10 Security Tips
by Most Wanted Hacker Kevin Mitnick
Kevin Mitnick came over his security proficiency by hand.
In the 1990s, his digital seepage of some of the largest companies around the world
made him a well-known technology boogieman, and inevitably landed him 5 years behind bars.
Now free and clear, Mitnick has transformed himself as a computer system security expert and writer.
He takes a trip around the world teaching organizations the best ways to safeguard their information
in a world of business spies and more youthful versions of himself.
He took a break from his jet-setting to discuss some functional security tips.
So fasten your seatbelts and open up your brains or Notepad if you are feeling lazy and write down
all these 10 security tips delivered right away from the worlds' most renowned hacker, Kevin Mitnick.
1. Back up everything! You are not invulnerable.
Catastrophic data loss can happen to you - one worm or Trojan is all it takes.
2. Choose passwords that are reasonably hard to guess.
Don't just append a few numbers to a no-brainer.
Always change default passwords.
3. Use an antivirus product like AVG or Norton, and set it to update daily.
4. Update your OS religiously and be vigilant in applying all security patches
released by the software manufacturer.
5. Avoid hacker-bait apps like Internet Explorer
and disable automatic scripting on your e-mail client.
6. Use encryption software like PGP (pretty good privacy) when sending sensitive e-mail.
You can also use it to protect your entire hard drive.
7. Install a spyware detection app - or even several.
Programs that can be set to run frequently, like SpyCop, are ideal.
8. Use a personal firewall. Configure it to prevent other computers, networks and sites
from connecting to you, and specify which programs are allowed to connect to the net automatically.
9. Disable any system services you're not using, especially apps that could give others remote access
to your computer (like Remote Desktop, RealVNC and NetBIOS).
10. Secure your wireless networks. Enable WPA (Wi-Fi protected access)
with a password of at least 20 characters.
Configure your laptop to connect in Infrastructure mode only,
and don't add networks unless they use WPA.
Today, Mitnick has been able to move past his role as a black hat hacker
and become a productive member of society.
He served five years, about 8 months of it in solitary confinement,
and is now a computer security consultant, author and speaker.
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