Were my suggestions on personal data security right or wrong? Please commit.
Hi Brenda and Queenie,
Your question is all about the hottest topic ever in I.T. - Security!
I just can highlight you "some" aspects you need to consider:
1. Firewall setting: XP provides basic function of firewall, you MUST turn it "on". Some software you installed (e.g. msn messenger, icq etc.) may gain exception under your approval to access through your firewall. So, you NEED to very alert what software or utility you allow it to gain exception to "break through" the firewall. You can review this list in "Exceptions" in "Windows Firewall" in "Security Center" in "Control Panel". Go through the list and mark down any "suspect" items. Ask the school whether these items are necessary for you to gain access to the school network.
2. User Accounts: check your user account to see how many account you or anybody else have created. For ease of management purpose, eliminate all accounts which are not used any more. As a personal computer, it is the best to just have your account alone and this only account should be the only computer administrator account. If you need to keep another account for any person, assign those account as "Limited", never "computer administrator". Keep your account password protected.
3. Encrypt personal data: As a computer administrator, you can encrypt, besides "MY DOCUMENTS", any of your chosen folders and files. Right click your mouse on the chosen folder or file, click "properties" in the pull down menu. Select "General" and click "Advanced". Click to tick the "Encrypt contents to secure data" and then click "OK". Please be reminded that you "MUST" untick this box (turn off this feature) before you copy the folder or the file to any other computer, otherwise, this folder or this file may not be "open" or "read" in another computer. I say "may not" because I just experience this myself. I have never read the user manual from Microsoft about the detail of this function. This function is really cool in protecting your personal data, but use at your own risk (the risk is when you forget to unencrypt the copies / the backups. Once when you re-install your XP on your computer, you can neither access to the encrypted data on your computer nor their copies / backups which encrypted by the previous OS). You may try coping those encrypted files to read in other computer. If there is no problem in reading those data without unencrypting, just disregard my caution. If you cannot read it in another computer, then you must remember to unencrypt those copies before passing them to another people or after you backup them in an external storage device ( I suggest not to unencrypt the original folder or file, just unencrypt those "copy" or "backup". So that you need not to re-encrypt your originals after copying / backuping them. SEE? ).
4. Keep your VERY personal data in an secured thumb drive: Yesterday I went across a few computer shops and founded that there's some pretty cool thumb drive (in sim or flash memory, not hard disk type) which are good for secure personal datas. They have pre-installed password system. First, it no need to "online" everytime with your computer. Only plug it in when necessary. Second, you need to access it with password. This narrow the risk of disclosing your data to the period
when you actually access to the thumb drive. Of course, the longer the accessing period, the higher the risk of disclosure. It is about HK$300 for a 2G password secure thumb drive.
Besides, there are many professional personal data security softwares on sale in the market. But still, not exposing ourselves in the network ( both intranet and internet ) is the most fundamental factor! Only "LOGIN" yourselves when necessary. Self discipline on managing ourselves in exposing to the network and to which zone of the network is what counts. Offline yourselves all the time is the safest way in protecting ourselves from hackers. Knowing that online is a status of
communication which must involve 2 ways - in and out.
This is all I can share in the limit of my knowledge. Hope you would not up-set of my long-air. Jesus really loves you for I seldom check email in the morning. Suppose I was doing drill then but my manager was called to a meeting this morning. When I just returned to my sit, the first idea came to me is "checking email". It is about 10 minutes after Brenda sent out the "urgent" request. In so many coincidence, there's grace of God in governing! Let's say "THANK YOU JESUS"!
love you all,
Simon
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Author: simon
Location: Kowloon Hong Kong
Gender: Male
Age: 49
Blog Entries: 1 (archive)
Blog Comments: 1
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