When you begin to think about using your computer for more than just research, it’s time to think about security issues and putting protections in place to keep your computer and the information it contains safe from malicious beasts.

There are a few types of security that you’ll want to keep in mind as you get started developing your online presence.

Threats can come in many forms including:

Hackers – Individuals who generally gain access and exploit computer systems and networks without their owners’ knowledge or consent

Phishers – attempt to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic

Spammers – abuse electronic messaging systems to indiscriminately send unsolicited bulk message.

Of the three hackers and phishers are more dangerous, and spammers are most annoying as they so obviously drown your mailbox in unsolicited marketing messages.

To prevent damage from hackers, you will want to start with a good firewall, spyware and virus protection. Fortunately, most Internet Service Providers include this software with their connection packages. Of course, it can only protect you if you have it set up properly. Make sure you’ve set virus and spyware scans to a minimum of once per day.

To prevent damage from phishers, never click on links within an email. I know it’s a pain in the butt, but you will potentially save yourself a lot of agony by typing addresses directly into your browser (or using bookmarks in your browser). The reason for this precaution lies in the way phishing works.

You’ll get a very official looking email from a well-known entity like e-Bay or even your bank claiming that they are updating their records or even that your account has been flagged. You’ll be asked to click the link in the email to rectify the situation. The links in the email will look very official (though if you hover a mouse over these links you’ll often see a link that doesn’t match the visible link). If you should click on the email, the site you are sent to may look very official and legitimate. However, if you type your personal information into the form on the page a phishing email sent you to, the scammers will have access to your information and may use it to perpetrate a fraud or even steal your identity.

Isn’t it worth a little extra effort to cut and paste to avoid that?

As for that persistent annoyance that is spam, well there’s unfortunately no way to avoid it completely. Though there are ways to limit your exposure to it, spammers are always finding new ways to collect addresses and wiggle their way into your mailbox.

First, never post your email address publicly online. You might think this is impossible if you are developing a website, but there are actual coding techniques that can be used to protect your address from spammers while still letting legitimate inquiries get through. Be sure to use these protections and insist your web developer use them.

Second, always use a throwaway address for newsletter and marketing signups. These are easy to acquire through free services like Yahoo, Google and Hotmail. You don’t want to use these addresses for your official business, because they don’t appear professional. However, using these for signing up for different offers online means you can abandon the address if the spammers manage to get a hold of it.

Third, learn how to use your email program to file spam into a junk folder. While this doesn’t do anything to eliminate spam, it does help to avoid having to read it.

Fourth, turn off your preview pane in your email reader, turn off images and only enable them for emails from those you know and are expecting and never open an email that doesn’t have a legitimate looking return address and subject line. Spammers often add an image to the emails they send that will alert them of a live address if it is opened. By not opening emails and turning off images (just in case you accidentally open a questionable email), they will not know the address is valid.

Fifth, only use the unsubscribe option on emails that you know you signed up for. There comes a time when you may want to unsubscribe from a list (like the newsletter here) and it’s easy to unsubscribe using the links provided by legitimate businesses or organizations. However, if you receive an email that you aren’t sure you signed up for, don’t use the link enclosed, simply move it to junk or block the address it came from.

To book a session on the aspects of security you need to consider before taking your business online. Call 268-0412.