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THE RISKS
Viruses, Worms, Spyware and Trojans
Viruses and worms can mess up all your data, slow down the speed of your personal computer and even shut down your machine altogether
Spyware and Trojan software can tell criminals what you are looking at when surfing or shopping the more powerful ones can even see what you are writing.
Some of these can even store up your personal details including your passwords for a few months before actually sending them back to the criminals.
Buy some established anti-viral and anti-spyware software and set them up to regularly and automatically update themselves with the latest information.
Note that free software to do this is also available but does not have any warranty.
Set the preferences in your browser to only accept Cookies from Sites that you Recognise and that actively wish to install.
It is often easy to identify Spyware or Trojans from their names that often have words like access, ad, tracker, backdoor, burrow or exe in them.
Using Your PC
When you or others use your PC while it is connected to the Internet you are putting yourself and your data at risk.
Other users elsewhere on the Internet may be clever enough to know how to access your PC over the Internet.
Therefore you should always use a personal firewall on your PC when connected to the Internet. Your operating system may already include firewall software so just make sure it is switched on correctly.
Also if you are using a personal computer at work to do some internet shopping or just surfing make sure others can not get access to your computer when you are not around.
This will protect any account details or passwords you have used.
The best way to do this is to make sure that your PC is set up so that you have to enter a password to log on before you can us it and that you always log out when done.
Also set your PC to log you out automatically if you stop using it for a short period of time like when away from your desk.
The Operating System on Your PC
If you don not update your operating system regularly you may leave it open to attack by viruses and other threats.
Make sure you religiously install any operating system updates and bug fixes as they become available to ensure your system security is always at it’s best.
You should be able to set up your computer to check for these updates regularly and automatically.
If you do not bother you will attract the attention of hackers but you will not even know it!
Wireless Networks
Both normal WiFi and Bluetooth wireless networks are not entirely secure especially when they are not encrypted.
This means that hackers or criminals can eavesdrop on everything you do across a wireless network if they are within range to pick up your signal.
Remember that today your neighbours are easily within range to access your PC wireless network at home.
Only use wireless networks to exchange information in places and situations and using devices that you trust.
Many wireless networks are not encrypted in any way at all, which means that anyone with some of the right technical knowledge could easily eavesdrop on you.
Always keep your device in the non-discoverable mode whenever you are not using Bluetooth or WiFi and always use a Personal ID Number (PIN) to ensure the device is secure.
Never connect to an Access Point in public place that is not secure.
If you really have to then make sure you do not transmit any sensitive personal information like your log on details.
All this also applies when using a Blackberry.
Mobile Phones and VoIP
Mobile web browsing is becoming more and more popular and criminals have noticed this too and they are therefore designing viruses and worms specifically for the mobile Internet.
The danger of infection on a mobile is just as great as on a PC so make sure you always download the latest protective software.
If are the proud owner of an Apple iPhone you will need to make sure you are protected when connecting to the web by both mobile and through WiFi.
Also take great care when using VoIP (Voice over IP) because, even though the prospect of free calls might be very tempting, these calls can be intercepted (Vishing) so make sure you never talk about anything that is really confidential when using VoIP.
Phishing Emails
Phishing Emails are designed to look exactly like an email from your bank, any other popular online service provider and more recently a social network or political web site.
Usually the email asks you to confirm your details such as your account number and your password.
Sometimes they just ask you to register to try and gain your trust and discover a password from you. Later on they will ask you for more details.
Never Reply to Phishing Emails!
They are always fake!
No reputable or established organisation will ever ask you to send this type of information.
Also remember that you should never call the numbers on such emails or try to visit any website they suggest as these will be fakes too.
Email from Senders You Do Not Know
Email from people or organisations you do not know are also just likely to be scams or junk mail.
If you open them or download from them you are likely to put a virus on your PC.
The simple solution is to always instantly delete emails from senders you do not recognise and do not read them or open any attachments!
If possible try and let your email service provider know that they are spam.
Your anti-virus software should alert you automatically of any problems or delete any messages carrying a virus messages.
Never reply to a suspicious email because that just confirms to the spammer that your email address is valid and if you do reply you will be bombarded with many more messages from many more senders.
Social Network Sites
Revealing too much information about yourself on social networking sites can bring great risks.
The more information about yourself that you make public on any of the social sites such as MySpace, Facebook, BeBo or Friends Reunited then the easier you are making it for a criminal to steal your personal identity and commit fraud.
Therefore when on these sites never put your full name, date of birth, contact numbers or pet names on the website for any reason. Also do not give them to anyone.
Always play safe!
You only need to give such details to people you know really well.
If the site you are using has any privacy settings then make sure you use them.
Also do not allow just anyone to join your group. You would never allow a stranger into your own home so do not invite them into your online home either. Get references first!
Passwords
On average everyone online now has about 15 different passwords or codes which they need to access their online accounts and over 10 per cent of us have 50 or more online accounts.
Forgetting a password is only too easy so we always tend to write them down somewhere and this is can potentially be the greatest risk to online safety.
Many people use the very same password for several different accounts and 25% keep their full password list in a wallet or purse.
If a criminal gets hold of your password list your whole financial life could well be at risk.
You should use as many different passwords as possible and use word association techniques to remember them all. Not easy but try it!
It is essential that you never ever give even one of your passwords to anyone else at all. This includes boyfriends and girlfriends and even best friends. They should respect your privacy!
Deleted Data
Thinking that your data is safe once you have deleted is one of the biggest myths of pc security.
Unfortunately information does not physically disappear after it gets into your computer waste basket or recycle bin.
Even if you empty the waste basket or recycle bin the data still exists on your hard disk only you can not see it and no longer have access to it.
To make sure your data really disappears you need to buy and regularly use a cleaning software utility program, which will overwrite the disk space occupied by your ‘deleted’data.
Always delete any sensitive and personal information before you need to send off your computer for a health check, system problem or upgrade.
When you are ready to replace your PC you should remember that the only totally safe way of stopping others from recovering your data from the hard disk is to physically destroy it!
You should contact your local council recycling centre for safe disposal, but only after total destruction.
Portable Storage Devices
Portable storage devices like USB key rings are not secure and your data is at risk if you lose them or they are stolen.
You really do need to keep them as safe as you would other valuable personal information such as your credit cards or even your passport.
Data Backup
Backing up important documents makes perfect sense, but if you are also backing up your passwords to offline media such as external hard disks, CDs or DVDs you could be putting yourself at risk.
Do not include you passwords or password list in you backups.
I they get stolen or lost then a criminal would find them very useful.
Only backup your regular data.
Identity Fraud
If you take advantage of an identity fraud protection services you can protect yourself from identity theft and any fraud resulting from that.
Services such as CreditExpert.co.uk can help protect you from the most stressful effects of identity theft and help prevent ID fraud.
These services allow you to see what the lenders see, such as your borrowings, court judgments and your credit applications, and will also alert you by SMS or email whenever there is a change to your credit report which might indicate fraudulent activity.
Remember you should regularly monitor your credit report to ensure that you always recognise all the activity on your credit report and thus always stay one step ahead of the fraudsters.
Click here for a 30-day free trial of CreditExpert.
Stay Safe Online!
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