There are some simple habits you can adopt that, if performed consistently, may dramatically reduce the chances that the information on your computer will be lost or corrupted.

How can you minimize the access other people have to your information?
You may be able to easily identify people who could, legitimately or not, gain physical access to your computer—family members, roommates, co-workers, members of a cleaning crew, and maybe others. Identifying the people who could gain remote access to your computer becomes much more difficult. As long as you have a computer and connect it to a network, you are vulnerable to someone or something else accessing or corrupting your information; however, you can develop habits that make it more difficult.

• Lock your computer when you are away from it. Even if you only step away from your computer for a few minutes, it’s enough time for someone else to destroy or corrupt your information. Locking your computer prevents another person from being able to simply sit down at your computer and access all of your information.
• Disconnect your computer from the Internet when you aren’t using it. The development of technologies such as DSL and cable modems have made it possible for users to be online all the time, but this convenience comes with risks. The likelihood that attackers or viruses scanning the network for available computers will target your computer becomes much higher if your computer is always connected. Depending on what method you use to connect to the Internet, disconnecting may mean ending a dial-up connection, turning off your computer or modem, or disconnecting cables.
• Evaluate your security settings. Most software, including browsers and email programs, offers a variety of features that you can tailor to meet your needs and requirements. Enabling certain features to increase convenience or functionality may leave you more vulnerable to being attacked. It is important to examine the settings, particularly the security settings, and select options that meet your needs without putting you at increased risk. If you install a patch or a new version of the software, or if you hear of something that might affect your settings, reevaluate your settings to make sure they are still appropriate (see Understanding Patches, Safeguarding Your Data, and Evaluating Your Web Browser’s Security Settings for more information).

What other steps can you take?
Sometimes the threats to your information aren’t from other people but from natural or technological causes. Although there is no way to control or prevent these problems, you can prepare for them and try to minimize the damage.

• Protect your computer against power surges. Aside from providing outlets to plug in your computer and all of its peripherals, some power strips protect your computer against power surges. Many power strips now advertise compensation if they do not effectively protect your computer. During a lightning storm or construction work that increases the odds of power surges, consider shutting your computer down and unplugging it from all power sources. Power strips alone will not protect you from power outages, but there are products that do offer an uninterruptible power supply when there are power surges or outages.
• Back up all of your data. Whether or not you take steps to protect yourself, there will always be a possibility that something will happen to destroy your data. You have probably already experienced this at least once— losing one or more files due to an accident, a virus or worm, a natural event, or a problem with your equipment. Regularly backing up your data on a CD or network reduces the stress and other negative consequences that result from losing important information (see Real-World Warnings Keep You Safe Online for more information). Determining how often to back up your data is a personal decision. If you are constantly adding or changing data, you may find weekly backups to be the best alternative; if your content rarely changes, you may decide that your backups do not need to be as frequent. You don’t need to back up software that you own on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM—you can reinstall the software from the original media if necessary.

In recent years, wireless networking has become more available, affordable, and easy to use. Home users are adopting wireless technology in great numbers. On-the-go laptop users often find free wireless connections in places like coffee shops and airports.

If you’re using wireless technology, or considering making the move to wireless, you should know about the security threats you may encounter. This paper highlights those threats, and explains what you need to know to use wireless safely, both in the home and in public. You will find definitions of underlined terms in the glossary at the end of this paper.

Home Wireless Threats
By now, you should be aware of the need to secure traditional, wired internet connections. If you’re planning to move to a wireless connection in your home, take a moment to consider what you’re doing: You’re connecting a device to your DSL or cable modem that broadcasts your internet connection through the air over a radio signal to your computers. If traditional wired connections are prey to security problems, think of the security problems that arise when you open your internet connection to the airwaves. The following sections describe some of the threats to home wireless networks.

Piggybacking
If you fail to secure your wireless network, anyone with a wireless-enabled computer within range of your wireless access point can hop a free ride on the internet over your wireless connection. The typical indoor broadcast range of an access point is 150 – 300 feet. Outdoors, this range may extend as far as 1,000 feet. So, if your neighborhood is closely settled, or if you live in an apartment or condominium, failure to secure your wireless network could potentially open your internet connection to a surprising number of users. Doing so invites a number of problems:

• Service violations : You may exceed the number of connections permitted by your internet service provider.
• Bandwidth shortages : Users piggybacking on your internet connection might use up your bandwidth and slow your connection.
• Abuse by malicious users : Users piggybacking on your internet connection might engage in illegal activity that will be traced to you.
• Monitoring of your activity : Malicious users may be able to monitor your internet activity and steal passwords and other sensitive information.
• Direct attack on your computer: Malicious users may be able to access files on your computer, install spyware and other malicious programs, or take control of your computer.

Protecting Home Wireless
While the security problems associated with wireless networking are serious, there are steps you can take to protect yourself. The following sections describe these steps.

Make Your Wireless Network Invisible
Wireless access points can announce their presence to wireless-enabled computers. This is referred to as “identifier broadcasting.” In certain situations, identifier broadcasting is  desirable. For instance, an internet cafe would want its customers to easily find its access point,  so it would leave identifier broadcasting enabled.

