Use a hardware firewall and keep it up to date. The linksys ones are ok and fairly easy to configure. The software on it needs to be updated occasionally.
Don’t install software from unknown sources.
Use spam and anti-virus at the server level for email.
Update your OS and applications on a regular basis.
Don’t visit porn sites, sites pushing celebrity stuff, or unknown sites targeted at children.
There are many anti-virus tools out there and Mcafee and Norton are last on my list for the desktop. I use avast, ccleaner, and occasionally malwarebytes. Run a full scan at least monthly.
Use a complex password for anything that requires a password. The most common password found on the internet is 123456.
Thank you. To be honest, I’m going to have to ask my most computer savvy friend to explain some of these items, but once I get it all figured out, I’m sure it will make a huge difference for the better. Your advice is greatly appreciated!
I’ve used this site to test the strength of passwords I’ve created. It seems to work well. http://www.securepasswords.net/site/TestPassword.html
Also, how do you know when it’s safe to let your system update with the updates by MS? I’ve read on FR posts where people state that the updates themselves can also cause problems.