General Security for Dummies..

Hi peeps..
Lot of you guy's are experts on security and for you configuring a firewall, tweeking virus scanners etc. is a joke.. But most of "normal" people have no idea how and why. I know a guy that bought a computer with pre-installed anti virus program and he thought he was safe.. He never even updated the deffinitions.
When I told him about viruses, trojans and rest of misery, he loughed at me saying if you download Microsoft security patches and critical updates you won't even need a virus scanner.. He had ADSL modem with build in firewall, and thought all malware would be distroyed before even reaching his putter.
Do you folx think making easy to understand tutorial for begginers would be something worth while?

 

ABSOLUTELY!.....but bear in mind that there would be many of these already.
EASY TO UNDERSTAND.......is the critical point.
I am seeing similar situations ALL THE TIME........particularly with 'older' persons who have taken to computing in their retirement. For example;
Case 1.....Went to help an old fellow the other day with a virus. Had AV which was never updated......comp was riddled with viruses/malware/trojans etc.........had to wipe and reload his OS.
Case 2......Went to help another old fellow install a printer. Noticed he had F-Prot.....again never updated in the 18months he had the comp. He wanted to print out a picture of an old set of scales he was restoring for the local butcher shop......he didn't even know how to save the pic to his HDD.......He's also restoring an old Edison Phonograph and he was dumbstruck when I showed him a google image search finding 'thousands' of pictures of this item....
SO...any tutorial would need to be very basic and easy to understand....because some users have absolutely no idea. You would certainly have a challenge on your hands if you were to undertake a task like this.
Regards,
Buck.

 

There's a saying "U can lead a hprse to water but u cannot make him drink". It is not just seniors but "over the hill" types who have no idea they need to have security in place and believe an ant-virus program is all the security they need. They purchase a computer and figure that everything is just fine. Perhaps the onus should be on shops that sell computers to brief unknowlegeable users about safeguarding their computers. Anyway, there are some very knowlegeable seniors here at Wilders and there are also discussion forums that are sought out by interested seniors who get assistance. If one is interested enough & can google, they can find these sites. Another problem for seniors is that often they are the recipients of old computers discarded by the kids and these computers may only have a gig or so of hard-drive which is hardly enough to load much of anything.

 

Thank you guy's for your response..
Frankly I expected much more input on this one..

 

Yes it is a very good idea, and to implement such would take a massive amount of work, and then would require maintaining it as each version of a program can dramatically change screenshots and instructions.

It is worth a thought, and something I have been/am considering...

Hope this helps...

Cheers

 

From my perspective, I have learnt from reading boards and mags....Wilders is without doubt the most informative Forum on Security Issues Ive come across. I dont really think its feasible to write a guide to cover everything. Best you can do is give them a nudge in the right direction to set them off. Everyone has differing ideas on what constiutes a safe machine, so many programs etc

 

It seems to me that the problem on computer security is not how to use computer security softwares, but people's awareness of the security risks. The worst part is sometimes people's closed mind, as well as ignorance. This not necessarily only related to the seniors. It happens to young people too.

I have a cousin who had a major in Computer Science, with several years experience in programming. Most likely, you would expect that she is aware of the computer security and be familiar with firewalls, anti-trojan, anti-spyware softwares, and etc. The fact is that she has no idea on such kind of things at all. Once I talked with her on using a firewall, she just stopped me and told me that she would just be fine without it. What could I say? Later on, her computer was infected by some virus spreaded through the net, which could be blocked by several firewalls. Only at that time, she realized that a personal firewall is of some use and asked me for advice. Still she is not using any anti-trojan and anti-spyware softwares now. There is no spyware or trojan on her computer? You bet on it. Well, I will not talk with her on such kind of things any more. I know, the best time for her to learn is when she has suffered.

 

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words and the below link is one I've passed to many family\friends that has already been made.

Welcome to the BleepingComputer.com Tutorial Center

 

Saw an IVY LEAGUE engineer running a mill backward. Course the darn thing wouldn't remove the material! And you think he would have the sense to ask for help? Nope.

 

Wow.. Finally found it.. Bubba that is a really fantastic site.. Thank you for the link..
I'm going to recommend it to everyone on my board, and other boards I'm joining. Thanx again..

 

Great site, thanks. and THIS is the The Article that should come with every new computer:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/tutorial86.html