Protecting your computer and data

With all this talk of cyber terrorism and cyber crime, one has to consider how to protect oneself.

Cyber crime is one of the fastest growing crimes, with gangs like Anonymous and LulzSec lurking on the dark side of the Internet.

While they state that they have noble intentions, a hacker will not spare you on the basis of morality.

If they came to get something and are able to get it, they will not suddenly get an epiphany and stop.

However, nothing stops you from protecting yourself, and it is easier than most people think.

To begin, you first need to have the right security in place. The greatest weakness of any computer is the password system.

Many people have the bad habit of using simple and common passwords, or not changing the default password on their computer.

This makes it easy for a hacker to access your private data, and in many cases they do not even have to bother hacking since they can simply log in as you.

You need to have long passwords, incorporating numbers and special characters, with characters mixed in lower and upper case.

This is your first line of defence, and if you do not secure yourself properly here, then you might as well leave your computer on the street for anyone to access.

The other thing you need to do is to back up your data as often as possible so as to prevent loss in case your hardware is damaged or stolen.

To do this, you can use offline hard drives and disks or online back up services. But each of these options presents a number of problems.

The offline choice means that the disk has to be secured, physically and technologically; if it falls into the wrong hands, then all your efforts will be in vain.

A properly encrypted hard drive is the way to go. Encryption makes it as worthless as a brick to anyone without the key to unlock it (note that encrypting your hard drive is different from having a password on it).

Online, matters are slightly different. If the backup provider is not careful in protecting your data, you face that awkward possibility of getting hacked and losing your data.

As a rule of thumb, it is always better to have sensitive data backed up offline on encrypted hard drives.

Putting sensitive information online means that it could easily fall into the wrong hands.

Many social media users assume that they are perpetually safe under the cover of anonymity.

The reality is that your browser is probably tracking you through cookies and other bits of locative applications that can reveal who and where you are.

Unless you actually install a proper anonymiser or use a modern browser that allows you to be anonymous, it is very likely that you will be traced.

We are living in an age where being truly anonymous is becoming more and more difficult, and using pseudonyms will not guarantee anonymity.

For those using Windows, you need to install anti-virus applications and a firewall. They prevent trojans and worms from infecting your computer and opening it up to the world.

Firewalls are now a standard feature on all operating systems, be it Windows, Mac, or Linux. It should always be on and updated.

While Macs and Linux machines are immune to virus attacks, it does not mean that they are immune to hackers. However, a firewall will keep them out.

When you go online, the first line of defence is the firewall, followed by your anti-virus application.

If you have industry-tested software, you would be surprised at how far it can go to protect you.

Phishing is now becoming commonplace. You receive a fake communication that appears to be from a trusted source, asking for your credentials to update their records.

You blindly insert them, press send and the next thing you know, you have your data stolen, or your money withdrawn.

The simple rule here is this: No reputable company will ever ask for your password online or offline, your passwords belong to you.

If you receive a phishing message, mark it as spam to prevent more from coming to your inbox.

Never give your password to anyone; falling victim to a phishing attack is like handing your ATM card and PIN to a total stranger.

Even after taking these security measures, you still need to keep up with the trends. If you become careless, you are likely to pay a heavy price for it.

Assuming identities is nowadays easy and you could not only become a victim, but even expose others to the same problem.

Be smart with your technology and you will never have to worry about losing your data.

By KAHENYA KAMUNYU