Think your computer is spyware free? That your magical Norton antivirus (*short*) sheds unicorn tears and shoots out rainbows of safe goodness? Wrong! According to Symantec, only 51% of malware in 2009 was even detected, much less quarantined successfully or fixed. Malware is all the bad stuff that happens to your computer: spyware, viruses, trojan horses, adware, on and on.
This is only one company’s report, but it sounds credible to me…in which case may I pause a moment, turn away, and scream into my fist (!!!). I’m back. But seriously. If you have a home computer, smart phone, or wifi networks, which you likely do, please follow this advice. It’s worth making yourself secure. The first time you get infected or bot-ed (look it up), you’ll be wishing you had listened to me. I promise.
Computer Security Software
- Put an antivirus system on (Microsoft Security Essentials is free for Windows users, and good / otherwise use MalwareBytes or Avast Home Edition–both free)
- Install a Firewall, like PC Tools Firewall Plus (free)
- Install AdAware (free)
- Install Anti-Spyware stuff like SpyBot Search & Destroy, SpywareGuard, SpywareBlaster (all free, use all three; they do different things)
- Make sure you’re doing regular back-up too — it’s easy, just sign up with an online auto-back-up company like Carbonite ($) or buy an external hard drive and make yourself do weekly back-ups religiously.
Security on Your Wireless Network
If you have wifi set up at home, take a few extra moments to make it safe.
- Change the Admin Password. Wireless access points come with a default password, which is usually non-secure & easy to guess, like “password” or “wireless.” Make sure you change that default password, then write it down because you’ll need it later to access the router.
- Enable WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) encryption, instead of the default WEP (Wired Equivalency Privacy).
- Turn off SSID broadcasting. Most wifi routers broadcast the network name (which is called the SSID). This would make your wifi network visible to anyone within range (e.g. neighbors too cheap to buy their own wifi and smart enough to hack yours). Turn off SSID broadcasting.
- Disable remote administration unless you are absolutely going to need it (e.g. administering the router remotely through the internet, e.g. while not right next to the machine).
Smart Phone Security Software
If you have a smart phone, you sure as monkeys better have some anti-virus and back-up on there too. Here are some recommendations:
- For Android, try Lookout Mobile Security (100% free, does anti-virus, back-up, and offers a missing/stolen device service) or AntiVirus Free (free of course) for just plain anti-virus
- For the iPhone, try Virus Barrier (free trial, then $$) and/or Smart Surfing from TrendMicro (which isn’t antivirus but rather a secure browser, 100% free)
- For Windows Mobile first try prayer, then when that doesn’t work go with Symantec Mobile AntiVirus for Windows Mobile (free trial, then $$) or TrendMicro Mobile Security (free trial, then $$)
April 23rd, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Or you could switch to a Mac!
Seriously, though, back up your work no matter what sort of protection you use. A bad update from McAfee caused thousands of PCs to crash at organizations around the world, including mine…what a headache for IT!
April 23rd, 2010 at 8:33 pm
Are there any statistics about viruses, trojans, etc for mobile phones? Is it really necessary to install anti-virus for your cell phone? And what about us Blackberry users?
April 23rd, 2010 at 11:34 pm
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April 24th, 2010 at 9:35 am
Thanks for the Lookout recommendation for Android. I just downloaded it on my phone – looks really nice!
April 24th, 2010 at 9:41 am
Anne, I’ve been using Lookout since I got my phone (got a recommendation from This Week in Tech), and I’m so glad I did. I use it for regular scans, for back-up, and have the lost phone thingie set up in case that ever happens. Very happy with it so far.
April 25th, 2010 at 9:08 am
@Dave — “Or you could switch to a Mac!
” ? Seriously? While other operating systems have fewer viruses written for them, simply switching operating systems does nothing to prevent your computer from getting infected. There are viruses for Macs, Linux, Unix/BSD, Solaris, you name it. There are viruses that attack Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, Adobe products, Office suites, etc. In fact, the trend for the malware developers is to write their wares for applications rather than the OS. That way, they can achieve a wider attack.
Really, if one follows the outline that Sarah has laid down here, malware will be less of a threat. It’s all common sense, really. And Dave, I am writing this on a Mac, with a proper anti-virus (Avast Mac Edition) in place.
April 26th, 2010 at 5:47 pm
Sure, I could believe that only 51% of malware was detected in 2009. There’s my computer, which had very little. Some tracking cookies. I’m paranoid and run a lot of updates and checks. To balance my computer out, there are the computers used by a couple of my patrons, which I can only describe as utterly infested because they don’t grasp the importance of antivirus and “Do not randomly go to sites on the Internet and click like a wild person.”
And far be it from me to suggest that Symantec might have phrased this the way they did to be as alarming as possible and drive the most sales…
April 27th, 2010 at 5:39 pm
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April 28th, 2010 at 9:51 am
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by wcl_library: What do you do when a librarian gives you advice on online security? Well read it! http://bit.ly/bgiVkC (via LibrarianinBlack)…
April 29th, 2010 at 9:33 am
I got my first publicity for Library Web (rolling news site for the UKs public libraries, but check out the technology RSS feed also) a few months ago, and am at the moment hacked within minutes of going online daily. Off the shelf software will only protect against off the shelf attacks, malware sitting on websites, infected email attachments, etc. And even then only 50% of it it seems. What I have found is that if a computer criminal decides to attack _your_ computer personally, there are so many vulnerabilities in the operating systems available (haven’t tried Mac, but all the ‘nix and Windows) they can just walk in through an open door. So the millions of Internet users in the West essentially have a sign on their front doors saying to crime anytime they want to drive round and go through your personal life the door is wide open. See this post for an idea of the results…
sounding the alarm bells…
http://www.webuser.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=87706
April 29th, 2010 at 9:47 am
PS What we need is new operating systems developing, and for the industry, software developers, OS companies, ISPs (who else?) to get together and sort this out. If a solution is conceivable to me (which it is, with a smattering of IT skills) then I’m inclined to start guessing conspiracy theories if one isn’t sort.
April 29th, 2010 at 10:01 am
PSS The advice for wifi btw is don’t use it, uninstall the software, and disable the hardware at the BIOS or remove otherwise. I’m guessing but possibly a computer criminal can log you into their wifi network and get up to all sorts from that point, with a custom designed rootkit you won’t see or feel anything.
NSA has developed and distributed configuration guidance for operating systems…
http://www.nsa.gov/ia/guidance/security_configuration_guides/operating_systems.shtmlhttp://www.nsa.gov/ia/guidance/security_configuration_guides/operating_systems.shtml
April 29th, 2010 at 10:15 am
for computer security, i would add that you should always set up a second account that is a limited / standard user account ; that account should be used for all computing activity especially web surfing except for necessary software installation or other admin tasks ; see “Report: 64% of all Microsoft vulnerabilities for 2009 mitigated by Least Privilege accounts” — http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=5964
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