Embedded Files
No matter how you access data (e.g. documents) or software you install, each brings with it the potential for malware. That is, an opportunity for those who mean you harm to infect your computer with viruses and spyware.
No matter how you access data (e.g. documents) or software you install, each brings with it the potential for malware. That is, an opportunity for those who mean you harm to infect your computer with viruses and spyware.
While your organization may protect your work device, it may not do so for your personal devices. In this module, you will learn to protect your personal devices, including your home computer and smartphone.
While your organization may protect your work device, it may not do so for your personal devices. In this module, you will learn to protect your personal devices, including your home computer and smartphone.
Topics
Topics
- Password Management
- Anti-Malware Tools
- Registry and Defragmenting Software
- Data Recovery
- Firewalls
- Set up Multi-Factor Authentication
1 - Password Management
1 - Password Management
Scenario: Teacher Password
Scenario: Teacher Password
A teacher has written down his login information to the new student information system on a sticky note and put it on his desk. While he is gone, a couple of students discover the note. They then use the teacher’s login to access the system after hours and change students’ grades. Additionally, since the teacher used the same password on other internal systems, the students were also able to access other systems with sensitive employee data, including Social Security numbers and other private information.
Turn On Two-Factor Authentication Tutorials
Did You Know?
Did You Know?
Passwords are growing increasingly complex and difficult to make secure. Encourage users to develop secure passwords they can remember. Also, use a password keeper (e.g. Keepass, Bitwarden). Learn more here.
2 - Anti-Malware Tools
2 - Anti-Malware Tools
Microsoft Defender Antivirus is the next-generation protection component of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. This protection brings together machine learning, big-data analysis, in-depth threat resistance research, and the Microsoft cloud infrastructure to protect devices in your enterprise organization. (Source: Microsoft).
Microsoft Defender Antivirus is the next-generation protection component of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. This protection brings together machine learning, big-data analysis, in-depth threat resistance research, and the Microsoft cloud infrastructure to protect devices in your enterprise organization. (Source: Microsoft).
Malwarebytes Free
Malwarebytes Free
Cleans up your device after an infection. Try Premium to stop infections before they happen.
Malwarebytes AdwCleaner
Malwarebytes AdwCleaner
Gets rid of sneaky programs on your PC that slow you down and bombard you with ads.
Malwarebytes Browser Guard
Malwarebytes Browser Guard
Blocks ads and scams in Chrome, Edge and Firefox for a cleaner, safer browsing experience.
3 - Registry & Defragmenting Software
3 - Registry & Defragmenting Software
What is the Windows Registry?
What is the Windows Registry?
The Windows Registry stores much of the information and settings for software programs, hardware devices, user preferences, and operating-system configurations. For example, when a new program is installed, a new set of instructions and file references may be added to the registry in a specific location for the program, and others that may interact with it, to refer to for more information like where the files are located, which options to use in the program, etc. (Source).
Tip: Avoid Registry Cleaners and other software online. They are unnecessary.
While you can address some issues, they are not critical in newer versions of Windows.
What is Defragmenting Software?
What is Defragmenting Software?
Defragmentation improves your computer's performance. It relocates all the bits and bytes of the files on your computer and puts them together to speed up reading them. Over time, those file bits get mixed up and defragmentation software sorts them out and puts them back where they are supposed to be.
Available in free and pro flavors, this is a wonderful solution for keeping your computer in tip-top shape. You will have to decide if the cost is worthwhile. It includes over 20 tools, including registry cleaning and hard drive defragmentation. While defragmenting tools are available via Windows 10, some prefer to use external tools. Do keep in mind that solid state drives (SSDs) should not be defragmented since it will lead to drive failure sooner than later, unlike hard disk drives (HDD).
Clean registry junks, repair Windows registry errors, defragment Windows registry, and keep your PC at peak performance. Wise Registry Cleaner is one of the safest Windows registry cleaners and registry defragmenters. It automatically backs up the system before any cleaning is performed. You can use the backup to restore the system to an earlier state.
