Home Computer Security

Home Computer Security By Benjamin
Hargis | Published  11/19/2005 |

Computer Security |

This is a paper about
securing your home computers and networks.

The goal of computer
security is to keep unauthorized users from using your resources. This can
be anything from your computer to your printer or even your web camera.
Detection is another important aspect that should be monitored as well.

I often get asked
"Why should I worry?"

Maybe you shouldn’t.
If you are concerned about any of your files or the possibility of losing
them you should care. There is also online banking that many people use to
watch their accounts. Malicious users can also use your computer to launch
attacks against other networks, or put files on your computer as a means of
storage. Even if you have the computer just to send email to Grandma don’t
think that you are not at risk. Attackers like to hide there tracks by
jumping thru multiple locations such as your computer. Malicious users can
take over your webcam and watch and even listen to you!

Attackers like to use
multiple systems to launch denial of service attacks-sending tons of packets
to bring a network to its knees.

Identity theft is
huge right now. Your credit report should be reviewed frequently. Identity
thieves can gain allot of information from your home computers. FTC said
there are approximately over 10 million victims a year. If your ID is stolen
or think it is visit www.consumer.gov/idetheft. Never send out your personal
information in email it is not secured.

The risk is getting
greater daily as more people connect to the Internet. Script Kiddies
download tools that make breaking into computers as easy as pressing a
button. Security patches are offered thru vendors but most people do not
bother to patch there systems or have the time.

Do people in your
household use file sharing programs? I cannot believe the amount of Spy ware
and viruses that are hidden in some of those files. I removed over 600
different Malwares from a home computer who thought they were just
downloading music. The system was always freezing and changing homepages in
Internet Explorer. Not to mention these file sharing programs can be sharing
your financial data, medical records, secret recipes or your last tax
return.

Key loggers can be on
your system recording every keystroke and emailing it to an attacker, enemy
or even your spouse. This includes IM's, Emails, and passwords anything.

There are Anti-Virus
software that will detect most of these programs.Anti-Spyware can also
detect allot of MalWare or malicious code.

Use strong passwords
that are alphanumeric or use a password strength tool. I would not use
anything in a dictionary American or Foreign as those can be cracked easily
thru Brute Force.

Don’t use the same
password for every account. Change your passwords regularly, and don’t write
them down.

I recommend making
regular backups of at a minimum your critical system files. Back up to a CDR
to ensure that your data cannot be overwritten.

Please monitor your
children’s surfing habits and teach them about the dangers of the Internet.
I recommend installing filtering software to keep their curious minds out of
the wrong sites.

Staying abreast of
Anti-Virus updates.

Don’t upon email
attachments that can contain viruses or other malware.

Don’t run programs if
you don’t know where they came from than can have Trojan horses. Trojan
Horse is a program that appears to be a regular program such as Solitaire
buts its actually sending your bank account information to an email address.
Attackers can also take over your computer have .mp3 file ran at 3AM in the
morning to scare you, even open and close your CD-DRIVE door.

Disable JAVA,
JavaScript and Active X

Keep up to date on
patching your operating systems and applications. In Windows you can set up
automatic updates. You can also visit the Windows Update site.

Microsoft releases
patches even second Tuesday of the month this is known in IT as black
Tuesday, there is always allot of patches. Upgrade to Service Pack 2.

Internet Explorer
always has security issues. There are Open Source browsers like Firefox
http://www.firefox.org which is a great browser and has more security
feautures. Firefox has allot of great add ons as well that can make
researching more effective amongst other utilities

Disable scripting in
email

Enable NAT Network
Address Translation on your router. This will hide your private IP address
from the Internet. While still allowing computers to access the Internet.
Most network firewalls have IP NAT masquerading where multiple device on the
Internet appear as one IP address.

Make sure you are not
enabling shares on your computer for any of your drives. This will look like
a hand holding a drive in Microsoft Windows.

Be aware of Phishing
these are Internet Con-Artist looking to catch a some fish. Emails are sent
that look like Bank Emails, Amazon and PayPal, it amazes me how many people
I work with think its the real thing.

If your considered
about security consider encryption. For Home users look into PGP or Pretty
Good Privacy to secure your email, you can even encrypt your hard drive.

When you think you
have deleted your files they are still retrievable consider a file wiping
utility.

Use a Surge
Protector.

No firewall can stop
all attacks.

Benjamin Hargis CEO

Phuture Networks

http://www.phuturenetworks.com

Article Source: ArticleWorld.net