Security Tips for Safe Computing

Security Tips for Safe Computing

By: Kevin Lo
August 6, 2008
TechSoup, originally posted at http://blog.techsoup.org/node/455

Being vigilant about protecting your data and infrastructure is important, here are some tips to ensure your computing environment is safe:

• Always keep your operating system and other software updated with the latest security patches. While most software will alert you of any updates automatically, you should run "Windows Update" on Windows, "Software Update" on Mac OS X, and for any other applications that you frequently use. For many applications under the "Help" menu there may be a "Check for Updates" or "Application Updates" item. Check the software documentation if you cannot find that functionality.
• Ensure that your virus and spyware definitions are up to date. These definition files are updated frequently by the vendor so you are protected against the latest threats. Having an outdated definitions file or expired subscription will render it useless against the newest viruses. Your antivirus program will automatically check for definitions updates when you are online. It should also prominently display the last date it was updated.
• Run a full system scan periodically to verify the health and protection of your system. While your antivirus program should have "real-time" checking - files are checked against the definitions file as they are accessed - it is also important to check for malicious files that lay dormant. If you do not have antivirus software installed, you can visit http://security.symantec.com for an online virus scan. The web site requires Internet Explorer 5.0 and higher