Computer Security 101

Ensuring that your personal computer is safe from intruders is one of the most important things you can do for your personal safety. You wouldn’t think twice about securing your home, so why would you second guess securing your computer?

Here’s our Top Tips for how to Make the Most out of your Personal Computer Security:

Secure your personal computer with these steps:

1. Make sure your software is up to date.

2. Install a Firewall.

3. Install Anti-Virus and check for Trojan software.

Keep your system up-to-date. Be sure keep your system up-to-date. Making sure your computer is up-to-date includes checking your operating system as well as anti-virus and firewall software. Hundreds of new vulnerabilities are found every month.

Install a Firewall. Securing a high-speed connection with a firewall is extremely important to the overall safety of your computer. Without firewall protection, your computer has an open door that hackers and other malicious internet users can use to steal your files and personal information, damage your system, monitor your activities, read your email, or use your PC to perform illegal activities.

Install Anti-Virus Software. Before installing any anti-virus software, your system should be scanned to avoid corruption of the anti-virus by any current infections on the computer.

Check for Trojan Software. What is Trojan software? A Trojan horse is a program in which malicious or harmful code is contained inside apparently harmless programming or data in such a way that it can get control and do its chosen form of damage, such as ruining the file allocation table on your hard disk. A Trojan horse can be considered a virus if it is widely redistributed.