Don’t Assume That Your System
Is Safe
Unfortunately, many people believe
that their systems are safe from the risks. However, most of
those people are absolutely wrong. The first mistaken assumption
is that if you have virus protection, and you keep it updated,
you are protected. That is wrong.
Protecting your system today takes
more than virus protection. Virus protection only protects you
from actual computer viruses. It does not protect you from many
Trojan horses or worms, and it does not protect you from
hackers.
You may also think that there is
nothing on your computer that a hacker would want. That is also
a mistaken assumption. If you have something as small as your
resume stored on your computer, you have something that a hacker
could want – your personal information.
Mac users often have a false sense
of security. They may not be as susceptible to as many viruses
as Windows users, but they are just as susceptible – if not more
susceptible – to hackers. People who have dial up connections,
as opposed to broadband or DSL connections also have a false
sense of security, because their IP address changes every time
they log onto the Internet. Those who use broadband or DSL
connections have a static IP number. But those dial up users are
not any safer – they are just a little harder to find and keep
track of – until the hacker installs a Trojan horse on that dial
up users system, which will allow the hacker access through a
back door anytime they want it.
Many home pc users feel that they
are safe simply because they are home users. They
mistakenly believe that hackers only target large corporations
or banks. Wrong again. Hackers look for easy systems to get in
to. Whose system is safer – yours, or a banks? Yours of course.
Hackers know this. They also know that your personal information
is worth just as much – if not more – than the combination to
the bank’s vault.
It is common misconceptions such
as these that make people and their systems so vulnerable. The
hackers know this as well, and they use those general
misconceptions to their full advantage.
The key to fighting these cyber
criminals is educating yourself about the various risks that
exist, obtaining and installing the right software, keeping that
software updated, taking all the other necessary steps to
protecting your system, and learning how to protect your
identity online. There are so many cyber criminals in existence,
that this is really the only way that you can fight them – by
preventing them from having the opportunity to make you or your
system their victim.
Security Checklist. Check if you have enough
protection
10 Steps to Protect Yourself and
Your Family
