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Use strong passwords.
Choose passwords that are impossible to guess. Give different passwords to
all accounts. Strong passwords should be at least 8 characters, and
contain numeric and symbol characters as well as alphabetical. Never use
your name, birthday, or a single word like "password" or "money" as a
password.
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Make regular backups of data.
Backups of critical data must be made at least once each day. At least
once a month the backup media should be verified by completing a test
restore.
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Use virus protection software.
That means three things: installing it on your computer in
the first place, checking daily for new virus signature updates, and then
actually scanning the files on your computer with real time, e-mail, and
periodic hard disk scans.
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Regularly download security patches
from your software vendors. You can download updates for all versions of
Windows and Internet Explorer from
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com. Make sure you are downloading
patches for all of your Internet aware software including
Media Players, (like Realplayer), messaging services (like ICQ or AIM),
and IRC clients (like mIRC).
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Use a firewall as a gatekeeper between your computer
and the Internet. Firewalls are essential for
those who use DSL and cable modem connections but they are also valuable
for those who use modems to dial in. For always-on Internet connections,
we recommend hardware NAT routers featuring stateful packet inspection.
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Do not open e-mail attachments,
regardless of how enticing the subject line or attachment may be. Be
suspicious of any unexpected e-mail attachment from someone you do know
because it may have been sent without that person’s knowledge from an
infected machine.
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Do not install software from
the Internet. Unless you know exactly what the software is supposed to
do, and you trust the source, say no when a web page asks you to install
*anything*.
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Do not load file-sharing software on your computer.
Software like Napster, Morpheus, and Kazaa could expose your computer
unnecessarily to viruses, trojans and other security threats.
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Do not keep computers online when not in use
unless they are well protected. If you do not
have a hardware firewall, disconnect your computer from the
Internet when it is not in use.
Either pull the telephone and network cable, or shut it off with the power
switch.
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Do not use public networks
to send confidential information. Public
networks are any computer network where the service is provided by a third
party. Do not access your banking information from a machine at a public
library, a college dormitory, or a public WiFi access point. Do not enter
credit card information at these locations.
