10 Ways to Keep Your Computer Safe

It surprises me how many people do not take computer security seriously.

With hackers, spammers, viruses and lurk behind every corner, you can not afford to follow some basic steps to protect your PC and your personal information.

Here are the top 10 ways to keep your computer safe.

1. Update your operating system
2. Install anti-virus and update
3. Use anti-spyware/adware
4. Secure your home network
5. Use a firewall
6. Do not use IE
7. Watch out for e-mailAttachments
8. OpenDNS
9. Be careful with dangerous websites
10. Keep your personal data safe

1. Update your operating system (Windows Update)

The first thing you should do is after I buy a new PC or a reformat to run Windows Update.

In my household, I have 4 computers with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Ubuntu 9.04, Xubuntu 9.04. Some dual-boot while a triple-boot, etc.

Regardless of operating system you use toensure that they update frequently. Especially if you run Windows, I recommend that you back on the auto update in Windows Update, if not already done so. Microsoft releases frequent security updates and vulnerabilities.

To keep your operating system to date is the first step to keep your computer safe. To check if you are covered (on Windows), open your Control Panel and click Windows Update. When you see the automatic update option, you are ready. If not, eitherSelect full auto-update or the option that gives you the opportunity to install the updates, and to choose themselves. Just do not turn it off if you need to disable it manually for some reason, check the Windows Update site at least once a week.

Note: Try Ubuntu, the popular Linux distribution. With a Linux operating system may sound nerdy to some, but the level of usability is much better over the years has become. It has all the nice GUI, too. And if youHave problems, is a large online community is waiting to help you. It's free and safe.

2. Install anti-virus and keep the virus definitions up-to-Date

An anti-virus software is a MUST. If you do not have an account, you are almost guaranteed to become infected, it's just a matter of time.

It's amazing how many people do not have an updated anti-virus software on their computers. Especially if you have a pre-assembled PC from Dell or HP or Acer etc., your computer maywith a free trial period of 30 days to 1 year. Think about when you are buying a new PC.

When your subscription period has expired, you must either pay to continue with the anti-virus software you are currently receiving or other anti-virus software. Shop around.

Note: There are tons of opportunities out there. But Avast and AVG are two of the best. Why? Because they are free and very effective. Well, if you want more features and protection you can, to apaid anti-virus software. I know that Symantec and McAfee are two of the dominant players, but I do not recommend them because they take more resources to run and there are other, better detection rates. List of recommended below.

3. Anti-Spyware / Adware

Often, when a PC user complains about a sluggish computer or a slow start, it's up to a presence of adware and spyware. The most common are usually cookies from your browser while surfing the web and are not verydangerous, while some are very malicious spyware in nature. One example is a key logger that can log your keystrokes to steal credit card numbers and passwords.

There are also unasked and unwanted, that hijack your browser home page, the content every time you turn on your browser and toolbar display, which will not go away.

These days, many anti-virus software will be able to protect your PC from spying / ad-ware, too. But if you want the safe side, install a few anti-spywarePrograms that aggressively block, various malware.

Note: Free: SpywareBlaster, Windows Defender, SuperAntiSpyware

You can start with just a few of them. If you have Windows Vista or 7, you will have Windows Defender enabled by default. One could also use. I recommend Spyware Blaster in all cases. Call it, update and protect. It does not have to run in the background. She adds, blacklisting of your browser and provides aeffective prevention. Super Anti Spyware is a comprehensive suite of real-time protection.

4. Secure Your Home Network

The typical household current multiple computers share a single Internet connection. Normally, a router is used, the stock link.

What many people forget that routers not only an Internet-sharing protection device, but a firewall to your entire network and.

Setting up the router's firewall is the first thing you should do ifthe creation of a network. Make sure that the firewall feature is enabled in the router settings.

What's more is that with the popularity of wireless (WiFi) wins Networks, are people who leave the door wide open to potential hackers and your neighbor (who has access to your wireless network right now). You must have your computer not only against threats via the Internet, but also against hazards in the vicinity of your house to protect.

