Guide To Secure Internet Access For Home & Office

April 1, 2019
by Kevin Jones
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Most people who use PCs will be connected to the Internet, in fact, almost everyone has a smartphone, the most personal of all personal computers. This means that many are constantly exposed to malicious Internet-based threats, and security measures are a very important, yet expensive recurring theme. However, the current situation is both home and corporate computer users have a similar level of risks, regardless if they have an IT team that is always ready when a problem arises. Therefore, in this article, we will discuss the minimum security (yet still credible and affordable) measures that the person using and Internet-connected device should know.

There is no “absolute security” in the security for a computer, regardless of the platform used, but there is a level that “It will be good enough for this.” By taking measures that are relatively stricter than both sides, users can safely use their devices with confidence yet maintaining enough understanding of what to do when trouble happens.

Computer security is the same, and the point of “hardening” is to implement a more-the-enough measure to prevent the device from being abused by unknown entities from the other side of the Internet. Fortunately, the “average” improves every year, so it is necessary to regularly review the security settings. We will also need to upgrade the software every few years to improve security measures. Unlike hardware, software does not deteriorate, but as the world changes, software needs to be compatible.

Here are some of our tips in order to tighten system security for Internet-connected devices:

Need to regularly upgrade software
The key to security is regular software updates. Many software vendors continuously publish patches via the Internet, and for Windows, they are distributed using Windows Update. The software is updated regularly to keep up with the changing circumstances. It is important to respond to new threats by updating to the latest software, as made available by the developer. The distribution of patches may be discontinued for older software, so a regular refresh to new software version is needed.
Although it is difficult to completely prevent malware, using anti-virus software can eliminate most malware.
Anti-virus software monitors file downloads and storage and prevent unauthorized programs from entering. Previous anti-virus software was slow in checking files and slowed down the speed of the PC. Now the slowdown is minimized. Also, recent anti-virus software has a detection rate that is sufficient for all products. However, there seems to be a difference in the frequency of updating virus information and the detection rate of phishing, which is usually not detected by antimalware programs, but by observant users.
Consider the implementation of other types of authentication
The key to security is “identity verification.” The work of identity verification is called “authentication”. There are three major types of authentication.

Something you know (what you know)

Perform identity verification with information that only you are aware of. Passwords are representative of this approach. It can be used easily, but there is a risk of information leakage because it is just information. In addition to regular passwords, there is an increasing number of mechanisms called “two-step authentication” or “multi-factor authentication” that perform additional authentication with short messages, etc., centered on SMS. Strictly speaking, two-step authentication and multi-factor authentication are not the same, and the former only makes the authentication multiple stages, such as using two passwords (something you know), but the latter is a password and a privately owned mobile phone It is a combination of different elements such as phone (something you have) or password and biometric (something you are). Of course, the latter is more secure.

Something you have (what you have)

Perform identity verification with something that only you have. “Home key” etc. correspond. The security is high, but there is a risk of theft.

Something you are (your body)

The system will identify you with a part of your body, such as your fingerprint or face. It seems to be certain, but there is a possibility that it can not be authenticated due to physical injury. Face recognition is also included in Windows 10, and the logon is completed just by recognizing the face with the camera built into the PC. For example, if you do not recognize if you are wearing a mask, or if the person who has registered for makeup did not recognize it, it is not a perfect authentication method by itself, but impersonation is extremely difficult, and in that sense high security It is the merit of biometrics certification that can be obtained. It also features good manageability. The risk of loss is inevitable no matter how careful you are “something you have” or physical things has this limitation. In addition, “something you know” such as passwords also has the disadvantage that if you try to memorize a large number of passwords, management becomes difficult because you rely on your own memory.

6 rules to be implemented at a minimum for device security measures
Many other security technologies have appeared in addition to those described here. Make sure you get the latest information on an ongoing basis. This time, as a summary, I have listed “What should I do in the first place?”