Security Tips

[Lloyd_mcse]

I thought I would create a thread with some security tips to help keep you and your data safe.

1. Make sure Windows is up to date.
Ensure you install Windows updates as soon as they are available or your system tells you they are available.
Planned updates are available on Tuesdays 1700 GMT

2. Use a full "Internet Security" package
Using just an Antivirus and Windows Firewall is no longer enough, a full suite with a firewall is a must.
I recommend Norton Internet Security at the moment.

3. Use a secondary Malware scanner for weekly or monthly scans
A second opinion is always a good idea, I recommend Malwarebytes as a secondary scanner.
It's designed to run along side your main security suite, and comes in two flavours; free and Pro.
Pro comes with scheduling and always on protection, both will remove just about everything.

4. Remove Java, or at the very least disable in browsers.
A massive target for malware

5. Make sure Adobe Flash is up to date
Another target for malware.

6. Open pdf's from unknown locations in protected view.
In Adobe Reader or Acrobat go to Edit -> Preferences -> Security (Enhanced) -> and tick Protected View for files from potentially unsafe locations.

7. Use an Ad Blocker/NoScript/DoNotTrackMe
Advertising syndicates often get compromised making usually safe websites unsafe.

8. Enable HTTPS where available.
On sites like Facebook, Twitter and Outlook.com you can force HTTPS connections, making sure you are logging into the real site.

9. Data Encryption
Encrypt your data, probably the easiest way to do this is use BitLocker with Password at boot.

10. Use secure mail server ports
Always use secure ports (ISP/Mail Provider dependent) for logging onto mail servers. Secure ports are usually
POP 995
IMAP 993
SMTP 587 TLS

11. Digitally sign and encrypt your mail (S/MIME)
You can buy a Digital Id for less than £20, VeriSign are $19 and COMODO about the same.
Or you can get a free Digital ID from InstantSSL, who now do up to 4096bit keys.

12. Digitally Sign and Encrypt your email (PGP)
The free alternative to Digital ID's, is PGP. Sign and Encrypt your email, after creating your own PGP Key.
You'll need some additional software for Windows - GPG4Win

13. Install Microsoft's Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET)
The Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) helps raise the bar against attackers gaining access to computer systems. EMET anticipates the most common actions and techniques adversaries might use in compromising a computer, and helps protect by diverting, terminating, blocking, and invalidating those actions and techniques. EMET helps protect your computer systems even before new and undiscovered threats are formally addressed by security updates and antimalware software. EMET benefits enterprises and all computer users by helping to protect against security threats and breaches that can disrupt businesses and daily lives. Download

I will add more when I get chance.