StopSign Internet Security Blog

The month of October 2010 is the 7th annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) here in the United States. Internet (cyber) security continues to be at the forefront of our minds as we push further into the 21st century, and once again President Obama has made a presidential proclamation regarding the need for increased cybersecurity:

America’s digital infrastructure is critical to laying the foundation for our economic prosperity, government efficiency, and national security. We stand at a transformational moment in history, when our technologically interconnected world presents both immense promise and potential risks. (Read more)

We all have a part in taking cybersecurity seriously and addressing it in our every day lives. The staff of StopSign Internet Security software is proud be be part of the solution by providing excellent antivirus, antispyware, and firewall software as recommended by the Department of Homeland Security for every computer user in the US.

StopSign is proud to endorse NCSAM by helping raise awareness regarding Internet security-related topics. For more information on National Cyber Security Awareness Month or government recommendations on cyber security, please visit StaySafeOnline.org.

Using antivirus software is an important part of owning a computer. As a PC user and web surfer, you’re constantly faced with online threats, Internet security holes, and the spectre of viruses & spyware. Downloading and installing antivirus software is the best first line of defense for avoiding these problems.

Sure, decent antivirus software is going to cost you a little money, but it’s well worth the price. The money you spend on antivirus software is like the money you spend on oil changes for your car. You may not always see the benefit with your eyes, but it’s preventative maintenance that’s necessary to keep things running smoothly and costs you less in the long run. Better to pay $50 for antivirus software today that keeps you protected, than spending $200 or more to have your local computer geek fix things every time you’re hit with a virus of spyware.

Antivirus software does a lot for you behind the scenes and frees you from having to not only keep up with all of the latest virus and spyware trends, but also gives you peace of mind to know that whether you’re working or surfing, you’re safe from online threats. Benefits of a decent antivirus software solution are:

• Virus protection:

  Any antivirus software worth its salt is going to help prevent a virus from wreaking havoc on your computer’s operating system, and if on a network, on any computer attached to it.

• Infected email detection:

  Good antivirus software will provide a method of detecting and removing infected emails; a commonly used way to spread viruses and spyware.

• Keeps important files safe:

  You’ve got pictures from your digital camera on your computer, don’t you? How about your taxes? The video of your wedding? Important emails? Sure you do. One good virus could wipe them all out. Or a nasty piece of spyware could transmit personally identifiable or financially-related information to a hacker somewhere.

Remember all of those pearls of wisdom your mom would use whenever you got into trouble? Well if your mom is anything like ours, she rarely even touches a computer, but you can put her advice to good use and use them to help avoid online scams and to stay safe online.

• If it sounds too good to be true…:

  If there really was a miracle cure for something, or if there were a legitimate way to make $5,000 by sitting at home with no products to sell and no calls to make, everyone would be doing it. This is probably the single-most important lesson to remember because in this life, nothing comes free. Or easy.

• Don’t take candy from strangers.:

  Candy, toys, $150 books or videos detailing how to flip residential properties for no money down and no risk… pretty much anything from a stranger is dangerous because A) they’re a stranger, and B) you don’t know their intentions. Sadly there are a lot of bad people out there who want to take advantage of and/or hurt you in some way, so avoid them if at all possible. Mom knew it, and you should take it to heart.

• If your friends all jumped off a bridge…:

  A lot of web sites use testimonials as an indication of trust by other people, but any fool can find a picture of someone online and add a fake quote underneath. Use your judgment when reading testimonials and ask yourself if they read like something a real person would say, or like a speech from a corporate shill.

• Your room computer is a pig sty.:

  Keeping your computer clean is just as important as keeping your kitchen clean. Keeping old software up to date, deleting unused files, and wiping out any junk will help keep things more organized and easier to keep up with. And if you keep it clean all the time then you won’t have to rush when company comes over. ;)

Do yourself a favor… listen to your mother. Sure, she doesn’t get your friends, or your music, but she knows how to keep you safe. And if nothing else, you can tell her you listened and that’ll make her feel better. :)

This month, October 2009, marks the 6th anniversary of National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) in the United States, and President Obama has issued a presidential proclamation regarding this event. The use of technology has been a staple of the current administration’s public discussions, and online security concerns have been a part of the conversation from the beginning. President Obama spoke about the the need for securing the US cyber infrastructure during a speech in May of this year, noting:

America’s economic prosperity in the 21st century will depend on cybersecurity.

Clearly internet security will continue to be an important topic for American families, businesses, and government networks now and in the future. As part of the information campaign surrounding National Cyber Security Awareness Month, the Department of Homeland Security website lists 3 core practices they recommend, which include topics we discussed in our blog post regarding the basics of Internet security:

• Install antivirus and antispyware programs and keep them up to date,
• Install a firewall and keep it properly configured, and
• Regularly install updates for your computer’s operating system.

There are many events planned for National Cyber Security Awareness Month on a national as well as a state level, and we encourage you to attend and/or view them online and use that information as a base to evaluate your current cyber security level and update if necessary. For more information on National Cyber Security Awareness Month or government recommendations on cyber security, please visit StaySafeOnline.org.