Doctor Computer

Here are some updated tips to secure your computer.  No solution will be 100% forever… or even for a few days. Computer security takes constant maintenance and knowledge of the current risks.

1: Social Hacks

Problem

If you haven’t heard of this method, you’re not alone. While “social hacking”, or “social engineering”, may not be talked about often, it is the biggest computer security weakness out of any on this list. Why? Through social hacking, your sensitive personal information may literally be handed to the bad guys, even if you have all the latest and greatest security software installed.

Social hacking happens when a malicious person makes the unsuspecting victim do something voluntarily. For example, you may receive an e-mail that looks like it comes from your bank asking for personal information. When you click on the link in the e-mail, the web site you are taken to looks like the legitimate bank’s web site. You fill in the requested information and submit. You may think the bank is the recipient, but instead it could be an identity thief. Congratulations, you are now a victim of social engineering. You can find out more information about social engineering at Wikipedia.

Solution

As you may have guessed, this is also the hardest computer vulnerability to remedy. There is no software solution to fix User Error. A few things you can do to minimize your vulnerability is:

Stay alert to the current types of social engineering.

Never click on hyperlinks in e-mail that require personal information. Type the company’s address manually into your browser to log into your account to take the requested action.

Don’t give out personal information unless you can verify the identity of the person requesting the info.

2: Windows/Microsoft Update

Problem

For those who use Windows (82% of you). The Windows operating system has come a long way. With its success comes the unwanted attention of those who spend the time to find exploitable holes in Windows. In order to stay on top of plugging these holes, Windows needs to be updated regularly.

Downloading and installing the regular critical updates that Microsoft publishes should be made routine.

Solution

Go to Windows Update and at least do the express update. Better yet, set your computer to Auto Update at a regular time. You can access this option by right-clicking on My Computer and selecting Properties. In Windows XP, go to the AutoUpdate tab and set your options. In Windows 7, click on Windows Update under “See also” on the lower left, and then click on Change Settings on the left.

3: Spyware and Popups

Problem

Do a dozen windows pop up when you access the internet? You may have a spyware and popup problem. These two “malware” go together because one usually causes the other. When you visit a malicious web site, a popup may infect your computer with spyware without you knowing it. Once you have spyware on your computer, it may install other spyware and generate more popups. And the vicious cycle continues.

Solution

If you are already infected, there are ways to rid the spyware from your computer. I recommend Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to rid computers of spyware.

I would recommend installing and updating first, and then running Anti-Malware in Safe Mode. To access safe mode in Windows, hold down the F8 key while booting, and then follow the prompts. If you are still having problems or want more info, go to mvps.org

If you would like to prevent further infections of spyware, I would recommend using a modified HOSTS file. My favorite is from mvps.

4: Viruses and Worms

Problem

I’m pretty sure I don’t need to explain the problem for this security issue.

Solution

The free solution I use is Microsoft Security Essentials. Don’t forget to update it after installation! This free software made the Maximum PC list of top anti virus software again with a score of 8 out of 10.

If you prefer a more feature rich, paid security solution, you may want to try BitDefender Internet Security 2011.

5: Firewall

Problem

Programs, especially malicious software, will try to use your internet connection to phone home for various reasons. Without a firewall, you are allowing any program on your computer to use the internet, unrestricted. This could include viruses, worms or spyware.

Solution

A firewall can be used as a security guard. You tell the security guard who can get in and out of your computer using your internet connection. For Windows XP, I recommend using Zonealarm. It will keep track of all programs that have asked for internet access, along with the permissions for each program. When a program tries to reach the internet, Zonealarm will ask you to allow or deny the program internet access. This way, if you see a suspicious program trying to access the internet, just deny access. Then you can investigate what the program is using Google, use Microsoft Security Essentials to remove the program if it is a virus, or uninstall the unnecesary program.

For Windows 7, I recommend using the built in Windows Firewall with Microsoft Security Essentials installed. The Windows 7 firewall does a great job and can be setup similar to Zonealarm with settings for individual program access to the internet.

6: Internet Connection

Problem

Do you like sharing your internet connection with strangers? I didn’t think so. So let’s get your wireless connection secured.

If you have a router but it is not wireless, you should still update your firmware. The latest updates could give your router more security options.

If you don’t have a router, you can skip this section. If you don’t know what a router is, look here. A router is basically a device you use to share your internet connection among several computers.

Solution

The first thing to do is update the firmware on your router. You will have to go to the web site of your router’s manufacturer to find the latest firmware to download. Be sure to get the correct firmware for your router’s model. If your router is not wireless, the default settings should be fine. Skip to step 7 if you are using a non-wireless router.
Next, you will want to secure the router’s wireless settings. Use WEP if you must, but WPA and WPA2 are much stronger encryption methods. Go to your router’s wireless settings tab and set the router’s encryption to WPA2. The WPA2 secured wireless network requires a password be entered for each new computer that connects to the network. I use a random key generator to generate an extremely strong password for the wireless connection. This key should be entered as the router’s WPA password. Save the key in a text file on a usb thumb drive to easily add additional wireless computers and laptops to the secured wireless network.

WPA2 is going to be almost full proof for at least another couple years. The next thing is to change your SSID. This is the name of your wireless network. This is done, not necessarily for security, but just to make sure you can easily connect to your wireless network in case your neighbor has the same model router and didn’t change their SSID.

That’s all you really need to do to secure your network. Find out more about wireless encryption here.