The basis of computer security

Unfortunately for us all, there are people out there who wish to do harm to other peoples' property and/or intend on engaging in the act of theft from another person. Sadly enough, there are still these kinds of people out there that wish to do the same - only to your computer. Sure, you can keep your computer secure by never shopping online, checking email or essentially using the internet. However, by doing so, you would essentially defy the point of having the internet.

Security first depends on what operating system. The vast majority of computer users have some form of Windows. While Macs and Linux machines are LESS LIKELY to be susceptible to attacks/viruses/spyware, anything is possible and you must take that into an account. Since the majority of people use Windows, that is where this guide's focus will be. However, if you use Linux, a handy tip is to remember what your file permissions are, make sure to set permissions to 700 (Linux users know what this means) on things that only you need to see/use.

The bare basic security of a system doesn't come from a program, it comes from you, the user. You need to be smart and responsible about things that can potentially harm your computer. Here's a list of things NOT TO DO: Don't visit adult/warez sites (these sites can download malicious spyware onto your computer and even viruses), Don't accept ActiveX controls EXCEPT from sites you trust, Don't open email attachments that are questionable or that are from an unknown sender and finally: Don't give people a reason to hack/send a virus/infect your computer. You'd be surprised how many viruses are sent out of spite from one user to another. Also be very wary of what you download. Just because the site appears reputable doesn't always mean that the program or files it has are safe. Make sure you have a trustworthy site loaded on your browser before you start downloading everything in site.

Dealing with Spyware - Spyware is a plague to us all. It not only is a drain on system performance, it may contain key loggers/data miners that can see what you are typing and when. Scary huh? The first thing to avoid with spyware is to avoid getting it in the first place. However, it is not always possible and it does happen to the best of us. I would recommend that all computers have some sort of anti-spyware program. I personally recommend Spybot - Search and Destroy because of its ability to "immunize" against spyware, its quick scan times and its efficient removal. However, any anti-spyware program will work as long as it works well and can clean your system. Another way to further protect your computer from spyware is using a different internet browser. Many spyware files are only tuned to Internet Explorer, so this can be a real help in preventing spyware. FireFox, for example, is an excellent internet browser and can even be installed on your computer with internet explorer. It's also free, which is a plus. Its ease of use and modular expandability make it highly recommended.

Keeping Viruses Away - Viruses are potentially devastating to any system. Viruses can rang from pranks, to serious ones that can erase your entire hard drive or gather important documents from you. EVERY COMPUTER CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET SHOULD HAVE AN ANTI-VIRUS! I honestly cannot stress this enough. Unfortunately, there are not many free anti-viruses that are extremely good. However, Avast! anti-virus has shown some potential and can help keep your system constantly monitored. If you only need a free virus scanner, Trend Micro offers a free online virus scan that can remove most viruses from your system. This is also recommended even if you have an anti-virus as it is nice to see if another program can pick something else that another missed. However, if you require better protection than a free anti-virus, then you should more than likely upgrade. For an anti-virus that costs money, Symantec makes a great product that is reasonably priced and will keep your computer running happily.

Firewalls - A firewall can save your butt in more way then one when you're using a computer. A good firewall is a great defense against those who want to do harm/infiltrate your computer. In my opinion, the ZoneAlarm free firewall is one of the best free solutions there is. Though, sometimes people just don't want to download anything or install it. This is why Windows XP has a firewall built into it. If you refuse to get a firewall, activate the XP firewall because it is better than nothing. Conversely, a firewall that you pay for is more than likely better than something that you can get for free. Trusted brands such as ZoneAlarm, Norton, Trend Micro and other big names all produce a good firewall that isn't terribly expensive.

Updating - ALWAYS keep your security software and Windows updated. Many Windows updates involve beneficial security updates that make it more difficult for others (including programs) to compromise your system's security. Also update all of your firewalls, anti-spyware and anti-virus software. By doing so, your computer will have the latest defense against things (and people) that you don't want in your system.

Viruses

What is true virus computer ?

A computer virus is a computer program that can copy itself and infect a computer without the permission or knowledge of the user. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability. A true virus can only spread from one computer to another (in some form of executable code) when its host is taken to the target computer; for instance because a user sent it over a network or the Internet, or carried it on a removable medium such as a floppy disk, CD, DVD, or USB drive. Viruses can increase their chances of spreading to other computers by infecting files on a network file system or a file system that is accessed by another computer.

Viruses are sometimes confused with computer worms and Trojan horses, which are technically different. When it is executed, virus may cause harm to either a computer system's hosted data, functional performance, or networking throughput. Some viruses and other malware have symptoms noticeable to the computer user, but most are surreptitious. This makes it hard for the average user to notice, find and disable and is why specialist anti-virus programs are now commonplace.

Most personal computers are now connected to the Internet and to local area networks, facilitating the spread of malicious code. Today's viruses may also take advantage of network services such as the World Wide Web, e-mail, Instant Messaging and file sharing systems to spread, blurring the line between viruses and worms. Furthermore, some sources use an alternative terminology in which a virus is any form of self-replicating malware.

Protect your information

Computers are perhaps a highly technological irony. As long as secure servers are working properly, it can allow Internet users to transact business such as sell their products or make purchases without ever having to worry if their information is being hacked. Yet they are inherently vulnerable to hackers whenever connected to the Internet. That is why it is important to learn how to enhance computer systems security.

The problem with Internet fraud is vastly growing, and it’s perfectly understandable. There are more and more people getting cleverer when it comes to computers. They can already go through the computer systems security to steal all the confidential information, which can then be used for illegal activities. Nevertheless, there are some solutions at hand, and anyone who is tasked to take care of these issues should know how to do the following things:

1. Create a backup of files. Just because they’re stored on computers doesn’t mean that they won’t get lost. Especially when your computer systems security is very weak, you may, in fact, loose all of your important data and information. For all critical files, make sure that you can create backup copies. There are plenty of storage options available. These options include disks, flash drives, and even web-based storage media, 4shared is for example. Web-based storage media allows you to access your files through an Internet connection.

2. Control the number of people who have access to highly important information. There are a lot of benefits that you gain if you learn how to regulate the number of persons who can access main computers. For one, there will be more accountability. With a controlled system it is very easy to pinpoint the cause or the individual responsible in case there is breach in computer systems security. Of course, it also means that you will lessen the risks of having data stolen.

3. Change passwords as often as possible. The age-old method of Internet protection, the use of passwords, still remains very effective today. However, since there is already a number of software programs that can crack the passwords used to secure computers, it’s highly advisable to modify them at least once a month. To ensure an even higher level of computer systems security, it’s advisable that few people as possible should know about the password.

4. Improve your knowledge in computer systems security. It's the most important. Technology changes so fast and so does the different hacking strategies of scammers on the World Wide Web. It’s important to always be aware of their new techniques, as well as the new procedures and solutions to combat these types of problems. Ignorance should never be an excuse.
People working on computer systems protection should be briefed well and study the internal policies and procedures company in running and monitoring computers. When very well organized and coherent procedures are in place, errors and possible hacker penetration can easily be avoided or detected.