4 Simple Rules for Computer Security

Don Smith got an email from his email service asking him to verify his username and password. He did. Unknown to Mr. Smith, within hours emails were sent to all of his Hotmail contacts. Mr. Smith was stranded in Mexico and urgently needed cash to return home read the email. A bank account was provided to receive the cash. His friends placed concerned calls, “Are you okay? Can we help?” Mystified, Mr. Smith assured his friends he was fine. His son clued him in on the scam, closed the account, sent a report to Microsoft and emailed his contacts from a new account alerting them to the scam.

Email scams are common, but smart users can stop them. Without exception, you will never receive a legitimate email from any company or institution asking for your account information. Delete. I’ve seen emails claiming to be from the IRS, Chase Manhattan Bank and others. All reputable institutions. All designed to prompt the user to action with authority. If you respond, you’ve turned over your personal information that can be used in many ways, all harmful.

Security alert pop-ups are also common. These pop-ups are designed to make you panic, click and download. Stop. Do not click anywhere on the popup including “Close.” Any click will advance the program. Just last week, I encountered Windows PC Defender, a popup formatted to impersonate a Windows security alert. It asks you to authorize an immediate scan and then download an executable file , which will put harmful software (malware) on the computer. From there it may interrupt the operation of your computer or ask you to purchase antivirus software in an attempt to steal your credit card information.

Once a popup is open, you cannot close the browser from the open window. Here’s what to do: right click on any open space on the task bar at the bottom of your screen. Select Windows Task Manager. When it opens, click on the Processes tab and locate the browser currently in use: firefox.exe for the Firefox browser, iexplore.exe for Internet Explorer users. Note: select iexplore.exe, not explore.exe. Right click on the file and choose End Process Tree. This command will end everything associated with the browser. Restart the browser. Firefox users select Start New Session, not Restore Previous Session. I know this sounds complicated, but keep this article handy and it will be easy to do when the screen is in front of you.

Unsafe sites can also trip up the Internet user by running damaging scripts in the background. You won’t know what’s hit your computer until it goes awry. Know scripts are necessary to run videos, flash animations and other interactive elements on websites. The site will send the script to your computer, which will let you see all of the elements on the site. The problem occurs when a dubious site sends a harmful script along with the interactive script. Virus. Run a script blocker in your browser. I like No Script with Firefox. It’s a free plugin for Firefox. It forces you to make a decision to run the site. It’s easy to enable your favorite sites: select allow “your site” and you will not be asked about it again, but it adds that stop-and-think element when visiting unfamiliar sites.

Finally, install reliable antivirus software. Good programs like BitDefender are updated daily for protection against new viruses. Set it to run automatically each day at a time convenient for you. With most programs, you can set the scan to run and then shut down the computer. Remember to renew your security software for continued protection.

The Rules for Computer Security:
1. Never disclose personal information requested by email. Only provide information on the official, secured website of the company you do business with.
2. Do not click on a security related popup. End your Internet session immediately.
3. Use a script blocker with your browser. Allow only familiar sites.
4. Install and run a security scan every day with antivirus software. Keep it updated.

Ogden, Utah-based TopTenREVIEWS.com guides consumers by comparing products in the world of technology, including electronics, software and Web services. Have a question? Email Leslie Meredith at leslie@toptenreviews.com or AskLeslie on Facebook.