Software Updates and Patches

Installation of Antivirus Software

Using Personal Firewall

Proper use of Passwords

Use of Anti-Spyware Programs

Software Updates and Patches

Constant vulnerabilities are discovered day by day in computer systems. Some adjustments are developed to correct them. Neverthless, these weaknesses are explored regularly by hackers to try to access to computers.

The software manufacturers offer the corrections to these vulnerabilities under the name of patches and/or updates. They are generally available in their Web Sites and they are able to be downloaded automatically.

For example Microsoft, has the page http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com which validates automatically the level of patches that the equipment needs and offers the download service.

Installation of Antivirus Software

A virus is defined as malicious program that can bring damages in your PC´s software and/or hardware. Possibly your computer has an Anti-virus software installed, is just that to be really effective, it must be always updated. If you have doubts in handling and updating of this software, just consult the Help link in the respective Anti-virus´ manufacturer Web Page.

There are several Anti-virus products that you can choose, some examples of them are McAfee, Symantec (Norton) and Sophos, etc.

Also it is possible to obtain a free version of Anti-virus software. You can use the search criteria of “free anti-virus” from the Web Search engine Google, to obtain a list of the available ones, and select any of them.

Using Personal Firewalls

A Personal Firewall is a program that helps to protect your equipment and it´s contents from non-authorized accesses by strangers in Internet.
When it is configured appropriately, it stops all the non-authorized traffic towards and from your PC.
There are several options of Personal Firewalls to choose. The most commercial are:

• Zone Labs: www.zonelabs.com
• Symantec: www.symantec.com
• McAfee: www.mcafee.com

Proper use of Passwords

The passwords are the key to the information of your accounts on line, to on line stores of and other multiple on line activities. Your Internet password to the BCR, along with your Clave Dinámica card, allows you to access your banking accounts and to make transferences. Therefore, it must be unique and must be very well protected.

• Keep your passwords in secret, never reveal them to anybody, do not write them down on visible places or readily accessible, like screens or keyboards, do not generate any document with names like keys, banking, password, etc.
• Do not write down your password; keep it in your mind. If you really need to write your passwords, use a code system like changing some of the letters.
• Do not use passwords that can be easily guessed like your name, date of birth, telephone numbers, and pet’s names and similar.
• Change your password periodically.
• Avoid using the same password for different services like electronic mail, domain, bank, etc.

Use of Anti-Spyware Programs

Spyware is a term commonly used for programs that can install themselves in your PC, in order to monitor and to register your activities while using Internet. The results of  these monitor activities can be used for commercial aims, as well as for malicious intentions, for example to extract all the personal information that you have entered, such as: telephone numbers, passwords, credit cards numbers, and banking accounts keys.

The Spyware is commonly loaded in the equipment without the consent of the user and can be part of a free unloading of another service, for example in a service that is conceited to optimize your PC´s performance.

In order to eliminate the Spyware that could have been installed in your equipment, we recommend you to install an Anti-Spyware software.

The available Ant-Spyware security programs actually include: McAfee, Spybot Search and Destroy, AdAware, Spyware Eliminator, Spyware Doctor and Microsoft Windows Defender. Our recommendation is that  you install and use a good reputation Anti-Spyware product.