Reference number: CH000464
How to prevent unauthorized
computer
access.
Issue:How to prevent unauthorized computer access.
Cause:
Users
who connect to the
Internet
or other type of
network
may fear unauthorized
access
to their
computer
from other users.
Solutions:
Below is additional information about helping to secure your
computer and prevent any unauthorized access from other people or
software programs; helping keep your information safe.
Operating system and software patches
and updates
There is no such thing as perfect
software,
often a software
program
may have several issues and could potentially have
security
vulnerabilities that can leave your
computer
open
to attacks
that compromise your computer and your
data.
Software patches,
updates,
and drivers
are made available, often for free, to consumers to help keep a
software program and operating
systems running properly and secure. If the program you're
using does not have any type of method of checking for updates on
its own it is up to you to verify the program is up-to-date. Often
this can be done by visiting the web site of the
developer
who created the program. A listing of third-party companies and
links
to each of their
pages
can be found on our third-party support
page.
If you're running Microsoft Windows we suggest you see
document
CH000545 for additional information about keeping your
Microsoft Windows computer up-to-date.
Passwords
Make sure a password has been set on
computer. Default passwords such as password, root, admin or no
password will allow easy access to your computer or your Internet
account.
- Change passwords often. It is
recommended at least once every few months.
- Create a BIOS password.
- When creating a password, add
numbers or other characters to the password to make it more
difficult to guess; for example: 1mypassword23.
Additional information about passwords
can be found on document CH000300. Get a hardware or software firewall
We highly recommend all users have some type of
firewall
solution. There are two types of firewall's your
computer
and/or
network
can have.
- Hardware firewall - A hardware firewall is a hardware
device that is connected to your network. Often many home
users who have a home network use their network router as a
firewall solution.
- Software firewall - A software firewall is a software
program that you install on your computer that helps protect
that computer from unauthorized incoming and outgoing data. Below
is a listing of a few of the more widely used software firewall programs.
Agnitum
Outpost Firewall
BlackICE
PC Protection
Kerio
Personal Firewall
Sygate Firewall
Tiny software Tiny
Personal Firewall
Network Associates
Zone Labs Zone Alarm
Note: A software firewall is only going to protect
the computer that has the firewall installed on it. In
addition to the above listed firewall software programs many
of the antivirus scanners released today also include their
own version of a firewall program. If you have a antivirus
scanner that also has a firewall program you do not need to
worry about getting one of the above programs or another
third-party firewall program. Note: Microsoft Windows XP comes pre-loaded with a
firewall solution. Additional information about enabling /
disabling this feature can be found on document
CH000551.
Trojans, viruses, spyware, and other
malware
Software
trojans,
viruses,
spyware,
and other
malware
can not only damage or destroy your
computer
data
but is also capable of monitoring your computer to learn more
about your viewing habits on the
Internet
or even log
all your keystrokes to
capture
sensitive data such as
passwords
and credit card information. To help protect your computer from
these threats we suggest installing a
virus
protection
program
as well as a spyware protection program. If
you're looking for an antivirus solution for your computer we
suggest reading document CH000514 for a
listing of antivirus protection programs available today.
See document CH000578 for additional
information about spyware and malware and how to protect your
computer against it.
Know how to handle e-mails
Today, e-mail is one of the most popular features on the
Internet. Being able to identify threats sent through e-mail can
help keep your computer and your personal information safe. Below
are some of the most common threats you may encounter while using
e-mail.
- Attachments - Never open or run e-mail attachments.
Viruses, spyware, and other malware are commonly distributed
through e-mails that have attachments. For example, an e-mail
may want you to open an attachment of a funny video, when it's
actually a virus.
- Phishing - Phishing or an e-mail phish is an e-mail
that appears to be from an official company (such as your bank)
indicating you need to log onto the site to check your account
settings. However, the e-mails are actually sites setup to steal
confidential information such as your passwords, credit card
information, social security information, etc. See our
phishing dictionary
definition for additional information about this term as
well as examples of these type of e-mails.
Alternative browser
Before the
release
of Microsoft Windows
XP
SP2 and
Internet Explorer 6.0, Microsoft
Internet Explorer was notorious for
security and
spyware
related issues. Although it has improved since then we still
highly recommend considering an alternative
browser
such as Mozilla
Firefox. Run system scans to check for
vulnerabilities
There are several sites on the Internet that allow users to check
their computers for potential threats or issues their network or
computer may have that can allow users unauthorized access to their
computer. Below are a listing of recommend sites to try:
Gibson Research Corporation
- The Gibson Research Corporation, or GRC, is a great location to learn
about network security as well as well as test your computer or
network for vulnerabilities.
Hacker
Wacker - Another great site with computer security related
information, help, and programs to help test your computer and/or
network.
Additional information:
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