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As the technology of the Internet has spread across the world, the number of targets has grown for hackers, along with the nefarious uses to which illegally gained information can be put. Police forces have entire sections now devoted to what was once almost a misdemeanor, a ‘white collar crime’ that earned a slap on the wrist.

The first step to protecting your computer is to stop people from getting access to your system. There are various levels of this. People on the Internet, using what are known as ‘Exploits’ can reach across your connection and get hold of your system. Once in, they can strip your private information, read your private files and more commonly, use your computer to pass on spam, porn and, more significantly, launch attacks on other systems.

You’ve seen movies about hackers or people doing crime using the Internet. Do you want your computer to be one of those on the path the FBI trace back to the criminal? At best it will mean a visit from Law Enforcement as they make sure you aren’t connected to the case.

Your ISP is conscious of this and reputable ones implement strong security to protect you. But you can breach all of that by clicking on an email you don’t recognize, by entering private information on a site you’re unsure of, or by clicking the link in a ‘phishing’ email and giving your bank details.

Note: Phishing is sending out an email to get you, the user, to log into a fake bank or financial site to steal your bank details so they can either raid your account or use it to raid the bank. DO NOT click on ANY links in such emails. Read the following sentence VERY carefully…

Banks and other reputable institutions WILL NEVER ask you to click to a site and enter your information. NEVER!
Some of the sites are very well put together and very difficult to pick from the real bank site but the Banks, Credit Unions, Credit Companies will NEVER ask you to enter your details online from a click in an email.

Another major danger is because most users are Administrators on their computers. I’ve mentioned this before in Are you Safe? Part 1 but equally hazardous is if an outsider can get access to the Administrator account on your computer.

Failing to have a password on the Administrator account makes your computer very vulnerable. Hackers have ways to access your computer and use the Administrator account to give them permission to do all kinds of things – if there is no password.

So, you must have a password on your Administrator account. How do you do this?