In today's internet age, the chances of your computer and your data being compromised are fairly high. Luckily, there are ways you can secure your computer and protect your data. In this brief, you'll learn six simple steps that will help you protect and secure everything you've worked so hard to store on your computer. The six steps are as follows:

1. Use an internet firewall.
2. Update your computer's operating system.
3. Make the most of your antivirus software.
4. Prevent spyware, adware, and spam.
5. Choose a reputable pop-up blocker.
6. Physically safeguard your computer.

An internet firewall can help prevent outsiders, such as hackers, from accessing your computer via the internet. If intruders are allowed inside your system (unknowingly, of course!), they can be quite difficult to stop and can change or delete files, use your computer to send unwanted emails to others, launch attacks on others, and generally cause damaging effects.

Firewalls come in two forms: hardware and software. A hardware-based firewall is usually a router, or a personal computer that's been tweaked to act as a firewall to the rest of your home network. Today, however, many internet firewalls used in the home or small office setting are software-based. These firewalls can be acquired from a third party, such as Zone Labs' ZoneAlarm. Or, they might already be built into your operating system, such as ICF (Internet Connection Firewall) or Windows Firewall in Microsoft Windows XP, depending on which service pack you have installed.

If you don't use a firewall, attackers can find and attack your computer within 15 minutes of connecting to the internet. If you use an "always-on" form of internet access, such as cable modem or xDSL (digital subscriber line), it's especially important that you install a firewall and keep it up to date.

Hardware firewalls

Hardware firewalls sit between your computer and your connection to the internet. Routers are currently the most popular form of hardware firewall. A router is a small device with usually four or more ports on the back into which you plug in Ethernet cables. If purchasing a router, you should select one that has more than enough ports to accommodate the number of computers on your home network.

Some cable and xDSL modems have built-in firewalls, as do many WAPs (wireless access points). Read the manual that came with your equipment or call the manufacturer's technical support department to find out.

Installing a hardware firewall can be done quickly and easily. For example, assume you have a cable or xDSL modem that you use to access the internet, and your modem does not have a built-in firewall. To install a hardware firewall, such as a router, do the following:

1. Plug an Ethernet cable, such as the commonly used Category 5, into the NIC (network interface card) on your computer.
2. Plug the other end of the cable into an Ethernet port on the back of the router.
3. Plug a second Ethernet cable into a second port on the router and the other end into the back of the cable or xDSL modem. Voila!

Immediately after you set up your router/firewall, change the default user name and password; the defaults are well-known.

If you use a wireless router, enable the 128-bit WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encryption key for more protection. Without it, your neighbors could connect to your wireless home network without your knowledge.

When considering a hardware firewall, note that many of the popular makes and models, such as the Linksys BEFSR41 4 Port Cable Router, should run under $60. Compare that to the cost of replacing the data on your computer and the value of your time spent cleaning up after your computer's been hacked -- you may find that $60 is well worth it.

Software firewalls

If you have dial-up access to the internet, you don't need a hardware firewall. However, you do need a software-based firewall. Software firewalls are popular with the home user community and available from a wide variety of vendors. Many vendors offer free software to home and educational users, or at least free trial versions. These vendors include, but are not limited to, the following:

• BlackICE PC Protection: Internet Security Systems
• Kerio Personal Firewall: Kerio Technologies
• Norton Personal Firewall 2004: Symantec Corporation
• Outpost Firewall PRO: Agnitum
• Tiny Personal Firewall: Tiny Software, Inc.
• ZoneAlarm Pro: Zone Labs

To set up a software firewall, do the following:

1. Disconnect your computer from the internet.

It's best if you can complete firewall installation before you've ever connected to the internet, but that's not always possible.

2. Enable your operating system's firewall or acquire a third-party software firewall and install it:

If it's built into your operating system: For example, to enable Windows Firewall in Windows XP with Service Pack 2 installed, click Start > Control Panel > > Windows Firewall. In the Windows Firewall dialog box, click the On (recommended) option, and then click OK.

If it's third-party software: Install the software according to the manufacturer's directions. Usually, it's as simple as clicking an Install button in the software interface or locating and double-clicking the Setup.exe file.

