Protect Your Computer
and Your Business Part 2 of 2
You’re Not Paranoid if They Really
Are Out to Get You (and They Are!)

In last month’s article we looked at the way you can use software to increase your computer security. However, the greatest lock in the world is worthless if you don’t use it. So, in this part we’ll look at some habits you should develop that can help create and maintain that security. Again, while there are no guarantees, these will minimize your risk and help you recover if you are attacked.

1. Don’t open e-mail attachments unless you know in advance why you’re getting it, or there is a really clear, FULL explanation in the body of the message. (Yes, I know you know not to do this—yet you still do it!) If it’s an attachment you need and are expecting, don’t open it immediately; instead, save it to your hard disk. Then, scan it with your anti-virus software before opening it. Finally, open it from the program rather than double-clicking on it (for example, open .doc files from Word). Also, it’s a good idea to always scan disks you get from people before you open the files.

2. Don’t fall for e-mail hoaxes. These get you to trash your own system by telling you to delete needed system files. Don’t do it. If you have a virus, use your anti-virus software to clean up your system and delete infected files. Don’t forward warnings either. These are most often hoaxes (no matter how legitimate they sound) and just waste time and resources. If something sounds legitimate, check it out at www.vmyths.com.

3. Know what you’re downloading and installing. Run your anti-virus software on any files you’ve downloaded (either over the Internet or from an e-mail attachment). If you install “free” software, run Windows AntiSpyware or another program to make sure it didn’t install any additional software.

4. Use decent passwords and keep them secure. Poor passwords are the number one security risk most people face. Use a mix of letters, numbers, upper and lower case, and special characters. This can be done by substituting numbers and special characters for letters (like zero for an O, a one for an I, a dollar sign for an S, and a plus sign for a T). This kind of password is very difficult for password-breaking software to break. If your password is 14 characters or more, it is virtually unbreakable. Now, before you think there is no way to remember something that long, there are a couple of simple tricks. One is to use a word twice (assuming it’s at least seven characters long). The second is to use a phrase (like the title of a song).

While writing down your passwords is usually verboten, it is probably necessary if you are going to use different passwords for different purposes and are going to change them often (you should get in the habit of doing both of those things). Just keep the list in a very safe place. Instead of writing the actual password, I write a hint to myself about what it is. If you really want to have secure passwords, you might want to use a password generator and manager. Then, you just have to remember the one password that opens the program.

5. If you work in an office where others have access to your computer, close your programs and log out or use a password-protected screensaver when you’re away from your desk, so someone can’t just walk up and use it.

6. Back up your files—regularly and often. And keep a copy off-site. I use a software program to back up my files, as well as a portable hard disk. The portable disk plugs into a USB port and shows up like any other drive on my computer. After backing up my files, I drop it in my briefcase and off I go. The added bonus is I can plug it in to any computer and have instant access to my files. Periodically, I back up all my files to CDs and keep those off-site.

7. Have a plan in place so if your computer does get trashed, you’re still able to work. Since I have a laptop as well as a desktop, I keep all of my critical software on my laptop. I also have it configured to check my e-mail, access my Web site, and other things I need to do that require me to set things up in advance. My backup CDs and portable hard disk can easily be read by my laptop. So, if my main desktop goes down, I’m up and running again in just a few minutes.

Even if you follow all of these suggestions, you may still get a virus or other kind of system attack. However, I promise you will recover much faster and with a lot less weeping and gnashing of teeth than many people I know. Remember: only the paranoid survive!