Posted by SecExtra on April 19th, 2009

The computer security specialist is the go to man when it comes to advice on how to protect your home computer, be it a PC or laptop. He or she knows has knowledge and expertise in the areas of firewalls, antivirus programs and anti-spyware program. There are a series of FAQs or frequently asked questions and this article will address the issues of hackers and viral attacks on a home computer.

Almost routinely a computer user will wonder why after taking all known precautions, i.e., installation of antivirus and anti-spyware software, raising the firewall to its highest level and updating Windows, they still viral infections.

The most common cause is social engineering. A good example of this process is a Trojan Horse program. This is the most common way computer users are literally “tricked” into installing “back door” programs. These can allow hackers easy access to your computer without your knowledge. Once they are inside your system, there is no limit to the damage they can do.

Other common methods of social engineering are:

- The denial of service or DoS attack. Your computer will become so busy processing data that the DoS will cause it to crash.

- Becoming a DoS intermediary where your now compromised computer becomes an unwitting player. The hackers will install an “agent running on a compromised computer that will wait for instructions as what action to take next to attack other systems.

- Email-born viruses and spoofing. Spoofed e-mail often appears as a formal request from a service provider to change passwords or requesting a password file from a user. Viruses, worms and malicious codes are spread as email attachments with offers too good to be true.

Personal computers are targeted simply because of the way they are used. Social networking sites, chat rooms and IRC sites are a prime source of information exchange and a hacker’s feeding ground. Hackers understand their victims and often attack the weakest link. Often times the culprit is someone using a family computer and engaging in risky internet surfing or downloading software that has a hidden code in it. Any seasoned computer security specialist can take a look at the installed programs and identify a user abuse problem

Below are suggestions to protect your home computer:

- If you work from home familiarize yourself with your system support personnel.
- Run virus protection and spyware protection software daily.
Use a firewall.
- Do not open and immediately delete e-mail attachments from unknown senders.
- Do not run programs without verified certificates.
- Disable filename extensions.
- Make sure all applications including your operating system are patched. (A patch can either be an update and/or a service pack.)
- When not in use turn off the computer or disconnect from the network.
- Disable Java, JavaScript and ActiveX programs whenever possible.
- Frequently back up all critical data.
- Disable any and all scripting features in e-mail programs.
- Keep a boot disk handy in case the computer is damaged or compromised in some fashion. This is especially necessary if multiple users have access.

If you have any questions regarding possible computer compromise due to hacking, viruses, worms, etc. the best course of action to take is to consult a computer security specialist.