Data Theft

Practices

• Conduct regular anti-virus scans: Be sure to scan all files that you have received from other people. All major anti-virus software can be set to automatically scan files when they are transferred, but it's a good idea to also scan your computer manually on a regular basis. You should do this at least once every two weeks, or when you suspect a problem.

• Do not store sensitive data on your mobile device in clear text: Do not store account/password/credit card information on your mobile device unless you encrypt it. Encrypting applications (also called "digital wallets" or "wallets") store your private data in code, so that it is impossible for an attacker to read it. DataViz's Passwords Plus  is a good wallet for Palm devices, while eWallet  works for PocketPCs.

Settings

• Set your anti-virus package for "Real-time Protection": Anti-virus software should provide the option of real-time protection, which means that it actively checks files that come into your system while you work. This lowers your chances of contracting a computer virus. To set real-time protection (using Symantec Norton Antivirus as an example), right-click on the Symantec Norton Antivirus icon in the icon tray in the right-hand bottom corner of the screen, then select "Enable File System Real-time Protection."

• Set your firewall to filter ports: Make sure your firewall is filtering the ports that correspond to the applications you use. For example, to access your bank account using Internet Explorer, you need to open port TCP-443 (HTTPS). Any ports that you are not using should be closed. This is the only way you can keep intruders from using unused open ports in your machine to get to your financial information.

  Setting your firewall used to be a complicated task, but personal firewalls are getting more user-friendly. To filter ports in Windows XP or Windows Vista's built-in firewall:

  1. Go to Start > Control Panel > Network and Internet Connections, and click on Windows Firewall.
  2. Make sure the firewall is turned on.
  3. Select the Advanced tab and click on Settings. There you can add or edit services. Only do this if you are sure which ports you need to have open; otherwise, use the default settings. If you incorrectly change the settings, your firewall may not work properly.

  

Tools

• Anti-virus software: The popularity of the Microsoft Windows operating system makes it a prime target for hackers and other virus writers, so anti-virus software is crucial for users of this system. Anti-virus software works by identifying files that match definitions of known viruses and keeping them from infecting the system. Make sure that your virus definitions are kept up to date by automatically or manually downloading them from your software manufacturer's Web site. Do not install more than one anti-virus program because incompatibility issues between the programs may end up leaving your system unprotected.

  Two popular anti-virus packages are Symantec’s Norton AntiVirus  and McAfee AntiVirus . AVG , AntiVir  and ClamWin  are free alternatives. The major anti-virus programs, such as Symantec and McAfee, can protect against worms and Trojan horses as well as viruses.

  PDA and mobile phone anti-virus applications normally interact with the full version on a PC and hold fewer virus definitions. New virus updates are automatically transferred from your desktop computer each time you synchronize your PDA. Therefore it is important to keep your desktop computer's anti-virus software updated and synchronize your PDA regularly. Some commonly used anti-virus packages are Trend Micro's PC-cillin for Wireless  and Symantec AntiVirus for Windows Mobile .

• Firewall: A firewall is like a security guard for your computer that protects against intrusion attacks. Firewalls can be hardware (physical devices that you plug into the network), software (a software application that you install in your machine), or a combination of the two. A firewall is your first line of defense against intrusions, and its main task is to filter ports. This means that the firewall inspects all network traffic that comes through its ports and decides, based on a set of rules, whether to let it in or not.

• Spyware removal applications: Anti-virus applications generally do not rid your machine of spyware, but there are many commercial and free spyware removal tools available. Some examples are Spybot - Search & Destroy , Ad-Aware , Pest Patrol , and Microsoft Windows Defender . Make sure that you find a legitimate spyware-removal application, since some products touted as anti-spyware applications are ineffective or actually install spyware and adware on your machine. Spyware Warrior  can point you to some good applications and tell you which applications to avoid.