The Four Rules of Home Computer Security

Computer security is on a lot of peoples' minds. And there are lots of companies out there offering all sorts of ways to stay hack proof. Most high-end products are geared toward large enterprises. This makes sense since they are worth millions or billions of dollars. Security companies go where the money leads. But what about the typical home computer user? How can novice users traverse this brave new world? Let's take a look at my four rules for home computer security.

Let's face it, the internet can be like the wild west. You never know what you're going to find and it's hard to trust anyone. But a little caution can go a long way. The first rule to keep in mind is the rule of the low hanging fruit. What's fruit have to do with computer security? Well, actually it has a lot to do with computer security. People tend to go after the path of least resistance. If you were to pick fruit off a tree, which fruit would you go after? Would you go after the fruit at the top of the tree or would you go after the one hanging in your face? Of course, you would go after the low hanging fruit. Hackers are no different. They will tend to exploit the targets that promise the biggest bang for the least effort. If you require more effort to hack, most hackers will pass you by.

The second rule is the rule of the front door. You never, ever want to hook your computer directly up to the internet. A caveat to this rule is if you know what you're doing and set up a firewall directly on that computer. There are other considerations, but I'm going after straight-forward solutions for you. What I mean is that you never want to hook a DSL or cable modem directly into your computer. You always want to put some type of router between the modem and your computer. This can be a simple dsl/cable router from someone like Linksys. This helps to segment a private network from the public internet network. Let me use an analogy. If you hook up your computer directly to your modem, it's like opening your front door and letting anyone into your house. There is no barrier between you and the outside world. However, if you put a router between the modem and your computer, it's like closing that door on the front of your house. Now, only certain, trusted people are allowed in.

The third rule is the rule of pest control. Please don't run a computer without virus protection. You can have the best front door in the world, but if you let the back door open it's useless. Anti virus programs help control loopholes in trusted communication lines. A friend of mine got a floppy from a friend. He then quickly copied a presentation for a corporate client on it. He went to the client, inserted the floppy, and was greeted by an obnoxious virus alert. The client was furious, my friend was highly embarrassed, but the software did its job. Never run a computer without virus protection. And these days, you need spyware protection. There are some great free ones out there like Spybot Search and Destroy. I also like SpywareGuide's Xscan for interval scanning.

The fourth rule is the rule of sewing. Ok, I'm not talking about sewing in the traditional sense. I'm talking about putting patches on - on your operating system that is. If you are using Windows, you need to make sure windows update is set to automatically download updates. Security patches regularly come out and you would be less than wise to ignore them. And be warned, in this day and age, some security issues involve simply visiting malicious websites to breech your security. Don't be a victim, be prepared.

While this certainly won't fend off the most hardened hacker, it will keep most at bay. It's sort of like home security. Is a thief going to target the home with lax security or the one with great security? I'll leave that answer to you.

For more great technology tips, visit PaulTech at: http://www.gopaultech.com

Home Security At Holiday Time

Before departing for your much earned holiday be wise and review your home security. The latest figures from the FBI show a burglary occurs every 15.4 seconds, the majority of these take place when the householder is not home.

A great number of these burglaries could be prevented by beefing up your home security.

The installation of a burglar alarm and surveillance cameras is one of the most common and effective ways to improve security instantly. But the installation of these devices does not guarantee you immunity, other steps and precautions need to taken to improve you overall security.

Some of the less expensive options available include installing motion sensor lighting around the perimeter of your home.

As well as the external security there is a great deal that can be done inside the home to improve security. Check all locks on doors and windows replace any defective locks.

Patio sliding doors offer the opportunist thief just what they are looking for easy access , the reason is usually poor maintenance or security (broken lock) don?t get caught out this way thinking it will never happen, it does and it will.

Take these steps to make your sliding door even more secure consider installing a blocking device such as a ?Charlie bar? or some other type of track blocker to prevent the door from sliding open. At the very least you should block the track with a steel rod or wooden dowel to prevent any movement.

Where possible use a home safe to store any valuables include such items as keys to outbuildings, garages, other vehicles and any other device that requires a key.

