he
Internet is as popular, if not more so, as the television nowadays with millions
of people online every single hour of the day. It is no wonder, therefore, that
the Internet in itself attracts would be hackers hell bent on disrupting what
should be an enjoyable surfing experience. If it were not for these 'hackers' pc
security would certainly not need to be so tight as it is today. And even with
today's security the hacker is always one step ahead of the latest technology.
It is important, therefore, that you do as much as you possible can to protect
your system against any form of illegal intrusion.
For the purpose of PC security
you need three basic pieces of equipment - be it software or hardware. The first
is Anti Virus defences, the second is a firewall, and the third is an assurance
that your pc is always kept up to date with the latest Windows Updates. A lapse
on any one of these essential items leaves your PC open to possible attack.
Firewall
Firewalls can come either in
hardware or software form and their principle job is to stop dead any
unauthorised access to your pc. Windows XP has its own built in firewall which,
essentially, does a pretty good job at stopping unauthorised access.
Unfortunately, the Windows XP firewall does have some short comings. For one it
only stops incoming access, therefore, should you load a Virus/Trojan onto your
machine via a floppy disk from a friend, the Virus/Trojan could still access
your address book and send copies of itself to all your major contacts. Another
disappointing aspect of the Windows XP firewall is that it is not the easiest of
firewalls to configure, especially if you are a beginner.
Fortunately, you do not have to
rely upon the Windows XP firewall. There are numerous other software and
hardware firewalls out there that are more user friendly and, in many cases, far
superior to the Windows XP firewall. I suppose the most popular is Zone Alarm,
but other names like Norton, McAfee, Black Ice, Kerio, E-Trust and F-Secure
spring to mind. If you want a firewall that is totally 'free' then you need look
no further than the free version of Zone Alarm available at
www.zonelabs.com
Anti Virus
Anti Virus and Firewall
applications go hand in hand with each other. Nowadays you really cannot do
without the two being present on your machine. You only have to look at one of
the anti virus manufacturer's websites to see the frightening array of Virus's
and Trojans that constantly bombard our systems while connected to the Internet.
Virus's, however, are not only transmitted via the web, they are also capable of
infecting the pc via the swapping of files from one pc to another, either by
floppy disk or CDs.
Again there are loads of anti
virus applications out there. Names like Norton, Mcafee, Kaspersky, and AVG
instantly spring to mind. But, again, it is pointless going to the trouble of
installing anti virus software if it is not regularly updated. Fortunately most
anti virus packages have some form of update scheduling incorporated in them, so
you can at least set the application to update at a specific time each
day.
Once again you don't have to
actually pay money for anti virus software. AVG Anti Virus (www.grisoft.com)
do a free version which, although not containing so many options as the paid for
version, will protect your pc just as well.
Windows Updates
You've spent a lot of cash
purchasing your copy of Windows and, as such, you want to get the best out of
it. Keeping it up to date is something that can be done quite easily. All it
takes is a click on the update icon in Control panel and a quick selection of
when you want the updates to be downloaded - Microsoft does the rest. The
updates are downloaded discretely in the background so you can get on with
anything else you have planned.
Of course Windows Updates don't
simply improve the look or performance of your pc, they also remedy any problems
that may have been found during routine checks by Microsoft on the Windows
Operating system. Any vulnerabilities such as Trojans, Worms etc are also looked
at and, if a specific 'fix' is needed, then Microsoft automatically add
the fix to the update list, ensuring that your system is protected at all time.
If we are
honest the constant barrage from our peers of 'update this, and don't do that'
can drive any sane man or woman to the demon drink. Computing, and in
particular, surfing the web is supposed to be enjoyable, not a hassle. The
problem is it is other inconsiderate people that turn our supposed enjoyment
into a hassle. Okay, we keep banging on about keeping our pc's secure but, at
the end of the day, you wouldn't allow an unauthorised person access to your
home, so why allow unauthorised Virus's/Trojans and hacker's access to your pc!
Be smart use a firewall, keep your anti virus definitions up to date, and make
sure that your operating system is updated via Windows Updates regularly.
