Tue, 05 Jan 2010
Security tips for the rest of us
Computer security is hard. Technical people have a hard time keeping up with all the issues, so what is the average computer going to do?
The Security Now, podcast #229 describes a few simple rules that anyone can follow:
- Don't click on links in emails.
- Don't accept files or email attachments from people you don't know.
- Do keep your computer up to date with Windows Update or Mac Software Update.
- Do use good strong passwords.
These are easy enough for anyone to remember and follow. It is much better to follow a few simple rules, instead of having more better rules that don't get followed.
For further details, see the So Long, And No Thanks for the Externalities: The Rational Rejection of Security Advice by Users paper. It describes how some traditional security advice is not worth following, because the benefits/risks are outweighed by the cost of following them.