Post by drcard on Mar 16, 2019 14:21:44 GMT -5
Security Strategies For The Average User
Prelude:
All PC owners know that there are bad guys out there trying to do bad things to you and your PC. Studies show that it takes less than 5 minutes for an unprotected PC to become infected once it is connected to the Internet. Just a few years ago that figure was 20 minutes….it seems all forms of computer technology has advanced, including malware. Security strategies range from the not enough to the way overboard. Like most major decisions we make, we must weigh the time and cost against the benefit we will receive. Spending a lot of time and money to protect photos on your PC that you posted on Facebook last week doesn’t appear to be a good use of your time and money. However, spending a lot of time and money to protect your personal financial data from identity theft is a wise use of your time and money. What follows are different security strategies and they differ by level of security, user time needed for this security, and user cost for this security. Each user has to decide which strategies is best for them.
To help decide the level of security that is best to you, think of what would happen and how it would affect your life if you: loss access to your PC, loss all your personal files, or your personal information was taken and used for identity theft. Each of these losses are big, but identity theft carries the worse ramifications.
Basic Security
Basic security is what comes with Windows when it is setup. This is Windows firewall and Windows Defender (or any other free anti-virus program). Most preloaded PCs come with some trial period pay for anti-virus program. If you decide not to purchase a pay for anti-virus program when the trial period expires you are left with the firewall and Defender. This is OK security, but it is weak for 0 Day, drive by, and email threats. If you have no personal information on the PC, you have backups of your data, and don’t mind resetting your Windows install; then this will work for you.
The strategies that follow are how to increase security to the basic security strategy above.
Purchase All-in-one Security Suite
The major anti-virus software makers have evolved their products to all-in-one security systems that protect many other threats besides viruses. This does cost extra time in setup and load on the PC, and a little cost (average is about $0.15/day). The benefit of the extra protection over the basic security is well worth the time and cost. I do not recommend one maker over the other as the “best” changes with each new “review”. This protection is not absolute as you can accidently click or download the wrong thing and you will let a threat in pass this security. Is there a way to protect your PC in case something does get by this all-in-one security suite? Yes, those strategies follow.
Recovery From an Infection and Loss of Personal Files
Getting rid of malware that has made it pass your security and infected your PC can be a difficult task. Malware writers know most users have security software that will try to delete their efforts; thus, they try to hide their malware packages into the Windows operating system. This is done because security software is written to leave Windows operating files alone so it won’t disable the PC its running on. It is a cat and mouse game between malware writers and security software writers to find new hiding spots, and discovering and protecting these new hiding spots. Even if your security software or you are able to get rid of the malware, Windows operating files may have been damaged or your personal files are lost in the fight. Many users that bought security software have become infected have lost personal files (often the only copy of those photos and files) and/or are left with a PC that needs Windows re-installed to operate correctly. How often does this happen? Chances are that this has happened to you or someone you know. In the my many years of PC usage I have become infected 4 times. Each time the end result was a damaged Windows operating system and/or lost personal files; however, Windows did not stay damaged and I recovered all personal files.
All malware (virus, Trojan, Ransonware, etc.) are lines of code on your PC HDD. Replacing all the lines of code on the HDD with lines of code copied from the HDD before the infection happened will not only remove the malware, but also undo any damage the malware caused. This recovery process even works for a Ransonware attack. Yes, I am talking about a back up copy, but not just any back up. For this recovery process to work, the back up copy must be an image. An image back up copy is complete copy of every line of code that is on the HDD. Windows Restore function is not an image back up. Recovery from an image back up will require you make a bootable CD or external drive to use to restore the copy to the PC’s main drive that is infected. This copy replaces all the lines of code and thus, removes all the lines of codes containing infection or damage. For each of the infections, I inserted my bootable CD I made, changed BIOS to boot to the CD, restored the latest back up image, and rebooted to the same PC and files I had before the infection…total time was 30 – 45 minutes. The image backup recovery process is an added security strategy that not only protects against any malware infection, but also protects against updates that go wrong; and is well worth the time and cost to set up. For me, its paid for itself 4 times.
I do endorse one back up software over the others….Shadow Protect. It cost more than other back up software, but it has way less “glitches” that can cause no recovery that plague other back up software. I’m not going to risk my system and personal files to a “glitch” for $30 - $40 extra cost.
Protect Your Personal Information
The image back up recovery process can save from system damage and loss of personal files, but cannot protect you from identity theft from having your personal information stolen. Most users keep their personal information files on the main HDD of the PC. Don’t forget that your emails could contain your personal information, or that document you made with all your accounts and passwords. Any malware that gets pass your security software could access these files and obtain your personal information to perform identity theft. The ramifications of identity theft are life changing and justifies the time and cost for extra security against it.
The extra security to protect your personal information is to make all the files that contain personal information inaccessible even if malware infects your system. Consider this protection as a safe inside your home…protect your most valuable possessions even if your home is broken into. There are two ways to accomplish this protection and both involve the first main step of keeping all the files containing any personal information in one place (folder or drive). This process will take time in learning how to move your emails to this storage area, but well worth the investment. Once all files are in one area, there two different strategies on how to make them inaccessible.
The encryption strategy involves using Windows encryption function to encrypt and password protect the folder holding all these files. While this strategy involves no extra cost, it does cost a large investment in time for each time you access the folder.
Another strategy to make these files inaccessible is an external HDD (one with an on/off switch is best). Turn on the drive when you are accessing those files and turn off the drive when you are finished. With the drive turned off most of the time you are protected because no malware or hack can physically turn the drive on.
The above strategies will increase your protection over basic protection provided by Windows. Each user must choose how much time and money they are will to invest for the amount of security they feel comfortable with.
