Tips for Tight Technology
By: Source: Date Posted:
UC/Berkeley computing professor Doug Tygar and other privacy experts:
Upgrade your operating system. If you use Windows XP—the mainstay for PCs purchased in recent years—enable the automatic Windows Update feature (if you have not done so already) by visiting www.microsoft.com/protect, where you can download Service Pack 2 and anti-spyware software. To check your
Windows system, hit the “Start” tab, then make your way to “Control Panel” and finally to “
Build a firewall. Most new computers have a built-in firewall. For older systems, however, you may need to purchase and install one—especially if you have a high-speed connection to the Internet.
If a router links two or more computers in your home, it probably has a built-in firewall. To keep hackers from gaining control, though, you still need to take two additional steps: 1) change the router’s default password and 2) disable “remote administration.”
Employ multiple protection. In an August 2005 product test, not a single anti-spyware program tested by Consumer Reports caught every intruder. It therefore makes sense to adopt a multi-pronged approach: You can combine a free service such as Ad-Aware with commercially available products such as McAfee or Norton, which typically cost $25 to $50.
From "Scam-Proof Your Life:
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