You use your computer for a lot of things – accessing wirelessinternet, paying your bills online and even emailing friends and family. So what happens to all that sensitive information when you go to destroy your machine? Here are the best ways to get rid of sensitive data when you get a new machine:
Pay Someone to Do It: Lots of reputable companies like Best Buy will wipe your harddrive for a nominal fee. It’s usually less than 10 and Read the rest of this entry »

Hacking has quickly become one of the most prevalent attacks upon society over the past 10 years. The good news is that there are an abundant amount of strategies and programs to help the user counter these malicious attacks. Understanding how to use these techniques to protect your computer and the information that is contained on that computer is the most important step to full protection.

Your first line a defense when protecting yourself from hackers is to make sure your firewall is always on. Read the rest of this entry »

Shopping on line cannot only save money over department store prices, but also eliminate the need for going to crowded malls and stores, especially during the holidays. However, it’s important to make sure that your online purchases are safe and secure from cyber thieves. Here are a few tips to making your online purchases as safe as possible.

Before making any online purchase check with your credit card company to make sure you have adequate fraud protection in the event a hacker does get your information.

The first thing to look for while shopping online is a logo or Read the rest of this entry »

Public networks are a nightmare when it comes to internet security, but with a few precautions one can avoid most problems. A firewall is the first line of defense, and a reputable anti-virus is essential. There is a step most people don’t think about that can protect personal information while using public networks, and that’s using a guest account instead of an administrator account. This limits the functionality of the operating system, and while it’s only Read the rest of this entry »

You use your computer for a lot of things – accessing wirelessinternet, paying your bills online and even emailing friends and family. So what happens to all that sensitive information when you go to destroy your machine? Here are the best ways to get rid of sensitive data when you get a new machine:
1. Pay Someone to Do It: Lots of reputable companies like Best Buy will wipe your harddrive for a nominal fee. It’s usually less than $10 and then they’ll Read the rest of this entry »

Computer security is a really important topic that a manual isn’t written for. We don’t get books that tell us how to be safe. In the end, it doesn’t mater how good your password is and how private you keep it. If your computer is compromised, all bets are off. That is why it is important to have a good security scanner installed.

The top scanner on my list is Malwarebytes. It is noted as being one of the few tools that can reliably remove malware masquerading as anti-virus Read the rest of this entry »

There are many programs available for your PC. None of which are as important as security programs. With all the attacks against computers, security programs are quickly becoming the most important part of your computer program library. These programs can be expensive, but if you know what to look for they can also be free. A great place to start is with Microsoft’s Security essentials. It provides you with a combined antivirus, antispyware and firewall protection all rolled into one program. A must have for even the most basic PC. Another fantastic and free program is Defensio. Read the rest of this entry »

Criminals that primarily earn a healthy living as computer hackers that steal valuable information develop new tricks each and ever day! If the truth is to be told, these criminals often come up with new and clever improvements to their so called “craft” on an hourly basis. This is why the companies that develop security software come up with new versions each year that have daily database updates. They are not trying to overcharge or burden their customers; they have Read the rest of this entry »

It’s important while opening email to watch out for harmful email attachments. Aside from being the number one way to unleash malware or harmful computer viruses and malicious software, it is also the most common way to pass it on to everyone in your email address list. To date, the only guarantee of not getting a harmful email attachment is simply not to open it. This approach seems simple enough; only most malicious software presents itself as having come from a seemingly trustworthy source that can fool the best of us into unleashing the worst upon our computer’ Read the rest of this entry »