Internet Security

[Reub]

I just read something about how nefarious individuals can actually take over control of your computer and hold your own files hostage. Evidently, they demand payment from prepaid cards before they release your computer back to you. Is this actually possible?

This brought me to also question just how much data can be derived from your IP address online. Can these guys actually obtain your name, address, phone numbers, and other info from your IP?

What type of security is necessary and effective? Are free anti-virus programs good enough? What kind of firewall is needed? Etc.

[Kriegsspiel]

Use passphrases, like what you come up with using Diceware.
Look at the email addresses of the mail in your inbox before you open them.
I use a wired connection, not WiFi. I'm not sure if this is effective, but it seems like it would be. Here's a bunch of geektalk about it.
I also have my browser set up to not run scripts on pages unless I click on them.

And yea, I'd imagine they could get a lot of information with IP addresses.

[Pointedstick]

As long as you don't open files that people send to you without verifying that you know what you're doing, you're probably good. A common tactic is hijacking a person's email account by getting hold of their password somehow, then sending emails to everybody on their contact list containing a malicious program disguised as a picture or a movie or something, with an ambiguous subject line like "scary" or "you have to see this!" that piques your curiosity and makes you want to click on the malicious file, which can give the attacker control of your computer. DON'T CLICK ON IT! This kind of thing is the #1 way people get "hacked."

If you can't be tricked into running malicious code, you're much less at risk, but you can still be a victim of "phishing," which again uses email. The phisher sends you an email that looks like it came from your bank or eBay or PayPal or some other company and attempts to convince you to visit a maliciously-crafted web page designed to look like the real thing in an effort to get you to enter your account info, whereupon they take the info you gave them and empty out your bank account, or hold your account hostage, or something like that. Legit emails from these companies will never ask you for your account name or password!

Honestly, if you have some common sense, don't open strange files from unknown or sketchy sources, and take what people send you over email with a grain of salt, you'll probably be fine.

[KevinW]

Microsoft Windows has always been prone to security compromises and difficult to harden. Linux, Mac OS, and even iOS and Android are easier to keep secure than Windows. First recommendation is to run something other than Windows.

Second recommendation (as already suggested) is to use a different strong password for everything. You can implement this with a tool like LastPass. Your master password needs to be especially strong so generate it with Diceware ( http://world.std.com/~reinhold/diceware.html ).

Third recommendation is to keep your disks encrypted at all times. If you won't do that then at least use "shred" or a similar tool to wipe any disk before it leaves your house. Always-on crypto is better though in case your computer gets physically stolen or seized.

Fourth recommendation (as already suggested) is to exercise the same kind of skepticism and street smarts you probably apply to the physical world. Don't give something access to your personal information or property until after you are reasonably sure they are trustworthy.

Typically your ISP owns a block of IP addresses and assigns them to computers on a temporary rotating basis with DHCP. The ownership of those blocks are public records, so anyone can determine, from your IP address, who your ISP is, and that may signal what country or geographical area you're from. But there is no "white pages" that associates individual end users with IP addresses.

[dualstow]

Isn't anyone going to pick on Java?

[murphy_p_t]

i have found this site to be very useful for its recommendations of freeware, etc.


https://www.techsupportalert.com/pc/security-tools.html

[Reub]

I just read about a great way to protect your yahoo, hotmail/outlook, or gmail accounts from being hacked called two factor authentication:

http://securitywatch.pcmag.com/apps-and ... your-email

It appears to be an easy way to stay out of trouble.

[notsheigetz]

This brought me to also question just how much data can be derived from your IP address online. Can these guys actually obtain your name, address, phone numbers, and other info from your IP?

If you are just a typical internet user and not a business you probably don't have a static IP address that identifies you. Every time you power up your computer and attach to the internet you get a new one. So it really isn't that easy to identify you just from your IP address.