Quick Byte's Quick Guide To PC Security

 updated 2/7/09

This is the 3rd version of this article; and what's most mind-boggling to me is the number of people who still do not take these simple well known steps.  Most of the problems the average computer user is confronted with are avoidable, or at least potentially mitigated, by following a few simple steps.

1. Understand What You Are Doing With The Tools You Are Using.

Installing any of the software or services mentioned below is only the first step. Keeping it up to date, understanding how it works, and making sure it is doing what it is supposed to do is absolutely necessary. This takes surprisingly less effort than most people think.

2. Have A Backup Plan

"The Quick Byte Quick Guide To Backing Up" is a good place to start if you don't already have one. Backup is easier than ever, there are no good excuses for not

3. Get An Antivirus Solution

4. Make Sure You Have The Latest Windows Updates

5. Use A Firewall

6. Stop Malware

These four concerns are now so closely entwined that it's difficult to talk about one without crossing over into another. The upside to this is that there is absolutely no reason to make the effort.

As far as I'm concerned, the only two choices for antivirus are Symantec's Norton Antivirus and McAfee's VirusScan. There are other capable products out there, but year in and year out, these are the two antivirus programs that win the major awards. Either product is fine, but Quick Byte recommends Norton and this guide and all Quick Byte security information is tailored to it. Any version older than 2008 should be upgraded and the 2009 versions are highly recommended.

I chose to start recommending Norton exclusively to my clients when viruses were regular front page news. At the time, I thought the big difference between the two products was the user interface. 10 years later, I still think McAfee's UI is inscrutable. A bit less important, but still noteworthy, spelling McAfee drives me crazy too.

In the 10 years since, Symantec's Norton products have grown to encompass firewall and malware remedies, making even their most basic products, an effective tool against most PC threats. In that time, Quick Byte customers have remained largely virus free. I've rarely seen a conscientious user with an infection.The lesson seems obvious, the Symantec solution works. Supplement it with Microsoft's Windows Defender product (built into Windows Vista, a free download for Windows XP) and most end users will be good to go. 

Of course, none of these programs will do you much good unless they are kept up to date, and Windows itself needs to be updated regularly for security purposes. Fortunately, this has gotten a lot easier to monitor since Windows XP Service Pack 2 introduced the Windows Security Center, a windows control panel that monitors antivirus, windows update, and firewall protection. Most versions of Norton have a similar built in capability to supplement the security center. Mac Users need to regularly do system updates as well. On all platforms, these processes are automated, but they must be monitored.

7. TANSTAFFL

If you think downloading stolen music, a free game, free porn, or free software is a good idea, you might well be wrong, in fact, you probably are. A lot of the time, those freebies come with malware, and in general the more obscure the source, the nastier the catch. Most of the virus and spyware problems I deal with are a result of people trying to get something for nothing.

There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.

8. Get A Decent Surge Protector or a Uninterrupted Power Supply

I recommend models from Belkin and APC. Most importantly, make sure that any and all things that use electricity and pass through the computer are plugged into the surge protector. This includes phone lines, printers, cable/dsl modems and whatever else you can think of. If you're using a network storage device, keep it on a separate outlet altogether. Replace surge protectors and UPS devices every 3 years or so, each manufacturer has their own recommendations.

9. Use Your Head

Spend 20 minutes a week reading about computer issues. 5 of those minutes should be spent reading messages on your screen before you do something haphazardly or waste a  lot of  time. The other 15 should be spent reading about something in computers that interests you or might be helpful. The New York Times Technology section is a great start. Check out cnet.com or PC Magazine for a heck of a lot more.

10. Have A Blast

Find something fun to do with the computer.o Sell some stuff on ebay, publish your Blossom fan fiction, or get involved in an online community. There's no better way to  get comfortable with technology than by messing around with it.