Making your password strong

Follow these guidelines to create secure passwords:

• The longer the better. Always use at least seven characters, more if possible. The more characters in your password, the harder it is for someone to guess the password.
• Never use a word from the dictionary. Programs exist that can systematically check every word in the dictionary against your password.
• If the password field accepts it, use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters.
• Use at least one number and one symbol in your password. Don't use numbers in place of similar letters, and don't use consecutive letters or numbers.
• Avoid using passwords that can easily be guessed. Don't use any part of your logon name, and resist using personal references to help you remember. For example, "John1970" is a bad password because it references personal information; "7Rj%X10y" is a good password because it is random.

Setting strong passwords can be tricky because the very elements that make them strong can make them hard to remember. Even so, don't compromise.

Here's a tip: Create a password from a phrase. Instead of using a key word, choose a memorable event in your life and convert it to secret code. For example:

• Using first letters of the phrase "I went to Ft. Lauderdale in 85!" would translate to: IwtF.Li85!
• Using last letters of the same phrase, and reversing capitals, would translate to: iTOT.eN85+

Protecting the password once it's created

Once you've created a password, use common sense to protect it from others:

• Keep it to yourself!
• Don't write it down. If you must do so, don't keep your password written down in an obvious place such as in a wallet or on your monitor.
• Don't share it with anyone. If you absolutely must share the password, then change it as soon as possible afterward.
• Change it every few months.
• Create a unique one for extremely sensitive information, such as financial records. For example, do not use the same password for your online banking account that you already use to access your e-mail.

Use a hardware firewall

One of the most effective steps you can take to help secure your network is to configure a hardware firewall between your local network and the Internet. The Microsoft® Broadband Networking base stations include an integrated firewall to help protect your network against malicious transmissions - and the firewall is turned on by default.

Just as the name implies, a firewall acts as a barrier or buffer zone between your local network and the Internet. A firewall allows you to specify what information can be communicated from the computers on your network to the Internet and from the Internet to the computers on your network. It checks data packets being transmitted to your network and discards any suspicious data.

Use Network Address Translation

Network Address Translation (NAT) helps provide another layer of protection against hackers trying to access the computers on your local network.

For this reason, it's important to use a base station (gateway or router) that provides NAT, such as a Microsoft Broadband Networking base station.

NAT hides the Internet Protocol or IP addresses of each computer on your local network, so that only the base station's IP address is visible.

This makes it more difficult for hackers to determine the specific IP address for any one of the computers on your network, and thus helps prevent unauthorized access to your network while you're online.

Install and use antivirus software

Any time you bring files or other information into your computer from outside sources, such as files that are e-mail attachments, files on floppy disks, downloaded files from a network, or even Web pages that you view on the Internet, you risk getting a computer virus, passed on either intentionally or unintentionally. A virus can manifest itself in any number of ways, from printing a harmless message on your screen to transmitting the contents of your hard disk to a hacker on the other side of the world.

You need to have antivirus software running on all computers to ensure that they don't acquire viruses from files you open. An antivirus program can monitor all incoming files, e-mail messages, and Web pages, automatically quarantining suspicious files and notifying you of suspicious behavior.

Note   Some antivirus software also includes a software firewall to help protect your computer. If you are using a firewall in a device like a Microsoft base station, do not install a software firewall. Running two firewalls on your network at the same time will lead to connectivity and speed issues with your Internet access.

After you install an antivirus program, be sure to do the following:

• Update the antivirus program regularly. Antivirus manufacturers release updates and new downloadable virus definitions, as new computer viruses become known. A virus definition gives your antivirus program the ability to identify and remove the new virus. Typically, you can download these updates from the manufacturer's Web site. Some virus programs can be configured to periodically update your definitions automatically.
• Scan all your disk drives for viruses after you first install the antivirus program and every few months thereafter.  
• If your antivirus program has the capability, set it to constantly monitor your computer.
• Configure your antivirus program to monitor incoming and outgoing e-mail messages. Or you can scan e-mail attachments yourself. E-mail attachments are the most common method of virus transmission.
• Scan all floppy disks and CDs when you first insert them in your computer.

To get the latest information on antivirus software, see Use Antivirus Software

One of the advantages of connecting your computers through a network is the ability to share resources, such as files and folders, among them. But if your network is connected to the Internet, anonymous intruders might have access to those shared resources.

To keep files secure, it's best to share them with other computers only when necessary.

If you do need to share files, ensure that you protect them with share-level access control (also called "permissions").

This is a security feature of the Microsoft Windows® operating system that enables you to limit other users' level of access to shared resources and to prevent unwanted users on the network or on the Internet from accessing them at all.

Use common sense!

The best way to protect your system is to stay aware of security risks and how you can prevent them. Here are some additional tips to keep in mind:

• Think before opening an e-mail message or e-mail attachment. Viruses can easily be transmitted through files attached to a message. If you don't know the sender, or if the e-mail text seems suspicious, don't open the message or the attachment.
• Don't open anything with a file name ending in .exe or .com unless you know exactly what it is and where it came from. Question the file even if it is from a trusted source. For example, some viruses will use your friend's e-mail address book to send themselves to you, as if they were a communication from your friend.
• Only visit Web pages that you trust. Viruses can be downloaded to your computer from a malicious Internet site.
• Be aware that new viruses and hacking programs are created all the time. Pay attention to bulletins from antivirus companies about viruses spreading across the Internet.
• Learn the common signs of viruses: unusual messages that appear on your screen, decreased system performance, missing data, and an inability to access your hard disk. If you notice any of these problems, update your antivirus definitions and scan your computer immediately to minimize the chances of losing data.
• Turn off your computer when not in use. In addition to saving energy, you will make it impossible for anyone to access your files.
• Frequently check the Microsoft Windows Update Web site to get the latest fixes for security problems. If you use other programs that access the Internet, such as Microsoft Office or an e-mail program, check with the manufacturer to get critical security updates.

For more information setting up a wireless network or tackling the issue of network security, please call us on 08451 304060 to speak to one of our advisors. Click here to purchase your wireless products online.

Information taken from Microsoft. Microsoft's complete range of IT software solutions can also be purchased from Readycrest. Call now to find out more.