Online has its own locks, fences

By BILL HUSTED

Cox News Service

October 7, 2008

My nightly ritual at home includes checking the deadbolt locks, making sure the fence gate is locked and making sure my wallet is out of sight. Then I take Lucy the beagle for a walk so she can complete her own nightly routine.

Forgetting any of those steps means I don't sleep as well.

One night I left my wallet on the kitchen counter. Around 5 a.m., a prowler crashed through the glass door to get it.

You probably use some of the same home security steps I do. The good news is you can use similar tactics to protect yourself online.

There are plenty of smash-and-grab artists in cyberspace. And too many people keep their possessions in plain sight, just like I did with my wallet.

To see what I mean, Google this phrase complete with quotation marks: "for internal distribution only."

Most of what you find will be harmless. But if you browse through the list you'll find documents that were designed to be only shared internally. I don't feel bad about using this example, which is already widely known.

It helps show that files you've stored on your own Web site are fair game, even if they are not linked from any page. Many people with free Web space use it for online storage of family photos and even financial documents or contact lists.

So start your security routine by examining your online storage areas and locking the fence gate.

In the online world that's called a firewall. Windows XP and Vista come with firewall software. Just like my locked fence gate, a firewall does not offer perfect protection. But it's dumb not to use one.

If you're not sure you've turned the firewall on, type "firewall" into the Windows help section and follow the steps needed to check its status.

Commercial software makers such as Norton, Zone Alarm, McAfee and Trend Micro offer firewalls as part of a "security suite" — bundled programs that also include anti-virus and spyware protection. You need anti-virus and anti-spyware protection, so these are worth a look.

Once everything is installed, you can check your work free at: www.grc.com/lt/leaktest.htm. Try the "firewall leak test" to see how secure your computer is. These are reputable folks and — unlike some other free services on the Web — you can trust them.

Also keep in mind that your router, the device most of us use to create a home network, provides another protective fence.

But a wireless router can also serve as an entry point to your computer system. Even in this day and age, it's easy to find users — including businesses that should know better — that do a poor job of securing wireless routers. There are ways to greatly reduce that risk. If you'll follow the tips that came with your router, as well as check this Web site — http://tinyurl.com/4qrev — you can use the router without much additional danger.

Finally, it's time to use the deadbolt locks — your passwords. We've covered this ground before but, in a nutshell, never use a word you'd find in a dictionary or a name. Combine letters and numbers. If your provider allows it, use some uppercase letters and some lowercase. The password should have at least eight characters, and the more the merrier. Change your passwords every so often, and keep any written lists of them in a location away from the computer.

My nightly routine makes me sleep better. Following these steps may help you do the same.