Home Computer Security

Home Computer Security http://edu-observatory.org/olli/hcs/Week1.html INTRODUCTION Problems continue to be found in operating systems, applications software, networks and technology. And an onging battle between the good guys fixing the problems and the bad guy exploiting the problems. Your role is important in this ongoing drama! HOME COMPUTER SECURITY -- DO A SECURITY CHECK [ ] OK - Install and Use Anti-Virus/Spyware Programs¹² [ ] OK - Keep Your System Patched (up to date) [ ] OK - Use Care When Reading Email with Attachments [ ] OK - Use a Firewall Program on each Computer (software)³ [ ] OK - Make Backups of Important Files and Folders [ ] OK - Use Strong Passwords [ ] OK - Use Care When Downloading and Installing Programs [ ] OK - Install and Use a Hardware Firewall³ [ ] OK - Install and Use a File Encryption Program and Access Controls* *In memory of hard disk encryption? http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=4006 ¹If you run Microsoft Windows® you're going to need antivirus software. Most new computers come bundled with a free antivirus solution, but sooner or later you have to start paying to get the latest virus-definition updates. When the subscription lapses, your protection evaporates. Don't let that happen! There is good free antivirus software available. This is some of the good stuff: o http://free.avg.com/download?prd=afe (free) AVG o http://www.srnmicro.com/downloads/ (free) o http://www.pandasecurity.com (free) o http://www.avast.com/eng/free_software.html (free) o http://www.kaspersky.com/ (commercial) o Prevx (commercial) o http://www.nortonsecuritystore.com/ (commercial) o http://www.mcafee.com/us/ (commercial) o http://shop.trendmicro.com/ (commercial) ²If you run Microsoft Windows®, scan for spyware every day the computer is used. A leading anti-spyware vendor, Webroot, says that 89 percent of consumer PCs are infected with some sort of spyware -- your computer is probably infected! If bad guys wanted to infect a computer with spyware... just make it available for download and call it "anti-spyware"! How would you know? Happens all the time! This is some of the good stuff: o http://www.download.com/3000-8022-10045910.html (free) Ad-Aware o http://www.download.com/SpywareBlaster/3000-8022-10196637.html (free) Spyware Blaster o http://free.grisoft.com/doc/download-free-anti-spyware/us/frt/0 (free) AVG Anti-Spyware o http://www.download.com/3000-8022-10122137.html (free) Spybot Search and Destroy o Prevx (commercial) o Spy Sweeper (commercial) o Pest Patrol (commercial) o Webroot (commercial) Never disable your firewall, no matter how good the reasoning sounds http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=4789 Important--Even though you have installed and use antivirus and antispyware software, an infected computer (called a zombie) can turn off your firewall, antivirus and antispyware! So check often that your security is turned on and functioning. ³Test your firewall [Recommended] https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2 Click "Proceed" Click "All Service Ports" [ ] OK - Firewall Test - All green? ³Test your firewall [Advanced] http://nmap-online.com/ Has my IP address been reported sending spam? Look at Reports: and Targets: http://isc.sans.org/ipinfo.html [ ] OK - Reports: - none - [ ] OK - Targets: - none - Unless you have a fixed IP address, don't get too excited about these IP Blacklisting results. http://whatismyipaddress.com/staticpages/index.php/is-my-ip-address-blacklisted ¹²F-Secure Health Check - for Microsoft Windows XP and Vista 32-bit http://support.f-secure.com/enu/home/onlineservices/fshc.shtml SCAN A FILE - quick detection of viruses, worms, trojans, and all kinds of malware http://www.virustotal.com/ BROWSER SECURITY HANDBOOK http://code.google.com/p/browsersec/ SURVEILLANCE SELF-DEFENSE SITE https://ssd.eff.org/ SECURITY INCIDENT SURVEY http://www.zeltser.com/network-os-security/security-incident-survey-cheat-sheet.html http://www.zeltser.com/network-os-security/security-incident-survey-cheat-sheet.pdf REFERENCES http://www.cert.org/homeusers/HomeComputerSecurity/ http://www.cert.org/homeusers/ http://www.cert.org/homeusers/goalof_computersecurity.html swormley1@mchsi.com