Boost Your Online Security
Laptop Security Blog Boost Your Online Security
April 22nd, 2009
Author: arieanna
TechRadar.com put together a list of the “10 easiest ways to boost your online security“, a list that mostly focuses on minimizing your risk of infection online. With the rise, and continued threat, of Conficker, a list like this will help you augment your security defenses.
- Augment your anti-virus tool
- Switch to plain text mail
- Don’t click mail links
- Vet your email
- Switch web browser
- Check web sites before you visit (with Web of Trust)
- Manage your passwords
- Screen all downloads
- Know P2P basics
- Create a virtual sandbox
Some of this is a little technical, so read on here for full details.
The list is, however, missing one major thing, so I’m going to put that at item zero – UPDATE your software. This includes your operating system as well as the software that runs on it – most of this you can automate, but don’t keep dismissing those reminders to update and restart. At least 11% of PCs are currently unpatched with the latest Microsoft update, making them even more vulnerable to threats such as Conficker.
Category: Web Security | 
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Although it may not sound like it, reinstalling your OS on an annual basis can pay great dividends for security. Firstly, you never know what infections may be lying on your system completely undetected. A clean OS install guarantees that you are running a virus free PC. Second, the performance of your computer will undoubtedly skyrocket, resulting in increased productivity. Last, I find that short of hulking over your registry for hours deleting keys, a clean OS install is the best way to get rid of AV programs that leave a footprint behind even after an uninstall.