Computer Safety and Security

I am no expert in computer safety by any stretch. However, while working in the tech industry I have learned quite a bit about the things we should do, and more importantly, the things we shouldn’t do in order to keep our digital information from being lost, infected, or stolen. With that said, I’m sure each of you have tips that we can benefit from. Please feel free to share your knowledge in the comment section below.

The Keys to Virus/Malware & Data Loss Prevention: Knowledge & Prevention

Knowledge and prevention are your biggest weapons against viruses, malware, and data loss. Here are a few things you need to be aware of:

1. Phishing: Wikipedia defines Phishing as “the criminally fraudulent process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.” Here are a few tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of phishing:

-Always be on alert when you receive emails from places that are requesting your sensitive information. Whenever you get an email from a financial institution, be sure to look carefully at the link the email is trying to send you to. Even after you’ve checked it and clicked on it, check it again in your web browser’s address bar. If the URL does not begin with HTTPS or if the URL is not your bank’s .com address, then do not enter any information.

-Phisher’s websites often look very similar (if not identical) to the website they are imitating, so don’t assume it’s the correct web page just by look and feel.

-Be wary if you ever notice a lot of misspelled words; this is a common occurrence in phishing emails.

-Phishing also happens in instant messaging.

2. Viruses & Malware: Here are a few tips to avoid viruses and malware:

-Never click on a link in an email that hasn’t been explained, or that appears to have been sent to several other email addresses. Reply to the email address and ask whomever sent it what the link points to.

-Secure your email and other accounts with strong passwords (a combination of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters). NEVER use the same password for more than one website.

-Install anti-virus software. Here is a list of anti-virus software for Windows users: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/antivirus-partners/windows-7.aspx. If you’re running Windows Vista or Windows 7, Microsoft has released a free anti-virus solution called Security Essentials. For Mac users I would suggest iAntiVirus or ClamXav; both of these are free.

-Keep your operating system and internet browser up-to-date.

3. Data Loss: It has happened to everyone at some point. Here are some data loss prevention options:

-Backup your files to an external harddrive. There are hundreds of programs that will help you automatically backup your files to an external harddrive. Manually backing up your files is not as safe since it depends on you making the time to do it. The only downside to backing up to an external harddrive is that if you are a victim of theft or a fire, you will lose it along with your computer.

-Backup your files to an online service. If you want to backup more than 5GB then this is going to cost you money, but it is a good investment. I suggest Backblaze, Mozy or Carbonite.

-Instead of keeping your files on your computer, use a cloud file storage service. Google Docs is free, you have unlimited storage as long as you use their format, and it is linked to your Gmail account, offering you easy access. Another cloud file storage service is Windows Live Sky Drive. Another benefit of using one of these services is that you don’t have to purchase software like Microsoft Office ever again. The reason is because Google Docs and Microsoft Live Sky Drive have their own online file editors. Using a cloud file storage service will only work for you if you trust the company where you are storing their files. If you feel like their backup capabilities or trustworthiness are sub-par, don’t upload your files. Another downside is that these services, being on the web, require an internet connection.

-Here is a long list of some backup solutions: http://web.appstorm.net/roundups/data-management-roundups/15-amazing-apps-for-file-storage-in-the-cloud/