Computer Security is in Your Hands

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Computers began making their way into North American homes in the late 1970s to early 1980s. I still remember the first computer I ever saw. It was a Commodore 64.
I can recall the day in 1982, I believe it was, when my friend Bob walked through the door with his brand new Commodore 64 tucked under his arm. He was proud as a peacock. His wife wasn't. We played with that gizmo for hours and still hadn't scratched the surface of what it could do.
Those were the days when computers were toys. Very few homes had them and no one had to worry about hackers, viruses, malware, cookies and the like as we do today. Heck, we hadn't even heard of such terms.
In such a short time, computers have evolved from mere toys and sources of entertainment into everyday necessities for most people. In less than 25 years, computers have become such an integral part of today's business world and private life that we would be hard pressed to survive without them.
Of course, anything so vital will always be the target of unscrupulous cyber vandals. Online crimes have become a major concern for law enforcement and the general public needs to give high priority to keeping criminals at bay. Hence the need for various types of computer security that helps keep our computers safe from harm.
Every computer owner must adapt some program of cyber security or they won't be online very long at all. And the threat is not limited to viruses and trojans that infect your system. Online criminals also want access to your computer. They want any piece of information that can help them steal your identity. They look for anything that can provide valuable financial information.
You as a computer owner do not have to sit by and see these kinds of criminal activities spoil your computing experiences. There are many things you can do yourself that will add security to your computer. Let's summarize just a few of them...
1) Install Good Anti-virus Software.
This is a must today. You should never access the internet or your email without active, up-to-date anti-virus program. Keep in mind, however, that new viruses are surfacing daily and it is a huge task for anti-virus programs to keep up with it all. It is vital that you keep your anti-virus software updated regularly in order for it to recognize any new man-made virus that may have been introduced.
Anti-virus programs are relatively inexpensive when you consider the alternative cost of having to clean up an unnecessary mess or replace a hard drive. There are even free anti-virus programs you can download. Some are just as good as some paid computer security products.
2) Have Proper Firewalls Installed.
To understand firewalls, think of your home, especially if it is fairly new or newly renovated. Building codes today call for installation of special drywall called a firewall. These firewalls are installed in case of fire and this type of wall board keeps the fire from spreading from one room to another, at least until help arrives.
Firewalls in your computer are much the same. They are defensive fortifications built into your system to help halt the spread of any virus or trojan that may have been introduced into your system. These firewalls filter unauthorized data from elsewhere, mostly the internet, while allowing authorized or 'good' data to enter your computer.
3) Be Careful With Emails
Many viruses enter your computer via your email. Make sure you establish some hard, fast rules about incoming email. For instance, be extra careful about opening emails from anyone you do not know, and never under any circumstances open any attachments to those emails. Often an email gives the recipient a message of urgency for opening the attachment. Be wary.
4) Be Creative With Passwords
The passwords you choose, whether for your email, membership sites, web host Cpanel, etc., need to be more than simple. Never use any personal information like telephone number, street address, banking PIN, etc. The reasons are quite obvious.
Hackers are quite good at breaking passwords so you need to be creative and adhere to a few rules when creating them. Think of them as keys that unlock a cabinet. Almost any key can be duplicated and used for criminal purposes. This is what hackers do. But there are steps you can take to minimize that threat.
a) Never share your password with anyone.
b) Make all your passwords at least 8 characters in length.
c) Make your passwords meaningless. The crazier, the better.
d) Use a variety of letters (upper and lower case), numbers, symbols, special characters, etc. in each password.
e) Keep a list of every site on which you have a password and record the password for that site.
f) Change your password regularly. It is ideal if you make the password changes all at the same time. For example: Change passwords every 3 months, on the 1st day of the third month. Change every password at that time. This way, none are missed. Keep a record of every date you changed your passwords. This keeps you from going too long without a change.
5) Backup Your Computer Data Regularly
This is one cardinal rule all experienced computer users adhere to. All backups must be done to a CD or DVD, or some other external device. The idea here is that if something happens to your system or you lose your hard drive, you still have all your data elsewhere that can be reloaded into your computer.
6) Never allow file sharing from your computer.
This is one of the most dangerous practices you can allow. Keep all other parties out of your computer.
7) Disconnect From The Internet
By disconnecting from the internet when your computer is not in use, you make it impossible for others to gain access to your system.
8) Keep Abreast Of Security Updates
This is easy to do these days. You can do this by going to the site hosted by your security provider. They have tons of computer security news regarding current security issues. Many even have computer security courses you can take. This way you are well informed of the newest tactics of online criminals and are provided with ways and means of lessening the threat to your system.
Computer security is really up to you. Many take this issue far too lightly until the day all "H...." breaks loose. Then you are rushing around in confusion looking for someone to fix it all. The fact is, most often no one needs to be in that kind of situation. With a good security system in placed and some personal diligence, you can avoid 99.9 per cent of these kinds of problems.

