| Computer viruses can damage your system or even | | | | way mirror allows light to pass through one direction |
| steal privileged information such as user names and | | | | but deflects light from the opposite direction. Malicious |
| passwords. With so much online activity today, the | | | | emails get around this problem by entering the network |
| consequences of this type of damage or theft can be | | | | by legitimate means - an email. Once a user clicks on |
| devastating. Fortunately, there are ways to make it | | | | their email attachment they effectively give the |
| more difficult for would be cyber intruders to target | | | | malicious software the authority to perform its deeds |
| your system. The following tips should form the basis | | | | effectively bypassing security measures that were |
| of any systems online security measures. | | | | configured under the assumption that any hostilities |
| Patch levels | | | | would originate from the outside of the network. |
| Windows provides a 'Windows Update' service on its | | | | Firewalls |
| operating systems. Sometimes the updates fix bugs | | | | Once strictly the domain of network equipment, |
| and general software functionality, but sometimes the | | | | firewalls today are applied on network boundaries and |
| updates include vulnerability patches. Vulnerabilities are | | | | computers alike. Windows XP and above offer a built |
| used by attackers to exploit security lapses in the | | | | in firewall for computers running their operating system. |
| operating system. It is very important that Windows | | | | This is especially useful for preventing Worms and |
| PCs are kept up to date with regards to their patch | | | | other types of self propagating attacks from |
| levels. | | | | spreading across a local area network. Network |
| Virus Scanner | | | | firewalls guard the boundaries between the local |
| Virus scanners normally perform two functions. | | | | networks such as a home or office network and the |
| Real-time scanning that is used to detect viruses | | | | outside world. A firewall is only as effective as the |
| loaded into the active memory and disk scanning that | | | | configuration it carries. The more connections the |
| is used to detect viruses laying dormant in the | | | | firewall permits the higher the risk of exposing a |
| computers' mass storage system. Virus scanners are | | | | vulnerability. It is the age old problem of security versus |
| a valuable and well known tool in the fight against | | | | functionality. |
| viruses but they are not impenetrable. As such, they | | | | Bad Websites |
| should always be used in conjunction with the other | | | | Even websites can be malicious. Malicious web sites |
| techniques in this article. | | | | can exploit vulnerabilities in browsers or they can |
| Unknown emails | | | | request downloads in the form of ActiveX controls or |
| Firewalls, private networks and other network based | | | | plugins. Safety on web sites is more about not visiting |
| preventative measures help to stop intruders on the | | | | dodgy sites and certainly not downloading anything that |
| outside from peering into the network. Much like a one | | | | you do not know of or trust. |