1) Protect your computer with spam filters, anti-virus
and anti-spyware software, and a firewall, and keep them up to date.
- A spam filter can help reduce the number of phishing emails
you get.
- Anti-virus software, which scans incoming messages for troublesome
files, and anti-spyware software, which looks for programs that have been
installed on your computer and track your online activities without your knowledge,
can protect you against pharming and other techniques that phishers use.
- Firewalls prevent hackers and unauthorized communications
from entering your computer.
- Look for programs that offer automatic updates and take
advantage of free patches that manufacturers offer to fix newly discovered
problems.
- Secure your home network/ name
your router
- Turn on popup blocking in Internet Options.
- Don't access password protected sites on unsecured wifi.
- Turn off file sharing when traveling with your laptop.
- Public computer precautions.
New malware appears, on average, once every 0.9 seconds. For
2010, 95,000 unique pieces of malware in total appeared, doubling the volume
of malware seen in 2009. Those findings come from the Sophos Security Threat
Report 2011.
Since the threat needs to be discovered, reported before the
good guys can find a way to protect you and get the update out to you, you are
never 100% free of risk. Threats are still going to reach you and you need to
know how to deal with them.