System Security

The Internet influences our lives in many ways. Its benefits are endless and keep expanding with time. Up-to-date antivirus software provides the industry-standard security, but this is not enough to protect a computer system from hackers and malwares While the combination of antivirus software and the computer firewall provide better system security, a computer can still be attacked and valuable information stolen. How then can a computer user provide the very best of system security?

As new computer threats emerge, manufacturers of operating systems and antivirus keep publishing security updates to make computer systems all over the world less vulnerable to attack. Regularly updating a computer operating system is one sure way to fight malicious software. Malicious software like worms and viruses, amongst other threats, slow down computer speed, and corrupt precious files. They can even crash an entire system

Accessing a network, Wi-Fi for example, for the first time requires users to specify a network location. A network location is a user interface that gives options for computers to interact by sharing a common network or files. Many users expose valuable documents to the public when they fail to specify the right network location immediately and they start surfing the Internet.

Home, work and public place are the three types of network locations. Specifying the home or work options of network location makes a computer and data accessible to other devices around it. These options are usually available by default and open a door for malware attack. The public place network location denies other device(s) access to a computer. This option is best for unsecured environment.

If for any reason a computer is use to share files in an unsecured environment, the system should be logged on as a standard user instead as an administrator. This security measure prevents malwares from entering the computer. Allowing other device(s) access to your computer network can slow down system speed. On an unsecure network, your username and password can be accessed by ‘fraudster devices’ (419ers). Email addresses on your contact list can then be used to send fraudulent messages to your friends and family members. Due to this, you should avoid unsecured wireless networks.

In conclusion, for total system security of a computer, you need to update your OS regularly; turn on your firewalls; have antivirus and antispyware programs up and running. Lastly, pick the public place network location: because you can never tell who is behind you!

This was written by Dominic Acito. Dominic brings his experience as a computer engineer, a pc super user, and a web developer to PCTechBytes. Be sure to visit his site about Computer Tips.