Gloss How-To: Keep Your Computer Safe From Hackers

With the recent news of a sophisticated and undetectable computer virus infecting systems and draining bank accounts, computer users are once again reminded that Internet security is paramount.

For some expertise on ways to keep your computer safe from hackers, I went right to the source and asked “hacker for hire” Renee Chronister, Founder and Owner of Parameter Security, a St. Louis-based IT security company and ethical hacking firm.

As Certified Ethical Hackers, Renee and her team are hired to use the same knowledge and tools as malicious hackers to ‘attack’ their client’s network in order to test security and identify weaknesses in the system. To win, you must know your enemy…

But how do you keep your data safe from attack? And can the “average” computer user even do anything to protect themselves from ultra tech-savvy hackers? While Renee stresses that nothing is hacker-proof and 100% secure, there are a few simple steps you can take to decrease your risks of being hacked.

1. Be smart when using public Wi-Fi.

According to Renee, there are varying levels of security when using public Wi-Fi but always make sure you have a firewall on and both anti-virus and anti-spyware software installed on your system (more on that below). “There is always a possibility that someone can access your system,” she says, so the best precautionary measure is to simply only access Wi-Fi networks that you trust.

If you have a Wi-Fi account at home or even the office, make sure you have wireless security enabled and change the router’s default password. Also, don’t give your wireless connection a name that’s too descriptive – e.g. “Smith Family” – so avoid using your name, the name of your company, house/apartment number, etc. Renee also suggests that users refrain from sharing too much personal information online, such as home address, phone number, kids’ names, and place of business. The less they know, the better!

2. Forget passwords — use a passphrase.

Passphrases are easier for you to remember but more difficult for a hacker to crack, says Renee. “Maryhadalittlelamb is easier to recall than @$Mary24!” She also advises to add special characters and spaces whenever possible, for example:

M@ry [space] h@d [space] a [space] little [space] l@mb

Also, you should never use the same password for multiple accounts and never, ever use the same password for your bank account and your profiles on social networking sites, since the latter tend to be more susceptible to attacks. After all, who doesn’t know someone who’s had their Facebook account hacked?

Storing Passwords

But with all these new passwords and passphrases, what if you forget which one goes with which account? “It’s not a sin to write them down,” Renee says, “but make sure they are stored in a secure place and not under your keyboard or in desk drawers etc.” A home safe or lockbox at a bank are good places to keep a written list of passwords but make sure you can easily access them when you need to.

And of course: Do not share your password with anyone! (Seriously.)

3. Your firewall has to be ‘ON’.

“You won’t believe how many people say, ‘Yeah, I have a firewall’ and then discover it wasn’t turned on,” Renee says. A firewall, the part of a system or network designed to block unauthorized access, is key to your computer’s overall security. ”Make sure you have a firewall and make sure your firewall is turned on.”

Renee also recommends having both anti-virus software and anti-spyware installed but make sure it’s current, otherwise you increase your risk of being hacked — so always download the software updates when prompted.


4.  Avoid the unknown.

Even with a firewall and anti-virus software in place, she says that users still need to exercise caution and should just avoid anything unfamiliar. “You wouldn’t let a perfect stranger in your house so why would you online,” Renee argues.

*Never visit unfamiliar websites or use URLs you are unsure of.

*Never open emails from people you do not recognize or know. Delete immediately.

*Never open emails that are obviously jokes, mp3 files, pictures, etc. – even if you know the sender, as the files could carry malware (malicious software). Delete immediately.

*Never accept Friend Requests from people you don’t know.

Malicious hackers have a number of tricks up their sleeves: using ‘spoofed’ i.e. fake sites that masquerade as legitimate sites, ‘cloaked’ URLs that appear genuine while concealing the actual address, and slightly altered URLs, just to name a few. Renee adds that even landing on an unfamiliar site without clicking anything can lead to a security breach, if the site is set up to run malicious scripts and programs automatically.

Bottom line? When it comes to anything unknown, be wary — very wary. ”Better to be safe than sorry,” Renee says.


For additional information about Renee and her team of “ethical hackers” or to read their article on Facebook privacy “from a hacker’s point of view”, visit parametersecurity.com. Learn more about Certified Ethical Hackers at eccouncil.org.

Top Photo: Angelina Jolie, hacker extraordinaire, in the 1995 film “Hackers”