3/6/14 My Digital Life

Viruses are pieces of code that are capable of copying themselves.  They usually have detrimental effects like corrupting the system or destroying data.  Viruses are nasty.  People should know how to protect themselves against them.  The best defense against viruses is by keeping your computer software up to date at work and as well as at home and getting anti-virus software.  This helps you recover and closes your computer's back doors preventing viruses from sneaking in.  Do not click on links, attachments, or downloadable files unless you know for certain that they are legitimate.  Another thing computer users should look out for is identity theft.  There are five simple steps to guarding yourself from identity thieves.  Keep your eyes peeled for skimmers.  Skimmers are nearly undetectable devices are commonly placed on credit card machines, ATMs, and gas pumps.  Pay in stores and recieve change at the register rather than at ATMs.  Change your usernames and passwords often.  Do not respond to phone calls, texts, or emails including personal information.  Check your online account balance and transactions frequently.  Finally the most crucial tip to protecting yourself from identity theft, obtain identity theft protection.  Recovery is a drawn out, nitpicky process without insurance coverage.  It can even take years to clear your name.  Security First identity companies identity theft coverage comes with protection for you family too.  Before jumping into a coverage company, review them all.  Different companies have various levels of coverage.  Security First Insurance Company Identity Theft Protection twenty-five dollars annually with monitoring services included.  They work all day every day to keep your identity secure.  That is a modest price for a service so valuable.  Think of what you already have standing between your private information and creepy criminals, your password.  Many of them are great at guessing passwords.  Others have computer programs that make millions of guesses until it is cracked.  It is even simpler if the criminal knows things about you.  It is not a good idea to use very simple around-the-house possessions or pets.  Your password should definitely not contain information about you.  The most effective and memorable way to make one is by coming up with an easy-to-remember phrase.  Take the first letter of each word in it.  Capitalize a few of them.  Then add some special characters of your choosing.  Be cautious if you write down the password.  Somebody could easily catch a glimpse or find it in the recycling.  Also remember to logout of sites you cruise through on foreign computers.  Random stranger passerbies could easily scroll through your personal messages.  There is an extremely educational video behind this mystical arrangement of letters and special characters.  It goes by the name of https://www.ted.com/talks/mikko_hypponen_fighting_viruses_defending_the_net.  It speaks of it being twenty-five years since the very first PC virus, known as Brain A.  Mikko Hyppönen, computer security expert, tells how to stop today's new viruses in their tracks before they attack our beloved internet.  Thank you oh so very much!  Good whatever it is for you!