Internet & PC Security For The Non Geek

Important Points

• Simply put, the firewall that comes as part of XP/Windows is useless. Install one like Comodo Pro or Zone Alarm
• Install a reputable anti-virus scanner; there are many paid packages from companies like Kaspersky, AVG provides a free option.
• Use a spam filter if you can find a good one and teach it to do its job effectively. I prefer to setup an email account I use to give out in the wild (online) one for business and one for personal use. If the one I use for online purposes get too much spam I just open up another one. This way your business & personal accounts should not be troubled by spam.
• Personally I use yahoo plus at 20 bucks a year I can setup as many spoof email addresses as I want or need.
• Don't open attachments from anyone you don't know, companies or private individuals. Personally I stopped believing in the tooth fairy and that I had won the Nigerian National Lottery a long time ago.
• Free software, why is it free you might ask? Go down main street pick something up from their counter and ask if you can get it for free. Their response should be educational.
• Ok so we have to be careful of freebies, some companies do issue trial software that you have to buy (moan) if you want to continue using it after the trial period. This is normally ok but get into the habit of scanning all software with your antivirus scanner before installing it.
• Music, movies, software and P2P sharing sites can contain malware in the download you receive. If you are going to do it, buy an external drive and download to that. Scan it with your internet security software before moving it over to your system drive.
• I like to use a reputable free online scanner like the one F-Secure provides to scan my system on a monthly basis. This insures that my own internet security suite has not been breached or infected.
• Bank and credit card statements should be carefully checked every month. Credit reports should be checked fairly regularly.
• Stop throwing old mail and or documents in the dumpster. Anything that has any type of confidential data on it no matter how small should be run through a cross-cut shredder first.
• Phone calls or emails asking you to confirm confidential data are a no no. Get in touch with the company personally for verification purposes. Transfer of any data should only be carried out through secure means.
• Suddenly that short list I mentioned at the beginning seems a distant memory. Ok so it wasn't short, I lied and this might mean you can't trust anything I've said.
• Get in the habit of making your own checks on important issues. Seriously though, it might be a fairly long list but putting these identity theft prevention tips I have given you into action could save you a lot of time, stress and money, if you were to become a victim of Identity theft.