Defend Your Computer

As you can tell by even a quick reading of staysafe.org there are many types of Internet security and safety issues that you need to understand and manage. Some are managed by behavior, for instance by not providing your personal information, and some are managed by using technology which blocks an attack on your system. The fact is that your machine, if it is connected to the web, is being attacked at least a few hundred times every hour. Every personal computer should be using a firewall, up to date anti-virus and anti-spyware products, and the operating system should also be kept up to date. Doing so can help you defend yourself and stop those attacks in their tracks. They essentially create a castle, complete with high stone walls, a moat and a draw bridge. As long as they are kept up to date against current threats they can help you stay relatively secure, especially when you keep your operating system up to date.

Firewalls

A firewall works by examining information coming from and going to the Internet. It identifies and ignores information that comes from a dangerous location or seems suspicious. If you set up your firewall properly, hackers searching for vulnerable computers can't detect your computer. There are three basic types of firewalls available today, including software, hardware and wireless routers. The first step in choosing a firewall is to determine which one is best for you. To understand what is right for your computer, read about the different types of firewalls and how to choose one.

Anti-virus

Viruses, worms, and trojans horses are malicious programs that can cause damage to your computer and information on your computer. They can also slow down the Internet, and they might even use your computer to spread themselves to your friends, family, co-workers, and the rest of the Web. The good news is that with an ounce of prevention and some good common sense, you are less likely to fall victim to these threats. Think of it as pulling up the draw bridge to protect your entire family.

Good anti-virus products are constantly kept up to date, so maintaining your subscription is important regardless of which product you choose. They work by identifying specific behaviors and files and stopping them from accessing your system, causing damage and further propagating themselves. Click here to see a list of companies that provide these products.

Anti-spyware

Spyware is a general term used for software that performs certain behaviors such as advertising, collecting personal information, or changing the configuration of your computer, generally without appropriately obtaining your consent. You might have spyware or other unwanted software on your computer if see pop-up advertising even when you are not on the web, your default web page changes without your consent, new toolbars appear and you can't get rid of it, and your computer slows down dramatically or crashes.

Just like good anti-virus products, anti-spyware products need to be kept up to date, so maintaining your subscription is important regardless of which product you choose. They work by identifying specific behaviors and files, stopping them from accessing and damaging your system, and giving you a choice of what to allow or not. Click here to see a list of companies that provide these products.

Services can keep your system up-to-date

There are two new services, still in pre-release, that can help you keep your system up to date for both security and general PC health. The first is Windows Live Safety Center beta, a free advertising supported service designed to check for and remove viruses, learn about current threats, improve your PC's performance and free up room on your hard drive. You can use a "full service" scan to check everything, or tune the scanners to meet your specific needs. Windows OneCare Live is in free public beta now, but will be a fee based subscription service that helps keep PC's safe from viruses and spyware, and also help keep Windows running in the most efficient manner by keeping it up to date and making sure the system is maintained regularly. Windows OneCare Live will also manage backups of your content.