The 5 Best Ways to Properly Secure Your Computer

Computer security is a constantly evolving and highly multifaceted game of keeping one step ahead of all possible threats through contingency planning. If you can manage to do this effectively, then you will never have to worry too much about protecting your physical computer or, more importantly, the information that it contains.

Follow the following tips and you'll be far ahead of most people when it comes to effective computer and data protection.

1. Don't Leave Your Machine in the Hands of Strangers

This is probably the single most basic and essential piece of computer security advice, and one that many people completely forget to take advantage of. No matter how well secured through more complex mechanisms your laptop, PC or any other device is, if you freely let somebody you can't completely trust use it unsupervised, you've compromised the machine and invited all sorts of potential intrusions into the computer itself.

Untrustworthy but computer savvy people who are given access to a computer while nobody’s looking can quickly and easily download or install all sorts of malicious programs, ranging from keystroke loggers that send these people reports on everything you've typed on a daily basis (passwords, for example) to spyware and viruses. Bottom line: restrict how you let others use your computer and keep a careful eye on those that are allowed to do so.

2. Install Trusted Antivirus and Anti-Spyware Software

Again, we're still dealing with a fairly basic security procedure that's also crucial to robust computer security. By installing well trusted antivirus software and programs that sniff out spyware and malware, you'll be able to cover, track and destroy the vast majority of malicious programs and protocols that try to weasel their way into your machine through numerous different access points.

AVG Antivirus (free or premium version) and Spybot Search and Destroy are excellent choices for both kinds of security applications respectively.

3. Set Up a Login Barrier and Protect it Well

A machine that has no login prompt protection is like a diary that's been left out in the open; anybody who wants to peek at your private information only needs to open it in order to see. Avoid this simple mistake by at least taking a few minutes to set up login protection through your operating system's internal security options.

If you want an even more powerful (way, way more powerful) layer of login access security, then encrypt your entire hard drive with programs like BitLocker and TrueCrypt so that any time you leave your computer unused or turned off, a long password is needed to decrypt and access its internal information. While OS based login security can easily be bypassed, an encryption based login barrier is basically impenetrable unless someone knows the password to open it up.

4. Encrypt Your Valuable Data

We've just mentioned doing this exact same thing in the above tip on login protection, but it's so important that it deserves its own unique mention. Using free open source programs like TrueCrypt and BitLocker, you can either encrypt your entire hard drive so that it stays untouchable and unreadable unless you type in your decryption key (a specialized long password) or you can set up an internal encrypted file where your most sensitive information is placed and encrypted while leaving the rest of your less important data open to viewing.

The first option is the more secure of the two but both are nearly foolproof methods of keeping your information secure from prying eyes in the event of computer theft or hacking.

We mentioned using open source encryption programs above and this wasn't without a good reason; by using an open source encryption system over a proprietary business designed solution, you're guaranteed to be protected by software whose source code has been thoroughly opened for inspection by any digital security expert who wants to know how secure it really is.

5. Back Up Your Data Regularly

Computer security can only go so far at protection your machine from theft, damage or destructive intrusion. Beyond the margins of security that defensive tactics give, you're still left with a constant possibility of losing your machine or its internal data anyhow. To counteract this thoroughly and minimize the cost of data loss from a machine you weren't able to protect at some point, simply make sure that you back up everything you have on your computer to a remote storage medium.

This could be an automated cloud based synch and backup system or a physical external drive to which you save your data through easily available synching software like Fbackup or Synchback. Either way, by regularly scheduling data backups, at least your valuable personal files will still be safely in your hands even if the worst possible thing happens to your actual computer.

About the author: John Dayton has written for the tech industry for over 15 years and has gained a wealth of knowledge over that time. John also covers LWG's forensic engineers and other computer recovery and security services in his free time.

How to Check The Discount Coupons On The Website

The shopping styles have changed now and everyone has inclined more towards online shopping rather than going outside. It has increased the confidence for online transactions and it has given rise to share your credit card details over the net that provide convenience for delivering products door to door. Many people use their credit cards very wisely but there are other people who are not aware of the coupon codes and vouchers that online shops provide you to encourage online sales.

The coupon code box is shown over the website when you go to check for buying something. Definitely, if you are not a technical person then you will definitely face a problem while clicking on to the box or it may happen when you will not find the button to enter that box. These codes are simple codes which add value to your money by saving some bucks. These coupons are like money vouchers which you obtain in the supermarket. The amounts mentioned on the codes would be different varying upon the types of discounts and the savings are substantial which can be made easily. The coupon codes savings are often applicable to the buying that we make online. The high streets online shops may not alleviate with the discounts that you could end up paying more than necessary.

