How To Protect Your Computer From Attacks

To safeguard your computer on the Internet, it is not enough just to install protective software and improve your system configuration settings. To be secure you have to learn and practice the following fundamental safety procedures:

1.   Learn the security policies of your ISP (Internet Service Provider) and/or other respected sources.

2.   Encrypt your e-mail. Unencrypted e-mail is like a postcard that anyone can read. There are many standards of mail encryption, but two of the most popular are S/MIME (Secure Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension) and PGP (Pretty Good Privacy).

3.   Do not open attachments to e-mails from anonymous or unknown sources.

4.   Do not download suspicious files from the Internet and do not execute them on your computer.

5.   Only allow people you know and trust to use your computer.

6.   Configure your Web browser for safe Internet operation. Have your browser ask or prompt you for confirmation each time it is offered a Java or ActiveX applet. Okay these only when you are visiting trusted sites.

7.   Purchase software to protect your computer, such as anti-virus programs, anti-Trojan horse software and firewall software.