A recent study at the University of Marlyand revealed hackers attack computers every 39 seconds. The computers are attacked, on average, 2,244 times a day. These attacks employ automated scripts that seek out thousands of computers at a time.
In recent years, there has been a huge rise in the number of high-profile security attacks on home computers. These attacks can take many forms — from infecting your computer with a virus, to seizing your bank or credit card account details. And, the most rising attack includes phishing or social engineering and breach of privacy. Here is a simple guide to keeping your home computer — and your data — safe on the Internet.
1. Install and maintain anti-virus software
There are plenty of anti-virus software packages available. Few are free and few need to be bought. This software checks for known viruses by scanning your computer periodically with its own virus database that it updates from time to time. Most will also check for viruses on incoming email. Of course, you need to configure it for the same. It is important to update the software and the anti-virus database. New viruses are discovered almost daily. At least once a week you should check the website of the vendor to see if there is an update available.
Symptoms
PC usually becomes slow as virus consumes a lot of your hardware resources.
Files from your machine get detected as a virus under a virus scanner of some other machine.
Unusual behaviour of your machine.
Few files missing and windows system error messages pop up.
Remedy
Always scan a CD or a Floppy before copying the data into your machine.
Never download a suspicious file in the e-mail attachment before scanning it with an antivirus software.
Never accept executable files from someone on live chat service like messengers; if accepted, do remember to scan it before execution.
Links
AVG AntiVirus: http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1
Clam AntiVirus: http://www.clamwin.com
2. Install and maintain anti-spyware software
The biggest threats these days to your online privacy are the spywares and malwares that get installed once you open suspicious sites and usually free peer-to-peer software or many of the porn dialers.
Anti-spyware software are similar to an anti-virus software that detects known spywares and malware and tries to eradicate them safely from you system. There are many free anti-spyware software available that a PC user must consider downloading.
Symptoms
Annoying popups while browsing.
Automatic setup of your default homepage in the internet browser.
Disabled task manager and registry tools.
Remedies
Do not open unknown sites, mostly warez, wares, cracks, serials, and porn sites.
Do not open untrusted websites.
Do not download from unreliable peer-to-peer software, which these days are growing source of infection.
Install an anti-spyware software and update it at least once a week and also do scan your system weekly to avoid and remove any infections.
Links
Search & Destroy SpyBot: http://www.safer-networking.org
3. Keep your computer patched against known vulnerabilities
Vulnerability or exploit is a passage to your computer due to improper programming of the software. You might have heard that Windows XP initially released Service Pack 1, then Service Pack 2. Also, you have an option to update your windows via the internet, this feature is nothing but updating your current version of windows to defend against all the exploits and vulnerabilities known.
Symptoms
There are not sure symptoms, as a vulnerability can cause a hacking attack or a virus attack or a spyware attack on your system.
Remedy
Always opt for official version of the operating system and other software.
Update your operating system form time to time.
Update the other software that has a discovered vulnerability.
4. Use of firewalls
Firewall, as the name suggests is a wall that blocks off hacking attacks on your machine. There are n number of hacking attacks that might be faced by you on your system, amongst which the most common are the DOS (Denial of Service), Mail Bombing, Eve Dropping and phishing. Even though the firewall is considered a very advanced technique of programming to counter hacking, it cannot filter all of the phishing or the social engineering attacks.
Symptoms
Your private data is available with someone else, this means your machine might be hacked.
You feel your machine or to be more specific your mouse is been controlled by someone else.
You get disconnected from the net or your network speed drops significantly (this is mostly due to DOS attacks).
Remedy
Enable Windows firewall available with the Windows XP Service Pack 2.
You can also your one of the freeware firewall software.
A proxy server is a very good option that must be adopted.
Unknown or non-trusted software accessing your computer or accessing internet form your computer must be avoided.
Links
Free proxy software: http://www.analogx.com
I suggest you download Mozilla Firefox - a web browser, which is completely free and a very reliable one as far as security is concerned. You can download it from this page itself.
All the solutions and remedies are in no way a complete solution to save your PC from different security threats of the cyber world. As we know, every lock has a key. Similarly, every solution has a drawback that is been exploited by hackers. But using these steps does minimize the chance of your PC becoming the victim.
