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Monday 21 December 2015

Two steps to better security

It's Christmas and I've just read my third "Twelve steps to better computer security" article. The authors are optimists. People don't care enough about computer security to take twelve steps - you'll be lucky if you can get them to take one. I'm going to be optimistic, and give you two.

1) Take backups. Your computer *will* fail; your hard drive *will* stop working; your phone *will* break. Did you think that hardware lasts for ever? You need a copy of everything important to you, in a different place.

2) Malicious software. I'd estimate that about 90% of the problem is incoming emails, 10% is web sites that want to take over your computer. I could tell you not to open attachments, but you won't listen. So change your settings in MS Word and Excel so that macros do not run. And install an ad blocker and a javascript blocker (I use uBlock Origin and NoScript)  in your browser.

Have a Merry Christmas!

2 comments:

  1. All excellent tips, but a little issue I have, and I know you are going to moan at me about using the main PC for online banking, but Noscript seems to stop me access my bank account online, certainly with Firefox. I do take a little comfort that i run linux although the mint version i have been using is now unsupported so i need to upgrade it to a newer version - so something to do over the Christmas Hols to take my mind of the kids!!

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  2. You can tell Noscript to allow javascripts to run from your bank, if you trust their site.

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