Develop Good Computer Security Habits..!

Develop Good Computer Security Habits

Computer security is something we all need to consider. With email spam, phishing schemes and viruses on the rise, PC users need to know how to protect their data and privacy. Learn more about phishing, email, antivirus and other tips in this article written to help make users more aware of the increasing dangers of the Internet.

Having good computer security habits is something we all need to develop. As hacking and viruses evolve, so does the user. Operating System like Vista and XP have made improvements on security by turning on security features like Windows Firewall and User Account Control, but at the end of the day, the user must take a proactive approach to protecting their computers.

Passwords

While it seems obvious to have a complex password, many users do not. There are tools on the Internet that give hackers and viruses the ability to crack simple passwords in seconds. Having a password of at least eight characters mixed with number, letters and symbols make it harder. Users should also rotate and create new variations of this difficult password and not use the same one on all websites.

Phishing

Phishing is a hacking technique used commonly in emails and websites that try to obtain sensitive information from users, such as logins to bank accounts and other private information. Never click links in emails, as they can be faked. And never give out information to sites that you go to through email. If you have an online bank account for instance, be sure  to manually type in the URL if you are sent an email from them. Typing in your bank’s website ensures that you are actually going to that site and not being re-directed to a site that looks like it.

Email

Email can also be used by worms, which are viruses that procreate by emailing themselves to everyone in your email address boot. Never open attachments from friends or relatives unless you are expecting an attachment from them. Worms can send themselves in an executable attachment that installs the virus when it is opened.

Turn off the Internet

While this may be a tough pill to swallow for some users, consider turning off your computer when you’re not using it. If you are not on the Internet, you become a smaller target for random scans.

Have an Antivirus and Firewall Installed

Windows Vista and XP Service Pack 2 will have a firewall turned on by default. If you do not have one, or if you have turned off your computer’s firewall, be sure to install one. A firewall can protect you from viruses and other malware by blocking certain ports or ignoring traffic that hackers send out as feelers for unprotected PCs. Having an up to date antivirus is also necessary. 

You can get an anti-virus free online.

Being aware and having good computer security habits is only part of staying safe online. You must also keep Windows up to date and have a current anti-virus program. 

Windows Security Not Completely Inept

Windows has security issues. That’s no big secret. It is, after all, the most largely-used Operating System in the world. As a result, it’s a huge target for hackers. The good news is, Microsoft has slowly been improving its security over the past few years. It dumped IE 6, it has taken measures to automatically turn on the Windows firewall and perform automatic updates. It now includes a free spyware program within Windows and offers a very good free antivirus program.

But because it has so many users, and because making sweeping changes to security would affect billions of people, Microsoft has to take baby steps when implementing change. The good news is, all of these tools are available for you if you take a few moments to install them.

Things You Must Do To Improve Windows Security

Since you now know the tools are at your disposal, you must act to tweak your Windows installation to take advantage of them. The three tools we’re talking about today are the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool, Microsoft Security Essentials, and Windows Defender. These three programs can play a key role in keeping malware off of your system, as well as removing it once you are infected.

Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool – This is a removal tool, as it implies. It is post-infection. This tool does not remove every single virus that comes out, but it does focus on the most prevalent and destructive of the bunch. It is updated monthly, so if you have setup Windows to automatically perform Windows updates, you should have the latest version. Typically, the latest version is released on the second Tuesday of every month, so you might be a month behind depending on the release schedule.

To run the removal tool, go to the Start button and type mrt in the run box and hit OK. The tool launches and asks if you would like to run a quick scan or a full scan. Always choose the full scan. If anything is found, MRT will take actions to remove it from your system.

Microsoft Security Essentials – People will argue which free antivirus software is the best. Some like AVG, some like aVast!, but the Microsoft Security Essentials antivirus program is our personal favorite. Why? because we use it all the time and have had no infections, no intrusive pop-ups, and no system slow-downs. If you’re running an out-dated antivirus, make sure you uninstall your current antivirus then go to the Microsoft Security Essentials website and download it. Remember, you cannot run two antivirus programs at the same time. But what you can run alongside Microsoft Security Essentials is Super-Antispyware Professional & Malwarebytes Anti-malware Professional. We are official resellers of these two great programs for that reason,  if you are intrested in the above contact A.J.R Computing for details and visit are software page.

Windows Defender – Windows Defender is a free anti-spyware program that protects your computer in real-time. If you’re running Microsoft Security Essentials, it automatically disables Windows Defender because Security Essentials does both antivirus and anti-spyware protection in real-time. But if you do not have Security Essentials, you’ll want to make sure Windows Defender is enabled. If you’re running an older version of Windows, you may need to download it from the Defender website.

In conclusion, you should use these free tools to protect and rid your computer of infection. You will be safer and you will make the Internet safer, as well.