In recent years, there has been a huge rise in the number of high-profile security attacks on home computers. These attacks can take many forms — from infecting your computer with a virus, to seizing your bank or credit card account details. And, the most rising attack includes phishing or social engineering and breach of privacy. Here is a simple guide to keeping your home computer — and your data — safe on the Internet.
1. Install and maintain anti-virus software
There are plenty of anti-virus software packages available. Few are free and few need to be bought. This software checks for known viruses by scanning your computer periodically with its own virus database that it updates from time to time. Most will also check for viruses on incoming email. Of course, you need to configure it for the same. It is important to update the software and the anti-virus database. New viruses are discovered almost daily. At least once a week you should check the website of the vendor to see if there is an update available.
Symptoms
PC usually becomes slow as virus consumes a lot of your hardware resources.
Files from your machine get detected as a virus under a virus scanner of some other machine.
Unusual behaviour of your machine.
Few files missing and windows system error messages pop up.
Remedy
Always scan a CD or a Floppy before copying the data into your machine.
Never download a suspicious file in the e-mail attachment before scanning it with an antivirus software.
Never accept executable files from someone on live chat service like messengers; if accepted, do remember to scan it before execution.
Links
AVG AntiVirus: http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1
Clam AntiVirus: http://www.clamwin.com
2. Install and maintain anti-spyware software
The biggest threats these days to your online privacy are the spywares and malwares that get installed once you open suspicious sites and usually free peer-to-peer software or many of the porn dialers.
Anti-spyware software are similar to an anti-virus software that detects known spywares and malware and tries to eradicate them safely from you system. There are many free anti-spyware software available that a PC user must consider downloading.
Symptoms
Annoying popups while browsing.
Automatic setup of your default homepage in the internet browser.
Disabled task manager and registry tools.
Remedies
Do not open unknown sites, mostly warez, wares, cracks, serials, and porn sites.
Do not open untrusted websites.
Do not download from unreliable peer-to-peer software, which these days are growing source of infection.
Install an anti-spyware software and update it at least once a week and also do scan your system weekly to avoid and remove any infections.
Links
Search & Destroy SpyBot: http://www.safer-networking.org
Free AVG AntiSpyware: http://free.grisoft.com/doc/avg-anti-spyware-free/lng/us/tpl/v5
3. Keep your computer patched against known vulnerabilities
Vulnerability or exploit is a passage to your computer due to improper programming of the software. You might have heard that Windows XP initially released Service Pack 1, then Service Pack 2. Also, you have an option to update your windows via the internet, this feature is nothing but updating your current version of windows to defend against all the exploits and vulnerabilities known.
Symptoms
There are not sure symptoms, as a vulnerability can cause a hacking attack or a virus attack or a spyware attack on your system.
Remedy
Always opt for official version of the operating system and other software.
Update your operating system form time to time.
Update the other software that has a discovered vulnerability.
4. Use of firewalls
Firewall, as the name suggests is a wall that blocks off hacking attacks on your machine. There are n number of hacking attacks that might be faced by you on your system, amongst which the most common are the DOS (Denial of Service), Mail Bombing, Eve Dropping and phishing. Even though the firewall is considered a very advanced technique of programming to counter hacking, it cannot filter all of the phishing or the social engineering attacks.
Symptoms
Your private data is available with someone else, this means your machine might be hacked.
You feel your machine or to be more specific your mouse is been controlled by someone else.
You get disconnected from the net or your network speed drops significantly (this is mostly due to DOS attacks).
Remedy
Enable Windows firewall available with the Windows XP Service Pack 2.
You can also your one of the freeware firewall software.
A proxy server is a very good option that must be adopted.
Unknown or non-trusted software accessing your computer or accessing internet form your computer must be avoided.
Links
Outpost Firewall Free: http://www.agnitum.com/products/outpostfree/download.php
Comodo Free Firewall: http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.comFree proxy software: http://www.analogx.com
I suggest you download Mozilla Firefox - a web browser, which is completely free and a very reliable one as far as security is concerned. You can download it from this page itself.
All the solutions and remedies are in no way a complete solution to save your PC from different security threats of the cyber world. As we know, every lock has a key. Similarly, every solution has a drawback that is been exploited by hackers. But using these steps does minimize the chance of your PC becoming the victim.
