Computer Security

What is computer security?

Computer security is the process of preventing and detecting unauthorised use of your computer. Prevention measures help you to stop unauthorised users (also known as "hackers, attackers, or crackers") from accessing any part of your computer system. Detection helps you to determine whether or not someone attempted to break into your system, if they were successful, and what they may have done.

Why should I care about computer security?

We use computers for everything from banking and investing to shopping and communicating with others through email or chat programs. Although you may not consider your communications "top secret," you probably do not want strangers reading your email, using your computer to attack other systems, sending forged email from your computer, or examining personal information stored on your computer (such as financial statements).

Use a firewall, most broadband routers have these built-in, although only a few are configured correctly, just drive around a housing estate with a wifi scanner on your laptop and you will see how many "open" networks are available to potential hackers.

Use Antivirus and Anti spyware software, this really is belt and braces and the standard, hackers can use spyware to see what you look at when you surf the internet and see what keys you press when your on certain sites they can then record this information and use it themselves.

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