Back To The Basics – Protect Your Data And Computer

With networking being what it is today, it is inevitable that you will find yourself needing to get a connection at a public “Hot Spot.” Coffee shops, hotels, airports, and even restaurants will allow anyone to jump aboard the train and surf, but you should know that this isn't always the safest place to do business. On a public access internet connection you can never tell exactly who is connected to the same internet connection, and if you don't take precautions and provide for the security of your computer and data, then your identity, (or worse,) could be stolen.

When you are out it would be great if you could always find a friendly, secured network when you need to get online. But if this isn't the case, at least try to find a hot spot that has some kind of security. Many hotels have caught on to the idea, and some restaurants, and other cafes are following suit. In these cases you will have to get an access account, find the connection and log on, but the security is worth it. The type of security can be important, too. Some types of security can be easily hacked. The best type is WPA2, with the next following being WPA. If these aren't available then WEP is better then nothing at all. You can find the security type by hovering over the connection, in Windows 7. In XP and Vista it is shown on the connections list.

The best possible way to secure your internet access from prying eyes, and one that I heartily recommend, is the VPN...Virtual Private Network. This will create a virtual tunnel to yourself and the computer you are connecting to that cannot be seen inside of by others on the same, (or any other,) network. Understand that a VPN will slow your connection down a bit, and further security measures may slow the data exchanges a little, but to keep your information safe , it could be well worth it. Further measures that I am speaking about is encryption. Although not available on all VPN's many do offer this option, and if you can get it, do...and use it in conjunction with the VPN.

When on a public hot spot, it is never a good idea to transmit your banking, credit card, or any other kind of financial information. As a general rule, I never even call up applications that would have this information stored anywhere in them. I alternate between Firefox and Chrome...keeping one browser, Chrome, reserved as my public browser, or the browser I use when on a public hot spot. My chrome installation has very few log in details, and absolutely none of my financial information is ever entered into this. Plus the developers of Chrome has offered $20,000 to the hacker(s) that can successfully demonstrate that they have hacked this browser...a bounty that still hasn't been paid.

If at all possible, make sure your sensitive transactions, like email, occur on a secured connection. You can tell if the HTTP has an S at the end, or your browser shows it as a secured connection. Most browsers have a function that will display a green bar, (Firefox,) or a padlock, (i.e.,) in the address bar. For most mail servers, (like Google mail,) you can use the HTTPS to get a secured connection. Most every VPN service will offer SSL along with all their other options.

There are a lot of other ways to keep your information secured. Keeping your OS and applications up to date, is always a good idea. Never store passwords...if you can help it. For those (like me) that are extremely forgetful, or have more passwords than could possibly be remembered, there is a good program, Lastpass, to keep things straight. And finally, use your firewall...at the very least, the one that Windows provides. There are a few others out there, but the one integrated into Windows seems to work the best for me configuration-wise.

I hope these few security tips will help you to stay safe in the new year, and protected from unwanted intrusions, and the possibility of a surprise jet-ski showing up on your monthly statement. In the event that you have been hacked, then contact the credit card companies, banks, and any other financial institution that may be involved in the theft. Next, you should contact the credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Finally, file a report with the FTC. While they may not be able to get your missing data or money back, they can lend further assistance with the financial institutions that will be able to help you recover.