You should also hide any personal documents and identity information in your home safe as well. If you don?t have a home safe consider using a post office vault especially if you live in a high crime area.

Giving the impression someone is at home is a great way to dissuade a burglar and is key to improving home security. This can be achieved by using timers in various rooms to switch lights an appliances off and on at differing times of the day. Be smart though and apply this tactic to more than one room in your house.

Other security measures include stopping your mail and paper deliveries. If you have two vehicles leave one parked on your driveway or ask a neighbor to park in your driveway whilst you are away.

Leave a key with a trusted neighbor or relative and ask them to check your home periodically. Switch off any answering machine don?t be tempted to leave a message saying you are on vacation. Ensure all outbuildings are secure, making sure any tools in your garage that could be used to gain access are under lock and key.

No matter what steps and security measures you take your home will never be 100% secure. But the harder you make it for a burglar to gain entry the stronger your home security will be.

Robert H the author of this article, invites you to Find more informative articles on home security, and news on all the latest home security products at his his website here http://www.homesecurity.info-net-work.com

Home Security: Your Yard Is The First Line Of Defence

You may not believe it but most burglars do not plan their break ins. They are crimes of opportunity. They pick what appears to be a simple target. If they see a greater risk than they anticipated, they move onto a safer target. Therefore the more effort you take to keep your home from seeming to be a simple target, the safer you will be.

A multilayered structure is the best way to approach arranging your home security, and the first layer is the landscaping and other features of your yard.

Landscaping and Yard Security

A few simple changes to your landscaping can help to protect your home from would be burglars. They are looking for a home they can get into and out of quickly; the more time they spend in your home the more chance of getting caught. Their best target is a home surrounded by tall hedges and shrubs, which restricts visibility from the street and your neighbours' houses.

Trim your shrubbery and trees so that your doors and windows can be seen by neighbors, and from the street, by forgoing a little privacy you will not be providing a hiding place for a burglar. If you have more than one floor, prune trees away from upper floor windows to prevent an intruder using them as a ladder, also make sure any trellises won't provide a convenient ladder to gain entry to the upper floors.

All planting close to the sidewalk, driveways, doors or gates, should be kept low say no more than two feet in height. As you move further away from the sidewalk you can increase the height but keep it down to no more than four feet.

Any plant under the window should be kept below the windowsill.

Trees should have their lower branches trimmed to at least seven feet off the ground.

Be sure to keep your lawn trimmed; an uncut lawn will indicate to a potential burglar that you have been away from your home for some time.

By placing gravel on the ground under windows you will be warned if someone walks on it, this can be a useful psychological deterrent. Remember not to have any large rocks or stones near glass windows or doors. There's no point in providing a burglar with his tools!

Plant spiny (thorny) plants along fences and under windows, and on border fences, roses are ideal. Protecting your home with spiny plants is as good as using barbed wire, and it looks a lot better too.

Street Numbers.

Make sure your house number can be seen easily from the street. This can save time for the police and emergency services if they need to find your home.

It is best to use numbers made of reflective materials, or alternatively black on white, they should be at least six inches high to facilitate visibility from the street. Keep the number clean and trim any plants, so it can be seen. The number should be illuminated and near the front door or the garage entrance.

Limiting Access to Yards and Store Rooms:

The main thing burglars are looking for is an obstruction free and speedy exit. Fences will stop burglars from carrying away your larger processions, if the gates are locked. Gates should be locked at all times!

Make sure that any ladders and tools are stored in a garage or a storage shed, and these should be locked when not in use. To increase security chain your ladder to the wall of the garage when it is not being used.

The idea is to use the landscaping to control access to your property. Proper fencing hedges etc. create barriers that will make a potential burglar feel uncomfortable as they approach your home, but will not prevent a neighbour or passer by from seeing any unusual activity.

I will be covering additional steps you can take to improve your home security in the next article in this series.

Roger Overanout

For more vital home security tips and information about how to protect your home and family please visit www.homesecuritynews.info.

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roger@report-on.com