How to Protect Your Internet Connected Computers

This analysis does not provide all the necessary details to implement the techniques presented, but just the ideas and possibilities. 

One of Microlead clients had a problem with a virus one time. A user had opened an infected email and a virus installed itself on the computer. The user not knowing what to do slept on the problem. In a few days, the computer became nonfunctional due to the virus, the user notified the manager. The company has 3 servers and 20 other computers. This virus can propagate itself through shared system folders. It can move through the network to infect the rest of the computers. This can be devastating not only in damages, but also in lost time and opportunities. 

So, how can you protect your internet connected computer? The following techniques are recommended by Microsoft, the leading software maker:

1- Implement and Enforce Good User Policy

• Learn about the capabilities of viruses and how viruses move from computer to computer.
• What can potentially compromise your local network such as sharing files and folders.
• Make a list of Do's and Don'ts as well as when to update certain software.
• Put your policy in writing to lend more credibility.

Implementing good user policy will help in stopping malicious software that require user action. But what about viruses and malicious software that can be copied directly to your computer and do not require user initiation. A hacker can get into your computer and implement the malicious code. Certain viruses can copy themselves from computer to computer across the Internet. To face this possibility, you need a firewall. 

2- Install a Firewall with Application Protection

• Firewalls block requests from outside your computer that are considered suspicious.
• Some firewalls include an additional feature: Application Protection. It keeps track of all installed applications.
• Choose a firewall with Application Protection.

Certain things are not filtered through a firewall such as email and pages you visit. What if you opened an email or an attachment by mistake and you find yourself face to face with a virus. You will need certain tools to detect and eliminate viruses and malicious programs. That is where anti-virus software come into play.

3- Anti-Virus Software

• Viruses can infect files, memory as well as the boot sectors on your hard drive. 
• Anti-virus software keep information about viruses, known as Signature.
• Anti-virus software can detect a viruses if it has its signature. That is why is it important to keep the anti-virus software  updated.

Viruses, hackers and malicious software are lurking all over the internet waiting for the right moment to strike. And, there's no such thing as 100% protection. You can dramatically reduce the possibility of becoming the next victim by implementing a good user policy, using a firewall and using anti-virus software.

The company, facing a virus crisis we talked about earlier, had followed a strict policy of not sharing system folders and by doing so, the virus was confined to one computer and the damage was relatively limited. This enforces the main idea: the most important factor in protecting your internet connected computer is implementing a good user policy.