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Protecting your privates

Think you could handle yourself against hacktivists? Know what to do about a cyber Trojan? Not even sure what we’re talking about? Take our crash course on online security threats and find out how to keep safe on the web.

Submitted 1/20/2010 By actnow Views 689 Comments 0 Updated 1/20/2010

caffeina @ Flickr
Photographer : caffeina @ Flickr


Internet and computer security is the key to keeping all that juicy digital information safe. And yet keeping our computers secure, for the most part, tends to be something we ignore. Clicked any ‘remind me later’ buttons for security updates lately? Maybe you solve nearly all computer problems with the ‘turn it off and on again’ approach. Yep, keeping our computers security up to date is not top of the to-do list. Until something goes wrong.

Security 101

Malware, hacktivism, clickjacking and trojans. If you haven’t got the lingo, it’s hard to know what you’re up against. To help you understand the opposition, we’ve dug out the most common threats and summed them up for you.

Malware: AKA malicious software. The stuff you don’t want or ask for, but it turns up anyway. It’s any software that enters your computer without your permission specfically to annoy, steal or spy on you. Think viruses, worms, spyware and pretty much any other unwanted or dangerous software.

Viruses and worms: Programs that spread from computer to computer through infected files and transfers, such as email. Once these little nasties get into to your computer they fiddle with your files – encrypting, changing, deleting and sending them onto others. Watch out too as they can use your email address to send spam to your contacts.

Trojan (horse): Think Greek mythology here. These are bad guys with a good disguise. Trojan horses is software that looks like it’s doing what you want it to do, when really it’s up to no good. Trojans can get up to almost anything - secretly using your computer for things like spamming, playing around with your files or installing more malware just to name a few.

Hacking: When other computer users virtually break and enter into user accounts or websites.

Phishing: More bad guys in disguise. Phishing scams bait people into giving out personal information like credit card numbers, passwords and usernames. They do this by sending fraudulent emails and setting up fake websites called ‘spoofs’ that generally look identical to the original one.

DIY protection
Now you know what’s out to get you, it’s time to take action. As far as keeping your computers secure on a budget goes, there are three essentials you should always go for:

1. Suss out hyperlinks (what you are clicking on)
Hyperlink readers like SecureTweets let you know where you’re going before it’s too late. Though SecureTweets is specifically designed to read the sort of shortened URLs you’ll find in Twitter, this software will warn you about any dodgy websites you might be headed toward.

2. Protect your passwords
One of the simplest ways to protect against hackers is to use strong passwords and change them often. Using one password as a login to all your online accounts is a bad move. Should it fall into the wrong hands you’ll have your work cut out for you in regaining control.

3. Secure your browser
Many internet browsers like Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer and Opera will come with built-in security and privacy features. Visit your browsers homepage to make sure you’ve got the most up to date version. If you’re using one of the big two (that’s Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox), have a look at what your browser’s security settings mean below:

Mozilla Firefox:



Internet Explorer:



4. Get yourself a firewall
A firewall filters the information coming in over the internet, acting as a buffer between your computer and any sites, programs or data flagged as dangerous. It’ll pick up the more complicated attacks that your web browser’s security may miss. ZoneAlarm and PC Tools Firewall Plus offer downloadable firewalls for free.

5. Install anti-virus software
If your browser security and firewall haven’t done the trick, then it’s time for anti-virus software. These programs scan your computer for baddies on a regular basis and deal with them accordingly. There’s plenty of anti-virus software on the market, and you can pick up quality programs for well under $100. But if you’re not harbouring world class secrets and it’s just basic security you’re after, there are plenty of quality free options out there. Have a look at AVG, Avast and Trend Micro to get you started. Or, if you’re after an all-in-one free download, Comodo offer both firewall and antivirus software.

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© 2008. First published on actnow.com.au

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