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How to Protect Your Computer From Internet Identity Theft
by Andre Bell
Published on this site: March 20th, 2006 - See
more articles from this month
Internet Identity Theft is a five billion dollar annual "business".
Everyone with a computer in their home or office who even
occasionally uses that computer for online purchases, pay
bills, check credit reports, do online banking, or do anything
else that involves personal identity are at risk of being
robbed online.
Some steps to take to protect your identity from online
theft are:
- Install a software firewall such as Zone Alarm Pro, Kerio
Personal Firewall, and others that alert you to both incoming
and outgoing communications.
- If you use broadband internet access such as DSL, cable,
or satellite connection you must also install a hardware
firewall.
Neither a software or hardware firewall is completely effective
on its own when using broadband access.
- Keep your antivirus scanner running at all times and
keep it updated, daily is best. New virus and Trojans are
released every day. If your virus scanner isn't updated
frequently and kept running at all times you are at risk
for attacks from external exploits and from attacks from
websites you visit or software you install.
- Get a good anti-spyware program such as Webroot SpySweeper
SpyBot-Search & Destroy, or both. Keep them running
and updated.
- Lock down your email reader (Outlook, Outlook express)
from common vulnerabilities by keeping up to date with Microsoft
security updates.
- Never open or preview emails with attachments, not even
traditionally 'safe' files such as pictures, from within
Outlook. Many Trojans will launch when you preview or open
an attachment from within Microsoft Outlook.
Don't make the mistake of thinking attachments are safe just
because you know who supposedly sent the email.
Many Trojans 'hijack' people's address books and spread themselves
to everyone in the address book. That way it looks like someone
you know sent the email. That way the Trojan is almost guaranteed
to get opened and activated.
If you don't know who sent the attachment it may be best to
just delete it.
If you must open the email then at least save the attachment
somewhere safe on your hard drive then scan the attachment
with your virus scanner before opening the attachment from
outside your email reader.
Of course this is only safe if your virus scanner is up-to-date.
Even then it's a little risky. Especially if you don't know
who sent the attachment.
When I get an unexpected attachment from people I know I always
send an email to them asking what they sent me.
In some cases the answer has been, 'I didn't send you anything'.
[Red Flag!!!]
That's when I tell them it's time to upgrade their virus scanner
because they have a Trojan or virus spoofing their identity.
They are surprised, some even argue that there computers are
clean... until they do an updated virus scan. I can only imagine
their fear when thinking their identity may have been stolen
too.
That could be you too if you don't take necessary precautions
to protect your identity.
Those are the main steps for protecting your computer from
identity theft. There are about 90 other steps for locking
down your computer but not as immediately critical as those
above.
Andre Bell is a Microsoft Certified Professional with
more than 15 years technical experience. The above steps are
suggestions from Andre's new Internet ID Theft protection
DVD. His DVD is available at www.noIDtheft.net
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