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General Computer Security

Computer security is something that is on everyone’s mind. With computers being so integral to our daily lives and wireless networking becoming more and more popular, making sure that your computer security up to date is of vital importance. Luckily there are some simple steps you can take to make sure that your computer and its contents are secure.

The first step you can take to keep your files secure, particularly if more than one person uses your computer is to create a user account for each person that uses the computer. This will keep somebody from accidentally deleting your files. You can also set each account up with its own specifications—adding in watchdogs for your kids’ accounts, etc.

You will also want to password protect your files, especially the files that are very important. Make sure when you choose the password that it is not based on a dictionary word and uses both letters and numbers. While you want to be able to remember the password, you also don’t want it to be easy to break.

If you leave your desk for a while, but don’t want to have to completely shut down the computer, you can lock it the way it is. When you lock your computer you keep others from messing with what you are working on or accidentally deleting important projects.

Make sure that you also have some anti-virus and firewall software installed on your computer. This is one of the most important components you can add to your computer to keep your computer security strong.

Symantec Norton Confidential Windows (available for about $45). Symantec Confidential is great, easy to use software that protects your passwords and protects against malware, spyware and viruses. It is one of the leading retail security programs available today. I recommend it highly. We use Symantec for security here, and find it to be comprehesive and simple to use.

You might also consider investing in the D-Link DSD-150 Wired Internet Security Device. This device (available for about $94) is designed to keep viruses, popups and other malware from infecting your system. This device works as a “bouncer” for your computer—and doesn’t even allow the hijack attempts, viruses or malware to reach your hard drive. It works with Windows and Mac. It can also act as a site blocker for your kids.

**Webmaster note: This device requires a good knowledge of networking to install. Not a device for folks who are newbies to networking. -Guy

Security for your computer is incredibly important, particularly in systems that get heavy use and are home to important files. Where possible it might be a good idea to have one computer that is not hooked up to the internet that you can use to house your important data and a computer that can be used just for the internet. When this is not possible, however, there are plenty of steps you can take to make sure that your computer security is as up to date as possible. Securing your computer is an important responsibility and you should take it seriously.

Also, be sure to check out our Notebook Computer Security page. Get in the habit of locking your laptop.

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