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The age of the Internet. Like the ocean, its vastness and beauty are rivaled only by its danger. Once the exclusive domain of Universities, scientists and government agencies, the Internet draws thousands of new users every day - people like you and me - hooking up $599 Dell specials to their spiffy hi-speed Internet access. We're just looking to broaden our horizons, get some convenience and have a little fun. But all is not as it seems. Beneath the serene pounding of the surf lie dangerous predators looking for a meal - your computer and hopefully much more.  Probably no one told you there are sharks in the water. Not your Internet provider, and not the computer store. But make no mistake, the sharks are there - and they'll devour you, your kids and for some, everything they own. This is not an overstatement, it really is that serious. And because of what little you've been told, you may very well believe that having anti-virus and some kind of firewall software is all you need to keep the sharks at bay. Wrong. These won't do the job.
So let's start peeling away some naiveté, and provide some important facts and tools you need to make your personal computer much more shark-proof. First and foremost, you have to understand ALL operating systems need security maintenance, and that there is NO operating system free from vulnerabilities or risk. Second, regardless of what "security software" your computer may have, plugging ANY computer directly into the Internet is a bad idea - about like poking a bee hive with a stick... you're bound to get stung. Because of poor, home-computer, security practices, the Internet has become a hacker's paradise. Yep it's true, because poorly protected computers are EASY to exploit and control. In fact, the problem has become so bad, that legions of exploited computers (botnets) now account for the vast majority of Internet spam. identity theft, cyber attacks, and the spread of viruses and worms. If you have time, check out some eye-opening articles:
 Estimates: 1 in 20 U.S. computers are zombies! Is the battle lost?
Botnet Scams are Exploding!
Zombie Computer Army Targets Bank Account Passwords
Top Botnets can send over 100 BILLION spams per day!
Botnet interactive map!
And for the uber=nerdy: Botnet research - Know your Enemy: Tracking Botnets To some cyber, bad guy, your computer is at minimum an opportunity and maybe even a gold mine. The good news is, that securing your computer isn't difficult or expensive. In fact, for home computer owners I've distilled professional computer security methods down to just four things that are simple, cheap or free. But you gotta do 'em or else sooner or later the sharks are gonna eat you alive. So let's get started on the first thing you need to understand, which is how security boundaries apply to computers and what a "security perimeter" for your computer really means. Check out "What's an interface and why do I want one?" |
The battle for the home computer is lost. At least that's the consensus of many computer security professionals. 
