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Computer safety is very important in our daily living and computer operation.Practical measures taken accurately to increase or ensure safety or protection from danger is usually encouraged and Computer safety measures involves any strict and clear /precise precautionary measure taken to increase or ensure safety or protection of the computer system from danger.
Computer security allows you to use the computer while keeping it absolutely safe from threats and attacks. Computer security can be defined as controls and safety measures that are put in place to provide confidentiality, integrity, and availability for all components of computer systems. These components include data, software, hardware, and firmware.
When working online with computers, there are lots of attacks that might occur and notable among them is online Phishing.
Phishing (pronounced: fishing) is an online-fraud technique that is used by criminals to lure you into disclosing your personal information, which then enables the thief to:
- Apply for and get credit in your name.
- Empty your bank account and charge expenses to the limit of your credit cards.
- Remove money from your accounts.
- Use a copy of your debit card to withdraw your money from anywhere in the world.
Warning signs
It’s likely that fraud is being tried when you are asked to:
- Provide personal information to an unknown source.
- Verify your account information with the threat of suspending your account.
- Sell an item with a promise of payment that is much more than the item is worth.
- Make direct monetary donations.
RESPONSIBLE USE OF THE COMPUTER SYSTEM
Computer users should take the following precautions in using the computer system;
- Obey rules and regulations
- Avoid liquids dropping into the system
- Use dust protective covers
- Protect the system from power problems
- Unplug the system when not in use
RESPONSIBLE USE OF THE INTERNET
- Always endeavour to check your e-mail regularly.
- Be mindful of the websites you visit, some sites are dubious waiting for victims;
- Install anti-virus on your computer system.
- Avoid downloading file attachments from unknown sources.
- Be mindful of the information you exchange on the internet via chats. Etc.
CATEGORIES OF COMPUTER ETHICS
- Safety ethics
- Maintenance ethics
- Environmental ethics
- Moral ethics
However, in today’s life, we are extremely reliant on computers and the information that they store than ever before. This ranges from spyware, viruses, and Trojans to identity theft and computer hardware malfunctions( Deadly computer viruses) —any disruption can have a massive impact on our lives. No matter how savvy the user, safe computing practices are a combination of physical protections using computer software and security settings and the secure actions of the user. You need both to make a difference. Below are the Top 10 Computer Safety Measures and Helpful Tips
1. Make sure your computer is updated:
1. In the evolving world of computer malware and software viruses, it is unarguably imperative that computer owners use up to date anti-virus software and keep it updated. Most anti-virus software gives the user the ability to do automatic updates at all times.
2. Whether individuals choose to update their operating system software automatically or manually, we recommend making it a continuous process. It is also important to keep other software on your computer updated. Software updates often include essential bug fixes and security features that address existing vulnerabilities.
3. Finally, enable the personal firewall on your computer. This will help to keep unauthorized people from snooping around your computer when it’s connected to the Internet.
2. Try Creating strong, secure passwords
There is power in strong and unthinkable passwords, usually with letters,numbers and symbols. Normally, it is highly recommended that passwords that contain at least 8 characters with a combination of letters, numbers and symbols e.g @,$,3,%,* signs. Strong passwords are less likely to be hacked than very generic passwords. Use creative pass-phases to avoid having to write down a password. Do not share your passwords with anyone.
3. Ensure that Only Legal files and Software are Downloaded
With the increase in blogs and the desires for website owners to make money online, lots of viruses and unregulated softwares are out there readily available for download without restrictions, Most times along with the possibility of significant legal penalties, downloading music and movies from peer-to-peer networks can be harmful to your computer or devices. These downloaded files are sometimes riddled with viruses and spyware to steal your datas and hack your system.
4. Keep personal information safe
Reduce your risk of identity theft. Popularly referred to as Phishing,Phishing is an online-fraud technique that is used by criminals to lure you into disclosing your personal information, which then enables the thief to: Never share your personal information via email, no matter how official the email looks. Official business that requires personal information should not happen via unsecured email.
5. Scan email attachments and validate links
In an effort to keep viruses off your machine, scan all attachments that are sent to you. Viruses can lurk in emails from friends and family. While you may be fooled about an email that contains a photo you would like to see from a friend, anti-virus software will know the difference. If you receive a link in an email from a trusted source, hover over the link using your mouse and look in the bottom bar of your web browser to reveal the true URL and validate that the link is legitimate. This will ensure that you know where you are going on the Internet, and whether or not you want to go there.
6. Always Lock your computer
It is highly advisable to lock your computer system. When leaving your computer unattended, physically lock it to prevent theft of the machine. We also suggest that users lock the screen with a password to safeguard data.
7. Log off any public areas and clear cookies if Necessary
Remember when using a public computer or network, it is just that…public. Few days ago, a friend of mine visited me and complained bitterly how he lost his Google Adsense account via this singular act of carelessness. He was at a public cyber cafe to make some updates to his websites,after he was done browsing and sending datas online, he couldn’t be so smart to log out from his Google adsense account/Gmail account. Because of this, his account was stolen from him. Be sure that you completely log off the site or machine when you are finished using it. Users should be especially mindful to uncheck boxes that will remember users’ login information when logging into online services, such as email and bank accounts.
Backing up your essential data can be very helpful in case of any eventuality. No one knows tomorrow as we all know. We have seen final papers vanish and got deleted—hard drives crash and files become corrupt and so much more due to this failure to back up your data. If you have important information that you cannot afford to lose, back it up. We recommend that you store this information securely and even consider storing extra copies at another location.
9. Limit information on social media sites
People will post almost anything on social media site. They dont know that this is very dangerous. For many people, birth dates, anniversaries, addresses, phone numbers, and a lot of other personal information can be found on social media sites. Try to Protect yourself from identity theft and other scams by limiting what information you disclose online and who can see that information.
10. Avoid surfing websites that you don’t already know
As my top Computer Safety Measures and Helpful Tips , you must be wise when browsing online for relevant information.Browsers are quickly becoming one of the larger vulnerabilities in computing. Adware and spyware are written specifically to exploit Internet Explorer and Firefox. So try and stick with the websites you trust.
While these steps are not foolproof, they will go a long way towards extending the life of your computer and protecting the valuable information contained on it. With the above Computer Safety Measures and Helpful Tips,loosing your machine shouldn’t be a problem an more.
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