For those of you who are
new to general Internet security, on this page I will list a few links
which will address things in general, not too overly done with techno
babble. They offer a quick overview of things you need to keep in mind.
As I find some more sites\pages which relate, I will add them here.
Nice Read For New PC Owners
With PC sales reaching new levels, there are plenty of first time
computer owners out there, who have no idea about what to use nor how to
use tools to protect themselves. With that in mind, its time to
talk about making them secure and keeping them that way.
But how
many of you realize that this computer is already vulnerable? How can
this be? How can a brand new computer be vulnerable? There are many
reasons for this:
Most computers have insecure default
configurations which were set at the OEM distributor, and also with
the trend towards more security, it seems no one is willing to make
the suggestion that be changed.
Your software is probably already outdated. New vulnerabilities have
likely been discovered between the time the computer was built and
configured by the manufacturer and the day you power on your new system.
Not to mention that the reseller does not worry about whether or not
the latest security patches have been installed, thats up to you.
Hackers know where you are! They regularly scan the common broadband and
dial-up IP address ranges. This is more crucial for broadband and DSL
users than dial-up.
As a result, if you immediately connect your new computer to the
Internet, it could be compromised before you've even had a chance to set
up your email account.
Below I will
list a few things that a new PC owner, who is unfamiliar with
the Internet, should never do, and I will give you examples of
what can happen, if you do them.
NEVER
open email from anyone you don't know.
NEVER
give out personal info to an inquiry via email. Call the
company\institution in question or go to the company site
you have bookmarked to verify they have indeed contacted you
to validate.
NEVER
click the link embedded into an email from any company to
avoid phishing tactics
NEVER
click on any popup that appears on your desktop.
NEVER
use the 'close' button on any popups that look like MS
warnings, A better way to close unwanted pop ups is to press
control 'ctrl key' and the " w " key at the same time.
That will close the last opened window without having to
even touch it.
NEVER
surf without av\firewall or anti-spyware security apps, all
properly updated, as well as an updated OS.
NEVER
click 'OK' to a download box, unless you know what it is
for.
NEVER
DL anything without first reading the EULA.
NEVER
DL anything without first checking it out. Preferably via
our forums, saving that, read up some magazines for reviews.
Malware
Advisor Blog 
