Mharris said:
I have just been informed that a person in our extended family, who
recently asked me some rather odd questions about my IP address, trying to
sound smart
I thought at the time, that he is trying to link my PC with his to get
information from my PC. what could he get if he did, and can he actually
accomplish this? I am now aware that he has spiteful intentions. I hope
someone can answer this question, I need help!
A lot depends on what you told him! Since you didn't give us that
information or tell us anything about your computer and how it connects to
the Internet, all I can do is give you some general advice.
Yes, an unprotected computer can certainly be compromised but I wouldn't get
crazy about this unless the bad family member really knows what he's doing.
You definitely should protect yourself, though. Here are a few suggestions:
1. If you connect to the Internet with broadband (DSL, cable) and you only
have the one computer, you're probably directly connected to the DSL/cable
modem. Purchase a router, which sits between the modem and your computer.
Set the router up securely by changing the default username/password, the
default SSID, and use at least WPA for wireless encryption (or disable the
wireless if not using it). If you don't have one, buying a router is fairly
inexpensive and should be your first step.
1a. If you already have a router, make sure you've changed the passwords,
etc. as described above.
2. In Windows Vista, work from a Standard user account rather than an
account with administrative privileges. Make at least one extra
administrative account. Assign strong passwords to all accounts and leave
the built-in Administrator account disabled (which it is by default).
3. Have a good antivirus installed and keep your subscription current. I
like NOD32 (commercial) or Avast (free). The Windows Firewall is adequate
for most people.
4. Here are some links that will help you learn about staying safe over the
Internet:
http://www.getsafeonline.org/
https://www.mysecurecyberspace.com/
http://www.getnetwise.org/
http://wiki.castlecops.com/Malware_Removal_and_Prevention:_Introduction
http://www.claymania.com/safe-hex.html
http://www.aumha.org/a/parasite.htm - The Parasite Fight
http://msmvps.com/blogs/harrywaldron/archive/2006/02/05/82584.aspx - MVP
Harry Waldron - The Family PC - How to stay safe on the Internet
If any (or all!) of the above is confusing, have a local computer
professional come to your house to look at your computer and your setup and
help you. Don't use someone from a BigComputerStore/GeekSquad type of
place. Get recommendations from friends and family - but not the Bad Family
Member! ;-) There is no shame in getting a professional to help you because
we all have our areas of expertise. I don't hesitate to call a plumber or
take my car to a mechanic.
If you need more help, please do post back. If you do, provide the missing
details which I had to guess about.
Malke
