Happy New Year

Don — Sun, 01 Jan 2006 10:28:00 GMT

Here's wishing you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

What is Security?

Don — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 10:12:00 GMT

An interesting question and one that takes on numerous meanings for many people.

Computer security to me is preventing and detecting unauthorized use of your PC.

Start with the OS, keep it fully updated with service packs and critical updates.

Get a Router, with the costs these days, it makes no sense not to have one, even for a single PC.

My preference is to install a firewall (especially if not behind a Router). Do I need it, no, but it does alert me to things that I may have overlooked. I want things under my control, I don't want programs calling out checking to see if there is an update. I want to do those checks myself so the alert I get from the FW serves as a reminder to check the preferences for that program to disable auto checking. Plus, it's there in case I do slip up somewhere. Accidents sometimes and do happen.

Use strong passwords and don't use the same passwords for all your online logins. Mix them up, mix upper and lower case characters, throw in some numbers as well. Be practical though, you do have to remember them

I know it's boring and tedious but read the EULAs. In many cases you're agreeing to install what may or may not be a PUP. At a minimum, at least glance through the EULA, something may catch your eye and cause you to re-think what you're about to do.

Avoid the temptation to click on email links, type the URLs into your web browser instead.

Don — Thu, 24 Nov 2005 11:06:00 GMT

For those that celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving. Family, Football and Turkey, hmm :)