8 Website Security tips For the Home
Continuing this series on Cyber Security aimed at home users in particular. It is for those of you who know that this is becoming a bigger issue day by day. Many people know they ought to be doing something but are unsure what needs to be done and where to start. Today we look at some basic Internet Security guidelines and give 8 basic website security tips.
More...
The Internet is a great tool but there are bad people out there.
The good things for home users of all ages.
Applications such as Email helps us to keep in touch with family, and friends all over the world and most people have at least one email account. Digital cameras and smart phone means that we can send pictures at the click of a mouse. Smart phone apps and players have enabled us to download songs to play with extreme ease. Platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo have opened up a world of audio and video entertainment at home or on the move.
Unfortunately, there is a downside to all of this increased internet use. The growth of viruses and other so-called ‘malware’.
What to to do to stop hackers ruining your home life?
Originally, internet hackers were satisfied keeping their attentions focussed on government and business websites, and their viruses were intended to attack corporations. Most hackers saw this as a challenge.However, there is now an increasing trend towards home computer users being targeted by these attacks. The amount of damage that can be caused by a virus varies, but there are a number of easy steps that a person can take to help increase their internet security.
The main steps are basic and vital
- Keep your computer free from viruses by having up-to-date antivirus software running on your computer.
- Make regular checks to ensure that your software is updated
- Scan your entire computer for viruses
- Take care opening emails from unknown sources
Hidden email dangers
To maintain your internet security you must be extremely cautious about the type of files that you open, or download. The majority of viruses are actually spread through email attachments.
Having these on your computer, in your inbox, is not the danger; the real danger is when you open the attachment.
It may not be obvious that anything has happened when you first open the attachment containing the virus, quite often they appear blank.
The damage is caused by the program that is activated within the attachment.
If you do not know, and trust, the person who has sent you the attachment then delete the email.
- inexperienced users click on links without analyzing the risks they expose themselves to.
- web browsers that promise fast connection and download speeds without keeping a high security level.
- drive-by downloads, which imply that some downloaded software packages are bundled with another application or program which may prove dangerous for system’s security and stability.
- programs and applications downloaded and installed on the system without having the possibility of receiving security patches.
- questionable websites that ask the user to install and enable additional features so that malicious content may be downloaded on the system.
- users that lack the necessary knowledge to configure and secure their web browsers.
- web browsers’ vulnerabilities, which become a favorite means for online criminals to exploit and compromise operating systems.
Website Risks and 8 security tips to lessen the risk
“Passwords are like underwear: you don’t let people see it, you should change it very often, and you shouldn’t share it with strangers.”– Chris Pirillo
The computer age has made the personal computer affordable for most people of virtually every industrialized country. Whether it takes the form of a desktop or laptop, all computers are used for a wide variety of functions. As the number of people on the Internet soars ever higher, security becomes an increasing concern.
Passwords are the first line of defense. Most programs have...
Here are some tips to help ensure a personal or business Web site is secure against attack.
Passwords are the first line of defense.
Most programs have a maximum number of characters for the password, and it is best to use all every available character. Each additional letter or number in a password makes it that much more difficult for someone to figure out what it is.
Try not using important dates or names in your security
It is very common for people to use important dates, names of loved ones, and other things close to the heart their heart as their password. Unfortunately this information is not very difficult to discover. Then it simply becomes a matter of trying each likely candidate until one works. Passwords should never be these kinds of things so that the contents of the computer will not be compromised.
Don't use simple sequences in a password
The worst kind of passwords are those that are simply a sequential series of letters or numbers, or those where the log in name and password are the same. This lack of imagination practically begs for a security breach to happen.
Don’t let anyone have your password
Only the owner of a Web site should be privy to the security codes on it. No one else should know password and it is best never to write it down. If the password falls into the wrong hands, or is even suspected of being compromised, it should be changed immediately.
Mix lower case and upper case letters
Some passwords are case sensitive. If the password was originally entered with the caps-lock off, but upon logging on it was typed with caps-lock on, the system will not honor the password. A clever user can take advantage of this feature by randomly distributing capital and lower-case letters in a password.
Make up words
The natural assumption when trying to guess someone’s password is to believe it to be a real word. However this need not be the case. Some of the most unbreakable passwords are those which are not words at all.
Use Different passwords
Another security problem that some people create is the act of using the same log in and password when logging on to many different sites. Should only one of these sites be cracked the chances are the others will also be compromised. It is best to use a different password for each site. At the very least, reused passwords should be limited only to applications where security is not important. For example, Web forum memberships, if compromised, represent very little danger to the user so long as the password used for those sites is not reused for anything where sensitive data could be stored.
Log out properly
When using Web sites that require a login, simply closing the browser is not sufficient to prevent other users from accessing that information from the same computer. It’s possible to simply re-open the browser and gain access to the site without needing to log back in. Use the proper log-out procedure on the Web site before closing the browser in order to avoid this from happening.
Conclusion
Internet security is a responsibility of every Computer User not just software developers.
Keeping secure on the Internet is not just the job of those who create software products for the consumer. It is also the responsibility of each and every computer user. The user can feel at ease knowing the contents in the Web sites are safe by simply taking the appropriate safety measures.
