avoid downloading anything that is not le-gally available for free, because hackers often place viruses in such downloads. Likewise, do not download any other files from sites that seem suspicious. If you’re downloading software, it’s a good idea to stick to major, reputable sites such as download.com or softpedia.com. These major download sites thoroughly scan all of their downloads for viruses. This does not mean, however, that you should rely entirely on the authenticity of such files. AVOID UNSOLICITED E-MAIL AND IM LINKS If you receive an e-mail or an instant mes-sage through a program such as Skype or Live Messenger from an unknown sender, always treat it with suspicion, particularly if it contains a link to a webpage that you didn’t ask for and/or are not familiar with. Even if you know the sender, certain mal-ware is programmed to send out such mes-sages without the owner of the e-mail or IM account actually knowing. Simply put, never click on links unless you know who is sending them and you know what you’re clicking on. If you receive something com-pletely unexpectedly, especially if you don’t know the sender, then it is highly likely that the link will send you straight to a malicious software download or other kind of fraudu-lent link. Hackers may also post such links in forum posts or on social networking sites such as Facebook. KEEP YOUR COMPUTER UP TO DATE Keeping your computer up to date at all times is essential for ensuring that it remains as secure as possible. Making sure that all of the latest updates are installed as and when they’re released will also make your computer run more reliably; there can be a whole host of other advantages to this prac-tice as well. Of importance, you should keep Win-dows up to date by using the Windows Update feature, included in all editions of the operating system. Download and install all updates, particularly the criti-cal and recommended ones, whenever they are released. Other things that you should keep up to date include any other programs on your computer, particularly those related to the Internet. Web brows-ers and instant messaging programs, for example, should always be kept up to date. You should also keep your hardware device drivers up to date, although this is more for the sake of reliability and com-patibility than security. USE A FIREWALL A firewall is a computer security program that blocks outbound and inbound con-nections across a network or the Internet, instead allowing traffic only from programs you select as trusted. For the most part, Windows users don’t need to pay much attention to this, thanks to the fact that all editions of the operating system from Windows XP include a built-in firewall that is always activated by default. Users of Windows will mostly deal with the firewall when a program asks permission to access the Internet. The firewall should be running at all times, as it is by default in Windows. If you take the time to follow these five simple steps it will go a long way in pro-tecting your computer. For the advanced user, you can always do more. I’ll have more on this in another instalment of DC Tech Talk. • www.canadianchiropractor.ca CANADIAN CHIROPRACTOR | DECEMBER 2012 • 19
Chiropractic + Naturopathic Doctor December 2012: Page 19
