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This post is as much for myself as it is for anyone reading. I have neglected this site long enough. Life gets in the way  However, this topic of security for the home has not left my mind. I think I felt somewhat self-conscious about my soap box. I don’t want people to feel guilty. I don’t want to add stress to their life. I understand the complexities of EVERY gadget that you might have. I also know it can be REALLY confusing to figure out how to make it secure.
However, I continue to see news articles of information being leaked or stolen. I continue to see increasing trends of addiction to pornography, on-line gambling, etc. I can’t be self conscious of this message. We can’t just sit back and TRUST that nothing will happen.
The Intenet is still in its infancy. It is only about 15 years since the dot com bubble. We thought the Internet was going to take over everything. It hasn’t … yet. We are slowly seeing how the Internet has an ever increasing affect on the way we live ..how we communicate, how we are entertained, shop, get informed, etc. The Internet is a way of life and it is silly to think that you or your family can live without it. To think we can shut it down now is SILLY. All we can do is teach our kids, put in the right security controls to protect them, and talk through any hiccups along the way.
My goal is to empower the average home computer user to make the necessary changes to their home computer, gadget, network, to keep their information and family safe from the wiles of the Internet.
So there it is, take it or leave it.
My call to action to you is to figure out what you want to know … what do you need to figure out?
My call to action for myself it to post a topic once a week. First on deck … how to secure an iTouch for a teenager.
 I just got my iMac today. yay! I thought I’d share some insight on how to pick a new computer.
A new computer is similar to building your own home. There are so many possibilities .. Multi-level, ranch, traditional, modern … etc. The same is true for a new computer …
Desktop (single family home) or Laptop (RV or mobile home)
Manufacturer – Mac or PC, What kind of PC?
I can’t pick a computer for you, just like I can’t design your dream home. But I can educate you on some key terms that will help you be an educated buyer … Continue reading New Computer – New Construction
So, above is the “Before” picture. I have wanted to upgrade the RAM (memory) on my MAC for a while. I checked a lot of blogs regarding MAC performance and the key piece to get your computer running faster is to add more memory. I kept thinking, if I can get it working just a little faster I could put off getting a new family computer. So I ordered the RAM that matched the IMAC. I kept watching videos demonstrating how to replace the RAM. It was going to be pretty easy … Unscrew three screws, lift open the back, take out the old RAM, put in the new RAM. Easy right? This was something I was willing to do myself.
I was doing o.k. until I tried to remove the back. Hmmm… It wouldn’t budge. I tried harder .. and harder … hmmm… I got my husband to try it. He gave it a good shove and the FRONT came off (the iSight camera and screen was hanging by a thread) I had unscrewed the wrong screws. Ga’ak! We were unpealing tape, unscrewing random screws.. I still couldn’t find the RAM. We realized that the back of the computer WOULD NOT come off. In order to get to the other side of the mother board, we would I have to take the ENTIRE computer apart. I probably should have taken a picture of the ‘during’ process but the situation was a little too stressful. We decided to not take the computer apart. My husband did a GREAT job of putting it back together and putting the right screws in the right spot. It still works. WHEW!!
I had forgotten, but we had bought a older version of the iMac G5. At the Mac store, the newer version was about $500 more expensive for the same specifications and the only difference is the newer iMac G5 would be easier to upgrade. We decided to keep the cheaper model. Who would have known in 2006 that you could have a HD video camera the size of a cell phone in your purse?
So, I will return my RAM and probably get a new computer. I will turn my old mac into a “Kid Computer.” I’ll post what I did to secure a kid’s Mac computer.
So, what did I learn from this flop?
- When buying a computer, determine how easy/hard is it to upgrade RAM.
- Determine what warranties/protection plans are in place for your PC before you attempt to upgrade RAM. Some warranties or protection plans will be void if you start opening up your computer or laptop
- Stay in your comfort zone – I thought I could tackle the project and had enough information. However, once we started unscrewing the back support for the motherboard, I decided it is better to call it a wash. If you are uncomfortable opening up your laptop or computer, get a techie friend to help you out. You could spend about $50 to $100 for new RAM and offer to pay your friend $50. For about $100 you could get a few more years of use out of your computer. Any piece of technology is an expense, not an investment. The longer you can use it, the less you are paying per year for that piece of technology.
Since being a homeowner, there is one thing that you dread and try to avoid. WATER DAMAGE. It doesn’t matter if you have a new house or old house. When it rains, depending on the grade of the land, the water will try and find a way into your house. We just went through a basement renovation. Before the renovation, there was a suspicious area that would get damp every time it rained. We pulled away the dry wall and it was all rotted. And there it was. A hairline crack in the foundation where the water would seep through. We fixed the crack and created a channel for the water to drain under neath the house. We got all of the framing and dry wall done. The night when the dry wall was done was a really big rain storm. We went downstairs to look at the progress and there was a half inch of water in our basement. GA’K! It turns out that we had pointed the downspout of our gutter (which catches the majority of the rain from the roof) was pointing into our window well. We cleaned it up and no harm done. WHEW!!
