites on the network which cause havoc by hacking vital and valuable
information. It is, therefore, essential to protect your pc against such attackers. Here are
a few methods which can make your computer safe and secure.
1. Always make backups of important information and store in a safe place separate from your
computer.
2. It is important that you keep your computer Updated. Patch your operating system, web browser
and softwares frequently. If you have a Windows operating system, start by going to
www.windowsupdate.microsoft.com and running the update wizard. This program helps you find
the latest patches for your Windows computer. Also go to www.officeupdate.microsoft.com to
locate possible patches for your Office programs.Installing patches helps to seal the security
holes in the operating systems,browsers and the softwares.
3. Install a firewall. Without a good firewall, viruses, worms, Trojans, malware and adware
can all easily access your computer from the Internet. Consideration should be given to the
benefits and differences between hardware and software based firewall programs.
4. Set your browser and email settings for optimum security. Active-X and JavaScript are often
used by hackers to plant malicious programs into your computers. At a minimum set your security
setting for the “internet zone” to High, and your “trusted sites zone” to Medium Low.
5. Install antivirus software and set for automatic updates so that you receive the most current
versions.
6. Do not open unknown email attachments. It is simply not enough that you may recognize the address
from which it originates because many viruses can spread from a familiar address.
7. Do not run programs from unknown origins. Also, do not send these types of programs to friends
and coworkers just because they contain funny or amusing stories or jokes, without further
confirmation. They may contain a malicious software waiting to infect a computer.
8. By default, the Windows operating system is set to “hide file extensions for known file types”.
Disable this option so that file extensions display in Windows. This will enable you to find
out quickly if there are any unsual files that have invaded your computer.
9. Turn off your computer and disconnect from the network when not using the computer.A hacker can not
attack your computer when you are disconnected from the network or the computer is off.
10. MAke a backup of your system by storing all your important files to another hard disk. In case your data is damaged or compromised by a malicious program you can take steps to format and restore your data files to the previous position. Obviously, you need to take this step before you experience a hostile breach of your system.
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