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Why You
Need To Protect Your Computer
Some Common
Dangers
How Did these
Things Get On My Computer?
How Do I
Protect Myself?
How
To Test Your Computer Security.
How To Prepare
A Computer for Internet Use.
How To Clean
Up a Polluted Internet Computer
A Final
Note ....
20
minutes.
That's
how long it takes for harmful
programs to start finding your
unprotected Windows computer
on the internet. And install
themselves.
Please
note: Most of these
precautions are not needed for
Apple or Linux based computers.
See www.linspire.com
for an fully featured, inexpensive
alternative to Windows.
Why
You Need To Protect Your Computer
It
seems that many people still
believe that they are safe from
harmful programs if they don't
open any email attachments.
Not
True.
If
you connect an unprotected Windows
based computer to the internet,
it's highly likely that a harmful
program will be installed on
it within minutes.
Your
computer could be sending out
thousands of email messages,
taking part in electronic attacks
on other computers, or sending
your personal information to
criminals somewhere on the internet.
Without
you knowing a thing about it.
Some
Common Dangers
The
past year has seen a rapid increase
in the amount of criminal activity
that targets unsuspecting internet
users. Here's just a few of
the common nasties.
- PHISHING
- where people are tricked
into providing their bank
account details to criminals.
- SPAMMING
- where people don't know
that their computer is being
used to send out thousands
of email messages.
- BOTNETS
- where your computer is under
external control, and is used
to send spam, launch attacks
on other computers, etc.
- Viruses,
Worms, and Trojans - which
can do a variety of things
like damage your files, send
them to others, distribute
SPAM, or send your bank login
details to criminals.
- DIALERS
- which cut your internet
connection, and quickly establish
another one which adds many
dollars a minute to your phone
bill
- POP-UPS
- which "pop up" lots of windows
and advertisements, making
it difficult to even use your
computer.
- And
lots more.
How
Did these Things Get On My Computer?
Easy.
They got onto your computer
because you did the normal things
that everyone does. Things like:
- Visiting
websites.
- Clicking
on a popup advertisement
- Opening
an email attachment
- Clicking
a link in an email message
- Or
just by connecting your computer
to the internet without an
effective firewall.
How
Do I Protect Myself?
The
first thing is to realise that
just having an anti virus program
is not sufficient to stop all
the harmful stuff that is trying
to install itself on your computer.
You also need the following
items in operation.
Firewalls.
This is like an electronic guard
that controls what comes in
and out of your PC.
Firewalls
can be either a software program
that you run, or contained in
the hardware that is used for
internet connections. They can
protect you against MANY types
of internet attacks, and we
consider them to be compulsory
on every computer that is connected
to the internet.
Service
Pack 2 for Microsoft XP contains
a firewall, but we recommend
ZoneAlarm instead, as it
provides better protection against
programs trying to send data
out of your computer.
Spyware
Protection
Spyware
sits on your computer, monitors
what you are doing, and sends
information back to someone.
It is generally installed on
your computer along with freeware
or shareware programs, You give
these companies approval to
install it by agreeing to their
terms and conditions before
the program is installed.
If
you feel uncomfortable about
this, you can identify and optionally
remove it. We recommend 2 programs,
SpyBot
and Lavasoft's Adaware.
Like virus checkers, these programs
need to be regularly updated
for maximum protection.
Spybot
and Adaware will allow you to
identify hidden programs - and
remove them if you don't want
them to be there. (But be careful
- some programs will stop working
if you remove the programs that
are linked to them. For example,
if you are using the free version
of Eudora don't delete the program
that it uses to deliver the
advertising that you agreed
to receive.)
Viruses.
Most
people know about anti-virus
programs. However, many are
not aware of the need to update
them regularly. Preferably daily,
or at least weekly.
If
you have an antivirus program
that was installed a couple
of years ago and never updated,
it's useless. Get a new one.
There's
more information about Anti-virus
programs at
http://100host/antivirus.htm
Microsoft
Updates.
Microsoft
are continually releasing security
updates for their programs.
Visit
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
to get them. You should install
the critical ones as soon as
possible.
How
To Test Your Computer Security.
You
can test the effectiveness of
your computer security by going
to the Gibson Research site
at www.grc.com.
Click on the "Shields Up" logo,
and scroll down the page to
the "Hot Spots"
section. Then click on "Shields
Up".
The
first thing you'll see is a
request for your permission
to try and access your system.
