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With identity theft, scams and spam a great concern in today�s society, it is more important than ever to protect your privacy. There are a variety of ways to protect yourself and any information on your computer. The best way to ensure maximum protection is to employ several different means. Between software, hardware and personal controls, these solutions will assist you with your computer security needs. You should always be mindful of the type of information divulged over the Internet. Remember that a lot of information given to scammers was revealed by the consumer without use of any fancy hacking attempts. Utilizing some best practice suggestions will keep your information safe and secure. Many programs and sites need passwords for access. You should always use passwords that are difficult to decipher and not commonly used. Use a combination of letters, numbers, upper case and lower case. It is also advisable to change your passwords at least once per month. Use different passwords at different sites to minimize total risk in case one is breached. Never give your passwords to anyone. Be aware that there are sites on the Internet that look like legitimate sites but are really designed to obtain your user and password information. These sites are called phishing sites and can look identical to the real thing. As soon as you enter your username and password, the phisher has that information, can go to the real site and access your account. To prevent compromising your information, never reveal your passwords to anyone, even ones claiming they are from the trusted site. If they actually were, they�d already have that information. Ebay and PayPal are popular phishing sites as they also contain financial information or allow access to credit cards or bank accounts. Always go directly to the site by typing in the URL in the address bar. Do not follow links found in emails or notices. Spoofing the �From� field in an email is very easy to do. So, don't rely on that to ensure your email really was from a trusted source. You need to protect your computer from viruses and Trojans. The main difference between viruses and Trojans are that viruses self replicate and Trojans do not. Both can be very harmful to your computer. Your computer should be installed with some type of virus protection software that searches for these types of harmful programs. Norton and McAfee are popular ones but there are many that will suit. Ensure that these are on all the time and that they scan both your computer drives and email. Make certain they automatically update. Don�t become vulnerable because you forgot to update your virus definitions. You should also be careful not to open emails with attachments unless you know what they are. Even if it comes from a familiar address, do not open it. Also be wary of downloading scripts or games from sites you are not familiar with. Most computer users nowadays have high speed Internet connections that are always on. While the speed is much more convenient, the constant connection may leave you vulnerable. A common deterrent is the use of a router which acts as a firewall to help reduce risk. These pieces of hardware are a separate system from your computer thus they provide a good additional barrier. Spam is unsolicited bulk mail that is delivered to your email address. Protect yourself from spammers by using filters on email and protecting your email address. When signing up for services online, be careful you are not inadvertently opting in to mailing lists. Also, check a site�s privacy policy to guarantee they do not sell your information. Installing a filter or email wash program will segregate suspected spam to another folder. You can opt to delete it all or scan through it to be sure there wasn�t something caught that you wanted. Using hardware such as firewalls or routers, virus and spam protection software and best practices in your computer usage will help keep your computer and your privacy secure. Always check the validity of correspondence prior to clicking on links or downloading. Do not divulge identifying information or give secure data without knowing how it will be used. Be aware of the potential security risks and protect yourself against them for a fun and safe computer using experience. Thoughts or comments? Please consider posting them to the discussion forum Copyright © 2006 www.neonsedge.com |
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