If you own a computer, which you probably do, you know how important it is that your computer functions to the best of its ability every day. In fact, more and more people are banking on their computer, shopping online, and sharing sensitive information. And just like humans, computers get sick. The difference lies in how we care for them. The majority of working people also have health insurance in order to cover themselves and secure their financial well-being should anything happen to them. Given the importance of physical and financial stability, this makes perfect sense. So why doesn't it make sense to many people that they should secure the well-being of their computer (and particularly the information stored within it) with a comparable level of care? That being said, here's a look at the top 5 security mistakes people and companies make when it comes to insuring their network's security.
1. Impatience - I'm not necessarily ranking this mistake as number one because it's the most important, but rather for those of us who have ADD/ADHD/I-have-somewhere-more-important-to-be. These people happen to be the same people that make this common mistake. Most Computers are not made to be taken straight out of the box and immediately connected to the internet. Spyware scanners, virus protection and many other types of protective software needs to be installed first. So take a deep breath and take the time to protect your computer before you take it for its first spin. You'll thank yourself later.
2. Ineffective Passwords - Passwords were created for a reason. And come on, with all of the evil geniuses out there, do you really think that setting your password to a cop-out code such as "admin," "password," or even [insert your company's name here] will protect you from your 12-year-old trying to do some online shopping, let alone those experienced hackers trying to decimate your credit with a few keystrokes? No, me either. So make good use of your password by including both upper-case and lower-case letters, numbers and characters, and changing it once in a while for good measure.
3. Not creating backups - Easy enough mistake to make. Why? Because it requires that you do exactly NOTHING. No one likes extra steps these days, but a backup is a step you'll never regret, even if it only ever earns you peace of mind. Create backups as often as possible, and instead of writing over previous backups, keep those and create new ones... they might just come in handy some day.
4. Being too trusting - Yes, when a pop-up tells you there's a threat to your computer, of course you want to click it and diagnose the problem. But don't. These pop-ups are often the cause of the problem. Instead, run all tests within your security software; if there's a problem, the programs will find it. If not, rest easy-you're in the clear for now.
5. Not encrypting data - If you deal with a lot of credit card and/or banking data, it is very dangerous to be holding on to unencrypted data. In fact, it is the same as posting it on a billboard for all to see and use. So take this very important extra step. If you're unfamiliar with this technology, consult an IT specialist, or even better, a geeky friend (that's what they're there for, right?).
So the moral of the story is to leave any lazy tendencies behind when it comes to protecting your computer, especially when there is sensitive data stored on it. Just as the bank takes extra measures to protect goods placed in safe deposit boxes, you must do the same for the information on your computer. Because when disaster strikes, there's no better feeling than knowing the important things are safe and sound.
Ryan Smith, Director of Product Development, Avanquest Software, a global developer and leading publisher in more than 100 countries, providing consumers and businesses with award-winning software for Windows utilities, office productivity, mobility and multimedia.
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