He is the sum of all your fears: this teenager with a whispy beard now sitting in the basement of his parents' house while he hacks his way into your computer. In a few frenzied strokes he's in. Your whole life, reduced to bits and bytes on your hard disk, is his for the taking.
At least once a week I'll receive an e-mail from a reader who is convinced that some genius hacker, like the kind you see in movies, has invaded his computer. But, in truth, the odds of a hack attack like the one I've described is as rare as a nice thank-you note from the IRS.
There's no doubt the world is filled with crooks who would like to steal your data and money. But hacking into a remote computer is much harder than the movies make it seem. The hackers with that kind of skill are unlikely to single out your machine in a desperate attempt to steal your Aunt Vera's recipe for spaghetti sauce. Professionals go after high-value targets such as companies with massive databases filled with customer information.
But your information is at risk from hackers; it's just that they go about it in a different way. Today we'll talk about real-world ways home computers get invaded and how to secure your data against those attacks.
RATS: You've been hacked
Since it's enormously difficult to find a way, unaided, into a remote computer, hackers often trick their way in using a RAT, or "remote access Trojan horse."
All this talk of RATs and horses may seem confusing, so some explaining is in order. When it comes to computers, a Trojan horse is a evil little program that's hidden inside an innocent-looking program and used to invade your computer. There are various ways for a hacker to slip such a beast into a computer. It could arrive as an attachment to an e-mail, or from a website that promises a free download. X-rated sites or sites devoted to hacking also can do the job.
Once you've helped the hacker out by opening the attachment or installing the free program you downloaded, the Trojan goes to work. It could contain a keylogger: a program that records each keystroke you type and then sends that information to the hacker. Or it could open a port -- an entryway to your computer -- to let the hacker in.
The hacker’s method isn't to target a specific computer. Instead, it's more like fishing. The hacker creates the fake attachments, downloads, or whatever method he selects to attract computer users. Then, he sits back and waits for you to bite. If done skillfully the hacker soon has an entire group of computers at his command. The potential uses of these "zombie" computers can include using them to cover his trail while he sends out spam, or as treasure troves to plunder financial and personal data.
So how do you keep a computer RAT-free? You do it in a combination of ways; here are some of the most obvious.
Start with the fact that the hacker is relying on you to open that attachment, or download the free program. So the best protection requires no software or hardware. Be wary of e-mails that arrive promising a video of Bin Laden's last moments or some other event that's been in the news. Even if the e-mail comes from a trusted friend or a family member they may innocently be forwarding a Trojan horse. And try not to be tempted by the offer of a free program or, even more likely, a promise that you can download a free hacked version of an expensive program.
Next use the high-tech tools available to you that help secure your computer. Windows comes with a free firewall -- a program that makes it more difficult for outsiders to enter your computer. Or you can use commercial versions of a firewall. Make sure that one, and only one, firewall is turned on. If you are using the Windows firewall and aren't sure if it's turned on, then type that word -- firewall -- into the search feature of Windows Help to find out how to check. Also make sure you have anti-virus and spyware software installed and updated.
Finally I recommend that all home users use a router, even if they only have one computer. While the intended use of a router is to share an Internet connection and to let networked computers communicate, it also serves as a hardware version of a firewall. It provides a first barrier between your computer and the outside world.
Wireless risks
Most wireless home networks can be made reasonably safe and secure. Just use every security feature offered. You can read about ways to lock down a home wireless network here: http://tinyurl.com/6m8cfn.
While your home network can be made fairly secure, public wireless networks you might find at a coffee shop or hotel are death traps. The safest approach is not to use one at all. There are so many ways to lose control of your data while on one of these networks that it would take a book to cover them all. If you insist on using one, learn about some of the ways to protect yourself by checking out this web page: http://tinyurl.com/nwxw96.
An inside job
You can skillfully follow each step I've mentioned and still put your data at risk if you ignore an obvious entry point to your computer. If there's even a chance that anyone but a trusted friend could have direct access to your computer -- the ability to sit right at your keyboard -- make sure a password is required to log on to the machine. Otherwise, an unethical tradesperson, house cleaner, bug sprayer or whatever could get at your data by simply copying it to a disk while you are away. Or that snoop of a person could install one of the Trojan keyloggers I mentioned earlier.
People are generally honest and it's unlikely your computer would be a target. But your data is a sitting duck in the unlikely event that a crook ever sits at your computer. Those with special reason to worry about this may want to remove and lock away the keyboard when strangers are in the house. While it's easy enough to plug in another keyboard, a stranger is unlikely to cart one along with him.
We've just skimmed the surface today when it comes to protecting a home computer. But even if you do no more than follow my tips, you'll be using more protection than 95 percent of all home users. And you'll leave would-be hackers saying: "RATs! Foiled again."
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