How secure is my computer when I use the internet?
The simple answer is, it's as secure as you make it. Everyone using the internet should have a good working virus scanner which is updated on a daily basis. You simply set your anti-virus program to download the latest virus definition files when you connect to the internet. Virus authors are writing new viruses daily and releasing them on the web, so keeping up to date just makes good sense. Check out some FREE anti-virus programs I have linked to in the Links section.
What is a firewall and why should I use one?
Another tool in your line of defense should be a firewall. There are two types of firewalls. Hardware firewalls and software firewalls. Basically a firewall is a program with a set of predetermined rules controlling what programs in your computer are allowed to pass data back and forth across the internet. Firewalls work in the background controlling inbound and outbound traffic and notify the user of any intrusion attempts on their system with a pop up message alert or it can run silently in the background. Hardware firewalls are suitable for use with a home network. A NAT router (Network Address Translator) can shield the network behind the router and can discard inbound data packets from hackers and port scanners and log any entry attempts or attacks. Software firewalls are necessary any time you connect to the internet. These alone will not deter a determined hacker but they can help to hide your data ports from hackers who look for open connections. Firewalls by themselves cannot stop viruses. Check in my Links page where you can get your own FREE reliable firewall.
What are those things called Spyware?
The term Spyware refers to a program that gets installed on your computer usually without your knowledge and gathers information about your computer and web surfing habits. Then this program secretly sends this information back to advertising companies or hackers who use this information to profile you. You can get spyware when you click on that flashing pop up window that says you have just won something or when you download a free program from a website. Not all freeware has spyware hidden in it but you should be careful what you download. More and more of the big download sites are checking the software they post and are certifying that it is spyware free. When spyware is on your computer running in the background it has a tendency to make your computer run slower and crash more often. This is why you should use a good spyware scanner to clean out these nasties. Look at my Links page to find FREE spyware scanners you can download. I use Ad-aware SE and Spybot Search and Destroy for my spyware scanners. Spyware scanners need to be updated the same way anti-virus programs do to be effective. By doing regular scans and eliminating spyware you are already ahead of the statistical 66 - 90% of computers that have spyware on them already.
Can using a particular type of web browser make a difference?
Yes. Absolutely. Hackers target certain brands of web browsers that are vulnerable to attack. The most targeted web browser at the moment is Internet Explorer. It has been suggested that keeping your web browser up to date with the latest patches will increase your security. The easy solution would be to just get a better web browser that is not as vulnerable to these attacks. I have compared the performance of different web browsers such as Internet Explorer, Netscape, Opera and Mozilla Firefox. From my tests I have come to the conclusion that the latest versions of Mozilla Firefox and Netscape are the most reliable and safest browsers at the present time. I observed Firefox loaded the fastest, was light weight as far as disk space goes and the available plug-ins make it one of the most versatile web browsers of the lot. The only problem I found was that many websites still only code their web pages for Internet Explorer. This is not the fault of Firefox or Netscape, it is because some web authors still don't make their websites multi-browser compatible. Also Firefox and Netscape conform to a stricter more accurate interpretation of the current web standards. I have both Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox on my computer when I surf the web but I tend to use Firefox the majority of the time. I only use IE when a website doesn't work properly with Firefox. Check out my Links page and click on the Get Firefox button to get your FREE copy of Mozilla Firefox. You will discover like I did that it's certainly worth a try.
How do I make my wireless home network more secure?
Using a wireless network or Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) in your home can make computing so much more convenient and fun. You have the ability to take your laptop anywhere in your home, or outside to surf the net and you can also share files between computers. The only real drawback is how secure your Wi-Fi network is. Your wireless router comes from the factory with the security settings turned off. When setting up your router there are two commonly used security encryption methods, WEP and WPA, which are used to scramble/unscramble information passed between wireless devices. WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) security has already been cracked by Wi-Fi hackers with easily available freeware available on the net. The FBI using off the shelf laptops and free software downloaded from the net, demonstrated at a trade show how easy it is to crack a 128 bit WEP random encryption string in three minutes. If you only have WEP security on your Wi-Fi router and wireless network cards then it is still better than no encryption at all and it should be enabled. This can keep the average user from snooping through your files or using your wireless connection without your permission. The better choice for security is to use the WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) encryption method. When you enter the encryption characters you should strive for the highest security by using a random string and the maximum number of upper and lower case letters mixed with numbers, you can use. Even though WPA is more immune to cracking if you are using weak encryption strings a hacker could still capture enough of the data packets to their computer and use a dictionary cracking program to reveal your encryption. If you buy a Wi-Fi router and it only has WEP security try visiting the manufacturer's website and see if they have updated drivers for your particular model. These updated drivers often have WPA encryption added so after you update the firmware on the router and update the drivers for your Wi-Fi cards you will have the WPA option.
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