Some Thoughts on Computer Security
Some Thoughts on Computer Security
By: Daniel P. Messmer
I taught evening computer courses for adults for several years. In the introductory courses I would always ask these future technicians what the most valuable part of the computer was. The answers would range through the various hardware parts but rarely would someone get the answer right away: THE DATA. The information stored on a computer cannot be purchased in a store or ordered online. Well, not legally anyway. And this data is far more valuable than the sum of the electronic parts of a computer. In this time of weekly news stories of data breaches and computer hacks we should take a look at the safety of this important and valuable part of our computers.
There are the obvious items: a good antivirus program and a good antispyware program. These two items can often be handled by one program but a little due diligence is needed when you select it. Find the best one for your situation. For businesses an enterprise or multi-license package is very advisable.
Another important item is something known as a firewall. Firewalls help prevent hackers and unwanted programs from accessing your computer and stealing your information through the front door. With a firewall installed hackers have to be more creative. Microsoft conveniently added one to their Windows operating system some time ago. There is a selection of other ones that can be used, some are more confusing to use than others, but the importance of a firewall cannot be overlooked. There are physical hardware devices that also provide firewall services. They range from tens of dollars to thousands. What you should buy depends on whether it is for home or business use. There are several online comparisons and reviews updated annually by technical magazines. Some homework is needed to see what best fits your needs or find a local computer outfit to help you. Avoid the national chains; the individualized service needed may not be there.
Mrs. Clinton is back in the news over her use of a personal email server. The government contends they are the keeper of the data and it should have been on their servers and under their backup regimen. Mrs. Clinton disagrees. Representatives and Pundits are arguing over what, if anything may be missing or lost forever. Putting aside this upcoming legal–political soap opera, take a minute to ask yourself, “What are the ramifications of me losing my stuff?” Besides all of your emails, pictures are now stored on hard drives and not in photo albums, the paper copies of filed tax returns now reside in a TurboTax® file, Grandma’s secret recipes are no longer in a metal box in the kitchen, and all that vinyl and all those CDs have been reduced to music files stored electronically; and the room full of file cabinets is reduced to a file server or two. The cost of having a professional service rebuild this data in case of a hard drive crash runs into the thousands of dollars. Backing up your information to an online service or external hard drive suddenly becomes very important. And yes, I have seen both of these methods save someone’s important information. And yes again, I have enjoyed watching the temper tantrum of an entitled college student when fifteen pages of term paper vanished in a hard drive crash.
The Great Philosopher, W.C. Fields once noted: “It is immoral not to separate a fool and his money.” E-mail scams, web page ads and some enterprising con artists going old school with the telephone are working hard at getting at least your cash and at most your identity. Stealing your money and having you send it to them by Western Union is self explanatory. Less obvious is the value of what can be done with your identity. The thought of more than one of me is sobering enough. Having access to my credit, medical and social security information allows for a lot of mischief both within and outside of the country. There is indeed a thriving underground economy that deals in stolen personal information. Working credit card numbers go for between one and five dollars each, IDs with medical information go for ten dollars and up, sold in blocks of one hundred IDs. There is also the industry of writing and renting out malicious software that, once on your computer, waits patiently until a bank or credit card site is accessed and your information is sent off to be used or sold. Monitoring your financial accounts is essential in today’s online world. Although we need to be concerned with the Targets and J P Morgans when they are breached, we also need to look after our own computer systems.
An early security expert from the time of dial up connections noted, “A thief who is not using the internet should be sued for malpractice.” There are two major types of technical thieves at work. The first will plant big red alerts designed to panic you into clicking, downloading or calling to get the technical help or purchase a product designed to let you know how good a job it is doing cleaning non-existent malware from your computer. File this with that new drug the doctor gave the hypochondriac called Placebo. The other scam is an 800 number that often goes to a call center where for a onetime charge to your credit card, they will connect to your computer via the internet and fix your problems. This later group can also be found instead with a quick internet search for your computer’s real problem be it virus or hardware related. Go to the webpage of the company who made your product and get the phone number from there. These two groups are at best taking their onetime fee and moving on to the next mark or at worse planting identity stealing software on your computer and selling your credit card and other data for an even bigger score.
So to recap, Thomas Jefferson mentions constant vigilance for our country. It applies to us and our data too. We do not need to go to paranoid extremes but a healthy awareness is as necessary online as it is in a parking garage at night. Western Union money transfers are a definite tip off of things not right. The funds can be retrieved anywhere in the world providing the proper information is presented to the Western Union office. NOBODY, not even a benevolent Nigerian Prince is going to get you to help smuggle funds out of a country or leave it to you in an inheritance. And if they want good faith money up front forget it. They need to be paying you the bribe up front. If you want cheap pharmaceuticals, go to Canada in person. You probably need the vacation anyway. Guys, the good looking, scantily clad girl in the ad isn’t interested in you, your wallet yes, but not you. These con artists will not hesitate to separate you and your money. Or even worse, enough of your personal information can be taken to help ruin your credit and bankrupt you.
Like all of those sharp and heavy things on my tool bench and in my wife’s kitchen, computers and the internet are fantastic tools that allow us to do more than ever before. Do be as careful with these electronic tools as you are with a sharp knife.
