It's a new world
Many online miscreants have grown
up. They've
become downright diabolic in
the process.
No longer teenagers -- easily
gratified by
Web site graffiti and computer
vandalism
-- they've learned that larceny
and extortion
pays. Separating people from
their money
and gaining control of any computer
they
can get their (virtual) hands
on are their
new objectives. The World Wide
Web has become
the Wild Woolly West.
These aging culprits have adopted the subterfuge
and technology of spammers, plus the best
social engineering (tricks) of serious hackers.
More victims are being fleeced. More computers
are infected, many after only a few minutes
online. It's imperative to have basic protection
and know what to look out for before you
venture online. [article] [examples]
Viruses are no longer the primary online
hazard. Other forms of malware now dominate
because they make money for the culprits. Malicious popup windows
and spam have become their "delivery
vehicles of choice". They often coupled
these with counterfeit Web sites or attachments
to deliver a "one-two-punch". More
and more hucksters are using "Spyware" to gather all kinds of information,
for example, all your keystrokes. Spyware
now infests a large number of computers to
the point of crippling them.
It's a matter of priorities
You can't be absolutely safe
online, but
you can dramatically reduce the
risk. Every
layer of defense you add blocks
another set
of potential attacks. What should
you do
first? -- second? -- third?
I find it useful to to think in terms of
what you should do when you put a new computer
online for the first time. It's a good way
to get your defense priorities straight,
be it for an old or a new computer. Some of these things may be in place already,
e.g., an antivirus program.
- Make sure you have a firewall in place. Check
to see if the (Windows XP) Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) is enabled, or install a firewall of your choice.
Do this before you do anything else. Hackers
or worms can attack your computer within
minutes. Never go online without a firewall.
Your antivirus offers no protection against
this kind of attack.
You'll need to go online for the next few
steps. Don't go anywhere else online yet. You don't
want to start surfing or access your email
before you get your basic defense in place.
- Next, check your firewall online to see if it's working. I recommend that
you use "ShieldsUp" at GRC.com
site. If your firewall is not working, get some
expert help before you go any further.
- If you don't have an antivirus program installed,
get one. It's OK to go online briefly at this point
to download one from a well known company.
- Update your antivirus program's "signature"
files. You'll need to go online, but there's minimal
risk in going to a well known website.
- Learn more about online hazards, and how
to defend against them -- particularly the
hazards of email and attachments. You can
start with Step 1 of the Overview page. An informed user is the most important element
of anyone's online defense.
- Back up everything that's important to you. Malware often results in the need to reinstall
Windows. In the process you often loose everything
on your hard drive.
Now you can begin to roam the Internet more
freely. Be careful though. As they say, "It's
a jungle out there."
- Continue your work until you you get the
rest of the defense plan you chose fully in place.
Pick an implementation plan
It can be daunting to put an adequate online
defense in place. Yes, it's a complex task,
but if you pick an approach that fits and work at it sytematically you'll
soon have what you need.
The bare essentials
- A firewall that you know is working (test it).
- An antivirus program. Update the virus signature files regularly.
- Be informed. View every email message; every attachment (even from someone you know); and every
popup window as a potential attack.
- Make regular backups of everything that's important to you.
Beyond the essentials
- Make the correct Windows and program settings.
- Keep Windows and key programs updated.
- Install Anti-malware software
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You and your computer face a growing number of hazards every time you go online. You may not have thought much about them, or you might be thinking, "I have antivirus, so I'm protected ... aren't I?"
Think again. It was true in gentler times. Sadly, it's no longer true. If you're computer has been online for a while with nothing more than antivirus protection, it's very likely your computer is already infected with pesky, if not pernicious, software.