Protecting your personal computer

Keep your personal information safe

Whether it’s a desktop, a laptop, a tablet or all three, a personal computer is one of the most important devices in your life. It’s where you access the internet, store vacation photos, stream movies, and more. It’s also where you likely keep very important financial data – from tax files to banking records. Protecting it is vital.

Because your computer is so central to accessing and storing your financial records and online accounts, it's important to keep it protected at all times. Making sure your information stays safe, though, doesn’t require a degree in cybersecurity. You just need to follow these six simple guidelines:

1. Select a strong password and protect it

Your password is your first line of defense against hackers and prying eyes. But too many people overlook this, leaving themselves vulnerable. Consider these tips when creating and managing your passwords:

• Choose a strong password that uses a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters (for example: ! @ # $ *). It should also be at least 8 characters.
• Don't use passwords that are easy for others to guess – ones that include birthdays, family names, addresses, or telephone numbers.
• Choose unique passwords for every online account and change them often.
• Don't use options that 'memorize' passwords. In general, saving passwords on your computer is not a good idea. It allows anyone with access to your computer to impersonate you.
• Don't disclose your password to anyone (if you do, you could be held liable for losses). Don't write your passwords down where anyone can find them. If you can't remember your password, set up a formula for creating and managing them. And if you do have to write them out, keep the record stored in a locked location (either physically or through a online service). Never carry it with you.

2. Use a firewall

Firewalls help prevent unauthorized access to or from your computer by filtering the information coming through the internet into your computer. Use a firewall to protect your home network and family from offensive web sites and potential hackers.

Although some computers come with a standard operating system firewall, it should not be considered sufficient. An additional firewall that will detect new forms of attacks or attempted intrusions should be installed and upgraded regularly.

A wireless router acts as a partial firewall, limiting incoming and outgoing connections except for the ones you open up. A firewall in your computer acts as a secondary layer of security.

3. Use anti-virus software

Your computer can become infected with a virus through email attachments, from content you download from a website, or from a disk or USB stick someone shares with you. Banner ads, pop-up advertising solicitations, site visit or tracking software (spyware) are additional sources of infections. Anti-virus software can detect issues and clean your machine so the viruses don't spread.

• Ensure you always use up-to-date anti-virus software to scan files and email messages for viruses, which will prevent your files from being corrupted or lost.
• Use the auto-update feature that so your program stays current in the detection of new viruses.
• Register new anti-virus software immediately and choose to be automatically notified of product updates.
• The following companies are examples of free antivirus scanners which customers may choose to use in helping diagnose a potential computer infection. Many Canadian internet service providers offer bundled malware scanning services.
  • McAfee
  • AVG
  • Symantec from Broadcom
  • HouseCall from TrendMicro
  • Kaspersky
  • ESET Smart Security

4. Watch for spyware/adware/malware

Spyware/adware is picked up when accessing websites and is downloaded onto your computer without your knowledge to secretly gather information about you and your online habits. Criminals use this technology to install key-loggers or screen-capture programs that allow them to collect personal information and passwords.

• Practicing safe browsing is the best way to protect yourself from spyware. Avoid 'free' software that promises to improve speed or service.
• Update your spyware program and scan your computer regularly to detect and remove spyware. Some security industry recommended products include:
  • Adaware
  • Spybot

5. Use a supported browser and keep it up to date

• Always take advantage of software updates so your browser and operating system have the latest security updates.
• Always use a browser that supports at least 128-bit encryption when accessing secure web sites (standard with most browsers). This provides the best protection when transmitting confidential data over the internet. Encryption is the process of protecting information as it moves from one computer to another. The stronger the encryption used by your browser, the more difficult it is for unauthorized parties to decipher the message in transit.

6. Secure your wireless network

With a wireless network, your information is traveling through the airwaves, so anyone within range can "listen in" on your network. Here are some essential security measures:

Change the default SSID or network name

SSID (service set identifier) is a 32-character unique identifier attached to the header of packets (information bundles) sent over a wireless LAN (WLAN). It acts as a password when a mobile device tries to connect. The SSID differentiates one WLAN from another, so all devices attempting to connect to a specific WLAN must use the same SSID. An SSID is also referred to as a network name because it's the name that identifies a wireless network. Hackers know these defaults and can try to use them to join your network. Change your network's SSID to something unique.

Disable SSID broadcast options

By default, most wireless networking devices are set to broadcast the SSID, so anyone can easily join the network. Unless you're running a public hotspot, it's best to disable SSID broadcast.

Change the default password for your wireless device

Hackers know these defaults and will use them to access your wireless device and change your network settings.

Enable MAC address filtering

If your wireless product offers it, enable MAC address filtering. The MAC address is a unique series of numbers and letters assigned to every networking device. With MAC address filtering enabled, it's harder for a hacker to access your network using a random MAC address.

Encrypt your connection

Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) keeps unwanted users out by checking for the proper permission and password before allowing network access. It is also more robust than the previous security standard, Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), which provides basic protection for home networks and limited protection on public networks. WPA improves data encryption so attackers are not be able to view or alter any data traveling to or from your wireless network. For more information about WPA, visit www.wi-fi.org.