SECURITY TIPS (COPIED FROM DINAR RECAPS)

SECURITY TIPS BY PETERSMA - Posted by PIF at 3sIntel Forum 12/21/2011


Some
things I have not seen discussed here yet. If the dinar RV and the
number of us who have suddenly come into major $$ is announced on
mainstream news media, you WILL be targeted by computer thieves.

Here are some tips to help you protect yourself so that your gains do not become your losses as fast as you got them:

1. If you are not running anti-virus on your computer with regular
(daily at least) signature updates, do it now. Start RIGHT NOW and start
scanning your system for viruses.

AVG and AVAST both have free
quality anti-virus products to get you started. If you find a
virus(Malware) clean it and keep repeating the scan process until it
comes back clean.

If you find a virus, you should change all of
your email account and financial account passwords AFTER the virus is
removed and the computer is clean.

If you cannot remove the
virus, DO NOT conduct any online financial transactions (Banking,
purchasing, etc) then take your computer to a computer security
professional to have your system cleaned.

Sometimes, 'reformatting the hard drive' is not enough to get rid of certain types of malware, you should replace it.

2. If you are running a microsoft windows computer, click windows
update/microsoft update after you have scanned the computer for viruses
and apply all critical or serious (top two levels) patches.
Repeat this process weekly.

3. If your computer firewall is not turned on, turn it on. If you need
assistance, google it or take your computer to a professional.


4.
Never use the 'debit' function of your bank debit card including a pin
number if you have the option to run a transaction as credit (i.e. visa
or mc logo on your card)

Debit transactions that are
compromised can empty your account of all money with virtually no
recourse for you to recover it. Often credit transactions are protected
by visa/mc to a specific dollar amount of loss
Check with your bank so that you know their rules.

5. If possible, and you should be able to after RV, use a separate
computer for all financial transactions (online bill pay, online
banking, etc.) other than the one you use for web surfing, email,
shopping, etc.

6. Be careful where you swipe your debit/credit
card. At gas pumps use the islands that would be in view of the clerk
inside the store or camera. At ATMs look for signs of tampering (extra
card scanners/skimmers), use inside the building ATMs or ones that are
under camera surveillance rather than ones located away from high
traffic or public view areas.

7. Most computer infections come
from people clicking links in email or opening attachments (even if you
recognize the sender as their computer could be infected).
Rather than click on a link in an email, type the http address into the web browser (IE, Firefox, Chrome, etc.) address bar.
If you can't read the entire address or it contains cryptic characters
(e.g. 4vjy04855/ap35ps4) contact the sender to verify that they included
the link.

7a. Ask your self if you really need to look at that
'pretty landscape slide show" with motivational sayings and music. Ask
yourself it those emoticons are really that cute that you must have
them.

7b.Right click on attachments and save them to your
desktop. Once there, right click on it again and look for an option to
scan the attachment with an anti-virus scanner.
If you are unsure of a web address or a file attachment name, google it.
If it is being exploited someone has usually posted something about it.

Repeat these steps frequently to stay protected. Be suspicious of every
email and every website that you do not routinely use and that is a
well established professional website.

Wise recommendations all ... along with keeping all personal data in encrypted files, with a good strong password that you have memorized, preferably on a computer isolated from the outside world. The machine I am typing this on is actually behind 3 fire walls ... one firmware on my router, one firmware on my mother board, and one software ...