Consumer Reports WebWatch
Cybercrime Prevention Project
Factsheet #1: Ten General Tips to Stay Safe

This is the first in a series of factsheets published by Consumer Reports WebWatch, with grant support from the New York State Attorney General’s Office.

If you have a computer at home, whether it’s a laptop or desktop, you should follow these steps. Remember, a broadband (high-speed with no phone dialing) connection to the Internet is like another door into your house. Take the same kinds of security precautions with your home computers that you take when you leave your house.

1. Activate protection. If your operating system (for instance, Microsoft Windows, either XP or Vista) has a firewall, spam blocker, or other built-in security application, make sure it's turned on. The firewall included with Windows Vista is adequate. Those for Macintosh computers are not so good, but Mac operating systems are less easily targeted. ZoneAlarm 7.0 is a free firewall for Windows XP if you have not downloaded XP service pack 2.

2. Update and renew. Set your operating system and security software to update automatically. Spam, spyware, and virus-detection programs incorporate "rules" or "definition" files that need to be current to catch the latest threats. When your software warns you to renew your service, be sure to do so, ensuring protection doesn't lapse. If you are having trouble downloading updates online, ask your operating system’s publisher to send them to you on a CD-ROM.

3. Upgrade your operating system and browser. If you're running Windows XP or earlier Windows versions, consider the more secure Windows Vista. Though the software has some problems, Vista lets you surf in a protected environment that prevents online threats from damaging your operating system and contains a two-way firewall that blocks both incoming and outgoing threats. Consider using the Firefox browser, which will notify you if you are on a troublesome site.

4. Take advantage of security features offered by Internet service providers (ISPs) and others. The EarthLink Toolbar (www.earthlink.net/software/free/toolbar), for example, incorporates a scam and popup blocker, spyware scan, and home page protection. The Netcraft antiphishing toolbar (www.toolbar.netcraft.com) warns about known phished sites. McAfee Site Advisor (www.siteadvisor.com), lets you know whether McAfee tested it and, if so, what it found, including viruses, spyware, spam, pop-ups, phishing, and consumer scams. It even overlays site reports on Web search results and automatically blocks access to sites that exploit browser weaknesses.

5. Shut off your computer. This can reduce the chance a malicious remote computer will penetrate your operating system security and access it. And you'll save energy.

6. Guard personal information. Never respond to e-mail requesting your passwords, user names, Social Security number, or other personal information, no matter how official it looks. If you're asked to call a telephone number, verify it independently.

7. Consider a Mac. Although Mac owners face the same problems with spam and phishing as Windows users, they have far less to fear from viruses and spyware. Because Apples are less prevalent than Windows-based machines, online criminals get less of a return on their investment when targeting Macs.

8. Watch what you download. The myriad of free utilities, games, and other software on the Internet can be useful, but many are laden with viruses and spyware. Try to download only from well-known manufacturers or trusted sites such as those at www.download.com , www.snapfiles.com, and www.tucows.com. If you are unsure, go to StopBadware.org.

9. Download Avast! Antivirus software for free. If you’re having difficulty using the antivirus software that came with your machine, try Alwil’s Avast!, free for home and non-commercial use at www.avast.com. If not Avast, make sure you run antivirus software and do regular scans.

10. Run two antispyware programs. Spyware is so insidious, and sometimes difficult to detect, that it warrants double protection. Set the better of the two programs to block spyware in real time. Use the other to scan whenever you suspect something might have escaped the first program. One recommendation is Spybot Search & Destroy (http://www.safer-networking.org/index2.html), which is free, but consider making a donation.

For more information, and to keep up to date on ways to keep your home computers safe from unwanted invaders, bookmark Consumer Reports WebWatch: http://www.consumerwebwatch.org