For more information on computer security, visit the following site http://www.affiliatepowerpunch.com. Click "Secure Your Computer" for access. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Kindred

Phishing and Computer Security

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I am sure everyone has received an email advising them that their bank has introduced some new security method which requires them to enter passwords and other security details into a web page or face discontinuation of a service.
This is called phishing and is usually carried out by criminals to persuade innocent victims to give away information that they may use to gain access to bank accounts, credit card accounts or other financial accounts.
It usually starts with an email
'The xyz bank has recently upgraded its security systems to make your account more secure and to protect your account from unauthorized access. To ensure that these new security measures are applied to your account you must change your password.
Click on the link enexamplebank.com
If you click on the link you are taken to a web-site which looks remarkably like the web-site for your bank, cheekily, it may even have a warning on it that you should take care to make sure any information you provide is secure. You are invited to enter your security details. By doing this you have provided the phisher with information to permit theft of your money.
No bank or other financial institution would ever ask you to enter these details on an email.
If in any doubt carry out the following:

• Never put passwords into an email (email is not secure)
• If asked to click on a link, hover your mouse over then link and see if the link is the same as the hover information
• If possible type in the web information you hold already for your bank
• On a bank website look for the closed padlock symbol which shows that the site is secure
• If it looks at all suspicious don't do anything with it
• Forward the email to your bank for them to deal with it
• Telephone your bank and ask if the email is genuine
• If you have been fooled and do enter information into a phishing web-site contact your bank immediately and them what you have done. This may mean that your account is frozen while action is taken. You will have to change passwords of course.

Phishing is the number one method at the moment for fund generation by criminals.
Don't fall for it

Chris Eden FIBA, MISSA, AIQA is a director of Quality Matters Limited, an established consultancy specializing in Quality (ISO9001), Environment (ISO14001), Information Security (ISO27001) and IT Service Management (ISO20000).

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Computer Security Systems

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In the present technology-oriented era, most important information is stored on computers. In order to locate and use this critical information, intruders come up with innovative and destructive ways to steal this data. People will endlessly try to break into your computer to find information like your credit card numbers and use it for their benefit.
Computer security is that important and helpful field which designs and implements protection for your computer. A relatively new yet complex field, it doesn’t have much publicized literature, due to the nature of its content. Every year companies invest millions on research and development in this area, making it a lucrative and challenging career.
In the US, users are listening to their software experts and taking their advice to select and use difficult passwords which are not easily deciphered by intruders. People are wary of opening unsolicited emails, and readily upload anti-virus programs to guard their machines.
The firewall program by Microsoft protects your PC from intruders who try to make your machine crash, or steal the required information. Antispyware software from the same company helps protect your computer from known programs which can easily track your browsing patterns.
The hackers may change the settings of your computer without your knowledge. By installing antispyware protection you can have a central location for viewing your computer’s security status and changing the security settings. The program also protects you from harmful viruses. It is important for users to avail the available security systems to protect their computer systems from hackers. A careful approach in using the systems will go a long way in saving your precious data from hackers, and will improve the quality of your PC.

Computer Security provides detailed information on Computer Security, Computer Security Systems, Computer Network Securities, Computer Security Software and more. Computer Security is affiliated with Information Security Systems.

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Computer Security Certificate is For Everyone

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Our computers are vulnerable from attacks that come at all sides. It comes from different sources too. That is why a computer security certificate is very useful. Every business have some kind of broadband Internet Access these days. So your connection is always on and your personal information and your business information are exposed to the internet.
Aside from the Computer Security Certificate, you also need an anti-virus protection. Do you know that there are thousands of viruses that are made everyday. It basically means that no computer is safe especially without the anti-virus protection and most especially if you do not know what you need if did not learn what you need to protect yourself. Your computer's network is always under attack from hackers. With the Computer Security Certificate, you can protect your users and your company from any unauthorized web access that will not only damage your data but also your productivity and your employees' productivity as well.
So remember the Computer Security Certificate provides you security. It is as simple as that. There are online training courses offered that you can avail because the first step in protecting yourself is by equipping yourself with the necessary knowledge and being able to get a certificate that will prove that you can do that. Even if you are not a computer expert, the training is for everyone. So you can be a programmer, a network engineer, a site administrator, an analyst, mom and you can benefit from the right certification.

Cheryl Forbes owns and operates the website http://www.computersecuritycertificate.com.

