1.Keep your Operating System patched and up to date.

Microsoft routinely releases patches on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. (Patch Tuesday). If they deteminte the vunerability is a severe threat they can release patches at other times. These patches (called out of band patches) should be installed immediately.

2. Keep your protection applications (anti-virus, anti-Mailware) updated.

Just as your operating system should be updated so should your applications that protect your computer. These programs use definitions to determine what is safe and what is not. You can have the best application made but if the definions are not current your protection is limited. Make sure your definitions are updating regularry. This may require a yearly subscription.

3. Stick to Well Known web sites, and know where you are going before following links.

Most public web sites are protected against infections. Web sites used for certain activities (peer to peer file sharing, etc) are known to pass along infections that can wreak havoc on computers. Especially ones who do not have active protection in place.

4. Don’t rely on web sites to tell you if your computer is virus infected.

General web sites do not scan your computer for viruses or other mal-ware. If you receive a warning that your computer is infected, this is a mal-ware application trying to get into your system. If this comes up, first do not click ok or even click on the “X” to close the window. Programmers have started programming the “X” to do the same thing as an OK button. The way to stop this latest threat is to click down on your task bar and select task manager. In the applications tab select the entry for the program and click on end task. If you notice that your computer starts to be slow or unresponsive after you have one of these notices appear, there is a high probability that your computer is infected. If that is the case contact a computer professional to help clean your computer.

5. Before entering your password or any personal information into a web site, verify it is a secure connection.

Web sites that ask for passwords or personal information use a secure certificate to verify that they are who they say they are. This is indicated by an “https” (instead of “http”) at the beginning of their web site address and a locked padlock in the address bar, and also at bottom of the browser window (specific locations depend on what browser you are using).

6. Log out of Internet Web sites (banking internet email Etc.) and close the browser.

Some browsers and web sites will cache your password during the current session so you don’t have to enter your password multiple times. Unfortunately there is the possibility that if you go to a comprised web site using the same browser session can make that password available to them. The best way to prevent this pontetial is to log off from the site when you are finished and close the browser after you have logged out.

7. Change Passwords Frequently, and don’t use the same password for every web site.

Most people use one or two passwords for every site the visit. If that password is compromised all of your access to all sites is compromised. Using a different password of each different site can help prevent unauthorized access if a password is discovered. Also routinely changing your passwords can prevent people from obtaining your password and using it for an extended period.

8. Don’t open attachments you receive in an email if you aren’t expecting it.

One of the most popular way of infecting your computer is by an infected email attachment. If you receive an attachment you are not expecting even if it is from someone you know, do not open the attachment. If you think the attachment might be legitimate, contact the sender to verify they sent the attachment before opening it.

9. Don’t follow links from email messages when it comes to entering personal information.

Phishing is the attempt to gain personal information. One of the more recent ways of gaining your information is directing you to a look alike web site. They do this by hiding the true address in the link included in an email. This web site is made to look just like a legitimate site. If you receive an email that asks you to go to a site, do not go to the site via the link in the email. Go to the web site manually typing the address into the browser. If you are concerned about the legitimacy of any email you can always contact the company customer service.

10. Don’t click unsubscribe on email messages.

The can spam act requires any commercial email messages to have an unsubscribe function in the email. Clicking on the unsubscribe link will remove you from that mailing list. However many times this is used to verify a good email address and places you on a different list as a confirmed list. This list is then sold. Keep in mind this does not happen with every commercial email message but you have no way of knowing which don’t and which ones do.