This blog and its entries are for those new to the operating system Windows and to building computers. If you have experience with Windows, this blog is beneath your experience level. You've been warned.
After 17 years of struggling in the zone between raw beginner and IT (information technology) consultant, I decided to write this blog to somewhat fill that gap. Help on the internet seems to be either 1) very very basic or 2) written for those highly skilled in IT. I have no formal training in IT nor degrees, but after 17 years using computers you learn a few things. I have compassion for those of you just starting out.
This entry is dedicated to security, since that is an extremely important topic.
Malware is the overall term for all harmful computer software. It includes viruses, worms, trojans, keyloggers, rootkits, and others that I'm sure I know nothing about, yet.
The old saying applies, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. How do you prevent malware infection ? Let me list the ways:
- Before you even connect your ethernet cable to your modem, make sure you have a decent router (also called a hardware firewall) between your box (computer, also called machine) and the modem. Some people have been infected with malware on an unguarded box in less than four minutes. Sad but true. I use a Linksys router.
- If you download anything from the net (internet), make sure to virus scan it immediately. Better yet, do not download anything you are not sure of.
- Do not click on any links in email.
- Hover your mouse cursor over links in safe web pages to make sure you are going to a safe page.
- Always use a good antivirus program, such as Norton, Sophos or Kaspersky. Make sure to keep it updated at least weekly, if not daily.
- Stay away from pages (web pages) with any porn on them or free stuff. The "warez" sites are notorious for malware.
- A lot of viruses come to your box via peer to peer connections (such as Kazaa, Limewire, BitTorrent, etc). Again, be sure to virus scan.
- Operating systems (acronym = OS, Windows, Mac (Apple Macintosh), Linux, BSD, and others): Linux and BSD are the most secure. Mac is next. Windows is "least secure". No worries, if you use multiple layers of security, you should be fine using any flavor of Windows except Windows Me or earlier versions.
- Web browsers (browsers): Linux-based browsers are the most secure. Then the Mac browser Safari because of its underlying OS. Mozilla Firefox is next when you use the NoScript addon. Then Windows Internet Explorer (IE) 8 fully-patched (meaning all security updates have been applied), then IE 7. Do NOT use IE 6 unless you are forced to, it has many security holes in it.
- Common sense always applies.
- If you do not understand a word that is computer or malware related, please ask someone on an internet forum or do a thorough Google search. You will find the answer.
- You might want to bookmark/do an RSS on an internet security website, just to stay up to date.
