Protect Yourself

Current trends in the computer world make it essential to protect yourself or suffer the consequences.

Threats to computers/networks/data:

• Programming mistakes built into Windows
• Human mistakes and intentional damage
• Viruses, worms, trogan horses, etc.
• Spyware, adware, pop-ups/unders
• Phishing, trap sites, hoaxes, scams
• Email that seems its from friends
• Spam email
• Data loss
• Physical loss
• Unintentional info disclosure
• Hackers gone bad (crackers)
• Being locked out of your own systems
• Being computer-jacked (like car-jacking)
• Spending computer money on the wrong stuff
• Insecure wireless networking at home and office

Defenses for the above threats:

• Continuous patching of Windows or use Linux
• Better training, better screening, better administration
• Anti-Virus software on every single computer
• Anti-Spyware software on every single computer
• Be suspicious of every email you receive
• Be suspicious of every email attachment
• Be suspicious of every web site you visit
• Never accept automatically installed software when visiting websites
• Have a working and tested Data Backup Plan
• Make sure your insurance will replace computers
• Never throw computers in the trash or give them to others without securely erasing all programs and data
• Be sure to have hardware and software firewalls in place for every computer and make sure they work
• Don't waste money thinking new PCs will solve the above problems because they won't
• Avoid wireless networking completely
• If you decide to go wireless anyway, make sure you have enabled all security features to the maximum.
• Realize that even with all wireless networking security features enabled, you are not well protected
• Realize that wireless networks are hacked much more easily than wired networks
• Wireless networks can be hacked by someone in the next office, the floors above and below and from the parking lot, across the street or across the fence.

For more information on how to protect your computer systems, contact us.