It’s cool of storing a lot of music, movie, photo, working paper, and some secret inside our computer. However, we will feel shock when we suddenly notice our personal things being uploaded in some website, or lost of data inside the computer. How it actually happened???
How data lost?
When a normal people like us having our first computer, first of all, we will think of applying for internet connection. This makes the opening, and our human’s action continues the tragedy. When opening internet browser, we will go search for something that we want. However, if you ever typed in “word unscrambler, lyrics, myspace, free music downloads, phelps, game cheats, printable fill-in puzzles, free ringtones and solitaire”, any of these term will probably carried the chance for your computer to get hit by “malware”, that might steal away your computer data.
Impact of data lost
Lost of data might cause losses either in physical or reputation. If our financial data being stolen, it is possible that our money will be just used by anonymous for their own transaction. For businessman, every customer data that had lost might cause an uncountable loss in business.
If personal data get stolen, it is just like the incident happened in November 2006. A Hong Kong male artist, Edison Koon-Hei Chen was involved in sex photo scandal of his with 6 others females. Although this incident brings him the hottest search result in Google search engine for year 2008, however, his reputation had already become a bad one.
Common methods to safeguard personal and financial data
The most common ways to safeguard our data are through encryption, password or PIN. With a password, we can protect from letting others access our computer and account. A further protection is installing antivirus to prohibit viruses attacking. To protect home network from offensive website and hacker, it is recommended that enable the Window Firewall.
The latest technology to protect data is through biometric, which will recognize owner’s fingerprint, optical, facial structure, voice, signature, or keystroke. Everyone in this world had his own unique physiological and behavioral characteristic, therefore, using biometric for identify and verify purpose can be a higher secure than password and PIN.
Other methods to safeguard personal and financial data
We always said that, there’s better prevent than cure. For me, I more prefer take precaution rather than take action. For a normal user for you and me, here, I’m willing to share the way I safeguard my data.
First time when sign in to MSN messenger, it warns that “Never give out your password or credit card number in an instant message conversation”. We should follow this instruction, because it was trying to protect us from financial aspect. If you using a shared computer, it is recommend that do not save your message as MSN history, so that other won’t know what you had chatted about.
In a MSN conversation, sometimes, your friend might send some file for you. For your benefit, it is recommend that you should ask your friend what is that file. A small tip for you, if you able to close the chat window when there’s a file in pending status, that file usually not a file from your friend, but a virus link. Sometimes, when your friend sends you a link (e.g.: http://SweetStufff.com :D, click here www.mebeholdgo.in), NEVER CLICK THAT! Unless you’d get the confirmation from your friend to do so.
P.S: DO NOT CLICK on that 2 links, any damages or losses is not liable.
It’s enjoying when you can access Wi-Fi in hotspot. However, when connected to these shared connection, you should bear in mind that you might get the chance to let other access to your network and personal information. So, it’s better for you not to online in the hotspot.
(Refer to http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/business.travel/05/28/computer.security/)
When surfing website, we should aware of any pop-up advertisement. Any careless action will just cause the tragedy, think before you do. For credit card user, you are advised that make a routine review on the transaction made, so that can discover any unusual transaction at once.
Remember to set a schedule for your antivirus to update its database to the latest version. Although there is some free antivirus in open-source, it is recommended that spend some money to purchase original version antivirus. You will shock of the scan result after scanning it.
Too much I can write for it, however, too little I can think out right now. So, if there is any problem, you are most welcome to leave your comment here. I’ll reply whenever I read it…
Extra Informations:
1) US is started to concern on this issue, further information can refer to:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/29/cyber.czar.obama/index.html#cnnSTCText
Video
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/29/cyber.czar.obama/index.html#cnnSTCVideo
2) How to Safeguard Your Personal Data – Before, During and After a Breach
http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/How-to-Safeguard-Your-Personal-Data-Before-During-and-After-a-Breach/
3) Digital Shredder Premium (Easily, Securely & Permanently Erase Confidential Data)
http://www.dtransfer.com/products/data-deletion/digital-shredder-premium/
4) Safeguarding Your Data
http://www.msisac.org/awareness/news/2007-03.cfm
Posted by
Tan Cheng Ling
2 comments:
interesting, i'll try it ur way then
There are still a lot of method to prevent our computer from infected. If we know that's a high probability to get infected from certain PCs, then we better try not to use it, or scan it once plug in.
You can stop your pendrive autoplay itself. This might help in preventing the "autorun.exe" being "installed" to your PCs.
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