Tech Byte 4 U|10 Tips to Protect yourself from being Hacked!!!!

10 Tips to Protect yourself from being Hacked!!!!

Monday, July 5, 2010|

Surbhi Verma

Before writing more about hacking, i was thinking to let the innocent people know about hacking and how hackers perform their hacking operation to get your accounts. So that you can protect yourself from getting hacked!!!!!!

I am giving here Tips that ' what you should not to do' with explanation that ' why not to do'.

Tip 1. Use Strong Passwords:

Always use passwords that hard to guess (Mix of digits + letters in Upper case and lower case both) for your all accounts. the longer your password, the better.
Never use any common word, your name, spouse, parents, birthdate etc.

Explanation 1:

Week Passwords and be easily hacked using a Brute Force method which do combination of numbers and letters until the real password comes.
Common passwords containing name, birthdate can be easily guessed by your friends, any known to you.

Tip 2. Carefully Click on Links:

Always Check the links carefully before clicking on that.

Explanation 2:

To explain the this tip,I am taking to examples. Read the examples carefully.

Ex. 1: Please verify your Account....login here "http://okrut.com"
Ex. 2:" we are upgrading our system. please verify your name, mail id, password etc. etc. before date blah blah... here "http://yahoo.com/"
Ex. 3: check this image... this screen shot i hv taken from a forum in Orkut.

Did you get what is Wrong here in these 2 Examples.hmmmm??? Ok let me explain you.

In Ex. 1: check the spelling of Orkut carefully in that link. It can take you on a Fake Orkut Login page. that is called Phishing attack. As soon as you login through that fake login page the hacker get the login name, password or complete information of your account.

In Ex. 2: is there anything wrong???? All the spellings are correct... dear ones, just click on the link, you will understand whats wrong. Don't afraid to click... you r safe... Its just a tutorial to let you learn the things. So click the link......

hmmm.... Got my Point in ex. 2, Its showing you the link of yahoo. but as you click on it, It redirect you to this site. So Always check the link carefully. I recommend you to use "link preview addon" for your browser.

In Ex. 3: check the link carefully..... in last the extension is html... but just before html its written exe..... html is written here just to make you fool. so that you click on link. but as soon as you will click, an executable file will be installed into ur system.

Tip 3: Never Open Email Attachments without scanning:

Don't open any email attachment from any unknown person. And if the person is known then also first scan the email attachment before open or download it.

Explanation 3:

Email Attachments can contain Executable Virus files, that can harm your system. These files usually comes with extension .vbs, .bat, .exe.

image files with extension .Jpeg or .gif can also contain virus. Beware, Virus can be integrated with those jpeg files that are also auto executable. As soon as you open the virus infected picture, the virus will be install into your system.

Sometimes the file extensions are hided to make you fool.you can get an attachment with .txt extension(as txt files never contain executables) But in actual extension could be .vbs, .exe, .bat etc... check here for eg:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ILOVEYOU

Word files, Excel Files can also contail macro viruses, that are very harmfull.

Tip 4. Never get Trapped into attractive ads....Download only from reputed Sites.

Attractive ads like:

Jackpot...."You have won $100000" , "You are the lucky member today", "Free recharge",
Free screen-savers, Free wallpaper, Free Mouse Icons, Free Smiles
Free computer scan
Free Software

Don't download Any software or anything else from just anywhere. Always check for reputed sites then download.

Explanation 4:

These ads are simply a way to attract you to steal your identity and personal information. As soon as you click on it, the stealers get into your computer.

Stealers are that which store all the matter you type including your username, password and send the information to the Hacker. The worst thing is these stealers are not come into notice by your antivirus.

Tip 5: Surf Internet From a limited User Account.

Create a limited user account on your system that does not have administrator rights. and surf web only from that limited account.

Explanation 5:

As limited Account does not have administrators right. So if anything does get into your system, will cannot change any main functions of your system.

Tip 6: Don't tell Your IP to unknowns.

Explanation 6:

If you tell your IP to anyone then there may be chance that they can see Files in your system.

Tip 7: Turn off all java and java scripting by default

Turn of java scripting for your browser by default and only enable it for sites that you know you can trust.

Explanation 7:

This can change your account details, passwords, and can simply hack you.

Recently "Free Recharge Trick" on orkut is an Example of java script. It changes the victims complete profile, join unnecessary communities, leave scrap and comments on pictures of friends, and start a new community topic in forums congaing the Free Recharge trick's link, to get more people into this trap. See Profile of my one friend on orkut after using java script......

Tip 8: Never read an unsolicited e-mail

Do spam unsolicited emails immediately without opening.

Explanation 9:

Coz just by opening mail, the sender can know your IP and probably can hack u!!!

Tip 9: Always use different different passwords

Keep Password different for some important account like paypal or any online banking account, other then your social account's passwords

Try to use different passwords for your all accounts.

Tip 10: Keep your Antivirus Up to date.

Explanation 5:

Antivirus updates contains the definitions of Viruses till date. So if you don't Update it regularly, then there can be chance to get infected your system from a latest coming Virus.

Be safe :)

If you want more information and tutorials about Antivirus and Security, check out other posts under category Antivirus and Security Tips.