Basic PC Security Part Two

Basic PC and Network Security
The absolute basic fundamentals you should understand.
Part Two

Using Anti-Virus Programs
Viruses can infect a home computer in many ways: through floppy disks, CDs, E-mail, Websites and downloaded files. Anti-virus programs help protect your computer against most viruses, worms, Trojans and other unwanted invaders that can make your computer "sick." Viruses, worms and the like often perform malicious acts, such as deleting files, accessing personal data or using your computer to attack other computers. If a file is infected with a virus, most anti-virus programs provide you with options of how to respond, such as removing the harmful item or deleting the file. Installing an anti-virus program and keeping it up-to-date is the best defense for your home computer.

Firewalls: What Are They and How Do I Use Them?
Before you connect your computer to the Internet, you should install a firewall. A firewall can generally be described as a security guard for your home computer. The 'guard' is a piece of software or hardware that helps protect your PC against hackers and many computer viruses and worms. With a firewall, you define which connections between your computer and other computers on the Internet are allowed and which are denied. There are firewall software programs, (both free and available for purchase) that provide the capabilities you need to help make your home computer more secure, and there are also firewall hardware devices, (often called "routers"), that broadband Internet users can plug in to the network between the computer and the DSL or Cable Modem.

Software Firewalls inspect packets of data as they enter your computer, looking for unusual or known malicious behaviour, and blocking it, often asking if it is something you wish block forever, allow one time, or allow always. People using modems with dial-up connections have no choice but to use a software-based firewall, since they connect through a modem that is already inside their computer.

Broadband Internet users, in addition to using a software firewall, can use a Router as a 'filter' between their PC and the Internet. The most secure mode to use a router in, is the "Stealth" mode, which closes all unused ports, and does not respond to uninvited probes of your system. The router also changes your internal LAN (Local Area Network) IP adress to something different than your public WAN (Wide Area Network, or Internet) IP address, routing data through to the correct place as it comes in. The result is a connection that is much harder for a hacker to find or latch on to. YCG Computers can easily help you set up your home Internet connection correctly for you, making it as secure as possible. Contact Us for more information!