'Homeland' Security - Protect When Connect

If our home is broken into, we usually know what was stolen. If our computer is 'broken' into, do we know what was stolen? Usually we don't. Is ignorance a bliss?

The only computer that needs no protection is the one unplugged and locked away in a safe.

The scope we are covering here is fairly limited. It is about protection of HOME computer when it connects to an unprotected network or the internet.

How to protect then?

Not armed-guards required but solutions of the following categories;

- Antivirus - Anti-spyware - Firewall (software-based firewall is sufficient)

A very brief explanation on their functions;
- Antivirus searches the storage media (e.g. hard disk) and removes any potential threats
- Anti-spyware protects against malicious softwares
- Firewall serves as protective boundary that monitors and restricts information travels in and out of the computer


Solution
Such solutions are aplenty. There are also commercially available suite-solution that bundles all the 3 categories into a single-unit product. Finding good ones is not as easy though. That is not the topic.

Below are examples of some FREE softwares available. You can compare them against other softwares before deciding on what to use. Many commercial softwares offer free-trial usage. Paid softwares do have very valid reasons for their existence.

Just bear in mind that not all softwares are created equal. Some worked, some don't. Some sucks, some thrilling.

Antivirus

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition (Pls check their license) http://free.grisoft.com/

Anti-spyware

Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.4 (Pls check their license) http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

Firewall
If you are using Windows XP system, you have the choice to use Windows Firewall. However, you need to first update your system with Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2).

1. Where to get Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) 2. How to use Windows Firewall

Alternatively, you can use;

ZoneAlarm Firewall Free Version (Pls check their license) http://www.zonealarm.com/

After installation, it is advisable to scan your computer for virus and spyware.

It pays to spend some time understanding the firewall solution you are using. If used correctly, it can help to identify malicious softwares that eluded the detection by other security softwares.

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