40 MAXIMUMPC NOVEMBER 2007
Top 5 Security Myths
Misinformation can be just as hazardous as a virus. Here’s the lowdown on fi ve popularly held computing myths1
ONLINE SHOPPING Scared to
shop online? Don’t be. The danger lies
with having an unsecured PC combined
with poor computing habits. Address
those issues and you can safely shop from reli-
able vendors.2
FIREWALLS ARE FOR
SISSIES Without at least some
basic protection between your PC and
the Internet, you’re not just vulner-
able, you’re screwed, and it will happen in less
time than it takes to eat your lunch.3
XP SERVICE PACK 2 SUX0RS
Fearful of looming incompatibilities
with programs, there remain some
staunch holdouts against this now
3-year-old service pack. But the majority of
these issues were addressed long ago, and
SP2’s security features make it a must-have.4
I’M SECURED WITH WEP
Employing WEP with your wire-
less router is better than nothing,
but not by much. Cracking the
security protocol takes minimal effort. If yourhardware’s compatible, run WPA2. And if not,
consider upgrading.5
THE PENGUIN PROTECTS
ME We’ll admit, a Linux-based PC is
far less susceptible to attacks than
one running Windows, but don’t be
lulled into a false sense of security. Install any
applicable updates and practice safe comput-
ing habits no matter which OS you’re sporting.HEAL & INOCULATE
the worst part is you may not even know it
has happened. The more sophisticated phish-
ing sites will return that familiar “incorrect
username/password” error message indicat-
ing a typo, then redirect you to the real site
so that subsequent login attempts will prove
fruitful, keeping you in the dark about what
just transpired.
Telltale signs of this scam include typos
and poor grammar, but that’s not alwaysthe case. Avoid being phished by never
clicking hyperlinks in your email. Instead,
type a site’s URL directly into your browser
(not the URL given to you in an email but,
rather, the main address for a site). If there’s
a problem with your account, you’ll be noti-
fi ed when you sign in.3: DOWNLOAD RESPONSIBLY
Back when the online music revolution was
just beginning, Napster
made peer-to-peer (P2P)
fi le sharing mainstream.
Suddenly, everyone with
an Internet connection was
swapping fi les, both legally
and illegally, and that trend
continues today.
We’re not pooh-pooh-
ing legal fi le-sharing; we
ourselves have fi red up
our BitTorrent clients to
download Linux distros
and other large fi les from
trusted sources. But we
discourage folks from
downloading cracked
commercial software, oth-
erwise known as warez.
Not only is this stealing,
but oftentimes these
cracked programs include
something extra—mal-
ware. Hackers know that
one of the easiest ways tospread a virus is to slap the word “key-
gen” on the malicious fi le and then throw
it on a peer-to-peer network.RAGE WITH A
VIRTUAL MACHINE
Why hose your OS when you can experi-
ment on a virtual machine without risking
the health of your main system?
It’s not always easy to tell the differ-
ence between legit software and attach-
ments from harmful fi les. Maybe your
brother really did fi nd time on his honey-
moon to email you a zip fi le of pictures
from Hawaii, but do you want to take the
risk and open it? You’re right to be cau-
tious, but with a virtual machine, you can
afford to live dangerously—without put-
ting your system at risk.
To get started, download and install
Microsoft’s Virtual PC 2007 (free,
http://tinyurl.com/2jr7a7 ); then follow the
prompts to set up a virtual hard disk. Pop
your Windows CD into your optical drive,
fire up your VM, and install Windows.
Once it’s up and running, install the
Virtual Machine Additions package (found
under the Action menu), which will let
you move seamlessly between your VM
and main system. You’re ready to go.
Use your new sandbox to surf those, uh,
adult-friendly websites or to experiment
with suspicious programs.Virtual PC 2007 doesn’t cost a cent, but you will need a
separate license for any OS you plan to install.