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System Security and Backup
Next, we need to install security programs. This is crucial for Windows
machines, optional for Apple.
You probably live in a safe neighborhood. You don't worry about going out to get
the mail. But when you venture onto the Web, your neighborhood is very bad.
There are crooks and wannabes everywhere. How about the creep next door? The
well-educated criminals in Russia? And, of course, millions of zombies.
No, they don't want to kill you. They don't want to break your bones. They're
after your money, your credit card numbers, your identity. And they know far
more than you. The Internet is their home.
It's enough to make you long for your old typewriter. But you know you can't go
back to that. So, let's get that computer set up. Do it thoroughly, and you'll
have no problems.
I have tons of information in my
Security Center. So I'll run through the procedure
briefly here. Let's do Windows 7 first, since it is most vulnerable.
Before surfing or checking e-mail, update Windows. Critical security updates are
issued monthly. Your Windows installation will include some updates, but not
all. These updates are absolutely essential. Without them, your computer will
certainly be attacked.
To download them, click Start>>Control Panel>>Windows Update. Install all
critical updates. Once that is done, install security programs from my Security Center.
You need an antivirus program, multiple antispyware programs and a firewall. The
Windows firewall is difficult to set up properly. It can be done with a free
program--Windows 7 Firewall Control. Or, you can just install
a third-party firewall. That is my preference. I use ZoneAlarm. Firewalls are
available at my Security Center.
Your computer may have antivirus software on it. That installation is free. But
the software must be updated regularly. Updates require a paid subscription.
Don't let this slide; virus protection is very important. Either subscribe and
pay, or remove the program. If you choose the latter, get a free program through
my Security Center.
To remove the installed antivirus program, click Start>>Control Panel>>Programs
and Features. Click the program, then click Uninstall. The installed program
must be removed before you replace it. Antivirus programs will conflict with one
another.
Anti-spyware programs also are necessary. Spyware usually isn't malicious. It is
used to track your surfing, to discover your interests. That allows ads to be
tailored to you. And it can link your surfing to your name. I consider it an
invasion of privacy.
Antispyware programs do not conflict. There are several free ones available. I
run a few on my computers. Windows Defender is built into Vista and 7. Others
are available at my Security Center. They're all free. There's really no need to
pay for this protection.
Threats to Apple exist, but they are not common. Many people run Macs without
security software, and do fine. If you want to install security programs,
see my tip.
Preparation for mechanical failure is very important. Most likely, you will put
your life on this computer. That might include a budget, tax papers, work
documents, hobby materials, photos, music and videos. Can you afford to lose all
that?
Of course not. The answer, of course, is a backup. That's something you know you
should be doing. Unfortunately, most people never quite get around to it. Or,
they don't maintain it.
The greatest danger facing computer owners is hard drive failure. The part at
fault is the read/write head. It skims over the hard drive platter, collecting
or writing bits of data. The head may have as little clearance as 3 nanometers.
That is 3 billionths of a meter, for you non-mathematicians.
This arrangement is an engineering marvel. At least, it is until the head
touches the platter. That's a head crash. And it's the end of the hard drive.
Can you retrieve your data? Sure, companies specialize in that. It will cost you
hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars.
A backup is so much simpler and easier. But to be workable, a backup has to be
automatic. Theoretically, you could copy your data regularly to another drive.
That doesn't work. Computer users proved long ago that they wouldn't stick with
it.
You can also set up the Windows Backup or Mac's Time Machine. That's easier, but
not as easy as it should be. In addition, you need a second drive to store the
backup. Do not store it on your main hard drive. If that drive fails, it will
take the backup with it.
Using your operating system's backup has another flaw: You'll have the backup
stored with your computer. In a fire or burglary, you'll probably lose it.
The safest backup is off-site. Then, no matter what happens, the backup will be
protected. That's why I so strongly recommend
Carbonite, one of my advertisers.
It uses hardened sites shared with banks. A full-scale military attack could
probably take them out. Short of that, your data will be safe.
Each customer's data is spread over several hard drives. According to Carbonite,
three hard drives would have to fail simultaneously before a customer would lose
data. That's unlikely. But, should it happen, your data would still be on your
computer. It, too, would have to fail before your data would be endangered.
Anything's possible, I guess, but that all seems unlikely to me.
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