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Information Security Tips Series |
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Social networking websites provide you with a quick and easy way to connect with your friends, relatives and buddies. Nevertheless, when you posted your daily lives and personal data online, such websites might pose serious threat to your privacy, or even safety! Have you ever thought about what criminals or hackers could possibly do with your personal data?" Last time, we mentioned about how you can protect your privacy on the Internet. You may think, "I am safe because I do not post any sensitive or personal information online." Is that the case? The answer is "No". Attackers can create malicious computer applications that look legitimate. When you download and execute these applications, your computers will be compromised. Attackers can then manipulate your computer and the data stored inside anyway they want. Here are a few tips to reduce the risk of being attacked by malicious programmes: * Install Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware Software - Make sure you activate the real-time protection and keep the virus signature files up-to-date. Licence of an anti-virus /malware software usually lasts for one year only. Make sure you renew yours; * Check applications regularly - Go to "Start" - "Control Panel" and look them up at "Add/Remove programmes". Remove any programmes not known to you. To understand more details about any programme that looks suspicious to you, look them up on the Internet; * Do not click on unsolicited links from strangers or sources - Remember, whether you know the host of a website or an email has nothing to do with its safety. Whether they are "clean" or otherwise depends only on the strength of security measures applied by the host. Do not click on them if you have any doubt; * Do not provide personal information - Some games or applications require users to provide personal information. That might result in your receiving chunks of SPAM mails; and * Do not login using public computers - Most public computers are installed with "Reborn" functions, i.e. returning the computer to its original state at a regular interval by wiping out any data being left on it. This, however, is usually done once a day only. Attackers may exploit this loophole and install malicious programmes on public computers so as to glean sensitive information, such as login usernames and passwords from you. We will discuss how to prevent social-engineering attack and money scams next time. Stay tuned! |
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