Are You Vulnerable?

There are a couple of things that can really ruin your day when it comes to using your computers. The biggest issue our customers face is Malware (viruses, trojans, spyware, etc.), followed closely by compromised security. Protecting yourself from both is really not that difficult.

There are several providers of anti-Malware software. The trick is to find one you're comfortable with. We like eSet's NOD32 (Save 25% on ESET NOD32 Antivirus System. Download Now!), but there are others like AVG from Grisoft that work well. We aren't too keen on some of the big-name brands. They tend to take up a lot of system resources and slow down your computer.

There is one critical elememt that so many people forget about: virus definitions need to be current. If you have a laptop or if you turn your desktop off at night, your anti-virus program may not be getting updated. Without the updates, new viruses can sneak past even the best anti-virus program. Your anti-virus protection also has a license that will expire after a period of time (usually a year). If you don't renew your protection, it will not update.

The other critical element is security. If you use wirless networks (at home or on the road) you need to be especially vigilant. On a wireless network you need to implement some sort or encryption (called WEP or WPA). This will slow down anyone who wants to poach your Internet connection or access your data. But encryption is kind of like a deadbolt on your door. It's good, but someone who really wants to get in can. So what do you do?

Setting passwords on your user accounts is a good start, but for less than $50 anyone can by software on the Internet that will bypass these locks in short order. And many computers have simple passwords - or no password - on hidden accounts. Your real protection comes from putting secure passwords. I posted a blog on the Byte Slaves Bits site that has more information on this and other ways to secure your data.

The bottom line is this: If you're using a PC then you need to be extremely careful about exposing yourself to viruses. Even makes are becoming targets now, and if you share files between PCs and Macs you can share viruses. If you have a ny sensitive data on your computer, user-level passwords aren't much of a deterrent. You need to lock your data down at the program level or encrypt your entire hard drive. And, no matter what you do, if someone REALLY wants your data, they can get at it eventually. But unless you've got nuclear launch codes or something like that, basic protection is as good as the deadbolt on your front door. Theives will move on to easier targets.