Defraggler is free defrag software from Piriform, the creators of other popular freeware system tools like CCleaner (system/registry cleaner), Recuva (data recovery), and Speccy (system information).
This is unique defragmentation software because it can selectively move fragmented files to the end of the drive if you don't access them often, essentially speeding up access to files you do use.
Source: LifeWire
4 - Data Recovery & File Shredding
4 - Data Recovery & File Shredding
It's so easy accidentally delete your data. Many don't know that when data is put in the Trash can or Recycle bin, all that happens is that a marker for that data on your drive is changed. It switches from "visible" to "invisible." With the right software, you can recover that data and make it available again. You can also use software to "shred" or "wipe" that data beyond retrieval.
It's so easy accidentally delete your data. Many don't know that when data is put in the Trash can or Recycle bin, all that happens is that a marker for that data on your drive is changed. It switches from "visible" to "invisible." With the right software, you can recover that data and make it available again. You can also use software to "shred" or "wipe" that data beyond retrieval.
Let's explore both.
Let's explore both.
Data Recovery
Data Recovery
This free, open source, Windows only software offers recovery of deleted information on your local storage drives. The website claims the following:
"It finds all of the deleted files on your hard drive, flash drive or SD card and allows you to recover them. Undeletion works best if performed as soon as possible after file deletion. When you delete a file, the data is not lost - but new files being written to the hard drive may overwrite your data permanently, making recovery impossible."
This Windows only software offers recovery of deleted information on your local storage drives. The website claims the following:
"Recuva recovers files from your Windows computer, recycle bin, digital camera card, or MP3 player! Recuva can recover pictures, music, documents, videos, emails or any other file type you’ve lost. And it can recover from any rewriteable media you have: memory cards, external hard drives, USB sticks and more! Unlike most file recovery tools, Recuva can recover files from damaged or newly formatted drives. Greater flexibility means greater chance of recovery."
This free, open source, Mac only software offers recovery of deleted information on your local storage drives. The website claims the following:
"EaseUS Mac Undelete is the most reliable Mac undelete software, it automatically scans your hard disk to recover deleted files in a fast and secure way. Features claimed include: Quickly & completely recover deleted, formatted, inaccessible and lost data; Recover videos, photos, music, documents, emails, archives etc. from Mac hard drives and most storage devices; Preview lets you enjoy data recovery in advance."
This Windows, Mac, Android and iOS software offers recovery of deleted information. The website claims the following:
"Recover any file or folder or reconstruct 400+ file types with multiple recovery methods. Connect your storage device & recover data in minutes. Disk Drill supports iOS and Android recovery as well." Watch video.
Shredding or Wiping Data
Shredding or Wiping Data
Since deleting files on your computer or device does NOT remove the file contents, this means the data can be recovered through the use of software shown above. Oftentimes, that is not desirable due to the sensitive nature of the data. There are plenty of horror stories of hard drives being thrown out, USB flash drives picked up and then confidential data accessed. To stop data recovery efforts, it's important to "wipe" or "shred" the data. In this way, deleted data is overwritten beyond recovery.
This free, open source software offers shredding of data on your local storage drives. It works on Mac, Windows, and GNU/Linux computer platforms. The website claims the following:
"With BleachBit you can free cache, delete cookies, clear Internet history, shred temporary files, delete logs, and discard junk you didn't know was there. Designed for Linux and Windows systems, it wipes clean thousands of applications including Firefox, Adobe Flash, Google Chrome, Opera, and more. Beyond simply deleting files, BleachBit includes advanced features such as shredding files to prevent recovery, wiping free disk space to hide traces of files deleted by other applications, and vacuuming Firefox to make it faster. "
This Windows, Mac, Android, iOS software offers shredding of deleted information. The website claims the following:
"ShredIt is the file shredder / hard drive eraser that offers all the features you need to clean a hard drive."