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Network Security - Why You Should Get a Server

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If you're concerned that the growing number of computers in your company has been creating problems with data management and security, you can invest in a server which can offer the best solutions and more. With a server, you are able to handle your workstations more effectively while protecting each one from intruders. The device allows you to manage data more effectively across the different computers. Combining these two, your company can benefit greatly in terms of increased security and efficiency among employees.
Some businessmen rely on a PC that is merely configured to function as a server but it will never function like a server when it comes to the more important tasks. Definitely, this device may cost you some, but the rewards are definitely worth it.
A major advantage of a server is the availability of security features which allow each user to keep and protect his data in a virtual storage area of his own. This means one employee's files may not be made accessible to another employee. This feature is specially significant when one department wants to keep its files from the view of another department. Another security feature allowed by a server is the automatic backup of all files. This means there is no need to rely on employees to manually do the rounds. This significantly saves time for the completion of other tasks.
With a server's redundant disk drives, all ongoing transactions on a computer can be saved during hardware or power failures. A server's hot-swappable components also allow a technician to work on a defective hardware without shutting down the computer. Again, this works by maintaining productivity by allowing the computer to run while repairs are done.
Computers run on a server are also kept safe significantly from online contaminants such as viruses, worms and the like. When a network is controlled by a PC functioning as a server, contaminants infecting one workstation are bound infect other workstations as well. But with a server, infection can be isolated to the computer that made contact with the contaminant. With a server, infection diagnosis and removal could be easier and faster. That's because this device will have a feature that allows it to scan and fix each workstation individually.
Certainly, there is no question about the data management benefits a server can provide. It allows employees to become more productive doing other things instead of being confined to the normally tedious task of fixing a computer and having users to wait. However, when it comes to Internet security, the server can use some help from other protective utilities.
An IP changer is one such protective measure a network administrator can take. This is actually a software that allows computers to connect to the Internet unidentified because their IP addresses will be hidden. That means considerable security from hackers who may be on the lookout for victims roaming around unsecured on the web.

With an IP changing software, the hacker will be misled by a fake IP supplied by the software to each workstation. Thus, users can surf anonymously and the threat of hacking is greatly reduced.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brad_M_Smith

How to Protect Personal Information on Your Computer

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With more people using the internet everyday, there has been a significant increase in the threats of online criminals attempting to steal personal information. When you use email, surf the net, and provide financial information to retailers, you have to make sure no one can steal your information. Fortunately, technological improvements in computer security and implementing safety precautions can drastically reduce the chances of having your information stolen.
The following tips are designed to help you protect personal information on your computer:
• Acquire Security Software: It is important that you have the appropriate security software to protect your computer from viruses, hackers, worms, spyware, spam, identity theft, and Adware. A quality and renowned security software program will protect your computer from a variety of security risks. Some software provides a combination of protection methods while others provide just one security function.
• Implement Wireless Security Protection: If you access the internet through a Wi-Fi network, make sure you have the appropriate protection from hackers. With wireless networks, the radio waves travel in the surrounding area, so a hacker sitting nearby can access your connection and hack into your computer.
• Use a Firewall: A firewall adds a security obstruction between a personal computer and the internet. It helps prevents hackers from accessing your computer. It will block any suspicious and unauthorized entry into a computer system.
• Email Encryption: When you use email encryption, it reduces the chances of someone intercepting and accessing your information.
• Beware of Phishing Scams: Many online criminals will send fraudulent emails and use fraudulent websites to gather a person's personal information. Never provide personal information to unknown businesses. Confirm the site is legitimate by either checking with the Better Business Bureau or online sites that expose fraudulent sites and emails. Purchase products from sites that encrypt transaction payments. Encrypting payment information will code your personal and financial data after you submit the payment.
• Beware of Certain Free Download Programs: Some free download software can contain harmful programs. They can allow the person who sent it access to your computer. Security software can prevent these programs from installing. Adware and Spyware are software that can contain these malicious programs.
• Backup Information: Back up and store your information in case your security barrier is breached so you will not lose important information. Store it on a CD or an external hard drive.
• System Security Configuration: Configure your browser or operating system to manage pop-ups, delete cookies, and block specific web sites.
• Change Passwords Regularly: Change your passwords at least every 30 days to reduce the chance of a hacker accessing your online personal and financial information.
• Monitor your Credit Report: You should regularly check your credit report history. This will let you know if anyone has been using your financial information.
When you use the internet for shopping, banking, emailing, and sending instant messages, there are shady people who may try to access your computer to steal your information. Using the latest security software and practicing safe security practices, will reduce the chance of having your personal information stolen and used for illegal purposes.

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