Protect Yourself Against a Cyber Attack: Simple Ways to Avert Cyber Crime & Identity Theft

Posted on May 5th, 2011 by Paulina Aguilera

With the news of Sony PlayStation’s major security breach recently, we took it upon ourselves to find proven tips that will help you as a user defend your personal and financial data against cyber-criminals. A cyber attack that gives hackers your information could hurt your credit score, keeping you from acquiring a reasonable home loan or even making it impossible to move into the apartment you’ve dreamed of. To help you become less vulnerable to cyber crime, MovingCost.com has put together these essential security tips:

Make Sure All Software Is Up-to-Date
Don’t be the victim of a problem that could have been resolved by spending a few extra seconds installing a patch. Many security breaches are easily prevented with the installation of up-to-date patches and software. Next time you get a notice that tells you it’s time to update your software or that a new patch has been released, do yourself a favor and install it without delay.

Set Up a Secured Network
Keep hackers away from your internet activities by installing a secured network with a tough password. If you’re unsure about the process of setting up a secure home network, there are plenty of resources online to look into, or you could simply hire a reputable computer networking expert near you to do the job. For help creating a password, look no further than Digital Inspiration for some password making techniques.

Install a Firewall
Firewalls are one of the most basic features in home computer security. Firewalls stop unauthorized entry into your computer system – but they don’t remove anything if malware (or malicious software) were to enter. ALWAYS have your firewall turned on when surfing the net!

Get a Few Solid Anti-Virus & Malware Systems
Installing one anti-virus system is a good idea. Installing several? Even better. Protect your information by setting up two, three or even four anti-virus programs. There are plenty of free options, like AVG , which is one of the most common, and Spybot, which you can help support with donations.

Be Careful with E-Mail
Finally, make sure you are extremely cautious when you open your e-mail. Forget however intriguing the subject line seems to be and focus on the sender. If you don’t know them, why risk infecting your computer by clicking on a questionable link? Change your spam settings if you must, just don’t open e-mail you’re unsure about.

If you or someone you know are one of the 77 million PlayStation users that was affected by the breach, take action right now against identity theft. Fox Business offers valuable insight for the PlayStation users that were targeted.

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3. Free Computer Programs for Any College Student

Tags: internet safety, things-to-do, tips

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