Packard Bell EasyNote LX8 Quick Start & Troubleshooting Manual page 32

Protect your computer with security software.
Several types of security software are necessary for basic online security. Security software essentials include firewall and
antivirus programs. A firewall is usually your computer's first line of defense-it controls who and what can communicate with
your computer online. You could think of a firewall as a sort of "policeman" that watches all the data attempting to flow in
and out of your computer on the Internet, allowing communications that it knows are safe and blocking "bad" traffic such as
attacks from ever reaching your computer.
The next line of defense many times is your antivirus software, which monitors all online activities such as email messages
and Web browsing and protects an individual from viruses, worms, Trojan horse and other types of malicious programs. Your
antivirus and antispyware software should be configured to update itself, and it should do so every time you connect to the
Internet.
Integrated security suites such as Norton Internet Security combine firewall, antivirus, antispyware with other features such
as antispam and parental controls have become popular as they offer all the security software needed for online protection in
a single package. Many people find using a security suite an attractive alternative to installing and configuring several
different types of security software as well as keeping them all up-to-date.
A complete version of Norton Internet Security™ is pre-installed on your Packard Bell system. It includes a free
trial subscription to protection updates. Make sure you Turn it On!
Choose strong passwords and keep them safe.
Passwords are a fact of life on the Internet today; we use them for everything from ordering flowers and online banking to
logging into our favorite airline Web site to see how many miles we have accumulated. The following tips can help make your
online experiences secure:
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Selecting a password that cannot be easily guessed is the first step toward keeping passwords secure and away from the
wrong hands. Strong passwords have eight characters or more and use a combination of letters, numbers and symbols
(e.g., # $ % ! ?). Avoid using any of the following as your password: your login name, anything based on your personal
information such as your last name, and words that can be found in the dictionary. Try to select especially strong, unique
passwords for protecting activities like online banking.
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Keep your passwords in a safe place and try not to use the same password for every service you use online.
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Change passwords on a regular basis, at least every 90 days. This can limit the damage caused by someone who has
already gained access to your account. If you notice something suspicious with one of your online accounts, one of the first
steps you can take is to change your password.
Protect your personal information.
Exercise caution when sharing personal information such as your name, home address, phone number, and email address
online. To take advantage of many online services, you will inevitably have to provide personal information in order to handle
billing and shipping of purchased goods. Since not divulging any personal information is rarely possible, the following list
contains some advice for how to share personal information safely online:
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Keep an eye out for phony email messages. Things that indicate a message may be fraudulent are misspellings, poor
grammar, odd phrasings, Web site addresses with strange extensions, Web site addresses that are entirely numbers where
there are normally words, and anything else out of the ordinary. Additionally, phishing messages will often tell you that
you have to act quickly to keep your account open, update your security, or urge you to provide information immediately
or else something bad will happen. Don't take the bait.
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Don't respond to email messages that ask for personal information. Legitimate companies will not use email
messages to ask for your personal information. When in doubt, contact the company by phone or by typing in the
company Web address into your Web browser. Don't click on the links in these messages as they make take you to
fraudulent, malicious Web sites.
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Steer clear of fraudulent Web sites used to steal personal information. When visiting a Web site, type the
address (URL) directly into the Web browser rather than following a link within an email or instant message. Fraudsters
often forge these links to make them look convincing. A shopping, banking or any other Web site where sensitive
information should have an "S" after the letters "http" (i.e. https://www.yourbank.com not http://www.yourbank.com).
The "s" stands for secure and should appear when you are in an area requesting you to login or provide other sensitive
32 - Quick Start & Troubleshooting Guide