What's the issue?
Living much of our lives on computers has programmed us to be adept clickers of the mouse. But we have become so adept we're clicking reflexively when it would behoove us to be more deliberate, especially clicking weblinks.
Why should you care?
Clicking weblinks without thinking can get us into big trouble, as one little click can cause a computer infection, or worse yet, a completely hijacked machine.
How to protect yourself?
Stop.Think.Connect. This is a campaign run by the federal government to help citizens be safer online. It's managed by US-CERT, the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team.
Here are some security tips I have culled and adapted from their website. The tips go beyond mouse clicking, which is a form of connecting, to other considerations.
- Do NOT open emails, links, or attachments from strangers. When in doubt, delete. If the message is important enough, the person will call.
- Make your passwords complex. Use a combination of numbers, symbols, and letters (uppercase and lowercase). Use at least 8 characters. Some can be word or phrase conversions to help you remember. For example, "I love Fido" (your dog, named Fido) becomes iL@v51do. Get creative, but be sure to remember your passwords. I recommend lastpass.com to help with the chore of creating and storing passwords.
- Change your passwords regularly (every 45 to 90 days). If you access a server at work, consult with your network administrator.
- Do NOT give any of your usernames, passwords, or other computer/website access codes to anyone.
- Do NOT install or connect any personal software or hardware to your organization's network without permission from your IT department. This includes USB jump drives, which can contain viruses.
- Make electronic and physical back-ups or copies of all your important work. You can scan documents. You can copy docs and keep a copy stored somewhere securely off-site.
- Report all suspicious or unusual problems with your computer to your IT department or consultant ASAP. The sooner security breaches are dealt with, the less damage will be done.
Start your more careful computing habits right away. Implement one new security tip or practice each day. Forming good habits will help prevent bad things from happening to your confidential data and your computer.
Where can you find more info on this topic?
For more details, please check the CERT website.
Who can help?
If some of the recommendations are too techie for you, it may be best to hire an IT consultant to get the job done. You'll sleep better after.
In Sum
We are not completely at the mercy of computer criminals. We can up the odds of security by making many small changes in our computer use. One place to start is being more careful before clicking any weblink.
Thanks for reading. You're feedback is appreciated!
Aloha, Sam
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