Steps towards securing a newly bought PC - Making sure your new PC and the data is protected.

Steps towards securing a newly bought PC - Making sure your new PC and the data is protected.
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Update Everything

Once you have set up your PC to work with an Internet connection, the first thing you should do is update the operating system. If you’re using a Windows system, the automatic updates are usually set up after you’ve added yourself - or anyone else - as a user.

It is important to keep the system updated as the OS companies will often create security fixes or additional security layers for their systems which should be installed for better protection.

Get updates for Microsoft products and the device drivers from a single place – Windows Update; once you have updated the operating system, you can begin to install all of your other software. Make sure that you do updates for them as well, usually after you have confirmed that the program is installed.

Antivirus and antispyware programs should be updated as soon as they are installed to make sure that their virus databases have been updated to any current threat that may be out there.

Install Security Software

Antivirus & Anti-spyware

Antivirus and antispyware programs keep threats from getting on or staying on our computers. Databases keep track of which new

viruses, malware, and other harmful programs are out there and then send them to the program by use of updates. There are some very good free antivirus programs are available for download - Avira, AVG, and Microsoft’s Security Essentials are among good antivirus programs and Malware Bytes can be used as a good anti spyware software.

Firewall

Windows XP and later versions come with a built-in firewall; the new Windows 7 operating system has a very good firewall that can be tweaked for better performance and tigher control.

Backup Important Data

Both home and office users are often at risk of data loss due to hardware failure or accidental deletion or corruption. Among the most common data losses are pictures, videos and also important personal documents. These kinds of losses can be detrimental for users, especially those businesses that have important files and documents; losing data for a business can result in the loss of client files or histories that can put their company back by months, even years.

Doing back-ups are easy; you don’t need any fancy or complicated backup tool. Regularly backing up a computer is important so that newly created documents are also backed up.

Secure Wireless Router

Wireless technology is wonderful, no more electrical wires or holes in walls needed. It does not mean you can buy a wireless device and set it up in your home with its default configurations.

A default router configuration invites other people to use or hack your connection. Changing the default configuration is very important, which includes changing router’s default username and password to something that only you or people that you authorize know in order to keep hackers from guessing and getting into your files and documents.

Don’t Write Down Passwords

It is a fact we do write down our user names and passwords whether it be for a Windows user account, online backing or personal e-mail. If you work in an office and go around people’s desk, you will see the sticky notes on PC monitor or under the keyboard with something written on them, those could be user passwords. We should start avoid writing down the passwords and other sensitive information from now.

Leaving your passwords written down on a paper for could be the cause for your data theft from the PC. Also, learn how to create an unbreakable password. Creating unbreakable passwords is the best way of keeping people from getting to your important information.