Final Note: Don’t forget that best protection comes from you not clicking an unknown link or opening an unknown attachment.
Prelude:
All PC owners know that there are bad guys out there trying to do bad things to you and your PC. Studies show that it takes less than 5 minutes for an unprotected PC to become infected once it is connected to the Internet. Just a few years ago that figure was 20 minutes….it seems all forms of computer technology has advanced, including malware. Security strategies range from the not enough to the way overboard. Like most major decisions we make, we must weigh the time and cost against the benefit we will receive. Spending a lot of time and money to protect photos on your PC that you posted on Facebook last week doesn’t appear to be a good use of your time and money. However, spending a lot of time and money to protect your personal financial data from identity theft is a wise use of your time and money. What follows are different security strategies and they differ by level of security, user time needed for this security, and user cost for this security. Each user has to decide which strategies is best for them.
To help decide the level of security that is best to you, think of what would happen and how it would affect your life if you: loss access to your PC, loss all your personal files, or your personal information was taken and used for identity theft. Each of these losses are big, but identity theft carries the worse ramifications.
Basic Security
Basic security is what comes with Windows when it is setup. This is Windows firewall and Windows Defender (or any other free anti-virus program). Most preloaded PCs come with some trial period pay for anti-virus program. If you decide not to purchase a pay for anti-virus program when the trial period expires you are left with the firewall and Defender. This is OK security, but it is weak for 0 Day, drive by, and email threats. If you have no personal information on the PC, you have backups of your data, and don’t mind resetting your Windows install; then this will work for you.
The strategies that follow are how to increase security to the basic security strategy above.
Purchase All-in-one Security Suite
The major anti-virus software makers have evolved their products to all-in-one security systems that protect many other threats besides viruses. This does cost extra time in setup and load on the PC, and a little cost (average is about $0.15/day). The benefit of the extra protection over the basic security is well worth the time and cost. I do not recommend one maker over the other as the “best” changes with each new “review”. This protection is not absolute as you can accidently click or download the wrong thing and you will let a threat in pass this security. Is there a way to protect your PC in case something does get by this all-in-one security suite? Yes, those strategies follow.
Recovery From an Infection and Loss of Personal Files
Getting rid of malware that has made it pass your security and infected your PC can be a difficult task. Malware writers know most users have security software that will try to delete their efforts; thus, they try to hide their malware packages into the Windows operating system. This is done because security software is written to leave Windows operating files alone so it won’t disable the PC its running on. It is a cat and mouse game between malware writers and security software writers to find new hiding spots, and discovering and protecting these new hiding spots. Even if your security software or you are able to get rid of the malware, Windows operating files may have been damaged or your personal files are lost in the fight. Many users that bought security software have become infected have lost personal files (often the only copy of those photos and files) and/or are left with a PC that needs Windows re-installed to operate correctly. How often does this happen? Chances are that this has happened to you or someone you know. In the my many years of PC usage I have become infected 4 times. Each time the end result was a damaged Windows operating system and/or lost personal files; however, Windows did not stay damaged and I recovered all personal files.
All malware (virus, Trojan, Ransonware, etc.) are lines of code on your PC HDD. Replacing all the lines of code on the HDD with lines of code copied from the HDD before the infection happened will not only remove the malware, but also undo any damage the malware caused. This recovery process even works for a Ransonware attack. Yes, I am talking about a back up copy, but not just any back up. For this recovery process to work, the back up copy must be an image. An image back up copy is complete copy of every line of code that is on the HDD. Windows Restore function is not an image back up. Recovery from an image back up will require you make a bootable CD or external drive to use to restore the copy to the PC’s main drive that is infected. This copy replaces all the lines of code and thus, removes all the lines of codes containing infection or damage. For each of the infections, I inserted my bootable CD I made, changed BIOS to boot to the CD, restored the latest back up image, and rebooted to the same PC and files I had before the infection…total time was 30 – 45 minutes. The image backup recovery process is an added security strategy that not only protects against any malware infection, but also protects against updates that go wrong; and is well worth the time and cost to set up. For me, its paid for itself 4 times.
I do endorse one back up software over the others….Shadow Protect. It cost more than other back up software, but it has way less “glitches” that can cause no recovery that plague other back up software. I’m not going to risk my system and personal files to a “glitch” for $30 - $40 extra cost.
Protect Your Personal Information
The image back up recovery process can save from system damage and loss of personal files, but cannot protect you from identity theft from having your personal information stolen. Most users keep their personal information files on the main HDD of the PC. Don’t forget that your emails could contain your personal information, or that document you made with all your accounts and passwords. Any malware that gets pass your security software could access these files and obtain your personal information to perform identity theft. The ramifications of identity theft are life changing and justifies the time and cost for extra security against it.
The extra security to protect your personal information is to make all the files that contain personal information inaccessible even if malware infects your system. Consider this protection as a safe inside your home…protect your most valuable possessions even if your home is broken into. There are two ways to accomplish this protection and both involve the first main step of keeping all the files containing any personal information in one place (folder or drive). This process will take time in learning how to move your emails to this storage area, but well worth the investment. Once all files are in one area, there two different strategies on how to make them inaccessible.
The encryption strategy involves using Windows encryption function to encrypt and password protect the folder holding all these files. While this strategy involves no extra cost, it does cost a large investment in time for each time you access the folder.
Another strategy to make these files inaccessible is an external HDD (one with an on/off switch is best). Turn on the drive when you are accessing those files and turn off the drive when you are finished. With the drive turned off most of the time you are protected because no malware or hack can physically turn the drive on.
The above strategies will increase your protection over basic protection provided by Windows. Each user must choose how much time and money they are will to invest for the amount of security they feel comfortable with.
Final Note: Don’t forget that best protection comes from you not clicking an unknown link or opening an unknown attachment.