If you have a wireless network is in your router,Please look into your security settings. If you've never touched, it is very likely that your neighbor had a look at your network a few times.

Put it set up so that you are using WPA or preferably (if WPA2) support with AES encryption (TKIP or if your device does not support AES). WEP is not good. It can be cracked within a few minutes. Even EPA is not all that safe in these days, but if you do not have the opportunity to WPA2.Create a shared key (password), which is impossible to handleguess.

My key is 60 + characters long with numbers and uppercase / lowercase letters randomly generated by the router.

5. Use a firewall

A firewall prevents that intruders always in. If you have a router, you already have a firewall. To confirm that it is up and running. A software firewall can increase the level of security, and especially if you do not need a router, a software firewall. Windows has a built-in firewall, and should be checked by default.There are also other popular firewalls such as ZoneAlarm.

What I would recommend if you want to make things simple, is it a security suite, which included anti-virus and firewall applications is included.

6. Try something other than Internet Explorer

If you are using Internet Explorer as the main browser that you really need to go. IE is the most vulnerable and the least efficient browser on the market.

Browsers such as Firefox, Opera and Chrome is much fasterand safer. Currently the most popular Firefox alternative. But I encourage you to try all browser and you will see the best.

I recommend Opera. Opera is faster than Firefox. It has an integrated email client, BitTorrent client, Widgets, mouse gestures and much more. Opera has incorporated all these features, but it is smaller than Firefox. With the new release of Opera 10) turbo (speed of the browser for slower connections, I predict it will win more market share.I personally use Firefox, Opera and Internet Explorer. Firefox is my main browser, Opera is number two. IE is only used when testing Website and changes to Korean websites. Many Korean websites are only compatible with IE, which I really hate.

7. Careful opening email attachments

Even if you send an e-mail from one of your friends come not, assume it's safe to open file attachments. Some viruses take control of e-mail account of a person and send viruses to all of itsContacts.

If an e-mail is from a stranger, probably the plant is a virus. After an anti-virus to protect you from email threats, but still be careful.

Well, if you are already damaging experience, because you had replied to say a Nigerian e-mail that you won 10 million U.S. dollars lottery, there is nothing that you can help other than common sense.

8. Tip: Open DNS

OpenDNS is a free DNS service, your browsing experience to be, can help faster and safer. DNS(Domain Name System) translates domain names make sense to have people in the numerical (binary) identifiers with network equipment for the purposes of localization and treatment of these devices connected worldwide.

A frequently used analogy to explain, is the Domain Name System is that it serves as a "phone book" for the Internet by translating human-friendly computer hostnames into IP addresses. For example, http://www.example.com translates to 208.77.188.166. "- Wikipedia

OpenDNS keepsLane and blocks malicious websites and is also a parental control feature, and much more.

Everything you need to do is, these two figures, "208.67.222.222", "208.67.220.220" in the router settings on your computer or network settings.

Instructions for different routers and computers are on the website.

9. Be careful when visiting Web sites that you

If you have configured all of OpenDNS, you can take care of this to be a little less. But not OpenDNSThey appear to protect 100% of malicious Web sites as news keep on.

Warez, cracks, and adult sites are the most dangerous types of websites. They do not visit them if you know that it is safe.

Even an anti-virus protects you from such dangers as well. You can see how important is an anti-virus?

10. Keep your personal data safe

Many of these threats are always to be on your personal data. So, keep it safe!

Not so easy to give yourName, e-mail address, phone number and address on a website.

Do not store credit card and other sensitive information on your computer. Sometimes you need to save them on your computer. If it does not save an Excel file with your credit card numbers as a "credit card numbers.xls" and place it in a shared folder.

Her neighbor, who could be your internet connection is in this context, one might be tempted. The game with the files but only slightly. You should encrypt your files with a password, even if they Shopssensitive information.

Overall, the protection of your personal data will be considered.

I hope you learned some ways to protect your computer and your personal information. Web is a dangerous place. You must always be on guard and protection.