11 Steps to Improve Your Computer Security in Less Than 1 Hour | Cyber Security | Hacktech Beast

11 Steps to Improve Your Computer Security in Less Than 1 Hour !

Before I start this lesson, let me tell you that i  will be next to you along the way in this cyber security  and I’ll discover together the online security information which will improve your Internet safety knowledge. And since I want to keep this content easy to understand and apply, I will try to "translate" the technical cyber security terms along the way in a language that we can both relate to. Since this is the first actual lesson, my immediate priority is to make sure your system is protected right now. To accomplish this, I organized an actionable guide in 11 simple steps that you can follow to greatly improve your security FAST! 

1. Use strong passwords for your email and social media accounts

There are a few things you need to pay attention to when dealing with setting good passwords for your online accounts. First of all, don’t use the same password in more than one online account ! The reason is quite easy to guess: if one of your online accounts is hacked, then the others will soon follow. By using different passwords, you reduce the potential loss you could suffer in case this privacy breach takes place. One of the best ways to ensure your online accounts are not accessed by anyone else but you is to use the 2 step verification method. Activating this method means that you will have to enter, besides your credentials, a code sent to your phone. Using this method, you can protect your private information from social media accounts or important data from your email account.

2. Stay safe from spyware threats with a specialized security solution 

First, let’s establish fast, what exactly is spyware? Spyware refers to software which is capable of installing on your computer and starts opening pop-up windows, redirects your browser to malicious websites and monitors your browsing sessions affecting your private Internet connections.

There are a few signs which should trigger a sign of alarm: 

i) computer is slow when opening programs or running some applications

ii)  pop-up windows appear all the time

iii) a new toolbar may appear in your web browser

iv)  the Home page of your web browser has been modified

v)  the search engine in your web browser has been changed 

vi) error messages start to appear unexpectedly

To stay safe from spyware, use one of the popular anti-spyware products available online. A few security solutions capable of removing spyware from your system are Malwarebytes, Spybot Search and Destroy, Lavasoft’s Ad-Aware, etc. 

At the same time, simply follow these good security practices:

i) Don’t click any suspicious links or pop-up windows 

ii) Don’t answer to unexpected answers or simply choose No

 iii) Be careful when downloading free applications

3) Keep your Windows operating system and your vulnerable applications up to date 

I am quite sure you read lately many security news regarding software vulnerabilities and you ask yourself: what can I do?

Many people don’t take this news seriously, since most security solutions are mainly created for malicious software. 

But software vulnerabilities are not something you can ignore. Taking advantage of software vulnerabilities present in popular programs and applications is a popular method used by online criminals. 

So, if you know you use popular software, like Java, Adobe Flash, Adobe Shock wave, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Quicktime or popular web browsers like Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer, always make sure you have the latest available patches.

 You need to understand that these software solutions are always under threat from criminal minds, so don’t rely on your memory and install a dedicated solution to perform these actions for you.

4) Use a standard user account in your Windows operating system to go online

Different levels of rights and privileges are available for the Windows user accounts. I recommend using a standard Windows user account to access Internet. If you use a standard account in your Windows operating system, you make sure that a piece of malware which could infect your limited user account will not be capable of doing great damage to your system. 

Only an administrator account can make significant changes to your system, like deleting important Windows related files or installing malicious software. If you use your standard account, you will have to provide the credentials for the administrator account every time you make an important change.

5) Don’t turn OFF your UAC (User Account Control) 

Don’t turn OFF your UAC (User Account Control) I must admit, this is something I also have the tendency to do: Turn the UAC off as soon as I install/reinstall my Windows operating system. But should I do it? Does this make my system more secure? The answer is No. What if, instead of completely turning it off, maybe you can only decrease the level of protection by using the provided slider? The role of UAC is to monitor what changes occur on the system and when an important event takes place, like installing or removing an application. 

The UAC makes sure you have administrator permissions and that you really want to take that action. In case your Windows user account has been infected, UAC helps you by keeping suspicious software from making changes on the system.

6) Go online with a secure browser

Your web browser is the main tool you use to access Internet and you should pay a great deal of attention to secure it correctly. At the same time, vulnerabilities from web browsers are like open invitations to hackers. By using these open doors, online criminals attempt to retrieve private data from your system. To secure your online privacy, you can follow these recommendations:

i) Choose the latest version for your browser and make sure you have the latest security patches installed. This is important and keeps your system secure from online criminals’ attacks.

ii) Increase your privacy and security settings in your browser.

iii) Choose a private browsing session when you access a website you are not sure about. Choosing this navigation mode will prevent your browsing session details from being stored.

iv) Use secure websites for sensitive financial operations. To visit a secure website, make sure the web address starts with “https://”. The “s” comes from “secure socket layer“, and it indicates you are connected to a website where data, which is sent and received, is encrypted.

7) Don’t trust public and free Wi-fi networks

Be careful when connecting to public and free wireless networks. One of the favorite methods used by online criminals to retrieve your credentials is by using wireless sniffers to access data sent over unprotected networks. One way to increase your security is by using a “private browsing” session, this way you make sure your credentials won’t be stored locally. 

Nevertheless, this won’t stop the Internet Service Provider or anyone else “listening” out there to catch your private communication. With the increasing danger of online theft and lack of privacy on popular social platforms, such as Facebook, you need to safeguard your freedom and protect your Internet activities. 

One way of keeping your browsing session private and secure is to use a VPN (that is a Virtual Private Network).

8 ) Check the link before you click it

Phishing threats are usually done by using email messages that apparently come from financial institutions or well-known banking websites. These attempts to retrieve private information from a user provide links in the message that direct the victim to a fake web location, controlled by online criminals. To make sure you won’t be infected by clicking on dangerous links, hover the mouse over the link to see if you are directed to a legitimate location. If you were supposed to reach your online banking website, but the link indicates “hfieo88.net“, then you should not click the link. So, how can I know where I’ll end up if I click it? To make sure you are going to the right direction, use a free tool such as Redirect Detective. This tool will allow you to see the complete path of a redirected link. Another tool which can provide very helpful in checking suspicious links is the reliable URL checker, VirusTotal: https://virustotal.com/.

9)  Don’t forget to log out

Don’t simply close your browser when you are done with your financial operation or when you exit your online account. You need to remember that you have to log out from your online account. If you don’t do this, especially if you are in a public location, the next person who opens the Facebook account, for example, will access directly your Facebook profile. I recommend you using a virtual browser for your financial operations to keep your online banking secure. Private browsing sessions are also recommended if you want to prevent authentication credentials (or cookies) from being stored.

10) Don’t post private information on your social media accounts

Exposing personal details may lead hackers into finding your financial information. For the same reason, check your kids’ social media behavior to make sure they won’t expose private information that may possibly be used against you, in phishing attacks.

 11) Don’t access questionable web locations

Don’t access or download content from unknown or controversial locations. Access websites that proved to be safe and you know you can trust. Nevertheless, this is not a guarantee that you won’t get infected. Nowadays, cyber-criminals exploit vulnerabilities in legitimate websites and inject malicious code, as to perform drive-by attacks on unsuspecting visitors. It may be a free screen saver or a browser toolbar that may infect you with a keylogger (definition coming up in lesson 3!) that can record and send your personal data to cyber-criminals. To make sure your system is protected and your credentials are not exposed, install a security product, which can detect and stop hackers from stealing valuable information from your system. 

Thanks for sticking with us until the end !