Security From A To Z

Haruki Soma writes, "Unearthed: An A to Z guide to security — from antivirus to zero-day. The writer includes the latest on the UK's newly updated Computer Misuse Act. She also pokes around rootkits, IM, and spyware, pens an ode to Gary McKinnon (aka the NASA hacker, in the 'E is for Extradition' entry), probes Google-induced Spear Phishing, and takes a look back at the Love Bug and Jaschan's Sasser." Security pros won't find much new here, but the rest of us might learn a thing or two.

For the home user:

[bendodge]

Here is my summary for securing relatives:

1. Get them behind a hardware firewall (Linksys router?)

2. Get them off the admin account, and if you did step 1 and 2 stop worrying about logging off.

3. Run Windows Defender 24/7 with real time protection ON.

4. Make sure Window's Automatic Updates are on.

5. Install AVG Free, with auto updates.

6. Install Spybot S&D and Adware SE, and teach them (or preferably their kid) to double click each one, click update, then scan, then remove. You could also get one of those one-click bundles floating around.

7. Run msconfig and turn all the junk off.

9. Install Firefox, maybe change the icon to IE's, and install the Qute skin (look similar to IE). Maybe show them the tabs, but don't mention that is it a different browser.

10. Check back in a couple months and tweak the strategy.

Now, unless they are big into crummy sites and downloads, they should be OK until the computer landscape changes.

Hacker definition

[Nikademus]

It's quite funny some people try to write articles on security and speak of "hackers" without even knowing what it means.

HACKER (Originally, someone who makes furniture with an Ax.) n. 1. A person who enjoys learning the details of programming systems and how to stretch their capabilities, as opposed to most users who prefer to learn only the minimum necessary. 2. One who programs enthusiastically, or who enjoys programming rather than just theorizing about programming. 3. A person capable of appreciating hack value (q.v.). 4. A person who is good at programming quickly. Not everything a hacker produces is a hack.

Re:Hacker definition

[Anonymous Coward]

Don't you understand that this comes from the term 'hack writer': A writer that just churns out words quickly with no regard to their accuracy.