Computer Security Salem, Mass and Marblehead, Mass 

Secure Your Computer in Salem, MA Marblehead, MA Swampscott, MA Beverly, MA and Mass North Shore Ares. 

Morse Computer Repair and Services in Salem, MA and Marblehead, MA can keep your computer safe or rid your computer of viruses, Trojans, spy ware and ad ware. IS YOUR INFORMATION SAFE FROM INTRUDERS? Chances are the answer to this is "NO" unless you have taken at least a couple of measures. What should you do? Some questions we can't answer for you unless we know exactly how your computer is being used. If you are just using your computer to surf the web and send and receive e-mail then our recommendation would be to only follow a few simple rules I will describe later. After all, it is a fair amount of work to "hack" into someone's computer and there needs to be a payoff for someone to want to. On the other hand if you keep bank account and credit card numbers or other sensitive information on your computer the incentive goes up. Obviously, for most businesses, it is always a good idea to have a greater degree of protection that is in line with how valuable your data is.

VIRUSES, TROJANS, SPYWARE AND ADWARE
There is an awful lot of talk today about Viruses, Trojans, Spy Ware and Ad Ware. Most of the Spy Ware and Ad Ware are created by unscrupulous companies trying to sell us all something. There is a very small amount of Spy Ware that is used by criminals and even the government to see exactly what you are doing and what information is on your computer. Some viruses can be sent maliciously for a multitude of reasons and can cause sever damage. In the majority of cases all of the above has to be "invited" into your system. If you follow a few simple rules you will be spared from 99% of these little devils.

1) Use a quality anti-virus program and keep it up to date. Spending more money does not mean it is better. There are several quality programs for less money and some anti-virus companies even offer free trials.

2) Never open any e-mail attachment from an un-trusted source or if you don't know what the attachment is. Even a friend can send you something unknowingly. Photos and movies are generally safe. If you are not sure what it is "Don't Open it". NEVER open a file that has an .EXE extension or a .PHP extension unless you are VERY sure what it is.

3) Never open "trail" software from an un-trusted Web site. Many Web sites offer free games and software or say something like "Click here to try..... ". Don't do it! The chances are very good these programs will also contain Ad Ware, Spy Ware or even a virus. The newest scam we encountered is an Anti virus company that offers a free on-line scan to check your computer for viruses. The program actually contains a rather nasty registry virus that so far can only be removed by buying their software!  Not all "free" software is unsafe but you have to use a trusted source. Please see my software page for more information.

For overall system security it is a good idea to always:

1) Use a firewall. This can mean a few different things and each offers a slightly different level of protection. You can have a hardware firewall- such as those contained in home DSL / Cable Modem routers, a 3rd-party software firewall applications, or on some versions of Windows you can implement a firewall within the operating system.

2) Use tough passwords. Using your last name or the name of your dog as your password and never changing it poses a security risk. First of all, many pieces of information about you can be learned by diligent hackers. Items such as your name, the names of your children and other personal information should not be used. To be strong, it is best if your password contains letters, numbers and special characters (such as “*” or “%”) and does not contain an actual word. You should also change your password frequently- at least every 30 days.

3) Rename “Administrator”. Because the Administrator account is created by default it gives a hacker 50% of the information they need to access your computer. All they have to do then is crack the password. To make things more difficult, it is good practice to rename the Administrator account. You can call it anything you like.

4) Create a Guest password. The Guest account is also installed by default and it is installed with a blank password. Generally, the account is disabled and does not pose a threat. However, some hackers and hacker utilities can enable the Guest account. With a blank password they can then get in to do more damage. It is wise to assign a password to the Guest account, but leave the Guest account disabled.

Big corporations spend Millions of dollars every year on computer security and there are literally hundreds of books written on the subject. If you require high levels of security protection please contact us.

One more security note for our customers. Not all information is stolen by Trojans and Spy Ware. Believe it or not people are more often than not "tricked" into giving information away. These are several rules that we would suggest to protect yourself.

1) NEVER give out secure information such as passwords, user names
or account numbers if you are ASKED for them on line. It is very easy for criminals to make a web site look like it is official when in fact it is a scam. If there is a problem with an on-line account contact the company by phone.

2) Never give out credit card numbers, checking account numbers or
other personal data unless it is on a "secure and encrypted" site. I only trust large companies with good reputations with this data. To do business with smaller companies always use a service such as Pay Pal or Shop Safe.

3) Use your head. If something sounds too good to be true then most likely it is. Most people can be tricked by the promise of something for nothing. Don't fall for it.

If you have any questions or a special application you would like to discuss please contact us by phone or e-mail.

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