CHAPTER 1
An Introduction to Computer Security
Protect Your Computer from Being Vulnerable to Attacks Accessing the Internet on your computer is pretty common these days. The Internet will provide you the ease of accessing numerous products and services while sitting back home. With such ease comes the danger of attacks of viruses and other damaging elements. Use of the Internet exposes your computer to scammers, hackers, and identity thieves.
Computer Security
When you access the Internet, there are several scammers, hackers, and identity thieves that are in search of a person whose personal information could be stolen and used for illegal purposes. Your money is also prone to these attacks. These dangers nullify the benefit of the Internet; thus there are steps introduced to protect your computer from these dangerous elements. Some of the common preventions that you have heard from elders are not to provide your personal information without a valid reason and to keep your software up-to-date.
Use Security Software That Updates Automatically
There are too many bad guys who are always trying to find a way to attack your computer. They are always making an effort to find a new way to attack your computer and to access your personal information. Thus, it is highly important that you keep your software updates so that it helps protect you against the threats. There are numerous security software that can update all by themselves. You should try to use this kind of software on your computer so that, even if you forget to update, your computer is secure from attacks. There are several such companies who offer free security software from well-known companies. You should alter your operating system and web browser settings so that they update regularly. If you are not going to make sure that your software is up-to-date, then you are providing them a way to attack your computer. You should avoid buying security software from the companies that claim that they have found malware on your computers because they are actually the scammers who send in messages to get access to your computer.
Your Personal Information Is Just like Cash
Your personal information is extremely important and you need to value it as you value your cash. Scammers will try their best to present themselves as trustworthy, but you need to be careful about the fact that this information is highly confidential.
Research About the Companies You Are Really Dealing With
Research can save you from scams and other dangerous acts that you might get involved in just because your personal information was leaked on the Internet. Usually people go after the ad or the offer that looks quite attractive and then get scammed. So if you find any kind of ad or offer on the Internet just spare time to research about the company. Just type the company name with the words reviews, complaint, or scam on Google or any other search engine you prefer to use. If you find negative reviews then understand one thing — that you are on the wrong side. If you are not able to find anything then again understand that there are some issues with that.
Ensure That You Give out Your Personal Information over Encrypted Websites Only
When you are shopping online or making a banking transaction, then you need to ensure that the website uses encryption to protect your information. When the information travels from the computer to the server, then it is vulnerable to the attacks. To make sure that the website is encrypted, ensure that the website address is written as https. The s at the end states that the website is secure.
There are a few websites that use encryption only on the sign-in page. Thus, you need to make sure that each page contains security. If each page doesn't have the required security, then the website is surely vulnerable to attack, and you are risking your information.
Safeguard Your Passwords
It is recommended that you should use strong passwords so that it is difficult for others to crack and use your information for illegal means. The following are some of the guidelines that will help you keep strong passwords:
• It is advised that you should use long passwords because it is difficult to crack long passwords. The ideal length of a strong password is ten to twelve characters.
• Try to mix letters, special characters, and numbers so that your password becomes challenging to crack. Just make sure that your password is unpredictable. There is no need to use your name, birth date, or common words as these things make your password predictable.
• Although passwords are difficult to remember, it is still advisable to use different passwords for different accounts. In case one of the accounts is hacked and the password is stolen, then there is a fair chance that your other accounts have become vulnerable to attacks as well.
• Sharing passwords on the phone through texts and e-mails is quite dangerous. Legitimate companies will make sure that they do not ask for your password through messages. If you do get such a message, then it is surely a scam.
• You need to make sure that all the passwords are kept in a secure place.
Make Sure You Back Up Your Files
It is a fact that the systems made by humans are not 100 percent secure. It is extremely important to copy the important files on a removable disc or in an external hard drive, and keep it in a safe place. This will ensure that your data is completely safe even if your computer is compromised.
Securing Your Wireless Network
In this modern age, the wireless home network has numerous devices connected to them like our computers, phones, cameras, and even our televisions as well. It is extremely important to take steps to secure our wireless networks as these will ultimately help to secure your devices and your information from being compromised.
Try to Understand the Way a Wireless Network Works
When you go wireless you actually connect to Internet access points. A wireless router sends signals through the air. If you have a strong router then it may send signals as far as a hundred feet. If you have a wireless network, then any device within the range can pull the signal from the air and it can easily access the Internet.
If you do not take precautions, then anyone coming within the range of your router can access your network. If you have any hacker in your neighborhood they could "piggyback" on your network, or he could easily access your information on your device. If your network is used to commit a crime or send spam, then you are going to be held accountable for it even if you do not even know about it.
Use of Encryption Is the Best Way to Secure Your Network
It is extremely important to encrypt your data while sending it over the network. This is extremely important so that the attackers nearby are not able to eavesdrop on these communications. Encryption is actually a process in which the information is scrambled into some kind of code so that if anyone gets access to that information he is not able to decode it. It is one of the most effective ways to secure the data sent over the network.
