10 Tips On How To Secure Your Computer System

10 Tips On How To Secure Your Computer System.

People are increasingly using computers for everything from communication to online banking, investing, and shopping. As we do these things more frequently, we expose ourselves to potential hackers, attackers, and crackers. While some may want to steal your personal information and identity for resale, others may simply want to use your computer as a platform to attack other unknowing targets. Here are a few simple, low-cost steps you can take to make your computer more secure.

READ MORE: Where to Get Debt Consolidation Help

1. Always make backups of important data and keep them in a secure location separate from your computer.

2. Frequently update and patch your operating system, web browser, and software. Start by going to www.windowsupdate.microsoft.com and running the update wizard if you have a Windows operating system. This program will assist you in locating the most recent patches for your Windows computer. Visit www.officeupdate.microsoft.com to look for potential patches for your Office programs.

3. Set up a firewall. Viruses, worms, Trojans, malware, and adware can all easily access your computer from the Internet if you don’t have a good firewall. The advantages and disadvantages of hardware and software-based firewall programs should be considered.

4. For maximum security, review your browser and email settings. What is the point of doing this? Hackers frequently use Active-X and JavaScript to install malicious programs on your computers. While cookies are relatively safe in terms of security, they do track your Internet activity in order to create a profile of you. Set your “internet zone” security to High and your “trusted sites zone” security to Medium Low.

5. Install antivirus software and enable automatic updates to ensure you have the most recent versions.

6. Avoid opening unknown email attachments. It is simply insufficient that you recognize the address from which it originates, as many viruses can spread from a familiar address.

7. Never run programs from unknown sources. Also, do not forward these programs to friends or coworkers because they contain amusing or funny stories or jokes. They could contain a Trojan horse ready to infect a computer.

8. Turn off hidden filename extensions. The Windows operating system is configured by default to “hide file extensions for known file types.” Disable this option to display file extensions in Windows. Some file extensions will remain hidden by default, but you are more likely to see any unusual file extensions that do not belong.

9. When not in use, turn off your computer and disconnect from the network. When you are disconnected from the network or the computer is turned off, a hacker cannot attack it.

10. Create a boot disk on a floppy disk in the event that your computer is damaged or compromised by a malicious program. Obviously, you must take this step before a hostile breach of your system occurs.

READ MORE BELOW: