How To Secure A Computer

The confidentiality, availability and the integrity of the data is the most important aspect of the computer security.  Computer security refers to securing your computer from the unauthorized access and from internal and external threats like virus, spyware, Trojan horses, phishing attacks, hackers and intruders.  There are a large number of techniques that can be used to protect your computer from all these threats.  In this article you will learn that how to secure your computer from the most common security threats through antivirus protection.

Security can be implemented from the operating system to computer hardware level.  Following is an overview of some of the common PC threats and the solutions from preventing them.

• Computer Viruses

Computer viruses are the one of the most common threats to a computer.  Any online computer can be attacked by the viruses and other online threats in less than 20 minutes if it has not been using a proper security mechanism.  A virus infected computer can transmitted the viruses to the other connected computers in a network. Viruses can harm your computer in a variety of ways such as they can corrupt data, corrupt the hard disk, delete the operating system files and can crash the system. Install an up-to-dated antivirus software and regularly scan your computer to get rid of the potentially dangerous computer viruses.

• Spyware

Spyware is another big threat for the online computers.  Spyware enter in your computer through the numbers of ways such as when you visit a spyware infected website, install spyware infected software and access online spyware infected online application.  To get rid of the spyware, install an up-to-date anti spyware software and regularly scan your computer with it.

• Phishing

Phishing attack is another growing threat for the online computers.  Phishing is a type of online deception techniques that is designed to steal your confidential information, passwords, credit card information and important login and password through the fraudulent emails.  The best solution to avoid this treat is to not open the email attachments from the unknown and unreliable sources.  Secondly, never give your personal information to anyone even the emails claim to be delivered from big sources.

• Firewall and System Probing

If you haven’t implemented a firewall system on your computer then chances are that your computer can be accessed by the unauthorized users and hackers.  The best solution to avoid this problem and keep your privacy intact is to install and configure a software or hardware firewall into your system.

• Physical Threats

The physical threats to a computer involves the physically damage to the computer components with the fire, water and destructions.  The best solution to avoid the physical threats to your important computer system and data is to set an off-site replication.  Replicate your data regularly at some remote location.

• Employee’s Sabotage

An organization’s employees are most familiar with the computers inside an organization.  There are a lot of examples where the annoyed employees of a company are involved in sabotaging the computer system.  Employee’s sabotage include entering data incorrectly, destroying system hardware, deleting data, changing data, changing the passwords and entering the data incorrectly.  The best way to avoid the situations like these is to delete the employees’ account after they leaves the company so that they can’t no more access company’s systems.  Secondly, regularly monitor the activities of the employees and restrict their access to the sensitive resources in the overall IT infrastructure.

• Vendor’s Default Password Attack

Vendors of the computer systems have the default passwords at many different hardware and software components like the router, system BIOS and others.  It is very important to change the default password of the computer devices and applications.

• Human Error

Errors and the omissions are the great threats to the integrity of the data and the computer system. Data entry operators, programmers, system administrators often make errors that can compromise the system’s security.  The effect of the various security threats caused by the human errors varies. Employee’s training and awareness training should be given to the employees to avoid such kinds of errors that can lead to the financial losses for a company.

General Security Tips

1. Install an up-to-dated antivirus program and regularly scan your computer.
2. Regularly update your operating system with the latest security patches, services packs and the hot fixes.
3. Install and configure a software or hardware firewall.
4. Set a very strong password at your computer.
5. Make backups of your important data and emails.
6. Don’t download anything from the insecure websites.
7. Never open email attachments from the unknown and unreliable sources.
8. Increase your browser’s security level.
9. While using MSN messenger don’t open any links from the unknown sources otherwise you will lost your account’s access.
10. Use UPS to protect your hard disk failure and data loss due to the power failure.
11. For exchange recovery, you need to install a MS Exchange recovery software.

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