Computer Security Advice
Do you know?
- Your chances of becoming a victim of cybercrime are about 1 in 4
- Hackers are attacking PCs with Internet access every 39 seconds
- There are over 20 million known computer viruses out there now, and the number of threats is growing daily
- Virus infections have prompted 1.8 million households to replace their PCs in the past two years
- 71% of 13- to 17-year-olds have received messages online from someone they didn’t know
What is cyber security?
It seems that everything relies on computers and the Internet now — communication (email, cellphones), entertainment (digital cable, mp3s), transportation (car engine systems, airplane navigation), shopping (online stores, credit cards), medicine (equipment, medical records), and the list goes on. How much of your daily life relies on computers? How much of your personal information is stored either on your own computer or on someone else’s system?
Cyber security involves protecting that information by preventing, detecting, and responding to attacks.
What are the risks?
There are many risks, some more serious than others. Among these dangers are viruses erasing your entire system, someone breaking into your system and altering files, someone using your computer to attack others, or someone stealing your credit card information and making unauthorized purchases. Unfortunately, there’s no 100% guarantee that even with the best precautions some of these things won’t happen to you, but there are steps you can take to minimize the chances.
Protect your data on your PC
The first step in protecting yourself is to recognize the risks and become familiar with some of the terminology associated with them.
Hacker, attacker, or intruder - These terms are applied to the people who seek to exploit weaknesses in software and computer systems for their own gain. Although their intentions are sometimes fairly benign and motivated solely by curiosity, their actions are typically in violation of the intended use of the systems they are exploiting. The results can range from mere mischief (creating a virus with no intentionally negative impact) to malicious activity (stealing or altering information).
Spyware - is computer software that is installed surreptitiously on a personal computer to intercept or take partial control over the user’s interaction with the computer, without the user’s informed consent.
Malicious code – This category includes code such as viruses, worms, and Trojan horses. Although some people use these terms interchangeably, they have unique characteristics.
- Viruses – This type of malicious code requires you to actually do something before it infects your computer. This action could be opening an email attachment or going to a particular web page.
- Worms – Worms propagate without user intervention. They typically start by exploiting a software vulnerability (a flaw that allows the software’s intended security policy to be violated), then once the victim computer has been infected the worm will attempt to find and infect other computers. Similar to viruses, worms can propagate via email, web sites, or network-based software. The automated self-propagation of worms distinguishes them from viruses.
- Trojan horses - A Trojan horse program is software that claims to be one thing while in fact doing something different behind the scenes. For example, a program that claims it will speed up your computer may actually be sending confidential information to a remote intruder.
Keep your computer secure from viruses, worm and trojan with Avast Antivirus. Currently, it is the best free antivirus out there, however a paid antivirus such as Norton and Kaspersky is much more recommended.
List of Free Antivirus(Download Page):
- Avast! 4 Home Edition(requires free registration)
- Comodo AntiVirus
- Avira Antivirus
I do not recommend AVG, PC Tool Antivirus, Clamwin and Bit Defender(free edition) due to so many reasons.
Protect your PC from hackers with a Firewall. The most recommended free firewall is Comodo Firewall Prohowever paid firewall such as Zone Alarm Pro and Online Armor Personal Firewall are much better.
List of free Firewall softwares:
List of Free Anti-Spyware softwares:
- Spyware Terminator(recommended)
- Windows Defender (free for original Windows XP and Vista)
- Spybot Search & Destroy
- Ad-Aware 2008
What is phishing?
Phishing is an online version of identity theft. It is a method of fraudulently obtaining personal information, such as passwords, social security numbers, and credit card details, by sending spoofed emails that look like they come from trusted sources, such as banks or legitimate companies.
After setting up a fake web site, phishers attract users through spam or targeted emails, hoping to get lucky and find real customers of the hijacked bank, e-retailer, or credit card company. The emails can be extremely convincing, such as a message from an online shopping site saying that your credit card has been declined, or from Citibank saying that they have detected unauthorized activity on your account. The messages frequently feature logos, coloring schemes, and company mottos that seem legitimate.
Phishing protection are software solutions that help keep you and your family or business safe from dangerous web site spoofs by flagging them before you release all your private data.
Just like antivirus software protection, it is not 100% that you will be protected from phishing. Here’s some free softwares that tell whether a website is not secure or has been reported to be dangerous:
- Link Scanner (Free and Paid version available)
- Site Advisor (Free and Paid version available)
Report It!!
You are advised to make a report if you have been a victim of cyber security. At least, it will prevents other users like you form being a victim.
It doesn’t matter if you were spammed, attacked with a virus/spyware/malware, hacked or a victim of phishing.
Send an email to mycert(at)mycert.org.my (replace (at) with @)
If the crime involves international companies or criminals, make an additional report to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Centre.
Ensure that you provide all necessary details for smooth investigation.
If you require more info, contact me or visit the Malaysian Computer Emergency Response Team (MyCERT) website.
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