http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx

Run your Microsoft Updates!

Don’t wait for your computer to tell you to run the updates.  You can check this manually (and you should).  Open Internet Explorer.  Click on “Tools” then “Windows Update”.  Let this site check your computer for updates you need to run.  When it comes up with the page asking “Express” or “Custom”, choose “Express”.  This will run the critical updates.  Keep doing this until your computer says “there are no critical updates to run”.  Then reboot your computer and check one more time!  You should be checking this at least weekly.

Make sure you have a Firewall!

I’m not going to get into describing a firewall here, but suffice it to say, you need one!  There are 2 kinds of firewalls, software and hardware.  Your Windows firewall is a software firewall.  MAKE SURE IT IS ON…ALL THE TIME!  How can you be sure it is on?  Go to “Start”, “Settings”, “Control Panel”.  You will either have the choice “Windows Firewall” or “Security Center”.  Make sure your firewall is “On”.  Why do you need to check this regularly?  Because anyone (kids) can turn your firewall off, and you may not know it.  Your computer will still connect to the internet with your firewall off.  Therefore, for peace of mind, you should check this at least once a week!  A hardware firewall is a device with a firewall in it, i.e., a wireless router.  The firewall is still software, but if the hardware stops working, you can’t get to the internet, so no firewall, no internet.  Make sense?

I hear all the time from clients that say “I don’t need a firewall because my company says they have one”.  There are 2 downfalls to this statement.

1.  What happens if you have a notebook computer, and you connect to a network other than at work, i.e., Starbucks?  In this scenario, you are not protected by your company’s firewall anymore.  So, make sure your Windows firewall is enabled!

2.  Your company has a firewall.  That’s great!  But, if you are connected to your company’s internet, and you are behind the firewall, so is everybody else in your company!  Example, I have a lock on my front door, but the thief is already in my house!  Doesn’t do any good to lock the door, does it?  The biggest security threat we face is not from the outside, it is from the inside.

Make sure you have Anti-Virus software that is working and updating!

Think of Anti-Virus software in your computer like the seat belt in your car.  Your seat belt is not a guarantee you won’t get into an accident, and it is not a guarantee you won’t be injured.  Same theory with Anti-Virus.

One of the downfalls to MS XP & Vista is that it “hides” inactive programs down by your clock.  If you look at your clock, do you see your anti-virus icon?  Probably not.  So, turn this option off.  If you are running XP, right mouse button on your Start task bar.  Choose “Properties”.  Uncheck “Hide Inactive Icons”.  If you are running Vista, right mouse button on the Start task bar, choose “Properties”, then click on the “Notification Area” tab and uncheck “Hide inactive icons”

Next, make sure your anti-virus is updating!  It’s usually pretty easy to do.  Find the icon down by your clock.  Double click on it.  This should open your anti-virus software.  It should show the the last date it updated the “definition files”.  If you need help with this, call me!

What’s the number one way to prevent viruses?  DON’T OPEN ATTACHMENTS!

Don’t use Internet Explorer!

If you are going to surf the web, don’t use Internet Explorer.  Most sites are safe, but if you go to a bad website, other browsers are “safer” than IE.  The 3 I would recommend are Firefox, Safari and Google Chrome.  You can download them here.

Click here to download Google Chrome

Click here to download Firefox

Remember, there is no such thing as 100% security.  But, protect yourself as much as possible!