After installing a firewall, you need to check the settings to make sure you're indeed as protected as possible. This can be tricky sometimes, so if you need help, don't hesitate to ask a knowledgeable friend or the manufacturer's technical support staff.

Sometimes if you set the firewall filters too high, you spend more time allowing traffic in and out than working. You may have to re-adjust the settings as you get used to the firewall settings.

With a firewall in place between your computer and the internet, you're well on your way to much improved computer security. However, don't rely only on your firewall for protection. A firewall can be breached, and once that happens, you'll need to fall back on other computer security measures to defend your computer's resources against intruders.

Now that you have the firewall in place, you should keep your computer's most fundamental software -- its operating system -- current by applying the most current software updates. Failure to do so leaves your computer extremely vulnerable because flaws in operating systems are usually well-known and targeted by hackers and crackers.

Running an update involves applying service packs and critical security updates to your operating system. Because service packs are normally very large files, your best bet is to install them from a CD that contains the necessary files. You can also connect to your operating system vendor's website to determine which critical updates or patches are required.

Always apply one major service pack or update at a time, and make sure everything works correctly before installing the next one. That way, if there's a problem, you know which installation caused it.

After you run through the update process, you might find that you have to repeat the process several times to get all of the updates. This can occur if some of the latest updates require an earlier update be applied first. You may have to restart your computer after each update is applied.

An antivirus software program helps protect your computer against most viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and other malicious code. Many new computers come with antivirus software already installed. However, antivirus software must be updated regularly, which usually requires a subscription from the software manufacturer. If you don't have a current subscription for your antivirus software, your computer is vulnerable to new threats. Therefore, you should install antivirus software, use it, and keep it current. Updates are usually available at least once a week, although they can come more often during periods of heavy virus activity on the internet.

Some popular antivirus software packages are available as follows:

• Norton Antivirus: Symantec
• VirusScan: McAfee Security
• F-Prot Antivirus: FRISK Software International
• PC-cillin Internet Security: Trend Micro

After you've installed your antivirus software, you should configure it to check all files, incoming and downloaded files, as well as email messages and attachments. In other words, configure it to check all new files and periodically scan old ones. Set the "check for updates" schedule for a daily check.

Email attachments

Don't open or launch any email attachments that you're not expecting (especially if they have the extensions .bat, .com, .exe, .lnk, or .pif). Virus writers intentionally make email messages and attachments appear as though the files are coming from a friend or co-worker by using someone's address book to pass the virus on. When you receive an unexpected attachment, check with the person who sent it to you before opening it, or delete the message and the attached file without opening or launching it at all.

Shared hard drives

Viruses and network attacks can spread through a network by finding shared hard drives. If you need to share access to files, limit that access to a specific file or folder. Make sure that your sharing options are for a specific person with read-only access, and use a secure password. Never share your operating system folder or any folder that contains programs.

Many websites and freeware software tools spy on users and report activities to third parties who, in turn, use that information to send you spam emails by the hundreds. If you surf the internet, your computer will get spyware and adware. If you (or members of your family) share files or do instant messaging, you'll get spyware and adware even faster.

The best defense against spyware and adware is not to download it in the first place. Here are few helpful tips that can help protect your computer from downloading potentially dangerous programs:

• Download programs only from websites you trust.
• Read all security warnings, license agreements, and privacy statements associated with any downloads.
• Never click Agree or OK to close a window. Instead, click the red X in the upper-right corner of the window or press Alt+F4 on your keyboard to close a window.
• Be cautious about using "free" music and movie file-sharing programs, and be sure you clearly understand all of the software packaged with those programs.

However, no matter how careful you are, you will pick up some of these unsavory programs and will need a way to get rid of them. You should download and install a spyware/adware checker, and run it regularly as part of your secure computing routine. Some popular checkers are:

• Ad-Aware: Lavasoft
• Spybot - Search & Destroy: Patrick M. Kolla - Safer Networking Limited
• Spy Sweeper: Webroot Software

Spam

Visit your ISP (internet service provider) website or call their tech support line to verify that they're running some type of spam and antivirus scanner. In some cases, they need to enable the spam filter for you or configure it to start catching viruses before they get to your computer. In other cases, you may need to go to a website to configure the software. Either way, you want a system that deletes virus attachments, scans all incoming email, and flags messages that appear to be spam.

