10 Tips for Protecting Your High-Speed Internet Connection

by Tom Abruzzo

With more of us using high-speed Internet access such as DSL or cable modems at home, the chances for security breaches have increased dramatically. The following tips can help you keep your systems and network connections secure and operational.

  1. Install a physical firewall device. As an alternative to a physical firewall device, install firewall software. Be sure to keep up on firewall updates.
  2. Install anti-virus software. Ensure that your anti-virus software is automatically updated on a regular basis.
  3. Ensure that your PC's password structure is secure and strong. Each password should contain a combination of upper and lower case characters, numbers, and special characters.
  4. Turn off guest accounts on your PC. As an alternative, ensure that guest accounts have secure and strong passwords. As before, passwords should contain a combination of upper and lower case characters, numbers, and special characters.
  5. Turn off any unneeded PC services, such as Internet connections, file transfer, and telnet.
  6. Keep up to date on service packs and security patches for your operating system.
  7. Microsoft networking uses shares; ensure that a secure policy is associated with shares.
  8. In a wireless environment, use the Wireless Encryption Protocol to optimize security, if possible.
  9. Power down your PC when not in use. As an alternative, turn off or unplug the physical firewall. Note that powering off the cable modem could cause system initialization problems.
  10. Don't forget to back up your data for disaster recovery purposes. Standard CDs, zip, and jazz drives are very effective and inexpensive. Remember, the best recovery plan in the world will not work without access to your system's data.

About the Author
Tom Abruzzo is the president of TAMP Computer Systems Inc., a firm specializing in planning software and consulting solutions for business continuity and disaster recovery since 1985. He is the creator of TAMP's Disaster Recovery System (DRS) planning software and the author of the book Recovering Your Business. Mr. Abruzzo is also co-chair of the Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Management Committee for LISTnet. He can be reached at tabruzzo@drsbytamp.com

This article first appeared in Contingency Planning & Management. Their website is located at www.ContingencyPlanning.com