A new year brings with it new threats and new opportunities for face them head-on. Computer Parts Greenville wants you to improve your online practices so you can enjoy all the great things about the Internet without fear of identity theft or other fraud. These simple tips will help.
1. Use a password utility
KeepPass Password Safe is an open source program for securing and automating the passwords you use.
One of the most frustrating things about the Internet is user names and passwords. Almost every site has different rules for what passwords are acceptable, so most active Internet users can have dozens or even hundreds of passwords. How can a person remember them all?
How do you manage your passwords? Some people write them down on a piece of paper and keep them on the wall near their computer. That system works, but all it takes is a burglar or a nosy roommate or guest to see the list and your whole life could be ruined.
Storing passwords on a spreadsheet on your computer is also dangerous. If your computer gets lost, stolen or hacked, you face a serious dilemma.
Try using a password manager. This is a simple program that stores all your password in an encrypted file protected by a master password. Most of these utilities even automate the login process for most websites you use.
Our recommendation:
We recommend KeepPass Password Safe. This is a free, open source program that has powerful options and automations that will help you keep track of your passwords.
2. Use Google two-step authentication
Google 2-step verification makes all your Google accounts more secure.
No one likes log-on hassles, but for just a little inconvenience, you can make your Google accounts a lot safer. Go to your Google account settings window and turn on your Google 2-step verification. This sign-in process makes all your Google accounts harder to hack.
3. Secure your public hotspot use
Hotspot Shield is a free or premium hotspot service that can secure your use of a public hotspot
You walk into McDonald’s or your favorite coffee joint and fire up your laptop to get some work done while you enjoy your meal. You feel good about yourself for being so industrious, but you are unaware that the person across the restaurant is collecting your personal data over the network. You can solve this problem by using a VPN solution. Most of these are subscription-based solutions, but some free options are available.
Our recommendation:
Hotspot Shield is a free (advertising supported) VPN service you can use to secure your computer as you use a public hotspot service. If you frequently use public Wi-Fi, you should buy a paid subscription to the service.
4. Encrypt your disk
Hard drive encryption has been around for a long time, but has not yet gained prominence, probably because it takes time to implement and can be a little pesky to deal with. Besides, many Americans have been taught to say:
If you’re not doing anything wrong, then you have nothing to be afraid of.
Hogwash. We have a constitutional right to privacy and a right against unwarranted search and seizure.
However, the Obama regime has claimed the right to violate the constitution and search and seize your data at its will. This means if Homeland Security thinks you’re a threat because you support Ron Paul for president, you could get your data seized.
The use of disk encryption doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong; it means you want to keep your business to yourself and out of the hands of the government and hackers.
Disk encryption also becomes handy if your computer is ever lost or stolen. Most people keep tons of private information on their computer including their financial accounts, so if your computer ever gets lost or stolen, you’re safe if your disk is encrypted.
Our recommendation:
TrueCrypt is one of the best encryption solutions available. It encrypts and decrypts on the fly with almost no overhead and give computer owners plausible deniability should they ever be coerced into giving up their password.
5. Social awareness
The social networking craze shows no sign of abating, so if you’re going to use Facebook, Twitter and Google+, do it sensibly.
Let’s face it: all the social networking giants, especially Facebook, have proved they don’t give a flyin’ flip about your privacy or security.
You don’t have to post your every move to Facebook, nor do you have to share all your personal feelings and thoughts online. Hackers can build entire profiles of Facebook users and eventually assume your identity. They can also find other ways to extort or intimidate you, so don’t go tell it on the mountain, OK?
Our recommendation:
Either stay off of Facebook or use a fake profile, name and photo. Sure, it might be against Facebook rules, but Obama does it. Why can’t you?
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