These access tests are safe
in our experience, and you agree
to them by clicking on the "Proceed"
button.
You
should now be at the main "Shields
Up" page, and can run a series
of tests that show how well
(or how poorly) your computer
is protected from various internet
attacks.
A
comprehensive explanation of
all tests is available if you
scroll down the page.
Here's
the ones to try first:
1.
File sharing:
This test checks whether the
files on your computer are visible
to anyone on the internet. An
appropriate message will appear
after the test, giving you feedback.
2.
Common Ports.
Probes the most common electronic
connections (Ports) on your
computer. Ideally, you should
see a green "Stealth" result
beside each one if your firewall
is working properly. If you
see anything else, your computer
is not as secure as it could
be. (For a more comprehensive
test which scans the first 1056
ports on your system, select
"All Service Ports")
3.
Messenger Spam: Tests
how your computer handles the
SPAM that comes through the
messenger service. There's also
instructions on how to shut
it off.
4.
Browser Headers: find
out what information your computer
is giving to every site that
you visit.
If
the GRC tests indicate that
your security needs improvement,
make changes to the setup of
your computer as discussed at
GRC and try the tests again.
How
To Prepare A Computer for Internet
Use.
If
you've just bought a new computer,
an hour or so preparing it for
use on the internet can save
you a lot of grief.
1.
Buy the latest issue of a computer
magazine like APC, PC Authority,
PC World, or similar that has
a CD ROM on the cover. (You're
looking for a disk with at least
ZoneAlarm, SpyBot, and an anti-virus
program on it. Preferably Mozilla
Firefox as well)
Getting
these programs in a magazine
will save a lot of time downloading,
and eliminate the risk of your
computer being infected with
something while you are doing
the download. There'll also
be help files to read in case
you get stuck.
2.
If you are not already protected
by a firewall/router, install
the "ZoneAlarm" software firewall.
The default settings should
be fine. (If you have Windows
XP SP2, we'd suggest turning
its firewall off and using ZoneAlarm
instead. )
3.
Install an anti-virus program
if there's not one already on
the computer. See http://100host.com/antivirus.htm
for some suggestions. Some of
these like AVG or Avast will
probably be on your magazine
disk.
4.
Install Spybot and/or Adaware.
5.
Consider using alternative programs
like Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird
for web browsing and email.
Criminals target the security
faults in Microsoft Internet
Explorer and Outlook, and many
authorities regard Internet
Explorer as being unsafe to
use.
6.
Connect your computer to the
internet, and follow the instructions
in the Test
section (above) to assess
how well your computer is protected.
How
To clean Up a Polluted Internet
Computer
If
you've been using a computer
on the internet without the
protection discussed above,
it probably resembles an electronic
toxic waste dump.
Here's
how to clean it up.
1.
Do the "Shield Up" security
checks at www.grc.com.
2.
Install the programs as discussed
above.
3.
Connect to each of the program
update sites and download any
updates. This can take anywhere
from a few minutes to an hour
or more, depending on the program
and the speed of your connection
to the internet.
3.
Do a complete Virus and Spyware
scan using your newly updated
programs. Remove suspect entries,
as per the instructions provided
in each of the applications.
(These
scans can take an hour or more
to complete, depending on the
speed of your computer and the
amount of data that has to be
checked. So - plan something
else to do while the scans are
running.)
4.
Run through the tests at www.grc.com
again to check that your work
has been successful.
A
Final Note ....
Automated
protection programs can only
go so far to protect you against
internet problems.
You
have to be continually vigilant,
and aware of your actions.
A
firewall's protection is useless
if you mindlessly click on "YES"
when you are asked if you want
to allow "Object 800032 permission
to access the internet and act
as a server"
If
you don't recognise a request
for access, the safest course
is to deny it. By clicking "YES"
to these requests, you may as
well not have any protection
at all.
You'll
probably keep getting junk installed
on your computer if you click
on links in unsolicited email
messages too.
The
writers know how to create a
letter which can get you curious
enough, or mad enough to click
on a link that can install something
harmful.
Computer
security is a combination of
your own common sense, and technical
aids.
Don't
just rely on the technical stuff.
And Don't EVER click on an unsolicited
email link and put in your banking
details. Your identity (and
your money) could be stolen
faster than you thought possible.
===============================================
Other
100host.com Resources:
Index
of Advice and Articles: www.100host.com/Internet_advice.htm
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