Securing Your Home Computer Securing Your Home Computer Jay Ferron ADMT, CISM, CISSP, MCDBA, MCSE, MCT, NSA-IAM

Questions How many of you have more than one computer at home? How do you connect to the Internet (DSL, cable, dialup)? Do you have children at home and if so, what ages? Have you ever been hit by a virus? What are you using to read your ?

Agenda Backups Anti-virus protection and spam Patch management (for software) Cable modem, routers and firewalls Filtering Social engineering Questions

To Backup or Not to Backup? That Shouldn’t Even Be a Question! Do you backup your computer? Do you backup your data? How often? Two Good Reasons to Backup: Protect data from hardware and software failures Protect data from hardware and software failures Protect from outside threats – viruses etc… Protect from outside threats – viruses etc…

Anti-virus Anti-virus software protects you from bad things like viruses, worms and trojans. What software are you using? (Some computers come with anti-virus software) Norton Anti-Virus Norton Anti-Virus Norton Anti-Virus Norton Anti-Virus McAfee Anti-Virus McAfee Anti-Virus McAfee Anti-Virus McAfee Anti-Virus Panda (free sometimes) Panda (free sometimes) Panda (free) (free) Computer Associates with Firewall (free) Computer Associates with Firewall (free) Computer Associates with Firewall Computer Associates with Firewall

Is Your Anti-Virus Software Configured Properly? Anti-Virus software Update your software at least once a day Update your software at least once a day Update your subscription as required Update your subscription as required Does your virus protection software: Check your ? Check your ? Both incoming and outgoing? Both incoming and outgoing?

/ Spam

You’ve got mail! Are you safe or are you a target? Let’s explore some security issues….

Do not read with an attachment Do not read with an attachment unless you know it’s coming If not sure, call and ask the sender Use an anti-virus program to check both Use an anti-virus program to check both incoming and outgoing incoming and outgoing Watch out for HTML s Watch out for HTML s Do not use auto preview pane (next slide) Do not use auto preview pane (next slide)

Spam Do not reply back – “remove me from your list” Check what software you have on your computer – is it adding you to a spammer’s list with your permission? Create an address you will use for spam

Spam Removal Software Spam Killer - McAfee Spam Killer - McAfee Mail Washer – mailwasher.net Mail Washer – mailwasher.net (free) Mail Washer – mailwasher.net Outlook 2003 AOL and other ISPs offer spam blockers as a service

What to Patch and Why Update (patch) software that has bugs in it Operating systems (Windows) Operating systems (Windows) Browsers (Internet Explorer, Netscape) Browsers (Internet Explorer, Netscape) Applications (Word, Excel, etc.) Applications (Word, Excel, etc.)

Windows Update Service WindowsUpdate Windows: Critical Security Updates, Security Rollups, Service Packs Updates Desktops and Laptops with the Automatic Update Client This works for the operating system and browser only – to update Office you must go the Office update service

Cable Modems, Routers and Firewalls Firewalls They: Protect your home from the bad guys Keep your information private Make you less of a target By: Making them work harder to get your info Stopping viruses like Blaster Hiding your computer from the world

Routers and Firewalls Change the default password on your router Wireless users should: Enable WEP on router and wireless workstation Use MAC address filtering

Firewall Protection 1.Implement a hardware firewall (checks incoming traffic at the network before it gets to your computer) Default – Blocks on Incoming 2.Personal software firewall on your computer blocks outgoing (lets you know what is leaving your computer) 3.XP firewall only protects from external traffic not from your computer Firewall Home Network Internet

Software Firewalls for Home Use McAfee Firewall McAfee Firewall Symantec’s Norton Personal Firewall Symantec’s Norton Personal Firewall Zone AlarmZone Alarm (Free) Zone Alarm Computer Associates with Firewall (free) Computer Associates with Firewall (free) Blocking Pop-up - Use the Google Toolbar (Free) Google Toolbar Google Toolbar

What is My Child Doing ? Control Where Your Child Goes Net Nanny Net Nanny Cyber Sitter Cyber Sitter Cyber Patrol Cyber Patrol

Problems With Software Programs You Install Read the license Understand what it does Understand what it does Check for spyware Check for spyware Question programs like: Imesh Imesh Gator Gator Kazza Kazza Morphis Morphis

Spyware Spyware is software that reports where you go and what you do on your computer Software to test for and remove spyware Spy Cop Spy Cop Spy Cop Spy Cop Ad-Aware – Lavasoft – (Free) Ad-Aware – Lavasoft – (Free) Ad-Aware – Lavasoft Ad-Aware – Lavasoft

Weak Passwords Your computer password is the foundation of your computer security No Password = No Security No Password = No Security Old Passwords & Same Password = Little Security

Social Engineering Does not require technical knowledge Easier and faster Human nature is to help Don’t forget phone calls SPYWARE

Things to Remember About Social Engineering Do not give out information over the phone Never give your password to anyone The ‘good guys’ have their own password with system privileges that will allow them to work on your account

Sample Below is a sample of a fraudulent e- mail that's been sent to Citibank customers. It purports to be from Citibank, but it is not. Its intent is to get you to enter sensitive information about your account and to then use this information to commit fraud.

Think about the cost of: BackupAnti-virusRouter/Firewall Blocking/tracking programs like Net Nanny Versus The cost of doing nothing!

4 Things To Do Get a Hardware and Software Firewall Get Anti-Virus Software – Update Daily Patch ALL Your Software Think Before You Open

Questions