Therefore, whenever you decide to buy something online then you must keep some things in mind like you need to do some little research whether the shop is offering the coupon codes or not and it must be accessible to your at the easiest level. The online stores which offer you special discounts and offers are specially placed inside the web. The particular coupons are sometimes are placed somewhere else and when you click on the coupon codes it goes somewhere else. You can search in the search engine to search for these terms e.g. you want to buy something then you can search with "Adidas clothes discount voucher". The search term will definitely bring you with the product along with the discount coupon. Now, check the coupon whether the date limit is over or you are able to make use of that coupon. There are some websites which may show the old coupon vouchers which could be very much frustrating.

Up to date discount coupons are also displayed at times. Therefore, when you find such website then it is better to bookmark the website. The bookmarked sites can be checked later once you are free to buy things online. It is worth making purchase and it make you pay for little. A 10
% of discount voucher can help you somewhere and you will be able to save 10 pounds of you buck s at least. When you find even 10%, 20% discount coupons, in the end you will get to know that you will make a big list of savings when you take care of all the premises. It is said that you take care of the premises, they will take care of the pounds themselves.

Author Bio: Anna is a person with a passion for writing. She has written many articles on various topics as Kupongkode, for more information you can check her other blogs.

By Anna Cleanthous

Relevance of Web Security as Web Based Attacks Proliferate

BY: Nitin Vaghela

The issue of Web Security is a prominent one in the task list of IT department. Web has emerged as the main source for criminals to leverage it for attacks on networks. Criminals push malware, spam spyware, carry out phishing, pharming, intrusions, and more through malicious web sites, web based applications and emails in order to steal data and gain unauthorized access.

Also, today the threats are increasingly complex, designed to appear low in profile and mutate easily to avoid detection and are the handiwork of extremely organized professional cyber criminal groups. This makes web security an important element in any IT security strategy in organizations. According to Web Security analysts, web based attacks are the biggest of all risks that affect the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of information assets on the networks of a business.

How Web based Attackers Compromise Security
The modus operandi of criminals involves altering the backend database in order to retrieve confidential information from the networks, substitute information of the user to gain entry into the networks acting as the authentic user, redirecting user requests from a legitimate site to an illegitimate site and controlling a Web user session to masquerade as the authorized user. All these attack methodologies allow attackers to do anything the user is authorized to do on the network -a dangerous trend indeed that blows away security in a single stroke.

Cyberoam Comprehensive Web security against Web based Threats
Cyberoam offers a comprehensive security cover against web-based threats, including the entry of malware, phishing, pharming, intrusions and unauthorized data uploads. Cyberoam's Check Mark Level 5 certified security features deliver comprehensive network and data security while offering web protection, maintaining employee productivity, meeting regulatory compliance and preventing data leakage.

How Cyberoam Provides granular and Comprehensive Web Security

• Cyberoam provides Wide Security Cover from Web Threats. Its Gateway Anti-Virus Anti-Spyware scan the web, Instant Messaging, HTTPS and FTP traffic, delivering web security against emerging malware. Similarly Cyberoam IPS detects, blocks or drops intrusion attempts by detecting anomalous traffic. The Web Filtering feature detects and blocks third-party proxy and tunneling software, Google cache pages, embedded URLs and 'safe search' over search engines to prevent harmful websites from appearing in search results.
• Cyberoam offers Data Leakage Prevention - Cyberoam Web Filtering blocks file uploads over HTTP, HTTPS and FTP while Instant Messaging and Application Visibility Control block file transfers over IM and P2P applications, ensuring data leakage prevention and meeting HIPAA, CIPA, PCI DSS and other compliance requirements.
• Unique Layer 8 Identity-based Controls in Cyberoam enable application of Cyberoam Web Filtering's Internet access policies based on user, group, work function, web category and duration or time of the day, delivering high flexibility and web security and content security. Coupled with Bandwidth Management, it ensures bandwidth availability and data transfer limit based on duration and schedule of access for specific web categories.
• Layer 8 Identity-based Reporting adds teeth to Cyberoam's web security offering with its on-appliance reporting giving complete visibility into user and system activities, enabling organizations to prevent illegal downloads, unproductive surfing, high bandwidth- consuming downloads and network attacks further putting a lid on web based attacks. Based on the Layer 8 Identity-based visibility, organizations can take instant and preventive action to meet compliance requirements and enhance web content security and productivity.

Image Credit: Jaymis