Protect Your Computer System

Today, more and more people are using their computers for everything from
communication to online banking and investing to shopping.
As we do these things on a more regular basis, we open ourselves up to potential
hackers, attackers and crackers. While some may be looking to phish your personal
information and identity for resale, others simply just want to use your computer as a
platform from which to attack other unknowing targets.
Below are a few easy, cost-effective steps you can take to make your computer more
secure to begin with:
1. Always make backups of important information and store in a safe place
separate from your computer.
2. Update and patch your operating system, web browser and software
frequently. If you have a Windows operating system, start by going to

and enter “update wizard” in the search box. This program will help you find
the latest patches for your Windows computer. Also go to

and locate possible patches for your Office programs.
3. Install a firewall. Without a good firewall, viruses, worms, Trojans, malware
and adware can all easily access your computer from the Internet.
Consideration should be given to the benefits and differences between
hardware and software based firewall programs.
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4. Review your browser and email settings for optimum security. Why
should you do this? Active-X and JavaScript are often used by hackers to
plant malicious programs into your computers. While cookies are relatively
harmless in terms of security concerns, they do still track your movements on
the Internet to build a profile of you. At a minimum set your security setting for
the “Internet zone” to High, and your “trusted sites zone” to Medium Low.
5. Install anti-virus software and set for automatic updates so that you
receive the most current versions.
6. Do not open unknown email attachments. It is simply not enough that you
may recognize the address from which it originates because many viruses
can spread from a familiar address.
7. Do not run programs from unknown origins. Also, do not send these
types of programs to friends and coworkers because they contain funny or
amusing stories or jokes. They may contain a Trojans horse waiting to infect
a computer.
8. Disable hidden filename extensions. By default, the Windows operating
system is set to “hide file extensions for known file types”. Disable this option
so that file extensions display in Windows. Some file extensions will, by
default, continue to remain hidden, but you are more likely to see any unusual
file extensions that do not belong.
9. Turn off your computer and disconnect from the network when not
using the computer. A hacker cannot attack your computer when you are
disconnected from the network or the computer is off.
10. Consider making a boot disk on a floppy disk in case your computer is
damaged or compromised by a malicious program. Obviously, you need
to take this step before you experience a hostile breach of your system.
Fighting Spam
How prevalent is Spam? According to Scott McAdams, OMA Public Affairs and
Communications Department (www.oma.org):
“Studies show unsolicited or “junk” e-mail, known as spam, accounts for roughly
half of all e-mail messages received. Although once regarded as little more than
a nuisance, the prevalence of spam has increased to the point where many users
have begun to express a general lack of confidence in the effectiveness of e-mail
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transmissions, and increased concern over the spread of computer viruses via
unsolicited messages.”
In 2003, President Bush signed the “Can Spam” bill, in December of 2003 which is the
first national standards around bulk unsolicited commercial e-mail. The bill, approved by
the Senate by a vote of 97 to 0, prohibits senders of unsolicited commercial e-mail from
using false return addresses to disguise their identity (spoofing) and the use of
dictionaries to generate such mailers.
In addition, it prohibits the use of misleading subject lines and requires that emails
include and opt-out mechanism. The legislation also prohibits senders from harvesting
addresses off Web sites.
Violations constitute a misdemeanor crime subject to up to one year in jail.
One major point that needs to be discussed about this: spam is now coming from other
countries in ever-greater numbers. These emails are harder to fight, because they come
from outside our country’s laws and regulations. Because the Internet opens borders
and thinks globally, these la