Rename Your Wireless Network
Many wireless access point devices come with a default name. This name is referred to as the “service set identifier” (SSIS) or “extended service set identifier” (ESSID). The default names used by various  manufacturers are widely known and can be used to gain unauthorized access to your network. When you rename your network, you should choose a name that won’t be easily guessed by others.

Encrypt Your Network Traffic
Your wireless access point device should allow you to encrypt traffic passing between the device and your computers. By encrypting wireless traffic, you are converting it to a code that can only be understood by computers with the correct key to that code.

Change Your Administrator Password
Your wireless access point device likely shipped with a default password. Default passwords for various manufacturers are widely known and can be used to gain unauthorized access to your network. Be sure to change your administrator password to one that is long, contains nonalphanumeric characters (such as #, $, and &), and does not contain personal information (such as your birth date). If your wireless access point does not have a default password, be sure to create one and use it to protect your device.

Use File Sharing with Caution
If you don’t need to share directories and files over your network, you should disable file sharing on your computers. You may want to consider creating a dedicated directory for file sharing, and move or copy files to that directory for sharing. In addition, you should password protect anything you share, and use a password that is long, contains non-alphanumeric characters (such as #, $, and &), and does not contain personal information (such as your birth date). Never open an entire hard drive for file sharing.

Keep Your Access Point Software Patched and Up to Date
From time to time, the manufacturer of your wireless access point will release updates to the device software or patches to repair bugs. Be sure to check the manufacturer’s web site regularly for any updates or patches for your device’s software.

Check Your Internet Provider’s Wireless Security Options
Your internet service provider may provide information about securing your home wireless network. Check the customer support area of your provider’s web site or contact your provider’s customer support group.

Shopping on the Internet can be economical, convenient, and no less safe than shopping in a store or by mail. To help keep your online shopping experience a safe one:

1. Know who you’re dealing with. Confirm the online seller’s physical address and phone number in case you have questions or problems.
2. Know exactly what you’re buying. Read the seller’s description of the product closely, especially the fine print.
3. Know what it will cost. Factor shipping and handling — along with your needs and budget — into the total cost of the order.
4. Pay by credit or charge card, for maximum consumer protections.
5. Check out the terms of the deal, like refund policies and delivery dates.
6. Print and save records of your online transactions.

Shopping online offers lots of benefits that you won’t find shopping in a store or by mail. The Internet is always open — seven days a week, 24 hours a day — and bargains can be numerous online. With a click of a mouse, you can buy an airline ticket, book a hotel, send flowers to a friend, or purchase your favorite fashions. But sizing up your finds on the Internet is a little different from checking out items at the mall.

If you’re buying items from an online retailer or auction website, OnGuard Online offers this advice to help you make the most of your shopping experience:

1. Know who you’re dealing with. Anyone can set up shop online under almost any name. Confirm the online seller’s physical address and phone number in case you have questions or problems. If you get an email or pop-up message while you’re browsing that asks for financial information, don’t reply or click on the link in the message. Legitimate companies don’t ask for this information via email.
2. Know exactly what you’re buying. Read the seller’s description of the product closely, especially the fine print. Words like “refurbished,” “vintage,” or “close-out” may indicate that the product is in less-than-mint condition, while name-brand items with “too good to be true” prices could be counterfeits.
3. Know what it will cost. Check out websites that offer price comparisons and then, compare “apples to apples.” Factor shipping and handling — along with your needs and budget — into the total cost of the order. Do not send cash under any circumstances.
4. Pay by credit or charge card. If you pay by credit or charge card online, your transaction will be protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act. Under this law, you have the right to dispute charges under certain circumstances and temporarily withhold payment while the creditor is investigating them. In the event of unauthorized use of your credit or charge card, you generally would be held liable only for the first $50 in charges. Some companies offer an online shopping guarantee that ensures you will not be held responsible for any unauthorized charges made online, and some cards may provide additional warranty, return, and/or purchase protection benefits.
5. Check out the terms of the deal, like refund policies and delivery dates. Can you return the item for a full refund if you’re not satisfied? If you return it, find out who pays the shipping costs or restocking fees, and when you will receive your order. A Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rule requires sellers to ship items as promised or within 30 days after the order date if no specific date is promised.
6. Keep a paper trail. Print and save records of your online transactions, including the product description and price, the online receipt, and copies of every email you send or receive from the seller. Read your credit card statements as you receive them and be on the lookout for unauthorized charges.
7. Don’t email your financial information. Email is not a secure method of transmitting financial information like your credit card, checking account, or Social Security number. If you initiate a transaction and want to provide your financial information through an organization’s website, look for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser’s status bar or a URL for a website that begins “https:” (the “s” stands for “secure”). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some fraudulent sites have forged security icons.
8. Check the privacy policy. It should let you know what personal information the website operators are collecting, why, and how they’re going to use the information. If you can’t find a privacy policy — or if you can’t understand it, consider taking your business to another site that’s more consumer-friendly.