Securing your Computer?

[Shacopate]

I'm using mostly free stuff and have been lucky so far, but I'm wondering if it's good enough.

What program(s) would you recommend as the best way to secure a computer?

[wes]

Norton Internet security 2004

wes

[JustRalph]

an external router.........$39-49 bucks

[Dick Schmidt]

I use:

An external router.

Zone Alarm (free version)

Microsoft firewall (included with XP)

AVG anti-virus (free)

AntiVir XP anti-virus (free)

McAfee anti-virus with e-mail protection ($29 a year)

Ad-Aware (free)

Spybot (free)


Other than that, not a thing. I put my trust in the goodness of people.


Dick


Trust your fellow man, but still cut the cards.

[cj]

External Router
McAfee Anti Virus (free to government workers)
Ad Aware
File and Folder permissions for personal stuff

[Equineer]

Pursue security until your only rational fear is amnesia!

[DJofSD]

What do ballons, virginity and security have in common?

DJofSD

[betchatoo]

Originally posted by DJofSD
What do ballons, virginity and security have in common?

DJofSD

One prick and they're gone

[DJofSD]

You got it!

DJofSD

[Equineer]

Another worry is who will buy your next computer?

Credit card security in shambles: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6030057/

[DJofSD]

“Basically, they are telling merchants they don’t have to encrypt the data as long as they implement what they refer to as mitigating controls,” she said. Many of the exceptions are going to older firms which store data on bulky mainframe computers, where implementing encryption would be costly, she said.

What a crock. Both letting the merchants off the hook and claiming it's too costly to increase security via encryption on so called bulky mainframe computers.

But the real problem, says Ferguson, is smaller merchants who store consumer data but simply haven't paid the money to set up decent security systems. A recent study revealed that nine out of ten merchants implement "do-it-yourself" security, meaning they try to secure their private data on their own. While persuading merchants to hire outside security consultants is in Ferguson's interest, there is no arguing the prevalence of leaked data. Numerous computer security mailing lists have been abuzz recently with descriptions of how easy it is to use the Google search engine to find large caches of credit card numbers sitting unprotected on computers attached to the Internet.

Substitute ITW/OTB for smaller merchants. Sound familiar?

Bottom line: no one said security was free or easy. In today's environment, it's manditory and if you ignore or minimize the potential harm, you deserve what happens. The big problem as consumers is we have no control of what companies do along the lines of securing our information. And we have no access to information that will tell us how seriously companies protect their processes.

DJofSD