The Mossberg Report has a good primer today on computer security. Here are some key points, but read the whole column to make sure you are doing everything you should to protect yourself and your identity.
1. If you have a Windows computer, you must obtain and install all of the following: a reputable antivirus program, a software firewall, a junk-mail filter and an antispyware program. Even if you own a Macintosh (Macs have been unaffected by most of these threats to date), you will still need to turn on your computer’s firewall and employ a junk-mail filter.
2. Upgrade to the latest versions of the leading Windows web browsers, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 7 and Mozilla’s Firefox 2.0, both of which warn you when a web page you’re visiting appears to be phony. (The new Internet Explorer also has under-the-hood security improvements that close some of the holes plaguing older versions.) … On a Mac, consider using Firefox 2.0 instead of Apple’s Safari, which, while very good and generally secure, lacks a fake-web-site detector.
3. Never respond to or click a link within any unsolicited email message from a financial institution — even your own — no matter how official it looks. …
5. Never, ever download software from a company or web site whose honesty or veracity you’re not sure of. …
Microsoft offers a good security package — if you don’t mind paying Microsoft extra for the security their operating system should include free. There’s a 90 day free trial at Windows Live OneCare – Home.