So, in our computer world there are cracks in our operating system (i.e. Windows XP, Windows Vista). Vulnerabilities that a malicious virus, or hacker could use to get into your computer. What!!! Someone could break into my computer!? Yes! That is why the Internet relates well to rain water. (If not properly protected) It can be an onslaught of viruses, exploits, and spyware. Think of a huge rainstorm and huge puddles around the house. Don’t you get a little nervous?
Also! When we started noticing the water coming in our house I called my Insurance Company. They said that since the leak was not through the roof and when it was raining (ground water) they wouldn’t cover any repairs. LIKEWISE, Microsoft and Mac WILL NOT give you your money back if your computer gets trashed by a hacker or virus from the Internet. It is assumed that once you own your house you take care that rain water doesn’t get in. It is assumed that when you buy a computer you will be responsible for keeping it secure.
So how do I protect my computer?
SET UP AUTOMATIC UPDATES ON YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM!!
Let’s face it, if it is not done automatically, it is NOT going to get done.
INSTALL RECOMMENDED UPDATES!!
If you choose to download the updates and install them manually, you NEED TO INSTALL THEM. On a Mac you need to install the updates manually after entering your password. Don’t ignore the reminders. INSTALL THEM!!
RESTART YOUR COMPUTER AFTER INSTALLING THE UPDATES!!
The updates are not effective if you don’t restart your computer. Don’t ignore the reminders and just restart the computer while you are thinking about it!
For detailed screenshots see below.
Continue reading Is your foundation secure? – Operating System Updates
Back in my security lab days, my fellow lab rats would refer to Internet Explorer as “Internet Exploder”! ha! One of the first questions I ask when people are having problems with pop up’s or surfing the web is: “What web browser are you using? Internet Explorer or Firefox?” More often than not, people use Internet Explorer. So, what is the difference? Why is Internet Explorer less secure?
- Updates – Internet Explorer is automatically installed with Windows. Because of this, the only way to update Internet Explorer is through the Windows Automatic Updates. That is fine, but the problem is that most people don’t think to install the Windows (which includes Internet Explorer) updates.
- Market Share – Internet Explorer is used by 60% of web traffic. If you were a nasty cyber crime thief, which browser would you go after? Internet Explorer (60%), Firefox (30%), Chrome (5%) Safari (5%) Opera (2%)? Obviously, you would get more BANG for your HACKING buck if you write malicious code to compromise the Internet Explorer.
- With old vulnerable versions of Internet Explorer out in the WILD of the Internet, you are just asking to get HACKED!
How to avoid getting viruses by surfing the web:
- Get an ant-virus solution
- Be care about allowing ActiveX connections. Only allow this for trusted sites. (ActiveX.. Wha?? I’ll have a follow-up post on this subect)
- Keep up with your operating system updates. ( Again, I’ll have a follow-up post on this subject)
- Use a browser that has built-in automated updates (Firefox , Chrome, Safari, Opera ) … Let’s just face it, if it’s a choice between going on the computer to install updates, or doing laundry so your family can have clean underwear, which one will win? Ha! … As a side note, you can import your bookmarks into any new browser. You won’t lose the links to you favorite recipe blogs!
- If you use such browser, make sure to INSTALL the updates and not cancel out of the process.
- Consider getting a Internet security solution (this includes firewall, anti-spyware, parental controls)
As a side note, Microsoft is not a BAD company. It’s just that a lot of their software was released to the public with weaknesses that have been exploited. The problem is that the average computer user doesn’t think to install the necessary updates to keep their computer secure. Here are some links to some security services that Microsoft provides:
Microsoft Security Essentials – Free Anti-Virus, anti-spyware software for Windows OS
Malicious Software Removal Tool – Scan your computer for malicious software. You download the application through Windows automatic updates.
Microsoft Security Support Center – Website with references, frequently asked questions, etc.
I know I introduced a few more terms in this post, please look for the upcoming posts:
Is your Foundation Secure? Operating System Security
Who do you trust in your home? ActiveX operations
UPDATES, UPDATES, UPDATES!!
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About SecureMama This site is dedicated to teaching security to people, particularly mothers. This site will teach in a manner that is easy to understand, and still entertain.
I am a security consultant and a mother of Three. I want to educate, entertain, and hopefully the reader can get something out of it.
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