THE SAD TRUTH OF YOUR HOME SECURITY

SHORT OF PULLING THE PLUG, YOU'LL GET INFECTED

"infections are likely to be more like home infections involving the weakest link - humans..."


Recently a Reuters article about big [BIG] corporations, the money they spend on protecting their data, and the fact that none of them are bullet proof from hackers. If the hackers want "in", they will get there. Small businesses with 5-20 employee's are mere child's play, but unless their company is somehow involved in work for a technology firm or government, infections are likely to be more like home infections involving the weakest link - humans.


"..at home? YOU are that IT "person"..."

Yes, their are some infections that will get you with or without you, but you and I are the weakest link in the security chain. If you don't keep up with the latest security news, Adobe Reader, Flash, AIR, and Oracle's JAVA updates at work, why would you do it at home? If you work for a large company, you probably have an IT department, or at least an IT "person" that is supposed to keep up with this, but at home? YOU are that IT "person". It's your responsibility to drill good security practices into your family, as well as make sure the kids computers are kept updated as well.

 

It all starts with having a very well rated Anti-virus installed, and keeping it updated each year with the latest A/V "engine", not just renewing your older version and typing in a key code to activate it for another year. You should have Malwarebytes, a good Adware/junk removal utility, and for my money - a purchased version of "Hitman Pro". It finds things that the others may not, but it's free version is only good for 30 days. You can buy it for one year of use on one PC for $24.95, or 3 PC's for $37.95.

On residential calls I often run into a couple common scenarios:

1. One main computer that has login ID's for Mom, Dad, and each child. This is a disaster that has [most likely] already happened.
2. One main computer that the kids use, and one or both parents use for their home business. Ditto from above.

As inexpensive as computers are today [thanks to flat line sales], it would behoove you to purchase a laptop computer that you use ONLY to pay bills, or conduct your online business with. 

You'll still need to keep up with updates and have good security, but unless you're paying bills or working your online business, turn it off and put it in a drawer - no browsing one website or the other. 

This is not a guaranty that you still won't get infected, but it certainly lowers the odds. Use another computer at home for surfing the web, reading CNN.com or other news outlets, etc.

As everything we do becomes more vitally connected to the Internet, all of us must stay informed and do the best we can in keeping things updated, and running monthly scans with Malwarebytes, Adware removal utilities, and should you choose it - Hitman Pro.

Last, but certainly not least, get yourself a password manager that records your login name and password for each website you go to that requires one, then make those passwords completely unrecognizable and change them every six months - unless you read about one of those websites being hacked, as Ebay most recently announced it was, then change it immediately. 

Make the password to get into your password vault just as hard, and if you have to, write it down and tape it to the bottom of your keyboard. Finally, most password managers will allow you to export the data into either text, or a format that will import into Excel. Do this, but don't store it on your computer - put it on a USB flash drive AND a CD or DVD disc.

'Nuff Said,
Brian