10 Basic Computer Security Tips

At Neoteo we like to insist on the security of our readers and their environment, so we prepared a small report listing some rules and basic computer security tips so that your system, sensitive information and data stay free of infections. From the most obvious to the most complex, any new information or reminder on how to protect ourselves better in a medium as bellicosely viral as the internet is of great use. So if you put them into practice, the chances of infection will drop considerably.

Although these basic computer security tips are aimed at a less experienced audience and Windows users – since it is the system most used as a starting point for new computer users and the most affected by viruses, threats and so on – the rules can be taken and applied to the rest of the operating systems and to any computing operation we want to carry out without putting our data and system at risk. That said, let's see what you're doing wrong for your security and how you can fix it.

Beware of email attachments

If you don't know it, don't open it. With that mindset, you'd stay safe for a long time against emails from strange addresses or those with attachments like .pps, .zip, .exe, etc. Even if you're not having a good time, and the invitation to take miracle pills for free seems tempting, is the risk worth it?

Same goes for that PowerPoint about kittens sent by your Aunt Lita; it's not worth it. Even when an email with an unexpected attachment comes from an acquaintance, it's best to ask them through any means if they sent it, to be a bit more secure. At the software level, you can scan emails with your favorite antivirus or anti-malware application, or use services that have these features built in. Distrust, without falling into paranoia, is a good tool to avoid falling under the yoke of threats.

Update your software regularly

More recent, more resistant. This should be a truism, as it's as simple as thinking, if I use an application that hasn't been updated for 3 months, I've had 3 months of unresolved vulnerabilities on top of me, which will make your system more prone to receiving malware. The reluctance to update software (including the operating system) is due to costs, laziness, and also, fundamentally, forgetfulness.

That's why it's good to have some applications that check if there are updates available for the software you have installed and recommend downloading them. Updating software doesn't mean the new version can't have other holes, but it's less usual than the previous case. And in the case of operating systems, the case of Windows XP and 7 is quite illustrative.

Create better passwords and change them every 6 months

More difficulty, less predictability. The cryptography articles or about applications to use it that we wrote are not just for information, but also for you to put them into use. A first and obligatory place is in your text field: enter a new password. It's that using the same password for years across all services you're subscribed to is really a risk, because if they discover one, they discover everything.

So the best thing is to create passwords by service or by type of service, in addition to having a password manager, forgetting about "remember password" on public sites, and using applications to create encrypted keys that not even the nerdiest MIT student could guess without taking their whole life.

Use antivirus and anti-malware applications

We don't want heroes: use antivirus. Antivirus can cost money or not, but we agree that it uses system resources that might give you a headache. However, weighing the risks, an active antivirus is always more effective and safer than a computer without it. In the second case, the system depends a lot on your care, and if one day you fail, you forget, or someone else uses your system, goodbye.

There are antiviruses everywhere and they offer different performances depending on cost and RAM usage. Choose the one that suits you best. The same goes for anti-malware applications: Spybot Search and Destroy and MalwareBytes for me are the dynamic duo that comes to the rescue when the signal in the sky shows that 3 days have passed since the last scan.

Get used to logging out when you finish

An entrance window is also an exit window. Humans are curious by nature, and as soon as they see something that isn't theirs but is available, they'll most likely use that gift of fate, at least out of curiosity. This often happens in internet cafés, in work offices, and in all places where computers are shared among hundreds of people.

If you open Facebook, Gmail, or any other service, get used to logging out before getting up from your chair to leave. This way you'll avoid joining the huge rate of users who lose data by leaving their sessions open somewhere. A good exercise to build the habit is to do it at home too, every time you get up from the computer; log out.

Avoid private operations on open and public networks

Share the connection, but not the data. One of the most complicated issues for many tourists is being on vacation and having to carry out banking transactions from the hotel's open network or from some of the open networks in the area. This means convenience, but also opportunities for sniffing to take shape and rob your bank, social, email accounts, etc., in the blink of an eye.

To avoid this, you'd have to avoid connecting, and that's like telling you to cut the electricity in your home so you never get electrocuted. That's why it's best to use alternative means like VPN servers, only access sites with HTTPS protocol, and keep your firewall at maximum attention.

Activate your system firewall

The Great Wall of China wasn't built for decoration. This phrase should be an invitation to take better care of ourselves without putting too many whims when it comes to being a bit restricted in our comfort. A firewall can be fully configured so that the bother of its presence feels reassuring at a protection level, since you can modify the priority system, add exceptions, and, if you're on Windows, use alternative applications that give you even more possibilities.

Avoid software with a history of problems

SongVeryPretty.exe is not an MP3: Due to the number of scams that exist in relation to web services, applications, and whatever else they think of, having a clear idea of which programs don't contribute to making your computer a refuge for viruses and malware is somewhat complex. That's why we propose a return to the classics and their alternatives.

But since innovation can't be left aside, it's good to have a website as a reference to clear your doubts about the legitimacy of software, because while many programs promise to eliminate malware, they themselves are reported as infections, in addition to contaminating your system to sell you the solution.

Disconnect from the internet when you don't need it

Lower degree of exposure, lower infection rate: There are exceptions galore, but most infections occur when computers are connected to the network, because spyware and malware carry out their actions by communicating with servers or sending information using open ports in your connection.

So if you want to lower the chances of infection and you use the computer for long periods without needing a network connection (games, design, writing, etc.), or if you're going to sleep or you'll be away, disconnecting from the internet saves you from something happening to your system without turning off the computer. Simple, but 100% effective.

Make backup copies

Better safe than sorry: In the case of losing data due to a lack of security policies on your computer, or for not doing some of what we've mentioned above, the most common situation is desperation. But backups will be so important that when everyone would be drowning in tears, those who did the homework and backed up their data will take it as just another experience. No VPN, antivirus, or paranoia can beat the security provided by having data on another disk or in cloud services.

Bonus!!!

Educate those who share your computer

The more people know, the fewer mistakes they make: This point, which I consider the most important, aims to make clear that even if you can be paranoid about computer security, when an inexperienced person gets their hands on it, few of your resources will fulfill their function and the computer will have many chances of getting infected.

To avoid this, especially for those who have a family computer or share it at work, the best thing is to educate everyone who comes into contact with computers in general. Both those who share yours and your environment. By teaching them this article, telling them your own experience, recommending security software, and instructing them in the art of being alert to the danger that exists every time we connect the network cable to the computer.

We hope these basic computer security tips have been useful both for the inexperienced user and for the advanced one who always needs a refresher on what is convenient but doesn't do it out of sheer laziness or lack of will. Taking care of our systems is an obligation that users must assume when the creators of the software or the operating system have made mistakes, so ultimately security depends on us. See you next time!