10 Tips for Safe Computing

Simple steps you can take to protect your computer and personal information (now that it is fixed and clean!)

1. Make sure your home computer is current on critical patches. Use Windows Update to automatically download and install critical patches weekly.
2. Make sure your home computer is running a virus scanner with an automatically updated signature file.
3. Be wary of unusual or unknown e-mail with attachments — it could be a virus that has slipped past your anti-virus protection.
4. Be wary of normal looking e-mail asking you for personal information (passwords, credit card numbers, bank account numbers) — it could be an evil person on a “phishing” expedition.  Always check with your bank or credit card issuer if you receive an e-mail requesting information.
5. Don’t blindly click ‘OK’ on pop-ups that appear when you’re surfing the Internet. Many of these will install unnecessary and unwanted software that may spy on your computer usage and bog down your computer’s performance. Most firewalls and virus scanners will not protect you from this type of software, so you must remain vigilant and protect yourself.
6. Always keep your personal passwords secret — something that is known to you and you alone. It can be the key to your information assets (research data, homework and financial information), important services (e-mail, banking, network resources) and your personal information.
7. If you read web based e-mail from your web browser (e.g., Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL) never open any unknown messages with attachments.  E-mail virus scanners only work on your POP 3 e-mail accounts (e-mail you download through your ISP), so attachments in web based mailboxes may be unsafe and may be able to slip in.
8. Never store important data on your computer’s hard disk without backing it up. If the loss of a file would cost you time, money, or concern then that file should be stored on a CD, DVD, Pen Drive or external hard drive that is backed up every day.
9. Protect the confidentiality of information on your computer by using anti Spyware tools daily.  AdAware and Spybot Search & Destroy as well as Webroot’s SpySweeper are excellent products.  AdAware, from LavaSoft and Spybot are free, you can purchase SpySweeper online or at most retail stores that sell software.
10. Don’t download and install frivolous or “free” software from the Internet. Many of the games, screen savers, music or video files and wallpapers contain malicious code that tracks your computer usage and may contribute to system instability. Remember, nothing in life is ever free and the same goes for software as well as music or video files.