Steps to beef up your computer’s security

Q: In your Technobuddy column you say you use online backup, specifically Carbonite, with a high level of comfort. I get that, and in the past I have used Mozy myself. But my question to you is: Do you deem it safe enough to backup critical files such as banking information, or do you skip these? Those are the ones that make me somewhat wary. — Jesus Noriega

A: I do include personal and financial information in the data I back up online. But can I guarantee that my faith in the online service will be vindicated? Nope. There are no guarantees. We’ve all seen cases where the databases for large and respected businesses have been invaded by computer criminals. However, backup services such as Carbonite and Mozy go to great lengths to protect their data. One of those protection steps is that the data is encrypted. So even if a crook got into the system, the encryption would serve as another level of protection. I believe it’s a safe way to go. But it’s a decision each person should make for themselves.

Let’s start with the painful truth. You can do everything right when it comes to protecting your computer and data from crooks and still become a victim.

There’s nothing fair about that but it helps to spell it out clearly before we get started on today’s mission – finding ways to protect the security of your data. We’re talking about damage control, not total security. For one thing, many of the security breaches that expose your data come when a computer criminal breaks into a large company’s database – one that contains your password, even your credit card information. For another, crooks are constantly finding new and unexpected ways to burrow into your computer.

All this sounds dire and depressing. But if you think for a moment, these are risks you face in other parts of your life. No one can guarantee you’ll arrive safely when you drive to work – and yet that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do your best to avoid a crash. Nor does the fact that burglars can invade the most secure homes mean you should stop locking the doors.

That said, let’s begin to beef up your security. We’ll start with the basics. Your computer’s firewall should be turned on; you should use and update programs that detect and try to eliminate malware – viruses, adware, spyware, Trojans.

I recommend free programs all the time that take care of these chores – a few of the really good ones include Free AVG, Microsoft Defender, Superantispyware, the list goes on. If you feel more comfortable with commercial grade software then anything from Norton works fine for me.

Now make sure you have the Windows firewall turned on (unless you are using another firewall program – you don’t want to have two firewalls running). Just go to the search feature in Windows help and type in the word firewall. You’ll be able to see if it’s on and turn it on if it isn’t.

When I get letters from readers who have had their personal data compromised, their computers often included all the basics. They were using anti-malware, had the firewall turned on. But the software between their ears failed them.

They fall victim to one of the many scams used to part them from their money and information. Maybe they get an email that seems to come from a bank or trusted business and are asked to click on a link to refresh their information. That link takes them to a perfectly fine looking website – just like the legitimate one. But it wasn’t legit. And by entering the data, they provided the crooks with the keys to all their personal information.

Or perhaps they got an urgent telephone call from someone who said he was a Microsoft technician saying he had detected a dangerous virus in their computer. He instructed them on a way to let him control the computer remotely. And he used that remote control to rob them.

There are a million different cons out there — some of them are ridiculously easy to spot and some aren’t. Just be paranoid. Doubt everything you are told in an email, everything someone says on the phone about your computer.

We started out by saying that you could do everything just right and still lose to the crooks. But maybe that isn’t so. If you freeze your credit (it’s not as awful as it sounds, I’ve done it) then even if the crooks get your data it may remain safe. You can learn how to freeze your credit here: http://tinyurl.com/clarkhowardcredit

Or if you don’t mind paying for the privilege you can use one of the services such as LifeLock (www.lifelock.com) that attempts to detect and prevent security breaches.

Look, you wouldn’t go to work and leave the doors ajar on your home. This is serious stuff – and the problem gets worse all the time. If you are missing any of these steps it’s time to fix things right now.