Hack Me Not!

Hacking and hackers and their techniques have been portrayed in the movies for years. The feats of hacking shown in these movies bear little resemblance to real life. However, the everyday dangers of hacking, viruses, Trojans and numerous other methods out there to steal your data are real. While nobody is going to walk into a coffee shop and log into a public computer and hack the world, the person sitting in the corner on their laptop could be stealing everyone else's data logged into the wireless network.

Hacking is a "game" between the good guys and the bad guys. For every hack there is a anti hack. For every piece of bad software there is a good piece of software meant to prevent the hack. The time between a new hack being discovered or created and the time it takes to close the flaw and get everyone to use the fix is what is important. New viruses and Trojans come out every day and every day the software company's work to close these loops. Hackers are looking for a way to get into computers of other people. If it is by using the latest piece of hacking software or by using deception to an unsuspecting user they try to find a back door into your data. You might think, "I don't have anything on my computer that's worth it". Even if you don't store personal information on your computer your computer itself has value to a hacker. Having a place to drop illegal content and store it without your knowledge is a great thing to some hackers. Using your computer as their proxy server lets them use stolen credit cards to buy things using your IP address!

Because this is a game of give and take as previously discussed there is no magic bullet to prevent hackers and there never will be. No matter how much money or resources you spend in designing the perfect system, someone will find the way to crack it. Hackers have cracked Government agencies, the big banks and major retailers. If they want you they will find a way to get you.

Fortunately, most people are not the target of such intense scrutiny. Keeping abreast of the latest patches for your computer and buying and implementing the latest security software will keep you safe from all but the most determined attacks.

What can you do to keep yourself safe from everyday dangers lurking in email, on web sites. We provide some essential points below.

Your Network:

One of the greatest dangers to you when on line is at the local coffee shop, hotel or airport. These wireless networks are insecure and anyone on them has access to everyone else's data. it is essential to use a Personal VPN when using any kind of public Wi-Fi network. The Personal VPN encrypts all your data making it invisible to the local network. Your VPN privacy is assured and you can rest assured no hacker will get your data while you're having a cappuccino.

Your OS:

Make sure your operating system is constantly updated. The software manufacturers put out patches to fix holes and faults in their systems all the time. These patches will prevent you from being attacked by various newly discovered means. Most operating systems and software today have an auto update feature. Turning it on is the simplest thing you can do to improve your security.

Firewalls:

Your computer needs to be firewalled to prevent hackers from entering it through your internet connection. At the very least you should implement the firewall that ships with your operating system. This will be adequate for most people. Several companies firewall products that are very strong and secure.

Anti virus and Anti Spy:

Both email and web pages are used as ways to deliver malicious software to your computer. Having high quality anti virus and anti spyware on your computer is essential. These programs are free or inexpensive and worth their weight in gold.

* More information on free proxy service.