This Windows software offers shredding of data on your local storage drives. The website claims the following:
SDelete GUI is an Open Source app that provides an alternative option to the command-line only SDelete from Sysinternals.
But to be clear, SDelete GUI uses Microsoft Sysinternals SDelete to perform file and folder deletions via the DOD 5220.22-M algorithm. But for those that are not comfortable performing the deletion process via the command-line, this will be perfect.
SDelete GUI allows you to add a "Secure Delete" option in the Windows right-click context menu. The Secure Delete addition will securely and permanently delete all selected files and folders.
This "personal use only" software offers shredding of your entire hard disk drive (HDD). Note that Solid State Drives (SSD) are not supported. The website claims the following:
"Delete information stored on hard disk drives (HDDs) in PC laptops, desktops or servers. "
Note: I've used this many times and it works great on older drives. It has not been updated since 2015, and does NOT work with solid state drives (did I say that already?).
Looking for another way to get the job done? If you have experience with GNU/Linux, you can boot a GNU/Linux distribution from a USB drive, then run the "DD" command outlined here. This works on various drives, however, if you have a solid state drive (SSD), these instructions for wiping an SSD may work better (or try an alternate set of instructions).
Looking for another way to get the job done? If you have experience with GNU/Linux, you can boot a GNU/Linux distribution from a USB drive, then run the "DD" command outlined here. This works on various drives, however, if you have a solid state drive (SSD), these instructions for wiping an SSD may work better (or try an alternate set of instructions).
5 - Firewall
5 - Firewall
Software Firewalls for Windows and Mac
Software Firewalls for Windows and Mac
When Microsoft Windows lacked built-in firewall support, it was customary to install an external firewall software. Now, Microsoft Defender boasts a firewall and that is sufficient. You can find other firewalls you can add but they may not be needed.
When Microsoft Windows lacked built-in firewall support, it was customary to install an external firewall software. Now, Microsoft Defender boasts a firewall and that is sufficient. You can find other firewalls you can add but they may not be needed.
The main purpose of a software firewall include blocking incoming attacks from the Internet and allowing you to decide apps on your computer may connect to the internet. Why would you control what apps can connect to the Internet? Imagine if those apps are malware. A firewall would stop outgoing connections from your computer's malware.
Software firewalls will give you MORE control. Unfortunately, they may also interfere with how Microsoft Windows works.
Mac user? Try one of these firewalls:
Lulu (Free): LuLu is the free, open-source firewall that aims to block unknown outgoing connections, protecting your privacy and your Mac.
Murus Lite (Free): In three different flavors, Murus Lite is available for free, noncommercial use and offers standard features.
Radio Silence ($9): Radio Silence lets you keep a list of apps that aren't allowed to make network connections.
And, if you are more concerned about outgoing connections, give Little Snitch (Mac only, $47) a spin.
5 - Set up Multi-Factor Authentication
5 - Set up Multi-Factor Authentication
MFA is quite simple, and organizations are focusing more than ever on creating a smooth user experience. In fact, you probably already use it in some form. For example, you’ve used MFA if you’ve:
swiped your bank card at the ATM and then entered your PIN (personal ID number).
logged into a website that sent a numeric code to your phone, which you then entered to gain access to your account.
MFA, sometimes referred to as two-factor authentication or 2FA, is a security enhancement that allows you to present two pieces of evidence – your credentials – when logging in to an account.
Your credentials fall into any of these three categories:
something you know (like a password or PIN),
something you have (like a smart card), or
something you are (like your fingerprint).
Your credentials must come from two different categories to enhance security – so entering two different passwords would not be considered multi-factor.
Source: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Find a list of websites that offer MFA here and step-by-step instructions for enabling it for your accounts here. You can even use this browser extension lets you know which of the websites you use offer MFA—and makes it easy to call out those that don’t.
Authenticator Apps for Your Smartphone
Authenticator Apps for Your Smartphone
Google Sites
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