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Is My PC Vulnerable on the Internet?
No longer are viruses the only threat on the internet. In recent years other threats have evolved which include spyware, adware, hacking, identity theft, information theft, pop-ups and the loss of information. Let's begin with the basics. We all need to protect our PC in the same way we protect our home, car and bank account. We wouldn't give a stranger the keys to our car, home or bank account now would we. If you don't protect your PC it is like giving the keys to a stranger and letting him/her have full access to your PC. Once the stranger has the keys they can snoop around and take whatever they want. I know, your thinking how can they do this, my computer is in my house and my doors are locked. Well, today you can be anywhere in the world and access someone's computer via the internet. Since the introduction of cable modems and DSL everyone's PC is online all the time and accessible. Why do I need to protect my PC, I don't keep any important information on it? Ask yourself a couple of questions. 1. Do I bank online? If you answered yes to any of these questions then your PC is vulnerable. If you bank online then you are sending personal confidential information to your bank via the Internet. For Example: Let's say you are infected with spyware and you are typing in your account number plus password. A spyware installation can record key strokes and then send them off to a site on the internet. Now the person who setup the site has your account number and password to your bank. Here is one more example, if you answered yes to I let other people use my pc, here is what happens. The other person decides that they like this new cool piece of software. They download and double click on the exe, msi or whatever installs the software. The adware, spyware or virus installs. Now the infection is installed and now it can start stealing confidential information or cause havoc on your PC. You get onto the PC as always, since you don't know this has happened and start doing what you always do, type documents, go to chat rooms, do your banking online, reconcile your banking with quicken and all this time your confidential information is stolen and you are completely unaware that this occurred. The million dollar question, what do I do? Well, you can follow this approach. 1. Install a Spyware application and install and configure correctly. If you already have spyware application installed make sure it is up to date and make sure that is configured properly. 2. Install an Adware application and install and configure properly. If you already have adware application installed make sure it is up to date and make sure that is configured properly. 3. Install an AntiVirus application and install and configure properly. If you already have antivirus application installed make sure it is up to date and make sure that is configured properly. 4. Install backup software, why because if something does get through your defenses or delete something by accident you always have a way of retrieving the information. You should try to backup your system at least every other day. 5. Install Encryption software. This software will encrypt files like word docs, spreadsheets, banking file on quicken. This way if someone does steal your information they will not be able to read it. 6. Install a Firewall. The Firewall can either be software or hardware based. I would install both especially if you bring your laptop with you and connect to the internet at different locations. The Firewall will block hackers trying to scan your system while you are on the Internet. Many people have these applications installed but they do not configure them correctly. Just installing the application does not mean that the application is working properly to stop the threat/infection. On some applications you need to configure the setting to make the application work the way it was designed to. Find out how to configure and install the software properly either by reading a how to book or getting someone to help. If you already have the application installed make sure it is up to date and make sure that is configured properly. All of the software needs to be up to date and kept current. As new threats are release on the internet, all applications will need the current updates to fight these threats. If you would like to find out if you're PC is protected you can take the test. This will not harm your PC it just checks for vulnerabilities and lets you know if you passed or failed. The application is a single exe and DOES NOT NEED TO BE INSTALLED. All you need to do is run the test application and follow the instructions. Get Risk Assessment Tool All articles are written by HowtoPCGuru!HowtoPCGuru http://www.howtopcguru.com You may reproduce and use this article just so long as you add a link (http://www.howtopcguru.com) down at the bottom.HowtoPCGuru, All the latest articles, tools, news, file hosting and more!
MORE RESOURCES: Large Language Models Pose Growing Security Risks The Wall Street Journal Europe Vows to Step Up Baltic Sea Security After a New Cable Break The New York Times UK minister met Chinese turbine company amid security concerns POLITICO Europe Protector app provides on-demand armed security ABC7 Los Angeles Electric infrastructure security measure updated Unicameral Update HackerOne Debuts New Way to Quantify Security Value Channel Insider The Jones Act : A disastrous legacy for the U.S. economy and security Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) Elon Musk’s Private Security Are Now Special Deputies The Daily Beast Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on the Democratic Republic of the Congo United States Mission to the United Nations Jen Easterly, Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Steps Down HSToday US Marshals Service deputizes Musk’s private security detail: Reports Straight Arrow News ThreatLocker® launches new solutions, further advances Zero Trust security resilience and adoption Yahoo Finance DOE layoffs weaken security, economic growth: “Forget American energy dominance” Federal News Network Webinar: Learn How to Identify High-Risk Identity Gaps and Slash Security Debt in 2025 The Hacker News Whistleblower lawyer Mark Zaid on the Trump administration's move to revoke security clearances The Record from Recorded Future News UN Security Council to Call on Rwanda to Pull Troops From Congo U.S. News & World Report Pennsylvania Treasury Bans Chinese AI Platform Over Security Concerns Franklin County Free Press Citrix Releases Security Fix for NetScaler Console Privilege Escalation Vulnerability The Hacker News Rep. Woolford on border security Michigan House Republicans EU Moves to Enhance Undersea Cable Security as Sweden Looks at New Incident - The Maritime Executive EU Moves to Enhance Undersea Cable Security as Sweden Looks at New Incident The Maritime Executive Texada achieves top security certifications American Rental Association The Diplomatic Security Service is being targeted for firings. Why that matters: Analysis - ABC News Ukrainians are looking past NATO to a European security architecture Al Jazeera English How to secure Notes on iOS and macOS Help Net Security Menlo Security Acquires Votiro to Deliver Easy, AI-driven Data Security to Enterprises Business Wire Exabits partners with Phala Network to offer robust AI security with TEE-enabled infrastructure GlobeNewswire Apple pulls iCloud end-to-end encryption feature for UK users after government demanded backdoor TechCrunch OpenText unveils AI-powered threat detection and response capabilities Help Net Security Topic: Relations with Ukraine NATO HQ Regional peace depends on Iran's security Tehran Times AI app DeepSeek banned on Pennsylvania treasury-issued devices over privacy, security concerns CBS News EU seeks to strengthen underwater cable security in Baltic and Mediterranean Kathimerini English Edition Apple drops key ADP security feature in UK Mobile World Live ‘Golden ticket to job security’: Trade union partnerships hold promise for high school students Youth Today Second Take: ‘The Winter Soldier’ tackles American democracy and security The Stanford Daily Tusk proposes 3-point plan to strengthen Ukraine, European security. Kyiv Independent DOGE access to Social Security, IRS data could create privacy and security risks, experts say The Record from Recorded Future News Unarmed, undertrained, at risk: Advocates for Hawaii’s private security guards want change Hawaii News Now ISC West 2025 Preview: Inside the Security Industry’s Premier Event Security Sales & Integration Venture capital firm Insight Partners faces security breach Security Magazine ID-Pal, Facephi join influential payments, security groups Biometric Update Google Ad-Tech Users Can Target National Security ‘Decision Makers’ and People With Chronic Diseases WIRED Retired doctor and courthouse security deputy seeking Belvidere Township 'CEO' job Northern Public Radio (WNIJ) |
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