There are two main types of encryptions available for this particular purpose. The first one is known as Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and the other is known as Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). Your computer, router, and other equipment use the same encryption. Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) is one of the strongest encryptions available and if you are given an option for that, then try and opt for it. This particular type of encryption is going to protect your information from these hackers. Usually older routers use only WEP encryption thus the devices connected to that particular device is vulnerable to common hacking problems. If you have a router that uses WEP then you need to buy a new router immediately that has a WAP2 capability.
When you buy the router you will find the encryption feature turned off so the first thing you need to do is to turn this feature on. You will be provided with the instructions in a manual that is going to help you with the way to turn the encryption option on. You can also check the router company's website to check out the steps if you are not given a manual along with the router.
Bound Access to Your Network
Since there are just a few devices in your house that can access your home network thus you need to allow only these devices to access the network. You should make sure that you limit the access of extra devices that access your network. Each device comes with a media access control (MAC) address that uniquely identifies each and every device. Wireless routers come with an ability to allow only those devices whose MAC addresses are permitted to use the network. But some of the hackers have impersonated MAC addresses as well thus you should not only rely on this step alone.
Make Sure Your Router Is Secure
It is extremely important to keep your router secure from different attacks. Your router is responsible for directing the traffic between your local network and the Internet. If you do not take proper steps to secure your router then someone may take control over it and could gain access to your personal information, or he might seize the control of your router and may direct you toward fraudulent websites. The following are some of the common steps that are going to allow you to secure your router from different attacks:
• Change your router name.
When you buy the router it comes along with a default name. You have the liberty to change the name of the router. The name of the router is commonly known as service set identifier, or SSID. You need to make sure you change the name to a unique one.
• Change the default password on your router.
Since the networks are vulnerable to attacks the router manufacturing companies add a default password for the router. Hackers are pretty much aware of the default passwords thus it is recommended to change these passwords to unique ones. You need to follow the tips for the having strong passwords so that your router is secure from attacks.
• Do not use "Remote Management" features.
Some routers offer the feature of remote access, but this option makes your router vulnerable to attacks. Thus, it is recommended to turn this option off as hackers could easily get into your home network through this particular option.
• Make sure you log out as Administrator.
When you log in, your session is stored and it is not destroyed until or unless you log out. If you leave your admin account logged in, then hackers can use the details from your session to gain access to your router.
• Update your router regularly.
When you buy a router, software comes along with them. You need to make sure that the software that comes along with the router is updated regularly. You just have to check the option that says that you want to occasionally update the software. Before installing the router, just make sure if there is a new version available on the manufacturer's site. You can even register on the manufacturer's website so that you receive the information about the latest updates.
• Make sure you secure your computer along with your router.
You must be aware of the basic rules available to secure your computer. Just follow them so that your computer is secure as well. You need to make sure that the antivirus is up-to-date and the firewall settings are good enough to ensure that your computer is safe from attacks.
Protect Your Network during Mobile Access
Since the introduction of smartphones, the applications on the phone allow you to access your home network through a mobile device. Before you connect your phone, you need to make sure that you have taken care of the security features. You should use a strong password on the app that accesses your home network. You need to make sure that you log out of the app after using it so that the session is destroyed and no one is able to access your account if your phone is stolen. You need to protect your phone with a password. This feature is going to enhance the security of your phone.
CHAPTER 2
How to Ensure Security of Computer
Home Network Security
In this section, the users will get an overview of the security risks and the countermeasures associated with Internet connectivity. The following details are especially important in the context of always-on broadband services. The following details mentioned are also relevant to the traditional dial-up users.
A. What is computer security?
Computer security is quite a self-explanatory term. It is a process which helps to prevent and detect unauthorized use of your computer. Prevention measures are going to help prevent unauthorized users from breaking into your computer while detection is going to assist you in detecting if any intruder breaks into your computer.
B. Why should I care about computer security?
Computers have become an essential part of our daily life. We use them for banking, investing, shopping, and communicating with others through e-mail or chat programs. You definitely do not consider your chats secret but your e-mails and banking transaction will be definitely be important for you. Thus, you will not want anyone to access your personal information or attack other computers through your computer.
C. Who would want to break into my computer at home?
Hackers, attackers, or crackers will break into your computer. They might not care about your identity. Usually they get control of your computer so that they could attack your computer and launch attacks on other computers. This way the hackers can launch attacks from your computer and hide their own location so that they cannot be caught. When they are going to attack the high profile sites like government websites or the financial system then you will be caught as they are going to launch an attack from your computer. Even if you are connected to the Internet just to send e-mails or to play games, your computer might still be vulnerable to the attacks.
Intruders may be able to watch all your actions and they might even cause damage to your computer by reformatting your hard drive or changing your data.
D. How easy is it to break into my computer?
Intruders are always seeking a chance to attack the computer available online. These vulnerabilities are also known as "holes." These holes are present in the computer software. If the software is too complex then it becomes extremely difficult to check the security of the software.
