Protect My Computer

by Ryan Majeau – 06/14/11

You wouldn’t leave your front door wide open when you leave for work, so why leave your home network open? Just as you lock your door every day you need to lock your network.  Protecting your home computer starts simply by creating a password.

Armed with the assumptions that ‘it will never happen to me’, many opt to leave the default settings when you create your home wireless network. Whether you believe you are invincible or not, default settings are a giant bulls-eye for hackers.

Use a password to protect your network, but not “123456”, “password” or the always cute “iloveyou”. While easy to remember, these are not safe. Everyone else uses them too. Would you buy a lock for your front door if you knew thousands of other people could buy the exact same lock and key set? I didn’t think so.

Pick a password that only you would know to protect your home computer. Scratch off obvious elements like your birthday, your address, your mom’s maiden name and what you call the family dog. Anyone can find out that information. Pick an easy to remember phrase, utilize both upper and lower case letters, then substitute in numbers and special characters for some of them. It’s that easy for you to do, rather 3@$y4U2dO.