Safe Surfing - Security For Web Users

The Web can be a dangerous place these days. Viruses, Trojans, Worms, all roam the Internet looking for unguarded PC's to infect. But there are simple steps you can take to safeguard against such attacks. Sadly, many people fail to take such precautions and then suffer the often costly consequences. This page aims to explain the issues and offer some advice on how to protect your PC and where to get the (often free) protection that you need.

And if you think that the problems of viruses and trojans are over-hyped and that it probably won't happen to you, consider this: In a recent study, it was found that an inadequately protected PC fell victim to a successful attack within the first four minutes of it being connected to the Internet. It then suffered repeated attacks from multiple sources and was completely compromised. Read the full story of the study here.

So now maybe you're feeling a bit more nervous and wonder if your own PC is adequately protected. Good! A little healthy paranoia will help keep you safe. But what exactly should you do to establish if you have decent protection? Here's a checklist:

• Have you got an up-to-date antivirus program installed and running? If not, click here.

• Is the virus database set to automatically update when you are on line? If not, when was the last time you manually updated it? If the answer is, 'more than a week ago', update it immediately, then run a full scan.

• Once you know that your PC is free from any infections, BACK-UP ALL YOUR IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!! DO THIS REGULARLY!!!

• Have you got a firewall installed and is it properly configured? If not, click here.

• Have you downloaded and installed all the latest upgrades for your operating system? If you are using Windows, your system should be alerting you whenever new upgrades are available. Don't ignore these! Download and install them as soon as possible. If you are not getting any alerts, or if you are not sure that you are up to date, then click here for advice on what to do.

• Consider the option of using an alternative browser and email programme. Internet Explorer, Outlook Express and the full version of Outlook are frequently targeted by hackers looking to compromise the security of your PC. Widely used (and free) alternatives are the excellent Firefox browser and the Thunderbird email application. To download these programs, click on a link below:

Firefox Internet Browser   Tutorial & Info   Download

Thunderbird Email            Tutorial & Info   Download

ANTI-VIRUS APPLICATIONS

You have a number of choices when it comes to anti-virus software, the first being whether you want to pay for it, or opt for one of the free packages. The advantage of paying for an AV package is that you usually get more than just an anti-virus application. Many of the 'security suites' available, such as Norton Internet Security, offer additional security features, such as a personal firewall, anti-spam, and parental control features that can block access to inappropriate web sites. To see details and prices of such packages, click on one of the links below:

• Norton Internet Security

• McAfee VirusScan Professional

• Panda Internet Security

As an alternative to the commercial, paid-for, applications, you might like to consider using one of the excellent free programs available on the web. Of these, two stand out as being the most widely used - AVG and Avast. AVG is probably the easiest of the two to install and needs very little in the way of configuration, but Avast provides more comprehensive security and is rated as the best at intercepting both viruses and trojans. To download either of the applications, click on a link below:

• AVG

• Avast

Tip: If you opt for the Avast program, it would probably be a good idea to also download and install the following file, which gives Avast a much better on-screen appearance than the standard version supplied:

• Avast alternative appearance

NEW!!!
A new, and very useful, application has recently been released by Microsoft. Called Microsoft AntiSpyware, this free application provides extensive defence against some of the more intrusive and dangerous Trojan programs that can infect your PC and make it vulnerable to a number of different types of attack without your knowledge. This is not an alternative to Anti Virus software, but rather an excellent additional line of defence. To download a copy, follow the link below:

• Microsoft AntiSpyware

PERSONAL FIREWALL APPLICATIONS

Once again, your choice is between the commercial, paid-for, applications and the free packages on the web. Of the paid-for variety, both Norton and McAfee offer good products, which can be viewed by clicking on the links below. If you are considering buying one of these as well as an anti-virus program, it may be worth opting for an all-in-one bundled solution:

• Norton Personal Firewall

• Norton Antivirus & Norton Personal Firewall Bundle

• McAfee Personal Firewall

• McAfee Internet Security Bundle

As with anti-virus software, there are also a variety of free firewall applications available on the web. To be honest, only one of these stands head and shoulders above the rest and that's ZoneAlarm. It's easy to install and works extremely well in making your PC invisible to those seeking to invade it. Highly recommended. Click on the link below to download a copy:

ZoneAlarm Personal Firewall

Tip: If you have more than one PC and they share an Internet connection, you may need to install a different version of ZoneAlarm (ZoneAlarm Pro). This will not be a free version, but for a small charge will protect all of your connected computers. For details, click on the link below:

ZoneAlarm Pro