You can also set up email filters within your email client (such as Outlook Express, Eudora, and others). Some spam filters mark email that appears to be spam by placing ***SPAM*** in the subject line. Others put the term X_SPAM or a similar header in the mail format area. You can set up filters to find these messages and move them to a separate inbox for you to delete at your leisure. There are other third-party products, such as Cloudmark Safety Bar, SpamAssassin, and Bayesian Mail Filter, that automatically remove known spam and place the messages in a separate inbox for you. This procedure keeps you from having to deal with 10s to 100s of spam messages daily to find the few messages you really need.

You should install a pop-up blocker, such as the Google toolbar or STOPzilla, on your browser or use an alternate browser that has a pop-up blocker built in, such as Mozilla Firefox and Opera. However, you have to be very careful here. You should avoid freeware tools from non-reputable vendors. Many freeware tools have spyware in them. They advertise that they do one thing that you need, but behind the scenes, they contain programs that can harm your computer.

STOPzilla is an all-in-one pop-up blocker, spyware and adware killer, and more.

The best way to stop pop-ups is to never allow them to install themselves on your computer in the first place. You can do this by staying away from questionable websites, and never downloading and installing files from non-reputable sources. If you're already wrangling with pop-ups, never click buttons or links in the pop-up ad itself. Some pop-up ads track personal information on your computer without you even knowing it.

If you're running Windows XP with Service Pack 2, enable Pop-up Blocker in Internet Explorer. You can do this by clicking Tools > Pop-up Blocker > Turn on Pop-up Blocker.

Another approach is to replace your browser from time to time with another browser that's less vulnerable to the ways that spyware attempts to install itself in your computer. You can learn about the browsers and tools by reading newsgroups or doing searches of the vendor websites listed in Table 1.

Last but not least is the physical safeguarding of your computer. In other words, make sure that your computer and the data that it contains is in a physically secure location.

Make backup copies

If your files are important to you, back them up! Hard drives can fail and viruses or other attacks can delete files from your hard drive. To make your backups easy and quick to perform, organize all of your documents and data files in logically named folders. You can then quickly copy everything to Zip drives, CDs, or DVDs. There are also backup programs and backup services available. Search your favorite search engine for those terms, respectively, and you'll receive more results than you can image. Be sure to do your research though and make sure the company is reputable. Back up your files on a schedule that you can maintain -- daily, weekly, or monthly -- but not less frequently.

You don't need to back up your programs or the operating system. If you have hardware problems or your operating system (or program) degrades to a point that requires you to restore it, it's safest to install the operating system and/or programs fresh and restore only the data files from a backup. Operating system or program degradation doesn't happen overnight, but usually accumulates over a period of time.

Keep your backup copies secure

Maximum safety requires a secure, separate location. Remember that if data on your computer is sensitive, so are the backup copies of it. Appropriately protect whatever you create. You can store your backup media with friends or family, or go as far as getting a safety deposit box (depending on the importance of your data to you). If you keep your backups next to your computer and your house burns down, you haven't protected your data at all.

Be cautious about lending and borrowing

Allowing others to use your computer can be risky if you haven't appropriately protected your data. Borrowing others' systems also has risks. You can leave sensitive information behind mistakenly. If the borrowed computer is infected with spyware, you can inadvertently leave a lot of information behind.

Remember the value of secure disposal

Finally, when your computer is ready for retirement, be sure to erase any sensitive data from its hard drive and from additional storage media. There are utilities available to help you safely erase data from your hard drive. Once such utility is Darik's Boot and Nuke. Read the information about this utility carefully and be sure you really want to delete all the information on your hard drive before running it.

Depending on the media, secure disposal can be easy or difficult to do correctly (but it's almost never sufficient to rely on a simple Delete command). If you're not sure about the steps, ask someone who is. Insecure disposal of computer media is one way in which identity thieves have become so good at what they do.

There's much more information available on the HP website regarding most of these issues. Feel free to enroll in some of the more detailed online courses to learn even more about protecting your data and securing your computer.