About Technology

by David Grahams

Top 5 Tips For Protecting Your Computer

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about PC Security to be dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from PC Security experts.

Today, more and more people are using their computers for everything from communication to online banking and investing, to internet shopping.

As we do these things on a more regular basis, we unknowingly open ourselves up to a multitude of online threats to our PC's security. These include but are not limited to potential hackers, attackers and crackers. In addition there are pieces of software, malware, adware and scripts containing Trojans and other such virus like nasties that are all intent on soliciting some form of information about us which may already be contained in personal files on our PC systems.

1. Get a Router. If your broadband connection is through some form of modem (normally USB or cable) supplied to you by your ISP (Internet Service Provider), make sure you attach this to a Router and then attach that Router to your PC. Many people just attach the modem to their PC and then rely on Anti-Virus software to protect them. This is simply not enough nowadays, and they will surely have a problem somewhere down the line.

2. Make regular Backups of your data and important information and keep it in a safe place that is separate from your computer. Nowadays there are a lot of different ways to achieve this, especially with the advent of DVD writers and low cost hard disks which enable a lot of data to be backed up and stored "offline".

3. Keep your operating system, web browser and software updated frequently. If you have a Windows operating system, start by going to www.windowsupdate.microsoft.com and running the update wizard. This program will help you find the latest patches for your Windows computer. Also go to www.officeupdate.microsoft.com and locate possible patches for your Office programs. If you have Windows XP service pack2 installed (and it is recommended that you do, because it contains inbuilt security fixes) you can use the Security Center from the Control Panel to turn "Automatic Updates" on. This will keep your system updated with all the latest patches and fixes that Microsoft releases.

4. Make sure you 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. Of course, if you use a router (which is recommended) this will already have a firewall built into it, and this can work in addition to any software firewall you choose to install on your PC.

5. Check your internet browser and email client settings for optimum security. Why should you do this? Active-X and JavaScript are often used by hackers to plant malicious programs into your computers. While cookies are relatively harmless in terms of security concerns, they do still track your movements on the Internet to build a profile of you. At a minimum set your security setting for the "Internet zone" to High, and your "trusted sites zone" to Medium Low.

I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing--the more you understand about any subject, the more you will be able to share with others.

source : www.goarticles.com

About the Author

David Grahams is a successful Internet Marketer. In addition to writing articles and ebooks on Internet Marketing, he is also a qualified Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, and is the author of the successful ebook "Ultimate Online Security". http://www.theidealebook.com/ultimateonlinesecurity.html

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