Be on guard
computer from attacks by hackers and scammers. TECHNOFILE
TimStackpool tells how to protect your
Anti-virus developersemploy hundreds of clever people to develop amazing pieces of software to prevent our infor- mation from being stolen, but there are thousands of nefarious individuals across the world doing everything they can to thwart the best intentions of the security software giants. But the philosophy behind protecting
your data should be the same as keeping possessions safe in your home –aleast make it hard for the crooks to gain access. Difficult access is likely to drive
themelsewhere.Complacency with pass- words and failing to keep your anti-virus software up to date is an open invitation for the less scrupulous to help themselves. Firstly, develop a system of rolling
passwords. Many corporate networks insist that you change your password every so often, butwhen was the last time you changed your personal email pass- word, Facebook or Twitter login? If you’ve ever been the victim of a
phishing scam, knowingly or not, using the same login nameand password for all your internet servicesmight also give the scammer access to your banking accounts and other popular sites using your credentials. And if they have hacked your personal email, they will be able to see which sites are regularly sending you updates. While it is a pain to have different
login and password credentials for a variety of sites (and tough to remember them all), protection of your data insists that you become disciplined in adapting your passwords for various sites. As a rudimentary example (and please
don’t implement this idea exactly) add a suffix, or prefix, to your favourite password in order to make it different for each site. If your password for email, banking, Facebook and LinkedIn is “sunrise”, for example, add letters depending on its use. You could use the password “sunrisemail” for email, while banking could be “accountsunrise”. You must also add numbers to strengthen your passwords.
Another tactic is to tailor your pass-
word using phrases. For example, a favourite Shakespeare phase, “If music be the food of love, play on…”, might formthe password for your library login, taking the first letter of each word to make IMBTFOLPO. Customise it further by adding the year you first read Shakespeare. Of course, protection
would be better if every site you logged into used a different user nameand pass- word. However, determine what system of different and rolling passwords works best for you, and plan to change themon the first day of every month, or no less than on the change of each season. IT professionals who develop
Complacency is an open invitation for the less scrupulous to help themselves
vulnerability to ensurewedon’tmake silly mistakes when online. Always keep your firewall and anti-virus software up to date. Highly regarded anti-virus products, some of which are free, are available for download, so there is no excuse for not having even the most rudimentary protection installed. Never ever use “cracked”
or pirated software. It can often contain malicious viruses or “worms” that surreptitiously relay your user names and passwords across
the internet to people who have the worst of intentions. Keepingthese ideas in mind is the first
protection systems for computer net- works will always tell you that the best way to beat a hacker is to think like a hacker. But formere technology users, the best we can muster is an attitude of
line of defence in protectingyour data and ensuring your online credentials stay safe. Many other measures should be implemented, depending on the size and nature of your network, but these practices will help tomaintain the every- day integrity and security of your personal and professional information. E
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